Epilogue - 5

Between Ginny and him, they'd figure it all out together. They always did. Perhaps, if Ron and Hermione were quicker to start their own family than they had been about getting married, they could all conquer the battle of parenthood together, as well.

Lost as he was in his own thoughts, he was surprised to stumble across Hermione outside in the chilly air. She was leaning on the fence far from the house, her face turned toward the wind so it whipped her hair about wildly.

"Hermione?" Harry asked, taking several tentative steps toward her.

One never knew how Hermione would take an interruption these days. She was the epitome of a frantic bride. He was surprised, therefore, when she turned toward him with a tear-streaked face.

"Hermione! What's wrong?" he asked.

James must have sensed his distress for he shifted in Harry's arms and began to fuss.

"Oh, Harry! Everything's changing," Hermione said, sniffling.

"What's changing, Hermione?" Harry asked, grinning while bouncing James slightly on his shoulder to settle him.

"It'll all be so different, and things are so nice the way they are. I don't want that to be ruined," she said, sniffling.

Harry blinked, baffled. He knew it was mostly nerves – combined with Hermione's utter dislike of feeling out of control, but he was afraid that whatever he said would be wrong. He also knew he had to try.

"Hermione, it's going to be all right," Harry said, wrapping his free arm around her and hugging her close.

"Oh! That's easy for you to say!" Hermione said, crossing her arms across her chest.

"It is easy for me to say," Harry replied, chuckling, "because I've been where you are. And who was the one who talked me down? Who was the only one who calmed me on my wedding day?"

"I was," Hermione said, a tiny smile playing on her lips. "Well, Ginny did, too, once the ceremony started."

"Right – as Ron will for you once you're standing with each other. Before that, though, I was panic-stricken. You were the one who made me see that I was getting exactly what I'd always wanted. And you were right. Now, today, it's your turn. You and Ron have waited a long time for this day, Hermione," Harry said smiling.

Hermione sniffled again and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. James began cooing again while sucking on his fist.

"My mum and I used to talk about my wedding when I was a little girl. The reason I agreed to do this the Muggle way was to make some of her dreams come true, as well. We've drifted so far since I went away to Hogwarts," Hermione said.

"Hagrid told me after seven years at Hogwarts, I wouldn't recognize myself," Harry said. "That was certainly true."

"Oh, Harry! For me, too. I sometimes feel like a complete stranger when I do normal, Muggle things with my parents. I belong to this world, now," Hermione said.

"You belong to both, because your upbringing there helped to shape you into the person you are today. It's all connected – it took me a long time to figure that out. If things didn't happen the way they did, I might never have befriended or even met all of you. Everything happens for a reason, and change can be good," Harry said, shrugging.

"When did you get so wise?" Hermione asked, giggling as she gently nudged his shoulder with her own.

"I had a friend who was a great influence on me when I was younger," Harry replied, nudging her back. "Big, bushy hair, kind of a know-it-all. You might have known her."