This is the last chapter I'm afraid. I thought this was an appropriate place to end this story.
Chapter 46 – Kings Cross
Molly's loud voice bellowed up the wooden stairs early that morning, wakening every occupant from their peaceful slumber. Hermione woke up first, Fred's arm drapped tightly around her waist.
"Hermione, Ginny dears!" Molly shouted. "Ron, Harry!"
Hermione tried to wriggle free from Fred's tight grip but it was proving difficult. Hermione was regretting her idea to spend the night with Fred.
"Fred! George!" Molly continued to shout.
"Fred will you wake up and move your arm!" Hermione shouted.
"Wha...what's wrong?" Fred asked, groggily.
"We have to get up and I can't move because you're holding onto me for dear life." Hermione answered.
"It's because I don't want you to run away." Fred said.
"Well I kind of have to get up as we're going back to Hogwarts today." Hermione stated. "Your Mother has been shouting on us all."
"Can't we have five more minutes?" Fred asked.
"No, because your Mother will end up barging in here expecting to find you and George, only to find us and she will go mental." Hermione answered. "So I suggest we get up and get back to our proper rooms before she does."
"I guess so." Fred said, sadly.
"I just want today to go drama free, that's all." Hermione admitted. "I don't want to stress out Molly, any more than she already is."
Molly had been very stressed out for the past week, worrying about her two youngest children returning to Hogwarts. Even though she was keen for them to continue and finish their education, she wasn't overly keen for them to return to Hogwarts so soon. Ginny and Ron did not share their Mother's worry and both were looking forward to returning. Harry was worried, of course, as he knew he'd get a lot of attention from people.
Hermione finally escaped from Fred's grip, placed a small kiss on his lips then quietly sneaked from his room and into Ginny's room. Harry was already up and in the bathroom while Ginny was sorting out her Hogwarts trunk.
"How did you and Harry get on last night?" Hermione asked.
"Not bad. We just talked for a while before we fell asleep. It was nice just talking to him about stuff." Ginny answered with a small smile. "What about you and Fred?"
"Yeah pretty much the same. I wanted an early day as we've a long day ahead of us but Fred insisted on talking." Hermione answered.
Hermione and Ginny continued the last of their packing while they waited on the bathroom to become free.
"Oh good. You both are awake and getting sorted." Molly commented, entering their room.
"We've been up for ages, Mum." Ginny grinned.
"Shame the same can't be said about the boys." Molly stated. "Fred and George are still in their beds."
"I'm sure they'll be up soon, Mum. They don't have any packing to do since they're not going to Hogwarts." Ginny answered.
"That is true but I thought they would have got up and gave me a hand with things." Molly said.
"Would you like me to go and get them up?" Ginny asked, her eyes wide.
"I don't want any mischief this morning Ginvera." Molly warned. "I want us all ready to leave at 10:30am sharp!"
"We will be, Molly." Hermione smiled. "I will make sure of that."
"Thank you Hermione. It's good to see someone being sensible." Molly replied.
Molly left the room, wiping her brow with her apron, leaving the girls to finish getting organised.
Meanwhile Fred and George were lying wide awake in their beds. Fred, lying with his hands behind his head, a worrying feeling in his stomach.
"You don't want Hermione to do back to Hogwarts, do you?" George asked his twin.
"Not really, no." Fred answered. "I know her education is important to her but I'm just worried, you know."
"This is Hermione we're talking about here, she'll be fine." George said.
"I know she can look after herself but she's still a muggle-born and one of Harry's best friends. She could still be an easy target." Fred answered.
"I don't think McGonagall or any of the other teachers are going to let anything bad happen to Hermione or Ron, Harry and Ginny." George said.
Fred sat up in his bed and looked at George.
"I know but there are still death eaters out there somewhere, Snape is still out there something. They could target Hogwarts again. Especially if they know Harry is returning." Fred blurted out.
"Look I'm worried too mate but we've got to have faith in McGonagall and the other teachers. They won't let anything happen to their students, especially not Harry, Ron and Hermione. They will have every protection in place to keep them all safe." George said.
Fred felt a little better after having a heart to heart with his twin, the only person other than Hermione, he felt like he could open up too. The twins finally left their beds, pulling on some clean clothes then joined the others in the kitchen for breakfast. Molly was serving up a hearty breakfast for everyone but nearly spilled porridge over Harry.
"Molly, please calm down and stop worrying." Arthur urged as he watched Molly shakily pouring tea into a mug.
"Now you four, please look after yourselves and don't get into any trouble." Molly warned.
"We won't Mum." Ginny answered.
"McGonagall will be keeping a very close eye on the four of you and I don't want to hear of any of you getting into un-nessecary fights." Molly stated, ignoring Ginny.
"What protection is being put in place to stop people from annoying these four?" Charlie asked.
"I have no idea son but McGonagall will no doubt do her very best." Molly replied.
****
It was now 10:30am on the spot and the Weasley family, Harry and Hermione were all ready to leave for Kings Cross station. Kingsley had kindly lent the family two Ministry cars to take them from the burrow. It was a surprise that everyone was ready for once, with their trunks pilled in the hallway and Pigwideon, Hedwig, Crookshanks and Arnold all in their cages on top of the trunks. Pig and Hedwig were hooting loudly, fluttering around while Crookshanks purred contently from her basket.
"Now has everyone got everything?" Molly asked for about the 100th time that morning.
"Yes Mum." Ginny and Ron answered at the same time.
"I'm sure we could post anything they've forgotten to them." Arthur smiled.
"Yeah and it'll take Errol about a month to bring it to them." George laughed.
"He's an old owl George!" Molly stated.
"Right everyone into the cars please!" Arthur urged.
Arthur, Molly, Charlie, Fred and George were going to Kings Cross that morning with Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Harry to see them off. The group split up into the two cars, packing their belgongings into the boots. Ginny and Hermione went with Fred, George and Charlie while Molly and Arthur went with Harry and Ron.
"Is Sirius, Lupin and Tonks meeting us there?" Fred asked Charlie.
"Yes they are. It's easier for them to go from Grimmauld Place then here since they're already in London." Charlie answered. "Did you actually think they'd miss seeing everyone off?"
"Is Lupin not getting the train with everyone?" George asked.
"I'm not sure. Maybe he's apparating to Hogsmeade and meeting everyone else there." Charlie answered.
The cars took off, leaving the burrow and heading off into busy London, zooming past fields and trees, expensive looking houses and little villages. The cars came to a hault right outside Kings Cross train station in central London. It was bursting with life as muggles went about their day to day, unaware that the wizarding world even exsisted.
The cars pulled into empty parking spaces so the Weasleys, Hermione and Harry could get out safely. Arthur and Charlie rushed to get them trolleys to put their heavy trunks on too. They did get some funny looks from passers by as they hoisted the trunks and animal cages onto the trolleys. Molly led her family into the busy train station and onwards to platforms 9 and 10. They spotted several other Hogwarts students. As usual, they had to time going through the platform without being noticed by the muggles. Before they went through, Sirius, Lupin and Tonks who had baby Teddy in a pram, met them, his hair was jet black and messy like Harry's. Molly and Arthur went through the platform first, followed by Charlie then the others. Platform 9 ¾ was buzzing with hundreds of nervous and excited Hogwarts students and their families.
"Wow!" Molly gasped, looking around.
"I didn't expect there to be so many people." Arthur commented.
"They're not going to open the school without any students." Charlie laughed.
Neville Longbottom and Hufflepuff's Hannah Abbot and Susan Bones rushed straight over to Harry and the gang.
"I'm so glad you're here Harry and Ron, of course." Neville grinned.
"Good to see you here too mate." Ron replied, shaking Neville's hand.
"Are Dean and Seamus here yet?" Harry asked.
"Yeah they're here too, somewhere." Neville replied. "Luna is too. Actually quite a few of our friends are."
"Oh good. At least we'll not be the only ones." Ron answered.
"We're going to be mixed with Ginny's year, according to McGonagall." Neville said.
The noise on the platform was deafning, between the chatter of people and the noise of the animals. Some people were crying as they said 'goodbye' to their children. Some first years too were crying as they didn't want to say 'goodbye' to their parents.
"We better get you all onto the train and get you all seats." Molly stated.
"Mum!" Ron moaned. "We're not first years you know."
"Honestly, Mum, they'll be perfectly fine." Charlie laughed.
Molly hugged Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny, wishing them all 'good luck', tears filling her eyes. Hermione then went to Fred to say 'goodbye' to her boyfriend. Neither of them were looking forward to this at all.
"You look after yourself, Mione and write to me in our books." Fred said.
"I will Fred and you look after yourself too. Keep me updated on how the shop is going." Hermione answered, resting her head on Fred's chest as he hugged her tightly.
"Don't forget to ask McGonagall if we can arrange for me to come and visit you." Fred reminded. "If not we can arrange to meet during Hogsmeade visits."
"I'll ask her when I get the chance then I'll let you know." Hermione answered. "I'll write to you later on after the feast."
"Do I not get a hug?" George asked.
"Of course, George." Hermione smiled, pulling out of Fred's grip.
"Don't worry Mione, I'll look after Fred for you." George grinned.
"I can look after myself thank you very much!" Fred protested.
"I trust you both." Hermione stated.
"Right everyone, you better get onto the train, it'll be leaving in a minute." Molly stated in a state of almost panic.
"I'll see you all at Hogwarts for the feast." Lupin said to the group.
"We'll see you all at Christmas." Tonks said.
"Do we have to wait that long?" Harry moaned.
"Well you'll be seeing me a lot sooner when I fill in for Remus but you'll all be coming to Sirius' for Christmas." Tonks replied.
"I'm sure we can arrange a visit or two." Sirius grinned.
"Right! On to the train now or none of you will be going back to Hogwarts!" Molly stated, pushing Ron towards the train.
Hermione stole a last quick kiss from Fred before dashing off to join Harry, Ron and Ginny on the train. There were fresh tears streaming down Molly's face as Arthur hugged her tightly. She wasn't the only mother to be crying as they watched their children dissappear on the bright red steam engine and off to Hogwarts for the new term.
