A.N/ Yeah, ok, so I've not been here for QUITE a while! And I've not updated much at all, and I am very sorry! Slaps wrists Ok, so, this story I wrote late one night after seeing a certain film, I can't actually remember which one…all I know is that it had a Graduation in it and there were Two Valedictorians, and I just thought straight away of this pairing and this story just kind of…came alive…
Enough of my rambling now! On with the show!
Oh! Settings! 7th year, graduation, yadda yadda, self-explanatory, written BEFORE Half Blood Prince!
Disclaimer :- I do own these characters, I do, I do! What, what do you mean? I don't…? sob
Graduation
Hermione Granger sat in her head girl's dorm. She sat at her desk, quill and parchment at the ready, trying to write her graduation speech. Only a few hours ago she had been called up to Professor Dumbledore's office to have a chat, where he had congratulated her and told her she had been selected to be valedictorian for the class of '98 and must deliver a speech to all her fellow students.
She had, of course, accepted, thanked and basically, been thrilled. Now, she was having trouble writing the speech.
Little did she know, that in the room next to hers, Draco Malfoy was having the same trouble.
Draco Malfoy, quill and parchment at the ready, trying to write his graduation speech. Only a few hours ago he had been called up to Professor Dumbledore's office to have a chat, where he had been congratulated and told that he had been selected to be valedictorian for the class of '98 and must deliver a speech to all his fellow students.
He had, of course, accepted, thanked and basically, been thrilled.
Until Professor Dumbledore had let him in on a little secret, that is.
"Pardon, sir?"
"Yes, that's right, Mr Malfoy, you heard me correctly."
"Two?"
"Yes indeed."
Draco had been stunned. Two valedictorians? There was never two valedictorians, never had been. At least, not that he could ever remember reading about.
"Why, sir?"
"Why, Mr Malfoy? Why indeed. I think you already know the answer to that, Draco m'boy."
Dumbledore regarded him with his piercing blue eyes, and suddenly Draco understood what he meant needed to be done.
"Time for you to go start work on your speech I think, Mr Malfoy."
"Yes. Thank you Professor."
"You're welcome Draco. Please, help yourself to a sherbet lemon,"
After leaving the room having taken a piece of the candy, Draco had walked back to his dorm, mulling over the words that had been said.
Hermione write through what she had written, making a not or two here and there. She looked at the clock on her dresser.
'It's late' she thought to herself. 'I'll re-read and finish this in the morning.'
She set down her quill, changed into her pyjamas and climbed into her oft feather bed. She was asleep before her head had even touched the pillow.
"I can't believe we're graduating!"
"I know, just think Harry – No more Snape!"
"Oh Ron, of course there will be! He's in the Order, remember?"
"Oh crap, yeah… Thanks 'Mione, you could've let me live the dream!"
Hermione smiled to herself as she watched Ron fake looking crestfallen. She heard Harry sigh, and, looking at him, she saw him looking longingly at the castle.
"Harry?" she asked him.
"Hmm?" he replied, not looking away from the castle.
"You OK?"
"Hmm." He answered. She crawled over to him and wrapped her arms around him.
"Weird to be leaving when it's home" Harry said remorsefully.
"I know mate, I know." Ron joined the hug, and Ron added "But just think – no more 3ft essays to hand in to Snape!"
They giggled together, and then all was quiet, as the three friends all realised that this may be one of the last times for the three of them to sit together and be so carefree.
"…And now, please out your hands together for your valedictorian, Miss Hermione Granger!" There was a roar of applause from everywhere, except the Slytherins (apart from a few randomers). Hermione walked up to the podium, clutching her speech, taking deep breaths and concentrating on not tripping over her own feet. She gave a curt nod to Professor McGonagall who was seated at the head table and shook hands with professor Dumbledore, who gently squeezed her hand for reassurance.
Once on the podium, she opened out her speech and laid it flat. She smoothed it out and looked out over all the faces sitting around the tables, past, present and future graduates alike. She noticed that Malfoy, who was seated at a table without his parents (due to his father being in Azkaban and his mother…well, no one really knew what happened there), looked paler then usual – was it because he had finally realised this was it?
She took a deep breath, ready to start her speech. She caught Harry's eye and they smiled at each other.
"My fellow students, we have finally made it. After seven years of classes, homework, teachers, exam, occasional fights and many, many friends entering out lives, our stay at Hogwarts is over. Sad, but true, we're now expected to enter the big bad world.
Now, many of you will expect me to say 'I'm about to tell you about all out good times together here and the memories of which I shall cherish forever' but, in truth, that would only be half of the story. Or, more likely a quarter of it, if you really want to get technical.
I could not tell you about all our good times together because many of you, I know, will remember me only as 'bossy, know-it-all, goody-two-shoes, mudblood Granger' which, OK, I'll admit, most are correct.
And all the good times? You'll hear about them, but also quite a lot of the bad times too.
So, I'm going to share with you some of the parts from my stay here at Hogwarts.
I met my two greatest friends on the train; seven years ago on September first, while helping Neville find Trevor, his beloved toad. Sure, we didn't get along too well at first, but being saved from a troll changed some things, and from that day on, we were inseparable.
Second yeah, I was accidentally turned into a cat (word to the wise, Polyjuice potion – plus – animal hair – equals big trouble!) and a basilisk, the monster unleashed by the Chamber of Secrets, petrified me.
Third year, me, Harry and Ron were running around with werewolves, dead people and convicted criminals.
Fourth year came, bringing with it the Triwizard tournament, the traditional Yule Ball, and, well, as many of you, I'm sure will remember, there were many surprises that year, good and bad.
Fifth year, the coming of Umbridge (there was a collective hiss of dislike) And the department of Mysteries was infiltrated by a group of 4th and 5th years – What does that tell you about the Ministry?
Sixth year I was kidnapped by Death Eaters for 18 terrifying days, but never, not once lost faith in the light.
This year, I passed my N.E.W.T's and then stood alongside Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley and everybody else in the Order of the Phoenix to fight Voldemort. And saw his defeat. We are still standing. We won.
That was just a very short summary of the times here at Hogwarts I will never forget. We all, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, have a special memory of these past seven years. I will leave you now with just these few words of advise, which, you don't have to follow, or even remember. And they are 'Embrace everything and anything, and Disregard your Limits'. Thank you.
She stepped down from the podium and through the applause she made her way to where Harry and Ron sat, both of whom gave her hand a gentle squeeze. She smiled at them and looked back towards the podium, where Dumbledore now stood waiting for silence to resume.
"Thank you Miss Granger. Now, in a slight change to traditions, I would like to introduce your second valedictorian." He stopped talking in order to let the questioning whispering die down. Harry and Ron looked at Hermione, who shrugged and looked back towards Dumbledore.
"Mr Malfoy, if you would."
Malfoy walked up to the podium in complete stunned silence, but he didn't mind. He has to do this. He stepped up onto the podium and stood, looking at a fixed spot on the wall.
"I am in love. And I am here tonight to tell you how it happened and to let you know it can happen. It did to me and it can to all of you here.
First and second year were normal – well, as normal as it can be. It all started in third year. I'm not sure how, in fact. It started as a silly schoolboy crush, something I thought I'd get over. But no. In fourth year she decided to prance around at the ball with a guy who was obviously only interested in one thing.
Fifth year, she risked her life to defend her friends, broke about 500 school rules while doing so, but hey, it didn't matter, and it helped win my respect.
Sixth year, I thought I'd lost her forever, and my chance to tell her my…feelings. But she came back. She always did. So I put it off, day by day…until here I am, declaring my love in front of you all here today…"
His eyes suddenly flittered and locked on to another persons, grey bearing into chocolate and chocolate looking back so intensely he knew it was right in what he was doing.
"I love you, Hermione Granger."