Butterfly Effect ; H. Potter

epilogue: forever and always.

She had expected their last hug to have been their final but here she was, wishing for a million more after this. He was smiling when they separated.

"We never really celebrated your birthday, did we?" said Harry, opening the front door once again. Antheia shrugged.

"We have my next one soon, anyway."

"We're not waiting three months!" exclaimed a voice from behind Harry. Antheia looked out the door and saw Ron and Hermione running towards her. They both had large suitcases with them.

"Have you ever heard of a Muggle sleepover, Theia?" asked Hermione, as Ron opened the door for her and invited himself into the house.

"Not in the slightest," answered Antheia. Hermione began laying down four mattresses, blankets, and pillows onto the living room floor.

"Wingardium Leviosa," Ron muttered, lifting the sofa and tables out of the way for Hermione.

"It's when Muggles sleep at their friend's houses for fun," explained Hermione.

"That's why it's called a sleepover!" said Ron, reciting the sentence as if reading from a script. Hermione patted him on the shoulder proudly. "You sleep over at somebody's house."

"Brilliant!" said Harry, his eyes lighting up. "I've always wanted to have one of those!"

"Me, too!" said Hermione, her and Harry exchanging delighted glances.

"Neither of you have ever had one?" asked Antheia, confused. "I thought both of you grew up with Muggles?"

"Er - before Hogwarts," said Harry, his face turning slightly pink, "I didn't have many friends. Dudley's friends would come over sometimes but I'd get locked up in my room."

"I didn't have any Muggle friends, either ..." admitted Hermione. "But I've got the three of you, now! Theia, do you have any snacks?"

Antheia thought for a moment. Her first instinct was to say no unless they wanted to eat expired food. Then, she remembered the bottle of Firewhiskey in the hallway leading to the kitchen.

"Does Firewhiskey expire?"

Ron whooped.

"I don't ... I don't know ..." said Hermione, looking flustered.

"Wow, Hermione Granger not knowing the answer to something?" asked Ron teasingly. "I never thought I'd see the day!"

"There's not much about Firewhiskey in the books I read including in Hogwarts: A History."

"It doesn't expire," said Ron. "Fred and George told me. Go fetch it. We can all legally drink it now, can't we?"

"Legally?" asked Hermione, sounding bewildered. "That wasn't enough to stop the three of you at fifteen."

But Antheia was already making her way to the hallway. She picked up the bottle, tucked the note into her pocket, and made her way back to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who were now settled in a small circle on the mattresses.

"I found this this morning," said Antheia, pulling out the note and tossing it to Hermione. "I think it's the perfect time to drink it. I'm not eighteen, yet, but 'we're not waiting three months!'"

So, Ron took the bottle, poured it into four cups (with his own nearly overflowing), and they all bumped their glasses together.

"To surviving the war?" asked Harry.

"To the Boy Who Lived!" cheered Hermione.

"To me finally snogging Hermione!" said Ron.

"It was hardly a snog," said Antheia. "But I'm proud of you."