I am really really really sorry about this long wait! I really am. I was in the middle of a move, and my mom wouldn't let me take the computer till she got all her stuff off of it, and then she had to go and delete a bunch of stuff, and then I had to get my new place wired with the internet, and it was just a nightmare!
But that is why its taken soooo long.
I hope you like the ending!
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Chapter nine:
To Have and To Hold
When Hermione approached her with the question, Usagi was watching the guys play a game of Quidditch. It was amazing to watch them on their brooms, flying back and forth across the field.
Her fast becoming friend Luna, sat with her on the sidelines, holding a bottle of water to her mouth, doing the commentary. Her funny remarks on the player behalf, and even the game itself, kept a smile on Usagi's face.
"Uh-hello Usagi," Hermione greeted tentatively as she fell into the empty spot beside the blonde. Usagi looked over at the other woman with a warm smile. "Hi Hermione," she said in turn.
"How are you liking it here," Hermione asked, meaning the burrow. Or even meaning the Wizarding world. Usagi looked back out at the field. Harry was playing the position call chaser. But so was Draco, who played the opposite team's chaser.
The two fought rough, and sometimes unfairly, as they flew back and forth trying to get the quaffle. If she hadn't known better, she would have thought they were rivals, or enemies trying to conquer the other.
Usagi shrugged her shoulders. "It's been wonderful so far. It must be great to live freely with your magic," she replied, the whole while, she never took her eyes off Harry.
"What do you mean," Hermione asked with a frown, her brows furrowed in her confusion. Usagi bit her lip in worry when Harry narrowly avoided getting hurt by the ball Fred and George were throwing around. A bludger, her mind supplied. "Nothing," she said quickly.
The frown stayed in place, as Hermione watched the younger woman beside her. "Um-Usagi, can I ask a favor of you," she asked suddenly. "Sure," Usagi replied without hesitation.
"Would you-" she began, but was cut off when Harry scored the finally goal and won the game. Usagi scrambled to her feet, momentarily forgetting what Hermione had wanted to ask of her. Harry landed with a grunt, his feet thudding against grass, as he swung off his broom before her.
"Hey Usagi," he said in a rush. He took a moment to catch his breath, before he purged on. "Wanna learn how to fly?"
Usagi's eyes lit up, her lips turning up into a huge smile. "Hai!" she let out a squeal, when Harry held out his broom for her. Unable to suppress her excitement, she raced towards him. "Domo artigato!" Usagi threw her arms around his neck for a tight hug.
Harry couldn't fight the grin that formed on his face, even if he wanted to.
"Oh, Harry really?" she asked, her bright blue eyes looking up at him with hope. The look she gave him did something funny to his insides.
They stood like that for a moment, while the others quickly became scarce. Only Hermione had to be dragged away by Draco, protesting that she didn't get a chance to ask her yet.
"Yea," he whispered, his arms wrapping themselves around her waist. It was strange, this feeling. They'd only known each other for a few weeks and yet-. And yet, a part of him felt like he'd known her for years. "Usagi," he continued in a whisper. He feared that if he spoke any louder, it would break whatever moment they had fallen into.
Usagi drew in a sharp breath, her head tilting up and to the side, so that she could get a better view of his face. "I really like this look better," she said softly. She pulled one hand free from behind his neck, to touch his hair. He shivered as her fingers ran along the side of his face, feeling his skin. And when she traced her finger along the lightning bolt scar on his forehead, the feeling he felt, made his entire body tingle.
"Usagi," he said again, but now his voice sounded thick. "I- I want to kiss you." He felt a blush creep up his neck and into his cheeks, at his unexpected confession. "Okay," she replied and Harry didn't give either of them a chance to think about the conversation they were having.
Lowering his head, he paused, his eyes still holding hers. He briefly touched her lips, wondering how he could crave this kind of touch from someone he had just met.
Usagi's hands slid up into his hair again, her fingers running through the unkempt strands. "Harry," she pleaded. The sound of his name coming from her, and not his father's name, broke whatever resistance he had left.
Harry dipped his head down again, and silenced her words with a kiss. It was awkward at first, their noses bumping, and their movements tentative and unsure. But when he ran his tongue over her bottom lips, causing her to gasp, the kiss changed.
His hands slid up along her body, feeling each and every curve, before cupping her face. Harry angled his head over hers and groaned. It was an addicting taste. One he couldn't get enough of, not now, and not ever. The only thing that could tear him away from her was the need for air.
He finally broke away panting, the color quickly returning to his face. He was completely appalled by how turned on he was, after just one kiss. "Usagi," he began, wondering what he should say to her. He'd pretty much just devoured her mouth, taking what he wanted and giving nothing in return.
Usagi only shook her head, her fingers touching her lips in surprise. Wow, she thought. If all kisses are going to be this hot with him, I'll have to hug him more often.
A goofy grin spread across her face. "How bout that flying lesson?"
----
Sailor Pluto turned to look back at the other two women she had accompanied on this little journey of theirs. "She appears happy enough," she said softly, her voice carrying only far enough to be heard by her partners. Sailor Uranus leaned forward, her eyes narrowing on the pair that shared a ride on a broomstick.
"I like him," Sailor Neptune replied, her expression caring. "Love, lets go home. Don't you trust our Princess?" Uranus rolled her shoulders, trying to release the tension in her stiff body. Her face softened at the delighted sounds of her Princess.
The young woman had proved herself so many times how strong she could be if pushed. How loving she was till the end. She was a strong willed young woman, with a huge heart. But she could also be vulnerable, naïve and for the most part, too trusting. Which led Uranus here, watching over the very person who wished more than anything, to be friends with her guardians, and not be waited on by them. "Haruka," her lover whispered, her voice concerned.
"Of course I do," she assured them. "But that doesn't stop me from worrying about her." She sighed then, her body relaxing at last. She carefully got to her feet, careful not to make a sound.
"Lets go home," she said at last.
----
Dinner that night was as delicious as the one before it, and Usagi happily helped herself to three helpings of everything much to everyone's surprise. "Wow, Mrs. Weasley," she said while patting her full belly. "That was delicious. Thank you."
The older woman smiled at the compliment. "I'm glad you enjoyed it dear," she replied, as she began to clear the table. "Usagi, would you be a dear and help me clean up?"
Usagi jumped to her feet at the request. "Of course," she answered, her smile never wavering. She collected a few of the dishes and followed the older woman into the kitchen.
She set to work on washing them, while Mrs. Weasley brought them in for her. In the middle of washing a dish, she was surprised, when Draco appeared at her side with a towel in one hand.
"Hermione tells me that you like it here," he said at her raised eyebrows. "Most muggles would act a lot differently than how you have."
"Muggles," Usagi said to herself, her brows furrowed. "Non magical humans," he explained, this time, his expression was curious. "You know so little of our world, and yet the sight of magic doesn't scare you?"
Usagi frowned at his words. "Yes, well, I have secrets of my own," she replied, her attention reverting back to the dishes she was cleaning. She handed a glass over to Draco. Instead of taking it, he pulled out his wand and muttered, "Wingardium Leviosa."
She felt the glass slip from her finger and float into the air. With a wave of his wand, the towel began to dry the glass on its own accord. "Secrets huh," his tongue clucked the roof of his mouth.
Draco lifted a brow as she continued to scowl at his towel that continued to dry each dish she handed him. "You're like a magic junky," she mused. "Using magic to do your work for you all the time, can kind of make you lazy."
Draco curled his lips at her insult. "Well at least I wont be the one with dishpan hands," he shot back with a smirk.
At his words, Usagi looked down at her soapy hands with a sad expression on her face. "My mother always told me, 'no pain, no gain'. If I don't do the work myself, how will I know it was done right," she whispered, mostly to herself, than to him. The memory hurt. She missed her family a lot, even though she'd only been gone just a few days, they were a few days too long.
Usagi dropped her hands into the dirty water, and reached for another dish to wash. When she turned to hand over the plate to Draco, she was surprised to see him take it. He'd opted to stow away his wand, and used his own hands to grudgingly dry the plate.
Seeing her raised eyebrows and curious smile, he sighed. "My mother only told me how to order people around. And how to coax them into doing things for me." Usagi's smile turned sad at his words. "I want to show Hermione, that the Malfoy she knew in school, is gone."
Usagi nodded. "Good for you," she said with a pat on his back. She winced at the suds it left behind on his black dress shirt. "Oops."
Draco smirked at her sheepish expression and quickly reassured her that it was all right. "Uh- Usagi," he began, when he suddenly remembered why he had come in here in the first place. "Hermione and I were wondering-"
He was cut off when Mrs. Weasley and Neville entered the kitchen. "Thank you Usagi dear, how wonderful," the older woman beamed.
Neville looked up at the mention of the blonde's name. "Oh- right. Um- Miss Usagi, Ginny wanted to see you," he said, sounding flustered. He still seemed shocked at the idea that he was a father. Usagi frowned. "She wants to see me," she asked incredulously.
Mrs. Weasley then quickly hustled her out of the kitchen. "Go on dear, Draco, Neville and I can finish up in here," she reassured the other girl with a smile.
Usagi nodded, still wondering why Ginny wanted to see her. With a shrug of her shoulders, she left the living room, and climbed the stairs to the next level. She followed the way she had before, and she soon found herself at Ginny's bedroom door.
She knocked first, before going in. Ginny was still in bed, looking tired but alert. In a crib next to her bed, laid the sleeping little boy.
He had his mother's bright red hair, but Neville's eyes. He was adorable, but seeing him, sent a pang to her heart. "Oh good you came," Ginny said when she saw her. The younger woman shifted around on the bed till she was sitting up.
"I wanted to thank you for help delivering Trevor," Ginny said with a tired smile. Usagi approached the crib and looked down at the slumbering baby. "You can hold him." Usagi shook her head at the permission. It would only make the pain worst. "I better not."
Ginny studied the blonde closely, her look thoughtful. "If you don't mind my frankness, but may I ask, who is Chibi Usa?" she asked. She watched the confusion and then surprise cross Usagi's features. Only they were quickly drowned out by grief. "You mentioned her during my delivery," she pressed.
Usagi's face crumpled, tears filling her eyes as memories assaulted her. "She was my- my baby," she answered at last. Her eyes fell onto the baby, whose crib was inscribed 'Trevor Frank Longbottom.' Ginny flushed, feeling foolish for prying. The past tense didn't go unnoticed by her.
"It was long before I met Jame- Harry. When my fiancé and I were still in love, we were told that we were going to have a little girl. Usagi- Chibi Usagi," she continued, her words soft but filled with emotions she kept in check. "But then Mamoru and I broke up. Now she has no future, because she never existed."
Her eyes lifted to look at Ginny. "Do you think I'm being selfish," she asked, her grief strong. "For wanting something else, than what was given to me?" Ginny's answer was immediate. "No. She'll always exist. Either in this world, or in another." Usagi lifted a hand to brush away the tears that threatened to fall. "Thank you," she whispered.
When she lowered her hand, she purposefully brushed her wet fingertips across Trevor's forehead. You will become a person of greatness and hold compassion in your hearts for others, Usagi blessed. Beneath her fingertips as crescent moon burned softly, before fading away.
"You'll be a wonderful mother," Usagi added aloud, her eyes looking up at the red haired woman. "Thank you," Ginny replied with a smile. "I just hope that I will be as good as a mother as mine was to me."
The girls were startled by the sharp intake of breath. Turning, they looked at the bedroom doorway, and found Mrs. Weasley standing there. Usagi pulled away as Mrs. Weasley went to her only daughter and grandson. She quietly left the room, shutting the door behind her to give the two women time alone.
"Usagi," Hermione called, catching the blonde's attention. Collecting her wayward thoughts, Usagi looked up to find Hermione and Draco just a few doors down from her. "Uh- yes," she asked, suddenly remembering that they had both wanted to ask her something.
The coupled stopped before her, and it was Hermione who made the first move. She took hold of Usagi's hands, as if to keep her from fleeing. "Usagi, Draco and I have a big favor to ask of you," she began, making the blonde nervous.
"You don't have to decide now, or even have to say you will for that matter-" the brown haired woman continued to babble.
Usagi looked from one to the other. "Just ask her," Draco hissed through clenched teeth, sounding annoyed. "What- oh yes- um- Usagi would you please be my maid of honor for my wedding," she finally asked.
Usagi felt a blush enter her cheeks. "You want me- me to," she started to say. The couple nodded. "Hai!" she blurted out and her blush turned that to a tomato. "I mean yes, yes I'd love to."
----
Harry laid in the front yard of the Weasley's home. The only witnesses of his time of relaxation were the gnomes. He sighed aloud, closing his eyes to block out the bright rays of light.
"You look content," Ron announced, startling his best friend from his daydreaming. Harry opened his eyes to look at the red haired man, who stood over him. "You okay mate?"
Harry nodded his head, forcing himself to sit up. "Of course. Why do you ask," he replied. Ron shrugged, his expression sour. "I dunno. I woke up this morn- I mean this afternoon, and the house was empty. I mean, if I'm at my place, Luna wakes me up, and if I'm here, mum does."
Turning to his friend, Harry finished for him. "But neither of them are here."
"Yea," Ron said while running his fingers through his hair. "I saw Malfoy reading the 'Daily Prophet' in the kitchen, and Bill's out back with his kid, but there's no one else here," he explained. "Where did they all go?"
"They didn't tell you?" Bill asked with a grin, as he joined the two on the front lawn. His daughter came running towards Ron, throwing herself at him. She was only four years old and full of questions. But much to Harry's relief, she looked just like her mother and nothing like her dad.
Both Harry and Ron shook their heads. "Oh, well since Ginny had her boy, they had to find another maid of honor. I figured you at least would have been told Harry. Hermione and Darco had asked Usagi. And right now she's being fitted over at Madam Malkin's."
Harry scrambled to his feet. "You mean Draco and Hermione wanted Usagi to be their Maid of Honor," he demanded to know. Bill nodded, an odd expression on his face. "Why do you sound so shocked?" Harry fought the urge to blush and mastered the act by washing his face with his hands. "So-so, that means they're poking and prodding her with needles," he managed to say, his skin paling at the thought.
"And probably talking to her about you," Ron piped in with a grin. Bill nodded his head. "All the juicy details of Harry Potter." Harry looked from one brother to the other. They were cruel, sadistic prats. "Maybe I should go check on her," he said suddenly. Turning he started for the house. "More like save her, mate," Ron snickered. "You know how mum can talk an ear off."
----
Harry didn't mean to scare the group. But in his haste, he hadn't really thought out a plan of action. Instead he'd retrieved his jacket and immediately apparated to Madam Malkin's shop. The loud pop that usually followed apparating did the job of that of a muggle gun going off in a bank.
Everyone hit the deck.
"Bloody hell Harry," Hermione snapped, her hand holding her shirt, just above her heart. Fleur and Mrs. Weasley looked just as peeved. Luna who was next to Madam Malkin near the pedestal, looked amused. Usagi- well Usagi looked-
"Beautiful," Harry whispered, his eyes unable to pull away from her. Red entered her cheeks, as if she'd heard him, only he was sure it was because he was staring.
She stood on the pedestal facing the mirrors with Fleur and Madam Malkin fusing about her. They'd decided on a pale pink, silk cloth for the dress. And it appeared they were almost finished with it. The dress had off-the-shoulder sleeves, almost like it was a scarf sown into the bodice, which was tight around her chest and waist, until it reached her hips. From there it flowed down in smooth lines, stopping just short of her ankles.
But what really made the look was her hair. He'd only seen it up in the same style since he met her. But today it was down and the golden strands fell to the back of her calves in length. "Wow Usagi," he said again.
She smiled at him, and he felt his heart stutter in his chest.
"Well," Madam Malkin began. "I could use a break." Then the older woman slipped into the back room and the others were reluctant to follow.
Usagi carefully climbed down, careful not to tear the dress. "Do you really like it," she asked. Harry nodded taking a step towards her. He closed the space between them in just a few short strides. Unable to resist, his hands came up to cup her face and he kissed her.
When he finally pulled away, she licked her lips. "I think I like the dress to," she said with a grin. He struggled with the urge to laugh, not wanting to ruin the moment.
"Usagi," he began. "After this is all over and we go back home, would you mind if- if we-," he was having a hard time trying to find the right words. "I guess what I want to ask is, Usagi- will you go out with me?"
Her smiled grew. "I thought you'd never ask," she said, unable to hold back her happiness. He kissed her again, this time much slower so that he could ravish her mouth. Pulling back briefly, he whispered, "Wanna sneak out while we have the chance?" She nodded, her eyes darting to the backroom.
Taking her hand, the two made a run for the front door. They'd barely made it outside; when the women in the back noticed they were gone.
"Hey, we weren't finished, Harry," Hermione shouted, but by the time she reached the front door, Harry and Usagi were already gone.
----
Everything had gone splendid. The wedding had been held out in front of Hogwarts. Everyone had been invited. But after the ceremony, Draco and Hermione had flown off to their honeymoon.
But not before, Hermione took a moment to hug him. "Do you promise to keep in touch," she asked, her eyes shimmering with tears.
Harry nodded. "Yes, I promise," he answered. Hermione pulled away with a smile. "I mean, I do expect you to throw me a birthday party," he added, his smile returning.
She playfully punched his shoulder, her face set with a pout. "Thank you, Harry. For coming back, for being here," her smiled turned sad and she had to wipe her tears away so that she could see him. "I'll write to you as soon as were back," she promised.
Harry watched her go. He'd finally gotten his friends back and already they were going their separate ways. When Draco and Hermione's silhouette faded away in the bright blue sky, Usagi made her way towards him.
At his side, she took his hand in hers, her fingers lacing through his. "Are you sure," she asked, her blue eyes looking at the people who continued to party.
Harry looked as well, his eyes taking in his friends one last time.
Ron and Luna were dancing in the lawn in front of the lake, along with Fleur and Bill. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley seemed to be enjoying themselves as well. Ginny and Neville sat near the tables filled with food, holding their son. The Twins, Charlie, and Percy appeared to be having an argument. Mr. and Mrs. Granger stood off to the side, with Mrs. Malfoy, who looked bored as always. A few of the Gryffindor classmate were there, some Slytherins, and just a handful of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Most of the staff had come as well.
"I'll see them again," he said, but felt his heart constrict within his chest. A part of him didn't want to leave. He felt her squeeze his hand then and he smiled sadly. Looking down at her, he wondered if one day he'd ever get courage to ask her to marry him. And if she'd ever say yes.
He sighed, knowing that only time would tell. "Lets go home Usagi," he whispered at last.
The end
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Tell me what you think; I'm really interested to know. Thank you all for the wonderful reviews, I'm happy that so many of you liked this story.
I hope to hear from you in my other stories I plan to add to my growing collection.
LP
