A/N- I once came across a meme that said the Epilogue to DH could have been worse. It could have ended, "And then Harry woke, under the stairs in his cupboard..." Well to me this was acceptable. I decided to write this little oneshot about what happened if the events of the HP books actually were a dream. You might notice a couple names that are familiar ;-)

I do not own HP or anything. I'm just ignoring that horrible epilogue and supplying an alternate one.

-2001-

Twenty year old Harry Potter sat up in bed, panting. "Harry?" He barely registered his girlfriend sitting up in the bed as well and rubbing his back soothingly, "Are you okay?"

"Nightmare," he whispered. His throat hurt. He felt the bed shift as she got up and left the room. When she returned she had a bottle of water in her hand. Harry took a grateful gulp before turning to see Hermione Granger looking at him, worried. "It felt so real," he said. She hugged him and he sighed. This felt good, "Were you naked when you went into the kitchen?"
"It's our flat, Harry. We're the only two here."

"Right," he said, frowning.

Hermione rubbed the back of his neck and took the water bottle, placing it on the nightstand before straddling him, "I can comfort you." The resulting grin on Harry's face was all the answer she needed.

Later that morning Harry woke to see his nude lover sleeping peacefully, her head on his chest. "Certainly made my nightmares go away." Now that Harry was thinking about the nightmare, he only remembered bits and pieces like always. Something about 'Hogwarts' and 'Muggles' and 'Voldemort'; he also remembered that Hermione had been in his dream, but she hadn't been his girlfriend of two years. She'd been stuck with some sort of ginger menace. For that matter, so had he.

"Harry you're brooding," she said, gazing into those green eyes she loved.

"You know that dream I told you I used to have when I was little?"

"That you were a wizard and had to defeat an evil villain who killed your parents when you were a baby?"

"Yeah that one," he nodded. "Well…last night in the dream I defeated the bad guy but you went to that ginger dude who was supposed to be my best mate."

"So you killed Tom in the dream? I can't wait to see his reaction to you offing your best mate from the time you were 11."

Harry laughed and leaned in to kiss her. "I've never dreamed of the end though. What do you think that means?"

"I think it means that you've overcome the last of your obstacles regarding a very, very violent childhood and the fantasy world you created to escape from it."

"You're going to be a bloody brilliant pediatrician."

She smiled and leaned in to kiss him. "I find it hard to be clinical when I'm naked with you."

"I find it hard to concentrate when I'm naked with you."

"Oh really?" Her eyebrow rose and he smiled. "I seem to recall a few positions that required a fair amount of concentration."

"I guess that's fair. I meant concentrating on things that aren't sex-related." He reluctantly got up out of bed and pulled her after him into the bathroom. They had things to do today and unfortunately the bed was not on Hermione's to-do list. Not that he hadn't tried to add her name to the list. "Anything else we have to pack?"

"Swimsuits. I'm so glad they're getting married in Australia. It's beautiful there right now."

"I think you just want to make me move there," he teased, tossing his trunks to her so that she could put them in the suitcase. Hermione's packing skills were unsurpassed. He could see them moving to Australia, actually. He knew that Tom really wanted them both to do so. "You really want to leave Britain?"

"I want to be with you and be a doctor. That's the limit of my planning."

"So un-Hermione like," the couple kissed and Harry went to get his Game Boy Advance and the Pokémon games Hermione had got him for his last birthday. He looked at the books she was taking with her. He stuck some extra games into his carry-on as well as some books and comics. "Love? What are we getting Tom and Monica for their wedding present?"

"Honestly Harry he's your best friend."

"Yeah but you know how we get when we're together."

Hermione laughed and grabbed the last couple things they needed to pack before joining Harry and having him pack up a few other things. "Got all your games?"

He picked up the suitcases and carried them to the door, "Advance Wars, Mario Kart, Super Mario Advance, all my Pokémon games," he looked at her, "I'm set."

"Good," she kissed him, "Do you have everything you need?"

"Almost," he said.

Hermione frowned, "Harry we have a flight to get on in five hours. What have you put off to the last minute?"

He smiled and dropped down and onto one knee, "Hermione will you marry me? I had a rotten childhood, and my teen years were rough too. But having you in my life and by my side has given me hope for the future. Hope that has always been foreign to me until now. With you I never need a fantasy to escape from reality. You're better than any fantasy I could imagine." He pulled the ring out of his pocket, "The end of that dream signified the end of that life. I couldn't write the last one, but I get to write this one. I'm not a rich man, and I'm emotionally and physically scarred from my upbringing. But I love you, Hermione Jean Granger, and you will never want for anything with me. Will you do me the honor of being my wife?"

"Yes," she whispered before kneeling on the floor and kissing him hungrily. Harry groaned into her mouth as he managed to slide the ring onto her finger. "Bed, now," she said between kisses. Harry smiled and stood up, picking her up with him and carrying her into their bedroom.

Tom Riddle and Monica Wilkins' wedding was not to be missed, so reluctantly and begrudgingly the newly engaged couple exited the bed and took another shower before the car arrived to take them to the airport. "I'm glad you introduced Tom to Monica," Harry said as they sat in the car and headed on their way.

"I do have a knack for matchmaking, evidently," she smiled, leaning against him, "do my parents know you proposed?"

"I asked for their permission last week," he nodded. "They want to throw us an engagement party after Christmas."

"Ah yes they'll be so proud. Their future doctor daughter is getting married to a future doctor as well."

Harry laughed and pulled her onto his lap, "Well I guess that's cause for celebration. And Here I was hoping they liked me."

"They love you and you know it," she kissed him, "we should thank Tom & Monica for getting us first class tickets to Sydney."

"I think I'd have to hurt them if we were stuck in coach," Harry chuckled. "That's a really long flight."

As they sped off to the airport, Hermione on his lap, Harry was glad that the dream wasn't reality. His reality was so much better than anything even magic could offer him.