A/N: This is a fic that might turn into a series (maybe!). It is about Harry, Ron, and Hermione's 7th year. It takes place from all of their point of views. This symbol ~*~ represents a break between each characters POVs. So, enjoy! (I will also include some other character's POVs).
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Joanne Kathleen Rowling! So don't sue me, please! I have no money!
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RON
I woke up slowly. It was a Hogsmeade weekend, and everyone in 3rd year and above was there, enjoying the fresh fall day. Except, of course, most of my seventh year friends, for whom the novelty of being allowed to leave school grounds for a few hours had worn off. I yawned and pulled on my robes. Wandering down to the common room, I saw my best friend Harry Potter getting a lecture from my other best friend, Hermione Granger.
"Harry, you should be studying!" said Hermione sternly, sounding very much like their Transfiguration teacher, Professor McGonagall. "You know we have N.E.W.T.s this year! We should be using all of our free time to prepare!" Harry didn't even look up from his book, Quidditch Through the Ages.
"Hermione, it's fine," he said. After 7 years of listening to them, both Harry and Ron were used to Hermione's lectures. "The N.E.W.T.s are at the end of the year. I'll worry about them then. For now, I just want to relax and not think about our potions test tomorrow." Hermione shook her head and returned to poring over her textbook. I walked over to them and flopped down in a chair. Hermione rounded on me.
"And you!" she said, sounding furious. "Why aren't you studying?" She shoved a thick textbook into my hands. I shoved it back.
"Come on, Hermione, it's the weekend!" I said, "Don't you ever take a break?" Harry agreed.
"That's what I'm talking about," he whooped, and he and I slapped a high five.
"Hey why don't we go out and play some quidditch?" I asked, brightening. Harry nodded enthusiastically, and we ran up to their dormitories to get our brooms. Hermione shook her head and muttered something that sounded like "Boys…"
My broom had been a 16th birthday present from my entire family. It was a Comet 360, the newest model in the Comet line that was out. It was a very appreciated present, especially because money was very scarce around my house. Harry, of course, rode a Stratus 5000, finest broom on the market. As we reached the Quidditch pitch, we mounted their brooms and took a test fly around the pitch. As Harry flew back down to let out the snitch, a group of 2nd years approached him.
"Oh my gosh, it's Harry Potter!" They squealed and asked him to autograph their hats. Harry blushed and did so quickly. He dashed over to his broom and flew back up next to me. I sighed. It was always the same thing. Even though Harry was my best friend in the entire world, whenever he got thrust into the limelight I got cast aside. I mean, he was everything that everyone wanted to be. He was famous, brave, a professional-quality Quidditch Seeker, nice to everyone (except Slytherins), and he was handsome. Half of the girls in the school had crushes on him. Sometimes I wondered why someone as cool as him would want to be friends with me in the first place.
~*~
HERMIONE
I was feeling extremely stressed out. I was so worried about the N.E.W.T.s that I had even snapped at Harry and Ron. My two best friends. Ron was right, I needed to relax more. I decided to go out and watch Harry and Ron play Quidditch. I had been hooked on the sport ever since I met my ex-boyfriend Viktor Krum in my 4th year. He had been the seeker on the Bulgaria National team. We had broken up in my 5th year because he lived too far away for us to have a relationship. Also, he was 4 years older than me.
Walking towards the entrance hall, I was met by Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.
"Why hello Mudblood," he drawled, "Going to meet your boyfriends, Potty and the Weasel?" I pushed past him.
"Malfoy, I really don't feel like dealing with you right now," I spat, clenching my wand in my pocket. I heard Crabbe and Goyle growl menacingly. Malfoy was always trying to tease me about being Muggle born. Personally, after dealing with him for 7 years, I didn't particularly care anymore.
When I got outside to the Quidditch pitch, I was greeted by the sight of about ten 2nd years cheering for Harry in the stands. Ron looked slightly put off. I always felt bad for Ron. He always got cast aside when he was around Harry. Plus, he had cast aside when he was around Harry. Plus, he had 5 older brothers, so he very rarely got any chance at glory.
"Go Ron!" I cheered. The 2nd years looked confused.
"Who's Ron?"
Harry turned and winked at me. I smiled and cheered some more as Ron scored a goal.
~*~
HARRY
After I winked at Hermione, I stopped concentrating on the Snitch and thought about my life. I really hope that everyone realizes that I don't like all the attention. No one realizes what I would give to have my parents back, to be normal. Do they think that I enjoy battling the most evil wizard who has ever lived? I really do feel bad when Ron gets pushed aside. I really do. I would switch places with him in an instant. He has a family who cares about him. He is loved. I wish I could experience that. I can't remember a time when I was cared about, unless you count my friends and Sirius. But it's not the same as having parents. Sure, I have a relatively normal life at school, if you can call anything at Hogwarts normal. This is my real home. Also, I hate the Dursleys! You can't even imagine my rage against them. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Muggles. But, man! The Dursleys are so opinionated and prejudiced against magic. After I graduate, I'm gonna be out of there as quick as you can say Disapparate! Thank god I never have to spend the summer there again! I'm gonna start looking for an apartment to move into soon. Yep…
A bludger flew at me and narrowly missed my head, knocking me back into the real world.
~*~
RON
We had fun playing Quidditch. Even though Hermione was the only person cheering for me. But I guess I'm used to being out of the spotlight. I mean, I could never be as smart as Bill and Percy, as good at Quidditch as Charlie, as funny and clever as Fred and George, or even as sweet and caring as Ginny. I guess I'm just me.
I can't believe that we've been at Hogwarts for 7 years! It all went by so fast. I guess I'm glad to have such great friends. We've been through so much. I mean, even in our first 4 years, we worked together to get the Sorcerer's stone, close the Chamber of Secrets, save Sirius, and help Harry through the Triwizard Tournament. Okay, so it was mostly Harry. But he's said many, many times before he never could have done it without us. And I like to think that's true. I guess that's just my portion of spotlight, being the best friend of the famous Harry Potter.
~*~
HARRY
Ron looked at me funny. I still felt bad about the whole cheering thing. Maybe if we go visit Honeydukes, just for old time's sake, he'll feel better.
"Hey, guys, why don't we go into town?" I asked them. "You now, just for old time's sake. To remember our carefree days as kids…" Hermione punched me lightly in the arm.
"Don't get all nostalgic, please," she laughed, and Ron grinned.
~*~
HERMIONE
Personally, I love Hogsmeade. Being Muggle-born, I find wizarding life fascinating. And with Hogsmeade being the only all-wizarding town in Britain, it is an excellent opportunity to immerse myself in magic. I do miss some things about the muggle world, though. Like being able to use a telephone (I've almost forgotten how, it's been so long), and watching TV. As advanced as magic is, they still haven't figured out how to create something like TV. When I go home for the summer holidays, I'm usually glued to the set, watching MTV and BBC.
"Can you believe this is our last year here?" asked Ron, after we had been walking for a few minutes in silence.
"Yeah," said Harry wistfully, casting a backwards glance at the castle, "And we're down to our last three months."
I sighed deeply and thought of the future. I still didn't know what I was going to do after we graduated. I was head girl and everything, but I wasn't sure I was up to the challenge of living on my own.
~*~
RON
We finally reached Honeydukes. We picked up a basket and began to fill it with Chocolate Frogs, Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Peppermint Toads, and our other favorites.
"Hey, we should go over to the Three Broomsticks and get some butterbeer too!" said Harry, licking his lips. We walked up to the cash register.
"Oh, for you Mr. Potter, I wouldn't dream of charging you a thing!" said the lady at the register. Harry opened his mouth to protest, but she just smiled ang pushed us to the door with our bag of candy. "No I insist. Go on, now!"
We stopped to get some butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks. After chatting briefly with Madam Rosmerta, we walked back to the castle, sipping our bottles of foaming butterbeer. The cool March breeze ruffled our hair and cloaks. When we reached the castle, we sat on the steps of the marble staircase in the Entrance Hall, still sipping and enjoying the quiet of the castle on a Saturday.
~*~
HERMIONE
I was just telling Ron and Harry about what Malfoy had said, when Professor Dumbledore walked down the staircase from his office. He stood in front of us, his light blue eyes sparkling.
"Hello Harry, Ron, Hermione," he said, smiling. "I trust you were outside enjoying the beautiful weather?" We nodded. It was impossible to feel nervous around the Headmaster. He had helped us from our first year to become the people we were today, and for this we were grateful. He taught us the real lessons.
~*~
DUMBLEDORE
As I looked at Harry, Ron, and Hermione, I realized how far they had come from being the scared first years sitting on the stool at the start-of-term feast, the Sorting Hat hanging over their eyes. They were now young adults, ready to face the world. I was proud of them. I also felt extremely old.
~*~
HARRY
I was still thinking of the future.
I was excited about the future, yeah. But I was also scared. I didn't know what I would do for a living. People expect so much from me, for no reason other than the fact that I almost destroyed Voldemort when I was a baby. I didn't have a choice, and it wasn't like I could do anything about it. It was my mother's sacrifice for me that broke him. I'm a very misunderstood person.
Dumbledore fixed his penetrating light blue stare on me, seeming to read my mind. He spoke.
"You will all succeed at anything you do. Don't worry about living up to expectations. Make your own for yourself instead. I will see you at dinner." And he walked down the hall.
I looked first at Ron, and then Hermione, and pulled them both into a hug. A tear rolled down Hermione's cheek. We stared ahead, thinking of the future.
~*~
"What's coming will come, and we'll be there to meet it when it does."
-Hagrid, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
~*~
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A/N: Is anyone else crying?
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these people or places.