Hello all! I have returned. Finally. I've decided that I will not make promises anymore, because I'm no good at keeping them. "Soon." Yeah, hahaha. I honestly did not mean to post this so late (and did not mean to not write for so long). Slowly but surely, this story is ending. Next chapter will be the last, I know that for a fact. And I'm writing my new story, Home, already. (If I say so myself, it's going to be great! I'm very excited for it, it's going to be stronger than my other stories. It's a Harry Potter story, but that's all I'm saying! It'll be up during the summer—and that is one promise I can guarantee I will be keeping!)

Thank you guys so much for sticking with me and the story. It means so much more to me than I can say—honestly. A big thank you and a whole lotta love to the following wonderful reviewers: weirder, ears91, Hermione512, rokjai, huggablemix, asylumsnicker9450, rowan j. weasley, Ramy, myman-harry526, couch-potato01, Ignited Gonja Cat, Smore, Redstar, sugah baby, Jen, gigi and babygirl4U. Thanks everyone!!!

So…sorry for the major delay, I hope you enjoy the chapter. Please please please r&r, it would be muchly appreciated.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, either Harry Potter-wise (J.K. Rowling does) or the song I'm Glad (Jennifer Lopez does.)

Enjoy!!

Six Months Later

A lot of time had passed since the trio attended the wedding. Harry and Hermione finally had what they wanted: an open, mature relationship. This time around, there were no secrets, no feelings of guilt, no sneaking around behind someone's back. All was out in the open, and it felt great.

One night, Harry and Hermione were cuddled up on the couch, watching nothing in particular on the television. They were snuggled under a white Egyptian cotton blanket, listening to the sound of the rain on the windows and occasionally sipping from the steaming mugs of tea on the table in front of them.

"This is perfect," Hermione said with a happy sigh.

"Yeah, perfectly nauseating," Ron quipped, coming into the living room. "Do you two have to be so lovey-dovey all the time?"

"Yes," replied Hermione with a giggle. "Always."

"Oh," Ron groaned. "Please stop. It's making my stomach turn."

Harry laughed. "Sorry, mate."

"Not as sorry as I am," Ron mumbled. He left the living room and went to the front hall closet.

"Where're you off to?" Hermione called out.

"Somewhere where I don't have to witness that," Ron replied, coming back into the living room with his coat on.

"Are you meeting up with anyone?" Harry wanted to know.

Ron's eyes widened for a split second, then went back to normal. "Uh, no. Not really. I'm sure I'll run into someone…but…no one in particular, no," he said quickly. He spun on his heels and walked as fast as he could to the door without actually running. "I'll be back sometime!" he shouted before slamming the door shut behind him.

"That was weird," Hermione commented, taking a sip of her tea.

"He's such a bad liar," Harry said. "I wonder who he's meeting, and why it'd be such a big secret."

Hermione shrugged. "I don't think it's such a big deal. He's always like this when he first starts seeing a girl. Remember the way he acted when he first started dating Daisy?"

"This is true," Harry had to admit. "He does act strangely when it comes to girlfriends."

"He'll tell us when he's ready," Hermione said.

"Yeah."

They sat in a comfortable silence for a while afterwards. They'd say the odd thing here and there, but it was mainly a quiet afternoon. Harry ran his fingers through her silky hair, contemplating their relationship.

Ever since they'd been together openly, they spent pretty much all of their free time together. The only time they slept in separate beds was when Harry was away for a match—but this hardly happened, because even when he was at an away game, he'd apparate home to sleep with Hermione.

His fame from Quidditch had brought a mini celebrity status to Hermione. They'd been out to a few events as a couple, and when the papers found out that he was dating someone, they practically had a field day. Everyone now knew Hermione as Harry Potter's girlfriend.

But this didn't bother them. They had been through so much together, ever since they were only eleven years old. They were strong. They were happy.

"I'm glad things ended up like this," Harry said.

Hermione smiled. "Me too."

*~*

Ron stepped into the entranceway of the pub and closed his umbrella. It was pouring out, and he was grateful for the umbrella—even if it hadn't kept him that dry.

He scanned the pub. Where is she? Am I that late? he wondered, glancing at his watch.

"Ron! Ron, over here!" she called out. Ron turned and saw her sitting at a table in the far corner.

He went over to her. "Sorry I'm late," he said, sitting across from her. "Have you been waiting long?"

She shook her head. "No, just a few minutes. I ordered us some chips, though."

Ron grinned. "You know me so well," he said with a laugh. He leaned across the table to kiss her, but she drew back.

"Have you told them about me yet?" she asked, point-blank.

Ron felt his ears turn pink. "Er, no. Not yet."

"Ronald…"

"But I will! Soon. Tomorrow. Tonight," he corrected himself, off her look.

She gave him her perfect smile. "Good. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to use the loo." Ron shook his head as he watched her leave.

What'll Harry and Hermione say when I tell them I'm with Lavender? he wondered. It was their responses that had kept him from telling them. Ron knew they wouldn't accept this piece of information easily.

Harry and Lavender hadn't ended on the best of terms. In fact, they hadn't spoken since that night at the hotel. Every time someone brought up that night, or Lavender herself, Harry's face would turn a little grey, and he wouldn't say anything until the subject was changed.

Hermione wasn't much better off. At any mention of Lavender, Hermione tutted everyone's ears off. Ron could easily recall the time Harry's teammate brought up Harry and Lavender as a couple, right in front of Hermione—and it wasn't pretty.

In short, he knew it wouldn't go over well. They'd pretend to be happy for him, but it would most likely bring up some unresolved tension between the two. Ron did not want to be the person responsible for that.

Lavender took her seat as the waitress brought them a large plate of chips and took their drink orders.

"How should we do it?" Lavender asked, spearing a chip onto her fork.

"Do what?"

"Tell Harry and Hermione about us. I was thinking we could all go out to dinner together and tell them then."

Ron grimaced as he imaged that scenario. "Er, I don't think that's such a good idea, Lav. Maybe I should just tell them on my own."

Lavender gave him her best pout. "But I want to do it together."

"I know, but I just don't think it's a good idea."

Lavender gave an exaggerated sigh. "Alright," she said. "If you think it's best."

"I do."

"Maybe you're right," she admitted. "I don't know if I'm ready to see them together."

No one is, Ron thought darkly, picturing the two annoyingly cute lovebirds on the couch. But that thought was wiped clear of his mind as a new idea hit him. "Are you over Harry yet?" he asked.

Lavender nodded and shrugged at the same time. "It's hard to picture him with another girl," she admitted. "He was my first love. But I'm glad we're together," she said, taking his hands.

"I hate admitting this, but so am I," he said with a grin. He thought back to the beginning of their relationship…

When Lavender finally let go of Ron that night, he walked her back to her flat. She was still a mess, but she wasn't crying anymore.

They stood in her doorway, unsure of what to say to each other.

"Thanks, Ron," she finally said softly. "Thank you."

He shrugged. "It was nothing," he said. He felt slightly guilty for knowing about Harry and Hermione and not telling Lavender, but then again, he had never really liked her.

"Well, it meant something to me. I'm sorry I ruined your night."

"Don't worry about it."

Lavender smiled weakly. "This is good-night, I guess," she said.

"I guess so."

She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Good-night, Ron."

"Good-night, Lav." He turned and started to head back to the hotel, but suddenly stopped himself. He turned around again and called out to her, "If you ever want to talk, just call me."

That unexpected comment in itself had been pretty weird, but what was even weirder was that she actually took him up on his offer.

About a week later, the phone rang. Ron was the only one home at the time, so he answered it. "Hello?"

All he could hear was an odd, hysterical squeaking noise. "Hello?" he said again, terribly confused.

"R-R-Ron?"

"Yes?"

"It's me. Lavender."

"Oh! Lavender, hi. What's the matter?"

The squeaking noise continued for a few moments, and it dawned on Ron that she was sobbing into the telephone.

"I found one of Harry's shirts under my bed," she finally got out. It was one of his favourites, and he left it here. I don't know what to do!"

"You could bring it back," Ron suggested.

"I can't do that!" she wailed. "I don't want to see him." There was a brief pause, then she blurted out, "I love him so much!"

Ron was at a loss. He wasn't very good at dealing with this type of thing. "I guess I could come pick it up," he said at last.

"Could you? That would be perfect!"

Ron sighed. "If you say so. I'll be there as soon as I can."

He and Lavender spent the rest of the day together, and planned on going to a movie—just as friends, of course—the next day.

They grew closer. They became friends. Ron began to understand why Harry had dated her for so long: she was sweet, caring, funny, beautiful. Yes, she was a bit of a drama queen. She was a bit of a princess. But not only did Ron find that it didn't bother him, he realized he found it…endearing.

They finally got together three months after that night at the hotel, and had been together in secret ever since. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Ron had never been happier.

*~*

Harry and Hermione sat outside on the terrace later that night. It had stopped raining a while ago, and the clouds were clearing up to reveal the stars. The air was damp and a bit chilly, but they were still wrapped up in their blanket.

"We've been together for almost a year now," Harry pointed out.

"Hard to believe, isn't it?" she asked with a reminiscing smile.

"We've had quite a year."

"We have," she agreed. "But it's been great."

The moment was perfect, it was exactly what Harry had been waiting for. When he had made up his mind to do this a few weeks ago, he waited patiently—albeit nervously—for the right moment, and here it was.

They'd been best friends since they were eleven and had been through everything together. She was always there for him. She was one person that, he knew, would never leave him. She loved him.

And he loved her, simple as that.

Now was the time.

"Hermione, will you marry me?"

~*~

Haha, I enjoy being evil. Cliffhanger! Duh duh duh. I'm really looking forward to writing the next chapter, it's gonna be lots of fun, so it should be up soon (but I don't make promises anymore, remember?) Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you will endure the wait for the next and final chapter (however long the wait may be). Please review! Thanks a bunch!