Ron was sitting in his compartment with Lavender, Ginny and Neville. Sixth year was over. For most of them, sixth year had been very calm and very enjoyable. For Ron, sixth year was the year he discovered love. How to love and be loved in return. The Big Love. A love reciprocated by one of the cutest witch of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Miss Lavender Brown. He was proud to be her boyfriend and she was proud to be his. Nothing could have been more perfect. Well, that was wrong, come to think of it. His five years of friendship with his two friends, Harry and Hermione, had faded. They had barely seen each other through the year. Oh, sure, he still saw them at dinner, or at lunch, or in classes, but it was not the same. They didn't hang out together anymore in their free time. It seemed that Hermione buried herself more (if possible) in the library and that Harry only had his new girlfriend in mind. Come to think of it, beside quidditch practice, he had barely seen Harry out of classes.
Yep… it has been a strange year.
At first they were all fearing that You-Know-Who would try something bad. After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had failed miserably in fifth year to achieve his goals, losing some of his best followers in the process. But with time passing by, there were no clues that he was planning something. And so, eventually, everyone relaxed and began to enjoy the year. For once, it was good not to have to always look over your shoulder to see if a crazy psychopathic wizard was trying to kill you or the ones you care about.
At Halloween, Ron had gathered all his courage to ask Lavender out. To his surprise and fulfilling his hopes, she had said "yes" and they were quickly known as a couple. If before Halloween he had spent some time with Hermione, after Halloween, he was giving all his free time to his girlfriend. And he had seen Hermione, and Harry, less and less.
The biggest mystery to Ron, was Harry. On the train back to Hogwarts, while he and Hermione had to attend the prefect meeting taking place aboard the train, Harry had encountered this witch named Mary. She was, so she said, transferring from an American school called Salem's Institute. At the time, she had seemed very interested in Harry. When Ron and Hermione came back from the prefect meeting, she was nearly sitting on his lap. And he didn't seem to mind. Well, it was quite understandable. Mary was petite and cute. There was something about her that was very endearing. She seemed to have a good personality and was very charming. It could have been worse for Harry… It could have been a second Milicent Bullstrode. One week after the school really started, they were a couple. One can barely be seen without the other. And Harry had started to drift apart from them. In fact, Harry had drifted away from all his classmates. Everyone except Mary. And it had only worsened through the year.
And now, here they were. In the train… Back home… He had no idea where his two former best friends were. He was with his girlfriend and it was good.
One of the last to board the train, Hermione had found an empty compartment and had locked herself in it. She didn't want to see anybody, she didn't wanted to speak to anybody. She didn't want to be pitied. Sixth year had been hard for her. Oh, not on a study plan. She had performed so well on her term exams that she had received the congratulations from all the professors, publicly. Even McGonagall AND Snape had congratulated her. But she had barely acknowledged the praise they were giving her. She had had time to study this year. So much time. Too much time in fact. No, the year had been hard to get through because of her feelings.
So many times, in fifth year, she had kept her feelings for herself. So many times, she had felt her heart breaking. Never, had she said anything. She was his best friend. And that was all there was to say. But, oh, she needed to be more than this. It was burning her from inside. She had cried so many tears this year, alone in the library or in her bed, at night. So many nights she had woken up crying and whispering his name. But he was totally oblivious. Worse, he didn't see her anymore. It was as if Harry Potter had never entered her life.
She let her mind wander, go back in time. How they were happy to see each other on platform 9 and ¾. How she had to go (damn, now she hated it) to that prefect meeting instead of staying next to him. She had to leave him alone in this compartment. And when they came back… it was too late. He had encountered the one that would be Hermione's doom: Mary. After a week they were a couple and Hermione had her heart shattered. She remembered that from that day, she hadn't had a chance to see Harry alone. Mary was constantly next to him. Making sure that no other girl had an access to him but her. She had even made clear to all other girls that she would not hesitate to hex those who wanted to approach him without her consent. She was so possessive… Hermione had locked herself on the library. Starting to work, and work, and work, and work even more. She was carrying her prefect duties late at night to avoid stumbling across them. She knew of course that Harry had all the necessary material to avoid being caught. Until Halloween, Ron had spent some time with her. Dear Ron… So hungry to have someone to speak to. So little concerned when it came to homework and study. Soon he was fed up with the library. And after Halloween, he had asked Lavender Brown out and they were a couple. Another heartbreak for Hermione. Not that she felt something for Ron. But it was her second and last best friend that was saying goodbye to her. She had cried some days and then she had even found more work to do. And when she was not working in the library, she was spending time alone, wandering on the grounds. She never approached the lake. For the lake was giving her too much memories of her and Harry together.
And now she was in this compartment. Her eyes were red and puffy. She was glad the year was over. She was glad to come back home. Where there were people who loved her. People who cared for her. Home… For one instant, she closed her eyes. And then she saw it again… A pair of big green eyes, looking at her, full of love and understanding.
"Oh", Harry…" she said before crumbling on herself, crying once more over something that has now no chance to happen…
Oblivious to all of this, Harry was in a world of bliss. He was in his compartment. The door was locked and the flexible body of Mary was snuggled very close to him. Her lips seemed to be glued to his. What a year it had been… Life can be beautiful when you don't have a dark wizard spying your every move. Life can be beautiful when you live it to the fullest with a girl at your side. Well of course, he had not seen his friends too much during the year, but hey, for once, they could understand that he was happy. The ride home was a torture for Harry and he was spending all the time possible with his girlfriend before having to part for two long months. Of course, they would write each other often, but it's not the same as having the girl you like in your arms. Thinking about the year, Harry was glad. Visibly, they had succeeded in stopping Voldemort for some time in fifth year. He had lost some very important "associates". Only some of the Deatheaters present in the Department of Magic had escaped. Among them was Bellatrix Lestrange, Sirius Black's murderer. But what a satisfaction for Harry to have Malfoy Senior under custody. And he wasn't soon to be released. And it was for the better. Draco Malfoy had made fewer remarks to him during the year. His efforts were finally paying. Of course, the bad guy was still somewhere planning death and misery. But sixth year had been good and calm. No bad dreams, no visions, nothing. Only the love of a beautiful girl.
Speaking of girls, he didn't know how Hermione had done at her exams this year. It seemed that she had spent way more time than usual in the library. Harry remembered that some thing had been said during the feast and it seemed that Hermione was called to the table of the professors… But Mary was saying something in his ear and he didn't pay attention to what was happening around him. He was focused only on Mary. Hermione could wait. He would have time later for his friends. Now he wanted to spend the maximum amount of time with Mary. After all, isn't that what happen when a boy meet a girl? For some time, friends do not count anymore. Only the girl counts. And what a girl. She kissed like a goddess, her every word was honey to Harry's ear. He believed her when she said that he didn't need the help of Hermione to succeed on his exams now that he had her. And she was right. He had succeeded. Not better than usual, but he had managed to have enough good results to pass.
Harry let his mind wander through time. The beginning of the year had been very good. He had met Mary on the train ride. She had made clear that she was interested in him. When Ron and Hermione had joined him in the compartment, he had made the presentation. Mary had smiled toward Ron but she had scowled toward Hermione. After one week they were together. And from this moment on, no girl was allowed to approach him without Mary's permission. And she was giving very little of it. The number of girls turning around him had slowly but surely deflated. Which was a good thing. The bad thing was that some very good friends, female friends of him, were pushed back also. Well… That was life…
Now in the train back to anything but home, Harry was taking every moment with Mary. They would be apart for two months. A long period of time when you're in love…
Slowly, the train came to a halt. Ron, Lavender, Ginny and Neville were in the first to get out. They came through the barrier, not looking back. They didn't saw Hermione nor did they search to see her. Hermione had been so secret this year that she had melted in the landscape. Unnoticed by each and everyone. They came through the barrier and were greeted by Molly and Arthur Weasley, Lavender's mother and Neville's grandmother.
Hermione took her time. Her parents would wait for her whatever time she took. So she made it slowly. Being sure that she was nearly the last to leave the train. From her window, she saw Ron, Ginny, Neville and Lavender. In one swift move, they were gone. She had dried her eyes during the journey home and she had even managed to sleep a little. Her eyes were not red and puffy anymore. Things were back to normal. She took her luggage through the barrier and was greeted by her parents. Quickly, they left the station.
Harry and Mary went out of the train in the mass of students heading home. Harry spotted Uncle Vernon once he went through the barrier. He kissed Mary goodbye and she made him promise to write every day. He promised and they parted…
This was going to be a long, long, long holiday… for everyone.