Nineteen Hours Later
Conversations Through an Empty Frame
Chapter 14 of 14
RedOrchidPhineas Nigellus says his final goodbyes.
ReviewedA/N: And here it is, the obligatory epilogue. Slightly different than in DH. A tiny bit. ;-) A big thanks to Lariope, who has made this story so much more fun to write. Lots of hugs and kisses.
Epilogue – Nineteen Hours Later
She woke up in his bed—or their bed as she had begun to call it over the past few days. Her body hurt terribly, worse even than when Dolohov had cursed her at the Ministy of Magic two years ago. She looked around, finding him lying on the top of the covers next to her, rolls of parchment and heavy books strewn around him like a blanket. She lifted a hand and put it against his chest, feeling his heart beat against her palm. Alive. He was alive.
Her eyes moved to the wall, finding Phineas Nigellus watching her from his portrait.
“Well done, Miss Granger,” he said, sending something that could almost pass for a smile across the room. “I must say, you managed to surprise me.”
“Thank you, sir,” she said. “So we won?”
“You did indeed,” Phineas replied. “The Dark Lord is no more, and Harry Potter is being hailed left and right as the darling of the Wizarding World. I believe Dumbledore is having a party in that hideous vineyard painting up on the fourth floor right as we speak.”
“Harry made it?” She could scarce believe it, even as happiness bubbled through her. “How?”
“Oh, something about a wand,” Phineas said, waving his hand dismissively. “Dumbledore tried to explain it but you know how he is. The man does tend to be long-winded.”
“Where is he?” she demanded eagerly. “Is Ron alright?”
“Oh, I do believe so,” the minute wizard said wryly, waving his wand at the back of the canvas. Sounds began to flow through the frame, easily recognised and loud enough to make Hermione blush, intermingled with her friends’ breathless voices. “If you wouldn’t mind, Miss Granger, I would very much appreciate to have my portraits returned to their original locations. Dumbledore might be chatty at times, but with all the activity going on—with all four of you—lately, I believe I would experience a more suitable and modest atmosphere hanging in one of the finer establishments in Knockturn Alley.”
“Consider it done, sir,” she said, and Phineas Nigellus closed the connection. Next to her, the man was stirring, rising from sleep.
“Good bye, Miss Granger,” the former Headmaster said. “At this time of new beginnings, I believe I shall withdraw to a portrait in the Ravenclaw tower I’ve often wanted to visit and make one of my own.” He nodded his head in farewell and swept from the frame, leaving the canvas empty and black—the way she’d first come to know it.
Smiling, she turned her head, moving the hand she held over Severus’s heart up to stroke his face gently. New Beginnings. As his eyes opened, she met the dark gaze steadily and leaned in, stopping just before impact to give him the choice, should he want to turn away. His lips claimed hers so completely, she lost track of herself for a moment, melting into him as he deepened the kiss.
Victory was sweet.
THE END
A/N: And there it is, folks. Story completed, with a happy ending nontheless. (See, I am capable of writing them :-D)
This has been an incredibly rewarding story to write. I've loved every second of it. I wanted to write different relationships than I normally do, and I wanted to attempt to erase the border between slash and het a bit, since in my head a lovestory is a lovestory, and that's what I wanted to write. Other than that, I greatly enjoyed playing with canon titles (Did you notice? All chapters have canon or twisted-from-canon titles.) and filling some of the DH plot holes that have annoyed me for a long time. :-) So yes, definitely a great story to work on. Hope you all enjoyed it.
Thank you all for reading and for the lovely reviews. Please continue to pimp this story. :-) Until next time... /Red
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Latest 25 Reviews for Conversations Through an Empty Frame
230 Reviews | 6.13/10 Average
Thank you so much for retelling the story of the Elder Wand, it makes sense to me now. A lovely begining to Harry and Ron's love story.
Look at the bloody time!!! I have to get to bed, but I have to finish reading first,.
O M G!!! runs to the next chapter.
War hightens the emotions, sometimes the young make very adult decisions, but in the next breath do something so childish it borders on the unbeliveible. All is still and ready, let the battle commence.
Life would be so much easier, if we could only choose the person we love, but love doesn't work that way, the heart wants what it wants, and there is no getting around it.
If that didn't smash "The Golden Trio" into atoms forever nothing will, given a little time they will be solid again. Pineas is behaving like a jealous second year.
Poor Hremione, she is being used by everyone in this story, first Harry , now Severus is using her,ok it is to destroy a horcurx, but Merlin! to put her through all that, Bella is just one step away from Voldermort in terms of darkness of mind, and Hermione had to live that, her mind must bear the scars of touching that darkness.
To have to go into Bellatrix' mind is a nightmare indeed, I'm glad Severus was with her or she may have gotten lost in the darkness.
Well that tears it! now Hermione has run off and who has she taken with her? On to the next chapter to find out.
I guess it's to Harry's credit that he did notice, and then took instructions.
I'm very sorry for all concerned,but am wondering, did the locket play some part in the scene that took place, distracting Harry and Hermione to try and avoid it's own distuction.
Nice explanation of the Elder Wand!
It was mostly a Ron and Harry love story and just a friends with benefits relationship for Hermione and Severus ... at least that was the impresion the end left me with...with something more for the future ..maybe... I'm in HGSS ship so I wanted more from them...
But the love between Harry and Ron was very palpable and strong.
Thank you.
How did they get to Iceland? Did I miss something? I really like the story, it's really interesting.
Response from RedOrchid (Author of Conversations Through an Empty Frame)
They Apparated there. And thank you. Glad you're enjoying it.
Epilogue – Nineteen Hours Later heh- like the change.
Response from RedOrchid (Author of Conversations Through an Empty Frame)
Heh. Thanks. Every chance one gets to change the epilogue should be taken, I feel. :)
awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww as super cool as it is that ron finished off dumbledore- poor neveile doesnt get his scene. <i>man he’d known wrapped his arm around Lupin’s waist as he said it, and Harry could have sworn that his godfather actually gave him a small wink.</i> heh. yeah, i never beleived his heart belonged to dora.
Response from RedOrchid (Author of Conversations Through an Empty Frame)
:))) Poor Dora... Glad you liked it.
<i>“Fuck you, Harry!” “What about me, then?” he asked, defeat warring with bitterness in his voice. “What about me, eh? What the bleeding hell am I supposed to do? Move on? Marry Hermione? What?”</i> go ron! you rock.
Response from RedOrchid (Author of Conversations Through an Empty Frame)
\o/ Ron is my favourite in this story, have to admit. Glad you're enjoying him.
oh and gee harry dont leave anything at at all in your will to your other best friend who has less to cling on to.
Response from RedOrchid (Author of Conversations Through an Empty Frame)
I know right? LOL. Harry is not the sharpest nail in the bucket when it comes to these things, I'm afraid. :)
<i>his unwavering loyalty to a man he didn’t trust and a boy he didn’t even like. </i> heh.
hmmmm was goyle's life exchanged for someone else's then?
ahhh, if only the other staff witnessed his bed compainion.
Response from RedOrchid (Author of Conversations Through an Empty Frame)
Heheheh. :)
oh yes thats what i forgot last chapter- glad we got to find out how he got bella's memories. and oh ron and bill were sweet. <i>“I wanted to tell you how I felt,” “I had this whole thing planned out, rehearsed it and everything. Now it just feels so…”</i> awwww cutie ron.
Response from RedOrchid (Author of Conversations Through an Empty Frame)
:))) So glad you liked that part. <3
of course i feel stupid or not clearly understandign what happened with bella to get it to work. beside the obvious act of sex what was it that made it more?
yup, knew as soon as ron should up those two would couple off. after all what is a more convienent way to get those two off the radar so that hermione may run to snape?
Response from RedOrchid (Author of Conversations Through an Empty Frame)
LOL. Truer words never spoken. Plus I always felt that Harry and Ron had way more in common than either of them and Hermione anyway. :)
<i>. “You mean to tell me that you have nothing of use? What were you going to do? Keep camping—hiding out in the woods—until these objects mysteriously fell into your laps?</i> ^_________^ poor snape having to overear them but then...ha. even worse for him. poor man.
Response from RedOrchid (Author of Conversations Through an Empty Frame)
The camping trip in canon drove me crazy with how utterly pointless it was. So naturally, I use Snape to voice these frustrations in fic. :D
awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww poor poor ron. of course this is the chapter that really had me remember this fic. i like how it shows the true heroes. how the sword had to be prepared in such a way and then when the "hero" received it he quickly dismissed it in for something else (hurting her quite a nasty bit) while the other two went on. one to leave medicine and poor ron- returns gets his heartbroken by both of them, finishes the task, then to leave again. yeah harry, you should feel like shit afterwards.
Response from RedOrchid (Author of Conversations Through an Empty Frame)
Thank you so much. I love this comment. Exactly what I wanted this chapter to convey.