Here's the sequel to 'When a Prank Goes Too Far'. I'm going to continue the relationship between Sarah and George, while also giving you looks at when Sarah was in Hogwarts and her relationship with the twins then and now.
Edited 2/17
"It is my hope that as you leave Hogwarts for the last time, your lives be filled with happiness and success. Congratulations students and good luck!"
McGonagall gave us all a reassuring smile as she completed her speech and clapped. Following the Headmistress's lead, the lawn erupted in cheers and applause. I looked from an excited Harry to a grateful Ron, and finally to a tearful Hermione. I couldn't believe this was it. Once the applause finished, the boats we were in would begin rowing and lead us to the other side of the lake. Part of me didn't want the applause to end, and the other part of me was ready to be finished with classes and start my adult life. Of course, moments later, the applause ended and the boats began to move.
"We did it!" Harry yelled. "We made it!"
Cheers of agreement erupted amongst me and my fellow seventh years. He was right. After all the scary situations, classes, and…well…everything, we had made it. We had graduated! Music filled my ears as the school song began to play and my fellow classmates and Professors began to sing along.
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy warty Hogwarts, teach us something please. Whether we be old and bald, or young with scabby knees!"
Hermione sobbed the lyrics while Ron wrapped his arms lovingly around her. The two of them were planning on moving in together and possibly getting married in the near future. Harry looked at the two of them and then back at the lawn, where Ginny began to fade into the distance. At my last glance of her, I noticed her eyes were as tearful as Hermione's. There was no doubt that Ginny was contemplating her final year at Hogwarts without him. I couldn't blame her. I was in her position last year when Fred and George graduated.
"Our heads could do with filling, with some interesting stuff. For now they're bare and full of air, dead flies and bits of fluff."
It was heartbreaking last year to see George in the boat next to Fred, waving back at me while I bawled my bloody eyes out. By that time, my back was healed and my relationship with the twins, especially George, was stronger than ever. I remember that George had given me a kiss before their ceremony and promised me that we would see each other over the summer and holidays, and that he would write me during my seventh year.
He had kept to that promise.
"So teach us things worth knowing, bring back what we've forgot. Just do your best, we'll do the rest, and learn until our brains all rot."
"Farewell, graduates!" McGonagall called, her voice amplified by her wand. "Best of luck to each and every one of you! You will all be missed."
McGonagall's farewell made me want to cry. She had been somewhat of a mum to every one of her Gryffindors, and leaving Hogwarts meant never seeing her again. I quickly took out my wand and held it in the air. A dim light emitted from its tip while I wiped a stray tear. I could feel the eyes of my classmates on me, but I simply didn't care. This was my goodbye to my school and home: Hogwarts.
"I'll miss you McGonagall," I whispered. "You and Dumbledore, thank you for everything. Thank you, Hagrid, as well."
Hermione looked up at me, her bottom lip wavering as he lifted her wand, her dim light joining mine. "Thanks…to all of my Professors and Hagrid. I'll miss you all, even Grawp."
"Thanks Hagrid," Ron chuckled, his wand joining ours. "I'll never follow the spiders again."
"Thank you, Professor Sprout," Neville lifted his wand.
"Thank you McGonagall, Dumbledore, Hagrid," Harry followed.
I could hear various 'thanks' to Professors and see that my wand light was no longer alone in the early morning sky. Across a few boats, I could see that even Draco Malfoy had raised his wand was muttering something under his breath. Probably thanks to Professor Snape for putting up with his arrogance over the years. It wasn't until we were close to the shore that we finally put our wands down.
"This is it," sniffed Hermione.
Neville looked back at the castle, "It's not goodbye. We'll still talk to each other."
"Yeah," Seamus grinned, "just not as often."
I gave him a playful shove. "Besides, if we hear of anything catching fire suddenly, we'll know who's behind it."
"Oh hardy-har! I haven't caused a fire or blown anything up since October!"
We enjoyed a laugh as the boats met the shore. Hogwarts was far away at this point and would be for the rest of our lives. We would never see a Hogwarts letter again—well, at least until we had children. My fellow graduates and I exchanged hugs, saying our final goodbyes before the train came.
Our final ride on the Hogwarts Express consisted of longing and reminiscence. Hermione and I couldn't stop crying, even though we both knew, that quite possibly, one day soon, we might end up being sister-in-laws. Harry and Ginny spent their last train ride sitting side-by-side, assisting Ron in trying to get me and Hermione to calm down.
"Come on you two," Ron held Hermione. "It's not like you two are never going to see each other again."
Ginny agreed, "Yeah. We're going to have a celebration dinner tonight. Remember?"
"Sarah, didn't you say Fred and George were going to take you to the Burrow to join us?" asked Harry.
"I did," I sniffed. "I just…I'm going to miss Hogwarts a lot. I'm going to miss not seeing you lot every day."
"Exactly," said Hermione, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. Deep down, I knew Hermione was going to miss the acquisition of new knowledge more than anything else.
"You'll see us more than enough," Ron assured us. "Stop crying you two. It really isn't goodbye forever."
He had a point, they all did, yet it took nearly half the train ride for me to calm myself down and drift into acceptance. Once the train stopped, I gathered my belongings and ran, for the last time, out of the portal between Platforms 9 and 10.
"Sarah!"
The sight of Fred and George brought me instant delight. George wore a white dress shirt and baby blue tie, while Fred wore a light purple shirt and white tie. Both wore grey slacks and vests, and beamed at me as I approached them. I stepped away from my trolley and threw my arms around them. It'd been some time since I'd last hugged the two of them.
"Aww, bless her," said Fred. "I reckon she missed us, Georgie. Don't you?"
George nodded, "I think so."
"As much as I love making a Sarah sandwich, I think George would much rather hugging you without me involved."
"You make it sound like I'm jealous or desperate."
I laughed and released them, wriggling out of my position between the two of them. "I've missed you two so, so much. You have no idea."
Fred beamed, "It's good to have you back, Princess."
I turned my attention to George. His eyes creased at their corners as his lips curled into a wide, toothy, grin. The urge to kiss him was overwhelming. I'd sorely missed him, and it'd been months since I'd had physical contact with him. George wrapped an arm around my torso, I tilted my head, and our mouths met. I held onto his shoulder with my left hand and grazed his neck with my right. I closed my eyes, leaning further into him. A few short pecks led to George taking my bottom lip between his lips. He cupped my jaw, my lips parted, and we entered a shallow kiss. Our tongues touched one another's, playful and experimentally at first, then more determined and purposeful. I draped my arm over his shoulder and his hand inched down my hip.
"You two aren't alone, you know."
Fred's reminder made us separate. My cheeks grew hot. "Erm, sorry. I...sorry."
"Sorry…" George's voice cracked and cleared his throat. "Um, Sarah-doll, I've really missed you."
"I've definitely gathered that." I looked up at him with a grin. "I missed you, too. This year taught me that I'd rather not be separated from you again."
"Really?"
"Of course. I love you, George. I honestly can't imagine being with anyone else."
"Well, that's good to hear because," George took a deep breath. "I have something I want—no—I need to give you, Sarah."
"Alright. What is it?"
He reached into the pocket of his slacks and removed a small black velvet box. He gave me a sheepish look, "Um, this?"
My breath hitched in my throat. George got down on his left knee. There was suddenly a weight about the situation. I brought a hand to my mouth and knitted my eyebrows. My heart beat madly as though I'd just finished running up the stairs. I looked over at Fred who, with a wink and lift of his eyebrows, only confirmed what was happening. George looked me square in the eyes.
"Sarah?"
"George?" The shakiness of my voice matched how wobbly my legs felt.
"I really, really, fancy you, Sarah. I can't see myself with anyone else but you. This past year was hard on the both of us, I know. It made me realize that I don't want to go through any more years without you by my side. If you don't mind, I just wanted to ask you a quick question. Sarah Jane Stone-Black," George lifted the lid of the box to reveal three small, round diamonds joined together on a solid silver band. It was modest, gorgeous, perfect. "Will you marry me?"
A sob left my throat. I struggled to verbalize my response, so I nodded vigorously instead.
His jaw slackened. "You will?"
"Yes."
The sound of applause erupted around King's Cross. George got to his feet and slid the ring on my finger. I looked down at my hand where the ring was even more beautiful. My fiancé shared a gentle kiss, then pressed our foreheads together.
"So, Sarah," said Harry. "What was that you were saying about not being able to see us lot every day?"
