Author's note: Welcome to this, the final chapter. Please fasten your seat belts, place your seats in an upright position, and ensure that any hand luggage is stowed either in the overhead lockers or the seat in front of you. We hope you have enjoyed your journey and we hope you will soon be reading with us again.
Disclaimer: We own nothing whatsoever, sadly.
--Tamara, kyra, Caroline, and Marianne.

14

Hermione

Slowly, Hermione rejoined the rest of the school. Just as she had feared, the student population treated her as though she were made of glass for far too long, treading softly around her and seeming to be careful not to upset her. Only Pansy Parkinson refused to coddle her, and Hermione found herself spending more time than she would have believed possible with the Slytherin prefect. Goyle had vanished without explanation, and, though Hermione felt certain that Pansy knew where he had gone, the girl refused to discuss it, and Hermione did not ask. In the end, she felt that it was probably best not to know.

Eventually, people moved on, and Hermione's life outwardly returned to what it had been before. She did break things off with Harry, saying that she could not handle being in a relationship anymore. He seemed to understand, though she did catch him watching her from time to time, eyes concerned. She never could decide whether it was the look of a friend or a lover, and she did not spend any time trying to decode his looks. She was far too afraid of the answer she would get for that.

The term drew to a close, and Hermione discovered just how much she had missed during her long stay at the hospital wing. She worked harder than she had ever had to before to catch up and, even though Ron -- still firmly attached to Lavender Brown -- informed her that she would get top marks in everything, she could not help staying up till all hours of the night, cramming desperately.

Exams came and went and, as Ron had predicted, Hermione passed them all with flying colors. Harry treated them to a day in Hogsmeade to celebrate and, though she was initially wary, he was nothing but a friend. Sitting there, just the three of then, Hermione could almost think that nothing had happened, that they were back to where they had been before, before she and Ron started dating, before Ron dumped her for Lavender, before Goyle started preying on muggle born girls. Almost. Every so often, even that day, something would jump out at her, someone would say something, and she would be sent back to that moment. Having read up on this the moment she left the hospital wing, Hermione suspected that this was to be expected, and resolved simply to deal with it. Harry dealt with his demons, and Hermione would deal with hers.

At last, they stood once more on the platform of king's cross station, looking at each other.

"Hard to believe that this is the last time we'll do this," Harry said soberly.

Hermione nodded.

"It's not like we're never going to see each other again," Ron complained. Hermione suspected that he just wanted to go to Lavender, who had been barred from this final parting. When neither Hermione nor Harry answered, he added, "Right?"

Hermione nodded again. "I'll keep in touch," she promised.

Harry nodded as well. "Yeah. And, you know, feel free to stop by." Harry, eager to get out of his aunt and uncle's house as soon as possible, had purchased a small flat in muggle asked why he did not choose to live in Grimauld place, he had only glared darkly and demanded, "Would you?" To that, Hermione had no answer.

"I will," she said. "Mum wants me to enroll in University, so I'll be busy." She made a face. "Though I think I'll spend a year relearning what I should have learned in muggle school first."

Ron blinked. "Why?" he demanded. "What's wrong with what you learned at Hogwarts?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "If you want to spend your life in the wizarding world, nothing at all. If you want to go to muggle university, it's not very useful. Arithmancy almost translates, thankfully, and my writing is good enough to pull off. I haven't read any classics, but I can write that off as an experimental curriculum." She sighed. "It's history that will give me the real problem," she admitted. "I never was good at dates."

Ron stared at her. "You, not good at something?" he asked, eyes wide.

She nodded.

Harry laughed. "Don't work too hard," he advised. "If you don't write to me within a month, I'll invite myself to your house and kidnap you for the weekend."

Hermione laughed. "I'll keep in touch," she promised.

They stood, a little awkwardly, looking at each other. What did you say to the people you had known for almost half of your life, to the people you had grown up with, to the people who had saved your life as many times as you had saved theirs? How could you sum up seven years' worth of memories in a few short moments?

At last, Ron said, "Well, er, you know. See you around?"

Harry and Hermione nodded, and he left, going to wrap an arm around Lavender's waist and introduce her to his mother. Hermione had heard them planning this, had heard Ron assuring her that his mum would love her. He had never said that to her. She ignored this thought, sensing that it was habit, not true jealousy. Somehow, without realizing it, she had gotten over Ron Weasley.

She and Harry looked at each other, not saying anything. Finally, Harry sighed. "I guess this is it, then?"

She nodded. "I will write," she swore. "I'll even call, if you give me your number."

"I, er, don't actually have a phone yet?" he tried. "I do have a fireplace, though."

She laughed. "Well, I don't, so get a phone if you want to hear from me in a way other than owl post."

He nodded. "I'll get right on that." he hesitated, then added, "Good luck, Hermione."

She nodded back. "Good luck Harry," she whispered back. Abruptly, she turned and, dragging her lightened trunk by one hand, left him standing on the platform and passed through the barrier to rejoin her parents, who smiled at her and led her to the car which would take her home.