Hermione stared at herself in the mirror. Sighing, she picked up her brush, not ready for the night that lay ahead of her. Lavender walked in. She laughed at Hermione. "Hermione, you deserve this. And you knew that some day you would graduate from Hogwarts. We all are," Lavender said gently. Hermione sat down on the bed. "Yes, but I am graduating with honors which I don't deserve. Harry and Ron and I got into more trouble these past few years than our first three years together," Hermione sighed again. "Yes but-" Just then, Harry walked in. "Sorry," he said. "But I came up here to get you Hermione. We need to be at the table with the teachers before the feast starts. Are you ready?" Hermione stood up, smoothing her Hogwarts robes. "Here goes," she whispered. Following Harry down to the common room, Hermione was greated with cheers well above conversation level. Hermione grinned with her head down. Harry laughed and put his arm around the girl's shoulder, lifting her face up. "Be happy Hermione," Harry said. "It's our last night. Have fun. Enjoy the attention."
~ ~ ~
As a surprise, the whole Weasley family had come to Hogwarts to congratulate Harry and Hermione on their achievments. Crowding into the small common room, the Weasley's were all over the two graduates. "They're not just any graduates," Ron explained. "They are two graduates with highest grades!" Hermione blushed furiously at this, but soon recovered. A few minutes later, McGonagall walked in. "Everyone," she began. "To start off, I am very proud of all of you, especially Ms. Granger and Mr. Potter for their high grades." At this, the teacher peered through her spectacles at Hermione and Harry, smiling. "Tonight, you will all graduate from Hogwarts. Hopefully you will lead happy lives, and prosper well. Some of you have already been job hunting, Mr. Weasley." Ron gave his charming smile, that had fooled Hermione so many years ago. "No matter where you go, or what you do, you had all better remember where you learned your skills," Minerva joked. "Well, some of you, Mr. Longbottom." Neville stood up and grinned. "I can at least do a simple Shrinking Potion now," he bragged. Everybody applauded.
Minerva pulled Harry and his friend aside. "If you two will, on your way to the Great Hall, stop by and see Myrtle. She has something to say to you," she whispered. Hermione nodded, and left with Harry. Halfway down the hall, Harry stopped Hermione. "Do you really want to do this?" Harry asked. "What?" Hermione asked. "See Myrtle or graduate?" Harry laughed, and continued to walk. "It's just, this has been my home. If I decided to stay, and you left, it wouldn't be the same," Harry said softly. "Why would you want to stay when we have been asked to join the Order?" They had now reached Myrtle's bathroom. Hermione pushed the door open, and called out, "Myrtle! What do you want?" The ghost floated out of her usual stall. Unsuspectedly, Myrtle burst out in tears. "Why?" she sobbed. "Why do you have to leave? You three were the only ones who talked to me!" Although it did no good, Hermione reached out to Myrtle. "Oh Myrtle," she said gently. "There will be more children to come your way. First years are always so curious!" Harry glanced at the sink, where the engraved snake shone like a candle. "But none of them will be like you!" Myrtle pouted. "We'll visit," Hermione promised. "Who knows? Maybe I will get a job here!" Myrtle nodded. "Good luck," she whispered, and floated away.
~ ~ ~
Hermione and Harry were out of breath by the time that they reached the Great Hall. Fortunatly, nobody had arrived yet, except for the teachers. Harry pulled out a chair for Hermione, then took his place on the other side of Dumbledore. Hermione glanced around, not knowing what to do. Soon, though, students began to fill the Great Hall. A group of first years walked in, laughing and cheering for the seventh years. Hermione smiled. It seemed as if it had only been yesterday when she had noticed the smudge on Ron's nose...........Coming back to reality, Hermione saw a shocking site. A Slytherin, beginning to clap. Thunderous applauding followed. Dumbledore raised his hand and stood up. "I would like to congratulate all of the seventh years for their accomplishments," he started. "And most of all, I would like to congratulate Mr. Harry Potter and Ms. Hermione Granger, for their wonderful achievments throughout the years. Please, give them all another hand." Stomping followed the clapping this time. Ron was literally standed on his seat, shouting and cat-calling. Harry burst out laughing. Ginny was doing the same thing. So were her friends. Finally, everybody settled down. "Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger have been asked to join the Order, and have also asked to leave as soon as possible. Are you ready, my friends?" Dumbledore asked, turning to the two. The Hall hushed to a silence. Ginny was looking down at her hands, and Ron was fighting back tears. Hermione nodded, and stood up. Harry followed suit. They walked around the table, and headed for the Gryffindor table. Hermione swallowed as she hugged Ginny. "I'll come back," Hermione promised, tears in her eyes. Harry shook hands with Ron, then hugged him. "I'm always an owl away," Harry said. He turned to Ginny. "Keep Ron in order for me," Harry whispered in Ginny's ear as he hugged her. She laughed and pulled away, looking into Harry's eyes. Hermione hugged Ron, and then kissed him on the cheek. "It might be a while," she said, tears running down her cheeks. Before they walked out, Harry ran to Dumbledore, and gave him a hug. "Thank you," Harry whispered. "For everything." Dumbledore nodded, and waved him away.
Hand in hand, Hermione and Harry walked out of Hogwarts for the last time...........
~ ~ ~
As a surprise, the whole Weasley family had come to Hogwarts to congratulate Harry and Hermione on their achievments. Crowding into the small common room, the Weasley's were all over the two graduates. "They're not just any graduates," Ron explained. "They are two graduates with highest grades!" Hermione blushed furiously at this, but soon recovered. A few minutes later, McGonagall walked in. "Everyone," she began. "To start off, I am very proud of all of you, especially Ms. Granger and Mr. Potter for their high grades." At this, the teacher peered through her spectacles at Hermione and Harry, smiling. "Tonight, you will all graduate from Hogwarts. Hopefully you will lead happy lives, and prosper well. Some of you have already been job hunting, Mr. Weasley." Ron gave his charming smile, that had fooled Hermione so many years ago. "No matter where you go, or what you do, you had all better remember where you learned your skills," Minerva joked. "Well, some of you, Mr. Longbottom." Neville stood up and grinned. "I can at least do a simple Shrinking Potion now," he bragged. Everybody applauded.
Minerva pulled Harry and his friend aside. "If you two will, on your way to the Great Hall, stop by and see Myrtle. She has something to say to you," she whispered. Hermione nodded, and left with Harry. Halfway down the hall, Harry stopped Hermione. "Do you really want to do this?" Harry asked. "What?" Hermione asked. "See Myrtle or graduate?" Harry laughed, and continued to walk. "It's just, this has been my home. If I decided to stay, and you left, it wouldn't be the same," Harry said softly. "Why would you want to stay when we have been asked to join the Order?" They had now reached Myrtle's bathroom. Hermione pushed the door open, and called out, "Myrtle! What do you want?" The ghost floated out of her usual stall. Unsuspectedly, Myrtle burst out in tears. "Why?" she sobbed. "Why do you have to leave? You three were the only ones who talked to me!" Although it did no good, Hermione reached out to Myrtle. "Oh Myrtle," she said gently. "There will be more children to come your way. First years are always so curious!" Harry glanced at the sink, where the engraved snake shone like a candle. "But none of them will be like you!" Myrtle pouted. "We'll visit," Hermione promised. "Who knows? Maybe I will get a job here!" Myrtle nodded. "Good luck," she whispered, and floated away.
~ ~ ~
Hermione and Harry were out of breath by the time that they reached the Great Hall. Fortunatly, nobody had arrived yet, except for the teachers. Harry pulled out a chair for Hermione, then took his place on the other side of Dumbledore. Hermione glanced around, not knowing what to do. Soon, though, students began to fill the Great Hall. A group of first years walked in, laughing and cheering for the seventh years. Hermione smiled. It seemed as if it had only been yesterday when she had noticed the smudge on Ron's nose...........Coming back to reality, Hermione saw a shocking site. A Slytherin, beginning to clap. Thunderous applauding followed. Dumbledore raised his hand and stood up. "I would like to congratulate all of the seventh years for their accomplishments," he started. "And most of all, I would like to congratulate Mr. Harry Potter and Ms. Hermione Granger, for their wonderful achievments throughout the years. Please, give them all another hand." Stomping followed the clapping this time. Ron was literally standed on his seat, shouting and cat-calling. Harry burst out laughing. Ginny was doing the same thing. So were her friends. Finally, everybody settled down. "Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger have been asked to join the Order, and have also asked to leave as soon as possible. Are you ready, my friends?" Dumbledore asked, turning to the two. The Hall hushed to a silence. Ginny was looking down at her hands, and Ron was fighting back tears. Hermione nodded, and stood up. Harry followed suit. They walked around the table, and headed for the Gryffindor table. Hermione swallowed as she hugged Ginny. "I'll come back," Hermione promised, tears in her eyes. Harry shook hands with Ron, then hugged him. "I'm always an owl away," Harry said. He turned to Ginny. "Keep Ron in order for me," Harry whispered in Ginny's ear as he hugged her. She laughed and pulled away, looking into Harry's eyes. Hermione hugged Ron, and then kissed him on the cheek. "It might be a while," she said, tears running down her cheeks. Before they walked out, Harry ran to Dumbledore, and gave him a hug. "Thank you," Harry whispered. "For everything." Dumbledore nodded, and waved him away.
Hand in hand, Hermione and Harry walked out of Hogwarts for the last time...........
