Chapter 3: The Scarlet Train
"Illegal!" Ron shouted as Harry moved his Queen in an L shape. "An illegal move for Mr Potter! Resulting in an extra move for the Chess Master!"
Ron leaned over the chessboard, lifted the Knight by its sword and placed it next to Harry's Queen. The knight hacked the queen to pieces.
"Two moves away from total victory!" Ron grinned evilly and rubbed his hands together. "I can just
taste the victor's prize."
He looked over to Hermione, who was reading by the fireplace in one of the big armchairs.
She threw him a death glare back. "Grow up you two."
"The Lady is perplexed," Harry chuckled. "Sir Ronneth? Have you done some vile act to dishearten her Ladyship?"
"None that I knoweth Sir Harold," He laughed back. "My Lady doth seem out of sorts."
She smirked at the two boy's jest but hid it behind her book. Hogwarts: A History of course.
"Won't you two grow up?" She asked, turning the three-hundredth page.
The two boys just laughed at her and continued with their game.
Hermione peeked over the top of her book to look at her two best friends. Both had grown a lot since their first year. Both we're now young men, not addled little boys. They no longer needed her telling them to go to bed or to not sneak out after dark for food.
She smiled when she saw the two of them, her boyfriend and her best friend playing their favourite game together.
With only a day left in the old castle, it felt out of place to be going home already.
She'd be back soon though. Taking on the Charms teaching position as Professor Flitwick was retiring.
Ron would be going off to play for Puddlemere.
Harry…
Her mind froze as she looked at him. Laughing and joking like normal, like everything was all right with the world.
She knew they couldn't be together. Deep down she knew it. But why did it feel so right to kiss him?
That was all that her mind had dwelled on over the past few days. The kiss they'd shared after the blow out in her Head Girl bedroom.
She couldn't go into her room without watching the memory of it play out again before her eyes.
It also didn't help when Lavender sent her a copy of 'My Heart Will Go On' by Cèline Dion.
The heart may go on, but can't it just take a long walk off a short pier?
After the line, 'You're here, there's nothing I fear,' Hermione had thrown it in the trash, almost flinging it out of her CD player.
She figured it would make a good Frisbee if she wasn't so hacked off.
Suddenly, Ron flung his arms up in the air shouting in triumph, and waking her from her silent thought.
"In your face, Potter!" He shouted. "And again, the Master wins!"
Hermione watched Ron do a victory dance around the common room, shouting "Indestructible Me!"
Harry stood calmly, smiled a little and packed away the chess set.
"I'll beat you one day," he countered. "When I find the Ultimate Strategy Guide."
Ron considered Harry's statement. "I might just write one of them, someday."
Hermione stood up and closed her book.
"I'm going to bed before you go for his throat, Harry," she laughed, giving Ron a quick peck.
Harry stretched his arms up, deciding to face the wall while the two lovers embraced.
"I'm off to bed too, guys," He walked towards his Head Boy bedroom and opened the door. "Don't wake me too early."
"We won't, ALAC," Ron chuckled.
Harry and Hermione both decided to look puzzled.
"No, Ron," Hermione corrected. "He's called Harry. Something hit your head?"
Ron chuckled again. "ALAC. Stands for Almighty Loser at Chess."
"So I'm an Almighty Loser now?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "I can whoop your ass at football (soccer), Ron."
"Hmm," Ron pondered. "I'll have to see about that."
He questioned his mind for a second. "My back yard in the summer. I'll beat you."
"Good luck," Harry laughed. "See you tomorrow."
He walked into his room and shut the door behind him.
"What's football?" Ron asked Hermione, turning to face her.
Hermione laughed a little and shook her head. "You shouldn't have bet him to play you know."
Ron just grinned. "I'll beat him. How hard can it be?"
She gave him a quick kiss, feeling the guilt tie up inside her stomach.
"Night, Ron," She smiled before going into her bedroom.
She walked inside and shut the door behind her.
Tonight was their last night inside these walls. It didn't seem real to be leaving after all these years.
She'd come back though. Without a doubt, she was coming back here. There were too many memories buried inside the stone walls to forget.
After changing into her pyjamas, Hermione lay down in bed, staring up at the canopy above her bed.
Her eyes slowly drifted closed as she thought about the smell of the old books in the library; the familiar noise of Neville's exploding cauldron; Draco bouncing as a white ferret; all the potion lessons; levitating a feather for the first time; using her wand to fix Harry's glasses on the train then again in Diagon Alley and finally Harry.
Harry, her best friend no matter the occasion. The guy who stuck by her through thick and thin. The guy who was there for her night or day when she needed him. And the guy she loved.
With her eyes shut and her mind slowly drifting to the old memories encased in the stones, Hermione feel asleep.
The platform bustled with students climbing off the train at Kings Cross station.
And there stood Hermione, Harry and Ron holding their luggage. No more would they be catching that lovely Scarlet train to Hogwarts.
"Well," Ron started. "We're all off our separate ways now."
"I guess we are," Harry replied, adjusting Hedwig's cage as she flapped patiently.
"Hey, cheer up!" Hermione smiled brightly. "It's summer. We'll see each other again. This
isn't a goodbye time."
Ron laughed. "Hermione's right. This shouldn't be a goodbye."
Harry remembered his conversation with Hermione only a week ago.
"This should be a 'See you in the summer'," Harry grinned back at Ron and Hermione, letting his eyes fall finally on her.
"But what if we really don't see each other again?" Hermione's smile faded. "What if
something happens to any of us? What if we move away somewhere and forget about each other? I mean, it's very
probable with all the memory charms around and then Voldemort still coming after Harry, it's a big deal saying
goodbye here and now. What if…"
Harry laughed at her. "We won't forget. There's too much to forget."
"I second that," Ron chirped.
"We've been through to much to let it fall to pieces because we grow older," Hermione hugged Ron closer to her.
Harry averted his eyes for a moment but then brought them back to look at his two best friends.
"Then we make a pact," he grinned. "We make a pact right now that cannot be broken."
"If you think it'll work," Hermione held her hand out, palm facing down. "A pact it
is."
Ron placed his hand on top of his girlfriends and Harry followed suit, placing his on top of Ron's.
"Wherever we go, whatever we do, we're here for each other, not matter what. We're here," Harry said, sounding almost recited.
"Together," Hermione smiled.
"Together," Ron and Harry repeated, breaking their hands away.
The train whistle blew behind them and they turned to watch the Hogwarts Express chug away one last time.
"Well children," Ron grinned. "This is where the magic ends and real life begins."
"Don't be daft, Ron," Hermione grabbed hold of Ron and Harry's hands.
"Yeah," Harry agreed. "There's magic in everything."
"Especially when you live in the Wizarding world," Hermione squeezed her two best friend's hands a little as they pushed their trolleys through the barrier to the Muggle world on the other side.
Harry spotted Sirius waving at him, then Mrs Weasley and the twins Fred and George and finally Mr and Mrs Granger.
The three sighed at once.
"Here we go," Harry smiled at them both.
"See you later Harry," Ron chirped giving his friend a hug and a manly pat on the back.
"Later Ron," Harry patted Ron on the back as well, returning the gesture.
As they pulled back, Harry looked at Hermione. He didn't want to hug her. He was too afraid of not being able to let her go.
She smiled at him. He grinned back, wrapping his arms around her waist and embracing her tightly.
She wrapped her arms around his neck. "See you soon, Harry."
"See you soon, 'Mione," He smiled back into her hair.
Harry was the first to let go. As he did, Hermione grabbed his hand and shoved a piece of paper in it, concealed from Ron.
The three broke apart and walked to their designated adults.
They waved at each other again, waving to their families and watching them all together for one last time.
Sirius bear hugged Harry, nearly lifting his feet off the ground.
"How've you been Harry?" He set the boy back down on the ground and grabbed hold of Harry's trolley.
"Great. My last year gone though," Harry looked at the piece of paper folded up in his hand.
He unfolded it and read it.
The heart wants what it wants
Yours forever,
Hermione
"Yeah but you'll be back," Sirius laughed.
Harry smiled at the paper before looking up to look for Hermione among the sea of students.
He spotted her with her parents. She was looking at him with the brightest grin on her face.
She waved to him and he waved back.
"Any regrets?" Sirius asked, pushing the trolley towards the exit.
Harry grinned back at his godfather. "Only one, and I'll tell you later."
**