A/N So I kind of made a bit of a cheesy thank you speech on the last chapter but forgot that I had planned to write an epilogue. Heh.

Thank you to everyone who has shown this story love over the almost 5 years since it started, and a huge thank you to anyone who has stuck with it and me that long. You are all incredible for putting up with my dreadfully delayed updating and I sincerely hope it has been worth the wait! For any new readers, I apologise if the writing throughout this seems to change but a lot happens in 5 years and hopefully that includes becoming a better writer!

I still may at some point write the "bonus" scene of Lavender and Parvati however I'm not committing to that at this point as the next few months are going to be extremely busy.

So thank you once again to all readers, old and new, and I hope you enjoy this little epilogue.

As the aftermath of the war settled down and life returned to something vaguely resembling normal, Hermione and Draco were at last free to be themselves. Due to having defected from the Death Eaters before Voldemort fell, and Narcissa having lied to Voldemort about Harry being dead, the Malfoy family were pardoned by the Ministry, to Hermione's relief.

The following September they returned to school together to finish their final year, ignoring the stares that followed them in the hallways. A Gryffindor and a Slytherin being romantically involved was certainly different, and people's reactions ranged from mildly curious to completely baffled. Those who had been at the school longer were amongst the most surprised onlookers, fully aware that this wasn't just any Gryffindor and Slytherin but two students who had a less than pleasant history together. Yet as time passed and the unlikely relationship only strengthened, people became less and less perplexed by the idea. Some would even go as far as to say it inspired a sense of hope, and indeed it was soon not all that uncommon to see Slytherin and Gryffindor students spending time together outside of classes.

Harry and Ron had, despite their own history with Draco, accepted the relationship. Though they weren't too keen on the idea of it at first, they trusted Hermione. She was the brightest witch of their age, after all, and she was certainly more than capable of taking care of herself. Besides, they knew their friend well enough by now to realise that what she felt for Draco was more than just some crush, and though they didn't know Draco that well they were pretty certain he wouldn't risk his reputation unless he thought it was real. In time, they came to see the real Draco and found that they actually got along with him.

Draco's mother, who had reunited with her sister in the wake of the war, readily accepted Hermione as part of Draco's life. She could tell her son was happier than he had been in a long time. Draco's father took a little longer to come round to the idea, his notions of Pureblood Supremacy much more ingrained, but without Voldemort to coerce him he did, eventually, accept his son's decision.

Over the summer, Hermione managed to find her parents and restore their memories with the help of Kingsley and McGonagall. During Hermione's early years at Hogwarts, they had heard about the blonde Slytherin student who had bullied her, and so naturally they were more than a little surprised to find that the two were now in a relationship. They were wary of things at first, however Draco's natural charm won them round and it wasn't long before they were inviting him round for dinner and smiling fondly as he and their daughter cuddled up on the sofa, seemingly in their own little world.

With all of that going on as well as classes and exams, the year seemed to pass in the blink of an eye, and before they knew it they were graduating Hogwarts. Hermione and Draco had both aced their exams, and somehow Ron and Harry hadn't done too badly either. Harry, of course, was top of the class in Defence Against the Dark Arts, and Ron was astonished to receive his first ever 'outstanding' in the subject. It seemed that their year out of school to hunt the Horcruxes had helped them academically, proving once again that practical application of magic truly was a more effective method of study than reading books about theory.

As they left Hogwarts for the last time, Hermione looked around at the people riding in the boat with her. Harry and Ginny had resumed their relationship almost as soon as the war was over, and couldn't be happier. Ron, though currently single, was thrilled with his new hero status and the fame that came with it. No more would he be outshone by the rest of his family. And there, right by Hermione's side, was Draco.

When Hermione was first given the diary by the old woman in Flourish and Blotts, she could never have predicted how it would change her life. Had someone told her back then that it would lead her to find love in the unlikeliest of places, she would have thought they had gone mad. Yet here she was, heading out into the world as a graduate student with Draco Malfoy by her side and in her heart.

She didn't know at this point if they would last forever. Like anyone in love, she certainly hoped so, but they were still only nineteen. Forever was a long way off, and all they could do was take life one day at a time.

After all, as Hermione found out only too well;

you never know what the future has in store.

A/N so there it is, finished - finally! Thank you one last time to every single one of you who has read this story, and an even bigger thank you to those of you who have taken the time to review - even receiving just a few words from people appreciating this story makes it all seem worthwhile, so thank you :)