To the seventh years their last few days passed by too quickly. They found themselves using every packing spell they could think of. The minutes quickly counted down till they had to leave their dorm, their home for nine months of the last seven years. The Gryffindor boys looked around for the last time.
"It's weird isn't it?" Dean Thomas asked the group.
"Yeah" Seamus answered. Neville, Ron, and Harry agreed.
"It seems like yesterday we just arrived here." Neville said.
"All that weirdness of rooming with four other people." Harry said.
"Yeah." All the others answered in unison.
They hurried down the stairs with their luggage trailing behind them for the one last breakfast and the last train ride of their Hogworts days. Their luggage was placed amongst everyone else's belongings and hurried over to the breakfast table.
"What are you looking so smug about?" Ron asked his sister who looked rather pleased with herself.
"I'll be alone next year." She answered smiling, "the only Weasley."
"So?"
"Why aren't you stuffing your face like you always do at breakfast?" Ginny snapped at him, only realizing Ron had never been alone. When they were at home, she was there. When he came to Hogworts Percy, Fred and George were there. He wouldn't understand the beauty of alone. Not being compared to anyone, although that was probably going to happen anyways.
"I don't know. Not really hungry."
"What? Ronald Weasley not hungry? Dear lord, Ginny post your mother immediately I think he's ill!" Hermione said very dramatically, laughing at Ron.
"Very funny 'mione." He said as she took a seat next to him. Harry noticed Hermione and Ron seemed to be pushing the limits of each others' personal bubble. 'Maybe they are getting a clue.' Harry thought to himself. He knew Ron secretly liked Hermione and her likewise. It would be great if they both realized they were in love with each other. But then he would be the third wheel. He only wished he could have the guts to get back together with Ginny. He started to realize that this would be very hard, as he needed to get a job, his own place even though Molly told him he could stay at the burrow as long as he wants, and then Ginny will have to come back to finish her last year. He knew he would be coming back for quidditch matches after all Ginny was bound to be the captain of Gryffindor.
As a group the seventh years and Ginny stood up to leave the great hall. Ginny didn't understand the emotions going through their minds but she knew Harry was sad to be leaving. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny found a compartment and enjoyed their time together. Hermione needed to locate her parents, restore their memories and spend some time with them before she went to the ministry to start her career. Ron although knew exactly what he was going to do for a while. He was going to move in with George and help with the Weasley Wizard Wheezes. The four played several games of exploding snap, had many conversations from what was going on presently to as far as twenty years from now.
"I imagine Hermione will be the mistress of magic with spew instated." Ron said. The other three laughed.
"Ron… I don't know… You will be crushed by a hippogriff!" Hermione laughed impersonating professor Trelawney. Everyone laughed.
Ron looked at Harry obviously thinking very hard about what Harry could be possibly be doing. "You'll have married Ginny, have three kids, and have revolutionized the auror office." He stated quite seriously. Both Harry and Ginny turned several shades of red.
"oh yeah?" Ginny asked, "I think you and Hermione will be married with two kids. Maybe you'll become an auror later on down the road." It was Ron and Hermione's turn to have blush creep across their faces. Harry watched as Ron's hand involuntarily grabbed Hermione's.
The train ride had never seemed so fast. They had arrived at King's Cross. As Harry got his trunk he began to search for Hedwig's cage then remembering that she wasn't there. He missed her dearly but knew she was in a better place. He saw Mr. and Mrs. Weasley greeting Ginny with hugs. Bill, Charlie, Percy, and George were all there.
"Hello Harry dear," Mrs. Weasley greeted him and hugged him close, "I couldn't be any more proud of you." She whispered in his ear so only he could hear. He withdrew from asking why. It felt weird, hearing someone telling you that they are proud of you. He smiled knowing Mrs. Weasley wouldn't have said it unless she meant it. He could feel this weird almost sort of happiness growing in him that made him smile. Was this the feeling of hope? He wondered. He felt like everything was going to be ok. Harry smiled. He couldn't imagine his life without the help of the Weasley family. He couldn't even really think of a future without Ginny.
After taking a ministry car back to the burrow Mrs. Weasley made a delicious dinner. The order had joined them, for this was a cause to celebrate, not only Ron, Harry, and Hermione succeeding in finishing school but of the order's successful attributes to the downfall of Lord Voldemort. They ate dinner outside under the dark blue night sky.
Kingsley stood up, cleared his throat and said, "I would like to purpose a toast," everyone raised their glasses, "in memory of the Order of Phoenix members who had lost their lives fighting in a righteous cause," he paused as everyone clinked glasses and bowed their heads for a moments of silence to respect the departed, "To Harry, Ron, and Hermione who aided the order greatly in the battle," he paused as once again everyone clinked glasses, " I also feel the need to honor one more person, Ginny. I know things were incredibly difficult at Hogworts with having death eaters present. You gave a glowing feeling in that dark time. You helped the students remember that there is something worth fighting for." He paused looking at the beaming Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, " To Ginny. For keeping hope in the darkest of times." Everyone clinked glasses one last time looking down the table to smile at Ginny. She had turned several shades of red, even though Bill and Charlie were telling her that she did the best thing she could have done.
Bill wrapped his arms around his little sister and said, "whoever marries you, is a very lucky guy I think." He said softly. Ginny smiled at her eldest brother, "It's hard keeping bright spirits in the darkest of times."
What Bill said made Harry think of Dumbledore. Harry knew Dumbledore would have been here if he would have still been alive but that was probably never meant to be.
Everyone started leaving wishing their goodnights, Ron was leaving to get moved in to the flat above the Weasley Wizard Wheezes.
"Good luck mate," Harry said shaking Ron's hand.
"It's not like I'm leaving forever," Ron said as Molly ran and hugged her youngest son tightly, "Mum I can't breathe."
"You take good care of yourself," Molly said firmly, and then whispered, "keep an eye on George, don't give him too much trouble, he's still a little torn apart."
Harry hadn't heard George speak all night. He couldn't even begin to image how it would feel to have lost a twin. George and Ron left, Ginny started to head upstairs to her bedroom.
"Good night." Harry told her. She smiled at him.
"Night Harry." She entered her room and closed the door.
Harry went to sleep with a smile on his face knowing Ginny was only one floor below him.
A/N: Please r/r! I WILL NOT POST ANOTHER CHAPTER WITHOUT A REVIEW!
