By: Freelancer Mississippi and cokeerr
This is the beginning to a multiple chapter fanfiction chronicling life between the ending of the Battle of Hogwarts and seventeen years later when the epilogue takes place. We sincerely hope you enjoy.
Chapter 1
Oh, it was just that time of year again, the time of year when the carefree days of summer ended and wizarding children all across Britain loaded their stuffed trunks onto the Hogwarts Express, kissed their parents on the cheek and promised to write at least once a month. At the Burrow, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were stuffing the back of Mr Weasley's newest muggle car with Hermione and Ginny's trunks.
Ginny and Hermione had decided to return to Hogwarts to finish their final year, Ginny because she had to, as she had been a sixth-year during the war, and Hermione because she still wanted to take her N.E.W.T.s.. Ginny had been named Quidditch captain for Gryffindor and they had gone shopping in Diagon Alley, where shops were once again thriving. They were ready for the next year with McGonagall as headmaster and the threat of Voldemort a worry of the past.
The car ride however was not as peaceful as one would imagine as Ron and Hermione were not so quietly arguing in the back seat. You see Ron and Harry had both chosen to exempt their final year of Hogwarts, Hermione on the other hand had not and Ron was not exactly pleased. So Ginny and Harry awkwardly sat in the front seat and avoided eye contact while Ron smoothly remarked: "Hermione, it's just school. We defeated Voldemort we could have any job we bloody want. Why do you need to go back?"
"Not everyone feels the need to take shortcuts and handouts Ronald. Unlike someone, I intend to earn the job that I get, and that means putting in the work and actually going back to school," Hermione retorted and shot him a cold glare. Ron continued doing the mature thing and crossed his arms looked out the window and gave Hermione the silent treatment. Hermione could admit that maybe that last statement was a low blow but, in all honesty, they had already had this conversation and she was starting to get annoyed. Ron knows that she has reasons to go back to school and he knows the reasons must be good. After all, it is Hermione, but after an entire summer of her being there constantly, he just doesn't want her to leave.
Of course, the tension filled silence is so eloquently interrupted when Harry coughs and awkwardly tries to start a conversation by remarking: "Nice weather we have today", an ice-breaker that has the Ginny rolling her eyes, and did nothing to ease the tension radiating from the back seat. No one responded to Harry's blatant attempt to ease the tension and the uncomfortable silence resumed.
They arrived at King's Cross Station fifthteen minutes later and Harry and Ginny escaped to say goodbye and give Ron and Hermione a bit of space. Ron and Hermione walked slowly towards the train station, going past stations one, two, and finally nine, but just as they approached the brick wall and Hermione was preparing to run through to Platform 9 ¾, Ron stopped her.
"I get how my parents feel now" he told her.
Hermione had no idea what he was talking about. "What?" she asked.
"I get it now," he remarked. "Every year before we left for Hogwarts, they smothered us, made us promise to write, and hugged us all until we weren't sure there was air left in us. I always thought they were just overprotective and worried too much, but now I get it." He finished, breathless. Hermione's jaw dropped; she was happy that he apologized; happy that he had accepted her decision; but mostly she was shocked. This was Ronald Bilius Weasley and the most profound thing he had ever said was possibly bloody hell. He generally had the emotional range of a teaspoon. For possibly the first time in their friendship Ron knew exactly what to say, and Hermione was at an astounding loss of words, so she did the only thing she could currently think to do: she kissed him.
It wasn't particularly long or passionate. It was more loving than that, more gentle than the rough kiss of passion. They broke apart after about 30 seconds. With their foreheads still touching, a breathless Hermione whispered "I'll write." They pulled apart. "Everyday," she promised.
"I'll hold you to it," Ron responded, smiling. "You are going to be the best head girl that Hogwarts has ever seen."
"I love you Ronald," Hermione kissed him again, this time a chaste kiss, and turned to go through the wall.
Harry and Ginny's goodbye was slightly less poetic than Ron and Hermione's. Harry attempted the mushy goodbye, promising to write and telling her how lonely he would be without her; Ginny on the other hand took a more direct approach. "Shut up and kiss me," she ordered passionately, so Harry listened to his girlfriend and kissed her, and it was most definitely not chaste. They broke apart and Harry glanced at his watch.
"Merlin's beard!" he exclaimed. "Look at the time. You had better go, or you'll be late," he told her. She gave him a peck on the cheek and disappeared into the crowd between platforms nine and ten. Ron came through the crowd to him.
"Harry," Ron said. "We need to talk."
"Okay," Harry replied as they began to walk back to the car.
"Look," Ron began. "You are my best mate, but if you hurt my sister in anyway, I will not hesitate to slash your throat. Do you understand?" Harry nodded. "So anyways," Ron continued.
"Do you want to head to Diagon Alley for lunch?" said Harry
"Yeah, Leaky Cauldron sound good?"
"Sounds great lets head over"
"You drive we don't want a repeat of last time" said Ron cringing at the memory. With that they headed back to the parking lot looking for Mr Weasley's car in silence.
The train was full this year, so the compartments in turn were also full, Ginny and Hermione navigated the narrow hallway. looking for a compartment that would include Neville, and Luna. When they finally located the compartment, after squeezing past multiple people in the hallway, they parted ways at the door. Hermione was needed in the heads compartment to do the prefects introduction and hand out the patrol schedule for the first month of school. So with a wave goodbye, they prepared for the train ride, agreeing to meet up back at the common room.
After a twenty minute car ride filled with meaningless babble on random topics ranging from Draco Malfoy's upcoming trial to the newest additions to their chocolate frog card collections, Harry and Ron finally arrived at Grimmauld place. They would drive the car back to the burrow later. They apparated to Diagon Alley. They appeared on a shady street and made their way towards the Leaky Cauldron, glad that the cobbled roads were no longer as packed now that pre-school shopping was over. On their walk they passed by Weasley's Wizard Wheezes which George had recently reopened. Ron stopped "Hey you go on to the Leaky Cauldron and get us a table I'll meet you there" he looked towards the joke shop "I'm just gonna check on him you know see how he is doing", Ron looked towards Harry again.
"Hey, it's no problem. Tell him I said hi." Ron turned to enter the store and Harry made his way over to Diagon Alley hoping that the Joke shop was helping George to keep his mind off of things. He would be back soon enough.
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