Epilogue

Two Years Later

Prologue-

Voldemort looked down upon several different things. For example, he had always viewed "love" as a weakness, and therefore underestimated its power. The day he tried to kill Harry Potter, he did not count on his victim's mother's love to protect him, and that led to his downfall.

In retrospect, at the Final Battle, he was brought down by another variable that he looked down upon; muggles. He protected himself from all sorts of wizarding way of murder and torture, but he didn't count on the use of muggle murder. Harry Potter killed him with a sword bearing no magic power or enchantments- a muggle sword. Voldemort's lack of respect and preparation for this ultimately brought him to his destruction.

And although everyone- my friends, enemies, teachers, and myself- knew that the day would come, we never could believe it actually happened the way it did. We never could believe how many loved ones we had lost. But we do, now, believe that it was finally over. Of course, now that-

"What cha' doing?" Draco's voice disrupted my reading. I looked up at him as he entered the study. He used his hands to feel around the edges of the doorway and furniture, since he blatantly refused to use a cane.

"Just reading a book." He held out his hands in front of him and I handed it to him.

He felt the dragonhide hardcover and smiled in recognition. "Ah… My Final Battle, by Hermione Granger. Someone read it to me once… It was alright, I suppose..."

I rolled my eyes and slapped him on the arm lightly. Last month when it was published, I had read it to him, since it wasn't exactly fit for an audio cassette. (Not that he knew what it was until I explained it to him. He was enchanted.) Of course he loved it.

Actually, he inspired me to write it. And now, two years later, here I am, living in a sweet little condo with Draco.

Well, actually, it's quite big. What do you expect, considering its Draco?

I took my book back and stood up, wrapping my arms around him. "Today's the day."

He stroked my hair and said, "Yes it is. Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be. Come on. We need to change." I took his hand and we went upstairs.

I could take off my clothes right in front of him now. He would often complain, "This really isn't fair, you know. I mean, here you are, an extremely sexy girl that I happen to love, naked right in front of me, and I can't see a bloody thing."

Then I would retort, "Well, you touch everything enough to make up for that- and I mean everything."

And then he would give me a big boyish smile that would fill up his whole face. For someone who looks so innocent on the outside, he sure is naughty...

For the first four months of his blindness, we never mentioned it. Not once. It was tense and sad for everyone, me especially, but I guess no one would ever really understand but him. Fortunately, we got through that rough period, and we finally have the smooth sailing we had always wanted and deserved. Especially after all that happened.

We both had dressed properly by now, but I still had to put on makeup.

"Hurry up, for Merlin's sake. People will start arriving at the church in about three to four hours; I thought you would maybe like to be there to gab with your girlfriends first."

"I need to find and put on the waterproof mascara, Draco. You don't want my eyes to streak in the middle of the I do's, do you? I'll look like a bloody clown."

"Darling, I'm blind. Frankly, I don't give a damn how you look." He kissed me on the cheek. Then on the lips.

"Yes, Draco, but not everyone in the chapel is going to be as flexible as you are." I kissed him back. "And I want you to know that you just ruined my lipstick, you little child."

"Who are you calling a 'child'?" He struck an indignant pose and pouted. "I am a big boy now, thank you very much."

I finished up. I took one look at him and laughed. "Oh, yes, a very big boy. One that puts on his tie backwards."

He really had no sufficient comeback, so all he could do was sit there in defeat as I put on his tie the correct way.

Although, as he followed me out the door, I did hear him mutter under his breath, "Can't even give a blind man a little break…"

Four Hours Later

The organs began playing. I took a deep breath and began walking down the aisle in my pale crème- colored dress.

I saw Draco and Harry at the end of the aisle. I smiled to them nervously. Well, Draco obviously couldn't see it, but whatever.

Again, I was struck at how unbelievably handsome he is. The battle damaged nothing on his face. I used to have a scar on my cheek, but I got rid of that. Draco kept the scars on his back and upper torso, as did I.

I walked up slowly, in a line with Pavarti Patil and Padma Patil.

Don't trip, don't trip, don't trip, don't trip, you had better not trip…

Luckily, I didn't. When I got down to the end of the aisle…

I made a sharp turn right, settling myself into a standing position next to Draco.

Padma Patil stepped up to Harry at the altar. The priest cleared his throat and began the wedding ceremony. (What, did I lead you to believe that it was mine? How devilishly tricky of me!)

Harry was just as handsome as Draco. His scars, unlike ours, could never leave him. He had numerous ones among his body, but the one for everyone to see wasn't his lightning one anymore.

On his pale porcelain face, a gash ran across, from his forehead to the bottom of his left cheek.

But Padma loved him, and always touched his scars gingerly and lovingly, like I did with Draco.

I was right about the mascara. As they said the fateful I do's, emotional tears were starting to fill up in my eyes.

After their kiss, everyone burst into cheers, and a lot of whooping where the males were concerned. Well, the males my age.

I went up to my best friend and said, "Congratulations, Harry," and the tears spilled out of my eyes.

I was very relieved when he fell in love with someone else. But then again, I don't really think he ever did truly love me in that way as Draco did.

As if he knew what I was thinking, he whispered in my ear, "Ron was always my brother, Hermione. But you were always my sister."

Post- Wedding Party

"WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

I clapped my hand to my mouth and stifled a laugh.

The music was pumping, everyone was dancing, and certain pair of twins was very, very drunk and currently stark in their golden snitch- covered knickers.

One guess. Fred and George.

"We would like to propose a…" Fred stopped and let out a much undignified belch.

George continued for him. "…toast. To Harry and Norma!"

He stumbled and fell on his butt.

"Hey, George…" Fred said in a confused daze, "I don't think that's the name…"

Next to me, Draco shook his head and chuckled. "Thank God they're not wearing briefs."

"Well, of course it isn't!" George snapped rather impatiently. He then let out his own little belch.

Angelina Johnson went up to them and took them both by the ear. "Sorry about these two gits. They're adorable, my boyfriend and his twin, but they just can't handle liquor."

She dragged them to a booth, where they stayed for basically the rest of the party.

Something just occurred to me as I watched the newlyweds continued dancing, unaware of the obscene display that just took place.

The song finished as I reached them. "Padma, you forgot to toss your wedding bouquet to the girls!"

"Oh, I don't need to toss a bunch of flowers to know who's going to get hitched next."

What? "What?"

"Hermione," I heard Draco say behind me. I spun around and he got down on one knee, holding Padma's bouquet. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a velvet box. I gasped, and he didn't even need to say the words or take out the ring.

"I do!" I squealed as I threw my arms around him.

He laughed in relief and said, "Well, all those hours practicing in front of the mirror were sure worth it!"

1 am

After the party, I visited Ron.

Right after the battle, we had gathered all the bodies of our friends, colleagues, and old classmates, and formed a special graveyard for them all. As I walked pass all of the names, I felt myself growing dizzy, but I came to spot of my old best friend.

I laid down the flowers and sat down next to his grave. The lamp lights were all on, and instead of looking spooky, the place looked peaceful and serene and sad.

I began talking.

"Hey, Ron," I began softly. "How've you been doing up there? Well, Harry and Padma finally tied the knot today… It was a beautiful ceremony… Everything was almost perfect… But a few people couldn't come… No, they were too busy in heaven, I suppose."

I took a breath and blinked back tears. "Me and Harry really miss you. Your family is finally coming together again, though. It's hard to handle one death of a family member, let alone three. So that's good…" I let out a little half- laugh, but it was riddled with a few tears that couldn't help but show. We lost a lot more then three, I thought.

"Aren't you even going to tell him about our engagement?" came a soft voice.

I turned around and Draco sat down next to me. He visited this place a lot, so he already knew his way. He heard my sniffles and gently wiped away my tears.

I laughed another teary laugh and said, "I was getting to that." I turned back to the grave. "Well, Draco just spoiled it, but yes, we're engaged!"

"Well, not like I could even get the words out of my mouth. Before I could officially propose, this girl just jumped me."

"I did not! I was just merely…excited." I sighed. "Oh, I wish you were here, Ron."

"We all do." I smiled at Draco and snuggled into his chest.

A silent moment passed. Then- "Man, you should have seen Fred and George tonight- it was bloody hilarious…You know how they are when they're drunk.? Well, tonight was indefinitely the worst…"

And we talked all night.

Fin