Hermione glanced out at the castle before her. It was beautiful; there was no doubt in her mind about that. With its tall pillars of marble and small little details that most would not pick up unless you looked very hard. The castle also had chips and cracks here and there that came to be from the battle that occurred at this very location only a year previously. These very cracks were the castles scars. It represented that loss of those who had died and not to mention the hardship of establishing once again the pride and joy that was the wizard community. And yet, these scars where beautiful. They showed the uniting of people, who without the war would have remained enemies. Yes, this castle was beautiful, it not just provided a building to learn, it also helped to form life long bonds. She was going to miss it.
After the war Hermione had gone Australia in hope that she would be able to free her parents from the magic, her very own, that had kept her parents from harm during the war. It was all in vain. Hermione only had to search for a month until she found her parent's graves. Their graves. They had died from a car crash on their way home from work, which coincidentally was as assistants to dentists. Hermione's world died in that very moment. She was trapped inside her own world when she returned; no one could get her out this world, this nightmare, not even Harry or Ron. They tried but soon gave up knowing they could not help. That was the end of Hermione and Ron's "relationship". She sunk further into depression. She was trapped, nothing could save her. Not even being made head girl, her dream ever since she learned she was to attend Hogwarts, helped. That was, until she made friends with Hogwarts 1998 head boy.
At the start there were fights, mainly verbal but occasionally things would be thrown. Teachers were called night after night to their dorm to keep the peace and allow people to get some rest. Finally, the teachers demanded a truce from them. For the first two weeks they ignored each other. Then, gradually, they began to talk. At first it was just hi and bye when they were alone in their dorm together. Slowly, but surely these little exchanges started to become conversations. A bond was formed between the two. Hermione began to feel something again; her talks with him were engaging and made her question herself. She felt happier as she told him all about her life, the good and the bad. He was the first person who wanted to know everything about her even the little details. Like what was her favourite colour, the foods she liked and the ones she didn't. He made her feel happiness again.
She gradually began to let people back in. Harry, Ron, Luna and Ginny became a part of her life once again and there was no way she was going to lose them again. Her friends at first did not understand why she decided to let them back in but the truth was soon discovered. Hermione was in love with the head boy. She would never admit to it but her friends could see it in her eyes and heart that she was lying. He also denied he was in love with her, but he knew he was lying. He decided to do something about it in potions in front of the whole class.
That day was like any normal Hogwarts day. Well, it was up until potions. As per usual Hermione took her seat next to Luna when the class began. Professor Slughorn began to drawl on about the importance of NEWT's (they were about to sit final exams) when of a sudden someone gets up. Hermione instantly knows who is standing up behind her; she had waited for it to happen for months. "Yes?" Hermione vaguely recalls Slughorn saying to the boy, "Do you have a question about you newts?" "No sir" he had replied. "However, I do have a question to ask someone very important to me" he had said it with confidence. "Well, then ask away my dear boy, ask away" Slughorn had replied. He had casually walked to Hermione and Luna's desk. "Hermione", pause, "Will you be my girlfriend?". "Yes of course! I thought you would never ask!" she had then flung her arms around him. Their first ever hug. Hermione had never felt more alive in that moment, more comfortable, more at home.
Their relationship had only blossomed from that point onwards. They became known as the "it" couple. They always made time together, even during those long holidays apart, corresponding via owl. She had met his parents and he went with her to see her parents' graves.
Hermione smiled, remembering the beginning of their relationship. "There you are" a voice behind her said. There he was; her boyfriend, the love of her life, Draco Malfoy. Many students still were confused as to how the Slytherin Prince and the Gryffindor Princess had ended up together, but Draco and Hermione didn't care; so long as they had each other. She only smiled in reply. "Come on now, we have to leave otherwise were going to miss the train. We have our whole lives ahead of us now, let's go" he held out his hand for her to take. "Alright, let's go" she smiled again as she took his welcoming hand. They then left the castle together hand in hand.
The castle was beautiful even with the cracks and holes. These cracks only emphasized its beauty to her. This very castle had held at least 7 years of her life, if not more. She had learned loss, forgiveness, strength, bravery and most importantly love within those very walls. Yes, the castle was beautiful and Hermione Granger, Gryffindor's muggleborn princess was going to miss it.