Disclaimer: The fact that I'm broke proves that I don't own Harry Potter or any other character from the books.

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This epilogue is dedicated to Sesshy's Chick, because adding it was her wonderful idea!

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This New Life

Chap 30 Epilogue

(This takes place one year after Draco and Harry graduate from Hogwarts)

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"Harry, hurry up or we'll be late!"

Draco stood at the bottom of the stairs in their house, looking up to the floor above. Suddenly, Harry came dashing down, attempting to button his dress shirt on the way, and almost tumbled down the last three steps in his hurry.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," he mumbled as he passed.

Harry snatched the tie out of Draco's outstretched hand and turned to the mirror that hung on the wall by the front door. After fumbling with it for several minutes, he growled out his frustration, whipped it from around his neck and stated, "You know, whoever decided that getting dressed up means wearing a tie should be cursed into oblivion."

Draco chuckled and stepped up behind the raven haired man, pulling the tie from his fingers and placing the length of fabric around Harry's neck. As Draco tied it, he couldn't help but to glance at Harry's reflection in the mirror. Their eyes met, and Harry twisted around in Draco's grip to kiss the man on the cheek.

"I love you."

Draco closed his eyes and smiled in contentment, "I know. And I love you, too."

"Hey, Draco," Harry asked mischievously, "You don't think they'd mind too terribly much if we were a little late, do you? Because, if not, we could always go back upstairs and…" Harry waggled his eyebrows and Draco had to shake his head in humorous exasperation.

"You know how Severus is, Harry. He expects punctuality."

"Yeah, especially when he's planning something." Harry smiled a knowing smile at Draco one last time before hurrying outside. Draco followed soon after, and within seconds, they were both walking down the sidewalk of a small, quaint village, the sky dark, and the stars twinkling merrily above.

Harry grasped Draco's hand as they walked, and soon they were talking about various things that occurred during the week.

"So, then," Draco was struggling to explain without breaking into laughter, "one of the third year Hufflepuffs added ground bicorn horn instead of powdered dragon scale, and the potion exploded. Nobody got hurt, but I don't think the ceiling of Severus's classroom will ever be clean again. Oh, and the smell! The entire room smells of rotten eggs. You can smell it all the way up the corridor."

"What did Dad do about it?"

"Nothing," Draco answered, stepping over closer to Harry to avoid a small puddle left from yesterday's rainy spell. "He made me clean up most of it, what with me being his 'apprentice' and all. He said it was part of the job, but if you ask me, I think he secretly laughed about it later."

"Well," Harry reminded him, "You're the one who chose to go into potions."

"Of course I did. It was, after all, what I scored highest in on my N.E.W.T.s." Draco tucked his free hand into his pocket and lifted his face to the sky as he continued, "Besides, I enjoy it. Severus is so smart, and I'm learning a lot."

Harry swelled in pride at hearing the compliment about his father, and he smiled brightly to himself.

"Anyways," Draco asked, "how're things going at the clinic with Dr. Stiner?"

"Great!" Harry replied enthusiastically. "He lets me work at the front desk, so I've gotten to meet almost everyone in town, so far. Plus, sometimes, he lets me take their vitals if he gets real busy."

Draco wasn't sure what Harry was talking about when he mentioned 'vitals', but he knew from the tone of voice that Harry couldn't be happier with his work. The two walked in silence for another minute or two, until it was broken by Harry's conspiratorial mock whisper of, "You know… it's not really a surprise if I already know about it."

"Hey!" Draco smiled and playfully elbowed Harry. "It's not my fault. You always did know the best way to make me share my secrets."

Harry gave Draco a smile and a sly look. "I didn't hear you complaining. In fact, I would not have even known something was up if you hadn't kept acting weird around me the past couple of days. Besides, the fact I kept catching you whispering to Dad this past week kinda' gave it away, don't you think?"

Draco blushed lightly, praying the fact would be hidden by the surrounding darkness. He could not help it that he was so loose-lipped after a rousing bit of fun with Harry in their queen-sized bed. Just as he was thinking up some type of reply, he looked up and saw that they were almost to the front steps of Severus and Remus' front steps. Draco snaked his arm through the crook of Harry's and they knocked on the door.

It took only a moment or two before the door swung open, bathing them both in the golden light from inside. Harry stepped in first and was greeted by the shout from several persons at the same time.

"Happy Birthday!"

Harry shot a triumphant look at Draco that clearly said, 'Ha, I knew it!', before turning back around just in time to be enveloped in a hug, the person's bushy brown hair hiding his view of the room until he was released seconds later.

"Oh, Harry!" Hermione held him by the shoulders at arm's length, as if to get a good look at him. "I've missed you so much! How have you been doing?"

Draco shut the door and followed the group through the sitting room and into the dining room, listening to Hermione and Harry banter back and forth as they walked. He had no idea that when Severus planned the surprise birthday party, that he had invited Hermione as well. Draco was actually quite surprised that she could make it, especially now that she got a job at the ministry. The last he had heard, she was heavily sought out, by both business owners and private individuals alike; after all, there's almost no other wizard or witch in all of London so well versed in law and statutes as she was, and everyone was seeking her advice now-a-days.

Conversation momentarily halted as the food was brought to the table. As the shepherd's pie, Harry's favorite, was served, Remus asked, "So, how's life been treating you since your bonding?"

"The past six months have been terrific, Remus!" Harry grinned so happily that everyone else at the table could not help but to smile as well as they listened to him talk so excitedly. "I'm just glad we were able to find that house for sale so close to yours. I thought it would be harder than that to find a place with it being such a small town and all. I guess it was just lucky that it became available right when we were looking to buy"

"Yeah," Draco added, "It was lucky." He looked at Severus with a mischievous look in his eyes. "And I suppose it was still 'luck' that the person who moved out was that lady that never left you alone, huh?"

Severus smirked back at Draco and replied, "Yes, it was quite fortuitous that Miss Montgomery left town. It seemed she had some very pressing matters to attend to in France."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "I was unaware that she spoke French, Severus."

Severus smiled evilly, "She can't."

Draco snickered under his breath as he took a bite of his food.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Dinner was finished that night, only to be followed by a large chocolate cake which came floating into the room with the mere flick of Severus' wand. And as the five enjoyed both the cake and the small talk, Harry took a look around and noticed how different the cottage now looked. There were framed pictures sitting on the fireplace mantle and the end tables in the sitting room. Remus' brown cloak was draped over the back of one of the seats, and happiness seemed to float in the cottage's very air. The place had always been 'home' as far as Harry was concerned, but, now, it looked more lived in…proof that a family lived within its walls. And Harry would have it no other way.

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A/N: Well, this is it. I hope you all liked it. Oh, and just in case you didn't figure it out, Severus used a confundus charm to convince Miss Montgomery (a.k.a. Vicki) to move, Harry works in Dr. Stiner's office, Draco is a potions apprentice, Severus still teaches, and I suppose Remus doesn't work since he always had such a hard time getting a job before, you know, with being a werewolf and all.

Please send me a review and let me know if this answered all your questions. I look forward to hearing from you all!

p.s. The accompaniment story is now posted. It's called: Dinner Should Always Be Followed By Dessert!