A/N: Ok, I wrote this last, but I wanted it before the "future chapter." Someone suggested a Nearly Headless Nick chapter and I loved the idea, so here it is.
****Nearly-Headless Nick****
What a year it had been! This was the year that Harry Potter saved the school from the Chamber of Secrets. I remember that year quite clearly. One night, I was talking to Mr. Justin Finch-Fletchley when suddenly his eyes grew wide in terror and he fell to the ground. I turned around to see what happened. I didn't hear anyone say a spell. All I saw was a pair of huge yellow eyes and everything went dark. The next thing I remembered was waking up in the hospital with several other students including Justin and Hermione Granger.
I quickly made my way down to the Great Hall to see my fellow ghosts. I was very curious to hear from them what happened. I was greeted by several students.
"Welcome back, Sir Nicholas!" a Hufflepuff called to me.
"Thank you!" I replied.
"Good evening, Sir Nicholas!" another Hufflepuff said.
"Good evening!"
"Good to see you, Sir Nicholas!" one of my Gryffindors said to me.
"Thank you!"
Then I met Hermione at the door.
"Hermione! Welcome back!" I said.
"Thanks, Sir Nicholas!" she replied.
Her head quickly turned to the Gryffindor table. To the untrained eye, one would think she was just looking at her housemates, glad to be back. But to someone who has seen thousands of romances blossom at Hogwarts (like myself), I knew where she was looking.
She was trying to find Harry.
To most of the students at the school, they seemed like just friends. But to the faculty and the school ghosts, they were destined to be together.
Neville said something to Harry and Harry's face lit up. He and Ron leaned back and Harry's face almost broke with happiness. He quickly stood and Hermione began to run to him. Anyone with half a brain could see what would happen next. They embraced tightly and with an affection that no 12-year-old could identify.
Many of the adults could identify it, though. How could we not? These two were the exact same as Harry's parents (and his grandparents for that matter). Harry was the picture of his father - from his messy hair to his mischievous grin and knack for finding trouble. Hermione and Lily were the bookworms with a soft spot for mischievous grins. I wasn't entirely sure the castle was ready for another Lily and James, but I was excited to find out.
Lily and James had this perfect love that filled every room they were in. I loved talking to them and just being around them. They brought little Harry to Hogwarts when he was a few weeks old. Proud parents that they were, they showed him off to anyone they could. He was an adorable baby. Lily and James reminded me so much of James' parents when they brought him. And Harry looked like his father already. Lily and James were wonderful people, loyal friends and amazing parents. I knew that Harry and Hermione would turn out exactly like them.
James' parents at least knew they loved each other before James and Lily and Harry and Hermione. They dated from their fourth year on and married right out of school. Beautiful romance they had, though not nearly as full of adventure as their son or grandson's. Regardless, they had the kind of love that seemed to be a Potter tradition - very passionate and very complete. When the Potter men fell in love, they fell hard. But they always made the right choices in the end.
Anyway, Harry and Hermione just stood that way, in each other's arms in the middle of the Great Hall, until eventually embarrassment took over and the pre-teens had to break apart.
Nonetheless, Harry kept holding Hermione's hand even when Ron wouldn't hug her. It was almost as though he needed confirmation that she wasn't going away again.
The three shared a conversation and just as things began to seem strange between them, Minerva clinked her glass and allowed Albus to give his end of the year speech.
I was very anxious to see how these two would develop over the years. I knew how the Potters operated. I had seen many of them grow up in this school. It would take a while, but eventually, both would realize that their hearts so obviously belonged to one another. I looked forward to the day when I would be speaking to Harry and Hermione's children as they entered the Gryffindor Common Room as their parents and grandparents did before them.
It was definitely going to be interesting to have another Lily and James Potter running around the halls. And I for one, couldn't wait to see it!