Amaryllis

"So he just kissed you?" asked Sirius incredulously. "Just like that!"

"Sirius, calm down" Amaryllis said patiently. They were in her quarters now, and she sat down next to him on the sofa. He moved away, recoiling. "You're overreacting! Look, I get that you hate –"

"It's got nothing to do with that, Milly!" He stood up. "He's a bloody git, yes. But what gets me the most is that he rejected you – and now he's out there snogging you!" Amaryllis's lips twitched, but Sirius seemed to be in no joking mood. "Oh, you think it's funny, do you?" he snapped.

"No!" she exclaimed. She pulled him back on to the sofa. "It's just that you're overreacting. It was just a kiss!"

"You wouldn't be thinking it was just a kiss if it was Filch."

"Well obviously not" Amaryllis said, rolling her eyes. "Besides, I'm sure you did things like that plenty when you were younger."

"Yeah, when I was younger" Sirius shot back. "And I'm now much older, and so is he."

She sighed. "Sirius, I appreciate your concern. I do – but I'm a grown woman! If I didn't feel comfortable, I would have punched him in the face – or hexed him! I'm a qualified witch you know." She smiled at him reassuringly and he relaxed back on the sofa a micron. He scrunched his face suddenly. "What?" she asked.

"I know I'm going to regret asking this, but as your friend, I supposed I'm obliged – How was the kiss?" Sirius shuddered.

She paused. "I think it was OK – It was fast. And I don't think he really meant it." He looked at her questioningly. "I kinda get the feeling it was a spur of the moment type of thing. He looked really angry, actually."

"Great."

She was momentarily. "Sirius, I want to tell you something, but I'm scared you're going to get really mad" she said in a quiet voice.

Sirius blanched. "Oh God, don't tell me you slept with him." He put his face in his hands.

"That was actually my first kiss, ever" Amaryllis confessed.

His head snapped up immediately. "What?" he hissed, and he tried to stand up again but she pulled him back down on to the sofa. "I'm going to kill him."

"I don't care about him kissing me!" she cried. "Please, just listen to me." He visibly calmed. "I just – I don't know. I thought there would be fireworks or something. And there wasn't…Maybe you were right all along, Sirius" she said sadly. She put her head on his shoulder, thankful when he said no more.

Harry

June had arrived, and Harry, Ron and Hermione were set going to graduate. Harry packed his suitcase for the very last time. There were so many memories he had made here; being welcomed in to Gryffindor, Quidditch practice, Hermione slapping Malfoy, Ron vomiting slugs, the Yule Ball, meeting Luna Lovegood, the DA meetings, kissing Ginny for the very first time…every moment he shared with Ron and Hermione. And now finally he would be leaving the place where it all started.

They sat on the edge of the Astronomy Tower, looking out on to the horizon.

"It's weird, huh?" murmured Ron.

"I'll say" said Harry. He stood up, so Ron and Hermione could face him while they sat. "You two ready?"

"With everything we've done already, we should be…right?" said Hermione, though her voice was laced with doubt.

"Thank you" said Harry suddenly. "For everything. Everything you two have done for me, everything you've given me…I could spend my whole life trying to repay you and I still wouldn't be able to make a scratch."

"Shut up, Harry" laughed Ron. Tears were brimming from his eyes. He stood up and put his arm around Harry and pulled Hermione up, so they were huddled together.

"We love you, Harry" she said softly.

The three friends broke apart and looked out on to the horizon, with both happiness and sadness, for the last time.