The past year had been a tempest, kicking up dirt and sand and all, yet also unearthing pretty treasures; shells, gems, lost photographs and ancient letters. Now it had come to an end, as I stood in the crowd, unnoticed. Hogwarts had ended, for me, and for all the others who had braved the inky, cold lake seven years ago together. There were sobs all around me; Ron was squeezing my shoulder reassuringly. I was only just aware of my involuntary tears. Graduation was always hard.
All the professors exuded an air of somberness, and heart break. Seven years was a long time. Harry came over, telling me, his face flushed, that he'd be moving once summer was over. Away from the Dursleys. Away from Privet Drive. He'd be going away, to escape. He ruffled his hair, a habit he had acquired ever since the pensieve incident. He had no idea how much he resembled James Potter then; I had seen pictures of his family.
The music began. One by one, couples blended in with the melody with smooth waltzes, twirling across the dance floor in perfect tandem. I had no one to dance with, not since Blaise. No, I wouldn't let anyone else… Taking in a deep breath, I left the hall for the astronomy tower. With each step I took, I could sense the seventh years lightening up a little. That gloomy, ubiquitous demeanor was dissipating. I wished I could return to join in the fun, but my feet filed on. To the astronomy tower, they seemed to insist.
I caught a glimpse of Harry as I left, laughing. But I knew that he wasn't really laughing; just last night he had poured out his woes to Ron and me, we did likewise, as we reminisced over the past years. Everyone was upset, just trying to hide it. Though, why hide? Why let yourself taste illusion when you knew that the smoky haze of reality would force itself into your mind?
Thirty odd years ago...
The dance had just begun. Funny, how such a perfectly normal event – dancing – brought tears to my eyes. They didn't stay there. They trickled down my cheeks as a waterfall would, down my neck, and wetting my robe collar a little. I knew graduation would be hard, but surely not as painful as this! This was a silent cruciatus curse, churning my insides and weakening my soul. I left the hall, despite the alarmed calls of "Lily!", and began the long route to the astronomy tower.
I had always found solace in the astronomy tower. It wasn't the feeling of being high up in the air, it wasn't the cool breeze that flourished there, neither was it the tranquil silence.
It was the mere knowledge that many had sat at the same place before me, regarded the same moon and stars, the same sky, the same quidditch pitch, the same forest, and had found the same peace that I was experiencing there and then. I was continuing…a cycle. That was nice to know.
It was late. The moon was a thin silver crescent and fog already shrouded the farthest of the footlights, making them seem like they led the way to Avalon and the realms of faerie. What would it be like, I wondered, if I could find a peace just like the kind right now, in another distant land? Avalon, or perhaps when I passed on, Heaven? James found me later on, as he had done so many times before.
He embraced me; I could feel his warmth. Everything seemed alright, at that very moment. We watched the stars together. I could breathe in his cologne; musky, I decided. And then, before we could miss out on too much fun, we returned to the hall. The next day we would leave Hogwarts as students for the last time. The next day we would face the future. Yet I was strangely at peace, knowing that sometime in the future, some other student would sit in the same spot I had sat in up in the astronomy tower, and admire the moon and stars as I had done.
The Present…
Step, step, step, step, step, step, pause, step, step, step, step…
My walk to the tower was hesitant, I couldn't figure out why. And when I was up there, the wind whipping around, calming, and then resuming its fiery dance again, I noticed some initials – no, many – painstakingly carved into the stone walls. I scanned a wall carelessly, not expecting to find much, but then I came across a set of initials. I wasn't attracted to them because they were intricately and elaborately carved, no. They were far from that. They were plain and simple, and the simplicity was what allured me.
L.E & J.P
1979
Thirty years ago, Lily Evans and James Potter had been up here, enjoying their time together. It was strange, how I never noticed their mark before.
"They're Potter's parents, right?"
A lean figure approached me steadily. He wasn't tall, but neither was he short. It was the way he carried himself that made him seem taller than he really was – proudly, but not arrogant.
"Blaise," I acknowledged him, tilting my head slightly. The distance between his brows diminished, just a little, at his unanswered question, and he seemed to want to ask again, but thought the better of it and nodded.
"Why aren't you at the dance?" he asked deliberately, tone cool.
"Because I don't want to," I replied, "Why aren't you?"
He shrugged nonchalantly. "I saw you leaving, so I followed you."
I stared at him, for a brief, fleetingmoment. A long time ago I had run my hand through his head of wavy black curls, and kissed these lips. A long time ago he had done likewise. And then we broke up. How I ached to embrace him, to kiss him again, to play with his hair again. It just wasn't meant to be, I supposed. I'd gotten over that a long time ago.
"Hermione?" he spoke again.
"Yes?" I regarded him with surprise.
"Back in the hall, do grant me a dance." He placed a warm hand on my bare shoulder; my whole body tingled.
"Yes," I complied, allowing a single smile to grace my lips, "Of course."
This...is the ironic result of plot bunnies invading my head. I wanted a break from writing my other story, Ironically So. I know it's REALLY illogical, you know, to fit Lily and James in the story, but I didn't want a boring graduation thing with just Hermione and company. I'm sorry if you didn't like it...and I'm ecstatic if you did. Yep. Could you tell me what you think, as in, review...? It's ok if you don't. )