NOTE: New author's note at the end of the chapter.
The day had come at last, and it was a beautiful one, warm and sunny, with only a few wisps of clouds stretched across the bright blue sky. Remus was too anxious, though, to enjoy the delicious sunshine and comfortable breeze, especially after he caught sight of a brunette who looked an awful lot like Hermione joining the rest of the parents and families gathering in the rows of chairs arranged by the lake.
After the Grangers took their seats by Harry and the Weasleys, Hermione's mother glanced around the staff section as if she were searching for someone, and Remus quickly looked away to avoid her roving gaze. She wasn't looking for him, was she? He highly doubted she knew who he was. Hermione wouldn't have told her anything about them, surely.
While waiting for the graduating class to make their entrance so the ceremony could begin, Remus kept himself from peeking in the Grangers' direction and chatted instead with his colleagues, including an already tearful Hagrid.
"Harry and Ron already gone, an' now Hermione's leavin' too."
"They'll keep in touch, Hagrid," Remus reassured him. "They're much too fond of you not to."
"It won' be the same. Don' tell me yeh don' miss 'em, won' miss her. She was yer assistant."
It was true Hermione had been an invaluable help to him this year. Remus had been pleased and relieved when his students, with her assistance, achieved the highest D.A.D.A. scores in years on the final exams they'd just taken.
"There, there, Hagrid," Professor Sprout said, patting his arm. "Yes, it's always bittersweet to watch them go. And it is harder this year. This class was special. Miss Granger, especially. You don't get a student quite like her too often."
Professor Flitwick concurred. "I wouldn't be surprised if she becomes Minister for Magic someday. She'll do great things."
"She already has," Remus said, and the others murmured their agreement.
It was true she'd been incredibly brave and selfless in the war against Voldemort, but Remus admired even more the courage and compassion she embodied in everyday life. An ache started in his chest as he thought about her. Hagrid was right. He would miss her. He already missed her.
The past several weeks had been the longest of his life. There had been no more coincidental encounters with Hermione in the corridors or chances to speak to her without a classroom of students listening in. Now that he wanted nothing more than to be with her after going so long denying his feelings, this distance between them was almost more than he could take. Every day had been a struggle to keep his word to McGonagall and stay away from Hermione.
Hermione, meanwhile, seemed to be having less difficulty staying away from him, and he wasn't sure what to think about that. The first D.A.D.A. lesson after he'd returned to her the magic rose, Remus had spotted, with a rush of emotions, Hermione wearing the heart necklace he'd given her so long ago. She'd worn it conspicuously over her school uniform so that the silver gleamed with the sunlight streaming in from the windows. She'd wanted him to see it, a secret response to the message he'd sent her with the rose.
But she hadn't worn the necklace since that day, and she'd been careful, determined, not to have any form of contact with him. Remus couldn't help but fear that now that he'd finally accepted and embraced his feelings for her, she was rethinking her own for him. Had she grown too frustrated waiting for him to come around? Too tired of being the only one fighting for their love?
Why had he been so foolish? Why had he fought his feelings for so long instead of allowing himself to be silently drawn?
Music started up and everyone quieted down as the graduating class made their entrance. Remus straightened up, glancing along the line of students marching toward the stage. When he found Hermione, he pushed aside his useless regrets. He could do nothing about them now. He could only focus on the present, and in a very short time, when Hermione was officially his student no longer, he'd take McGonagall's advice and seek her out.
He would take his own advice, the advice he'd once given Hermione in the past, and do what he felt was right with the time he was given. That way he could live with whatever came next. No more regrets.
"Lupin looks very handsome today, doesn't he?" Ginny whispered.
Hermione, who was simultaneously trying to listen to McGonagall's speech while mentally rehearsing her own, resisted the urge to look his way.
"Mum invited him to our graduation party," Ginny continued. "What are you going to do if he shows up?"
Hermione didn't answer.
"You're going to talk to him, aren't you?" Ginny pressed. When Hermione again didn't reply, she said, "You have to, Hermione. We're about to graduate, so there's nothing stopping —"
"Please, Ginny, don't," Hermione interrupted tensely. "I can't think about that right now. I have to make a speech."
Ginny respected her friend's wishes and fell silent, but the damage was already done. Hermione glanced over at Remus, who indeed looked particularly handsome today, but her stomach knotted at the thought of him showing up at the Burrow later for the graduation party the Weasleys were throwing.
Over the last few weeks Hermione hadn't allowed herself much time to think about Remus, partly because she was so focused on getting through her exams, and partly because she felt all mixed up whenever she did think about him. Everything with Remus had been so hard, so complicated, and after all this time they'd spent apart recently, she was nervous about talking to him again. She didn't know what he wanted now, or what she wanted anymore for that matter.
She couldn't worry about that right now, though. She was about to graduate from Hogwarts, something that a year ago, when she was off searching for Horcruxes with Harry and Ron, she feared she'd never be able to do. But she was here, and she wanted to stay present and enjoy this momentous occasion to the fullest.
And so she did.
Thankfully, her voice stayed strong despite her nerves as she delivered her speech and was met with boisterous applause, and her feet didn't stumble when she was called to the front of the stage again later to receive her diploma. She exchanged a bright smile with McGonagall as they shook hands, glad that the professor she so admired didn't seem to think any less of her after what happened with Remus. Then, as she walked back to her seat, she shot a grin at Harry and Ron still cheering loudly for her from their place beside her parents. At the close of the ceremony, she hugged Ginny and Luna and cheered with the rest of her classmates, tossing up her witch's hat in celebration.
The graduates then headed toward the fleet of boats awaiting them in the lake. Hermione clambered onto one with Ginny, Luna, and Neville, and when everyone had settled into their seats, Hagrid, filling a boat on his own, commanded the boats forward. He then burst into tears as the entire fleet began to move as one.
"I'm going to miss him," Luna said fondly as Hagrid noisily blew his nose.
"I remember when we came here as first years and saw the castle for the first time," Neville said as they started away from the striking silhouette of the castle, setting off from Hogwarts the same way they'd first arrived, "I was so awestruck I almost lost Trevor. Again. If Hagrid hadn't checked if the boats were empty and seen someone had left a toad behind, I'd have lost Trevor for good." Neville looked at Hermione. "You were the only one who helped me look for him that day on the Hogwarts Express. You were always helping me out when we were younger. What would I have done without you? I was such a clumsy kid, afraid of everything. Glad I grew out of that."
Neville grinned, but Hermione said, "Even back then you were much braver than you knew, Neville."
The four friends reminisced about their time at Hogwarts as they glided across the smooth lake, soft orange and pale pink beautifully painting the sunset sky. When they reached land and disembarked from their boat, they started up a narrow path and made their way to Hogsmeade station. Some of their family and friends were already waiting for them on the platform while the rest were still getting out of their carriages.
Harry and Ron were standing at the front of the waiting crowd. Ginny sprinted ahead of the others toward Harry and threw her arms around him while Ron made a face and pointedly looked away. Hermione laughed along with Luna and Neville before Luna was swept away into her jubilant father's arms and Neville disappeared into the crowd in search of his grandmother.
"Congratulations, Hermione," Ron said when she reached him. "Your parents are around here somewhere. We were on different carriages, so we lost track of them."
"I haven't seen you in too long," Hermione said as she hugged her friend tightly.
"Well, now that you've graduated, we'll be able to hang out more."
"I doubt we'll have much more time than before since we'll all be working." Hermione had been thrilled to learn that she'd gotten the job she'd applied for at the Ministry, a position in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. She'd only have a short holiday before she started.
"But we'll all be at the Ministry now," Harry said, breaking away from his embrace with Ginny at last to hug Hermione.
"Except for me," Ginny pointed out.
"Yeah, but you'll be training for Quidditch with the likes of Gwenog Jones," Ron reminded her with more than a hint of envy.
"So you'll hardly miss us," Harry said.
Ginny grinned. "You're right. Hey, there's Bill!" she added, spotting him among the crowd, and she hurried off to greet her brother.
"Since you'll be at the Ministry with us, Hermione, we'll be sneaking into your office whenever we can."
Hermione smiled. "What is it with you two always wanting to sneak around?"
"You're one to talk," Ron shot back. "I hear you've been sneaking around with —"
Harry elbowed Ron in the ribs, shutting him up just in time because Hermione's parents had just found them.
"See you at the Burrow," Harry said as Hermione turned to her mum and dad, and he and Ron went to join the Weasleys.
Fortunately, her parents didn't seem to have heard what Ron said.
"We're so proud of you," her mother said, pulling her into a tearful hug.
Hermione could see her father's eyes gleaming with pride too as he hugged her next, and before she could dissolve into tears as well, Hermione took her parents' hands and Apparated them to the Burrow where the Weasleys and the rest of their guests were already waiting.
As soon as she and her parents joined the party in the backyard, everyone cheered and congratulated Hermione in welcome, and confetti magically appeared above her head and showered down upon her.
"That's going to happen every time someone congratulates us," Ginny told her as Hermione tried to shake all the confetti from her hair. The redhead jerked her head toward her brothers. "Fred and George's doing."
"Confetti looks good on you, Hermione," George greeted with a wink, and a slight frown touched Hermione's father's brow, his protective instinct kicking in. Hermione knew he'd be keeping an eye on the flirty Weasley for the rest of the night.
George, of course, was not the one he needed to keep an eye on, but the man who was appeared to be absent from the Burrow. Looking around, Hermione could see Remus was not among the gathered guests. Perhaps it was better this way. She wouldn't have to worry about any potential awkward encounter between him and her parents and the danger of their secret romance being prematurely revealed.
Her parents had enough to take in as it was. Magic was evident everywhere, from the lavish decorations and celebratory party tricks to the entertainment for the night — musical instruments that played themselves — to Tonks metamorphosing for Ginny and Luna's amusement. After Hermione pointed out Luna's father, Xenophilius, to her parents, she caught them staring at Tonks as she changed the length and color of her hair, going through shades of red and violet and blue before settling again on pink.
"That's Tonks," Hermione told them. "She's a Metamorphmagus and an Auror like Harry and Ron. Come on, I'll introduce you."
As she led her parents toward the group that included Tonks, her fiancé Jackson, Ginny, Luna, and Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Granger caught Hermione completely off guard by suddenly asking, "Is Professor Lupin here?"
Hermione stumbled to a stop. "What?"
"Professor Lupin," her mother repeated, stopping beside her while Mr. Granger went ahead of them to join Mr. Weasley, who was waving him over. "You said he was a friend of Harry and the Weasleys, and a friend of yours. Is he here tonight?"
"Um, no. I haven't seen him."
"That's a shame. I was looking forward to meeting him."
"You know," Hermione whispered. She had no doubt about it anymore.
"Know what?" her mother said innocently.
"About Professor Lupin. About Remus."
"Ah, the boy who gave you the rose and heart necklace last summer."
"Please don't think badly of him," Hermione implored. Despite her mother's calmness and feigned ignorance, Hermione was sure she knew.
"Why would I?" her mother replied, eyebrows raised.
"Mum, I can't explain everything now — it's a long story that involves some unexpected magic and time travel — but I promise I'll tell you later. Please, Mum, just don't judge him until you know the whole story."
Her mother took a moment before simply saying, "I look forward to hearing all about it."
As her mother joined her husband and the others, Hagrid took the anxious Hermione and Ginny aside to give them their graduation gifts.
"It's not much, but I hope yeh like it," Hagrid told them, handing them each a present.
Hermione turned through the scrapbook he'd made for her, which was filled with photographs of her and her friends at Hogwarts, little notes, and some keepsakes from her adventures with Hagrid and his pets, including a feather from Buckbeak and a piece of parchment scorched by Norberta the Norwegian Ridgeback.
"I love it, Hagrid!" she said, hugging him fiercely. "Thank you so much."
Hagrid was soon called away by Charlie Weasley to settle a disagreement between him and Mr. Lovegood about the existence of some magical creature Hermione had never heard of, and she and Ginny were heading toward Tonks when Ginny suddenly squealed.
"What it is?" Hermione asked in concern.
"My mum — she's taking your parents over to meet Lupin!"
Hermione gasped as she looked to where Ginny was pointing. Indeed, Mrs. Weasley was leading her parents past the dancing couples of Bill and Fleur and Ron and Luna and toward the place where Remus and Harry were talking.
"When did he get here?" Hermione fretted as she watched her parents shake hands with Remus. She started toward them, but Ginny held her back.
"If you go over there, you might just make it worse."
She was right. There was really no way to intervene gracefully anyway, and her mum had promised not to judge until she knew everything. Still, Hermione feared what her mother would say.
"I can't look," she said, yet she couldn't turn away either. She stood there watching, transfixed as they conversed.
After a minute or so, when everything appeared to remain amiable between them, Ginny said, "It seems to be going okay."
Hermione saw her father laugh heartily at something Remus said. She caught the smile her mother flashed as well, and the tension in her chest eased a bit. "Yeah. Maybe it'll be okay."
As Harry led the Grangers away from him at last, flashing a devilish grin back at him as he went, Remus released the breath he'd been holding for the last several minutes. Despite anticipating this night for weeks, he still felt unprepared for his talk with Hermione, and he'd been even less prepared to meet her parents. He'd known, of course, their paths might cross tonight, but he'd been hoping to avoid it.
He had no idea how much they knew about him, about his relationship with their daughter, though he assumed they must not know anything about what had happened between them or they wouldn't have been so pleasant. They'd been friendly, especially Mrs. Granger, who'd been kindly curious about him and rather inquisitive. Her eyes were like Hermione's, a warm, soft brown but also sharp, and the way they'd subtly scrutinized him made him wonder if she perhaps did know something he'd rather she didn't.
"Already meeting the parents, eh?" George said, joining Remus with a grin similar to the one Harry had just given him. "It's a big day for you. A certain brunette finally graduates, meaning there's nothing to keep you from being together anymore, and now — what next? Going to ask for Hermione's hand in marriage?"
"You mean your girlfriend's hand?" Remus replied evenly.
Amusement glittered in George's eyes. "I think you've figured out by now that there was never anything between Hermione and me."
"Hermione says you were only trying to help her. Funny, though, how your manner of 'helping' was more gratifying for you than for anybody else involved."
George smiled. "It just so conveniently worked out that way. But, honestly, Remus," he said, more serious now, "I meant no harm. I really was trying to help you stubborn lovebirds get together. No hard feelings?"
George extended his hand. After a slight hesitation, Remus shook it. "No hard feelings."
"Great. So . . . you think Hermione will need any more of my help?" George asked, mischievous gleam back in his eyes. "Because, being the noble lad that I am, I'm always up for helping her in any way I can —"
Remus shot him a sharp look.
"Only joking," said the Weasley quickly, putting his hands up and stepping back. "Please don't punch me again. My jaw's still recovering from the last time."
Remus smiled despite himself.
"Actually," he said, a thought occurring to him, "there is something you can do to help, George."
"What do you need?"
"I'd like to get Hermione on her own by the roses near the gate. If you could stage some sort of distraction —"
"Ah, you're in luck. A perfect distraction is already planned."
George went to join his brother, and Remus looked over to where Hermione stood talking with Harry and Ginny. She looked even lovelier than usual tonight in her Gryffindor-red graduation dress.
As he watched her laugh with her friends, his stomach flipped nervously. He hoped she would give him a chance, at least hear him out, but he wasn't sure there was anything he could say that would make up for the way he'd acted.
Still, he had to try. He just hoped he wasn't too late.
"Ladies and gentlemen and Percy Weasley, may I please have your attention," Fred said in a magically amplified voice so everyone at the Burrow could hear. "George and I would now like to present to tonight's graduates a special surprise. Everybody, if you would please follow me. Get ready to have your socks knocked off."
"Ooh, what do you think the surprise is?" Ginny asked, looking at Hermione, then Harry, who was wearing an exaggerated look of ignorance on his face. The redhead narrowed her eyes at him. "You know, don't you? Tell us."
Harry grinned. "You'll find out in a minute."
The three of them joined the rest of the group following Fred away from the Burrow to a neighboring field.
"I wonder if it's —" Hermione began, but then somebody grabbed hold of her arm, pulling her back.
"Oh, no you don't, Hermione," George said. "You're staying here. My graduation gift to you is waiting for you over there by the gate."
Suspicious of what this graduation gift could be, Hermione looked where George had indicated. Her heart stalled when she saw Remus standing there by the gate — the same place he'd stood with her last summer when he'd given her the magic rose. She turned back to her friends. Harry and George were both grinning at her.
"Go on, Hermione," Ginny said, eyes bright with excitement as she gave her friend a little push. "Talk to him."
Hermione hesitated. After all this time they'd spent apart, she wanted nothing more than to heed the tug of her heart and go to Remus, yet she knew she wouldn't be able to endure another heartbreak. She was afraid of what he might tell her, afraid that he'd thought better of the note he'd sent her with the rose several weeks ago and regretted it like he'd regretted the night they'd spent together in the Room of Requirement. With the distance between them and the lack of communication the last couple of months, she didn't dare presume she knew where he stood now.
But there was only one way to find out.
Hermione took a deep breath and started toward him. Remus hadn't seen her yet. He was looking at the roses, but sensing her approach he slowly turned around, his eyes meeting hers. Her stomach knotted worse than ever.
"Hi, Hermione."
"Hi," she said, feeling jittery. She glanced back to where her friends had been, but they'd given her privacy and gone with the others for the Weasley twins' surprise. She was alone with Remus for the first time in weeks, and she felt all jumbled inside.
"You look beautiful."
Hermione's face grew warm at the unexpected compliment, the first he'd given her of that nature since he was seventeen. "Thank you," she said, nervously tucking a stray lock of her hair behind her ear.
The sounds of distant laughter and the lively music from the self-playing instruments filled the silence as they gazed at each other for what felt like a long time before Remus finally spoke again.
"I've missed you these last few weeks. I've really missed you. I've wanted to talk to you for a long time, to apologize for being such a fool and a coward and an arse."
Hermione felt a twinge of guilt as she remembered how she'd hurled those words at him that night she'd confronted him in his quarters. "I was upset when I said that."
"But you were right," he told her, and there was something in his expression as he looked at her now that made Hermione's heart ache. So often was Remus guarded and difficult to read, but now there was vulnerability in his eyes. For once he was wearing his emotions on his sleeve, and while before she'd only caught glimpses of his fear of being with her, she could see a different sort of fear in his eyes now — one of losing her, of being without her.
"I never wanted to hurt you, Hermione," he said, voice revealing his urgent need to explain, "but I realize now that was all I did. I did everything wrong. Because I was afraid, and I didn't know how to handle my fears or the situation or these feelings. Falling in love with you has been the most terrifying thing to happen to me, but the time we were together was also the happiest I've ever been. I'm sorry for being an idiot and for making everything difficult, and for taking so long to —"
"Remus, stop," Hermione said abruptly, pulse racing. "I don't want to hear your apologies or your explanations."
"Hermione —"
"I don't want to hear it, Remus," she repeated, and a pained expression crossed his face. "I just want you to tell me again," she said softly, stepping closer, "that part about how you feel."
The faint crease between his brows faded as he held her gaze, his eyes searching hers. Then he stepped forward, slowly reaching for her, and gently touched her cheek.
"I love you, Hermione."
That was all she needed to hear.
Any doubt she might have had instantly vanished, as did the space between them. Her heart leapt at his words, and so did she. Her lips crashed into his and fireworks erupted. Magic sparked at this first kiss between them since what felt like ages ago, and as he wrapped his arms around her the magic permeated throughout her entire being, coursing through the blood in her veins, seeping deeply into her very soul, invigorating and fulfilling her with unbelievable joy.
When they broke their kiss, she felt breathless and buoyant like she was floating toward the stars while still grounded firmly to earth by Remus's embrace. He was beaming, dazzling colors flashing over his face as she gazed up at him dazedly, and blasts and booms filled her ears as she tried to catch her breath. Then, at the same time, she and Remus turned and looked upward. Fireworks were bursting in the sky above the field neighboring the Burrow — the Weasley twins' surprise for tonight's celebration.
"Oh, I thought . . ." Hermione began, but she broke off. She smiled sheepishly, feeling silly that she'd believed the fireworks she'd perceived while they'd kissed had been an extraordinary result from their contact, that special feeling other girls described when they'd had a great kiss, and nothing more ordinary like actual, literal fireworks going off in their proximity.
Remus, however, was wearing a sheepish look of his own.
"I did too," he confessed.
"But the magic," she said, referring to what felt like a warm, gentle glow swelling within her and flowing between them, tingling everywhere their bodies touched, "that's real?"
"As real as you and me."
Then she wasn't being silly after all. Something extraordinary had resulted from their kiss and the sentiment behind it, and she could feel the same magic she felt from the rose now drawing Remus and herself closer. Not physically, but connecting them more deeply somehow.
The feeling of the magic, wonderful as it was, was a bit overwhelming. Hermione steadied herself by holding on to Remus, who was watching her curiously.
"So you feel it too?" she asked, breathless again.
"I always feel magic with you. I love you."
She beamed at him. She knew she'd never tire of hearing him say that, nor would she tire of replying to him as she did now.
"I love you too, Remus."
She could feel his smile as he pressed his lips to hers, his fingers brushing against the chain of her necklace as they slid into her hair, and his smile only got bigger when he pulled back again, tugging the heart pendant out from beneath her dress.
"You're wearing it," he said in surprise, running his thumb over the words engraved on the necklace between them. "I haven't seen you wear this since. . . . I was afraid you'd changed your mind, that you'd given up on me."
"I knew we were being watched, and I didn't want to give McGonagall any reason to fire you. And I was also afraid of getting my hopes up again," she admitted.
Remus went still, guilt plain in his eyes as he looked up at her. "I'm sorry, Hermione, I —"
"I know, Remus," she said softly, cutting off his apology. "I know."
"I'm going to make it up to you," he promised quietly.
Hermione was sure he would.
"Just kiss me," she said, pulling him close.
And he did. It struck her then, as his lips tenderly captured hers and she melted into his embrace, just how much she'd missed this, hungered for this, how much everything seemed to feel so right when she was with him, and how bereft she felt when they pulled apart again.
Remus cocked his head slightly as he considered her thoughtfully.
"What is it?" she asked.
"If my memory serves me right," he said slowly, "I owe you a dance." His lips curved into a smile at the way Hermione immediately lit up, and he added, "I'm only about, what, twenty years overdue?"
Hermione laughed. "Nearly twenty-two actually, but better late than never."
She eagerly took the hand he offered and remembered the butterflies she'd felt when he'd taken her hand the first time he'd asked her to dance in the past, then the disappointment that had swooped in when their dance had been forced to come to an end before it had really begun. That disappointment had only added to her longing to dance with Remus on Valentine's Day a few months ago, so much so that she'd dreamt about it.
But this was better, much better, than any dream she'd ever had.
The smile never left her face as they danced to the tune of the enchanted instruments, which was, strangely enough, accompanied splendidly by the beat from the whistling and blasts and fizzing of the fireworks. Remus expertly twirled her about and dipped her gracefully before drawing her into a close embrace when the music slowed.
As they swayed together among the roses, Hermione took everything in, the sights, the smells, the song, Remus — his handsome face illuminated by the glow from the lamps and fireworks, his sandy hair tousled by her fingers, his brilliant smile, his gorgeous green-gray eyes reflecting the same elation she felt inside — wanting to capture this moment, this feeling, exactly in her memory.
Once she'd successfully saved that in her memory bank, she said, "I saw you and my dad talking earlier. He seemed to like you."
Remus laughed. "I'm sure his opinion of me will change drastically once he finds out about us."
"So there's an 'us'?" Hermione's smile broadened.
"If you want there to be."
"More than anything."
She gave him a long, earnest kiss, hoping he could feel just how much she really did want this. A bit dizzy and drunk from the magic strengthening between them, she then rested her head on his shoulder as they continued to sway. She closed her eyes, breathing him in, and felt more content than she'd ever felt in her life.
"I'm fairly certain my mum already knows you're the one I've been in love with, and she seems to be okay with it," she said after a while, wanting to reassure him on the matter of her parents, which she knew he must be worried about. "At least she will be once I talk to her. And my dad — he'll be okay with us too when he sees how happy I am with you. They'll both be pleased for us."
"Do you truly think you could be happy with me?" Remus asked her quietly.
Hermione raised her head from his shoulder to look him in the eyes. "I predict I'll be the happiest girl in the entire Muggle and Wizarding world."
A slow smile crossed his face. "Then I'll do everything in my power to make sure that prediction comes true."
He drew her into another kiss, and Hermione didn't want to ever break away from him. She wanted to hold him close, to make up for all the time they'd lost, and from the way he was kissing her she could tell that he did as well. There were no more reservations, no more regrets between them, just a need and an intense desire to finally be together.
Hermione suddenly pulled back.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing," she said, glancing around them. "It's just . . . I'm surprised we haven't been interrupted yet." Remus gave her an inquisitive look and she explained, "We seem to have the sort of luck that whenever we're having important conversations or moments like this, someone or something usually interrupts us. Haven't you noticed?"
As she spoke Hermione realized that more often than not what usually interrupted them was actually themselves, their insecurities — they'd stood in their own way. But Remus understood what she meant.
"Well," he said, a twinkle in his eyes, "no one's around to interrupt us this time."
"Er, actually," someone said before they could resume their kiss. Hermione and Remus turned to see George grinning at them. "Sorry, lovebirds, but you're wanted over yonder, Hermione. Our mums want some pictures of the graduates set to the background of Fred and mine's brilliant fireworks display. You'd better hurry. It's almost over."
Hermione sighed as George retreated.
"I suppose we should go join the others," she said to Remus.
"I suppose we should," he replied just as reluctantly.
They looked at each other a moment, and then their lips met again. The magic consumed Hermione so entirely that she likely wouldn't have noticed if the night had turned to morning while they were locked in this embrace. But Remus was sensible enough to not let that happen while her parents were in the vicinity looking for her.
"We really should go now," he murmured against her lips, and he kissed them a final time before pulling away.
"We'll continue this later?" she asked hopefully.
Hermione was warmly reassured by the promise in his smile.
A/N: In the flurry of last-minute edits and general anxiety of posting the previous chapter, I forgot to mention that this story is nominated for the 2017 Marauder Medals in the Best Non Marauder category. If you'd like to vote and check out the other awards and nominations, you can do so through October 25th by going to shriekingshacksociety dot weebly dot com.
It's so lovely to be nominated again. Thank you :)
NEW A/N: I just wanted to note that this chapter isn't the last. A couple more are still coming. It's just taking me longer than I'd hoped. Writer's block is terrible, especially when it hits this close to the end of the story, but I'm determined to get this done!