Epilogue

Two Years Later…

Ron slid into his suit jacket and stood in front of the mirror as he adjusted it until it felt right. He couldn't believe this day had come, and yet here he stood, dressed to the nines in a Muggle suit getting ready to marry the woman of his dreams.

As he began putting on his shoes, there was a knock on the door. "Come in," he called.

"Wow, I never thought I'd see you in a Muggle suit," Harry teased as he walked into the room Ron was using to get ready for the wedding.

Ron grinned. "Yeah, well, my bride is Muggle born so I thought it would be fitting."

Harry laughed as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a box. "Well, you're right about that," he said, "And no Muggle suit is complete without a pair of cufflinks."

He handed the box to Ron and waited for him to open it. "Wow, Harry," he breathed. He took them out of the box and handed them to Harry. "Help me put them on? I'm rubbish with Muggle things."

Harry took the cufflinks from Ron and easily slid them into the cuffs of Ron's shirt. "I don't know, mate, you seem to be fairing well with a certain Muggle born witch we're both fond of."

"And look at how royally I screwed that up before I figured out my feelings for her."

"Ron, life is full of moments where we don't see things as clearly as we think. Your feelings for Hermione were hidden under years of friendship; friendship that neither of you wanted to lose," Harry stated, "Believe me, I know what that's like. It took me years to realize my feelings for Ginny, but look at us now; we couldn't be happier."

Ron took a deep breath and straightened his clothes. "It's almost time," he said nervously, "Did I put everything on right?"

Harry nodded as he straightened Ron's tie. "You look like a Muggle," he said approvingly, "Now let's get you to the alter so you can marry our best friend."

"Hermione, it's time."

Hermione turned away from the floor length mirror and smiled at her best girlfriend. "Can you believe this day is actually here, Ginny?" she asked.

Ginny smiled brightly as she walked further into the room and picked up Hermione's veil. "It's been a long time coming, but I always had faith that Ron would get his head out of his arse and realize his feelings for you."

Hermione sat on a cushioned bench so that Ginny could put the veil on her head. "I'm so nervous I feel like I could vomit."

"You have nothing to be nervous about, Hermione," Ginny said soothingly, pinning the veil into place in Hermione's hair, "You and Ron love each other and you're going to spend the rest of your life together."

A smile bright enough to light up a chapel spread across Hermione's face at those words and she took a deep breath. "Well, how do I look?" she asked, standing up and spinning for Ginny.

"You're beautiful," Ginny replied, "Come on, let's go find your father. It's time for you to get married!"

As Ron took his place before the priest, he took a deep breath and nervously straightened his jacket. He glanced at Harry, who gave him a reassuring nod, and smiled. He then looked at the front row, where his family was seated, and locked eyes with his parents.

His mother's round face was lit up with a smile as she dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief. His father was beaming up at him proudly while rubbing his mother's arm lovingly. The love radiating from them was what Ron felt when he looked at Hermione, what he hoped would last a lifetime.

It was then that the soft music that had been playing grew just a little louder signaling the start of the wedding.

The crowd turned their attention to the back of the little church where the double doors opened just enough for Ginny to walk through. Ron heard Harry's breath catch at the sight of her and smiled. He honestly couldn't be happier that his sister and Harry had found each other. Harry was like a brother to him and he hoped to one day be able to call him "brother".

Looking at Ginny as she walked down the aisle, Ron realized just how beautiful of a young woman she had become. She was beautiful and the floor length cream colored dress accented her flaming red hair and brown eyes perfectly. He was lucky to have her as a sister and he knew Harry felt just as lucky to have her by his side.

Ginny smiled at the pair of them as she took her place before the priest. She then looked back the way she had come. Again, the double doors opened, but this time, it was Hermione that stood behind them.

Ron couldn't breathe as she began walking toward him, arm in arm with her father. She was so radiant that she seemed to be glowing. Never had she looked so beautiful and never again would he be so blinded to her true beauty.

When Hermione's father placed her hand in Ron's, she smiled up at Ron and it was then that he began breathing again. He returned her smile and gave her hand a light squeeze as they turned to the priest.

The rest of the wedding was a blur to both Ron and Hermione for they couldn't take their eyes off each other. Even through the seemingly endless sea of people congratulating them and stealing them away for this reason or that, they still found each other through the crowd.

Finally, when the reception was over and everyone had gone home, the newly married couple had a moment to themselves. Ron took off his jacket and wrapped it around Hermione's shoulders before hugging her close to him and kissing her softly. "Has anyone told you how completely breath-taking you look tonight?" he asked her.

Hermione slid her arms around his waist as she smiled up at him. "They have," she answered, "but hearing it from you means more than it could possibly mean from anyone else."

"We've been through so much together, haven't we?" Ron questioned, taking her hand and leading her down a lit path to the beach.

"Nearly to hell and back," Hermione agreed, "and I wouldn't change a bit of it."

Ron paused so they could take off their shoes. "Hermione," he began, taking her hands in his and kissing her knuckles, "you are the best thing that has ever happened to me and even though it took me so long to wake up to that fact, I want you to know that I will forever cherish each and every moment we share; good or bad. You are my guiding light, my love… My heart."

Hermione's cheeks shown with the tears of joy streaming down her face. Ron smiled tenderly at her and brushed her tears away with his thumbs. "I love you, more than anything in this world," he said.

For the first time in her life, Hermione was speechless. She didn't even think she had a single thought in her head after the loving words Ron had just spoken.

Unable to speak through her tears, she simply wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him with as much love and warmth as she could summon from the very depths of her heart.