It was Ron who opened Grimmauld Place's front door, eyes wide.

"And?"

Harry and Hermione grinned at him, before Hermione answered. "Cleared of all charges!"

Ron's reaction was rather enthusiastic and included some very loud, colourful language - which was unfortunately picked up by his mother.

"RONALD WEASLEY! If I ever hear that from you again, you can forget about returning to Hogwarts, do I make myself clear?"

Harry and Hermione nearly burst out laughing, before making their way towards the Weasley matriarch, who enveloped them in one of her trademark hugs.

"I'm so happy that both of you got away! We'll make a feast of this!" She said.

Both youngster started grinning. "Thanks, Mrs. Weasley", Harry responded.

Mrs. Weasley led them into the kitchen, where the other Weasley siblings and at least half the Order seemed to be waiting for them anxiously.

"How did it go?" Sirius asked.

"We got off!" Harry grinned.

The entire kitchen exploded in jubilant cheers as Harry, Hermione and Ron sat down.

"So, tell us what happened! We've been sitting here for Merlin knows how long, now we want to hear some details!" Tonks said.

And so, Harry and Hermione started recounting the events of the trial. Fudge's distinctly unlikeable behaviour, Madam Bones, Dumbledore's interventions: they told them all of it. The entire room grew silent in awe when they were informed of how Hermione had thought of the Veritaserum, only to be followed by a series of gasps when they told them about the conversation between Fudge and Harry outside the courtroom.

"And you just threatened him like that?" Sirius asked.

"Well, I wasn't really threatening him, was I? I just put a bit of pressure on him to do something about this mess. The Dementors have either joined Voldemort or were commanded by a Ministry official to attack me, so I want them investigated."

"Of course there's something strange going on there, but do you think he will act?"

"He'll have to. You see, Fudge doesn't want this to come out, but Hermione could easily leak this story to the press… she has some connections."

Everyone's attention immediately shifted to Hermione, who in turn looked at Harry questioningly.

"You know, Rita?" Harry said.

"Oh! Well, yes, she could be of service if we wanted to… but I suppose we'd better wait and see how things pan out."

Most of the other people in the room shared confused looks. "You aren't talking about that foul Skeeter woman, are you?" Mrs. Weasley brought out.

"Yes, we are!" Harry said back.

This seemed to confuse the others even more, so Harry decided to tell them what they had discovered.

"Listen, what I'm going to tell you guys here is very sensitive information. I'd rather like it if this weren't leaked. Who knows, maybe she could be of use to the Order…"

And so, Harry, Ron and Hermione told them about what had happened last year. How Hermione had discovered that Rita Skeeter was an illegal Animagus. The deal they had made with her.

"So that's how she got all that information about the two of you and Viktor Krum!" Mrs. Weasley said.

Harry and Hermione nodded.

Sirius seemed very interested in the subject. "I think my godson might have a good point here. Rita's abilities could prove to be very useful. I don't like her one bit and she isn't the most trustworthy person in the world, but she is an illegal Animagus. That gives us the perfect argument to persuade her. Although I suppose we should take some extra precautions… I don't want an Auror team to be on my doorstep anytime soon."

"Maybe we should have a talk about it with Dumbledore," Remus said.

"I suppose we should", Mrs. Weasley answered. "But now, it's time for some food, you all look so hungry! And we have something to celebrate!"

The kitchen filled with smiles as Mrs. Weasley started cooking.

(...)

In the evening, Harry and Hermione decided it was time to tell Ginny about what had happened between them. And so, it was a rather nervous Hermione that asked her to come join her in Harry's room for a good talk. Harry and Ron were already there when they arrived.

"Hey Ginny," Harry said with a nervous smile.

Ginny eyed him suspiciuously. "Okay, out with it. What's going on with the two of you?"

Harry gulped. "Well… you see, Hermione and I… we…"

"You're an item?" Ginny asked, one eyebrow quirked.

"Well… yes, we we are."

"I see… and you guys think I can't handle it?"

"We didn't think that!" Hermione said quickly. "It's just the fact that you had a crush on Harry for so long, we feared you weren't completely over it. And that's why we wanted to tell you this ourselves."

Ginny smiled. "Relax, Hermione. I'm dating Michael Corner now, remember?"

Ron glared at her, which Ginny noticed. "Ron, maybe you should try and get a girlfriend yourself instead of trying to protect me. Michael really is a nice bloke, so don't go all weird around him when we're back at Hogwarts. Or I'll make you regret it."

Ron still didn't look that happy, but Harry was rather surprised that she took it so well. "Ginny, you're sure that you're OK with this?"

Ginny smiled. 'Well, I can't say I'm too thrilled about it, but I'm happy for you two! And in hindsight, I never had a chance against Hermione… you guys just seem to have it worked out perfectly. I'm sure you'll make a great couple."

Harry smiled, while Hermione stood up and gave Ginny a hug. "Thanks," she whispered.

"It's no problem, honestly. Everyone saw it coming," Ginny answered. "I'm curious to see the reactions of other girls when we get back to school. You know you're rather popular, don't you Harry?"

"Apparently," Harry grinned. "I just hope we'll have a calm year for once…"

"Mate, you know you just jinxed it, right?" Ron sniggered.

Harry smiled. "We'll see. But the way I look at it now, I think this just might be our best year yet…" he said. His eyes met with Hermione's. Somehow, he knew this could be a good year. "The only thing that could go wrong is another insane Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher", he thought.

"You guys want to go to the kitchen and play some chess?" Ron asked.

"Sure!" The other three answered.

(...)

It was a few minutes before midnight when Harry and Hermione got to her room. They entered and lied down next to each other on the bed.

"I'm so glad everything went fine today," Hermione whispered.

"Me too. I'm glad with how the trial went. And with the way Ginny reacted to us."

"I couldn't imagine myself surviving an entire year at Hogwarts without you," Hermione responded.

"Neither can I. But hey, we're going back, together!"

Hermione smiled as she sat herself on top of Harry. What followed was yet another intense snog, which Harry was getting used to by now.

"It's been quite a summer," Harry whispered some time later, when the need for air got the better of them.

"And it isn't over yet," Hermione said, while she snuggled into Harry's chest.

"I'm glad it isn't," Harry whispered back. A few minutes later, both of the exhausted teens were fast asleep.

(...)

September 1st was a weird affair this time around. A lot of people couldn't help looking at Harry and Hermione, who were walking next to one another with joined hands. Harry thought he saw Cho Chang looking at them rather distraught.

"I think you broke someone's heart mate," Ron whispered. He too had seen it.

"I don't know, Ron. She liked Cedric, maybe she just isn't feeling okay about what happened to him… and I can't really blame her," he said with a rather sad look.

Soon, it was time to say their goodbyes to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. It was at that moment Harry noticed something interesting.

"Mr. Weasley, can I have that Daily Prophet?"

"Sure, Harry. I'll just get another one at the Ministry after you're gone," he said, before giving him a firm handshake. "Now, be safe this year. All of you!"

"We will," Harry answered.

After they all received another trademark Weasley hug from Mrs. Weasley, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred and George made their way to one of the empty compartments.

"Harry, why did you get that Daily Prophet?" Hermione asked, just after they had sat down. The train had already left London by now.

"Oh! Well, you see, I saw it had a rather interesting headline…"

He put the newspaper on the small table in the compartment and showed it to the others.

Dementors to lose control of Azkaban?

LONDON - The control of Azkaban Prison might be taken away from the Dementors. This rather extraordinary news was confirmed last night by Cornelius Fudge. The Minister commented that "there is reason to believe that the Dementors might not be obeying the Ministry of Magic completely, or that someone within the Ministry might be tampering with them'. In any case, it seems the Ministry is concerned enough to open an official investigation. The news came as a surprise, even though this isn't the first time that doubts about the Dementors have risen. The Azkaban guards were also questioningly removed from protecting Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in June last year. More news about this topic on page two, personal commentary from our editor David Wilkins on page three.

Harry smiled at Hermione."Looks like our little threat did the trick!"

"It sure did!" Hermione said, while giving him a hug.

"Wicked!" Both of the twins blurted out at the same time.

23 years later…

It had been another busy day at Potter Manor. It was late August, and both Harry and Hermione had taken a few days off to help their children get ready for the new school year. They had three of them: Elizabeth, who had just turned 16, 13-year-old Sam and 11-year-old Michael. However, both Harry and Hermione had noticed that something strange was going on with their oldest child.

"Elizabeth, can I have a word with you?" Hermione asked after dinner.

"Oooooooh," Sam and Michael said in unison, which earned them a glare from their mother.

"Okay boys, let's give the girls some privacy! Get your broomsticks! Harry said, while sending Hermione a wink. A few minutes later, Harry and the boys were outside. Hermione decided to get to business immediately.

"Your father and I noticed something is going on with you, dear."

"There is something going on." Elizabeth answered.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Well…" Elizabeth was going to say no, but a few tears escaped her eyes. Hermione was rather shocked. What could make her daughter feel so bad?

"Please tell me, dear," Hermione whispered.

"Mom… I just feel so left out when I'm at school sometimes. I have many good friends, but nobody seems to look at me as girlfriend material…"

"Oh, sweetheart. There really is nothing to worry about. You know, I was the same when I was just about your age…"

"Really? But I thought you and Dad got together when you were fifteen."

"Yes, that's true. And I was almost sixteen! But anyway, I never had a boyfriend before your father and I got together. And after we did, I never felt the need to have a different one. I'm sure you'll find someone, Elizabeth."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Just be yourself, and someone will cross your path. You'll see," Hermione finished, with a smile on her face. Elizabeth seemed a bit happier now, as she enveloped her mother in a hug.

"Mom," she said a few minutes later, with a naughty grin on her face. "How did you and Dad get together?"

"Oh dear, that's quite a story. Do you really want to hear that?"

"Yes!"

Hermione quickly looked outside the window, where she watched Harry and their sons rolling on the gras together.

"Well, looks like your father and the boys will be busy for a while… I suppose we have the time for it now."

A few moments later, Hermione and Elizabeth were both on the couch, each with a warm cup of milk, and Hermione started recounting the events of that one summer.

"So. It all started on a summer day in Little Whinging…"

The End

Well then, that's it. I'm terribly sorry for postponing this final chapter for so long, I have been VERY busy with school stuff etc. the past few months. I barely had the time to write and to be honest, I also kind of struggled with a writer's block when I wanted to sit down and write. Nevertheless, I hope it was worth the wait, and I hope you enjoyed this story!

Thanks for reading, favoriting, following and reviewing. I never actually thought I'd come around to finish this one - I wrote the first chapter in August last year, but I couldn't find the inspiration to continue it after I wrote that chapter. I did find that inspiration back in January and I finished it now in June with another spurt of inspiration. That's nearly 11 months for a rather short story! I must be the slowest writer on this site, I know. Still, I hope the end result is acceptable, even with the huge delay on the final chapter.

At the moment, I have an idea for a new story, which isn't a Harry/Hermione story! It's an experiment, so I hope it'll turn out OK when I get around to writing something with it. We'll see where that takes me. For now, I hope you enjoyed my content and I hope you'll return when I upload something new!

Before I forget: today, it's been exactly one year since I made my account here and started writing my very first fic, so hooray for me! Maybe that's the reason why I was blessed with some extra inspiration today and finally finished this story, I don't know.

Greetings and thanks again for your support,

Sam