Warnings / Spoilers : No spoilers that I'm aware of. No warnings so far.
Pairing(s) : Hermione/Draco, Harry/Ginny
Oh and also I know that Dumbledore isn't alive in the seventh book...however this is fiction dears. =D
Herm POV :
I never was brave and heroic like Harry. Or strong and quick tempered like Ron. Or ever gorgeous and curageous like Ginny. I was just the know-it-all, the brains to the Golden Trio, Hermione Granger. I was once again sitting in the Great Hall watching as Ron stuffed as much food into his mouth as he could manage all at once. How could one person manage to fit half a baked potatoe, a whole cup of pumpkin juice, and a couple of spoonfuls of chocolate pudding in their mouth all at once? Second thought, why would they want to? Absolutely disgusting.
Neither Harry or Ginny had managed to pull themselves away from each other from whatever corner of the universe they had managed to find for themselves to snog in to come to dinner. Again. This was the third time in the past two days they had missed meals and it was only the second day of term. I had barely seen either of them since last term and I missed them both. Their newly found relationship seemed to have taken presidence over anything and everything else. Scary really. To love someone that much. Course neither of them would admit it that their love for each other had been blantenly obvious to everyone else for years.
"I would like to interrupt you just for a moment if I may." Dumbledores' voice boomed out at us and I happily lifted my gaze from Rons' mouth to meet Dumbledores' eyes. He smiled and nodded at me. "I trust you have all settled in well and are preparing yourselves for the start of classes in the morning. After dinner I would like for all the seventh years to stay behind please. May I speak to the head boy and girl at this moment please? Miss Granger? Mr. Malfoy?"
I sipped my glass of pumpkin juice then rose to my feet and started towards the proffesors' table. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Malfoy do the same with a bit of a grimace and a strained face. He almost looked in pain. Course for Malfoy that was hard to tell the differnce between pain and his usual unpleasant manner. I approached Dumbledore with a small smile.
"Good evening, Proffessor."
"Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy I turst you have worked yourselves out?" Dumbledore said glancing between myself and Malfoy. He of course was referring to the snit we had gotten outselves into yesturday when we had arrived at the head boy and girls' rooms and tried to come up with a password each of us could remember but one that wasn't too partial to one or the other.
I looked at Malfoy to see him sneer at me. He remained silent. He was gonna leave it all up to me. Fabulous.
"Yes, Proffessor Dumbledore, we worked it out." I said.
"Splendid." he clapped his hands together as if it were some great feat that the two of us had managed to work together for a small task such as coming up with a password. I guess in some small way it was amazing we had. Without killing each other or hexing each other into oblivion. "Now this year is going to be a special year. A very rememberable year. Can either of you tell me why?"
I thought for a moment and other than the fact that this was our last year I could come up with nothing. For once I was unsure. For once I did not know. This had never happened to me before. I shook my head. Malfoy remained quiet.
"This is the last year you two and the rest of your classmates have before you go out into the world, whichever you may be embracing. This is the year where you will be last seen as children. Not that either of you have been children for long time. However, I know you both would embrace this time you have with an open mind and be sure to take part in all the on-goings with a cear mind."
He let that stand for a moment and then sent us back to our seats. I was quite confused. Sure I knew that Dumbledore could be cryptic sometimes. But he usually would at least give sometime type of clue as to what was coming. Some sort of an idea. He had said a great deal without really saying anything at all. When I got back to my seat Ron and some other seventh years sitting close by tried to get some clues as to what was going on from me and all I could tell them was that I had no clue.
Dinner could not pass quickly enough for me and the rest of the seventh years. When all the other years had left the Great Hall Dumbledore called all the seventh years to the ends of the tables. We all sat there holding our breath. Then he began to speak.
"I know this year to some is hindering. I know this year to some is a reprieve. I also know that to all of you this year is going to stay with you. This is the last year that you will be seen by society as children. I know some of you haven't considered yourself children for some time. Because of the influences that have been pressing down apun some of you there will be a new class for seventh years here at Hogwarts. This new class is going to be the Life Lessons class and it will instructed by no other than our fabulous Professor Magonagall." he turned and waved his arm to her," Minerva, if you would."
Magonagall stood and faced us. "Life lessons is a class that will teach you the more..." She cleared he throat," domestic side of life. We know you can throw hexes. We know you can brew potions. We know you can protect yourselves. We want you to be prepared for other parts of life as well. Tomorrow morning there shall be an owl awaiting each of you in your rooms with a piece of parchment. This parchment will be a sort of test. You will not be graded on this test. There are no wrong answers. Please fill the test out and return it with the owl. I look forward to seeing each and every one of you tomorrow."
As soon as the proffessors left there was a buzz amongst all the seventh years. Speculations. Accusiations. Excitement. I didn't know what was coming but for some reason I was looking forward to it. Some new challenge. To think we were the first ones to ever get to do it as well. That alone was exciting. I left the Great Hall and headed to my room after a quick good night to Ron and messege for him to inform Harry."
Thankfully when I had arrived Malfoy was nowhere to be seen and I quickly showered and sent myself to bed. I quickly found sleep and my dreams a collage of images of what might be to come in Life Lessons. I awoke the next morning to sunlight shining in through and open window and a gorgeous white and black owl perched on the foot of my bed. I got up out of bed and gave it a treat, carressing it's head before taking the parchment clutched gently in it's talons. I went to my desk and pulled out a quill and took a deep breath then unrolled the parchment. It didn't look so much like a test as it did a survey.
Have you ever considered yourself getting married? Maybe.
Have you ever considered yourself a parent? Maybe.
If you were to be a parent would you want a son or a daughter? Son.
What would be some qualities in a spouse that you would look for? Manners, loyalty, intelligence, humor, and bravery.
Describe your perfect wedding. Sunset around the black lake. Friends and family sitting in white chairs facing a white gazeebo. White roses everywhere and petals lining the walk way. My husband waiting for me wearing a black and white muggle tuxedo. Dumbledore standing beside him waiting to perform the ceremony. Me in a white off the shoulder wedding dress carrying white roses.
Would you ever give someone a second chance? Yes.
