Author's Note

I can't actually believe that we reached this final chapter. I'm actually feeling surprisingly nostalgic. It's quite mind blowing to me, and the truth is I couldn't have done it without you guys, so thank you. Thank you so much for sticking with this story. And yeah, before this turns into an Oscar speech and the music starts playing I just wanted to thank my beta, because one thing is certain, that without your corrections and you initially forcing me to share this story with others, it would never have been posted.

So yeah, there is nothing left to say than: remember next time you read a good story you enjoy, remember to leave a comment, at least I truly appreciated each and every one of them. And it does make a difference, not only to the author but to the rapidly growing population of unicorns as well ^^

Enjoy and hopefully I'll see some of you guys again, sometime!

Disclaimer

I do not own anything, it all belongs to the lovely Mrs Rowling. I'm just a happy soul who decided to take these amazing characters out for a walk. I promise to do my best to deliver them back in one piece.

Epilogue

Fleur's eyes remained fixed on the piece of parchment, as if she by sheer will could make words appear on it. She was supposed to prepare a presentation for her latest case, and still she hadn't managed to produce one competent line for her presentation. The frown grew deeper as she angrily scowled at the paper bin already filled to its brim. Tiredly she leaned back in her chair, widening the distance between herself and the offending paper while rubbing her forehead, hoping to ease some of the tension.

On top of her desk pictures were smiling and waving at her; Gabrielle graduating from Beauxbatons in one frame, and the family photo where Gabrielle was standing front and center by their mother's right side in another. Fleur remember that day, the day she had officially made her decision to renounce her birthright as a Delacour.

Amelie had started crying, as she had hugged her ever so tightly telling her how proud she was of her. Fleur's mother had remained silent, but deep down inside Fleur sensed that maybe, just maybe, she had been a little proud as well. Things were changing, for the better. Small steps were taken in the right direction, and Fleur knew that when Gabrielle one day would take over, she would do the right thing. It had been the right decision, and Fleur had never regretted making it.

Her gaze lingered on the picture where Amelie was standing outside her small cottage, deep lines in her face, silver locks neatly put in a bundle. She had been so happy that day, the day she and Hermione had come to visit her for the first time after her retirement. Fleur could feel a slight lump inside her chest as the old woman in front of her started heading into the house, closing the door behind her.

Her eye caught the movement from the picture of Harry and Ginny's wedding. They were looking adoringly at one another as they tried shielding themselves as best as they could from the rain of rice falling over them. It had been such a beautiful wedding. A smile snuck onto her face as she felt the familiar sensation of the golden band on her own ringfinger. Family and friends, every single person looked so absolutely happy, but somehow it felt as if something was missing.

She opened up the top drawer of her writing desk, her hand ruffling through various of papers until she finally found what she was looking for. Carefully her finger ran over the engraved pattern on the locket before her. With a soft click it opened, revealing two smiling girls, happily waving back at her. A soft smile spread across her lips as she placed the small locket on top of the table.

Tomorrow would be the anniversary of the Battle. They would all attend the memorial at Hogwarts to show their respects and later spend the evening at Harry and Ginny's. However she wouldn't go. She would attend the dinner in the evening, but unlike the others she would spend her day tomorrow up north. Using apparation did allow her to make it back in time for the official memorial, but the truth was that when it came to it she actively decided not to.

She felt the concerned look in Clara's eyes as she failed to smile back at her, but Fleur remained frozen in her position. The front side of the locket had seized to work some years prior, the back of it however, had for some reason never functioned. Fleur's finger trailed over the small clip, knowing that no matter the effort it would be no use. She let out a silent sigh as she finally faced the two girls with a small smile. Lost in her own thoughts she failed to noticed the sound of small feet outside the door and had to blink a couple of times before registering the sound of knocking.

"Mama?" A silent voice muttered as Fleur turned around in her seat.

"Sweetheart, what are you doing up at zis 'our?" Briefly Fleur glanced at the clock on the wall before she walked over to pick her daughter up.

"I couldn't sleep." The little girl's head already resting on Fleur's shoulder.

"I told you, we shouldn't 'ave taken zat cup of 'ot coco before bed, zere is a reason why you're mozer says no."

"But mama, why didn't you say no then?" A sincere wonder was in the little girl's voice as they reached the decorated door to her room.

"Oh ma petit, zat's because I'm weak. But zat little secret stays between you and I." She winked mischievously at her daughter and gave her slight tap on the nose before she tucking her in under the covers. Fleur sat down on the edge of the bed and carefully brushed a stray lock of blond hair behind the girl's ear. She could see so much of herself in her daughter's looks. But the eyes, despite their blue colour, it wasn't her own they were reminding her of.

"Mama, do you think you could read me a story? I think it may help me fall asleep better." Fleur glanced over at the bookcase filled with various stories and fairy tales.

"I don't know my sweet, you know 'ow you're mozer will react if she finds out I let you stay up zis late." She spoke the words hesitantly, pretending to give it a lot of thought.

"I won't tell!" The little girl blurted out instantly, excited at the aspect of getting to hear a story before bedtime, despite the late hour.

Fleur couldn't help her smile widening as she rose from the bed and headed over to the bookcase. "Which one would you like to 'ear zen?"

"The small black one! It's my favourite!" Fleur reached for the book, taking it down from its place on the shelf. Gothic letters in gold was written on the front of the book, a red silk string hanging down its back.

"The little match girl?" Fleur asked sceptically. She had noticed it had been the book of choice for her daughter lately, but she wouldn't have thought it was her favourite. "'oney are you sure?" Personally Fleur found it a bit dark, but maybe her daughter was simply too young to grasp its true meaning.

After only receiving exciting nods in confirmation she sat back down on the bed, leaning her back against the bed frame.

"I really like its ending." The little girl gently took the book out of Fleur's hands. Her own small hands were flipping through the pages, until she reached the one with a picture of a little girl held in a warm embrace by her grandmother as they walked away in the newly fallen snow. "I know that it's not the kind of ending as in the other stories..." She carefully ran a hand over the picture of the sleeping girl sitting in the snow with a burned out match still grasped in her hand. "...but not all happy endings have to be the same." Fleur felt her big blue eyes searching for hers, before she snuggled up against her side. "Right mama?"

It passed a couple of seconds before Fleur managed to mutter out a silent "Right", carefully placing an arm around her daughter's slight frame, clearing her throat before she started reading.

The sound of a key in the door, followed by soft footsteps, echoed in the silent house. Fleur was ripped out of her light sleep by a soft sensation on her forehead. A pair of brown eyes was looking adoringly down on her as Fleur gave the woman leaning above her a dazed but happy smile. Carefully she tried to wriggle herself free from their sleeping daughter's grasp without waking her. She placed the book on the bedside table as they both silently walked out of the small room turning the lights off behind them.

"Did she have trouble sleeping?" Hermione's voice still a whisper as they headed to their bedroom, fingers safely intertwined.

"Only a little."

As they closed the door behind them Hermione turned to her wife, holding her at an arms distance. "Did you by any chance feed her some sort of sweets before her bedtime?" Fleur could feel her wife's examining gaze upon her.

"Non! Of course not..." She could see the amused scepticism in Hermione's eyes and quickly decided to change topic. "You 'ad a good day?" She closed the distance between them.

"Mhmm, finally had a breakthrough in my research." Fleur tried to lean in for a kiss, but as Hermione kept on talking she decided to settle for her kissing her neck. "Had two meetings, and 7 consultations..." Fleur started trailing soft kisses up and down her neck as Hermione tilted her head slightly to the side, allowing her better access.

"Sounds like a very strenuous day." She moved away slightly so she could look into Hermione's eyes, a devious smile spreading across her lips. "What do you say about me trying to 'elp you lose some tension, non?"

"Oh, mademoiselle Delacour." Hermione let out a small giggle as Fleur once again started the assault on her neck. "Give me two seconds. I just need to slip into something more comfortable."

"Mhmm, I like the sound of that."

Fleur felt her smile widen as Hermione broke away from their embrace and started heading towards the bathroom door. "Well, why don't you make yourself comfortable while waiting?" And with a seductive wink she closed the door behind her.

Fleur settled herself on top of the bed, as the soft sounds of Hermione changing could be heard from the bathroom. Then she realized she might have forgotten to switch off the lights in her study, and with a slightly annoyed sigh she got up from the bed and headed to the room.

Sure enough, the lights were still on. Her hand was on the switch, ready to turn the lights off and quickly get back to her previous position on their bed, as she caught sight of the small locket still resting on the desk. She walked over and as she picked it up she once again caught the eyes of the two girls on the picture inside it. As she smiled back at them she felt the warm sensation of a body gently pressing against her back.

"A penny for your thoughts." She glanced down a final time at the two girls, before she closed the locket and turned around to face her wife.

"Nozing, ma amour." She felt Hermione's eyes examine hers, as she leaned down holding her even more tightly. "Zis is just perfect."