An Epic Love Story

35. Goodbye

"Thank you Professor Dumbledore and Professor Mcgonagall for all your kind words.  My friends thought it would be best if I said something, and if none of you can see it, I'm nervous as hell", he chuckled.  "Stupid really, all things considering", he said with a smile.

Laughter ran out in the hall at those words, and died down when Harry held his hand up, showing that he needed to get this done.  

"While my time here at Hogwarts has been shall we say, busy, fun and terrifying, it has also been without a doubt the best times of my life.  The first time I made a friend, my first real friend, was on the Hogwarts Express, and it feels like it happened yesterday when Ron came into my compartment and asked if he could join me.  I remember buying all the sweets off the trolley, and we had stomach ache when we arrived", a look of nostalgia crossing his face.

"A moment later I met my next best friend, Hermoine.  She walked in, as cool and as calm as anything I'd ever seen before, and proceeded to repair my broken glasses.  With magic".  He looked at them, winked at Hermoine and carried on. 

"Ron, Hermoine.  I cannot thank you enough for your friendship and support.  It has been overwhelming, and precious and wonderful and scary and some of the times annoying, but without you, I would never have had the special times that I did, so for that, thank you.  With all my heart, I thank you.  The both of you stood by my side through everything, even when I was being an idiot in sixth year, you never gave up on me", he said blinking back tears that were threatening to fall.

"To all the Gryffindors who joined Dumbledore's Army when it was formed, I am amazed at all of you.  The level of magic that all of you portrayed blew my mind.  It is something that I will cherish forever, the good and the bad.  All of us have lost so much, during the war and leading up to it, but we have to remember that it was all for the greater good.  To make a better world for all of us.  Thank you Neville, Luna, Dean, and Seamus.  For everything. 

To the Hufflepuffs, thank you for believing in me when I was at my lowest.  I don't want to recall bad memories, but your belief in Cedric and in myself was welcome.  He told me that he and some of you, never believed it was me who put my name in the Goblet of Fire, and that meant everything to me.  It came at a time when I had so many bad things going on in my life, and the one positive thing was your faith, so for that I thank all of you.

To the Ravenclaws, you house should have been graced with the presence of Hermoine Granger, because I don't think there is anyone here who can outsmart her, other than Draco Malfoy.  Thank you for all your support, and for staying with me through thick and thin.  Thank you also for allowing me entry into your common room to be able to do what I had to during the war.

To the Slytherins.  Your finesse and fierce sportsmanship on the Quidditch pitch can only be outmatched by your passion for the game, and although Gryffindor won most of the matches, you play like champions.  It was always a good day when your house and mine were going head to head with each other", he said with tears in his eyes.  "Thank you for everything that you have done for us, and for Hogwarts as a whole.  Just thank you".

He looked for the blond head in the mix, and when his eyes found him, focused only on Draco.  

"Draco", he said.  All heads turned to watch the Slytherin, seeing that he had silent tears running down his cheeks already.  

"Draco, you have been a thorn in my side since day one.   There were times that I wanted to punch your lights out, and there were days that I wanted to hug you and tell you that everything is going to be okay, you have to learn to trust me", he choked out a sob.  "I never did, and for that, I am truly sorry.  I should have kissed you sooner, maybe you wouldn't have had to go through your own hell if I had", he smiled, crying softly.

Draco smiled back at him, and wiped his tears away with the back of his hand.  Stupid Gryffindor, he thought.  "And I want to thank you Draco, for letting go and for giving me a chance.  For giving us a chance.  A chance at living, a chance at making new memories, a chance at loving each other with no boundaries.  Thank you for loving me, the hopeless mess that I am, but thank you.  Thank you for being yourself around me and around our friends, and I can't wait for the day when the rest of the world sees what a big bloody sap you are", he laughed trying to lighten the mood.

Draco stood up and ran into his arms.  Throwing his arms around the neck of the savior, he knew he would never hear the end of it, but that was okay.  He was a man filled with love now, and he was going to show if off for the world to see.  Harry hugged him back, and kissed the top of his head, until he had calmed down.  Then they both stood before the microphone and Harry said one last thing.

"To Hagrid I say this.  You are responsible for the greatest day in my life.  Telling me I was a wizard, and I hope you know that I love you.  I love all of you, every single one of you sitting here.  Professor Snape, I especially want to thank you for your strict method of teaching, it has brought me some kind of understanding and realization that this war that we have all been through was not your first.  In fact for most of the teachers this was their second war, so while it may have seemed cruel at the time, I understand everything you did, and why you did it that way.  

This is not the last time I will be at Hogwarts.  I, that is Draco and I, will be back.  Sooner than you know.  As much as the situation calls for me to say the words, I will not, because that will mean that I won't see any of you again, and that is not the case.  I refuse to say goodbye to any of you, so I will say this ", he said taking hold of Draco's hand and giving it a squeeze.

"Until we see each other again, fill your days with love, your nights with laughter, and your tummies with candy.  Fill your head with dreams and hopes, and don't let anyone tell you those things are for fools.  It is the fool who doesn't believe in them.  Never ever ever let go of the good things in life, whether you have them now or pick them up along the way, on your journey of life.  Pick them up, and keep them with you always, and you will see the beauty in everything and everyone", he panted.

"Thank you, and Draco thanks you as well", he whispered again, and walked back to his table with Draco, the sounds of the clapping getting louder and louder the further he went.  He sat down with his lover next to him, and when Draco laid his head on Harry's shoulder, there wasn't a dry eye in the hall.  Everyone was sniffing, and crying, sobbing about losing their favorite student and friend.  They also didn't want to say goodbye, because that word meant there was no more tomorrow, and they needed to believe in at least another one.