This story is finally coming to an end. I may post an additional short story to go along with it, but if I don't, then this is the true and final end. This story has given me a lot of trouble and I am relieved that it is over. It is not my favorite of my fanfictions, but I think it is pretty solid. REMEMBER: READ, REVIEW, REPEAT! Also, does anyone like the new "filter" system for fanfiction categories. I personally hate it.

Chapter 20: Epilogue

Harry sighed as he leaned back in his comfortable armchair, his hands clasped in his lap. It had been several months since the trial and the encounter with Bellatrix. Since then, she had been sentenced to life is Azkaban. Harry, however, hadn't gone to the trial, as he had with Dumbledore. The pain his heart was too great. He'd hated Bellatrix for years, and that hate had only increased from the stories Draco had told him, but it was the fact that she had worked for Dumbledore the entire time that had caused him such pain. If anything, it affirmed what he had already suspected: Dumbledore was willing to go to any lengths to get what he wanted, even if he had to hire a crazed Death Eater to do it and it involved killing Harry, his star figure in the war. That sudden light in McGonagall's office had been Harry's first sight of death, but with Draco there, it had quickly vanished, returning him to life.

He glanced down at his hands and all of his depressing thoughts flew away. A silver ring adorned his left hand, flashing slightly as he began to rock his hand back and forth slowly. A single, tiny red gem was set into the center of the band with a green emerald on the right and an onyx on the left.

"Still staring at your ring, Harry?" Draco teased from where he sat in the armchair beside his mate.

"You shouldn't have given me something so pretty if you didn't want me to look at it," Harry smirked, rolling his eyes.

Standing, the blond stepped around the back of Harry's chair and wrapped his arms around the brunette's neck. Gently kissing the top of his head, Draco took Harry's hand in his and raised it to get a better look at the ring.

"There's a story with it too. Did I tell you that?" Draco asked.

Harry smiled and nodded. "The black is for my past and where I came from. Not only because of what I went through but for my hair and my father's hair, the family trait of the Potter's. The red is for my school days, when I was a Gryffindor and fought against Voldemort. The green-"

He paused for a moment and glanced up at Draco, giving him a quick peck on the cheek. "The green is for our future. I am marrying into a Slytherin family with you, Lucius, Severus, and Sirius."

Draco nodded. "Even if your godfather was a Gryffindor, he's still got some Slytherin in him somewhere. He's my father's mate after all. They would never last if he didn't have a little bit of slyness."

Harry nodded in agreement as he let his hand drop back into his lap. He stared up at Draco, who was smirking and musing about his mate's hyperactive godfather. Despite being essentially cousins, Draco had never met Sirius until the day that the war came to an end. Twelve years in Azkaban and several more years spent on the run had kept Draco and Sirius from ever making contact. At one time, Draco had thought that Sirius would be an annoying, loudmouthed Gryffindor and while the animagus definitely met that description, the blond Slytherin had also found a very loving, fatherly side to Sirius. Especially when it came to Harry.

"Have they set a date for their wedding yet?" Draco asked.

"It's a month before ours," Harry laughed. "Sirius said that he wanted to have a shot at getting pregnant before his godson. Also, Lucius mentioned the only way Sirius would let you even near me with sexual intentions in mind was if he was being thoroughly distracted and shagged at the time."

Draco grinned triumphantly. Only a true Slytherin could be as sly as his father. Planning Sirius's wedding just slightly before his godson's to take the dark-haired man's mind off Harry's future sexual activities was just the sort of move that Lucius Malfoy would take. As much as he wanted to be a father again, Lucius just as much wanted to be a grandfather.

A flash of heat burst through Draco's body as he thought about their wedding night. Draco was ready for sex and had no problems with couples having sex outside of marriage. Plenty of Veela in the past had slept with their mates before their official wedding dates. However, he knew that Harry needed time to prepare himself. The smaller teenager had been traumatized early on, first by his uncle's fists and then when the blubbering man had forced himself on Harry. Draco wasn't willing to hurt his mate and push the boundaries before he was ready.

Feeling a hand clasp his, Draco glanced down at Harry and smiled. The Gryffindor squeezed his hand, knowing already the train of thoughts that had just filtered through Draco's mind. With a soft smile, the dark-haired boy turned and sat up on his knees, facing his blond mate. They inched towards each other, their lips touching in a soft, loving kiss. There was nothing rushed about it, simply enjoying each other and their bodies.

Pulling away from Harry's lips, Draco lightly kissed his right ear and hissed, "It will be everything we need and hope for. I promise."

Harry hugged his mate and nodded, burying his face in Draco's shoulder. A shiver ran up his spine as Draco mouthed at his ear, a sign of affection from the zealous Veela. He knew he was ready for Draco, but the idea of waiting until the wedding night had won out over his bodily needs. He grinned widely as he squeezed Draco tightly.

"It will be, won't it?"