A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Spice of Life, my only reviewer. Thank you for reviewing! I'm sorry I didn't finish it earlier, I was just holding out for reviews that weren't coming.

Disclaimer: As always, all characters you recognized belong to JKR. I would not be writing FAN fiction if this belonged to me.

"Mr. Potter, we need that proposal approved before we can take it to Headmistress Weasley. You wanted to get it out before Halloween, correct?" The young girl asked her boss.

Harry looked up from his blank stare. He had to shake himself slightly to bring himself to reality. "Yes Gwen, thank you. Just leave that on my desk, and I'll get to it quickly." She obeyed, then quickly left the room.

Harry took off his glasses, then gave his eyes a vigorous rub. He hadn't been able to focus all day, and he kept wondering what was taking his attention. As he glanced at the calendar, his stomach gave a lurch as he realized what it was.

Five years ago on this very day, Voldemort was killed. Harry should have remembered; there was going to be a huge party in his honor that evening. Harry really didn't feel like going. This day had never seemed like one to celebrate to him. Five years ago this day, he lost one of his best friends.

Harry had never been able to get over the loss of Hermione. She had been such a huge part of his life that he felt as though part of his soul had left him that day. He tried to think about what Sirius had once told him, that those we love never truly leave us. Harry certainly felt like that, especially right after Hermione died.

Harry had gone back to Hogwarts to complete his seventh year, and eventually took the N.E.W.T.s. After he received his score, he was sure that he had been channeling Hermione, because he could not have gotten seven N.E.W.T.s without her help. After graduating, he started Auror training. But after three months of that, he discovered that he was not interested in being a Dark Wizard catcher any longer.

That's how he came to be in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. After two years of being in the domestic creatures division, he got the opportunity to head his own office, and opened the House-Elves Rights Office, as a tribute to Hermione and her work with S.P.E.W. Surprisingly enough, the office was a huge success from the minute Harry created it. Their first major victory occurred just six months after its inception, when they passed legislature to allow House-Elves to wear their own clothing, and not as a mark of becoming free.

Now, Harry was lobbying for vacation time for the elves. He was starting at Hogwarts, where Molly Weasley was now Headmistress. Gwen, a young girl in his office, had just drawn up the proposal. Harry read it through, and approved her idea of allowing each house-elf a weekend off a month, which would only cut down Hogwarts' staff by one quarter during that time.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley's here. Do you want me to bring him in?" Gwen poked her head into his office.

"No, that's okay. I'm just getting ready to leave." Harry gathered his papers together and set them on his desk. He then grabbed his coat and headed out of the door.

Ron and Harry had stayed great friends through everything. Ron was now the Keeper for the Chudley Cannons, and he couldn't be any prouder. They had just completed a very good season, ending third in the league, a far cry from their days as firmly in last place.

"Hey Ron, how are you doing?" Harry asked, walking out of the office.

"Pretty good. And you?" Ron replied, falling into stride with Harry as they left the Ministry.

"I'm good," Harry answered, not really feeling it though. He was still weighed down with the thoughts of today's anniversary.

"Have you been to that new restaurant in Diagon Alley yet? I was thinking we could catch dinner there tonight," Ron suggested as they walked toward Harry's flat to drop off his things.

"Ron, did you forget? Today's the ball at the Ministry. I have to go, or everyone will think I was kidnapped by some rouge Death Eaters or something." Harry looked at his friend, not believing that he could forget what today was.

"What ball? Oh, that one," Ron finally said in remembrance. His face fell for a moment. "I can't believe it's been five years."

"I know. I really miss her too." Harry and Ron had avoided bringing up the subject of Hermione in their conversations, preferring to deal with their grief separately.

"Well, who are you taking to the ball then?" Ron asked, not really missing a beat.

Harry sighed. "I'm just going alone. I didn't ask anyone, and it's way too late now."

Ron nodded in agreement. "I hope Lavender isn't busy. She'll kill me for not telling her earlier, but I completely forgot what today was."

Harry looked at Ron puzzled. "Lavender?"

Ron looked back at Harry, equally puzzled. "We've been going out for six months. Haven't you paid any attention?"

Harry had to admit, he hadn't paid much attention to Ron's love life. Harry's was practically none existent; he kept comparing every girl he went out with to Hermione, and none of them came close to her. Ron however had one serious relationship after another, always breaking them off right before he became truly committed. Harry guessed that, like him, he couldn't forget Hermione, and how much she meant to him.

An hour later, Lavender arrived at Harry's apartment, decked out in a beautiful floor length blue gown. Harry and Ron had put on their dress robes, and the three headed to the ball.

"Harry, it's so good to see you. I hope you are having a wonderful day. Imagine, five years without You-Know-Who now. It seems like only yesterday we were at Hogwarts, fighting in the DA, terrorizing Umbridge…" Justin Finch-Fletchley continued to ramble on and on. Harry was getting terribly bored, but he couldn't just leave. He truly wished he had a good excuse to leave, not just Justin, but the ball entirely.

"Harry? Oh my, look at you. I haven't seen you in years." Parvati Patil came up to Harry as well. She was soon followed by her sister, Padma.

"It's very good to see you Parvati, and you as well Padma." Harry nodded at the two old school mates, and tried to look for a way out.

"Harry, I was wondering if you would like to dance. I love this song," Parvati suggested, and nearly pulled Harry out onto the dance floor. As much as he did not feel like, or want to dance, he couldn't pull himself out of Parvati's grasp. He was surprised at how forceful she was; didn't she remember the Yule Ball, and how much of a horrible dancer he was?

Apparently not, because she took his hand in hers and waited impatiently for him to take her waist, then pushed them into the crowd of dancing couples. At least this time, he wasn't in the spotlight. Or so he thought.

"Harry Potter, Evan Hart of the Daily Prophet. Who was that incredible young woman you were dancing with?"

"Miss, would you care to comment on your relationship with Harry Potter?"

"Do we hear wedding bells?"

Harry was appalled at how forward the press was, and how much Parvati seemed to enjoy it.

"Harry and I have known each other for years. We went to the Yule Ball back in our fourth year, when Hogwarts hosted the Triwizard Tournament. Do you remember that night Harry?"

Harry pulled himself away from Parvati, made an excuse to get a drink, and left Parvati to lie to the reporters. He should have felt insulted that she was using him to get her fifteen minutes of fame, but he didn't really care. He just wanted to get out of here and go home.

"Ron, Ron, where are you?" Harry called, searching everywhere for his best friend. He had had enough, and now he was going to go home. He just wanted to let Ron know, so he wouldn't be looking for him.

"Harry, Ron's up there," Ginny pointed, having passed at just that moment. Harry followed her finger to see Ron on the stage, asking the band to stop the music for a moment. When they did, he grabbed the microphone, and had a huge grin plastered on his face.

"Hello everyone. I just wanted to say a few words. First, I want to give a toast to Harry Potter, the man we're all honoring here tonight. Without him, we wouldn't have anything to celebrate about." The room raised glasses as the cheered, "to Harry!" and sipped their drinks. Harry felt his cheeks flame in embarrassment, and even in anger a bit. Ron knew that he didn't like the attention.

"The second thing I would like to say is to ask someone very special to me a very important question." Ron left the microphone and kneeled on the floor of the stage, twiddling something in his hands.

"Lavender Brown, the love of my life, will you marry me?" The room gave a collective gasp and riveted their gaze on Lavender. She had tears shining in her eyes when she replied.

"Yes, Ron, I love you too." She ran up to the stage and threw her arms around him. He pulled her up and shared a passionate kiss with her. The room cheered and clapped the couple. Ron presented Lavender with the ring he had had in his hands, and she kissed him once again. Eventually, they left the stage, and the band began playing again. They played a slow love song, just for Ron and Lavender.

Throughout it all, Harry stared at his friend, shocked beyond words. Ron had proposed. Ron had gotten over Hermione. Harry almost felt as though Ron betrayed her.

"Why? Why did you propose to Lavender?" Harry demanded of his friend when the song stopped.

"Why not? I love her Harry," Ron replied.

"And Hermione?" Harry asked, not able to comprehend what Ron was doing.

"Harry, Hermione dead. I know that it's been difficult for you to accept, but she's gone, and she's not coming back. I can't waste my life waiting for something that's already gone.

"Well, have fun with Lavender. It's no wonder you forgot the day your fiancée died, considering you were just going to replace her. Are you replacing the baby as well? Or is that just your future plans?"

Harry didn't see it coming, but he certainly felt when Ron's fist connected with his jaw.

"Just because I can move on with my life doesn't mean that I didn't love Hermione. You don't know what that's like, because you won't let anyone come into your life," Ron yelled as Harry stormed off in a huff. He knew that what Ron said was right, but he couldn't accept it. Hermione had been such a big part of his life, and he wasn't going to forget her like that.

"Oh Harry, have you seen Lavender's ring? It's so beautiful. What happened to your face?" Ginny cut Harry off just before he was able to leave the room. Because he was standing so close to Lavender and the gaggle of girls that surrounded her, he caught sight of the enormous diamond, surrounded by a band of smaller diamonds.

"It's great. If you'll excuse me, I have to use the loo." Harry pushed past Ginny to finally leave the crowded ballroom and happy party-goers.

Harry walked outside and took a deep breath of the fresh air. Now that he had the option of going home, it didn't sound like such a good idea to him. Instead, he decided to go somewhere else.

Harry moved through the sea of stone, searching for the spot he had visited many times before. He had never come at night before, so it took him a little longer, but eventually he reached his destination.

"Hi Hermione. I know it's been a little while, and I'm sorry I didn't bring flowers this time, but I didn't know I'd be coming."

Harry kneeled in front of the grave that marked the final resting place of his best friend. She had always been there for him, through thick and thin, looking out for his best interests. And now she lay buried, with the child that only he and Ron knew existed.

"Hermione, I wish you were here now. But if you were, I wouldn't feel like this. You and Ron would be married, and the baby would be four already. And that probably wouldn't be your only child, would it?" Harry had to wipe away tears as he imagined Hermione with a group of young children around her. The picture was so perfect. Then his breath hitched.

In his mind, Hermione was not surrounded by red-heads and brunettes, as would be expected of the children of her and Ron. She was instead surrounded by children with dark hair, startling green eyes, untamable wild mops, and other features that would come from him. He imagined Hermione with his children, no, their children.

"I never realized. Why? Why did you have to go? Why did you have to die? It was me, I was the one Voldemort wanted. But he took you away from me. He took you away before I even knew I loved you. I loved you," Harry whispered, plead, as tears streamed down his face.

"I can't move on with my life, because I don't have all of it with me. You took my heart with you when you left. My heart has always belonged to you."

As Harry let the tears continue, he sat for a long time, berating himself for ignoring his feelings for so long. For never getting the chance to tell Hermione how he felt about her.

"I love you too Harry. You know I do," Hermione's voice came into Harry's head, as clear as if she stood right next to him. Harry looked around for the source of it, and felt his heart burn. That was where the sound had come from. It was like Sirius had told him all those years ago; those we love live on forever in our hearts.

Who can say for certain
Maybe you're still here
I feel you all around me
Your memories so clear

Deep in the stillness
I can hear you speak
You're still an inspiration
Can it be
That you are mine
Forever love
And you are watching over me from up above

Fly me up to where you are
Beyond the distant star
I wish upon tonight
To see you smile
If only for awhile to know you're there
A breath away's not far
To where you are

Josh Groban – "To Where You Are."

A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed the end. As always, don't forget to review on your way out!