Chapter 24 : Epilogue

Hermione sat cradling the baby in her arms. She ran her fingers through his hair.

Severus was watching her. His face was so different now. There were laugh lines around his eyes. She glanced around and saw Harry watching her as well, and Molly’s eyes were twinkling as she surveyed her brood. There were Weasleys of all sizes running around the grass in the Burrow’s vast backyard. Ginny stepped up close, and Hermione sighed. Her fingers ran again through the shock of red hair. She laughed and said, “I guess Harry’s genes are recessive.” She lifted the baby up and handed him over to his mother.

Ginny laughed. “They didn’t have a chance.” She held the baby close and said, “Two bets yours have raven black hair."

Hermione ran her hand over her swollen stomach, “Only five weeks to go. I can’t wait to hold them.”

Severus came closer, took her hand, and drew her into his arms. “I thought twins were a Weasley thing,” he said with his old, dry smirk.

Everyone laughed, and Molly said, “I guess that proves you’re part of the family.”

Severus held his wife close and said, “I am pleased to be an honored member. There is no other family that shows our world what a wizarding family is all about more than yours, Molly.”

Molly’s shoulders became straighter, and she puffed up her chest, and her children laughed at her. Arthur came and slipped his arm around her. “Severus, son, I can’t wait to have two new grandchildren to love. You honor me with your willingness to share your family.”

Severus said, “You’re under the mistaken notion that I had a choice.”

Everyone stopped for a moment and then saw the wizard's eyes crinkle with laughter, and they laughed with him.

Despite the fact that he often laughed with them, it still gave them pause when that dry humor popped up. Most of the family had sat in his classes at Hogwarts. At times, they still couldn’t separate the two different men—who he had been and who he was now.

Harry came with another boy in his arms and a girl. James and Lily were the twins, and the new baby was Sirius. He told Severus, “Twins are a whole new world. I don’t envy you, starting at the beginning. These two were a handful that first year.”

“Well, we will know who to call when we are at a loss as what to do at three in the morning,” he said dryly. “To tell you the truth, I’m looking forward to all of it—even the hard parts.”

Harry laughed. Setting the twins down, he gave Severus a pat on the back. “You can call anytime.”

A couple of Muggles walked into view, and Hermione broke away from Severus. “Mum, Dad! I’m so glad you could make it!” She looked past them to nod to Remus, who had volunteered to go get her parents for her. He went to look for Tonks and Teddy.

“Oh, Hermione,” her mum said with delight, “You’ve gotten so much bigger since we saw you three weeks ago.”

Hermione dryly said, “Thanks, Mum.” But she hugged her mother hard and then her father. Behind them, she could see Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey playing games with some of the older children. Bill and his family were playing Quidditch against George’s family. Luna and Neville were watching their firstborn son take steps in between them as they knelt a few feet apart in the grass.

When Ron died, Hermione had never expected to find love and get married. The spells of protection she had placed on her parents were keyed by her bonding permanently in marriage to another wizard. Now that she and Severus were married, those enchantments had been broken, and Hermione had been able to locate and bring her parents back home.

With the arrival of her parents, the party started. Later, after the baby shower gifts were unwrapped and the food eaten and many of the guests had left, Severus and Hermione walked down to the little stream that ran through the Weasley property. The moon was full and bright. Severus held Hermione against him, her back against his chest; his arms were around her, his hands caressing her swollen belly where their babies were being nurtured.

“The moon’s full like it was the night we got married. The Elves Greenhouse was so beautiful,” she remembered.

“Yes, it was,” he murmured, kissing her hair.

“The restoration of Hogwarts, as a museum, is coming along well now. Dobby has done a wonderful job of overseeing the project. It’s wonderful to see the kitchen alive with workers, and the dining area in the garden has become a special place for all kinds of ceremonies since we initiated it.”

“That night was an initiation in itself,” he said with a bit of a seductive murmur.

She giggled. “I will always remember our honeymoon in that enchanted cabin in the greenhouse forest. It was amazing, as every minute of my life with you has been, Severus.”

He turned her toward him and kissed her gently. “I’m going to enjoy my roles as the museum’s curator and a father. Our children will be raised in the place we learned to love again. What more can a man ask of life? You and I are now a famous Potions duo, and we can continue our research at Hogwarts Museum. I don’t need anything else. We can take vacations, travel on occasion, and attend seminars. The world is open to us. People will come to us to see our museum. The place that was nothing but death is now full of life again."

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I hope you have all enjoyed this story. I have received so many wonderful comments. This was my first completed SS/HG story. I hope those of you who haven't started Raven, my other story on TPP, will read it. No infringements of JK Rowling's rights to her characters are intended. Many, many thanks to all those who started the Beta work on this story and to Lisa who finished it. She has done a wonderful job.