A/N: This story is in response to Chapter five (A challenge), in the late broomstick flyer's collection, All sorts.

As always, it is an honor to create my own world in the reality of Harry Potter. What you recognize is JKR's, the rest is mine (and broomstick flyer's).

The next morning, the two newlyweds found themselves in a tangle of limbs. Each noticed that they still felt the afterglow from the day before. Harry looked at Hermione and his look spoke so clearly of his love for her that the bushy-haired witch shivered with delight.

"Good morning, Mrs. Potter-Black, did you sleep well?"

'Mrs. Potter-Black' was thrilled; she thought she'd never cease wanting to hear people call her by that name, especially from her husband, who made her feel so alive, wanted and loved. "Why, my husband, I did sleep well and I hope you did too, but I admit that I also feel a bit sad also."

He looked at her perplexedly. "Why is that, my love? And yes, I slept well too."

She smiled impishly. "We might have needed the sleep, but it cut into our baby-making time!"

Harry's answering smile started loving, but morphed into a lustful smirk, while his reaction made his agreement with his wife abundantly clear. "Sure and there is that, dearest, however it's only," and here he cast a Tempus charm, "5:30 so we have plenty of time before breakfast. Shall we work up an appetite?" A sexy wink told her he had little doubt about her response.

For Hermione, actions spoke much louder than words so straddling his hips, she eased herself down, enveloping his hardness and began to bounce...

After an energetic time, during which they found release twice, she collapsed upon her husband, her arms finding their way around his neck. A pair of strong and loving arms gripping her back gave her such a sense of security that she felt that his holding her was almost but not quite as good as their previous activity.

Not long after, Harry rolled them over in the bed. "Time for me to do the work, Hermione."

After a time, during which they somehow reached the heights yet another two times, they stopped, sated. They looked at each other, having one of their wordless conversations. They wondered how they had become so insatiable, concluding that it was their hormones, and the realization that these first times might well be their only times.

Harry called for Dobby and ordered large breakfasts for each of them. Robing themselves, they had just seated themselves at the table when Dobby reappeared, with two large full breakfasts. Both were ravenous, and for a good ten minutes, they did their best to get outside of their filled plates. Only as they finished cleaning their plates did they start to talk again.

"Love, I want to start every single morning like this, so you'd better come back to me!"

"It will not be for lack of trying but, if not, we'll always have Hogwarts."

Despite the situation, Hermione couldn't stifle a giggle. "OK, Blaine! You just better use that letter of transit and be on the next plane out!"

Hermione smiled when heard his full, amused laugh. Good. If any day needs Harry to find humor, today is it. "Lund, this could be the continuation of a beautiful friendship. I'll be on the next flight out and I'll hold you and kiss you, if I've anything to say about it!"

Smiling at each other, they rose from the table and headed for the shower. When the water was ready and they began to wash one another, the two lovers found they had to unite yet one more time. When Hermione locked her legs around him and settled him inside herself, Harry made sweet, gentle love to her. After one final, earthshaking climax, they slowly separated. As Harry finished washing his wife and shampooing her hair, and she returned the favor, she began to shake. After they dried off, she clung to him fiercely.

"Harry tell me this wasn't our last time. Please love tell me you'll come back to me and this was the just the night we shook hands?"

Catching her in his arms, Harry kissed her thoroughly. "My own lovely wonderful bookworm. If it can be done, you'll be in my arms later today and you'll introduce me to your parents as your husband. And do you know the two reasons why I'll come back to you?" When she shook her head, he grinned at her. "First, because I wish to be with you and rear a big family. But secondly, so that when I read Hogwarts: A History, you can explain the parts I don't understand!"

Hermione stared at him a moment, then tickled him, unmercifully, until he surrendered. Then consumed with laughter, she told him, "You prat! I'm gonna hold you to that promise and you better believe you're starting that book tomorrow!"

They then dressed, Hermione in the nicest clothes she had left and Harry in the slightly loose, but very functional 'battle clothing' he'd learned to favor during the hunt. Then he called Dobby and repeated the instructions he and Hermione had agreed to. Dobby was to take her to her parents, then stay and help her as she returned their memories and explained the situation and help with their home.

Instructions over, he took her into his arms, hoping this was not the last time and kissed her, a kiss not filled with passion, but filled with all the love he had for this wild-haired woman who'd gone from best friend and companion in strife to the beloved wife who he couldn't imagine not having by him as long as his heart beat. "Precious love, that is just a down payment for the rest of our lives."

She was almost too choked for words, but held him tighter than she'd ever had before, then said to him, "I'm holding you to that, Potter-Black, you better come back to me in one piece, or else!"

Chuckling, Harry briefly kissed her again, then let go and Dobby took her hand and popped away. He made sure he had all his battle kit, then went to the Great Hall. It was 9:15.

-HO-

Harry made his way down to the Great Hall in a somber and thoughtful mood. She only left a couple minutes ago, and already I miss her like crazy, as if I've lost a limb. No wonder I suppose, this is the first time we've been apart since I got to the Burrow last July almost an entire school year ago, so no wonder I'm not breathing right I miss her scent. As he entered the Great Hall he was heartened to see all the fighters and the large percentage of of-age classmates assembled, but not happy at seeing Ron in amongst his family. Might as well get this sorted out first.

He approached the family that had quasi-adopted him and Hermione. "Good morning Weasleys. Before we get any farther, I thought I'd been clear yesterday that Ron had no place here, at this battle, but I seem to have not been emphatic enough, Ron can't be here, I don't trust him at my back."

"But Harry dear, we talked to Ron last night. He tells us it was only a misunderstanding among friends and should be mended. Can't you two just shake hands and make up?"

Harry sighed and looked at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, and Ron's brothers. "It's more than that. Ron was ready to attack me, I was ready to fight back and we would have then and there in the tent had Hermione not cast Protego, stopping us. Ron then asked her if she was going with him and when she said she was staying with me, he attacked her, saying she chose me. Well that was true, she did and you saw the end result last night; if you won't take my word for it, we'll get the Headmaster's Pensieve and you can see my memory of his desertion and his side, if he's got the sand to allow you to."

The Weasleys looked at each other for a few minutes, before Arthur looked at Ron and quietly asked him, "Ron is what Harry's just told us the truth?" Ron was mute, but the flush that turned his entire face scarlet was eloquent, and told the whole story to his family. Arthur looked at Harry and gave a combination groan and sigh. "Harry, we believe you. What can be done?"

"Mr. Weasley, as much as I wish I didn't have to, I'm going to confine Ron to the Burrow until the battle is over. Kreacher." When the elf popped in, Harry gave him instructions. "Please take Ron to the Burrow and seal him in. Anti-apparition wards, seal the Floo and all doors and windows. Release them only when the battle is done." After the elf took Ron, Harry turned again to the Weasleys. "Ginny, where do you stand? Can I trust you, or do you need to join Ron?"

She stared at him for a long moment. "Harry, I won't lie to you, when you married Hermione I was crushed; I've wanted to be Mrs. Harry Potter for so long. But last night I found that I loved you enough to be glad that the two of you are happy. So, I'll be proud to fight with you and do what is in my power to represent Hermione in what's to come."

He couldn't reply for a moment, he was too surprised and moved. Then he stepped forward and gave Ginny his best impression of a 'Hermione hug'. "I'm honored to have you with us and I know you'll do me and Hermione proud. Thank you. Please, all of you, just stay here for now. There's more to prepare before we invite Tom in."

-HO-

He went up to Professor McGonagall and the front of the hall. "Headmistress, I need to speak to all the fighters we have and the hall is going to need a large cleared space, so would you please move all the tables to the side?"

"Certainly, Harry." She looked around and then cast a Sonorus upon herself. "May I have your attention. Everyone, please assemble in the Great Hall. I am going to move all the tables to the side of the hall. Please get up and move to the center. As the fighters moved, the tables and benches moved to the sides, the benches neatly stacked on top. When everyone was present, she told Harry quietly "we're all yours" and took her place with the rest.

He looked out at all the expectant faces and suddenly felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. Shake it off, Potter. When has the weight of the world not been on your shoulders? Just trust in them as much as they trust you. "Soon, I'm going to invite Riddle for tea. Before that, we need to set the table. Yesterday, Hermione, the headmistress and I took Snape to the head's office to get some answers and the portrait of Dumbledore told us that Snape had memories we needed to see. So we got his memories, under a binding oath from him. What we found was that there was a final bit of 'V''s soul that needs to be destroyed to make him mortal. That piece of his soul is in me, behind my scar."

The hall dissolved into chaos, as everyone cried out in fear and pain all at the same time. Harry let it go for a moment, then set off a cannon blast charm.

"OK. I don't like it either, but keep still now. The only way he knows to destroy this last fragment is for me to let him kill me. QUIET! I survived the Killing Curse once; hopefully, lightning will strike twice. But we can't depend on that. We have to be sure this war ends, now, today. I am going to teach all of you a curse, Sectumsempra. Fittingly, it was invented by our late headmaster, Severus Snape. Now, I want all of you to form ranks, twelve across. You'll each get to do the curse three times, the last time silently."

As they organized, he waved his wand and a line of twelve dummies appeared. Another wave and another dummy materialized, just ahead of the rest. Seeing they were ready, he sighted in on the lead dummy. "This curse does not have any particular movement, just point your wand and cast, like this. SECTUMSEMPRA!" The lead dummy fell, sliced into two pieces. "OK, first row, now!" Each row cast three times, as Harry vanished and conjured dummies each time. To his proud amazement, everyone could cast the curse and also they could non-vocally.

"Excellent, everyone. Now Aurors, faculty, Order members, front and center. Can all of you cast the Killing Curse?" He had to silence the roar of outrage and fear that erupted at this question. "QUIET NOW! Riddle has to die or we lose the war. This is war and there are no Unforgivable Curses in war. Now, how many of you can cast it?" When all the adults nodded, he smiled. "Now that curse is the last resort. If he doesn't go down and starts blocking Sectumsempra, you have to cast the Killing Curse until he falls. Same thing for any DeathEater who doesn't go down. We're ending all this today! Now, everyone, sit, relax. We should have food and drink available, headmistress. I'm going up to invite Tom and company."

As the hall was set to rights and Minerva spoke to the elves, he went up to the Headmaster's office. Once there, he walked over to Snape, bared his left arm and firmly pressed his wand on the Dark Mark. When the mark turned impossibly darker, he lifted the wand in satisfaction then turned to Dumbledore's portrait. "So Albus, is there anything more that you've kept to yourself? Last chance, because when I leave, I've no expectation ever to be here again."

"Harry, I've nothing left to give you, save some speculations."

"So speculate, anything could be vital and you'll not leave me in the dark again."

"All I have for you is this thought. When Tom used your blood to recreate his body, the two of you became doubly bound to each other, by the piece of his soul in you and the sharing of your blood, I spent much of the time I still had researching this question and I'm sorry to say I could find nothing, you and he are in completely unknown, uncharted realms of magic. The most I have is the idea that when he casts the Killing Curse, it will remove that part of his soul in you and leave you alive and with your soul intact."

"Albus, I dearly hope for all our sake that this happens. I married Hermione yesterday and hopefully she now carries our child, to keep our houses alive. I now have to get back to the hall. Good bye, Albus."

"Farewell to you and Hermione, Harry. I hope you see her today."

-HO-

Meanwhile, in Adelaide, Australia, Hermione had been fortunate to find her parents at home and about to make dinner. Due to the eight and a half hour time difference, it was 5:45 pm when she arrived and removed her memory charms. After some initial anger, her parents, Helen Puckle Wilkins Granger and Richard Petruchio Granger admitted that she had acted out of concern and love and even chuckled at her choosing to give their 'alter egos' Helen's maiden name. They grew concerned, then fearful as she explained to them that she was married, why she was married and why she was with them now.

"But Hermione, explain again why Harry and you wanted to get married and why now?"

"Mum, dad, Harry and I spent about ten months hunting down 'V''s soul anchors and we thought we had destroyed them all and that Riddle could be killed by anyone. But then we learned that there was a final part of his soul in Harry and the only way it could be destroyed was to let himself be hit by Riddle's Killing Curse. We were devastated and later, I heard Harry talking out loud to his parents and to Sirius Black, his godfather, promising that he would end 'V', even though he'd be killed. His only regret was that the Houses of Potter and Black would die out with him.

"You both know how long I've been in love with Harry, I think from the time we first met, but certainly ever since I was thirteen, in my second year. I offered to bear his child and keep his houses alive, but he wouldn't agree, not if that was my only reason, so I told how I was in love with him and for how long. I was stunned when he laughed and told me he'd been in love with me since he was fourteen! We both had never found the proper time to tell each other how we felt, but we did in time, thankfully. We got ready, and got married about an hour later. We both took potions that Madam Pomfrey the school healer gave us to ensure we'd conceive, then we worked very hard to make a baby, until a few minutes before I got here."

Her parents took more than a few minutes to absorb this information. Finally, they smiled and hugged Hermione tightly.

Richard finally asked some of the questions that crowded his mind. "Janie, you know we're behind you completely and we'll help you rear your child and hope that Harry comes back to us, but what if he doesn't? Where will find the right medical help? What about money? We're doing well in our new practice, but not enough to comfortably rear a baby."

"Dad, mum, it's going to be all right, you'll see. First, I steered you to Adelaide on purpose; there is a magical community here, so that takes care of both problems. We'll be able to find a healer and likely a magical hospital too. There is sure to be a Gringotts branch here too. I'm going to send Kreacher with a note and have our vaults transferred from London to here." She then took a sheet of paper and wrote a note, then had Kreacher go to the nearest Gringotts branch.

She looked at her parents and continued. "It won't just be the three of us taking care of the baby. Even if ... if Harry can't ..." Here, she couldn't help but to stifle a sob, for which she was embraced by both her parents. After a time, she calmed enough to continue. "We have two house elves; Kreacher, whom you met and Dobby, who is staying with Harry. House elves love to serve their families, and they will clean, cook, repair and look after the baby when we can't."

Just then another, female, elf popped in and Hermione recognized Winky, who addressed her. "Mistress, Lord Harry bound me to help with his and your baby. He had me go to Gringotts and had you added to his vaults. He also sent a message; he misses you a lot, Dumbledore's portrait thinks he might survive the Killing Curse again, so keep your spirits high, he will see you soon."

The Grangers and Lady Potter-Black relaxed, the more so when Kreacher appeared with a set of vault keys and the news that the vaults would be moved in the next day. So three humans and two elves settled in to await news of the battle.

-HO-

Back at Hogwarts, Harry had Minerva summon the head house elf for the school. They had a screen of elves placed to warn them when the enemy approached. Questioning him, they also found that the elves could transport trolls and even giants single-handedly and so they had orders to pop any and all of those to a point 320 kilometers off the west coast of Scotland. Then, finding they could also detect and nullify the Imperius Curse, he ordered them to take any witch or wizard under that curse into the hall and free them.

Now, marshaling the fighters at the entrance to the castle, he took the place where he intended to confront Riddle and then placed the others into their positions for the battle, with those who would cast the Killing Curse in the front, behind him and the others up on the stairs. Those stairs were high enough that everyone had a clear field of fire. "Everyone remember where your position is and be ready for when they get here. Now let's get what rest we can before the main event." And they returned to the Great Hall to wait.

-HO-

After all the preparations were made, it was close to noon so most of those still inside the castle gathered in the hall for lunch. Very few doubted that the enemy would attack at night; that seemed to be his standard operating procedure. Also they knew without having to discuss it that there would very likely be Dementors in the attacking forces, so all those who could cast a Patronus resolved that they would do that as soon as the monsters could be felt. They knew that Harry was resolved to keep this confrontation to just human wizards and witches versus Voldemort and those who had voluntarily accepted the Dark Mark.

As the afternoon wore on, Harry felt the need to get up in the sky as flying was always his refuge.

For two hours or more, he meditated upon his life; the events that had brought him to this point, the people he had befriended and opposed, and those for whom he felt love, particularly one bushy-haired woman and the child hopefully inhabiting her womb. Eventually, he noted the sun was on the decline and prepared to return, and even though he'd kept an eye out for their foes even while meditating, he made one more intense scan of this panorama before descending.

Returning to the Great Hall, he presented Ginny's broom to her with thanks, announced that thus far there was no hint of the opposition. Tucking into an enormous meal, with the thought that this meal might truly be his last, he found that the elves seemed to think so too and had provided for him only his most favorite foods. Finishing, he took the time to go around the hall to personally thank those who were standing with him, giving hugs and kisses on the cheek, especially to his wedding party, the Weasleys, Lupin, the last connection to the Marauders and family, Tonks, and to the faculty, most particularly Minerva. Then he conjured a comfortable, overstuffed chair like those in the Common Room, settled down, and tried something new by extending his magical senses out past the grounds in a circle roughly out to the far side of Hogsmeade.

-HO-

It was shortly past nine o'clock, barely after full dark had settled, when he felt the presence of Dementors, giants, and Tom and his DeathEaters. "They're here everyone, they just reached the far side of Hogsmeade. Get your game faces on and take your places," as he rushed out and took his position on the point. After a couple of minutes, he checked behind himself, seeing that all were in their positions. "I'll give the word for Patroni when they cross into the grounds; by then you should feel them too and we'll chase them back to Azkaban!"

About fifteen minutes later the Dementors reached and crossed the gates. With a "Now!", fifty Patroni soared into the air and into the oncoming cloud. As the silver avatars collided with the horrors a keening sound attested to their discomfiture and several terrible-sounding screams made them wonder if some of the azure defenders might have actually killed some of the monsters. In any case, all sense of the Dementors vanished and they canceled the Patroni. As so many had sent their protectors out, no one felt any strain on their magic.

It took another fifteen-odd minutes before they could see the shadowy forms of their antagonists in the dark. They heard shouts of astonishment and fear rise as the trolls and giants vanished and then cries of anger when their auxiliaries placed in the front as shock troops also disappeared. They heard the scream of "POTTER!" from the evilest of wizards and soon the foe were in plain view, with Tom Riddle in all his serpentine glory standing as Harry was, ten paces or so in front of the DeathEaters, ranked in a semi-circle behind him.

"Well, Potter," hissed the self-styled Death Fleer, "are you really so deluded as to think your pitiful collection of Mudbloods, half-bloods and blood-traitors can stand up to my Death Eaters?"

"I don't think it matters. We both know that the ones with us are only a sideshow and we're the main event. Neither can live while the other survives. There's the end of the prophecy, you half-blood by-blow. You and me. Winner takes all. So,

Hit me with your best shot
Why don't you hit me with your best shot
Hit me with your best shot
Fire away

The sheer gall and effrontery of Harry's challenge was breathtaking to all others present, and the disgust and scorn with which it was given froze Voldemort for the time it took Harry to complete his defiance.

With a roar of outraged anger, Voldemort pointed his wand at Harry and screamed, DIE, HARRY POTTER. AVADA KEDAVRA! Harry bonelessly hit the ground.

-HO-

Harry awoke in a bright white glare, which steadily dimmed until he could recognize his surroundings, a deserted Kings Cross Station. Noting his nudity, he wished to be robed and found a pure white robe next to him. Picking it up, he slipped it over his head, then heard a muffled, disturbing cry. Looking around, he saw there were now benches in the heretofore empty space and that under one near him was a hideous homunculus from which the cries he heard were coming.

Looking at it, he muttered, "I know what this is and I have a good idea where I am. The question is how can I get back and will I get back in time to save my side from killing?"

Then he heard the last voice he wished to hear. "You can't help that. Harry, you brave boy, you brave, brave man. Come, let us walk."

"Not on your life Dumbledore! Your hoarding of your precious secrets from me has led to the deaths of Cedric Diggory, Sirius Black, Mad-Eye Moody, Rufus Scrimgeour and who knows how many witches, wizards and Muggles in the last year. I don't want to hear any of your empty platitudes! If you know how I can return to the world and how much time I've lost, then tell me, otherwise GO AWAY!"

The shocked wizard faded away. Then Harry heard the last voice he expected and the one he'd most wanted to hear. "Harry, you've done so well, and we are so proud. You can go back whenever you want and without any time having passed, so we four may have a chat for as long as you want."

Whirling about, he saw his mother, father and godfather standing there, looks of pride and love on their faces and in their eyes. Sobbing, he virtually sprang into their arms and continued to cry at the center of a fierce, four-way hug. Eventually, he got control of himself and found himself on a bench with his parents to either side, arms around his shoulders and Sirius sitting on a conjured chair in front of him.

His father spoke first. "Son, we have seen your entire life. We mourned at the abuse you took from my sister-in-law and her family, but we're proud and humbled that you emerged strong, tough and so caring."

"We saw your struggles in Hogwarts and blessed the Fates that you rose to every situation. We approved of the friends you've made and most importantly, Hermione. She is your perfect counterpart and you two share a connection that is rare." Lily's voice and expression carried so much love and satisfaction that Harry redoubled his embrace, wordlessly telling her how much she had moved him.

Then Sirius chimed in. "I told James and Lily how impressed I was by you and Hermione, how I felt that you would never be apart, and found I was preaching to the choir. Forgive me that I left you so soon, that I wasn't there for you like I should have been. I was too careless with Bellatrix. I feel as if I've been a failure as a godfather, I always deserted you when you needed me and I'm sorry."

Harry leapt from the bench and enveloped Sirius in a crushing hug. "Padfoot, I treasured every single moment we had together, as did Hermione and my other friends. I wouldn't give up what we had for any might-have-beens. Hermione's and my memories of you will always be green. So you've all been watching me, watching Hermione... but... did you turn a blind eye our wedding night and morning?"

The three roared with laughter as much for the all over crimson blush Harry now sported, as for his words. "Harry love" his mother said, carefully keeping the mirth she felt out of her voice, "your father and I and Sirius know well enough what a couple in love, and just wed at that, will be doing their wedding night. No, we didn't watch and never will watch you and Hermione do something adult, never."

Harry found himself again in a four-way hug. When they disengaged, his father cleared his throat. "Son, the time has come for you to depart. Know though, that we will be waiting patiently for that reunion when it comes and to meet our Hermione. To return, simply picture the scene when he hit you with the Curse and you'll find yourself back again. Finish the task, son and don't be eager to come back. Reestablish our houses and make them strong, seeing your grand and great- grandchildren before returning to us. Be happy."

"Vanquish him for good, my Harry and return to your love, be fruitful in all you do." Lily told him, eyes filled with unshed tears.

"Pup, send him to Hell and then live, enjoy your life, love and prosper" his godfather instructed, pride shining forth from him, like a brilliant light.

"Mum, Dad, Sirius, until we meet again" with that, Harry closed his eyes, concentrated and faded from view.

-HO-

Harry felt a heaviness that he realized he'd not felt when with his family and knew that gravity had taken hold once more. I'm back! he thought as he opened his eyes to see Voldemort completing a twirl to face his followers, arms akimbo and they started to shout "Master. Master."

The celebration shockingly ended with Harry's roar of SECTUMSEMPRA! Still half lying on the ground, the curse hit Voldemort's neck, just below the Atlas and Axis vertebraes, very efficiently shearing his brain-pan from his face. By the time Harry reached his feet. Voldemort's brain was striking the ground and his body was following. What was shocking though were the wails of utter agony from the DeathEaters seeing them slowly collapse to their knees then fall on their faces, unmoving, and it tore Harry's soul into pieces. While the horror overwhelmed him, a small, detached analytical part of his mind concluded that Voldemort and his marked followers had been connected through the Dark Mark and without him, they died. He'd not been effected by Voldemort's death, felt relief in fact, but he felt his hands dripping with DeathEater blood. His rapidly fading rational mind reminded him that those now lying dead had killed as many, if not more innocents than their master but his emotions found no solace.

I did the needful, but at what cost? My hands, my soul are stained now with blood how can I face her? How could she bear to touch me, kiss me, make love to me or bear children by me when she learns? The Dursleys were right in the end I'm just a freak whom no one will love or want, destined to be alone.

Harry sank to his knees hands covering his face and was racked by sobs, bringing to a sudden halt the stampede of defenders who had been about to mob him in celebration. They stared at him, uncertain as to what to do or say to him. Then a pop was heard and Kreacher appeared by his master's side. "Master has won, but master's soul, spirit is hurt. Kreacher takes him now to to to Mistress, Master needs his family. With another pop, elf and wizard were no more.

-HO-

Harry hardly registered arriving in the house in Adelaide, had no idea it was now 6:15 am and that his wife and in-laws had not slept at all; he just continued his uncontrollable sobs. He didn't hear Hermione's order to fetch calming draughts and dreamless sleep potions. He hardly heard her tell him to drink something, he just drained the flask handed to him. It seemed to Hermione, Helen and Richard that the wait was endless, but finally he seemed in control enough to talk.

"Harry love, what happened, why were you upset?" Harry looked at her and she was stunned to see the fear and shame in the emerald orbs she had so come to adore.

"H-he killed me. He killed me and I saw my mum and dad and godfather; they told me how proud they were and how happy we were married. I c-came back and he was celebrating and they were cheering him. I h-hit him with Sectumsempra and separated him from his brain. I-I just got on my feet when the DeathEaters collapsed and died. Oh H-H-Hermione I felt their blood on my hands and tainting my soul. How can you ever love me, have children by me, stand to be near me ever again?"

Hermione was wounded in her heart to see Harry in such anguish. She decided all she could do for now was to get him to bed and asleep.

"Come Harry love, come to our bed. I know you won't think so now, but I'll never leave you, I will be by your side forever." She led him to the bed, vanished his clothing and fed him the dreamless sleep potion. As it took hold, she pulled the sheet down and covered him. Going back to her parents, she handed each of them a flask, telling them to go to bed and drink it. Then she returned to their bedroom, stripped, got in bed and drank. She stayed awake just long enough to spoon tightly against her husband, and her last thought was I'll be with you love, til the end of time.

A/N: First, a big shout out to my Beta, texan-muggle. Betas keep me on the straight and narrow, bless them all. Any goofs are on my dime. In this case, he's taking a break, so I decided to update anyway. When he's back, he'll find the goofs I didn't.

I hope my efforts meet with your approval. I'm trying not just to honor broomstick by accepting her challenge, but to write it also in as close to her writing style as my own limitations as a writer allow. So, if you noticed the run on sentences and paragraphs, they're part of the tribute!

If the house elves seem awfully powerful to you, I'd argue that their powerfulness is totally in canon. In fact, I think that JKR realized just how powerful she made them, which is why Kreacher and Dobby didn't play the rôles in DH they could have, the rôle that Hermione really should have urged them to do. Granted that Dobby saved them in Malfoy Manor, but they should have had Kreacher cook for them, and Ron's desertion would not have occurred. They could have sent Kreacher to the Lestrange vault in Gringotts to get the cup, they could have sent Dobby to Hogwarts to get the diadem, and the Sword of Gryffindor. Obviously, JKR had to make Harry and Hermione really struggle to find and destroy the Horcruxes, so she made them 'forget' house elves and their potential.

Harry's defiance is directly from the song made famous by Pat Benatar, Hit me with your best shot. I don't do songfics, per se,but this lyric was just too appropriate not to use.

Harry and Hermione's banter is of course from the classic movie, Casablanca. The line about the night we shook hands is from Ira Levin's novel, This Perfect Day, in an analogous situation.

The story recommendation for this chapter is How HP and the DH should have Ended, by Sprinter 1988 (7582445). The lead up to the final showdown with Voldemort is informed very much by this story, from a favorite writer of mine.

One final thing. There is a poll up on my profile. Your input is needed to decide a character's birthday. That will be used in the rest of my stories. Please help.

Once more, thanks to all of you who read my efforts. Visitors, hits, reviews, follows, favorites, C2s are my only payment. Believe me, they make me feel rich!

The Ghostly Minion, in mourning

Posted: 06/27/2015
Words: 6,251