the one | h. potter

epilogue

Two years later: September 15, 2000

I don't know why I didn't expect it.

Sure, yesterday was our two year anniversary, and Harry had been super secretive about what he was planning. And yes, I'd noticed all the strange questions Katie had been asking all week, but thought nothing was amiss when she took me to the nail salon on Wednesday. I must have missed glances from Ron, deliberately pointed at my left hand, or the subtle hints Hermione and Ginny had been sending me for the past month. Hell, they took me to a jewelry store! And we looked at rings!

But most of all, I hadn't taken Harry's words from last week seriously. Whispered words after sex have always been the purest, soberest thoughts, and we'd just been cuddling afterward when Harry had said:

"I'm going to ask you to marry me one day. Soon."

It's been 10 days since that night, and he's fulfilled his promise.

• • •

24 hours earlier: September 14, 2000

Harry is a hopeless romantic. He's arranged for a portkey to take us somewhere secret, and has outright refused each one of my seduction attempts. I can tell that he's up to something, but it seems useless to try and figure it out; Harry's always been very protective of the surprises and date nights he plans.

Twenty minutes later, Harry accio's an empty plastic water bottle out from a cupboard in the kitchen, and as soon as we touch it, we're lifted away. His arm finds my waist in the air, while his other palm finds my face and covers my eyes before I can examine our surroundings. I use my other four senses to picture our location; birds chirping, the light rustle of trees in the wind, the smell of pine and earth, the sun on my shoulders.

"Can I look?" I ask.

"Not yet. It's a minute's walk away, I can see it from here," Harry replies.

"What's it?" I mumble under my breath. There's no use in asking the question out loud, though, because Harry won't tell me. "Are we in the woods?"

"You'll see," he says. Thirty seconds later, he stops walking, and turns my body to face whatever his surprise is. Then he removes his hands from my eyes.

"Ta da!" he sings, obviously pleased with himself. And he should be; he's created quite the setup out here.

We're in the middle of a forest, from what I can tell. There are tall pine trees surrounding a small, lush grassy area that encompasses a pond. There's a large picnic blanket set on the grass, laden with a wicker basket overflowing with food, candles waiting to be lit, and a wine chiller, set next to two champagne glasses. Since the sun is just beginning to set, the landscape has been painted in a pink haze. My white sundress and wedges, that Harry picked out earlier, match the aesthetic perfectly.

"Oh, Harry, it's beautiful!" I sigh, leaning backwards into his arms. "So this is where you've been going for the past few days?"

He grins back sheepishly. He'd been going on bogus errands for days, claiming to be at the Healer's office or Gringotts. "I had to make something special for our two year anniversary!"

I turn to him and place my hands on his shoulders. "Well, you should have told me you were going all out, because then I would've gotten you a better gift."

"You're the only gift I need," he replies, and we both lean into a quick kiss. He takes my hand and leads me over into a small clearing where the setting sun is perfectly visible over the trees.

"I got you some more gifts tonight, if that's okay," he says softly, and I nod slowly.

"Can I have a hint?" I ask, smirking.

He kisses my nose. "Turn towards the sunset and put your hands behind your back."

"Oooh, kinky."

"Liz!"

"Alright, alright," I comply.

There's a little click, a murmured spell, and I feel the charm bracelet Harry gave me two Christmases ago slip off of my wrist. My breath catches in my throat; it's become a bit of a tradition to add charms based on milestones in life and in our relationship. There are currently 4 charms; a lily, a key, a cat and a purple gem; signifying my mother, when we moved in together, when we got our cat, Sage, and when we got promoted to full-time Aurors. What's the milestone this time? I'm not sure there's anything left to-

"Okay," he says, clipping the bracelet back on. "Take a look, but don't turn around."

I lift my left wrist and turn the bracelet to examine the new charm. I hear Harry moving behind me, but all my senses leave me when I spot it. It's a charm, in the shape of a small, black box, with tiny hinges.

Holy shit.

It's a ring box.

I turn to face Harry in an instant, but he's not at eye level. I look down at him, kneeling on the grass, holding up a real-life size ring box. Inside of it, nestled in black velvet, is one of the rings I admired at the jewelry store with Hermione and Ginny; silver, with a ring of clear, sparkling diamonds surrounding a large, bright emerald. The gemstone is the exact same color of Harry's eyes.

"Liz..." Harry starts.

"Yes," I answer.

He laughs wetly, tears brewing in his eyes. "I didn't even get to make my speech."

"Then make one fast," I smile. There are tears in my eyes, too.

"Elizabeth Smith, ever since I met you, my life hasn't been the same." He pauses, smiling, and lets out a nervous chuckle. "You swung into my life and saw me as myself, not as the boy who lived. It feels like my life only started when I met you... And Merlin, I can't imagine life without you." A single tear slips down his cheek, and his nervousness from earlier has morphed into confidence. "You're my soulmate, Liz, you're my one, my one and only. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you, my love."

My heart is beating in my ears when he finally asks the question. "So please, make me the happiest, luckiest man alive, and be my wife."

Harry's eyes are glistening with hope, and his mouth has broken into a wide grin. The sun has lit up his face, perfectly accenting his bright green eyes and the small freckles left on his nose from the summertime. He looks so beautiful, down on one knee, pouring his heart out. My heart soars, beating faster by the moment.

"Of course," I exclaim. "There's nothing I want to do more."

I'm in his arms, being lifted up, spun around, and kissed hard. I feel Harry slipping the ring on my finger, which only makes me kiss him harder.

This is what happily ever after feels like.