Author's note: Well, I haven't written fan fiction for a while, but this story's been in my head for a long time. Any comments are welcome and extremely appreciated. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story, to give it a chance. I hope you enjoy it, and of course the marvelous JK Rowling owns everything in relation to the Harry Potter universe.
My Mind's Made Up
It was an odd morning, September 1st of 1998. Unlike almost every other September first for the last several years, there was no scurrying around, looking for school books and quills, no last minute laundry being returned, not even the usual noise of people having to be woken up early in order to track down these missing things. Perhaps the difference was that this time, only two people were going back to Hogwarts.
Hermione woke up early, while the rest of the house still seemed to be asleep. She lay on her camp bed in Ginny's room and waited. She wasn't sure what she was waiting for, but she waited none the less. It would be so odd, she thought, that whole day along with the year that would follow. She would be boarding the Hogwarts Express that day, but she would be doing it without Ron or Harry. Ginny would be there, of course, but that certainly wouldn't make up for the fact that they wouldn't. Nor would Ginny's presence help fill the gaping hole that would surely be there for the rest of the year. Hermione selfishly wished, as her stomach bubbled with nervousness at what was to come, that Ron and Harry would have agreed to go back to school with her.
Over the summer they'd all been given two options: one was to work for the Ministry of Magic under Kingsley's administration as Minster for Magic, and the other was to go back to school. Harry had quickly agreed to work for the Ministry, as this was his chance to get a job as an Auror, while Hermione quickly decided to go back to school and finish her education, since there would be time to get a job after and she had always meant to go back to school after the war anyway, if there was a school left. Ron, on the other hand, was undecided for a while, and then he was given a third choice.
After Fred's death George had, understandably, been sullen for several weeks, but one day he brightened up and started talking about going back to work. "It's what Freddie would want anyway." he'd said quietly to Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione on the night that he announced he'd be leaving the Burrow for their flat above the shop later that week. George then went on to offer Ron a job at the shop, working side by side with him, just like Fred had.
"I want to go back to school with you," Ron had said to Hermione later that night after agreeing to George's proposal, "And I want to go into Auror training with Harry, but George…George needs me, you two don't."
I do, though. A small voice in Hermione's head had insisted after hearing him say that.
Ron and Hermione had been almost inseparable all summer, so the thought of a year apart was daunting. "We'll have Hogsmeade weekends, and Christmas." Ron had assured her, but Hermione's mind still wouldn't stop shoveling in imagined images of her sitting alone in the Great Hall or the Gryffindor common room.
Hermione was relieved when she finally heard the sound of Mrs. Weasley down in the kitchen, beginning to prepare breakfast. If someone else was awake Hermione felt perfectly founded in going downstairs herself.
"Do you need any help?" Hermione asked Mrs. Weasley once she reached the kitchen and found her starting some eggs and sausage frying.
"Oh, no thank you dear," Mrs. Weasley said happily.
It wasn't real happiness, though, and Hermione had come to recognize that. This was the happiness that she put up on days when she thought she should appear happy but wasn't, like on Harry's birthday and the next day at Bill and Fleur's anniversary party. Yes, there had been glimpses of a truly happy Mrs. Weasley over the summer, but they were rare.
"Okay, if you're sure." Hermione said, sitting down at the table.
"Pumpkin juice, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"Yes, please." Hermione said, glad that at least this would give her something to do, even if it was just sitting there and taking the occasional sip.
Mrs. Weasley waved her wand and a pitcher of juice and a glass flew to the table in front of Hermione.
A few moments later there was the sound of someone coming down the stairs, and Hermione turned around to see Ron, his hair going in every direction at once and dark circles under his eyes.
"Morning, Mum, Hermione." He said, going and taking a seat next to his girlfriend.
"Good morning." Mrs. Weasley said in a seemingly cheery voice.
"Morning." Hermione said, giving Ron a meaningful look.
He glanced at his mum where she stood at the stove and frowned. He looked back at Hermione and nodded toward the back door. They both stood up and started for it, Ron calling back, "Mum, we'll be right in, just going for a walk before breakfast."
Once they were a food ways away from the door Ron said, "I thought she'd be okay today, it's only the two of you going."
"That's flattering." Hermione said, swatting his arm.
Ron caught her hand though and in a second he had pulled her close and was kissing her.
Hermione pulled back smiling, but frowned as she said, "I'm going to miss you."
Ron sighed and pulled her in for a hug, burying his face in her bushy hair and inhaling deeply.
"I love you."
"I love you too." Hermione said into his chest, her voice so muffled that she was sure that he couldn't understand her. After a moment she asked, "What are you doing up so early, anyway?"
"I couldn't sleep." He said.
After a while Ron pulled away slowly, saying, "After breakfast, meet me up in my room, okay? I have something to give you."
Hermione raised her eyebrows at him in question, "What?"
"It's a surprise." He said, smiling at her, "But trust me, you'll like it. I hope, anyway."
They went inside and sat back down. Mr. Weasley and Percy had come down stairs and were already sitting at the table, reading the Daily Prophet. That meant that the only people left to come down were Harry and Ginny.
"Where are they?" Ron asked quietly, as well as irritably, as Mrs. Weasley started setting out plates of food.
Ron still wasn't exactly happy with Harry and Ginny being together. He'd come to accept it, but he still liked to act as though it wasn't happening.
"Oh honestly Ronald." Hermione said, picking up a piece of toast and nibbling at it. Her stomach still felt uneasy with nerves.
Harry and Ginny came down together, both grinning madly, and sat down to the plates Mrs. Weasley had set out for them.
Ron's ears went red and Hermione gave him a warning look.
Breakfast passed rather quickly, and when she finished Hermione excused herself, making some excuse about wanting to double check that nothing was missing from her trunk before going upstairs. Hermione didn't even pretend to go into Ginny's room though, and instead headed straight up to Ron's. It didn't take long before Ron joined her there. When he entered he was red in the face, though.
"What's happened to you?" She asked, standing up from where she was seated on his bed.
"I just…Ginny said something about me coming up here…right after you did…only Harry and Percy could hear but…" He finally gave up on trying to explain and just shook his head looking down.
Hermione laughed and walked over to where he stood. She put a hand on either side of his face and made him look at her before going on her tip-toes to kiss him. When the kiss ended she smiled at him and reminded, "You said something about a surprise?"
"Oh, right." Ron said, snapping back to reality.
He went over to his dresser and pulled out something that looked like one of the sweaters Mrs. Weasley had made him for Christmas. When he came closer Hermione saw that it was indeed one of his sweaters, a maroon one with a golden "R" on the front.
"I was just thinking," Ron said, "That maybe you'd want to take it with you. I mean, I know that I can't be there but this way…I don't know…this way you can have…part of me, I guess?" He said, the tips of his ears turning red.
Hermione took it and smiled, running a hand over the soft material, "Thank you, Ron. I love it."
Ron grinned at her.
A few moments later Hermione stood in Ginny's room, her trunk open but the sweater still in her hands. She had unfolded it and was holding it up to herself; it nearly went to her knees. But she didn't care, because it was Ron's, and it would keep him with her all the time at school. She couldn't help but smile as she folded it back up and caught Ron's scent coming off of it. She smiled, laying the sweater down into her trunk. The sight of it lying there with her own clothes made her unreasonably happy.
"Oh, um, hi, Hermione." Harry's voice came from behind her.
Hermione turned around to see Harry come into the room, looking a little guilty.
"Meeting up with Ginny?" She asked, grinning at him.
He ran a hand through his messy hair and nodded.
Hermione laughed, "You don't have to look so guilty. I won't tell Ron if that's what you're worried about."
Harry laughed for a moment before frowning and saying, "This year is going to be so odd. The three of us…separated."
Hermione nodded.
"I think it'll be the worst for you, though." He said.
Hermione snapped to attention at this. What was that supposed to mean? Was he insinuating that she would be weaker than they would? "Why do you say that?" She demanded of her best friend.
"Just…Ron and I will be doing things that are completely different from what we used to, you know? Being apart from each other won't be so odd because what we'll be doing isn't normal either. But for you…you'll be in the same place, with the same teachers, loads of the same people, but there will be something missing, so, you know, I just was thinking that that would be a bit odder, in comparison anyway."
Hermione considered this. "I suppose that comparatively my experiences will end up varying from normal a greater rate for a greater time than yours because I was doing this for longer but…I don't know."
Harry's face showed nothing but concern as he asked, "Are you okay? Because I've never known Hermione Granger to not know something."
Hermione laughed and admitted, "I'm scared. I don't know what to do without the two of you anymore. Gosh, after we got them back from Australia I still spent about as much time with you two as I did with my parents."
"I guess we're pretty fantastic, aren't we?" Harry joked, trying to make his best friend feel better.
"You guys really are." Hermione said, going over and hugging Harry tightly.
The journey to King's Cross Station was quick and easy, with the only problem being that Crookshanks did not want to stay in his carrying basket. Percy had said goodbye to them all when he left for work from the Burrow, so it was just Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Hermione, Ginny, Harry, and Ron who went to the station.
"Bloody hell, it's a zoo." Ron said quietly to Hermione as they started walking through the masses of people with her luggage cart.
"Language," Hermione reprimanded before saying, "It's no worse than usual."
The six soon came to the area near platforms nine and ten where they had agreed to meet up with George. They spotted him, leaning against a pillar with the hood of his jacket pulled up.
"George Weasley," Mrs. Weasley snapped at him as he started to greet them all, "What are you doing walking around with your hood up? People will think you're some sort of hooligan."
"Well I can't exactly let all of the Muggles see the giant hole in the side of my head either, can I Mum?" He asked, smirking.
Mrs. Weasley made a disgruntled noise and let it go.
"Ready to go onto the platform, then?" Mr. Weasley asked, swiftly changing the subject.
Slowly they each made their way through the wall and onto Platform Nine and Three Quarters. If it had been a zoo in King's Cross there was no way to describe what it was like there.
"It's because there's so many more people than usual," Ginny said as they gazed at all of the people, "It's almost as if there are eight years of students going to Hogwarts this year." She sighed and looked at Harry before repeating, "Almost."
They looked around for a moment before George said quietly, "Merlin's beard."
"What?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
George motioned to the other side of the platform where they saw a familiar head of white-blonde hair.
"That's not possible." Ginny said, "He wouldn't dare, would he?"
"Apparently he would." Hermione said, shaking her head.
There stood Draco Malfoy along with his mother. It was a well known fact that they both had been spared from going to prison, since they had each saved Harry once, while Lucius had not been so lucky. But while everyone knew that he could live freely, no one expected him to ever show his face at Hogwarts.
"Well, everyone needs an education." Mr. Weasley reasoned.
Mrs. Weasley wore a very dark expression as she looked down the platform, one that was mirrored on Harry and Ron's faces.
"Oi, Ginny, Hermione." George said suddenly. Everyone looked at him expectantly before he said, "Beat him in everything alright," He looked at Ginny specifically, "Especially quidditch."
Ginny and Hermione smiled at George and then at each other, and with that everyone decided to move on from the Malfoys.
Soon all of their luggage was stowed away on the train and all that was left to do was say goodbye.
Hermione shook hands with Mr. Weasley and was pulled into a tight hug by Mrs. Weasley. She thanked both feverishly for allowing her to stay with them for so long and for treating her so well.
"Oh, Hermione dear," Mrs. Weasley had responded, "You're family, there's no need to thank us for anything."
George hugged Hermione and told her, "Thanks for letting Ron stay here with me; I know how crazy you two are about each other so it must have been a big sacrifice."
Hermione had rolled her eyes, but accepted his thanks.
Next came Harry.
"I'll miss you." She told him, hugging him tightly.
Harry laughed, "I'll miss you too, Hermione. We'll write all the time, though, and we'll see each other on Hogsmeade weekends."
"I know," Hermione said, pulling back before grinning and adding, "But how will you ever get through Auror training without my help?"
Harry laughed before hugging her again.
So finally it came to Ron.
"I don't want to go anymore," She said quietly as he hugged her closely to him.
"I don't want you to go." He spoke into her hair.
They stood there quietly for a long time.
"I'll write every day." He said, "I know I've told you that before, but this time I mean it."
"I'll wear your sweater every night." Hermione said, and she truthfully thought that she just might have to.
"Break a few rules with Ginny and Neville and Luna, alright?" He asked, "You can let everything be completely different this year."
Hermione laughed and nodded, with a little difficulty seeing as she was pinned so closely to his chest. "I love you." She said.
"I love you." He echoed.
"Promise me something?" She asked, pulling back a bit so that she could look up at him.
"Anything." He said.
"Don't change your mind about me, alright? Just because I'm gone…don't change your mind."
Ron laughed, but stopped immediately when he saw Hermione scowling at him.
"Sorry, love, but I just…I've had my mind made up about you since fourth year. Nothing's going to change that."
Hermione was taken back by his assuredness at first, but she soon got over it and kissed Ron gently. "I love you, and my mind's made up too." She told him.
A whistle sounded, warning that they were almost out of time.
Ron pulled Hermione close again, and they just held each other. They just wanted to remember how it felt to be that close to one another, how it felt to have the other one there. They just wanted to remember every detail about the other's scent and appearance and everything. They just wanted to remember what it was like to be together.
"It's time to go." Ginny's voice suddenly broke through into the little world that was created by the two of them.
Ron let go of Hermione slowly, and gave her one last look before she boarded the train, one that she understood without question.
I love you.
On the train Ginny and Hermione found an empty compartment to share. Soon enough the empty seats were filled, though, as Neville came in and then Dean. They were followed by Luna, carrying the latest issue of The Quibbler. Seamus finally came in took the last one.
"You still have time to leave if you want to." Ginny whispered to Hermione, who was sitting by the window, staring out at Ron where he stood with Harry.
Hermione sighed and turned to Ginny. "I know." She said.
"You could still go and get a job at the Ministry, spend all of your free time with Ron."
Hermione smiled at the thought, "I know." She repeated, "But, you know, we'll have time for that later, we fought so we'd have time for that later. For now, my mind's made up."
Ginny smiled at Hermione and squeezed her hand before turning back to the others. Hermione, on the other hand, turned back to the window and to Ron. They stared at each other until the train started. It was only then that he mouthed to her the words that they'd been avoiding.
Good bye.
Hermione smiled at him before mouthing back, I love you.
Once the train had pulled so far away from the platform that it had gone out of sight she turned to the others. She knew it would hard, the year that sat before her, but looking at who was there with her, and knowing who was waiting for her, made her sure that she'd made the right decision.