An Almost Fairy Tale Ending

Harry Potter sat in Professor Dumbledore's office, fidgeting yet again. The signature piercing look of Dumbledore's was getting to him for the hundredth time. "Harry!" Dumbledore suddenly said loudly. Harry jumped. He'd been in a trance about the adventures of years past at this school with his best friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. Now, however, he had to focus.

"Yes, sir?" Harry asked cautiously. The answer he was waiting for was right here. "Congratulations, Mr. Potter," Professor Dumbledore smiled, "or should I say Professor Potter?"

Harry grinned. The adventures were about to begin once again.

Stepping out of Dumbledore's office, Harry was casually strolling up a flight of stairs when a familiar voice whispered to him, "Congratulations, Potter."

Harry whirled on his heel. There stood Ron, his best friend of fourteen years. "Hey, `Professor' Weasley," he laughed mockingly in return.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Ron grumbled, jabbing Harry in the ribs as they climbed the stairs. "But I don't see how you got to be a professor. Defense Against the Dark Arts.I'm impressed!"

"Thanks," Harry said dryly. "How about you, though? Who brought their brothers' fake wands to class? Ahem, ahem!" Then Harry did exaggerated fake sneeze, saying "Ron!" in a choked voice.

"WHAT, Transfiguration was really boring, especially with McGonagall. Just don't let Hermione hear you say that." "Speaking of which," Harry burst out, anxious to ask, "how is `Mione?"

Ron looked surprised, then muttered, "Well, she's happier than I am. We broke up two months ago, at the end of last term. But she's still as pretty, and prettier, than she was before. Plus, her students adore her," he admitted begrudgingly, looking dark and glum.

"Sorry to hear that, Ron," Harry said sympathetically, and he meant it. Clapping Ron on the shoulder, Harry asked, "Do you still love her?"

"That's the bad thing, Harry," Ron replied. "I don't love her the way I used to anymore, but it's tough to take, still. I think she's been waiting for you, by the way. I'd go to her, mate, she's in McGonagall's old room."

And with that, Harry and Ron shared a brotherly embrace, then Harry sped away, hope in his heart at the new possibilities.

Knocking on the door, Harry slowly crept into the Transfiguration classroom. Aw, yes, he thought, she's in her office and I can sneak up on her at last. Just as he began to walk that way.

"Harry, don't even try it. Have you EVER caught me off guard before? No. And you're never going to, got it?" The wand was poking into the back of his neck, and despite the seemingly hostile situation, Harry knew exactly who it was.

"Hey, Hermione. Will you please pull the wand off the back of my neck?" Just as she did so, it let out a slight squeak and turned into a muggle Crayola crayon. "Darn it," she laughed, shaking the crayon as she gave him a friendly hug. "I was hoping I could scare you, which would make me look good. After all, you do teach Defense Against the Dark Arts," she added teasingly. Harry suddenly noticed her once frizzy brown hair was sleek and long, looking especially nice pulled back in a loose ponytail. Ron was right, she is prettier than ever, he thought to himself. "Using Sleazy's again?" he asked teasingly, making the sarcasm in his voice obvious.

"Shut up!" she replied loudly, hitting him playfully in the chest.

An owl flew through the window. Hermione pulled off the letter and read it out loud. "Dear Ms. Granger, and Mr. Potter, if you're there. Please attend dinner in my office and bring Mr. Weasley as well, if you can find him. Sincerely, Professor Dumbledore." She looked up at Harry. "Those robes look great," she noted suddenly, looking at his crimson robes. "Now, I'll be right back," she said, looking at him. "Don't worry, I've got the robes in my office. I've yet to unpack my room, and I've been here close to four years now!" she laughed as she shut the door to her office.

Harry walked around suddenly, noticing for the first time the changes in the room. Hermione had charmed the walls creamy white, different from their once dull gray. The shelving around the top of the room was blue, and all of her teapots were spaced apart by pincushions. She had jars of needles on her desk as well as a cage of mice next to her chair. The room was organized in the Hermione way, and Harry liked the change.

"Ahem!" a highly feminine voice called to him. Harry turned, and gaped at what he saw.

Hermione was standing in the doorframe in light green robes, her hair falling loose all around her face. "What?" she asked suddenly, looking worried. "Do I look bad?"

"No," Harry breathed, finding his voice. "You look perfect." And with that, the two of them went downstairs to Dumbledore's office.

A little over two months later.



Harry found, two days before Halloween, that being a teacher was exhausting. It was a lot harder than it looked and now he was almost regretting taking the job.if it hadn't been for his friends.

He took comfort in the staff room conversations the three of them had. Ron and Harry would prop their legs up on the staff table, and Hermione would sit cross-legged on the table itself, when she wore jeans. When she didn't, she would simply sit in the chair with her knees drawn up to her chest, like she did so often in fourth year. That particular afternoon, Ron sat eating an apple, with Hermoine on the table as usual, watching him with disgust. "You know," Ron said thickly, as his mouth was full of apple still, "Neville has weally changed, `Arry. `E's taw, and stwangely confident, ya know?"

"Oh, Ron," Hermione snapped, rolling her eyes, "do swallow that stupid apple before speaking." Not oddly, she sounded exactly like Professor McGonagall in the old days. Finally doing so, Ron looked sheepish. Turning to Harry, Hermione asked, "So, who're you dating this week?"

The truth was, he hadn't dated anyone since being hired at Hogwarts. He'd been busy with lesson plans, thoughts of Hermione, grading papers, thoughts of Hermione, talking to Dumbledore, and, of course, thoughts of Hermione. I can't tell her that, he thought. So he lied. "Cho," he said nonchalantly, referring to the famous Seeker of the Wimbourne Wasps and Harry's sixth year girlfriend. Hermione nodded, turning away quickly. Harry could have sworn he saw a look of disappointment in her copper eyes. I"ve got to go," she said suddenly, dashing out the door. Ron stared at Harry, then threw the apple core at those infamous round glasses. "Harry, you prat," Ron exclaimed. "You're not dating Cho and you know it! Why'd you lie to `Mione?"

"Why do you think, Ron-ald? Do you think she wants to hear the truth?" he asked glumly. Ron rolled his eyes in an excellent impression of Hermione. "Oh, what, that you've loved her since the middle of fourth year?" Ron shot back.

"More like middle of second," Harry mumbled. "Anyway, she's back with Krum, right?" Ron snorted, then got serious. "No, Harry. She's using your strategy against you. Do you want to know why she broke up with me, mate? She loved you too much and it was getting in the way of our relationship. She's loved you longer than you've loved her. Just do us all a favor and propose to her already!"

Harry blinked. Propose? As in marriage? And suddenly, as though Ron had clicked it on, there was all the love Harry had had for Hermione since he was twelve years old. Ron smiled at the look in his friend's eyes. They both knew the perfect time. "Halloween."



And so, on Halloween.



Harry strode down the hall Harry strode down the hall toward the Transfiguration classroom. Ron had agreed to take over all his classes for the morning, with Dumbledore's blessing. Harry went over his speech in his mind.

`Mione, I love you. I've loved you ever since the Celebratory Feast in second year, when you came back to us. I want you and I to be together forever as we always should have been. Will you marry me?

Perfect, he thought. Adjusting the collar on his green robes, he slowly opened the door to Hermione's classroom.

"Yes?" she asked. Suddenly Harry realized he was six minutes early. A group of first year Gryffindors were sitting at their desks. They were watching him suspiciously. "What is it, Harry?" Even Hermione looked puzzled.

He rushed forward and bent before her. And at that exact moment, his prepared speech chose to leave his brain for vacation. But the right words came to him and he began to let it all tumble out.

"'Mione, I came here with something to say. I love you. I've loved you since the end of our second year. How could I not? You're clever, loving, and beautiful, and you've helped me when I asked for it.and even when I didn't, you seemed to know. I want you to be my equal in something that will last forever. Hermione Ava Granger, will you marry me?" There were tears in Hermione's eyes. "I didn't expect this for once, Harry. But yes, yes of course I will!" He smiled tenderly at her as he reached into his pocket for the ring. He couldn't find it suddenly.

Oh, shoot, he thought, I forgot the ring in my office! Hermione looked at him expectantly, and he remembered the spell she had helped him master so many years ago. "Accio ring!" he said casually, as though this were planned. "Now that doesn't fool me, Potter," Hermione teased as the ring stopped midair above Hermione's hand. He slid the ruby and gold band deftly onto her left hand. Suddenly, he picked her up off of the floor, making her shriek. Whirling her around, he planted a kiss right on her lips, bringing a whoop from the first years. Just then, Ron arrived. "Sorry for being late, Harry. What'd I miss?" All three laughed. Hermione and Harry were together at last in a.well, an ALMOST fairy tale ending.