AN: Well everyone, this is it, the last chapter. I'm so happy you all stuck with me through this ride and I really hope you enjoy this final installment of Return to Hogwarts :)

Chapter 17- Another Tale

Harry walked through the sunny halls of Hogwarts Castle, summer had officially arrived and train had taken all the students home the day before. It was quiet with only the staff left, but very peaceful. One year ago today he had met Hermione in a little café in London and she suggested he apply for the professor job. Did he think it would turn out like it had? Certainty not, but he wouldn't have it any other way.

He had been asked to meet her and Tim down by the lake but quickly found himself detouring and to the office of the head Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Knocking on it lightly he heard a simple, "Come in!" Harry pushed the door open and saw Professor Rickman packing a few of his things.

"Leaving on a trip, Sir?" Harry asked curiously.

"Yes, I believe so. I think my family would appreciate an explanation for Matilda Hepburn in person," Rickman said with a small smile.

"You'll be back next year though… right?"

Rickman raised an eyebrow, "Do you want me back?"

Harry paused for a moment before nodding, "Yeah, I do. I know we haven't spoken much since what happened but I understand why you did what you did. And besides, you're a great professor and I am not ready to take over all seven years on my own."

Rickman gave a small smile, "Well, it has only been one year. I did say you'd needed two before I can go back to retirement."

Harry couldn't help his smile, "I still think that's an overestimation, Sir."

"And I still think you doubt yourself."

"We seem to be at a stalemate, then."

"It would seem so," Rickman gave a smile and a wave of his wand causing his clothes to start packing themselves. Then he turned back and gave Harry a pointed look, "Ah well then, I'll see you next term- Professor Potter."

"I'll see you then, Professor Rickman," Harry said as he watched him close up his briefcase. Rickman turned, gave him a final smile and walked out the door. Harry watched him stride away, then sighed and headed to his original destination.

It was even more beautiful outside on the grounds as he walked out of the school, a light breeze ruffling his hair. He easily spotted Tim, standing thigh-high in the lake with his pants rolled up to his knees as he put out food for the giant squid, and not far from him was Hermione sitting under the lakeside tree reading a book, naturally.

Harry smiled as he approached as quietly as possible before standing right behind her. "Hey," He said casually and chuckled when she jumped.

"Harry! Where have you been?" She smiled at him as he sat next to her.

"Oh, I went to see Professor Rickman before he left."

"And? How'd it go?" She asked, closing her book and giving him her full attention.

"Well, alright I suppose. He's coming back next year, so we'll see him again," Harry shrugged and Hermione smiled.

"Good. He's a good man, and a good teacher. I would hate for him to leave so soon, especially when you haven't fully forgiven him yet," She said, and Harry sighed. "What? It's true. You still blame him for what happened to me, like somehow he indirectly caused it by not being forthright."

Harry flushed, both admiring and resenting her ability to know him so well. "It's just… you were in danger and suddenly it looked like he might have been the cause. That doubt, that anger, is harder to shake than I thought."

Hermione let out a breath and took his hand. "I know, but it'll get better. I'm sure of it."

"I hope so…" Harry breathed out before leaning back against the tree and somehow was still mildly surprised when Hermione leaned back against him as she returned to her book.

Ever since that day in the hospital wing they had been taking steps towards a more intimate relationship. Holding hands regularly, putting arms around each other, leaning on one another. Each step taken slow, like wading into cold water. Becoming comfortable with a little at a time and making sure they didn't mess it up. But that didn't stop Harry from still being surprised when it happened. Honestly, he was sure he was more surprised with the fact she even fancied him in the first place than everything that came after.

He watched her as she read her book, a small smile pulling at him. There was a step he hadn't taken though, one where perhaps wading wouldn't work and you have to just jump in instead. And he had been trying to jump for months now.

"Hey, Hermione?" He said, breaking their comfortable silence.

"Yeah?" She asked curiously, closing her book again, somehow understanding how much was weighing on his mind.

"I need to tell you something. I've been working on it for a while, trying to articulate myself since, as you know, I'm rather rubbish at that."

She raised an eyebrow at him, adjusting her position to look at him better, "Alright, you have my attention."

He took a deep breath and then took her hand, intertwining their fingers. Beginning slowly, pausing after practically every other word, purely out of nerves, he said, "Okay, here we go. Hermione, you are the most important person in my life."

"Okay," She nodded to encourage him when he paused for long, making him breath out a nervous laugh.

"—And I wouldn't be alive without you. I don't think I would know how to live… without you." He paused, looking down at their hands. He turned them so he could see the back of his own hand, the pale white of the words 'I Must Not Tell Lies' barely visible now. He remembered how she gave him that essence of murtlap tentacles to help sooth it. Then he glanced at her arm, her sleeve hiding her scar of a sacrifice he still couldn't believe she made, even more that it was one of many she took in stride.

"But even with that fact, every act of kindness, every… sacrifice you've made has gone grossly underappreciated. But not anymore, because I am finally starting to understand everything you've done for me. So, I need you to know that I appreciate you and I—I, I can't remember what I was going to say next with you looking at me like that… I-I should've practiced more. Perhaps wrote it down…"

She smiled softly at him with that unfamiliar look in her eyes that made him stutter like a fool. "That's okay."

Harry cleared his throat trying to refocus, "Long… long story short is that I… I love you. A lot. I love you a lot. And I… I uh… I…"

"I know," She said still with her soft smile.

Harry couldn't help his sheepish grin as he ran his free hand through his hair. "Of course you do. You're brilliant."

She chuckled a little and slowly reached up putting a hand on his face, her thumb rubbing his cheek. He looked at her curiously; her expression was one of the few he couldn't read, that powerful unknown look still in her eyes. Then he felt that strange irresistible pull towards her again and she seemed to be getting closer. His heart started going fast, skipping beats even. Their noses brushed, then a split second of hesitation before the space between them closed in a kiss. It was a bit shy, soft, and tender. It didn't last long but it still left both of them grinning like fools.

"Well, about time!" They turned to see Tim just walking up with a smug grin on his face.

"Oh, shove off," Harry grunted at him but couldn't help his smile.

"I'm sorry, I'm American. Haven't got a clue what that means," He joked, causing Harry to roll his eyes.

When he glanced back at Hermione he saw her trying to hide her face in his shoulder, her cheeks getting redder by the second. Bemused he smiled at her, "We just…"

"Yeah…" She said breathlessly peeking up at him.

"We might have skipped a few steps. I don't think kissing comes after hand holding," Harry whispered to her with a smile.

She laughed in disbelief; obviously still feeling embarrassed by Tim being there, "You think?"

Harry smiled as the old bell in the clock tower rang, signaling over the entire grounds that it was three in the afternoon. Harry sighed contently, leaning his head back against the tree.

"Hey, don't you guys have that thing at four? I mean you have to get all the way back to London, right?" Tim said causing Hermione to groan.

Harry leaned his head forward again and sighed, looking at Hermione. "You know we're going to have to tell them, right? We can't exactly keep this a secret."

"Perhaps Tim could come then? As a middle party?" Hermione suggested.

"Um… where am I going?" Tim interjected.

Hermione turned to him, "Tim, would you like to come with Harry and I to the Leaky Cauldron this afternoon and meet Ron and Ginny?"

Tim's eyebrows raised high, "I'm flattered, really, but no. Spending tea time breaking the news to both of your ex's? I'll pass. I've got a job interview then anyways."

"A job interview? Where?" Harry asked, surprised by the news.

"The Ministry of Magic. Professor Rickman apparently told them about what happened in the library. The Magical Creature department guys were evidently so impressed they offered me a good shot at a job."

"That's fantastic!" Harry raved.

"Tim that's great! You'll be in London, right? We'll see you?" Hermione asked with a smile.

"Sure, every week," Tim grinned, "What did you think? This is the last you'd see of me?"

"Not a chance," Harry grinned.

"Good, now we best get going or we'll all be late," Tim said, picking up his coat from the grass and walked with them back towards the castle.

Not an hour later Harry and Hermione were standing outside the London side of the Leaky Cauldron, Harry trying to calm a distraught Hermione as she paced the sidewalk.

"Harry, are you sure this is wise? We can still back out."

"I told you, Ron gave me his approval. It'll be fine. Ginny, on the other hand, I'm not so sure about."

"You said he nodded to you! That could mean anything!"

"Hermione, they're still our friends. We can't avoid them forever."

She groaned, "I suppose you're right…" He smirked at her and she shook her head unable to hold back her smile.

"Come on then," Harry said and opened the door for her. "After you."

"Thank you." She gave him a smile as they walked in. They quickly spotted the two youngest Weasley's sitting around a table in the back but were surprised they had a guest with them. They glanced at each other curiously before making their way across the room. As the table came more into view they were shocked to find Ron holding hands with their unexpected friend.

"Sorry, we're a tad late... How is everyone?" Harry asked, trying not to be too painfully obvious about his shock and curiosity as he stared at the intertwined hands before him.

"Great," Ron answered with a large genuine smile Harry hadn't seen in ages.

"Fine," Ginny answered, arms crossed over her chest not meeting his eyes.

"I am well, but you two look like you have a something to tell. Keep it all inside and you'll attract hordes of Wrackspurts, you know," came the dreamy voice of Luna Lovegood, the surprising holder of Ron's hand.

"Uh… okay? How about you two go first?" Hermione said, sitting down slowly seeming to be still in shock by the sight before her.

"Yeah, I'd like to hear the story about this first too," Harry agreed sitting down beside her. "When did this happen?"

"It was a few months back in March, about a week after my birthday. I didn't tell you because I wanted it to be a surprise." Ron grinned at them. Harry and Hermione exchanged a glance.

"Well, it is a surprise…" Hermione said wryly.

"It's a bit of a funny story, really," Luna smiled dreamily.

Ron smiled at her before turning back to them, "Like I said, it was a few months back. It was a cloudy day and I was feeling a bit rubbish while I was working at the shop and it was as dead as it could be but then Luna walks in, you know, with that air about her that she's got and in a bright yellow coat that practically lit up the entire store. Then she walked up to me and-"

AN: And... I'm cutting it off there. This tale for Harry and Hermione draws to a close and Ron and Luna's begins! Sorry if that is a bit of a shipping curve ball for anyone, but if you're unsure about them stick around maybe I can convince you and if you like them, well stick around then too! Before this story ends though I just wanted to say a massive thank you to all of you. Every review, comment, and following or favorite has really kept me motivated to stay on this. I distract easily, unfortunately, but all of the support has kept me on track to actually finish my first chaptered story ever and that's a big deal because I've been writing for quite a while!

Now before you all leave to go about your day, night, or find another story whatever you're doing if you have the time I'd love for you to comment or PM me (even if this story gets to be ages old and you stumble upon it, do it anyway I'll probably see it then too) your thoughts of the story as a whole, what you liked, what you didn't, what I can improve on, and recall any of your favorite parts or scenes, favorite chapter even. I'd love to know what stuck with people so I can really improve my writing for the future.

And one last thing, I've got a Tumblr page for this series and really anything related to Harry Potter. If a chapter is going to be late I'll probably let you know there, story tidbits I may not be about to show case but would love for you to know, any of my rants about the Wizarding World or its fandom, and I tend to cosplay as Harry so maybe some Professor Potter stuff might be around the corner as well. That link can be found on my main page if you're interested.

I can't say thank you enough as it wouldn't have happened without you and I hope to see you all next time!