Harry Potter and the Circle of Oblivion

A/N: Well, this is IT. THE END. It's just a little “epilogue” of sorts to draw everything to an end. Snippets of what will be. I waited longer to post it than I said because it's sort of sad to post the last chapter. This isn't the first or last thing I've written, but I do think it's the longest so far. There are parts of this story I'm not so happy about. There are parts I love. But it's all here and that's that. There will not be a sequel. I'm beginning to think I'm better at writing shorter fanfics where I can condense and intensify the emotion. At least right now. But, I hope you've enjoyed reading this one. I had fun writing it.

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It was after midnight when the pair walked back into Gryffindor common room, effectively leaving the seven people waiting for them completely thunderstruck. Neville's Queen even got a good dig on Ron's Knight without him noticing.

“Well, you're a sight. Completely soaked,” Ginny spoke after what seemed like ages, “Honestly you could have found a more practical place to snog than in the middle of a rainstorm!”

The room burst into gales of laughter and Hermione's hand flew to her mouth, eyes betraying her.

“I - I'm going to clean up!” She said nervously, speaking aloud, but looking at Harry. He squeezed her hand and she smiled, speaking a million volumes to the whole room, then scurried up the stairs, Lavender, Parvati and Ginny trailing furiously behind her.

Harry felt the color of Ron's hair. “Right.” He watched the girls go, “I think I'll go to bed.”

Four voices told him otherwise and Harry Potter was up all night.

***

The next few days were completely ridiculous. At least Hermione thought so. People she'd never met scrambled up to her and asked about Harry, others just whispered or giggled as the two of them walked through the halls hand in hand, or sat huddled, heads together in various corners of the library or common room.

Ron was with them very often, as usual, and found these moments hilarious, laughing continually. Git.

“Honestly, we've just kept Voldemort from killing half the community and they want to know if you're a good kisser!” Hermione said one morning over breakfast in the great hall.

“Not another word if you want me to keep my breakfast down,” Ron said through a mouthful of eggs.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

She and Harry took Ron's comments in stride, knowing it was all for their benefit. Let it never be said that Ron Weasley found them “sweet”. But Hermione knew otherwise having heard him tell Pansy Parkinson off the week before for making a smarmy comment. On top of that, he could often be heard spouting, “Sod off and find a life. They did.”

***

Harry's contemplations on life had changed remarkably from the person he remembered last summer. In some ways he barely recognized himself, in others, he was very much the same. And now sixth year was over. Harry had spent it much like he'd expected, with quite a few surprises. Of course there had been Ron and the other guys and the ever-expected appearance of Voldemort, but Hermione… falling in love with his best friend had been something new. And yet those things made up the bulk of his existence and, he realized, always had. Everything else… the lessons, the scrapes, the nuisances and the triumphs, they were all just background noise for the relationships - good or bad - in his life. Dumbledore had been right. Harry mulled everything over in his mind as he, Ron and Hermione found their spots on the train, stowing things away.

They were bickering, of course.

“Ronald, if you step on my foot one more time this afternoon…”

“Well, if you'd walk at a normal pace instead of shuffling along so you can speak to everyone on the train, it would help out just a little.” He said sarcastically.

“Just watch where you're going. THAT would be helpful.”

“You've spent an entire school year with these people and decide that the best time to chat is when we're packing onto the train? I can't help it if you're thick.”

She tried to feign more anger but instead grinned broadly and threw herself at him.

“Bloody bonkers!” Ron hugged her back, looking at Harry - who only shrugged with a smile - over her shoulder. “You got a right good nutter here, Harry.

“I love my friends, Ron, that's all.” She released him and moved to the seat where Harry was.

“Better not keep telling me you love me in front of Harry, makes me a bit uncomfortable.” Ron joked.

“What doesn't make you uncomfortable, Ron?” Harry asked lightly, smirking.

The three of them laughed and Harry placed an arm around Hermione's shoulders, kissing her on the cheek before she turned and pressed her lips firmly to his.

“Oh, come on!” Ron exclaimed, “I've told you two I won't have that in front of me. I'm not a brick wall.”

“That,” Hermione tossed a book at him, “is entirely debatable.”

The train whistled shortly after and the three friends fell into their usual routine. Hermione read as the boys talked about Quidditch or whatever else made them feel `the least bit masculine' (as she called it), and she intermittently sprinkled in comments that neither of them wanted to hear.

“Go on reading Hogwarts: A History for the billionth time and let us discuss rogue bludgers if we want.” Ron spat.

At some point they usually fell quiet, napping or reading, happy to be in the same place, but not obligated to chat.

It was during one of these moments, after Ron laid himself out across the seat to read The Chudley Cannons, Road to a World Cup Championship, that Luna Lovegood appeared at the door to the trio's compartment. “Mind if I ride with you?” She asked, looking at Ron.

“Um… er…” He looked at the seat across from him. Harry was trying not to smile, Hogwarts: A History (Abridged) in one hand (Hermione had insisted this volume was much shorter, but sill very informative), the other running fingers softly through a sleeping Hermione's hair, her head in his lap.

“Well… er… I guess not.” Ron swung his legs onto the floor as Luna sat down beside him, promptly finding her copy of The Quibbler in the bottom of a large bag and commencing to read it upside down without another word… but plenty of sideways glances at Ron.

Harry raised his book to cover his quivering mouth before it betrayed him with a laugh. Not long after, he was fast asleep as well, hand grasping Hermione's.

Ron, however, couldn't concentrate the whole way home.

When they left the train at King's Cross, Ron seemed abnormally quiet and didn't speak until they'd all seen Luna off.

“You can stop holding your breath now, Ron.” Hermione said, mirth in her voice.

“Did you hear all those questions? `What are you doing this summer, Ron? Are Hermione and Harry staying the whole summer? They are, well, why? When will Hermione's parents' new house be done? Don't the three of you ever get tired of one another? Do you have any free time?' I felt like I was taking an oral bloody quiz!”

“There you are dears!” Mrs. Weasley came scurrying through the crowd, effectively stopping Ron's verbal spew. “Come along, then.” She hugged them all hurriedly. “I've left Hermione's parents alone at the Burrow with your father, Ron, you're going to have to walk a bit more quickly. Ginny, help him.”

“Coming.” He sighed, picking up Pig's cage.

Molly pushed one of their bags into the Ministry vehicles. “Harry dear, when are you going to see your Aunt and Uncle?”

“Oh, well, I wrote them and said I'd be by to pick up my things sometime next week.”

“Fine. Lovely. As long as you promise to have a good long chat with them while you're there.” Mrs. Weasley said with a knowing look in her eyes.

“I will.” Harry said. And he meant it.

Hermione took his hand, squeezing it. She planned to go with him.

“You'll never believe who is coming to stay next week!” Molly said breathlessly.

Ginny giggled as if she knew the secret.

“The Lovegoods.” Mrs. Weasley missed the look on her son's face as they all found seats inside the car. “Apparently Mr. Lovegood discovered we had muggles staying with us and thought it would be an interesting story for that magazine of theirs.” She obviously did not approve, “I must say I was rather perturbed with your father for allowing them to come, but he doesn't use his brain when it comes to muggles!”

Everyone in the car was smiling, save Ron, who looked a bit pale.

***

Later that evening, after they'd had dinner, the families settled themselves in the den.

Hermione looked around and felt tears sting her eyes. Her father sat in a corner, animatedly discussing seatbelts with a very engrossed Mr. Weasley. Her mother and Mrs. Weasley were cleaning up in the kitchen and laughing over some unknown story. Harry and Ron were playing Wizard Chess by the fire, where Ginny sat reading Witch Weekly's 25 Most Handsome Wizards edition. Fred and George had come home and were testing a new product - something invisible they kept tossing at Ron, who lurched every time it hit him.

She was still lost in her thoughts as she felt a pair of arms sneak round her waist. “Come over by the fire with us,” Harry's voice said in her ear before he kissed her cheek.

“Yeah, Hermione, I want to give you this beauty quiz!” Ginny pointed to the magazine.

Ron was in the middle of rolling his eyes when another invisible attacker snapped onto his arm. “I'm going to kill the both of you!”

Fred and George laughed and tossed out a comment about Luna to shut him up.

Hermione let Harry lead her toward their niche by the fire. As he sat down to continue playing chess, she leaned against his legs.

Of all the words that could have come to mind, simple was the first. This was simple. Something her life hadn't been for years. Now her life was just beginning.

And it was perfect.