A/N: I wasn't going to do this, but after several requests, here's a relatively short epilogue for you guys. Thank you all for your wonderful reviews. It's good to feel appreciated.

Epilogue

Hermione opened one eye. She promptly closed it again.

Not prepared for the wave of intense dizziness and pain that washed over her, a groan escaped from her lips. Her head felt as if the beaters of the England Quidditch team had taken residence in it and were having one of their most vigorous practices.

Someone shifted in the bed next to her. Another moan sounded from the end of her bed. One by one, the girls stirred.

.

"Are the toasts ready, Harry?" asked Bill.

"Almost. I'm putting the last ones in."

"Ron? How's the orange juice coming?"

"I'm squeezing, I'm squeezing!" he said with a twinge of annoyance. His wrist was hurting. "These things take time!"

Bill flipped just one more pancake. Draco watched with barely concealed admiration as the pancake landed perfectly back in the pan.

"Water's boiled, Malfoy," said Ron over the shrill whistle of the kettle behind Draco.

Draco scowled and turned back to the assorted teacups and coffee mugs.

"Table's set!" announced Neville cheerfully.

"And the pancakes are almost ready," added Bill.

The boys stopped talking when a loud clatter sounded in the living room. Bill placed the last pancake on top of the others, wiped his hands on the kitchen towel next to him, and rushed to the living room to see what the noise was about. The others looked at each other for a moment before following him out.

The spectacle they saw was enough to make even Draco chuckle. Tonks could be seen sprawled out in an ungraceful heap at the bottom of the staircase. From the looks of things, she seemed to have fallen down the stairs.

"Tonks...?" asked Bill as he hurried to her side.

A muffled groan could be heard from what, with a little imagination, could be called Tonks.

Bill helped her to her feet for the third time in the last twenty four hours.

"Mmm," she managed even as she leaned against him. "My hangover's not that bad, but that little roll down the stairs didn't help," she grumbled.

Bill helped her to the kitchen as the rest of the boys looked on with amusement.

"What's that smell?"

"We made you girls breakfast," he answered her proudly. She gave him a rather weak smile.

"Glad to see the house is still standing..."

"You're one to talk."

He settled her down on one of the chairs at the kitchen table.

"Coffee...?" she asked hopefully.

He shook his head.

"The hangover potion needs to be taken on an empty stomach. Snape's gone to make some."

Tonks visibly brightened up at this.

"The others were just about waking up when I left, but they were in a much worse state than I was. Maybe someone should go up to help them downstairs...?"

The boys looked at each other briefly, before rushing out of the kitchen. Only Bill and Neville hang back.

"You do realise this is all, your fault," Bill told her with an amused smile on his face.

"How was I to know that none of them could handle a little drink?"

Bill smirked at her understatement.

"Neville will you look after Harry's toasts? There's nothing worse than the smell of burnt toast and I've got a hangover mother to help upstairs."

Neville nodded and Bill left with a smile.

.

"Ginny...?"

"Mmm...?"

"Remind me never to drink anything Tonks gives me ever again."

"Only if you return the favour Mione."

"Speaking of Tonks, where is she?" asked Molly.

"Not so loud, Molly!" groaned Narcissa's voice from under a pillow.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"Luna...?" groaned Ginny as she turned on her side.

"Hrmff?"

"Your feet are in my face."

Luna seemed to have fallen out of her sleeping bag sometime during the night. She now lay sprawled, half on top of the aforementioned sleeping bag, half on the floor. And indeed, her feet, left foot encased in bright orange sock, right foot in bright blue, lay in front of Ginny Weasley's face.

Luna moved them reluctantly.

"So that's what a hangover's like," grumbled Hermione, "I wish I didn't know."

And that's when the girls' world exploded in bright light.

"Grmmf!"

"Eeck!"

"Brmfg!"

"For Merlin's sake, close the sodding light, Ron!" called Ginny's voice even as she buried her face under the covers of her sleeping bag.

"Good morning!" called Harry cheerfully, ignoring their moans and groans.

"If you don't close the light right now Harry Potter," threatened Hermione under her own covers, "you'll be the boy-who-died-a-very-painful-death!"

The boys looked on in amusement at the sprawled limbs, the empty bottles, the scattered clothes and chocolate wrappers. There were chocolate chip cookies everywhere.

"Rise and shine!" called Ron grinning.

No one answered him as the girls worked furiously at ignoring them.

Draco hurried by his mother's side.

"Mother? Are you under there?"

A pale, elegant hand protruding from the pile of covers and pillows hang limp to indicate that Narcissa Malfoy was indeed somewhere under the pile.

Draco's lips twitched as he fought to suppress a smile. He had never seen his mother act like she had last night. She seemed to have enjoyed herself, something that Draco didn't remember her doing often. He was glad. She had been infinitely strong for him during the recent dramatic changes in their lives and if anyone deserved a little fun, it was her, he decided.

"Go away Draco," she mumbled, "Mummy's not feeling well."

He couldn't prevent himself from sniggering.

"Come on ladies, we need to get you downstairs. Professor Snape has made a hangover potion for all of you, and the rest of us made breakfast. The sooner you get downstairs, the sooner you get rid of your hangover," Bill Weasley said from the open door.

At the prospect of getting rid of their hangover, the girls seemed slightly more enthusiastic about getting out of bed.

Ginny's head emerged out of her cocoon-like covers. Harry had to stifle a laugh as he spied a sugar quill wrapper stuck on her forehead. He helped her up and unstuck the wrapper from her face with a grin.

Ron rushed to Luna as Bill moved towards their mother.

"Mum? Are you ok?"

"Help your mother up will you Bill?"

Bill dragged the considerable bulk that was Mrs Weasley, out of bed, and steadied her gently.

"Luna?" Ron's arm found itself, once again, wound protectively around the blonde girl's waist.

She smiled gratefully at him for his support.

Draco stood between the two beds that held his mother and Hermione, looking from one to the other.

"Ooomf!" groaned Hermione landing painfully on her backside.

Draco rushed to her side. It was quite funny really to watch Hermione roll off her bed and onto the floor, but he didn't dare laugh.

"I hate hangovers," she muttered and he chuckled.

Draco once again looked between his mother's hand protruding from the covers and the girl on the carpet, not knowing who to help first.

"I'll take your mother, Draco," Professor Snape answered his thoughts. His robes billowed about him as he swept over to Narcissa's side. "Please help Miss Granger downstairs."

Draco didn't need to be told twice. He put his arms around the petite brunette and raised her to her feet.

"Thank you, Dr-Malfoy," she said shakily.

It was a small slip, but Draco had caught it. He led them to the top of the staircase.

"I'd much rather you call me Draco," he said without looking at her.

He said it as if it meant nothing to him, but his heart ached to hear her have his name roll off her tongue the way it had last night.

She looked at him strangely.

"Only if you call me Hermione, Draco," she said, testing out the sound of his name on her lips. She liked it, she realised.

"Of course, Hermione."

"Narcissa?" asked Professor Snape back in the room, his voice sounding softer, kinder than normal.

"My head hurts, Severus," she moaned.

"I know it does Narcissa. I made a potion to make you feel better again," he said as if he were speaking to a small child, "you are going to have to go to the kitchen to take it though."

A head popped out of the covers tentatively. Narcissa's usually immaculate, golden tresses were tussled from sleep.

"Help me...?" she enquired.

"Of course."

.

The girls staggered into the kitchen to find Tonks grinning insanely at them.

"Good morning," she said. "Had a good time?"

"Tonks," Ginny threatened, "I've got a good mind to kill you when I can raise my arms high enough to put them around your neck. Don't tempt me!"

"Where's this hangover potion then?" asked Molly, hanging on her eldest son's arm as if her life depended on it.

"Here you go Mrs W," said Tonks passing out glasses of a red liquid.

"Yuck! What is this stuff," said Ginny making a face at the taste.

"It's not entirely unpleasant, just... strange," Hermione felt obliged to say.

"Mmm," said Molly thoughtfully, "Tomato juice, egg, pepper, Tabasco..."

"Trust me mum," interrupted Bill, "it's been tried and tested. It works."

And it did to the immense pleasure and relief of all the girls.

"Wow, this stuff's great!" enthused Ginny when she finished her drink. "My headache's gone!"

"Good riddance!" commented Hermione. "Now will someone please pass the coffee?"

"Mmm, who made the pancakes?" asked Tonks.

"I did," said Bill as he sat in the chair next to her.

"You can cook, too?"

"Can't everyone?" he teased.

"I boiled an egg until it blew up, once," confessed Tonks.

Harry spat his orange juice all over Ginny.

"Harry!"

"Sorry Gin."

Everyone else stared at Tonks.

"How could you possibly do that, dear?" asked Molly in amazement.

Tonks seemed slightly embarrassed at her admission.

"I wasn't sure how long I was supposed to boil it for, so I boiled it for twenty minutes."

"Twenty minutes!" Molly gasped.

Bill laughed.

"I guess somewhere along the line, the water must have boiled off and I didn't realise it until the egg blew up."

By this time, everyone was laughing.

"What?! It could happen to anyone!!" Tonks insisted, but no one seemed to believe her.

Harry watched Ginny laughing. Her hair cascaded around her like a fiery waterfall and her shoulders shook with mirth at the thought of Tonks' boiled egg failure. On impulse, Harry placed his hand over hers on the table. Her laughter quietened down and she looked at him with sparkling eyes. She smiled and he smiled back. His friends laughing around him, Ginny's small hand in his own, Harry never felt happier!

"Ron?"

"Yes Luna?"

"There's something I'd like to show you..."

He looked at her.

"Now?"

She nodded. He got up and offered her a hand which she took to raise herself back on her feet.

.

She led him to the drawing room and handed him the all-too-familiar blue sketch pad.

Ron's heart beat faster and faster as he raised the cover to look upon the by-now familiar sketches inside. He said nothing and neither did she. A picture was worth a thousand words after all...

Ron finally turned the last page over to reveal a sketch of himself. It was new and he hadn't seen it before. He was speechless.

"Do you like it?" Luna asked anxiously.

"Luna! It's wonderful! I don't know what to say..."

"I finished it yesterday. Before the slumber party. I want you to have it. For everything you did for me last night."

She looked down shyly.

Ron rose from the armchair where he had sat to look at her sketches. Her armchair. He raised her face with two fingers placed gently under her chin, to look into her eyes.

"Thank you," he said before placing a soft kiss on her lips.

.

"Good morning."

Heads turned to see Professor Albus Dumbledore at the door of the kitchen. Unusually, he had stayed at No.12 Grimmauld place last night. A chorus of good mornings greeted him, but everyone couldn't help noticing how pale the headmaster looked.

"Are you feeling alright, Albus?" enquired Professor Snape.

The elder man nodded, but there was a distinct lack of a twinkle in his blue eyes. Mrs Weasley helped him to a chair.

"Can I get you something Albus? The boys made breakfast. Some pancakes, toast perhaps?"

"No thank you, Molly. It's very kind of you all, but I think I may have eaten something last night that did not agree with me."

The boys barely managed to suppress their laughter as the girls looked on curiously.

"A cup of tea, then," said Molly determinedly taking one look at the way Dumbledore seemed to be clutching his stomach.

Hermione placed her hand on Draco's arm. His grey eyes, shining with merriment, looked into her own.

"Can I talk to you outside for a minute Draco?"

He seemed puzzled by her request, but when she rose from the table, he followed her out of the kitchen. She led him to the dining room.

.

"I... wanted to thank you for last night. You didn't have to take care of me and I really appreciate it."

"There's no need to thank me Hermione. It was... I'm glad I could help."

Could this possibly get any more awkward? thought Hermione.

"Listen Draco, last night I remember saying some things..." she couldn't even look him in the eye, and she was at a loss on how to continue.

Well, what do you know? It can get more awkward.

"Did you mean what you said?" he asked her.

She raised her head to find that he had moved closer to her. She found herself looking deeply into his grey eyes. She felt heat rising to her cheeks and lowered her eyes once again.

"Since you came here," she started, hoping to explain, "I don't... I stopped hating you. You're still the same arrogant bastard you always were, of course..." she added quickly.

Way to go Hermione! She berated herself. That's a great way to apologise! Why did I even just say that?

But Draco didn't seem angry. Quite the contrary actually. He seemed amused.

"Of course," he agreed, taking another step closer.

"But, I-I... well, after all the time you and I spent talking in the library this summer, I was hoping that we... we could become friends," she finally said.

"Just friends?"

Hermione blushed furiously. Her eyes were still trained firmly on the ground, but she could hear him approaching. Her heart beat faster and faster and she felt all hot and bothered at the very idea of him coming even closer.

"Hermione, last night you said you loved me!" he said triumphantly.

She felt her temper rising, fuelled by her embarrassment.

"Last night I was drunk!" she countered, finally raising her eyes to his, in anger.

It was a mistake. She knew it was a mistake the moment she did it. A feral smile graced his pale features, a mischievous glint in his eyes. They were face to face now.

"Admit it Granger. You want me!"

She raised a hand to slap him but he grabbed her wrist in mid-air interrupting its downward arc.

"Almost as much as I want you," he said crushing her lips with his own, sealing both their fates.

And Hermione thought no more.

.

The head of Arthur Weasley appeared from the fireplace. Arthur walked into the kitchen and brushed the soot off his crumpled clothes. He had spent the last day and night on Order business and felt even more tired than he looked.

His smiling wife walked towards him slowly. She seemed younger and more relaxed than she had for a long time.

"Hello dear," she said kissing him lightly on the cheek, "want some breakfast?"

Arthur nodded and looked around him in the kitchen. Bill and Tonks were laughing quietly in a corner on their own. Ron had one arm around Luna's waist using only one hand to eat his breakfast, where it usually took two. Harry and Ginny were holding hands while a flushed Hermione and a smiling Draco exchanged warm looks. The usually austere Severus Snape and the cold Narcissa Malfoy seemed to look on at the young couples around them benignly. A last glance revealed a rather sick looking Albus Dumbledore.

"Did anything happen while I was away?" he asked.

Molly sent him an unreadable look.

"No. Nothing at all."

.

This one's for the girls...

.

A/N: I'd just like to say that Tonks' boiled egg experience happened to one of my friends. I couldn't believe how someone could botch up boiling an egg! I didn't think it was possible, but apparently it is.

Okay, now this really is the end of the story. To those of you who suggested I do a companion piece for the boys, it's not a bad idea and I'm considering it. Thing is, I'm not so sure what a boy's night would involve. I was thinking maybe poker night? Or perhaps they can go out. To a bar? A strip club? It'd have to be a special occasion for them to be allowed out and I have a feeling Bill should arrange it. What do you think? Should I even attempt a sequel at all, or would that be overkill?