A/N - Thank you to everyone who has supported this story. I would also like to thank my little block of faithful reviewers who constantly reviewed this story. Hopefully the epilogue wraps up any loose ends. Enjoy!
Eight Years Later.
The Great Hall fell silent as the doors opened and Hermione led the nervous group of first years down to the front of the hall. Leaving the small students in a cluster at the front of the hall Hermione moved to where the sorting hat was sitting on its stool. Picking up the scroll with the first years names on she read out the first name.
Three students had been sorted before Hermione spotted the name of a child she knew well. "Teddy Black."
Teddy nervously made his way to the stool and sat down. Hermione gave him a reassuring smile before she placed the hat on his head. The hat seemed to deliberate for a while and Hermione shot a nervous look at Severus. Severus smiled back reassuringly, he had made sure the hat wouldn't reveal Teddy's true parentage to the boy. Hermione focused back on Teddy waiting for a house.
"Gryffindor!" The hat suddenly shouted.
Hermione smiled widely and lifted the hat off Teddy's head. Teddy himself looked uncertain of the hat's choice. Teddy nervously looked at Hermione before taking off to sit at the Gryffindor table. Hermione carried on the sorting ceremony, keeping an eye on Teddy. She decided to try and get him alone after dinner to speak to him and reassure him. Hermione was sure that he was worried about being in Gryffindor when his entire family were Slytherins.
"Jasmine Nott." Hermione smiled softly when she came to the other student she already knew. She had known Jasmine since birth and was godmother to her younger brother, Kane.
Jasmine bounded up to the front, her long black hair bouncing in her ponytail. Hermione placed the hat on her head and within minutes its verdict was being declared.
"Slytherin!"
Jasmine beamed happily and rushed off to her new house table. Hermione concluded the sorting and took her seat next to Severus as he stood up to address the school. Severus start of term announcement only took a few minutes and he was quickly sat back down next to Hermione.
"I've decided that's the last start of year announcement I'll deliver. I think it's finally time to retire." Severus said quietly to Hermione.
"You've been saying that for the last three years." Hermione laughed. "Admit it, you love your job."
Severus murmured something that may have been an agreement before he turned to address the Professor on his other side. Hermione spoke briefly to the Professor on her other side before she let her eyes scan the crowded hall looking for Jasmine and Teddy.
Jasmine was already looking settled as she sat talking with three other first years. Teddy still looked slightly nervous but he was managing to have a conversation with the boy sitting beside him. Hermione spent most of the feast watching Teddy and noticing how he relaxed more as the night wore on.
At the end of the feast Hermione debated whether to speak to Teddy now or wait until the morning. When Teddy turned and looked at her uncertainly, Hermione made her way to the Gryffindor table.
"Teddy do you want to come with me and I can take you to Gryffindor Tower later." Hermione said.
Teddy eagerly agreed and said goodbye to his new friend before following Hermione out of the hall. Hermione went out the front doors and sat on the wall just outside the entrance. Teddy followed and sat down next to Hermione.
"Are you worried about being in Gryffindor?" Hermione asked.
Teddy nodded slowly. "Everyone else is in Slytherin. What if they hate me?" He said quietly.
"No-one will hate you, Teddy." Hermione reassured the boy. "Everyone loves you. What house you're in doesn't matter."
"Even to mum and dad?" Teddy asked, referring to Bella and Voldemort.
Voldemort had agreed to help Bella raise Teddy and ever since the end of the rebellion they had acted like parents to the boy. Voldemort had removed his early memories so Teddy had grown up thinking of Bella and Voldemort as his parents. Bella hadn't wanted to remove Teddy's memories originally but Voldemort convinced her that it would be easier for Teddy to adjust if he had no memories of his past life.
"Even to them. I promise you that they love you and are very proud of you." Hermione said.
Teddy and Hermione sat for a bit longer discussing their family before Hermione decided it was time to take Teddy to Gryffindor Tower.
"I'm pleased you're in Gryffindor." Hermione said as they walked towards Gryffindor Tower. "I'm tired of being the only Gryffindor in a family of Slytherins, it'll be nice to have some company."
"I'm sure we'll have company one day." Teddy said, pleased he had Hermione to speak to whenever he wanted. "Phoenix wants to be a Gryffindor."
Hermione smiled at the mention of her youngest son. Phoenix was only three and a half but he was a total mummy's boy and wanted to be just like Hermione. Hermione thought out of her three children that Phoenix was the most likely to be in Gryffindor. Scorpius was a pure Slytherin already and would no doubt follow in the rest of the family's footsteps regarding his house. Her daughter Electra, who was seven, could go either way or could even be a Ravenclaw. Electra was a perfect mix of her parents and as such was very clever and would be well suited in Ravenclaw.
Hermione dropped Teddy off at Gryffindor Tower and headed back down to her office in the dungeons. Despite it only being the first day back at school Hermione was keen to return home so she could see her family. She also wanted to talk with Bella to make sure the witch reassured Teddy that his house doesn't affect how she feels about him. Hermione entered her office and headed straight to the fireplace, steeping into the flames and returning home.
By the time Hermione returned to the Manor, dinner was over but luckily Bella and Voldemort were still present. The way Bella pounced on Hermione the moment she exited the fire made Hermione think that Bella had been waiting for her to return.
"He's in Gryffindor." Hermione answered Bella's questions regarding her son.
"I told you." Bella crowed to Voldemort. "My boy's as brave as they come."
Hermione smiled at Bella's attitude, obviously Teddy had been worrying unnecessarily about her reaction. Hermione also noted how proud Bella sounded at Teddy being sorted into Gryffindor. There was no doubt that Bella loved Teddy very much. Hermione knew that Bella had been worried that someone would tell Teddy the truth about his parents and what had happened to them but Voldemort reassured her that no-one but the family would ever know who Teddy really was.
"I'll have to go and write to him to make sure he gets the letter tomorrow." Bella said, heading towards the fireplace.
Voldemort stood from his seat and after saying goodbye left with Bella.
Hermione sat down next to Draco and the couple spent a while with Draco's parents before they headed upstairs to their own wing. Hermione and Draco had talked about moving out of the Manor when Hermione was pregnant the second time but once again decided they loved the house too much to leave. The children also loved the large property and it's impressive gardens.
"What did you do today?" Hermione asked her husband as they walked upstairs.
"After dropping Scorpius and Electra off at school I took Phoenix to Charlie's dragon sanctuary." Draco said. Scorpius and Electra both attended a muggle school as Hermione wanted them to have a solid education before they started Hogwarts.
"Did he like the dragons?" Hermione asked. Scorpius had always loved the animals but Phoenix was more reserved and Hermione was worried the big beasts might have scared him.
"He wasn't that bothered." Draco shrugged. "He did however love the twins."
Draco was referring to Charlie and Luna's one year old twins. The couple had gotten married five years ago and now had twin girls, Atlanta and Gypsy.
When they reached their wing Draco headed towards their bedroom while Hermione decided to check on their children. Phoenix was already fast asleep so Hermione merely tiptoed into his room and made sure he was snugly tucked up in bed. Scorpius was sitting on his bed reading but spoke with Hermione briefly before she left her son to get back to his book. Electra was just emerging from her bathroom when Hermione entered her room.
Hermione stayed and spoke with her daughter as she settled into bed. Hermione had discovered she was pregnant with Electra a few weeks after the rebellion and had been shocked to discover she had been pregnant at the time of the final fight. Hermione had spent a long time thinking about how much she could have lost if Molly had killed her or seriously hurt her.
After saying goodnight to Electra, Hermione headed towards her own bedroom. Draco was already lounging on the bed reading when Hermione entered the large room. Hermione quickly got ready for bed and joined her husband.
"There's a letter on the bedside table for you." Draco said, without looking up from his book.
Hermione reached for the letter, smiling when she noticed Harry's handwriting. Since writing to inform Harry of the end of the rebellion they had exchanged several letters. Harry had never revealed where he was living but he settled down and got married a few years after the rebellion. Hermione and Harry kept each other informed of the main events in their personal lives but were both unwilling to discuss anything regarding the wizarding world. Hermione read Harry's letter which was just keeping her up to date with his family, he now had two boys and he loved to brag about them.
"Did he have anything interesting to say?" Draco asked. He was the only person who knew that Hermione was still in touch with Harry.
"Just the usual, nothing special." Hermione said, putting the letter in the top drawer of her bedside table.
Draco had put down his book while Hermione was reading her letter and had spent the last few minutes waiting for his wife to finish. As soon as Hermione had put her letter away Draco pulled his wife to him and kissed her deeply. Hermione eagerly responded and within a few minutes was pinned under Draco's solid form.
"What was that for?" Hermione asked, slightly breathless from the kiss.
"Do I need a reason to kiss my wife?" Draco questioned, leaning down and re-connecting his lips with Hermione's.
Hermione didn't get a chance to respond as she emerged herself in the feeling of being kissed by her husband. As Draco started to remove her flimsy nightwear Hermione reached out for her wand. While the room had a silencing spell built in the door need locking so no-one could walk in on them. Hermione briefly pushed Draco off her as she locked the door.
Turning back to her husband Hermione smiled and flung her arms around his neck, bringing their half-naked bodies into contact. Despite being together since school Hermione and Draco still couldn't get enough of each other and had a very active sex life.
Hermione often wondered if the years they had spent being separated and everything they had had to endure to be together had made them stronger. Hermione also wondered if their relationship would have survived in a world where Voldemort was defeated, not that she liked to think of that result as she was quite fond of the dark wizard. The dark side had gladly adopted Hermione and ensured her a life with Draco and for that Hermione would always be grateful.
The End.