Disclaimer: Not mine at all.

Epilogue: Four and a Half years later

Things were shaky of course, as they usually are when you're rebuilding a relationship but they worked out.

Ben was more than happy to see me again after that two week break away. He invited me to his birthday party and we started in again from there as if nothing had happened. He really was a great kid.

And still was actually.

An owl tapped on the back window and I got the letter, smiling as I opened it. "Letter from Ben," I called out to Sam.

"How is everything?" she asked.

"He says it's great though he still wishes that his House animal could be something other than an eagle but at least it isn't a bald eagle."

"Well, there is that. We'll have to tell him that the eagle is a proud and noble creature. Anything else?"

"He's the new Chaser for his Quidditch team."

"That's wonderful! I'm sure he'll be captain soon the way you teach."

"He also says . . . oh, that parts just for me, I suppose."

"About a girl?"

"About a girl."

"I swear if he had it his way he'd keep me away from his love life until he gets married."

"He always says that he's doing well in his classes and to say hi to you and Leah."

"Speaking of, look who just woke up."

I looked up from the letter, folding it and putting it in my pocket as Samantha approached with my daughter Leah. She was two years old now, and a bright-eyed little thing like her brother, except her eyes were blue where his were brown. She was my heart this little girl and I knew I'd love her as soon as the Healer put her in my arms.

She reached out to me now and I took her into my arms softly ruffling her dark blond hair. "Ben Ben?" she asked.

"Yeah, Ben Ben says hi," I told her. "You have a good nap."

Leah nodded, smiling. "I hungry."

Putting her down, I took her hand and we moved into the kitchen where her mother was already fixing her a jam and peanut butter sandwich. Sam shook her head, grinning. "As always," she said, cutting it in half.

"Milkies?" Leah said, looking up at me.

"How do you ask?"

"Pwease milkies?"

Smiling I poured some milk into her sippy cup, placing it on the table of her small high chair as Samantha placed her sandwich down. Leah ate as if she had been starving for days, grinning at us as she did so. "She's got her brother's appetite, I suppose," Sam said, sitting down at the table.

I sat down across from her, gazing at her and my daughter.

I never thought that I was allowed this sort of happiness with this sort of girl, but it was weird how things worked out some times.

Samantha did give me my second chance and it was the best thing I had been offered, something I could have had before through Dumbledore, and something I had to find again on my own.

I needed a big change of heart too, to let myself open up for Samantha like I have, to let Ben invade my house (which I realized was a good thing too).

Happiness wasn't a thing to give away or buy, I finally realized as I reached across the table and took Sam's hand in mine.

It was something you had to earn.

And Merlin did I work hard for this.

A/N: I hope you guys liked this story. That's the end of it. Thanks you guys for everything and for reading. You're the best.