Harry Potter sat down on the Gryffindor Common Room couch and stared into the crackling fire. He was graduating, with honours, from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry the next day. His black hair was illuminated by the fire, his green eyes fixed mysteriously on something far away, when one of his best friends for the past seven years of school and classmate, Hermione Granger, strode in.
"Hey, penny for your thoughts?" she waved a hand in front of his face with a comically raised eyebrow.
Harry jerked from his thoughts and stared sheepishly up at her. "Hey, yourself. My thoughts would cost slightly more than a penny,though."
"Hey, that's all I'm offering." she shrugged, her mouth quirked up a bit at the corners.
"Where are the others?"
"Ron and Seamus are out with Parvati and Lavender," she answered, sitting down next to him. "And Ginny and Neville are out with Dean and Eloise Midgeon."
"I still can't believe how much Eloise's acne has cleared up," Harry commented. "I mean, when you look back at her fourth year picture, you can barely recognize her."
"We never knew she was so nice..." Hermione sighed. "And now she's one of the most popular people in the school! It's such a shame she was judged by her looks. People can be so unfair."
Harry didn't respond, but gave his friend the once-over. She had changed much during her years at Hogwarts, and for the better. Her soft brown hair, once so bushy, was sleek and straight, going halfway down her back; her teeth, after being turned into fangs during an encounter with Draco Malfoy during fourth year, were now short and bright white, the result of having dentists for parents; her once light-brown eyes had lightened and softened into a beautiful misty grey - Harry loved her eyes; and a complexion that was near perfect and to be envied. Hermione Granger was indeed very pretty. And her voice - once so whiny and shrill - was soft, flowing and deep. Yes, she was intriguing and fun to be with too. Harry felt a queer fluttering feeling in his heart, but he ignored it and stared back into the fire.
"I can't believe we're graduating tomorrow, Hermi..." he said sadly, which of course was natural when he thought of the Dursleys, his demonic guardians.
"I know! I'm going to miss this place. Think of all the fun we had," she said mischievously. "Remember when you and Ron saved me from the troll? Or when we snuck Sirius out of the school?"
"Or the Triwizard Tournament.." Harry said softly. He hated to remember when his schoolmate, Cedric Diggory, had been killed by Voldermort, who had killed his parents many years ago, when he was just a baby, but had been defeated a year before. "This is the only real home I ever had, Herm. Now I gotta go back and face the Dursleys. I suppose I could use magic on them, being a real wizard and all." He grinned. "But I think I'll get a job in the Ministry. Be on my own."
"Oh, yes. They'll jump at the chance to hire the great Harry Potter, survivor of Unforgiveable Curses," Hermione nudged him teasingly.
"I guess," he said ruefully, then stared out the window into the June night. "But I'll visit you and Ron first."
"You be sure and do that," she smiled then turned sober. "Oi, but it will be different without you and Ron around all the time... You and Ron will be in the Ministry and I'll be home alone. I wish my parents would let me get a Wizarding world job!"
"I'll see Ron at work, but.. I'll miss you too," he said awkwardly.
"Oh, Harry!" Hermione burst out and leaned over to hug him tightly. He found himself hugging back a bit. They pulled apart slightly and their eyes locked for a moment - only a second, with her eyes were so misty - but yet it did something strange to him, and he was to never feel the same again.
What is this fluttering in my heart? What's happening to me?
*
Graduation Day at Hogwarts came and went. Harry could hardly remember what happened that day - save for shaking Dumbledore's hand as he received his diploma then looking up into Hermione's proud, grey eyes - oh, their mistiness did something queer to his heart - but nonetheless, he was fully and legally a wizard.
Sadly, they packed to leave Hogwarts. Harry had planned to visit Ron for two weeks in August, and he could hardly wait to go to the Quidditch World Cup again. But he was going to miss this old castle which had served as a home to him for nearly seven years; a place with so many memories and ties that would always be a part of him. He glanced around his dormitory one last time, looking at its bleak bareness after being stripped of its belongings and residents, and sighed. Time to go.
They went home on their last train. Harry said a sad good-bye to his roommates Nevile Longbottom, Seamus Finnigan, and Dean Thomas. Then he turned to Ron and clapped him on the shoulder.
"Well, this is it. 'Til August," he said.
"Can't wait," Ron grinned. "Fred, Angelina, and Samantha will be home. They're testing Percy with their new prank candies. I never knew that would start into a business... A successful one, at that."
"Neither did I," Harry laughed. "See you later," he said then hugged Ginny and Mrs. Weasley good-bye.
He turned to Hermione. "Er, well, I guess this is it." He felt a pang of pain stab his heart.
Her misty eyes brimmed with tears and without a word engulfed him in a tight hug. Harry, overcome with emotion like never before in his life, held her close to him. Their guard was down, their feelings bare on their sleeves. Their lips met suddenly, in a long passionate kiss that mad them both tremble slightly with excitement.
Hermione's cheeks flushed slightly, which was very becoming to her. "Oh, Harry..."
He looked into her misty eyes lovingly. "I want you to come with me, Hermione. Please. To the Wizarding World. I can't... leave you. I..I love you.
Her face lit up. "Oh, I love you too... I want to come with you... Yes," she repeated it with finality, then kissed him happily again.
And, holding hands, together they walked into the Muggle World, which held a future of promise, beauty, happiness, and love for the two young magical pair.
~*~*~*~*~*~THE END~*~*~*~*~*~