Disclaimer: Yeah…I don't own this. Anything recognizable belongs to JK Rowlings.
A/N: This is a result of a British friend of mine begging me to write something cuz I haven't in ages. So you all have Caty to thank for this. And at the moment she is currently begging me to write a prequel AND a sequel to this…but I think I'll let you all decide what you want. Review and let me know!
Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream
Harry sensed a movement near his legs and abruptly sat up, effectively waking up to a pounding headache.
"Oops, sorry, Harry…I didn't mean to wake you up," said a familiar voice just to his right.
"Ugh," Harry replied, bringing a hand up to his head. "What time is it?"
"Just before six."
"In the morning?" Harry asked, now opening his eyes to look at his female best friend. "Too early," he whimpered.
"I suppose it is…for those of us who actually got sleep."
"You've been awake all this time?"
"I seem to remember my partner, the Head Boy, passing out before my shift was over."
"Oh…sorry about that, Herm," Harry replied, grinning at her as she raised a spoon up to her mouth.
"I'm sure you are," Hermione mumbled back.
Harry's stomach chose that moment to growl. "What are you eating?"
Hermione looked back at him guiltily. "Ice cream."
Harry gave her fake shocked look. "For breakfast?" he asked. "Tsk tsk, shame on you, Miss Head Girl."
"Ahh, but I shall no longer be Miss Head Girl as of tonight, Mr. Potter…today's our last day," Hermione replied, taking another bite of her ice cream.
Harry looked around and quickly grabbed a quill to transfigure into a spoon as he said, "Wow, you're right. It's so weird to think that after today, this is all over." Harry reached over to Hermione's litre of ice cream and stuck his transfigured quill into it.
Harry placed the spoon of ice cream into his mouth and tasted the delicacy for the first time. "Wow, this tastes like…pumpkin pie."
Hermione, however, gave no answer as she silently looked at Harry.
"Hermione?"
Seeming to suddenly break out of her reverie, Hermione answered, "Hmm, what? Sorry…"
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing…I was just thinking about what you said. It is weird." Hermione fell silent for a moment before anxiously asking, "Harry? Do you think we'll always be friends?"
"Well, I certainly hope so. I've never imagined a life without you in it."
"Neither have I."
The two friends fell into silence again as they continued to eat their ice cream.
"So, what brought on the urge to eat ice cream for breakfast, Miss Granger?" Harry asked a few minutes later.
Hermione sucked in a sharp breath as she answered, "Seamus broke up with me a few hours ago."
"He did not," Harry replied, "that git!"
Hermione giggled quietly. "It's okay, Harry, you don't have to get revenge on him. I…uh…kinda did that already."
"Hermione…what'd you do?"
"Nothing!" Hermione said. "I just…slipped something into his drink to make him think he's a chicken at the ceremony today."
Harry couldn't help laughing at that. "Jeez, Hermione, you're so evil. Merlin forbid I ever get on your bad side."
Hermione just shrugged her shoulders and innocently smiled back at him.
"So, what was his excuse for breaking up with you?"
"I dunno…seemed to think I was in love with someone else."
"Are you?"
Hermione looked at Harry. "I don't know…"
Hearing a whimper, they turned simultaneously to see Ron sitting upright and out of breath while whimpering, "Spiders…"
Harry laughed. "You tell those spiders, Ron."
"Yeah…I will…I'll tell those spiders…" he mumbled as he laid his head back on the ground and quickly fell asleep again.
Hermione giggled. "What was that?"
"He's been having the same dream since like…third year," Harry replied, laughing. "Actually, that's not true. He has another one where he's chasing Luna."
"Lovegood?" Hermione asked, a look of pure shock on her face. "Looks like our dear Ronniekins has a crush."
"How about you? Do you have a recurring dream?"
"I did have one…before you killed Voldemort."
Harry's face softened as he waited for her to continue.
"It started after you told me about the prophecy; I just kept picturing him killing you and that I was powerless to stop it. "
"It's over now, Herm…"
"I know…it's all water under the bridge now." Hermione raised her gaze to Harry's eyes. "I'm just so happy you're okay," Hermione said as the tears started to roll down her cheeks.
Harry moved over to her and quickly took her into his arms as he kissed the side of her head.
"Harry, I…I just don't know what I would've done if I lost you," she mumbled into his chest.
"Hey," Harry said softly, his voice almost a whisper, "I'm here. You don't have to worry anymore. When we get out of here, I'm going to a nice, safe job as Seeker for the Cannons."
"That's supposed to make me feel better?"
Harry chuckled quietly. "I guess not," he said as he wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I was gonna wait until later to tell you and Ron this, but now seems like a good time." He reached into his pockets and grabbed a keychain with three keys on it.
"What's that?"
"I…er…bought three apartments right next to each other in Diagon Alley. I want you and Ron to each have one."
"Harry, this…"
"Is the least I can do," Harry interrupted.
"Why?"
Harry stayed silent for a moment as he thought about his answer. "Because…I don't think I'd be here without you. You gave me a reason to live, Herm. I guess, I just don't want us to lose our friendship."
"I don't think that could ever happen, Harry."
Neither of them noticed how they were slowly inching towards each other and neither of them knows who first started the kiss…but the point is that neither of them pulled away until a few minutes later.
Blushing, Hermione said, "We should probably finish this," motioning to the half-full litre of ice cream. "It's starting to melt."
Harry just laughed and reached forward for another spoonful of pumpkin pie ice cream.
*~*~*
"Bawk! Bawk ba bawk!"
Harry whispered in Hermione's ear, "Maybe you should have some pity on him now, Herm. It is his graduation too, you know."
"Oh, okay…but only because I don't want him interrupting our speech." Hermione pointed her wand at Seamus and muttered a few choice words. Seamus instantly stopped clucking and looked around him with a bewildered look.
"Harry…Hermione," Professor Dumbledore said as he made his way over to the two of them, "it's time."
"Good luck, mates. You'll be great, I know it," Ron said as he gave both of them a hug and took his seat with the rest of the Hogwarts graduates.
Hermione took a deep breath, held it, and then released it, attempting to rid herself of her nervousness.
"Hey," Harry whispered, as his hand found hers, "together."
Hermione smiled. "Together," she affirmed.
Together, they made their way up to the podium and waited for the crowd to take their seats.
After the audience quieted down, Harry started, "It's hard to believe that we're here already."
"We came here seven years ago, unsure of what was to come…and so, we've arrived to that same place now."
"Our years here were so many things: humorous, difficult, fun, and at times, dark."
"But throughout all of those hard times, we came together and made our way through it, making our friendships stronger than ever."
"Seven years ago, a lot of us came here, scared and alone."
"And now, though we may still be scared of our future…"
Harry and Hermione looked at each other briefly before they turned to look at the crowd and said, together, "We are no longer alone."
~FIN~
A/N: Don't forget to vote!
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