November, 1977.

"You sure look beautiful when you're paying more attention to an essay than me."

Hermione laughed, tearing her eyes away from her essay on the properties behind human transfigurations. She leaned against her chair, the corners of her lips twitching when she caught James's morose expression. "Well, you look very charming, but I doubt you need to be told that."

A handsome smile thrown her way and, "Of course," he said rather arrogantly, placing his chin on his upturned palm with a grunt. "Sadly, I think I'm getting old."

Oh, Hermione wasn't so sure about that, with the way he was always so energetic, full of charisma early in the day and . . . even in numerous corners in the Head Common Room.

Huh, they sure had christened every corner of it, taking full advantage of the role handed to them by the Headmaster - much to the surprise of Remus, who had expected himself to be nominated as Head Boy.

When Hermione had told him that James had been Head Boy even in the other dimension, he'd relaxed greatly, saying something along the lines of 'damn good luck'.

She was sure he'd stopped brooding when Regulus had stepped inside their compartment, and Hermione had taken to chastise James for carving J. P. + H. B. onto the wood of the door.

Not even one day of having responsibility, and he'd already vandalized a school property!

"Mhm, Miss Black. What is that lovely blush for?" James murmured, his breath hot against the shell of her ear as he leaned down, teasing and nipping at the skin that connected her neck to her shoulder.

Her hand snaked around to card through his hair, and he let out a beautiful sigh into her skin. "Not now, I'm afraid," he said regretfully, pulling away just as she gaped at the spot where he'd been.

"Are you really James Potter?" she questioned, squinting her eyes at him to dramatically make out the obvious features of her boyfriend.

He nodded sagely. "You see, we're in the library. A place that my girlfriend loves the most . . ." he trailed off as he rolled his sleeve up.

Her eyes wandered down to the animated tattoo of their Animagus forms and a wolf that all the Marauders had gotten at the end of their sixth year. She watched as Prongs accidentally stepped on Cub's small tail, who in turn began to chase him in a circle.

Hermione's gaze then dragged up to the lean lines on his tanned arm that never failed to leave her a bit too breathless, and she was sure James knew that, with the way he tightened his hand around the corner of the table, flexing his muscles even more.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him, pulling her attention away from questions like 'How could you make an arm look so fit?'

". . . I think she might even love this place more than me, her charming boyfriend." By the end of his melodramatic rant, he'd pulled his bottom lip out into a pout, peering at her through his glasses with wide, hazel eyes. He batted his lashes, and her façade almost cracked.

"You can do better than that."

She wanted to push the words back into her mouth when challenge sparked in his eyes, a dangerous glint in brown-green flecks, and he pushed his tongue into his cheek.

And while she did want to snog him silly, consequences be damned, she was also curious to see what he would do.

He leaned closer, so close that the scent of citrus and spice surrounded her senses, leaving her dizzy with need, just as he kissed under her jaw, marking a hot trail up to her ear.

Her mouth ran dry and her breathing grew rugged, no matter how many times they'd been at it before. His touch was like Firewhiskey, so hot and addicting that not a time will come where she won't want it.

He placed an open mouthed kiss over the thin, cotton fabric of her shirt, and she was thinking of backing out, her head whirling up to see if Madam Pince had moved even an inch—but then she saw it, a glimmer of the Invisibility Cloak in his pockets that she pulled over them. James didn't stop, if not to bring her mouth to his and plunge his tongue inside, hot with need.

He grabbed her around the waist and lifted her with ease, pulling her legs around his hips for her to straddle him as her arms locked behind his head and she leaned down to go back to their kiss.

It was then, that she felt a cocky smile grow against her lips, and she huffed softly. "Fine, you win!" And Hermione had no problem admitting it, not with the way she pulsed and throbbed under his touch.

March, 1978.

Hermione looked down at the enchanted parchment on her desk, biting down a grin at James's words that were much too similar to the ones from their fifth year.

Can you feel the sexual tension between us? We've got chemistry, don't we?

She could tell Remus was beginning to regret helping her boyfriend out, with the way he was elbowing her and hissing her name under his breath.

She ignored him, instead grabbing her quill and writing down her message. Yes, I'd say there's a lot of tension. What about it?

James let out a satisfied chuckle in the back, probably avoiding Sirius's inquiring look as he leaned back, two front legs of his chair in the air.

Am I hearing it right, sweetheart? You really want to have children with swoon worthy hair and a charming smile?

Hermione was unable to hold back a wide smile, and before she could reply with anything, a fist slammed on her desk, startling her to no end and leading her to hold onto Remus's arm, who looked like he'd seen it coming.

"Moo—Professor, how can I help you?"

He snatched the parchment from her hands, moving away from her desk with a scowl and an arched brow. "Help me out by telling me why you and Potter weren't paying attention, Miss Black."

She swallowed with a blank mind, looking at her best friend for help, but the werewolf was pointedly avoiding her gaze with a grin. She glared at him for his betrayal, before looking back at the front of the classroom. "I was paying attention, Sir!"

Moody hummed, waving the parchment in the air. "Then you have no problem with me reading this out loud, do you?" He cleared his throat, ignoring her panicked protests as he read, "Can you feel the—"

In the midst of her panic and memories of the training that this same man had given her, Hermione immediately sent a non-verbal Silencing Charm his way without realizing what she'd done - well, not until a terrible silence greeted her, thick with consequences and punishment.

She and James did end up having detention for two full evenings after that, much to Professor McGonagall's disapproval, who had to remind them that they were Head students and should be the most responsible in class.

June, 1978.

The innocent, first year Hermione Black would've been shocked to see all the people that had come to attend her—and the boys'—graduation, cheering for her loudly, amongst the many students that still admired her as though she was Morgana reincarnated.

At the end of it all, the Order members had all come to see her, but it was Moody that looked the most emotional at the milestone she'd crossed.

Though, he'd looked rather bothered when she pointed it out. "You're barmy!" he barked, clicking his tongue when she kept laughing at him. "I still wonder how you managed it all by yourself . . ."

Hermione shook her head in amusement, her smile falling short when she caught sight of Abraxas. She ran past the crowd, waving at him excitedly and ignoring Lucius's sour expression. "I was wondering where you were!" She turned towards Lucius, giving him a wry grin. "Narcissa is with Andromeda, if you want to hold onto your wife's skirt."

Abraxas gave a hearty laugh at her quip, unlike his son who sent her a sharp, "Congratulations," before storming to his wife as though he wanted to prove her point.

"Have you seen James? I think the boys are plotting something, with the way they've stuck by my side but he's nowhere to be seen," she murmured with a hint of suspicion. After the ceremony, they'd only scurried off somewhere when she asked them where her boyfriend was, leaving a distracted Regulus by her side.

Even her little brother had eventually left to congratulate Snape, who seemed to be rather pleased with the attention the Evans feasted him with.

Abraxas cut through her thoughts regarding the past hour, giving her a small smile as he said, "I heard that he's waiting for you by the Entrance Hall."

And as she'd been told, Hermione did indeed find the boy by the large doors, standing tall and proud at the sight of her. The curls that Sirius had made sure to look neat for the ceremony were now untidy once again, and James ran his hand through his hair to make a bizarre point.

"Why are we going outside?" she asked, but the splatter of rain drops soon tuned her out of whatever James was babbling about, quite incoherently at that.

Hermione rushed off to the middle of the large, green grounds, her heels not slowing her down even for a moment as she found the same spot where James had first kissed her.

She laughed and tilted her head up, so that the warm drops could lightly splatter down on her. She was sure Marlene was going to be very mad once she found out that she'd ruined all the effort she'd put in her hair.

"Play some music," a faint voice yelled, and as she continued to swirl around, she caught the sight of James stumbling forward, clearing his throat before he activated the radio spell on his wand.

Then, she heard it, the sweet sway of the music as she rested her eyes close and laid her head on James's shoulder. The loud beat of his heart under her fingertip felt like a warm blanket of lovely comfort.

You're just too good to be true

Can't take my eyes off of you

You'd be like Heaven to touch

I wanna hold you so much

At long last, love has arrived

And I thank God I'm alive

You're just too good to be true

Can't take my eyes off of you

James tucked his chin safely on her head, holding her in his arms in a tight embrace, as though he couldn't bear to have her any further away.

I love you, baby

And if it's quite alright

I need you, baby

To warm the lonely night

I love you, baby

Trust in me when I say

Oh, pretty baby

Don't bring me down, I pray

Oh, pretty baby

Now that I've found you, stay

And let me love you, baby

Let me love you

James had grabbed her hand and swirled her around once more, setting her off with her arms wide open as she laughed and twirled, but when she turned around and stopped abruptly, she was thrown back to her fifth year as everything went silent and she found this beautiful boy ahead.

But instead of a kiss on his mind, James was on his knees, a thin, silver ring in the box that he was grasping onto with a trembling hand. She could feel her breath quicken, her chest rise in delightful surprise as James went on to speak:

"Hermione Black, I find myself lucky to be here today, standing under the rain with the most perfect girl I've had the pleasure to know. I didn't know it was possible to love someone so much with my entire heart. When I caught your hand in mine that day at King's Cross, I hadn't realized how much importance you would come to hold in my life, and I am still so thankful that you tripped that day, and that Sirius was a little shit by not helping you."

Hermione choked out a laugh, her hand flying over her mouth as she struggled to keep her emotions at bay, and he offered her a gentle smile.

"I honestly don't know when I fell for you, but I've been bearing my love for you for a long time, even before I kissed you right on this spot. What I do know however, is that you are the one I want to spend my life with, and today, I'm ready to ask you."

"Hermione, will you marry me?"

She attempted to make the words come out as loud as she could, "Yes, yes, yes—" nodding along as he held her hand and slid the ring where it will stay for the rest of her life. He stood up, holding tightly to the curve of her waist and he pulled her into the air, their sweet laughter mingled together with pure happiness.

He stopped to give her a long, searing kiss, full of promise and love, and only when they pulled away, did she notice the crowd that had formed around the walls of the castle, still shielded away from the rain.

"She said yes!" James shouted at the top of his lungs, and following the Marauders' loud whoops, everyone else cheered for them as well; from the rare, beaming smile of Professor McGonagall to the slow smirk that Snape sent her way, congratulating her in the silent distance.

August, 1978.

"Do I look okay?" James asked for the umpteenth time that day, looking like he might puke at the nerves that assaulted him. His best mate did look like the neat lad that he was, and Sirius admitted that James needed to look the best. He was marrying Hermione Black, for Godric's sake!

"You look great," Remus assured him, looking quite nervous himself as he checked the time and glanced at the path on the Potter grounds, specially made for the bride and covered in tulip petals.

"It's time!" Peter hissed from his spot as the groomsman. Remus hurried to join him and Regulus, facing Marlene, Andromeda and Narcissa on the other side.

Sirius remained by James's side, clenching his jaw tight as realization finally hit him of what was about to happen. His little sister was really going to get married, and he still couldn't quite believe it.

She'd gone through so many hardships, trouble thrown her way that she valiantly fought against, and there she was - walking with confidence and a bright smile, Abraxas Malfoy by her side.

Sirius looked back at James, his hazel eyes misting over as he stared at his to-be-wife and took a deep, shuddering breath.

"She looks beautiful, doesn't she?" Sirius questioned, watching as Abraxas murmured something in her ear.

"Yes," James rasped out, his shoulders clearly tense with anticipation when Hermione stepped in front of him, letting go of the older Malfoy's arm. "Hermione . . . I could kiss you right now."

Sirius sent him a panicked look. "You have to wait, Prongs," he hissed, giving a brief, hesitant smile to the audience in front of them. He cleared his throat. "We are gathered here today, for the union of James Potter and Hermione Black."

Soft claps were heard over Hermione's chuckle, and Sirius subtly poked her arm to stop her from getting distracted and undressing her future husband with her eyes.

Disgusting!

He tied his twin and James's hands together with a white ribbon, stepping back as he began the binding spell that Remus had made sure he remembered.

It was James that began with his vows. "I dedicate to you my support and loyalty."

"I promise you years of joy and safety," Hermione said with a soft smile, her eyes twinkling as they danced over James's face.

"I will cherish you with immense, pure love."

She expelled a soft sigh. "Beyond this life, and the next, I love you."

A bright light pulsed around the newly wedded couple, the ribbons tied around them shifting into a golden glow.

"I now pronounce you both bonded for life. Congratulations!" and then, Sirius subtly turned his head to hide the warm tears that made a slow path down his cheeks, his heart stuttering in happiness at the future his loved ones were making.

Later, he would tell everyone that he was just avoiding having to look at their gross snogging session.

Soon after graduating - marrying, in James and Hermione's case, and later, everyone else's - her friends pursued what they'd wished to do the most. She, Remus and Snape—who she was sure wouldn't want to be grouped with two Marauders—had chosen to be apprentices for Charms, DADA, and Potions.

Moody had been happy to pass on the job to Remus, who wasn't given a chance to hesitate at the offer thanks to the laws that no longer allowed the discrimination of werewolves in all institutions.

Being the girl who killed Voldemort sure had its perks, with the power that allowed her to bring the necessary changes in the world she'd saved.

James and Sirius had kept their decision of becoming Aurors, much like Marlene Black had with journalism.

On the other hand, Peter had surprised everyone when he was hired immediately after graduation, as the illustrator for most Wizarding books out there, and he'd ended up finding the partner for the rest of his life, Mary MacDonald - now Pettigrew - a sweet writer that had been in the year above them.

The brunette was quickly welcomed into their group of friends, fitting right in with her bubbly and yet witty nature.

Regulus Lupin . . . oh, how much Walburga had wailed in Azkaban at the news of the wedding and last name change—he was now a successful Seeker of the Puddlemere United, and he'd quickly fallen into the Marauders' dynamics. Now, he was able to give Moony company on full moon nights thanks to his gray wolf Animagus form.

As far as Hermione knew, Lily Snape had taken to working at the Apothecary in Diagon Alley, having seen the redhead when she'd gone to buy a few Potions to deal with the boys' stupid hangovers.

Her trips there had soon halted, though, when they were greeted with the wonderful news of her being pregnant. James had also stopped drinking to support her in her pregnancy, willing to leave Godric's Hollow in the middle of the night, to get whatever she craved for.

February, 1980.

"Psst."

Hermione groaned loudly, burying her head in her pillow, clearly frustrated. "What is it, James? I have class with my fifth years early in the morning."

James scratched the back of his head, a frown pulling at his lips. "Didn't you say in your sleep that you wanted butterscotch ice cream? I just went and bought it."

Now sitting up, she allowed a small, amused smile to bloom on her face. "James . . . I'm pretty sure I didn't mean now."

He chuckled lowly, shrugging as he gave her a tight hug. He then pulled her night robe up, so that he could lay his palm on her bare stomach. "Hey, Prongslet. Should I give you the ice cream in the morning, instead?"

"I think he'd like that."

Marlene and Mary had announced their pregnancy just a little after her, while Regulus and Remus were successful in adopting a sweet, Muggleborn baby by the beginning of March.

Theodore Lupin had been a wonderful practice, as James liked to call it from the first time they'd babysat him, and as bummed as she was for the Pettigrews being Godparents, she still truly loved her nephew dearly.

April, 1980.

Her fingertips were smudged with paint, when Remus finished shoving down her chocolate supply in her own home. He smiled across the table, encouraging but also amused.

"What are you supposed to be doing right now?"

"Painting," she replied simply, and her best friend rolled his eyes, nodding along with a grin.

"For Theo," she then added when she felt that the piece looked artistic enough to be hung on her nephew's bedroom door. "Just watch. He'll grow up and still stop to admire the painting before entering his room."

"I'm sure." He laughed, despite the look she sent him, and he then decided to ask for another one, to hang it on the door of his bedroom and make Regulus laugh.

Whatever that meant.

Anyways, at least the Lupins had considered her for the role of Godmother, unlike Lucius, who'd blandly declined the moment a pregnant Narcissa had hinted at her name. Instead, he'd promptly agreed with the Tonks.

To no one's surprise, though, her and James had decided to ask Sirius and Marlene to be Godparents for their son, and her brother had sobbed into their embrace as though he hadn't seen it coming.

May, 1980.

"I'm just—so glad to have you in my life!" Sirius wept, already looking for a glass of Firewhiskey when she smacked the back of his head and told him to deal with the lack of liquor in their house.

"Pregnant Hermione is even scarier," James whispered to his best mate, as though she wasn't resting her head on his lap.

They were interrupted by the Patronus of future Godfather Regulus, who called for them to meet his Godson in the calmest voice he could pull, while Remus's mutters could still be heard, wondering why it was taking Mary so long.

Gregor Pettigrew ended up taking his time, but with a relieved cry, Peter allowed them to see his son, and she cried her eyes out at how quickly everyone was growing up.

On the last day of July, Hermione had just finished making lesson plans for her seventh years' fall term—much to James's chagrin, who had just wanted to fall asleep with her in his arms—and it was then that her water broke, rousing everyone from their sleep to rush to St. Mungo's.

July, 1980.

Harry James Potter was born just a few minutes before midnight, cradled in her arms as he finally opened his small, precious eyes, and she let out a small cry of love for the brown that greeted her.

"Our little boy," James whispered, tears streaking his cheeks, reddened with exhaustion—really, had he given birth?—and he passed his son to Sirius, who looked like he might melt into a puddle of adoration for his Godson.

"He's going to be a Quidditch player, alright," both Marauders said together, much to the amusement of everyone in the room, but no - not Hermione.

"My son is not getting on a broom!"

Harry did, in fact, get a broom from his bloody Godfather that Hermione had half the mind to murder, especially when her son began to insist that he must fly without Uncle Padfoot's assistance, having seen Draco do it with a loud taunt.

Abraxas and Lucius must've told him to do it on purpose!

Anyways, in turn Hermione had pampered her Godson, Alphard Black—coincidentally born just a day after Harry! The boy had taken to being quite a reader, much to the surprise of his parents, Sirius and Marlene, who . . . well, were nothing like it.

Hermione was sure that her father and Uncle Alphard would've loved to converse with the intellectual boy, had they been there with them, but she knew that they were watching over the family, nonetheless.

September, 1991.

"Mum?"

Hermione stopped fretting over Harry's trunk to make sure he wasn't leaving anything behind, silently adding to her list to check that the Marauders hadn't sneaked in a broom.

She would later come to chastise herself for thinking that it would've stopped Harry from still becoming the youngest Seeker alive, much to the surprise and delight of everyone.

"What is it, Harry?" she asked, sitting down on the edge of his bed and smoothing out the sheets beneath her palm. There had been a time, where a crib had been put in place instead, holding Harry safe from the world at night.

Why did her boy have to grow up so fast?

He gave her a crinkled smile, ruffling his black, unruly hair much like his dad usually did. "Dad told me that the Harry in the other dimension went through a lot of shi—crap."

Hermione stiffened, her tone dropping to a dangerous edge as she asked, "He did, did he?"

Harry hurried to sit by her side, pushing his round glasses up the bridge of his nose and letting out a nervous laugh. "Relax, mum. He said nothing about his fight with Voldemort." When her frown didn't budge, he insisted, "I just want to reassure you that I won't get into any trouble and hide it from you."

With a soft sigh, Hermione pulled him into a tight hug, well aware that the promise wouldn't last for long, what with the way him, Alphard, Theo, Gregor, and Draco had grown up to fall into the Marauders' footsteps.

"Sweetie, it's okay to have fun at Hogwarts," she told him, well aware of the happiness and love she herself had found in the same castle.

No matter the pain and destruction.

"Just don't forget about your studies," she added quickly once she drew back, standing up to levitate the trunk to the living room. She didn't have to turn around to see the amused roll of his brown eyes.

"Yes, Mother. You'll be there as my Charms professor to remind me, anyways."

"Well," Hermione chuckled briefly when a thought popped into her head, "let's hope you don't bother the Headmaster as much as I did. I think the portraits in his office can recognize me by the sound of my steps alone."

Harry followed close behind, sniggering loudly at her words, and she allowed her gaze to fall on her husband, who was just about done dressing into his Auror robes.

"Remember, Prongslet. It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa. Make the 'gar' nice and long," James teased, sending her a wide grin and a wink as he went to join their son's side.

He held onto Harry's one hand just as she did with the other, and the Potters spun on the spot, apparating away to King's Cross with a crack.

On the wall hung the portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black, taken away from Grimmauld when Regulus had complained about his snide comments. The old Headmaster finally smiled at the empty spot of the living room.

"A Black honouring my house by being the saviour of Wizards and Witches!"

The smile would soon drop when he found out that Harry, like most of the Black descendants in his year, had been sorted in the Gryffindor House; Draco Malfoy being the only Slytherin. Not that it changed his friendship with anyone - no, they were past that.

August, 2002.

Hermione and James Potter later watched as their only son, Harry Potter, married the love of his life, Luna Lovegood. Not a redhead in the slightest, like Ginny Weasley and Rose Snape, and something that James had so deliberately pointed out.

"Should we make another one, princess?" James whispered into her ear, looking as attractive as ever when he leaned back to see her reaction.

She was about to respond when a loud complaint from Sirius came their way. "Oi! That's my little sister you're talking to!"

Peter grimaced at her twin. "I'm pretty sure you know how Harry was born."

"And Hermione is his wife," Remus added in his teacher tone, ever the voice of reason that they all still respected.

Hermione merely huffed. "A two minutes difference doesn't make you older than me, Sirius!"

Fin.

It's over . . . it's over, what the hell? Where did time go? I can barely grasp onto the fact that this story ended with 70 chapters, let alone the fact that this journey with you lasted eleven, wonderful months. So much happened in my life during this time, but all the love you gave this story seriously saved my life, more than you can ever imagine. This was my very first story, that too in a language that I only fully learned five years ago. Now that it's completed . . . I can't help but cry and feel accomplished at the same time :(

I want to give a heartfelt thank you to each and every reader that gave Tears of Phoenix some time of their day. I don't know how I'm going to let go of this story . . . not when I am so, so attached to everything that comes with it; the characters, or even my routine of writing in the middle of the night with a playlist playing. I don't think I can ever stop talking now that I have started, lol. I just really hope that you enjoyed this story to your fullest. I will never stop wanting to know what you think about it, and every time I'll see a new favourite, follow, or review, I will continue to smile like my whole day has been made. Again, thank you so much and goodbye for now!

P.S. Since, I cannot let go of this story so easily, feel free to comment any kind of questions you may have, and I'll feed your curiosity by answering to all of them individually!

Song Credits: Can't Take My Eyes Off You by Frankie Valli.