A/N: Yay for another chapter! Happy reading!
I walked slowly along the corridor lining the perimeter of the courtyard, watching my fellow students, and those belonging to Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, exchange their bittersweet farewells. It had been a long, insane, terrifying, emotional year, and I, personally, was glad to have it over. But I could see that the others didn't share my sentiments. They hugged and kissed and cried as they said goodbye.
The sound of a cannon echoed, coming from the lake, and our guests filed out of the castle and out of our lives. For the time being, at least. I knew that Krum had asked Hermione to write to him. And something told me that Ron would be seeing a lot more of Fleur Delacour.
Leaning against a nearby pillar, I took a deep breath, relishing in the sudden quiet. It didn't last long, though, for a moment later Ron hopped through a stone window right next to me, and Hermione came around the corner, both smiling.
"D'you think we'll ever just have a quiet year at Hogwarts?" Ron asked.
"No," Hermione and I said at the same time.
Ron shrugged. "No, I didn't think so. Oh, well. What's life without a few dragons?" he smirked at me, then hopped down from the window, and we started walking away.
I noticed that Hermione hadn't joined us, so I stopped and turned around. She stood in the same place, her hand on the stone wall, looking at the ground. It seemed as if she was smiling simply because to smile is easier than to cry. "Everything's going to change now, isn't it?" she whispered.
My heart wrenched at the way the smile slid off her face as the truth of her words sank in. I walked toward her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. She looked up at me, her eyes wide and scared. "Yes," I said simply, but tried, with my eyes alone, to convey that even if things did change, we would always be friends.
She smiled, and I knew she understood.
A/N: That was a short chapter. Meh. Oh well. Anyways, huzzah for the end of Movie #4! Man, that took forever! Please leave a review!