Introduction
It was the 25th Anniversary of the Second Wizarding War, and Hermione Granger-Weasley, the Ministry of Magic, being part of the infamous Golden Trio is to deliver a speech, that will revisit the wounds of the past in the commemoration.
CHARACTERS: Basically Characters from Harry Potter
PAIRINGS: Dramione, Romione, Hinny
Author's Note:
Hello! This is my new and apparently the first story. Hoping for your support and well you are all free to comment.
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Chapter I- Dear Old Friends
The courtyard is fairly illuminated, enchanted twinkling bulbs enveloping the area to give off a warm welcoming ambience for some of those who are waiting for the Great Hall to be opened.
The halls are also decorated with elegant green ornaments, thick silk gold ribbons and torches were all alight. Mr. Filch is very much against the idea of the overall decorations, for it will mean a tremendous amount of work for him... like Mrs. Norris would be of any help. In the end, Professor McGonagal had approved of the decorations, with the condition that the organizing committee will also have their fair share of cleaning the school after the Commemoration Ceremony.
Professor Minerva, along with the other Professors have decided to make the Ceremony be open to everyone including the current students of Hogwarts. It was also taken into great consideration to let some carefully picked Wizarding Journalists in, to get their own coverage of the event. They brought about a group of selected students to organize the said event, mostly coming from the higher years.
Everyone is looking forward to the attendance of the infamous Golden Trio, the heroes, the courageous youth who braved themselves to conclude the evil wizard Voldemort. It has been a while, since the people have heard from the Golden Trio whose bond is still strong as ever. Not every year, they get to commemorate the day publicly.
Time to time, the organizing students are ushering familiar personalities towards the corridors, halls and the courtyard. "This way, Mr. Finnegan." A student said.
"Ah. Mr. Malfoy, good evening. Please go this way." Said an organizer from the Slytherin House. Draco Malfoy just came out from a elegant carriage with his son Scorpius, a Fifth-year Slytherin.
"Good Evening Professor Longbottom, and Mrs. Longbottom. May I usher you to the courtyard?" A Hufflepuff asked, but she was immediately dismissed courteously by Neville saying he knows where to go as he was part of the event planning.
It was then, after the crowd has grown into optimum, the Golden Trio has arrived. Their carriage is slightly enormous enough to contain two families, the Potters and the Weasleys. The students meant to usher them all lined up beside the carriage. It is with great and humble request from the Headmistress to assist the Golden Trio, much of course the Ministry of Magic, Hermione Granger-Weasley to be assisted with extra caution from the public.
Hermione dreaded it at first, and raised to McGonagal not to be wary, but the Headmistress insisted for their absolute safety and comfort. The trio was ushered to the courtyard, along with their old comrades.
"Hey Harry." Seamus called out bringing his wife along with him. Harry and Ron stopped walking, and high-fived their friend. Ginny and Hermione was approached by Hannah Abott, and they were happily chatting. "So how is life going, mate?" Harry started and they are now engaged in a discussion.
"Hey, Scorpius!" Albus called patting his bestfriend's shoulder. "Good evening, Mr. Malfoy." He immediately turned from giddy to awkward.
"Why, hello Albus. I'm afraid we did not realize your arrival." Draco greeted him, and his eyes immediately scanned the courtyard.
"We just arrived. Father and Mother are well..." Albus followed Draco's eyes with the different aim of searching for his parents through the crowd.
"Ah I see." Draco nodded to Albus satisfied in his own hunt.
The hour hit seven in the evening, and the Great Hall has been opened. The loud screeching of wooden doors is very much enough to announce its opening. The organizing students enthusiastically told everyone, that they may now proceed to the waiting the Great Hall.
"Shall we?" Ron asked his wife, offering his arm for her. Hannah Abott, Hermione and Ginny exchanged friendly pleasantries before going to their respective partners. Hermione snaked her arm into Ron's.
"I didn't know you could be this gentleman." She joked. Ron let out a small chuckle.
"Occasionally Gentleman." He corrected. "Nervous for your speech?" Ron could not help, but ask. His wife's palm is undeniably sweating in his arm.
Hermione, though Ministry of Magic feels exceptionally nervous for the night. Really, how are you supposed to deliver a speech about a war? How is a person supposed to tug a thread of emotion with only her words? Many were lost, many had experience losses, how is she supposed to address the losses, the tributing hearts? What if she mistakenly pull a different thread, speak the wrong words. She now doubted agreeing with Professor McGonagal in this.
"Relax." Ron eased her, yet she cannot still ease up. Her speech have been long prepared. She had a total of eleven drafts, before she came with the safe one. Safe, it has been their favorite word since the war.
"Weasley, Granger." A familiar voice called from behind. Never did they imagine that their names will be spoken by this person in such a friendly manner.
Ron slowly turned himself and her around, carefully not allowing Hermione's arm to slide from him. "Malfoy." Ron acknowledged back. There is still a slight hint of annoyance in his voice. It's not quite awhile since they last saw Draco Malfoy. Ever since they have retrieved Scorpius and Albus from the past, they constantly greet each other whenever possible. However, things are just different with Ron, he is, no matter how long it has been still harbouring abhoration with Malfoy. Practically because of the insults and house rivalry they had thrown in each others' face during their Hogwarts years. "I guess the timing is not right for some how-have-you-been chat. People are already getting inside the Hall."
"I suppose so. Maybe we can proceed with it inside. Why don't we be seated together? The children will definitely be thrilled." Draco suggested, ignoring the uncomfortable air Ron is giving him. "Granger? Would it be alright?"
Granger. Still Granger.Still just Granger. Ron frowned at the thought. He thinks Malfoy is purposely waiving his name away from his wife. "Granger-Weasley." He corrected. Hermione massaged his knuckles, before smiling graciously at Draco.
"Indeed a good idea, Draco. However, I cannot promise to stay seated with you lot, for I have to extend my greetings to our old friends." She said, and looked at Ron as if she's trying to calm him down.
"Very well, Granger. Shall we now go inside?" Draco asked, Scorpius and Albus trailing behind him. The couple side-stepped, to let Draco lead the way.
"Not that I hate him for not acknowledging my name next to yours, or I think he is jealous." Ron mumbled, making sure that his voice wouldn't be heard. Beside him, Hermione chuckled and playfully slapped his arm.
"You got to be kidding." She said in between chuckles. At least, she have forgotten her nervousness. "Maybe he is just not used to calling me that. Seven years of just calling me Granger out of his nose."
Ron finally eased up, and beamed recalling the old times. "Absolutely. It's like our names are Unforgivables for him before. The way he speak them. I think he'd prefer the word Crucio, than to speak my family's name."
"Ronald." This time, Hermione became serious. She felt like he is speaking ill behind Malfoy.
"That time. Blimey! You should know I am still not finished with my sentence." He said.
The Great Hall is decorated elegantly with Silk Gold Tapestries with Hogwarts' symbol. The candles floating in the air in a perfect alignment. The ceiling is majestically reflecting the sky above it. It was magically extended to accommodate the number of people who will attend tonight. Instead of the usual four long tables, thirty-five circular tables dressed in crisp white cloth are inside the Great Hall. Everyone entered with an awe, totally amazed of the Great Hall's transformation for the night.
When all was seated, Professor Minerva McGonagal, the Headmistress walked towards the gold podium. "Goodevening, old friends, comrades and Hogwarts. I am honoured to welcome you to the Twenty-fifth Commemoration Ceremony of the Second Wizarding War. It has been a great pleasure to be organizing this kind of special event in honour to the war that we have won years ago; honour to our fallen members, honour to our battles, scars and the light we have seen through the darkest days, honour to our undying hope and compassion for each other. We are gathered all today, to meet with the people who was beside us during the battle. Our home was destroyed, but we were all able to rebuild it once more. Stronger and full of hope." The people clapped their hands for a minute. Professor McGonagal smiled warmly at the familiar crowd, her children.
"I have a lot of things to say, but I have to cut it short, for the remarks in this program does not belong to me." She said eyes scanning through the circular tables.
Hermione's heart began thumping wildly. She does not think it is proper to even be nervous in her age of experience. Her speech. The speech she is about to deliver. It made her ultimately nervous.
"It belongs to a very brave woman, who hand in hand stayed with her friends during the war. Protected them, cared for them and strengthen them. Please welcome, Ministry of Magic, Hermione Granger-Weasley." With that, Harry and Ron both stood up and clapped their hands for Hermione. She is so nervous, looking at the crowd all cheering and clapping for her. She gulped as she walked towards Professor McGonagal and settled her eyes towards their table. Ginny, Harry, Ron, Draco and the kids were all beaming. Rose, on the otherhand is mumbling something. 'Say it. Say it all.' She said as if sensing how nervous she is, eventhough her words are carefully chosen.
Say it. Say it all. And she began.
Say it. Say it all. Rose said. That is all Hermione needed and the Brightest Witch of their Age thought of the craziest thing not to do right now. Change her safe speech in the last minute.
The parchment in the podium immediately changed its script from Professor McGonagal's welcoming remarks to her original speech. She breathed to relax, and the parchment immediately went blank. No script, no prepared speech. Say it, say it all.
The crowd is gaping at her with too much anticipation. They all went silent, when she realized it's been taking her forever to utter the first sentence. She breathed again, and smiled.
"Good Evening everyone." She began, her throat a little dry. "It was four weeks ago, when Professor McGonagal asked me to deliver a simple commemorative speech to everyone here tonight. I must say, I was rather nervous, really. And I thought, maybe it can't be Harry." The crowd laughed, and Harry shook his head while chuckling. He mumbled 'Seriously, it cannot be me.' to the laughing crowd. "Nor of course, it cannot be Ron."
"Must you say that?" Ron stood up and laughed.
"Then it has to be me." Hermione continued. "So I prepared a lengthy speech for everyone, but at the last minute I changed my mind. Like how back in my years, I was so afraid of getting expelled, but in the end I am much afraid of losing my friends."
The crowd's chuckles toned down. They knew that the next words will now be serious. Hermione watched her audience, she caught them. They are now all attentive and ready to listen to her every word. "Enough of the side jokes, I know everyone is getting hungry, so I will spare you the thought and will begin with my speech."
"The war had three phases. Pre-war, the war itself and post-war. When was the Pre-war, you ask me? Well, it was when we were afraid, it was the time when we worry, Voldemort is going to come back, what will happen to me? What will happen to us? What will happen to my friends and loved ones. It was the time, when fear, fear of the name itself is high amongst us. It was that time, that I tell myself, no, Hermione. Do not fear, it was just a name. It was that time." The crowd was silent, some even gulped at the very mention of the fallen Dark wizard's name.
"The war itself is when we chose as to which side are we on. It was when we battle not just physically, but we also battle with ourselves. It was when we seek hope, from us, from our friends. It was also when we fight, for the future, for ourselves and for those who are fallen. It was when we wanted to give them the finally-peaceful ending, that they deserve." Some are starting to tear up, from each table there will be at least one who will wipe their faces with their hankies. From their table, it is particularly Harry who is silently weeping.
"As for me, the post-war is the most difficult. When was it? It was the continuation of battling with ourselves. It was when we started to see the after-effects of the war. It was when we saw our home under a massive destruction, and wonder 'Merlin, where do we start again from this?' It was when we started to feel the real weight of everything. It was when we realized the pain of not having to say goodbye to the people we loss. Were there a moment in the war, that you actually thought you will lose them? I bet we didn't, because we reel in hope- in hope, that we survive the battle. It was when we were pulled back on our feet to see the things and people we lost." Hermione's voice started to crack. She's losing it, but she knows she can't. She has to be strong enough to finish this.
She closed her eyes, and steadied herself for this part of her impromptu speech. Mentally she debated, should she mention this? Should she let everyone know her internal battles? The winning answer was yes. Yes, she will, because who knows? Maybe she's not the only one. "And what did Hermione Granger-Weasley have lost?"
"Three things: Time, Words and a Magic." She counted it in her fingers. Just then, tears started to pool in her eyes.