A/N: This is the last chapter of my saga. It's been a lot of fun, but I am SO happy to be finally finishing it up so I can work on some more, hopefully better adjusted and interesting, plots.

DOUBLE TROUBLE

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

Hermione sat on her bed, drawing her knees up to her chest and resting her chin against them. So much had happened in so short a time. She had accepted Rohan and Caralynn's offer of apprenticeship in the ways of the Magi, and ultimately a place in the Circle. Her Incarnate powers seemed a bit latent as of late, but maybe that was a good thing. Perhaps she had ultimately served her purpose like she was supposed to.

Yawning softly, she glanced out the window, the sun dipping low on the horizon, coloring everything a magnificent orange.

The commencement ceremony earlier had been a point of pride for Hermione, as she watched George amble across the stage and accepting his certificate in his gracious way. A smile tugged at her lips as she replayed in her mind Snape turning into such a lovely canary.

"Hermione?"

Turning her head, she smiled at Pansy. "Mhm?"

"We're all waiting for you in the common room." Pansy jerked her head, smiling happily at the girl. "Come on, your lurve is waiting on you!"

"Stuff it, Parkinson." Hermione laughed, flipping an errant lock of hair behind her shoulder as she clambered off her bed. "All packed up?"

"Yeah." Pansy replied, all but shoving her out the door. "Everything's ready for me to go home." There was a slight sadness in her voice as she thought of the months past. What home did she have now.

"You know, you're always welcome to come home with me and see how we Muggles live." Hermione stopped at the top of the stairs. "You can stay with me for a month or so, live it rough."

Pansy stopped, staring at Hermione in a thoughtful manner. "Well, um, if it wouldn't be too much of an imposition. . ." The thought of going back to the cold, empty manor with only the memory of her parents and long dead sister didn't thrill her in the least. Besides, Draco had already taken Sirius and Harry's offer about staying at the old Black residence.

"It's no imposition at all." Hermione smiled brightly. "Besides, with you coming over, Draco's sure to be there a lot, which means I get to see Ari!"

Pansy rolled her eyes. "Yes, Aunt Hermione."

XXX

George fingered the ring in his pocket for the thousandth time, wondering if Hermione would like a promise ring. . .hoping she would like the promise ring.

Staring at the stairs, he silently willed Hermione to come down, almost begging her with his thoughts. Come on!

And there she was, standing at the foot of the steps, staring around the common room in vague confusion. Blinking, she shook herself. I thought Pansy said everyone was down here.

Almost as if reading her thoughts, George grabbed her quickly and dragged her over to a corner, so they could be by themselves. "Mya. . ." He started, not quite sure what to say. There were so many things he wanted to tell this beautiful girl, but the words would not come.

"George? Are you okay?" Her brows knitted as she stared up at him, watching him open and close his mouth a few dozen times.

"Sure. . .um. .. I'm fine." He lied, his voice cracking.

"Where is everyone?" She glanced around the empty common room again, as if assuring herself there was indeed no one there.

"They're all gone down to the Leaving Feast." George replied, pulling Hermione close to him. "Mya, love, I-I'm leaving Hogwarts, and you still have another year." He stiffened slightly. "I just want you to know that I love you, okay?"

Hermione glanced up at him, "I love you too." She snuggled into his chest, just allowing him to hold her close.

"This past year has taught me so many things, like how much I do love bushy-headed know-it-alls." He grinned as she punched him lightly. "What I'm trying to say, is that. . .well, promise me that you won't find another guy, okay? Promise me that you won't just one day decide that I'm not good enough for you, because the truth is. . .I'm not, Hermione, I'm not half the man I could be, I'm really not good enough for you."

Hermione stiffened at the whispered admission. "How could you think that?" Her voice was low and filled with emotion. "George, I love you regardless, you are more than good enough for me, you're perfect!"

George carefully slid his hand into his pocket, taking out the ring. "Then, I want you to have this, as my promise to you that no matter what, I will always love you."

Hermione's eyes widened as she stared at the beautiful ring. White gold band with a yellow gold inlay served as a resting place for a beautiful red stone with a tiny rose etched into the top of it. She gasped as he slid it on her finger, smiling as it fit perfectly. "Thank you!" She jumped on him, pressing a resounding kiss to his cheek.

"If I'd known I'd have gotten that reaction, I would have done it sooner."

Laughing, Hermione proceeded to kiss him thoroughly.

XXX

"Yet another year gone." Harry poked at his food, sending another loving glance at Ginny, who blushed. "Next year, we'll be leaving this place for good."

Ron nodded, laughing as Melody pelted Fred with food from her plate.

"Oy, where's Mione and George?" Vincent looked up from his plate, as if just noticing that they weren't there.

"They're getting some well-deserved alone time in the tower." Pansy replied, plopping herself directly in Draco's lap and hugging him. "And don't you even think about going and interrupting them." She gave a glare at Ron and Fred, who was smirking. "I'd hate to have to do the same to you that I did to Blaise."

At that moment, giggles erupted from the Slytherin table as Blaise Zabini jumped up, his hair a shocking pink and his chest expanding as he suddenly grew breasts. He fainted dead away.

XXX

"Mmm, look at her." Charlie held the infant in his arms, smiling down at the baby. "She's perfect! Just like her mum." He leaned over to press a kiss to Elizabeth's head as she rummaged through their things.

Elizabeth blushed softly, throwing herself back on their bed. "So, Daddy, when should we set the wedding date for? Because I don't know about you, I certainly can't wait to. . .well. . ." She waggled her eyebrows in lieu of saying it, since there was a child present.

Charlie grinned wolfishly, "You just can't get enough of me, can you Miss Trenton? I mean, all the way well into the second trimester and you were still. .."

"Ew." Raya poked her head in. "Like your daughter needs her fragile mind warped by that." She walked in, smiling softly. "And how is my beautiful little niece?"

"Mum?" A plaintive voice said from the doorway, causing Raya to turn, smiling.

"Come on in, Eric." The young boy walked in slowly, unsure of himself. Elizabeth threw herself off the bed, happily embracing her sister.

"The adoption went through!? How great!"

Raya smiled softly. "Yes, the adoption went through, I'm just sorry I couldn't save her." She shivered at the thought of the broken and battered body of Eric's sister.

"It wasn't your fault." Remus reminded her, sauntering in and putting an arm around Eric, pulling the boy into a fatherly embrace.

"I know." She rested her head against Remus' shoulder. "It's just. . ."

"Hindsight is always twenty-twenty." Elizabeth advised sagely, going over to Charlie to press a soft kiss against Hope's temple.

XXX

Danielle smirked at Bill. "So, going back to Egypt?"

"Nah." He scuffed his foot along the ground. "I thought I'd maybe stick around here for a while, y'know, make sure things are calm on the home front before returning. What about you? Headed for the States?"

"No, actually, Mom and Dad are staying here. Aunt Jess and Uncle Clinton wants us to be closer. Said that they miss us." Danielle laughed. "I think it's more along the lines of Mione's growing up and they want to dote on Steve and Jon before they're too old."

Bill joined in with the laughter. "So, I'll be seeing you?"

Danielle faltered for a moment. "I guess, around, y'know." She shrugged.

"No, I meant. . ." He stopped, then grinned. "I meant on more like a daily, or every other day basis. We'd have to start out slow, y'know, and gradually work ourselves into a deeper relationship."

"So, are you asking me out on a. .. date?"

Bill laughed. "No, Miss Trenton, I'm asking you to be my steady girlfriend. I want all the perks now, and then we'll worry about dating."

Danielle launched herself at Bill. "I thought you'd never ask!"

XXX

"Do you all want to go up on the Astronomy tower?" Ron suggested through a mouthful of food. "Tonight's an eclipse, and since it's our last night all together as a group, I thought that maybe. . ."

"It's a grand idea!" Harry seconded. "The OCD in their final act."

XXX

Each of the couples settled themselves off on the blankets, faces turned up to the stars, watching as the shadow covered the moon inch by bare inch.

A small giggle caught their attention and Ron turned, raising a brow at Harry.

"It wasn't me." Harry mouthed, indicating that he and Ginny were PDA approved.

A giggle sounded again, causing the group to throw suspicious glances around. Then another giggle. Then someone toppled out of the shadows with another someone close behind, landing on the floor of the tower with an audible thump.

"Ow."

"Sirius?" Harry's voice was incredulous.

"Fancy meeting you here." Sirius blushed, righting himself and trying to push the other body back in the safety of the shadows before anyone could see who it was. But it was too late, Hermione had already caught the flash of golden hair.

"Skylar?"

"Um, the one, the only." She mumbled, her face flaming.

"When did this happen?"

Sirius waggled his eyebrows. "I don't kiss and tell, Miss Granger."

"How about you tell us." The other three Trenton girls stood in the doorway with their respective significant others.

"Please do, Padfoot, we're dying to know." Remus added, hooking an arm about Raya's waist.

"Well. . ."

"Um. .. that is to say. . ."

Skylar shrugged. "Worry about your own affairs, ladies." And she hauled Sirius back into the shadows to finish whatever it was that they had started.