Chapter Nine
Oh sweet Merlin, it was the last day. Or close to it.
Exams were done, and Hermione felt very confidant about her N.E.W.Ts. She'd studied for hours and hours, memorizing everything and anything she could fit into her head. Then, after a while she browbeat the boys into studying with her. They followed her studying instructions without a word, knowing whatever they had to say would not faze her. When it came to tests, and doing them right, Hermione was very headstrong.
But she still couldn't believe it. Tonight was her last night in Hogwarts. It was the final night of her seventh year. Shouldn't she be happy? It was the start of her life as an adult, and she'd been waiting for this moment since she turned thirteen. So why wasn't she excited?
She pondered this for a moment, enjoying the quiet of the nearly empty dormitory. All posters and pictures had been taken down, and the walls looking depressingly bare. Trunks were packed, some more neatly than others, and sat innocently at the end of each bed.
An orange light was spilling into the room, telling Hermione it was close to dinnertime. She got up from her place on her bed, and wandered to the window at the other end of the room. It was last sunset she'd ever see on these beautiful grounds. Her last look at the hills and mountains, the Forbidden Forest, the lake, whomping willow and Hagrid's hut, would all be tomorrow. How had this day come so fast? This was her home away from home, and she knew she'd miss it terribly.
And with that thought and a tear in her eye, she turned away from the window, and opted to find her best friends, whom she'd met here, and she'd leave them at King's Cross. A sudden thought struck her and she stopped dead in her tracks.
Harry and Ron. Would see ever see them again? She squeezed her eyes shut, not able to handle the thought, and pushed it away.
She entered the staircase, wiping fiercely at a tear that had slipped out.
"Hey Hermione." Ginny had emerged from her dormitory one landing below.
"Hello Ginny." Hermione said, pushing harder at the saddening thoughts.
"What's it feel like to know this is your last day?" Ginny asked as Hermione caught up to her.
She sighed, knowing this fact was obviously unavoidable.
"It's sad." She said simply.
"Yeah, I bet." The red head threw an arm around Hermione's shoulders as they reached the common room.
"Be sure to enjoy your seventh year Ginny, because it flies by pretty fast." She smiled.
"I will Hermione, don't worry."
~*~*~
She poked at her food, not really hungry. The Great Hall was filled with happy voices, and Hermione felt very out of place.
There were memories in the hall that she didn't want to leave behind. A small smile twitched the corners of her lips as she remembered the puffy purple sleeping bags Dumbledore conjured for all the Gryffindors to sleep in when Sirius was thought to be loose in the castle. Her smiled faded.
Sirius…
She put her fork down, suddenly over come with grief. She remembered that night all too well in her mind. More, she remembered Harry's grief, which was terribly worse than hers, she knew.
Sighing, she picked up her fork again, and tried to eat. The food was rather tasteless, and she truly wished she could enjoy it. She hadn't seen Harry or Ron all day, and she wondered where they went. There was a Hogsmeade trip that afternoon, which she chose not to be a part of because she was behind on her packing. And because she awoke late, she hadn't had the chance to see Harry and Ron before they left. She shrugged to herself.
Another memory crept into her mind. The Ball. Not just this year's, but also in fourth year. The Yule Ball. Ron had been insanely jealous of Victor. She smiled a little, remembering how they fought. Of course, Ron denied having feelings for her, but jealousy wasn't an easy thing to hide.
And then there was this year's ball.
"I know you're with Harry now Hermione," Ron had said during their first slow dance, "but I just want you to know that I love you…as a friend, and you can always owl me if you need me."
She had smiled generously at him, and thanked him whole-heartedly.
And she smiled now at the thought, knowing he was right. He'd always be there for her, and he had been in the past. It made her feel better to know that.
Then there was Harry. And THAT was a completely different story altogether. She smiled again at the thought of him, and all the dances they had together, and his sweet words and numerous compliments. She could say that she would remember that night forever, and only for one reason. The good-night kiss. Oh dear Merlin, she could have sworn she melted all the way down to her bones. In fact, if she didn't know any better, her heart was still a puddle. She didn't know if this was a good thing or a bad thing, but she enjoyed it all the same.
But would she ever see him again after tomorrow?
She was suddenly jolted to reality when she felt soft lips on her cheek.
"Hey there." Harry said, taking his place next to her.
"Hi." She tried to smile, and failed triumphantly.
"What's wrong?" He instantly noticed pain in her eyes. It wasn't much, but it was still there, and it still worried him.
"Huh? Oh, it's nothing. I didn't sleep well last night." It wasn't a lie. She tried smiling again.
"I couldn't either. What was your reason?" He scooped himself up some potatoes, and then gave himself a generous amount of gravy.
"I don't know." She eyed the mess he was making.
"Really?" He helped himself to more food, "Cause I know my reason."
"Oh yeah, what's that?" She asked, picking at her own food, and wondering how Harry could eat so much.
"You'll see. Later."
"But-"
"Hey Ron! Over here!" He called over her head, waving.
She gave him a bewildered look, and he just smiled mischievously.
What the bloody hell was he up to now?
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