The Ending of Harry Potter

Chapter 2

It was rather awkward having Draco as a best friend. It seems that Draco and Harry had been closer than Ron and Harry had. It was halfway through the school year, when Ginny came to us. She had kept us informed on most of the things Ron was doing. I still hadn't told Harry, or Draco, my biggest fear of what Ron was capable of.

Harry and I were sitting in my room listening to Draco tell us various jokes, when we heard a knock. Draco jumped up and answered the door. Ginny came in looking as pale as a sheet of parchment. Harry jumped up and went to her. He sat her down in my desk chair and knelt down in front of her. "What's wrong, Ginny?"

Ginny had a look of complete and utter horror on her face, like she just saw someone murdered by Freddy Kruger. "R-Ron h-ha-has the M-Mar-Mark." Harry sat down on the floor in front of her. His expression was pale and blank. He didn't truly believe what he had heard. He didn't want to believe what he had heard. This was a boy that he'd been friends with since he was 11. A boy that helped him defeat the Dark Lord on several occasions. Someone that he confided in, hung out with, had slept in his house, his room and he now bore the Dark Mark. Ronald Bilus Weasley had become a Death Eater.

Ginny began to cry. I went to her and held her. "Ginny, when did you see it?" Ginny was sobbing uncontrollably. I barely made out that she saw him showing it to some Slytherins in the Entrance Hall. They had been showing each other the Dark Mark and Ron walked over to them and pulled up his sleeve and showed him his.

Draco stood there staring at Harry. Harry was staring at the floor. He was taking in everything that Ginny was saying. Finally he stood up. "I need to talk to Dumbledore." I looked at Draco and gave him a look that told him to go with him. Draco did. I helped comfort Ginny until their return, a good hour and a half later.

Harry took my hand. "Draco could you stay here and tell Ginny what's going on?" Draco nodded and Harry walked me to his room across the hall. I took a seat at the end of his bed. Harry came and knelt down in front of me. "Hermione, Dumbledore thinks that it's best if I'm taken out of school and tutored at Grimmauld Place." I frowned at him. I didn't want him to be taken out of school, I would never see him. "But Harry, I don't want to sound selfish but I can't stay here with out you." He smiled and nodded. "I was hoping that you'd say as much and that I wouldn't have to try to convince you to come with me." We gave a light laugh and hugged each other. "What about Draco?" "He's coming too. Anyone that's important to the Order is being taken out which is just the three of us and Ginny. The Weasleys have been informed and are owling Ron as we speak."

Harry took my hands and held them in my lap. "There something else." Harry looked very nervous. But those eyes were something fierce. He looked up at me and smiled sweetly. "Hermione, if we leave school then we're starting our lives. We're going to be living in Grimmauld Place together and I wanted to ask you something." I got really nervous. I was more nervous than he was. "Hermione, will you marry me?" I couldn't help but be a girl and cry. I smiled really big and hugged him so tight that I know I hurt him. I pulled away and said, "Harry, I don't just want to marry you, I want to marry you more than anyone has ever wanted to marry anyone in the history of the world." Tears began to pool up in those beautiful green eyes. He wiped the tears from my face and kissed me. Harry Potter wanted to marry me, Hermione Granger. Harry wanted to marry me.

He pulled a ring from his pocket. It was a silver band with a single diamond in the middle of it. He had always told me that gold was just too impure to be worn, gold was meant to be spent. He placed the beautiful piece of jewelry on my finger and we kissed again. "We need to leave as soon as possible." I nodded my head. He walked me back across the hall to my room. When I walked in Ginny was crying on Draco's shoulder. He gave us a look that pleaded us to help him. He wasn't one for being touched by people he didn't know and to be touched by Ginny, who still crying extremely hard, was more than uncomfortable to him.

Ginny looked up as I walked over to her. "Hermione will you help me pack? I don't want go back in the Common Room." I still had to pack my things so I looked at Harry. He looked at Ginny. "Ginny, Hermione still needs to pack her things. I can walk you to the stairs that lead to your room. Boys can't go up the stairs so Ron won't be able to harm you." Ginny nodded and followed Harry out of the room. Draco looked at me and then saw the ring. "Congratulations." He stood and kissed my cheek. He took my hand and admired the ring. "He was right, it does look beautiful on your hand." Draco had obviously gone with Harry down to Hogsmeade to buy the ring. "Well, I'll see you in a few hours." He kissed my cheek again and left. I place a few locking charms on my door and went about packing.

A few hours later, I was putting the finishing touches to my trunk. Harry came and knocked on my door. I released the spell and opened it. Harry was standing there with his things already outside his door and the house elves magically moving his things down the hall. I let him in and he shut the door. "Almost ready?" I nodded and shut my trunk. I looked around the room and wished that I wasn't leaving. I really enjoyed Hogwarts. I loved everything about it. I turned to Harry. "Hermione I'm sorry that you don't get to graduate like everyone else." I smiled at him. "Harry it's okay. It's not that big of a deal. I just have more time to study." Harry chuckled. He walked up to me and held me in his arms. He buried his face into my hair. "Why did this have to happen this way?" I kissed him under his ear and he buried his face deeper. "I don't know love. But all we can do is take it as it comes." He pulled me closer. I could feel him wanting me, wanting to be with me. I pulled away to look him in his eyes. I kissed him. He looked like he wanted to cry. There were many a night were he would cry over Ron. He missed his friendship. Yes, he had one of the best replacements a boy could ask for but it wasn't the same as Ron.

There was a small knock on the door. We broke the kiss and touched foreheads. He went to kiss my neck and I pulled away, "Later." I kissed his nose and he smiled. I opened my door and to find Draco and the Headmaster standing there.

Dumbledore smiled, "Are we ready, Ms. Granger?" I smiled back and nodded. We took a portkey to Grimmauld Place. Prof. Lupin, Remus as I've been told too many times to call him, was there waiting along with Kingsley Shacklebolt, Tonks, Mundungus Fletcher, and Mr. Weasley, which gave us a reassuring smile that he didn't blame us for anything that Ron had done or will do in the future.

At around 1:00 in the morning we were finally able to go to bed. Our tutoring wouldn't start until next Monday so that gave us 4 days to get back into the groove of being free from Hogwarts but not being free to do as we pleased. We would start our apparating tests in a week, so we could go to Diagon Alley for things that we needed; until then, Mrs. Weasley was our personal shopper as she loving called herself.

There was a party thrown in Harry and mine's honor to officially announce our engagement. Everyone that we knew that wasn't in school showed up. True it wasn't a lot of people, but everyone that was there gave us their blessings and that meant more than anything to us.

After about a month after we arrived here I got to see the extent of Harry and Draco's relationship. At Hogwarts there were plenty of times when they went off alone. I knew that there was more than met the eyes with those two. I didn't know how deep it went or how far for that matter but I knew there was something that they kept from me. I didn't want to pry so I decided to do a little investigation into their mysterious world.

Everyone was either in bed or doing something for the Order. I woke up and found Harry gone and decided to see if he was okay. I grabbed my housecoat and walked over to the desk. The light was on and I made to turn it off when I saw the parchment with my name scribbled on it about a trillion times. I smiled and turned the light off. I walked downstairs and heard voices coming from the backyard. There were no lights on so I couldn't see whom it was but I recognized the voices. I walked close enough to hear them but stayed far enough so they couldn't see me.

"Draco, I want you to be my best man."

"Harry, its hard enough for me as it is. I'm happy for you and Hermione but I can't help but not envy her. I love you, Harry, and I want you to be happy and I know she makes you happy but please don't ask me to be up there and cry tears of joy when you say 'I do.'"

"Draco, you can cry whatever tears you want to cry. I need to know that you'll be by my side when I marry her."

"Why?"

"Because...I love you Draco and I want you to share this moment with me. I want you to see her beautiful face when she says those words."

"That's torture Harry. I've given the two of you my blessings, why do you want this from me too? Why do you want to do this to me?"

"I don't want to do anything to you Draco." Harry paused. "I want you to be there for her when I die. I want you to take my spot. I want you to help her get through this. I want you to understand what I mean to her. That's what I want to do. I want you to be in love with her."

"Why should I fall in love with her if she doesn't love me? Why should I do the same thing with her that I'm doing with you?"

"Because she loves you too. Not the way she loves me, but...I know that after I'm gone it's going to be hard for her to move on. And I need you to help her. I don't want her to suffer. I want you to show her that there is more than just what she's had."

"Harry that's asking a lot from me."

"I wouldn't ask you if you couldn't do it. I need to know that she'll be taken care of after it's over with. After I'm gone -..."

"I wish that you'd stop talking like that." There was silence. Draco sighed. "Look, I'll do what you ask. I'll take care of her. But I can't promise I'll succeed." Draco stood and walked from Harry to the shrubbery fence. "I'll be just as heart broken as she is."

"That's why I'm going to tell her everything now." Draco turned to look at Harry. "Draco it's the only thing that we have that she doesn't know about. I'm about to take her as my wife and she needs to know everything about me before she marries me."

"What are you going to tell her?"

"That I'm in love with you. Everything that I just told you. How I want you to be with her afterwards, everything."

"What do you think she'll do?"

"She's Hermione, Draco. She'll understand and have any clue we gave her sorted out and have the true conclusion before I finish telling her. And she'll be okay with it. That's how she is, you know that."

There was silence. I decided to make my presence known. I had cried through most of the conversation. It was heart wrenching to know that Harry felt these things, to know that he actually had contemplated these things for a long time.

They both looked up as I walked outside. "I heard everything." Harry stood up and was about to walk towards me. I put my hand up to stop him. I walked to him and made him sit down. I motioned for Draco to sit on the other side of me. I took both of their hands into mine and placed them on my lap. I was the topic of conversation, so I felt that I should be in the conversation.

"I want you to tell me everything between you and Draco, no matter how hard it is to say."

This was what Harry told me...

"I was sitting on the roof of No. 4. It was a starry sky, with a cool breeze that blew just hard enough to blow the fringe out of my face. I had my eyes closed. I was taking in the silence. The hum of the city had died down since it was around 2:30 in the morning. There was no Dursleys to holler at me for being on the roof since they were asleep. There was no one whispering and pointing at me from the sidewalk. It was peaceful. I wished that you could've be there, Hermione. I wished that you were sitting right there beside me. I knew that I should've told you sooner that I loved you but I was...I was too late. Ron had beaten me to it.

So there I sat wanting you to be there. Pathetic. I cleared my mind. The point of sitting up there was to relax and let things that had gotten me down blow away with the wind. Once I successfully cleared my mind I thought about the letter I receive earlier that day. The one that was in my back pocket. The one that was from Draco. I received it at around 8:00 that morning and I think I'd read it about a thousand times."

Dear Harry,

I wanted to tell you that I am sorry for everything that I have ever done to make your life miserable. It was all done out of the purpose to satisfy my father. I've come to the conclusion that I've never really hated you.

The argument we had at the middle of last year made me realize a lot and with my father in Azkaban and my mother in St. Mungo's I've been able to be myself. I've been able to understand who I am and what I enjoy doing with my free time, and let me be the first to say that it's not killing Muggles. It's listening to Muggle music and watching Muggle movies. It's laughing at the TV programs that Muggles create and reading the books they write. I've been so unaware of the happiness this stuff can bring and that not all Muggles are worthless...though there still are a few Voldemort should take care of...but that's another letter in itself.

I've talked to Dumbledore and I've joined the Order. I'll be working as a spy for the other side. Don't worry about this owl being intercepted...it won't happen. I've devised a foolproof way of that happening. But back to the topic at hand, if you don't believe me you are more than welcome to speak to the Headmaster yourself, which he and I both know that you will.

Harry I want to be your friend. I know that you rejected my friendship before; and if I must be honest and tell you everything...that was one of the most hurtful things that you've ever done. I know that I gave you no choice. I insulted Hagrid before you even knew who I was and then the comment I made about Weasley...well I understand fully but now I want to be your friend. I've changed and I'm willing to prove this to you in any way I can.

Send me a letter back and I will be to No.4 as soon as possible to prove this to you. Harry I want to be on your side. I want to help but I know that in order for me to help I have to befriend you and gain your trust and respect. If I cannot do this than I cannot be successful in working for the Order. Please tell me that you want my friendship Harry, please.

Sincerely,

Draco Malfoy

"I sent a letter to Dumbledore as soon as Hedwig returned from hunting. He sent a letter back confirming Draco's letter. He was telling the truth. He really wanted to be apart of the Order and more than that he honestly wanted me as his friend. It was actually shocking when I received Dumbledore's letter. But I knew that there was one thing left for me to do. I had to talk to Draco. I knew that in order for things to get anywhere I needed to talk to him...face to face. So I sent him a letter back."

Dear Draco,

I received your letter and you were correct about confirming it with the Headmaster...I know you'll understand why I had too. I would like to talk to you. And you're right about being successful at your mission...if you choose to accept it...small Muggle joke...you must gain my respect and trust. I would like to say that everyone must go through with this kind of assessment, but they don't and the only reason you do is because I won't let you mess this up if that were your intentions. I feel that they aren't because of the Headmasters words but one must always be cautious. I would like for you to come tonight around 2 or so in the morning. This way the Dursleys are asleep and won't ask questions. I'll meet you on the roof. If you can't make it then please tell me.

Your friend,

Harry

"So there I was waiting on Draco, trying not to think about you, and enjoying the cool night air of Surry.

I heard the ladder rattle. I knew that it was Draco, Uncle Vernon, or some insane crazy person trying to steal my ladder. I turned to the ladder and saw silver blonde hair that lead to a pair of gray blue eyes that lead to a young Wizard in Muggle clothes. I smiled at him and stood up. He walked to me in that Malfoy way and stuck out his hand for me to shake. I shook his hand and with a smile I said, "See, I told you that I could tell the wrong sort for myself." We both laughed. I motioned for him to come and sit with me. We took our seats and stared at the sky for quite some time in silence.

I saw him look at me. I didn't turn to look at him. He was studying me. He was staring at my profile and out of the corner of my eye I saw him tilt his head. I finally broke the silence. "So, tell me Draco, why is it that you want to join the Order and be my friend? I think that realizing just how "Mugglesqe" you are is sort of the reason...1/4, if you will. So tell me the rest of the reason Draco."

He sat there for a few minutes in silence. I knew that he was contemplating his response. I figured I'd give him some time to gather his words. So I waited patiently for as long as I could. I looked at him as though I was going to ask him to tell me or forget about joining the Order but when I turned my head to look at him my vision was obscured when I saw a blonde blur come towards me. I felt his lips against mine. I didn't know what to do. I didn't really understand at first how this was answering my question. But for some reason it hit me, like a bludger to the face. The reason he was joining the Order was because of me. Not because he wanted to join Harry Potter in the fight but because he wanted to join me, he wanted me. I didn't know that he loved me then but it wouldn't have changed the out come either way. I kissed him back. I kissed him the way he was kissing me, with a need to be kissed. We pulled each other into that kiss; soul...mind...and body. Things were leading to one thing and I wasn't going to stop and I knew that he wasn't...so we went down the ladder and into my room. I put a silencing charm on the room. Well, I'm not one to kiss and tell, you should know that, but I've never wanted to be with another guy, of course come to think of it I never wanted to be with a guy to start with but Draco was different.

When it was all over and done with, we lay there and I held him. I told him about you. "Draco I think that there is something that needs to be said before anything else - ..." He chuckled. "You're in love with Hermione. I know."

"Draco I'm sorry but if I wasn't- I should've said something before we done- ..."

"NO! No, Harry I wanted this. I knew that you and I couldn't be together."

"Draco all this did was make things more complicated and difficult- ..."

"Only for me." He propped up on his elbow and looked at me. His eyes were glistening with tears. "Just tell me that we can be friends and that tonight is something that you will never regret. Please Harry don't let - ..." I put my finger to his lips to stop him from talking. "I could never regret this, even under the Imperious Curse, Draco if I didn't love Hermione then I would be with you. I would be with you in a heartbeat but I'm in love with her. This could never get in the way of us becoming friends and I want you to be in my life until this is over with."

He had a frown on his face. I then explained the prophecy to him and he began to cry. I knew he would. I should've known that was going to happen but he needed to know. He vowed that he was going to be my personal bodyguard and I had to stop him. I kissed him. His body went from rigid to putty in my hands.

"Draco it's the only way. That's my fate and it's better for you to except it now and get it over with so you don't waste any time." I wiped the tears from his face and kissed his eyes. He smiled and laid his head back on my shoulder. I didn't know what else to do but let him sleep until he had to go. I didn't know exactly the extent of Draco's feelings but I knew that I couldn't give him what he wanted and I knew that I couldn't give you what you wanted so I didn't bother. You both needed someone to love you and be with you for the rest of your lives. You needed someone that wouldn't die in the war. Someone that didn't have to sacrifice himself to save the entire world.

I woke him before sunrise and he portkeyed back to Malfoy Manor. He came by every other night after that. We became the best of friends. We didn't ever share any more nights like that. I sometimes wish that we would've, at least once or twice, but I suppose it all worked out for the best in the end...I suppose it always does."

I didn't really know how to respond to what he'd just said. "So where exactly does this leave the three of us?" I looked at Harry. Harry looked at me with tears in his eyes. "It leaves me loving two of the most wonderful people. It leaves me choosing one and crushing the other. It leaves me feeling like shit."

Draco stood up and walked back to where he was standing by the shrubbery fence earlier. "Harry, I don't want you to feel that way. If it's any easier for the two of you I'll leave." Harry and I, both spoke, "No!" Both of them looked at me. I looked down and gave a small chuckle. Tears feel onto my hands from my cheeks. "Draco you make Harry happy, you make him laugh and smile. If you leave...I can't make him do that."

"But you can Hermione." Draco came and sat in front of me. Harry sat back against the bench and watched our conversation. "Hermione you make him laugh by you being you. He wakes up smiling. He's told me so."

"Draco he needs the both of us." I wrapped my hand behind his neck and pulled him to a hug. "Draco if you leave you'll take part of him with you and we both need all of him." I pulled away and saw tears run down his face. I wiped them away and smiled. "Please be his best man Draco."

Draco looked from me to Harry, back to me and back at Harry. "Yes, I'll be your best man." I looked at Harry and saw those emerald eyes water up. He smiled a big smile and took the blonde boy into a hug. He kissed his cheek and hugged him tighter. All I could do was smile. Draco broke the hug and stood up. "I think I'm going to go to bed. It's late and I have to begin trying to apparate in the morning." He bent down and kissed my cheek and gave Harry a wink at which Harry smiled and returned the wink. He walked back inside. Harry looked at me and smiled. "So, are you okay with what Draco and I are?"

"Well, I'm not quite sure what it is that you are."

"We're friends, that are in love. We don't do anything but spend time together. We never kiss or touch in that way. See, Hermione, I love you more than...anything. I've loved you this way for a few years now. I was going to give up because you were with Ron, but Draco convinced me that I should do something. That's why I kissed you that night at the Burrow. He was right I had to do something, so I did." Harry kissed me. We kissed for what was only a matter of seconds but it had to be one of the best kisses I remember getting from that boy. He took my hand and led me back up to our room. That night was...amazing. That night was when we conceived our little girl, Haley James Potter.