So we're officially here. The epilogue for a story I swore I'd see through til the end. Was it worth it? Let me know ;)

Love,

Cherry


"Where in the world are we going?"

"It's not called a surprise party if you know where you're going, Hermione."

"Correction, Draco, it's not called a surprise party when you tell the person about the party. Surely you know the definition of 'surprise.'"

"Surprise!" The group called out, and Hermione put on a face that was almost convincing that she was truly gobsmacked.

"Oh everyone, this is so lovely!" She hummed to her friends, who welcomed her with hugs.

"It was all Draco." Ginny said smugly, shooting a look at her newest friend. She and Draco had formed a sibling-like bond, which was a pleasant surprise for Draco, who would've hoped for a sister had his childhood been normal.

"It was, was it?" Hermione asked, looking at Draco closely. They were on the beach, somewhere in Dorset, judging by the limestone cliffs.

"Well, this was me." Ginny gestured to the white tent, table, and decorations. "But Draco suggested Dorset."

"I wonder how he got that idea." Hermione grinned and Draco rolled his eyes, though she caught the way his ears reddened.

"Anyway, let's settle in, we've prepared only the best." Ginny gushed and brought Hermione to her "throne" at the head of the long table.

"Who made this?" Hermione asked, gesturing to the chair that was wrapped up in balloons, string, and sellotape.

"Erm, we did." Harry raised an embarrassed hand and elbowed Ron, who raised his as well.

"We wanted to blame the kids for it, but Gin said she would curse me if I didn't admit it was us." Ron mumbled, clearly disappointed with his handiwork.

"Because I needed to see Hermione's face when she knew it was you two who made this mess." Ginny giggled, ushering everyone to begin eating. Hermione looked down at her plate as the food materialised, then leaned over to Draco, who was seated to her left.

"Is this..." she gestured to her plate.

"Mimmy's duck confit? Yes, she insisted on being the one to cook for you on your birthday."

"Better than Ginny doing it." Hermione muttered, smiling guiltily when she realised Ginny had heard her despite being three seats away.

"That's all right." Ginny said with a sniff. "Our dining table only seats four, I suppose you and Draco will have to skip couple's night when I host." In a strange turn of events, despite Ron and Hermione's breakup, the monthly couple's night had picked up again, this time with Ron and Lavender and Hermione and Draco. Things were still tense, but at the last dinner, Lavender hadn't said anything passive aggressive about Draco (but she did about Hermione's hair, which was "so fluffy' in comparison to Lavender's perfect curls).

The conversation shifted throughout the meal, moving from the success of Hermione's Curse Be Gone patches, to Neville's newfound clout as a herbology consultant in addition to being promoted to head of Herbology at Hogwarts, to Luna's latest discovery of a new species in Ecuador as a Magizoolgist.

As the sun began to set and the weather grew chilly, the group began to say their goodbyes, leaving Hermione to stare at the pile of gifts that sat on a rock now that the tent had been disassembled, and wonder how she was supposed to get them home.

"Don't worry too much about those." Ginny smirked as she used a charm to guide the plates, silverware and glasses into a bottomless storage box. "I'm sure Draco will be able to help you take them home."

"Thank you for the party." Hermione hugged Harry and Ginny. "You'll thank James and Albus for the cards, yes?"

"'Course." Harry confirmed. "But you'll come thank them yourself soon, yeah?"

"I'll see them both at Molly's birthday in October." Hermione promised.

The three said their goodbyes and Harry and Ginny disapparated, leaving Hermione and Draco. She turned to face him, making a face when she saw how nervous he looked.

"Are you all right?" Hermione asked. "You look tense."

"I'm fine. Can I show you something?" Draco asked quickly.

"Yes." Hermione agreed, looping her arm in Draco's. He wandlessly levitated the gifts to follow them as they left the beach and walked up the road, taking a right at the first intersection.

"Draco." Hermione asked cautiously as he opened a short, wooden gate.

"What?" He asked casually. Much more casually than he should have given that he was unlocking the door to a house neither lived in. They stepped into the entry room and Draco turned on the lights. Hermione looked around at the home, a rustic kitchen to her right, the dining table through a wide archway, and past that, large windows that had a view of a dark yard, then the ocean.

"What is this?" She breathed, walking through the dining room to find a sitting room furnished with mostly new pieces, but one piece was familiar. "Is that my sofa?"

"All of it is yours." Draco explained, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Well, ours, hopefully." He explained as she whipped around to look at him. "If you'd like that, that is."

"And if I didn't?" Hermione asked, approaching Draco. "Did you plan to just let me live here on my own?"

"If you wanted." Draco shrugged.

"It isn't." Hermione said with a cautious smile. "And it's beautiful."

"You've only seen a third of it, if you go through that door, you'll find an office. Your office, and all your fancy bookshelves you had custom made. And upstairs, there's three bedrooms, we could use them for more books, if you'd like."

"Draco." Hermione crooned. "I love it, I promise."

"But?" He asked, knowing it was coming.

"But I can't possibly accept this. I'm certain I don't have enough saved up to buy it from you, but I can rent for now. Until I can sell my flat."

"Let's call it communal property." Draco suggested.

"We're not married, Draco." Hermione laughed quietly.

"We could be." He offered, stopping Hermione in her tracks. He pulled his hands from his pockets, a ring pinched between his fingers. "It's an heirloom, but I dug through a very sordid history of rings to find one that wasn't built on hate. It belonged to my great-great-great grandmother, Seraphina Malfoy. Her portrait was banned from the Manor, and after some pressing, the other paintings admitted that her portrait was burned because she spent most days screaming at my father for allowing V-Voldemort in the manor. She would've liked you, I think." Draco's voice grew faint. "Apparently her favorite thing to yell at Lucius was 'for the head of the Malfoy clan, you spend a lot of time with your head up another man's arse.'" That made Hermione smile.

"All of that is to say that I know this is sudden." Draco continued. "But I love you and I know I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"I love you too." Hermione agreed. "But Draco, this is so much. Do you think you need to propose to me to prove your love?"

"Yes?" He said hesitantly. "Is that not how it works?"

"Let's start small, yeah?" Hermione suggested. "I would love to live with you. But save that ring for a day when you understand why I turned you down today." She had him put the ring back in his pocket, and kissed him softly.

"You really want to live here?" Draco asked. "With me?"

"I do and I will be paying my fair share." Hermione confirmed, smiling up at Draco. "Emotions aside, I'd be a fool to turn down this home, it's perfect. But I do have to ask how you managed to clean out half my flat without my noticing." She narrowed her eyes playfully.

"I had help." He explained. "Potter cleared his day to help me move everything he knew was important to you."

"Did he?"

"He did. The Weasel helped, too." Draco explained. "Helped me pick up my birthday gift for you."

"It wasn't the house?" Hermione leaned back. "Or the ring?"

"No, it wasn't." Draco let go of Hermione and whistled sharply. Hermione heard the soft padding of footsteps down the stairs behind the sofa, and when she saw orange fur, she nearly cried.

"You didn't." She looked between Draco and the Kneazle.

"You said you couldn't keep him because you didn't have a garden." Draco gestured toward the back of the house. "Now you do."

Hermione bent down and scooped up Crookshanks, who purred contentedly. She stroked his fur as she sidled up to Draco.

"A delightful meal with my friends, Crookshanks, a house. I'll have to plan very carefully for your birthday, you know."

Draco grimaced. "I can't say I'm looking forward to it, but it's only fair I receive whatever you plan as graciously as you have received today."

Hermione set Crookshanks down and he immediately jumped onto the sofa and curled up.

"I think Crookshanks has the right idea." Hermione commented. Draco nodded and held his hand out.

"Let's go to bed."