Hello, my perfect, beautiful readers, for the last time on this story in a while. I've been putting this off for long enough. I've enjoyed every second of writing this story, and I adore every single one of you who's either read, favorited, followed, or reviewed. This story has been going for almost a year, and it's time for this section of it to end. I promise I will do a sequel, but for now, it's one to take a break and do other things, Lthough this story will ALWAYS have a special spot in hey heart. Without any further ado, here's the last chapter. :,)

Dumbledore stopped her on her was to her rendezvous. "I believe that since you went though so much trouble, he is yours to keep." He presented her with the owl she had painstakingly rescued from the blizzard. "From what the students and staff tell me, he refuses to carry their letters. He's yours now, you may name him as you wish."

"Thank you, sir." She looked fondly at the black creature. "I'll take good care of him." She called over her shoulder as she rushed to the lake, her owl flying over head.

They sat together in their spot by the lake, quite possibly for the last time ever.

"I'm going to miss you." She sighed.

"Cheer up. Ve still haff this summer." He nudged her in the ribs.

Her mind reeled. She didn't have the heart to tell him that there was a slight possibility that she might not be able to make it now since Voldemort had risen. "You know, you should probably apologize to Ron for breaking his nose." She stalled.

"Probably." He smirked.

"But you're not going to, are you?"

"Nope." His chest rumbled with a deep chuckle. "It is better now, is it not?"

"Yes, Madame Pomfry got him fixed up, although his nose is slightly off center now." She could have hysterically laughed at the irony. Ron had completely ruled a girl out as a date to the ball because her nose had been slightly off center.

"Besides, it should serve him well not to kiss vho is mine. Haff you spoken to him yet?" His voice sombered.

"Yes." Her mind played back the painfully awkward talk in her head. She had confronted Ron in the tower, shortly after she had assured Viktor was completely free of the Imperius curse. It seemed that his anger and jealousy was bit stronger than she thought, since it had been enough to throw off a powerful curse. They'd have to talk about that later.

His nose was still dripping scarlet blood and his eyes watered in pain.

Taking slight pity on him, she had said "Here, we need to talk as soon as we get you to the hospital wing."

His only response had been to nod his head.

Madame Pomfry easily fixed his nose, commenting that he was lucky that there had been enough force to give it a clean break.

As soon as he had been able to talk, he confronted her. "I know what you want to talk about." It wasn't accusing; merely a statement of fact with hidden sorrow behind the words.

"That kiss shouldn't ha-"

Ron cut her off. "Wait. You and I both discovered with that kiss that we have little to no physical chemistry, but it wasn't a mistake. It happened for a reason, and if I had to, I'd do it again. It proved what you had been telling me all along: that we just can't work, and it would only make the two of us miserable." He said firmly. "You're always right. Kinda annoying, now that I think about it." He chuckled weakly.

"You've matured quite a bit." She noted with admiration.

"Being punched in the face by an angry Bulgarian seeker can do that to ya. Don't expect it all the time though; it takes a lot out of me and quite a bit of my concentration." He joked.

She has given him a quick hug and whispered in his ear, "Thanks for finally understanding. You'll find someone too, and understand what I'm talking about. "

"Go and get 'em, 'Mione. Good luck, and be happy." Ron smiled.

Viktor's voice pulled her out of her flashback. "Vhat did he say?"

"We both agreed that it only further proved we had no chemistry. He wished me good luck and reminded me to be happy." She replied carefully, as not to trigger any jealousy. They still hadn't talked about that, but she couldn't bring herself to potentially argue on their last day together at Hogwarts.

"Good." He replied as he pulled her into a hug from behind. "You feel so tense, loff. Vhat's the matter?"

"Just anxious. Your ship is supposed to leave any minute now." she confessed, snuggling further into the warm muscles of his chest.

"Ve'll haff this summer in Bulgaria." He promised. "You are still going, aren't you?" He asked, as if to reassure himself.

In that moment, she made up her mind. No matter what came up, she would make time; even if it was only for a day. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"If you're not on the ship in the next five minutes, you're getting left!" Karkaroff's annoying voice shouted.

" That's my cue." He stood up, gently tugging her to her feet as well. She wrapped her arms around his neck without a shadow of hesitation. Their lips brushed softly, the kiss tender and full of the sorrow of their good bye. It was sweet and chaste, but it's heat was still there. Unlike the wildfire that races through the dry and desolate prairie, consuming everything in its path, it moved deep below the surface, like lava moving inexorably below the earth's crust; unstopable and melting and melding everything in its creeping path.

"Goodbye." She whispered in his ear. "I love you."

"I loff you too. Vrite to me."

"I will. That reminds me, what should I name him?" She pointed to the black owl from where he sat perched in the tree, glancing curiously down. "I was thinking Thor." She admitted.

"My owl's name is Thor." He chuckled. "Besides, he seems too mischievous to be a Thor. Vhat about..." He paused thoughtfully. "Loki, god of mischief and mayhem."

"Perfect." She smiled, with small tears pricking in the corners of her eyes. "It's going to be so strange to have to sort my own mail again."

"Hopefully the fans vill leaff you alone now." The corner of his mouth threatened to curve upward, but he held it neutrally. "As much as I'd loff to stay here, I better get on that ship." He kissed her forehead before briskly jogging to the dock.

It was all she could to to stand and watch the ship descend into the water, see the lake swallow it whole and leave barely a trace it ever existed. When there was no evidence that the ship had ever been there, she returned to her dorms, and found two items on her bed. On was the cloak she had returned to Viktor, now given back to her, and the other was a heart-shaped locket. The words " We'll always have Hogwarts" was engraved on the front, although you could faintly see where the word "Paris" had been sanded off.

With fumbling fingers, she opened the locket and a tiny photo of them from the ball, dancing, was inside. A few tears wetted her cheeks as she smiled happily. Hogwarts may be a school of witchcraft and wizardry, but never before had a year seemed so magical. It was truly a year to remember, and she's remember it for the rest of her life, even if she lived to be a thousand years old.

OMG THE FEELS! I am almost crying right now. I can't believe it's over. I love the way this ended, and I hope you guys did too. I promise that whenever I get the sequel up, I'll put the first chapter up here as an epilogue. I would once again like to thank everyone who ever invested their time into this story that I have been privileged to tell. For one last time, be sure to leave a review. I love you all. :,,,,,)