A/N: Here we go! The final chapter of the story!
Enjoy!
Chapter Twenty Two
The End of the Beginning
You-Know-Who's Trial to begin tomorrow!
The trial of You-Know-Who, also known as Tom Marvolo Riddle will begin tomorrow under heavy security. The Ministry of Magic had wanted to wait until Harry Potter, who defeated You-Know-Who, had recovered from the injuries from the battle. While representatives for Mr. Potter repeatedly stated that the injuries were light to moderate, many have speculated as to why it took six weeks for Mr. Potter to recover.
It has been rumored that You-Know-Who wanted to speak to Mr. Potter alone. The Ministry has not confirmed these rumors. Our faithful readers can rest assured that such a meeting will not take place without several Aurors guarding Mr. Potter.
For details on the battle see page 17
Harry sat back in his recliner and stared at the fire. He had indeed received a letter from Tom requesting a meeting. He knew that Tom would not be able to do anything to him, and having several guards with him would make Tom nervous. 'Granted, Tom has every right to be nervous, after all he has done in his life. But I think I might encourage the guards to wait just outside the door.' He knew that Ron had been talking about the several layers of wards and containment spells that had been placed on the building in which Tom was being held.
He stood up and walked outside. Hermione was out shopping for a wedding dress. They had talked it over, and after the trial was finished, they would have their ceremony. He could already picture the Burrow. Mrs. Weasley was probably rushing around and cooking all sorts of food, making sure that everyone was busy and cleaning up for the ceremony.
He walked to the edge of the wards, apparating to the Ministry of Magic. After checking in at the security desk, and dodging all of the reporters he made it to Auror headquarters. He found Ron filling out some reports and sat on the edge of his desk.
"Hey Ron," Harry said.
"Hey mate, sorry just give me a minute. I need to finish this report real quick," Ron replied without looking up. He finished the report with a few more notes, and put the folder into his outbox to be filed. He leaned back and rubbed his eyes. "Sorry about that, but Kingsley wants all of the reports finished before the trial tomorrow." Harry chuckled.
"Have you been procrastinating again, Ron? I mean the battle was six weeks ago," Harry said with a grin. Ron rolled his eyes.
"Sod off," Ron said with a small laugh. Harry shook his head and laughed. After a moment, his face turned serious. "Hey Ron, I have been meaning to ask you. What did you do with that collection orb that was on my sword?" Ron sighed.
"I went to your house and got some of your steel together and melted it down. I dropped the orb into the molten metal and set the whole block of metal into a tub of water," Ron said. "Then I took a broom and went out over the ocean and dropped the metal brick into the ocean. I don't know how deep the water is, but no else knows where it is."
"Good. I was hoping to do something humiliating with it, but it's just as well that no one can find it," Harry said, sitting back. He needed to bring up a touchy subject, and he decided to do it while Ron was in a serious mood.
"Ron, I decided to talk to him," Harry said. Ron's eyes widened. "I need to see what he wants to say. Now I know that you guys will be guarding me, but I want you guys to be outside of the room." Ron's face darkened.
"Sorry Harry, but we can't allow that, especially with your history between each other. It's too much of a risk," Ron said. Harry sighed and rolled his eyes. Ron's frown grew deeper. "Harry, the man has tried to kill you more times than I can count. Warded or not, you are not going into that room alone."
"Ok, then would you approve of a privacy charm around the two of us then?" Harry asked. Ron sat back and considered it. "Ron, here is the letter he sent to me."
Harry handed Ron the parchment and he studied it. He checked it for hidden text and possible dormant spells, but all he saw was the uneven writing. He looked closer and saw something that had smudged some of the ink.
"Harry, can you tell what caused these smudges? I don't see any finger marks that he was trying to correct something, but it almost looks like…" Ron trailed off. Harry nodded when Ron looked at him sharply.
"As strange and out of place as it seems, it looks to me like tear marks. Who knew that Tom would have any humanity left in him," Harry said. Ron nodded in agreement. "Since you won't allow me in the room without an escort, what do you think about the privacy charm?"
Ron held up a hand and motioned for Harry to wait a moment. Ron consulted with Kingsley to pitch Harry's idea. Kingsley also looked at the letter under intense scrutiny, and nodded. Ron looked over at Harry and nodded once. Harry breathed a sigh and steeled himself, standing to join his escort to have his chat with Tom Riddle.
They made their way to the lifts and waited for the next one. Ron muttered a password, and then the lift started to descend. After they passed the lowest floor that Harry had been to, they continued down for several levels. They finally stopped and Harry had to pop his ears from the change in air pressure. As they walked towards the detention area Ron explained that they were in a cave that was around a quarter of a kilometer below the ground.
Harry was led to the back of the cavern and saw that there was a section that had around twenty hit wizards guarding the structure. The group took no chances whatsoever and interrogated Harry on his identity and his purpose. Once they were satisfied with his answers, they allowed Harry and the Aurors to proceed. Harry nodded to the hit wizards and followed Ron to Tom's cell. They arrived into the interrogation room and the Aurors took up their positions.
Tom Riddle was escorted into the room by a couple of hit wizards. He stopped suddenly when he realized that Harry was not alone as he requested. He stood still, looking at Harry, trying to figure out why he was not alone.
"I apologize for the guards, Tom, but they would not let me in here without guards due to our history between each other," Harry explained.
"What I have to say to you is for your ears only," Tom stated quietly. Harry nodded.
"I know this Tom, and that is why they have allowed me to use a privacy charm that will let us talk freely," Harry said. Tom's shoulders dropped in relief and we continued to his seat. Harry waved his wand and the privacy charm was active. Tom's eyebrows rose in surprise at the spell Harry used. Harry grinned and nodded. "This charm is rather unique, don't you think?"
"I would think so, since I was the one who made it," Tom said. "How do you know of it?"
"Tom, remember I had the link with you for a long time when I was younger. And also, when you came back, I was much better with the mind arts. I got it from you before I managed to sever the link," Harry explained. "Now, down to business. What did you want to say to me?" Tom leaned back and gazed at the ceiling. He let out a long suffering sigh and looked back at Harry.
"What have you done to me?" he asked quietly. Harry leaned forward and clasped his hands together.
"I had made a sword a couple of months back, which you saw when we fought," Harry explained. Upon seeing Ton nod in the affirmative, he continued. "The sword has a couple of enchantments on it. The first one is for drawing the darkness out of someone, basically a very strong purifying spell. It will draw the dark aspect of a person's mind and allow the humanity to take control again.
"The second enchantment is one that acts like a pensieve. It will force your mind to replay everything you have done. It works in combination with the result of the purifying spell to make the subject see every harmful or negative thing he or she has done, but they see it with their true humanity in tact. In other words, it's like a child seeing a video of someone getting murdered or tortured. The two spells act as a forced moral compass and you have to deal with it," Harry finished. Tom dropped his head in his hands.
"I thought as much," Tom said. "I don't know how many more nightmares I can take."
"Sorry, but there is no way around it. I made the enchantments permanent. Every time you dream, you will be haunted by all the things you have done. You have to atone for what you have done, and I doubt that you will be able to atone for everything. I honestly think you don't have enough of a lifespan to come to terms with everything. Now it's my turn for a question," Harry said. Tom nodded, his face still buried in his hands. "Why?"
"That covers so much territory," Tom said, his voice wavering. Harry frowned at the general answer that Tom had given him. He started to say something when Tom interrupted him.
"Long ago, when I was in the orphanage, I had a hard life. I know you have seen parts of it when Dumbledore took you down memory lane. When I was that young, all I wanted was a caring family. I started to ask around, and found that my mother had died in childbirth. But when I found out about my father, I was livid. I could not imagine any person, magic or muggle wanting to desert a child.
"I became bitter, and when the other children started to pick on me because I was different, it cemented my beliefs. I changed into a very angry child, acting out at all times. Of course, it gave the other children more to pick on me about, and almost every night I would go to bed angry or crying.
"Then my magical abilities started to manifest. I made the connection very quickly that when I got angry, something would happen. I worked on controlling it. By the time I was ten, I have mastered a few aspects of my magic, and used it to get even. I was thriving on the power I had over the others. By the time Dumbledore found me, I was too far gone," Tom said wearily. Harry leaned back from listening to the story.
"But you still have not answered my question," Harry said. Tom looked down at his feet for a moment, before looking into Harry's eyes.
"When your parents made themselves known as someone who could survive an encounter with my powers, it threatened my power base. They say power corrupts, they don't know the half of it. I had such a hold on the magical population that it was like a drug. I was high on power, and I would do anything that I could to keep that high going on. Anyone who stood up to me was a threat. But when I heard of the prophecy, it drove me even more insane about keeping my power over others. How could a child have the power to defeat me?
"I was obsessed with hunting you down. I just had a feeling that it was you, and not Longbottom. My followers even became worried at the end as I was so desperate to prove that no one could defeat me, especially a child. And I know you know what happened from there," Tom finished. Harry took in a deep breath, hoping to calm his nerves. He calmed down a little and Tom spoke again.
"I know nothing I ever say or do will ever make up for what I have done to you. I can't even try to begin," he said. Harry looked up and saw that Tom had a few tears running down his face. "I know what it was like to grow up in an unfriendly atmosphere and without any parents. I know it all to well. I never stopped to think that I had caused the same fate on another person. My goals had started out as hoping to make a difference and try to prevent the same thing happening to another wizard.
"I felt that if I got rid of the muggles, there would never be another situation like mine, and we could have a society where that would never happen again. Over time, my views were lost and I got addicted to the power I had. It twisted me into a cold, insane, and vengeful lunatic," Tom said.
"That much is true," Harry muttered. Tom nodded in agreement.
"I know you think I am trying to make excuses for myself, but I am not. I just wanted someone to know how things got started and what went wrong. I know that my guilt is plainly apparent, and I will be convicted without a second thought. I know I will probably be executed in a very painful way. But there is one thing I can guarantee you," Tom said quietly. Harry raised an eyebrow. "I deserve every second of it."
Harry's jaw dropped open a little in shock that Tom was taking this all in stride. He even sounded a bit glad that he would be held accountable for his actions. Harry sat back and thought over all of what Tom had told him. He mentally debated if he should believe him. Tom had been obsessed with immortality for as long as anyone knew, and here he was willing to die for his crimes. Tom saw Harry's face and spoke up again.
"What? Do you think it is odd for someone wanting to die for their crimes? Do you not believe that someone can change for the better?" Tom asked with a slightly angry edge in his voice. Harry straightened himself and looked at Tom.
"Not when it's you. I saw so many deaths in my mind when we had our link. I saw how much you laughed and enjoyed the suffering of others. No offence Tom, but nothing you will say will fully convince me of your statements," Harry said as a challenge. Tom nodded sadly.
"I know that you feel that. How about this then?" Tom said as he slowly stood up, making sure that the guards could see that he was doing nothing aggressive. He slowly walked towards Harry, keeping his hands visible. The guards gripped their wands, ready to hex Tom into oblivion if he so much as twitched in a manner they did not approve of. He knelt down in front of Harry and bowed his head.
"I swear on my life and whatever magic I have left, that I have told Harry James Potter nothing but the truth," Tom said clearly. Harry's eyes widened at the oath that had just been sealed with a small flash of magic. The guards started for Harry, but he waved them off.
Tom was still breathing and had lifted his face towards Harry. 'Amazing, he just proved that everything he said was true,' Harry thought to himself.
"I hereby place my life in your hands, to do with as you wish," Tom said. By saying that, Harry had the full right to either spare Tom's life, or he had the right to kill him where he stood, without any consequences. Harry backed up a step and shook his head.
"You will not die by my hand, Tom," Harry said. Tom bowed his head and sat back down.
"Please remove the privacy charm now, as I need to speak to the guards," Tom said. Harry nodded and waved his wand, dispelling the charm. "Guards, I have a rather thick envelope in my cell, could someone retrieve it for me?"
One of the guards left to get the item that was requested. He returned a short time later with a very thick packet. He set it down on the table between Harry and Tom. Ron stepped forward and scanned the envelope and the documents for any curses. Finding only a charm to prevent any alterations to the documents, Ron stepped back and allowed Harry to inspect the documents. He was about to look at them when he was interrupted by Tom.
"I think that you can read these another time, or have a solicitor go over them for you. But the papers simply say that anything that is in the name of the Gaunt family and the Riddle family are given to you in payment of a debt. It is not much, but hopefully they can be put to use or sold for profit. These documents are binding even without your signature," Tom said. "I have cost you too much. A life that was supposed to be better has been taken away by my actions. I know this is not even close to enough to make up for a life without a caring family. Merlin knows that nothing with ever make it better. Please escort me back to my cell now. I have an appointment with fate to prepare for."
Harry sat there in shock at the turn of events while Tom was led from the cell. Ron came over and sat down, shaking his head. Harry looked over at him and nodded in agreement. Not a word was said as they left the cavern.
ooo
Tom Riddle wrote on a parchment that he had requested when he was returned to his cell. He wrote several lines and then rolled up the parchment and set down the quill. He sat on his hard cot and began to meditate. He knew that sensors would go off right away the moment he did any magic. But he also knew that they would not be able to stop him once he cast the spell which he was building his power up for. He had enough energy left to do one strong wandless spell. 'They are foolish to leave me alone and unsupervised.'
ooo
Harry and Ron had almost made it to the lifts when alarms started sounding. They both spun around and raced back to the area that Tom was being held in. The hit wizards were ahead of them and they were also racing towards Tom's cell. When they all arrived, the sight before them was shocking. The hit wizards were trying to get past a magical barrier that had blocked off Tom's cell.
Harry looked over the shoulder of one of the guards, and his jaw fell open in shock. Tom had cast one last spell. He was not trying to escape from the cell, but he was trying to escape from his life. Tom had conjured a rope that hung from the ceiling, and he had hung himself. His body was still twitching, but his life was fading fast. Everyone did all they could to get past the barrier, but the effort was futile.
The barrier finally fell after ten minutes, and the guards rushed inside. There was nothing left to do, except announce that Tom Marvolo Riddle, the Dark Lord Voldemort, was dead. Harry entered the cell and saw that there was a rolled up parchment on the small desk in the cell. Ron stopped Harry from touching it, just in case of a trap. Harry rolled his eyes as the parchment was scanned for anything. The guards found nothing on the parchment and handed it to Harry so that it could be read. He unrolled the parchment and cleared his throat.
I, Tom Marvolo Riddle, do hereby make my final statement.
First, I need to apologize to the entire Wizarding World. Through my actions, and my foolish crusade, too many have died. I cannot say nor do anything that can atone for this alone. Therefore, my life is forfeit.
Second, I wish to apologize to Harry James Potter and Neville Longbottom. I took away the very thing I wished for everyone to have that I did not when I was younger. A happy life with a caring family. I was denied that when I was a child, and thus it started my ridiculous crusade that went horribly wrong.
I cannot bring back the dead, and I cannot make it up to anyone.
By the time this letter is read, I will be dead. There is no other horcrux, no other hare-brained schemes to come back to life.
Now I wish to thank Harry James Potter for one thing. He restored my humanity. I know this will not be believed by anyone but him, but know this. Every night for the last six weeks, I have seen the faces of the dead in my nightmares, tormenting my mind.
I cannot apologize enough, and I feel that my time here is done. And for anyone who cares, when my trial was to commence tomorrow:
I plead guilty for crimes against humanity, murder, torture, and the list goes on. Feel free to have the formal trial tomorrow, and read this letter. You may condemn my name to whatever lengths you wish.
I am ashamed of myself and for all I have done. Please burn my body, to make sure no one may desecrate it. This is my final request.
Tom Marvolo Riddle
Harry finished reading the letter out loud to everyone who had gathered there. He handed the letter to Ron, who dropped it into an evidence bag. The rope that Tom had conjured faded back into nothing, and his body hit the floor with a thud. Harry conjured a white sheet and draped it over Tom's body. He left the cell without a word and walked slowly back to the lifts. The shock had worn off the rest of the guards and they were bustling to secure Tom's body and report the incident. Ron and Harry rode the lifts back upstairs to Auror headquarters and handed the suicide letter to Kingsley.
ooo
After being questioned for an hour, Harry was allowed to leave and return home. He sat in silence staring at the fire for an hour. Hermione had returned home after hearing the rumors that had been blown out of proportion by then. There she found Harry sitting alone and she sat down on his lap, and laid her head on his shoulder. They sat that way for quite a while, until Hermione could not wait anymore to know the truth of what happened.
He went through the entire discussion that he and Tom had, and he showed her the documents. She sat patiently and listened to his story, knowing that it had affected Harry more than he wanted to admit.
"Harry, I know that you are having a hard time dealing with this, and I think I know why," she said. Harry looked over at her and took a sip of his tea.
"Why would I have a hard time with this, Mione? I mean the man tried to kill me so many times, I'm glad it's done with," he said. But his eyes told a different story.
"You forget Harry, that I know you. Yes, I'm glad it is done as well, but look at it from this point of view. You have had the threat of him coming after you for so many years; it is second nature to you. Now that the threat is gone, you don't know how to function. Fighting Voldemort was your only purpose for so long, you have forgotten that there is more to life," she explained. Harry nodded uncertainly as she continued.
"Not only that, but you would not be the wonderful and caring person you are today if he had never fixated on you. You grew up with a hard life yes, but you made the choice to care for as many people as you could. If he had made the same choice as you, you would not be anywhere close to who you are today," she said.
"And who am I now that he is gone?" he asked quietly. She put her arms around his shoulders and held onto him.
"You are the man I love and the man I want to spend the rest of my life with," she said with a smile. He smiled slightly, but she could tell he was still troubled. "Harry, I think you need a break from all of this." He raised an eyebrow in question.
"And what do you propose that I do to get my mind off of this?" he asked with a wry grin. Hermione blushed and giggled.
"Well yes, that too, but I was thinking more along the lines of a vacation just for fun," she said. He nodded and smiled.
"Well then, there is only one thing we need to do before our vacation," he said. She looked at him questioningly. "We have to make sure that the vacation and the honeymoon are the same."
Hermione smiled widely and kissed him deeply. She got up and left the room, heading for their bedroom. He stood up and stretched, heading for the shower. He stood in the hot water, letting the heat wash away his sore muscles and his stress. He walked out of the bathroom toweling his hair off when he saw her. His heart rate sped up to an almost harmful pace as he gazed at her. She smiled seductively and flicked her wand, letting the lights fade as well as his worries.
ooo
Harry and Hermione showed up at the Ministry to attend the trial. By now everyone had heard what happened from the Daily Prophet. The Minister had consulted with the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and they had decided to read Tom's letter to the reporters, and leave it at that. His body had been cremated during the night, and his ashes had been scattered at Riddle Manor.
The reactions were as predicted; many did not believe the letter. Eventually Harry stood up to the podium and announced that the letter was genuine, and that he had spoken with Tom Riddle before his suicide. After he quelled many of the arguments, people started to come around. Tom was never forgiven, but many understood what he tried to do with his final letter.
ooo
Harry stood in front of the full length mirror and tried to straighten his tie. His hands were shaking, but they weren't from nerves. He was shaking with excitement that he was finally here. In a little while, he was going to marry Hermione.
"Harry?" Ron said as he poked his head into the room. "They are ready for you, mate." Harry smiled and turned to face his best friend.
"Well? How do I look?" Harry asked as he smoothed out his tailored suit. Ron smiled.
"You look great. Now, before you ask, yes I have the rings," Ron said with a grin. Harry shook his head. "Look mate, all you have to do is go out there, and say 'I do', and everything else is taken care of." Harry walked over and put his hand on Ron's shoulder.
"Ron, I want to say thanks. You know, for everything," Harry said, his eyes misting up. Ron pulled him into a hug and clapped him on the back.
"No, Harry, thank you," Ron said seriously. Harry shook his head. Ron held up a hand to stop Harry from objecting. "Harry, do you realize that you have given everyone a new chance at life? Sure, when you defeated Voldemort four years ago, it was big. But now that we know for sure that he is truly gone now, it's a whole new game out there."
Harry looked at Ron and saw that he was serious. Harry smiled a bit and nodded. He was about to go out the door to get into position, but Ron stopped him. Ron reached over to a vase and pulled out a rose. He trimmed it and put into Harry's breast pocket and pinned it in place. Harry nodded his thanks and he went out to the altar. Harry nodded to Minerva, who he had asked to perform the ceremony. He got a nod and a smile in return and he turned to face the back door of the Burrow.
Ron and Sharon were walking down the aisle, arm in arm. Ron was the best man of course, and Sharon was the matron of honor. Harry hugged both of them as they arrived by the altar and whispered to Sharon.
"Thanks for doing this, sis," he whispered. She smiled and wiped a small tear from the corner of her eye and kissed him on the cheek.
Neville and Parvati Patil walked up the aisle next, followed by Seamus and Lavender Brown. Everyone stood up as the music changed to the wedding march, and Harry's eyes found Hermione standing at the door, being escorted by Mr. Weasley. His jaw dropped and he felt dizzy.
Hermione had chosen a dress that was a strapless gown with a mid-length train. The long veil that covered her face was attached to a diamond studded tiara. Her hair was pulled back into an elegant arrangement that let her shiny brown curls fall down halfway down her back. Her bouquet she was carrying was made from red and pink roses, accented with baby's breath. She was wearing a pair of diamond and ruby earrings Harry had bought for her a while back and he noticed the necklace she was wearing had belonged to her mother, as he had seen Hermione's mother wear it the couple of times he talked with her years ago.
He was brought back to earth by a slight nudge from Ron, who was trying to get his attention since Hermione had reached the point where Mr. Wealsey gave her away to Harry. He gave Mr. Weasley a hug and thanked him. Hermione took his arm and they turned to face Minerva.
"Dearest friends and family; we are gathered here today…" Minerva started and Harry lost track as he looked over at Hermione again. He fell into gazing into her eyes and he noticed the tears of happiness and he gently wiped them away. Ron handed over the rings and Harry turned back to face Hermione. Harry focused his attention and they said the vows, which they had written themselves.
"Harry, I have been by your side for many years now. I will continue to be by your side for the rest of our lives and beyond. You have been there for me just as long, ever since our first year of school. I promise to support you in anything you do. I promise to love you until the end of time," Hermione said as she slipped on his ring. He squeezed her hand and then he started his vows.
"Hermione, you are one of the most amazing women I have ever met. You stood by me when no one else would, and I did the same for you. I will always be there for you, and I will never leave you alone again. No matter what we face in the future, I promise to love you and cherish you forever," Harry said with a wavering voice, trying to keep his tears at bay. As he said the end of his vows, he slipped the ring on her hand and there was a brief flash of light from the diamond that had been set into the band.
"Hermione Jane Granger, do you take Lord Harry James Potter as your lawfully wedded husband?" Minerva asked with a smile.
"I do," Hermione said, brushing a tear away. Harry smiled as Minerva looked to him.
"Lord Harry James Potter, do you take Hermione Jane Granger to be your lawfully wedded wife?" she asked.
"I do," he said with a grin. Minerva nodded and turned to face the guests.
"Ladies and gentleman, May I present Lord and Lady Harry James Potter," She said while she waved her wand in an intricate pattern. The rings flashed for a moment and the ceremony was complete. "You may kiss the bride."
Harry pulled her close and gently kissed Hermione. Hermione threw her arms around him and kissed him deeply. Ron let out a wolf whistle and everyone started clapping as they stood up. Harry broke away from the kiss and stared into her eyes. They rested their foreheads together and smiled.
The reception started not too long afterwards, and the chairs had been rearranged to surround smaller tables. Harry and Hermione sat at the head table, with Ron and Sharon next to them. Quiet chatter permeated the yard and everyone was having a grand time. Ron started to tap his champagne glass and stood up. He turned to Harry and began his speech.
"Harry. You have been the best friend a guy could ask for. You have saved my life more times than I could count, you were the best man at my own wedding not too long ago, and you have been another brother that I could never live without. I wish your parents were here to see this. I wish Sirius and Cedric were here as well. But remember, they are watching you now, and they would be so proud of the person you have become.
"I know there were times that I was jealous of what you had that I did not. Money, fame, and more. But as time went on, I knew that didn't matter. I learned that you were jealous of me. Not because of money, but my family. We made you a part of our family, and I could not think of a better person to add to our family. Now you have the chance to make your own family. But I hope you never forget the rest of your family." Harry stood up and pulled Ron into a big hug.
"I never will," Harry whispered. They parted and Ron turned to Hermione.
"Hermione, you were a pain in the neck at times, but you always meant well. Hang on, don't hex me yet! You kept us straight and true to our purpose and our cause. You have been there for Harry when I was a prat. I couldn't think of anyone better for Harry."
Hermione jumped up and grabbed Harry and Ron for another group hug, and the three of them stood like that for a few moments. Harry turned to Sharon and pulled her into the hug as well. Several cheers went up and everyone started clapping. Sharon made her speech next.
"I have only known Harry and Hermione for a few months now. At first when I heard that Ron was friends with The Harry Potter, I was nervous about meeting him. I mean, it was Harry Potter! Not many people knew him and I was going to meet the biggest celebrity we have in the wizarding world. Oh, don't roll your eyes, Harry. You know that was true. Anyways, when I met him, he was nothing like I expected.
"He is a warm and caring person. He goes out of his way to make sure everyone else is happy before he has the chance to relax. He takes care of his friends with such devotion that I have never seen. He would lay down his life for anyone here. I'm glad he did not have to, because then I would have lost my brother," she said as she wiped a small tear away when he hugged her again, whispering his thanks. He sat back down and turned to Hermione.
"Hermione, my friend, you are the sister I never had. We have talked so many times over the last few months, and we share the same type of beginning into this world that we made a connection right away. Harry needs you. You are his center and his life. I wish you many, many years of happiness together," Sharon finished. Hermione stood up and wiped her tears away and hugged Sharon.
Everyone stood up and applauded the newlyweds and raised their glasses for a toast. The party went on and soon it was time for the first dance. Harry and Hermione took to the floor and Hermione rested her head on his shoulder and they danced to "I Cross My Heart" by George Strait. As they danced, Harry was quietly singing the song to her, making the moment even more special. Mr. Weasley asked Hermione for a dance after the first song was done, and Harry was dragged back out onto the dance floor by Sharon.
The party went on and they had tossed to bouquet, which Lavender had caught, and Neville actually ended up with the garter that Harry had tossed. Neville had blushed bright red when Parvati had dragged him out onto the dance floor for the tenth time. Harry sat back and watched his friends with a smile on his face.
When it came time for them to leave, Harry's eyes filled with tear when all of the remaining members of the DA created a path for them, raising their wands like the knights of old would do for a king. They shot white sparks out of their wands, creating a brilliant display. Harry noticed that the DA had left two spots open in honor of Ginny and Luna.
He stopped for a moment at the empty spaces and pulled two flowers from the vase nearby and laid them on the spots where the two women should have been. He stood back up and gazed at his friends.
"We're here for you Harry, anytime you need us," Neville said. "All you have to do is call us."
Harry nodded and shook Neville's hand. Harry and Hermione left the house in a Ministry provided limousine. They got into the car and shut the door. Harry gazed over at Hermione and smiled. She smiled back and glanced at her ring.
"So, Mr. Potter," she said with a grin. "You've defeated the bad guy and married the woman you love. What's next on your agenda?" Harry smiled and caught reference.
"I'm going to Disney World," he said with a chuckle. Harry smiled and leaned over, planting a deep kiss on Hermione's lips. He leaned back, and took a quick stock of his life. Thing were turning out alright, and he couldn't be happier than he was at that moment.
End of Book One….
A/N # 2: Now that the story is done, I would like to ask you all… How was my first attempt? Please be honest. I would constructive criticism, not flames… Thanks for reading.
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