Title: The Last Time
Author: Jetsam Porridge
Rating: G
Summary: A short story about Harry and his fellow seventh years leaving Hogwarts. Enough said.
A/N: This is just a little story that was born out of another of my stories, The Wonderful Life of the Boy Whose Friends Went Insane. That fic is very not serious, but when I was writing a part of it I decided to turn that little bit into this coz I liked it. Hope you enjoy it, please review and tell me what you think.
Special thanks go to my wonderful beta Ernie (ernestina-lambence)! And for a bit of blatant advertising, go read her new story 'Echo'!
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It was the end of another year at Hogwarts. The final feast before they left for home. For Harry, Ron and Hermione, this was their final feast in every way. They were in their seventh year and that meant that they were leaving after the feast.
Seventh year Gryffindors, Slytherins, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs packed away their belongings into trunks and pulled down their posters with some regret. They looked around their bedrooms for the last time.
Seventh year boys and girls walked down the stairs from their dormitories and hugged each other in their common rooms for the last time.
Seventh year Gryffindors climbed through their portrait hole and thanked the Fat Lady for the last time.
They walked down the Hogwarts staircases for the last time.
They pushed open the double doors and entered the great hall for the last time.
They sat at their house table for the last time.
They waited for Dumbledore to announce the winner of the house cup for the last time.
The Gryffindor table erupted into screams and yells of triumph. Harry, Ron and Hermione hugged in celebration for the last time.
They ate all their favourite foods off Hogwarts' magical plates and drank pumpkin juice from Hogwarts' golden goblets for the last time.
They listened to Hufflepuff Hannah Abbott's speech and were dismissed from the hall for the last time.
They stood in the entrance hall, seventh years from all four houses for the last time. Hugging. Saying goodbye. Promising to keep in touch.
Slowly, seventh years began to leave.
In the end, it was only Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco Malfoy who remained.
Ron told Harry and Hermione that he would wait outside.
Hermione wished Draco good luck and went to wait with Ron.
Harry, like Draco had done seven years ago, offered the other boy his hand.
Draco took it and they shook, wishing each other good luck, figuring that they were never going to see each other again, so they might as well be polite.
Together, they left Hogwarts for the last time.
They parted, and both travelled on the Hogwarts Express for the last time.
They arrived at Platform Nine and Three Quarters and went through the barrier for the last time.
On Platform Nine of Kings' Cross Station, London, Draco Malfoy's eyes met Harry Potter's for the last time.
Both smiled.
For the first and last time.
End