Chapter One
No Regrets
Hermione Granger walked down the halls of Hogwarts with sorrow in her every step. A tear silently leaked down her cheek and she wiped it on her sleeve like she had the ones before it. She had always known it was a matter of time before the works of Voldemort affected even Hogwarts, but she never thought that it would affect them like it had. They would always be together, or so Hermione thought.
Hermione sunk up against a wall and started to cry. She had been shaken when Voldemort had attacked her parents last year, but she had friends to help her through it. Now, she was alone.
Her parents had been too ill to even know their only daughter's name. She had gotten through it though. However now, she was alone. Her life was falling apart in her hands and to make matters worse, there was nothing she could do.
There she was, in her seventh year, Head Girl, plenty of job offers to go round. She had a bright future ahead of her, with good friends. Nothing could possibly get better, but then it couldn't possibly get any worse.
Today had started just like any other, ordinary day. Hermione had woke up, got dressed, and went down to the common room just as normal. There she met her best friends in the world Harry, Ron, and Ginny, and together they set off for the Great Hall. Together, Hermione thought, together.
"So," Harry said to Ron, "what do you think about the new Star-Scraper broom series? Pretty cool, I got the catalog in last night. Quidditch team sent it."
Ron laughed and replied, "More Quidditch offers, Harry?"
Harry slightly blushed and said, "Well ...yeah, but I'm not going to take 'em."
Ron smirked and said, "Yeah I know. But I'm just saying that you're a damn fool. If I were you I'd take the job as soon as the owl landed in my hand. I mean what team hasn't tried to recruit you. Let's see there was the Chudley Cannons, the Whimborn Wasps, the Chudley Cannons, Plumbrick United, the Chudley Cannons, the Hudson..."
"All right Ron," said Harry blushing, "I get the picture. I'm a fool for not going for the Chudley Cannons, but what can I say. That's not what I want to do for the rest of my life. I would prefer just to settle down and live a nice quiet life with a job that doesn't involve getting knocked in the head with various balls."
Ron pouted and Ginny chimed in, "Come on Ron. Are you jealous?"
Ron made a "humph" sound and said, "No, I just think that Harry is a fool."
Hermione smiled, some things never changed. Ron and Ginny would always fight like cats and dogs, but when it came down to it they would give their lives for each other. Ginny would always have that little schoolgirl crush on Harry (even thought it had exceeded a meaningless crush now). Ron would always pout like a four-year-old when he didn't get his way, and bounce back one minute later forgetting whatever it had been.
Yeah, Hermione thought, some things never change and yet, others do. Hermione always wondered what it would be like if they hadn't all met, if she had never gone in the bathroom and cry her eyes out only to be attacked by a troll and saved by Harry and Ron.
Ron, she thought, had been the reason that she was in there. If he would have never said that 'too-smart-for-her-own-good' comment in the first place they might not even be friends. Heck, they might even be dead.
Yet, maybe if Ron and Hermione hadn't been that good of friends in the first place, just maybe, Ron would notice that she was no longer busy- haired, buck toothed Hermione. Maybe he would see what he saw in the other girls. Maybe, he wouldn't think of her as a best friend, maybe …just maybe, something a little bit more than that.
OK, so her hair still had that somewhat bushy quality to it, but her teeth were not as big and you had to admit that her curves weren't all that bad either.
She was not the only one who had changed. Harry now stood tall and slightly muscular. His bangs, which he had always worn long to hide his scar, fell in right in his eyes. Which made even Hermione want to tuck them behind his ears sometimes, but never as much as Ginny wanted too.
Ginny was different too. Her hair now darkened and lengthened to halfway down her shoulders. Her figure was slimmer than Hermione's and she was only slightly shorter than her as well. She was no longer just Ginny Weasley. Ginny was a school heartthrob and some had taken to calling her Ginger (much to Ron, Percy, Fred, George, Bill, Charlie's, and-her honorary brother and maybe something more-Harry's disapproval).
However, Ginny was not the one who had changed the most. Ron now stood slightly taller than Harry at a height of 6'2. He was now slightly defined and his deep blue eyes made it hard to keep eye contact with him without giggling like a fool-for Hermione at least.
His hands were large and had a protecting quality to them. Now he wore his favorite shirt and faded blue jeans, which clung tightly to him from underneath his Hogwarts school robes, this made him look older.
His hair tousled and still bright red, even thought his freckles had faded and now only could be seen when he got a sunburn which didn't happen often as he was already tanned to a mild quality.
Hermione laughed as she watched Ron's expressions change. Even though he had grown up and could sometimes be as serious as a heart attack, he still had that boy-like quality to him and the Weasley temper did not get better with age.
Although, most of Ron and Hermione's fights lasted within two days tops, they were some of the most brilliant rows that Gryffindor, nay, Hogwarts for that matter, had ever seen. However, when Ron and Hermione did fight they always made up.
It seemed as if they had bonded in the last two years. Hermione and Ron knew more secrets about each other than Lavender and Pavartti knew gossip. They would never let anyone (not even Harry or Ginny) on to just how close they had become. It was an unspoken bond between them. They were confidantes to each other.
It had happened in fifth year. Hermione had never been close to the other girls and really didn't want to tell them all of her secrets for fear of them being included in the latest gossip scoop from Lavender or Pavartti. Up until fifth year, Ron had always had Harry to lean on, but then the Voldemort business started and both Ron and Hermione felt that Harry didn't need their problems, especially when his were ten times as worse. Thus, they went to each other when they needed support.
All four of them sat down at the Gryffindor table and Ron looked at Hermione with his deep, piercing blue eyes. Hermione felt as if her mind was being read when he looked at her like that. When Ron gave Hermione 'that' stare, she knew there was no hiding it. She knew that Ron would find out.
"What up Bright Eyes?" Ron casually asked as Harry and Ginny immersed themselves in a heated conversation about animagius.
Hermione smiled and replied trying to change the subject, "Nothing, Ron, could you pass the juice?"
Ron leaned in to her and said, "Hermione, I know something is wrong. I just called you Bright Eyes and you didn't even say a thing to me. And I would pass the juice, but there is none at this table. In fact there's none anywhere. Why hasn't the food come yet?"
Hermione looked around and shrugged. At that moment Dumbledore came into the Great Hall looked sadly around at his students. His age was showing now. The twinkle in his eyes was less today than it had ever been. His hands trembled as he sighed.
This was so unlike the Dumbledore they knew and loved. However, the Dumbledore they knew and loved had been tested to his limit and found that not even he could put a brighter light on this, not even he could make this better.
"Attention students," he announced, "will all seventh year boys come to my office immediately."
Harry and Ron looked at each other and Harry said, "I hope he doesn't know about us putting the grow-better potion in Snape's soup."
Ron grinned back, but Hermione knew that it had nothing to do with Potions and soup. She knew that Ron knew too. As he might be able to fool his sister and best friend, he would not be able to fool her. Just as Ron could tell something was wrong with her, she could tell when he was hiding something. They could never fool each other.
Harry and Ron got up and walked out of the Great Hall. They came toward the Headmaster and followed him into a room with the other seventh year boys. Ginny looked at Harry, but quickly dismissed the thought of anything bad happening to him, as it seemed impossible.
Ron turned and shrugged to her and Ginny as some official looking people followed them in. This had absolutely nothing to do with Potions or soup. Hermione knew it and Ron knew it, but there was still that hope that it wasn't as bad as it looked. It was hope, even if it was in vain.
The door closed shut behind Ron. The official looking men stood to the back of the oval shaped room. There was a desk at the far end and Dumbledore was sitting at it looking strangely somber.
Ron weakly smiled at the men, but they made no effort to show any sort of happiness, or emotion for the matter, back to him. Ron smirked and thought, that can only mean one thing, they are from the ministry.
There was silence for a moment and then Dumbledore began, "I have always been truthful to my students about everything that has been going on in the outside world good and bad. As some would like to believe, there is nothing happening out there. However, that it a lie. I do not prefer to let to my student so therefore, I will not be blunt. We are losing the war with Voldemort. There are many causalities and supplies are low and in high demand and one of them is..."
Dumbledore bowed his head and sighed looking up at the men in the far corner of the room. One of them nodded his head and Dumbledore looked upon the faces of his former students, trying to imprint their young, innocent faces into his memory.
" ...one of them is soldiers," Dumbledore sighed and continued, "There is a draft being instituted now and it includes seventh year boys. Hogwarts will be closed and everyone will leave tomorrow, however you will not go home to your parents. You will take a different train to a war camp and be trained to fight. You leave tomorrow and there is no getting out of this. You have officially graduated from Hogwarts."
The boys looked from one another in shock. They had 24 hours before they had to leave everything they knew behind. 24 hours before they would be on a train to god-knows-where, 24 hours to do anything they had never had the courage to before now, or it might go undone. Only 24 hours…
Dumbledore looked at the boys and said with what looked like the last bit of twinkle he had and said, "You all have been taught well. Use what you have learned and be wise. Make the right decisions. I believe in you all."
Neville was shuttering with fear. Draco was pale as a stone. Harry stood and looked forward, knowing it wouldn't get any better if he ignored it. Ron stood and bowed his head. He would have only 24 hours to make up for three years. Only a day to fit in what he should have done long ago.
The boys were let out in the Great Hall after being handed their official draft papers. Harry and Ron sat down in their seats and began to eat, having nothing to say to anyone. From down the table Lavender started to cry in Shamus' arms.
"No!" Lavender screamed, "you can't leave me! Don't leave me! I love you Shamus don't go."
Hermione watched on as Lavender cried in Shamus arms. He slightly stroked her hair and rocked her back and forth. Him holding her in his arms, but Lavender didn't seem to notice that he was shaking. The Great Hall was soon filled with such sounds. Hermione looked at Ron.
"What's going on?" Hermione said in almost not wanting Ron to answer.
Ron picked his head up and Hermione could see that his eyes were a bit red. Hermione leaned closer to Ron and pleaded with her eyes. Begging to know what was wrong. Praying that he would tell her it was nothing more than being caught in the Grow-better-soup prank, but knowing better. Ron merely picked up the letter and handed it to her. It read:
Mr. Weasley
We are certain that you are aware of the present condition. This is why we feel it necessary to draft men of the appropriate ages (30-17) to fight along side our volunteers.
This is not a question or an offer. We are very sorry to be blunt, but you have been chosen in this draft. Our apologies, however we at the ministry feel it necessary.
There will be a train to take you to your War Camp site tomorrow. Pack lightly and only bring the necessary. We await your arrival.
It is time to do your duty to your kind. With your help we may prevail.
1 Our regrets
Sergeant Jack Mabry
Head of the Department of War
Britain Ministry of Magic
Hermione dropped the letter and let it fall to the ground. Ginny picked it up and stared in disbelief. It couldn't be possible. They had only one day left. Hermione may never see them again. It was too much.
Hermione got up and ran out of the Great Hall. No one tried to stop her. She ran and ran until she couldn't any more. She slowed to a walk. She clutched her Head Girl badge and threw it across the hall. It seemed that nothing mattered to her anymore.
First her parents now her friends. She heard someone come her way. One of the teachers no doubt, but a teacher would have said something to her right now. Whoever it was picked up the badge and sat next to her.
Hermione recognized the scent. He had always smelled lightly of ripe oranges and beach air-a scent that Hermione though smelled good on Ron. Hermione breathed in the scent and felt more tears find their way down her cheeks. She may never breathe in his scent again.
"Lo' Ron," Hermione said.
Ron laughed and said, "Why the long face Bright Eyes?"
Hermione smiled, he had called her Bright Eyes ever since an accident last year that made her eyes glow for a week. Thus earning her the nickname Bright Eyes. She normally hated this nickname, but Ron had been persistent in calling her that-mostly because he knew that nicknames bothered her to all extent. It used to get under her skin, but now she felt it strangely comforting. She laid her head on his shoulder and sobbed.
"Come now," Ron said, "we're not gone forever."
Hermione continued to sob and said, "You'll go and die and ...and I'll never see you again."
Ron pulled her close and said, "Course I will. Me and Harry have been through worse."
Hermione sobbed and said, "Yeah, you have but never without me. I want to be there with you. Why couldn't they just draft the whole seventh year? Why do they have to be so damned sexist? I am just as capable, if not more, than you."
"Nope," Ron said smiling, "you have to stay here. You've got a future ahead of you. Like you said, you're more than capable of being a soldier than we are. You're going to do better things than just being a soldier. Plus, do you really think that they wanted Pansy Parkinson there complaining about her nails the whole time?"
Hermione knew she had to face the truth, she loved Ron. She always had and always would. When she was in sixth year she promised herself to tell him that, but her parents had been attacked. Ron had helped her through that more than anyone else. Hermione didn't know how much sleep he had lost all those nights in the common room when she cried herself to sleep in his arms, but it wasn't as much as she had when she though that he could never love her as more than a friend.
She didn't know how many times he had done her homework for her so she would ruin her grades. She didn't know how many times he had talked her out of doing stupid things. All Hermione knew was that he had done more for her than Harry, Ginny, or anyone. He was always there, and now he wouldn't ever be again.
Now, he would be there to make her laugh in the middle of History of Magic when she was bored, and now he wouldn't be there to taunt her about the S.P.E.W. campaign she had held in her fourth year. Now, he wouldn't be able to tell her that everything would be OK when she felt like her life was falling apart. Now, when she woke up, she would know that he wasn't waiting down stairs to take her to breakfast.
Now, Ron would never be there for her, and he didn't know how she felt. Hermione would gladly give up everything she had just to have one more day with him loving her like she did him. One day and then maybe she would be able to move on, but then again, Hermione knew that it would only leave her wishing for one more day with him.
"Ron, I don't want a future," Hermione said.
"Yes, you do," Ron said, "your going to go out there and get a nice, well paying job and go and do great things. Things that are better than being a soldier."
"You don't understand," said Hermione, "all I want is to go back to this morning where everything was fine, and we could be just friends. I want to go back to all those nights where when I feel asleep the last thing I remember is your voice. I want to just stay here, at Hogwarts, with you …forever. I don't want to move on with my life, or do great things. That would mean leaving you behind, forgetting you, and that is something that I can't do, no matter how much I want to or how many people tell me that I should."
Hermione's eyes brimmed with more tears as she spoke in a shaky voice, "Ronald Weasley I love you and you've had me from the moment you said hello. It's all but killed me to know that you didn't love me, or couldn't love me, the way I have loved you. Through this all you've kept me together without even knowing it. I know that you don't love me, but it doesn't matter because you're going to leave me anyway. So just go! If your here any longer ...I'll do something I'll regret."
Ron stood for a second and said, "Funny isn't it."
Hermione looked deadly seriously at him and said, "I find nothing about you not loving me and me going crazy because I'm losing you funny."
Ron held the Head Girl Badge in his hands stroking it saying, "It's funny because you don't know all the times when you were asleep I've told you I love you. You don't know how many times I've tried to tell you that, but I couldn't because I thought you didn't love me. Last year when your parents were attacked, it killed me to see you cry. It was then I thought you would never love me. All through these years its been you that have helped me when I got behind, you that told me to get over things, and you who listened to me when I wanted to complain. Then when you needed me I couldn't do anything about it. I tried, but I suddenly realized how much I needed you, and you were too good for me. I couldn't make you feel better like you could me. All I could do was hope that you could get through it on your own. Then, I thought that you didn't love me because every time I tried to make you feel better …it made you feel worse."
Ron pocketed the Head Girls badge and sunk down the wall and sat near Hermione saying, "If I would have known that you loved me, I ...don't know what I would have done …but I would have felt like the happiest bloke in the world."
"I wish we could just go back to this morning."
"Me too."
Ron and he sat for a while. He looked at her face and wiped a tear from her eyes with his thumb and followed to tuck her hair behind her ear. He kissed her forehead, then her nose, then her eyelids, then her temple.
She ran her hand over his temple where his scar was from their first year when he took the blow from the knight, so she would not get taken instead. Ron brought her to a standing position and she quickly felt her knees give way. She was losing everything she had.
Hermione felt Ron pull her closer, she wanted badly to kiss him, but if she did then she didn't know what she'd do. Ron's lips and hers were a fraction apart. She wanted to, but she couldn't. Hermione pulled away. She couldn't love him, not now that he was leaving. She couldn't never be true to these feeling she had about him.
Hermione stared at her and said, "Hermione if you don't want to..."
"That's the problem," she said through tears, "I want to. I want that and more, but if I kiss you then it will only make me miss you more when you go. I can't!"
With that Hermione turned and ran. She ran down the corridors of the castle. She ran up to Gryffindor tower, but the tears blurred her eyes and she ran into something very solid.
It was a suit of armor. It came crashing down on top of her. Hermione screamed as she felt the pieces hit her and something going right through her side. She was in horrible pain. The something that went through her side was a lance. Hermione felt blood ooze out of her side and soak her shirt and robes. Hermione knew if someone didn't find her soon, she might die.
Then she felt someone lift her gently. They brought her through the portrait hole and she felt them climb the stairs as they held her. She felt them laying her down on a bed. Hermione opened her eyes and saw Ron. He was adjusting the pillow to keep the side that the lance had pierced up.
"Ron," Hermione said weakly.
"Hermione," he said, "I'm going get Madam Pomfery, she'll fix you up in no time. Just stay still and …I'll be back soon."
Hermione knew how badly she was hurt and said, "Ron just do it."
Ron looked stunned at her and said, "Hermione, I can't. I going to get Madam ..."
Hermione called back her last bit of strength and said hotly, "Like hell you can't! You're better than me at healing people, and if you go and get Madam Pomfery, I might not be here when you get back."
Ron hesitated and said, "Hermione I..."
"Just do it!" Hermione yelled.
Ron knew she was right. He lifted up her school robes and saw the deep wound the spear had made. Ron knew he couldn't do anything if he couldn't see the direct wound, but that would mean...
"Ron," Hermione said, "please."
Ron looked into her eyes. She was breathing hardly now and the wound wouldn't stop bleeding. Ron hands shook, but he had no choice. He hesitantly unbuttoned the red shirt half way and saw the wound on Hermione's side. The spear still was stuck through it. It hadn't hit any organs and it seemed only to have gone through skin. Ron knew he could heal it but still hesitated. Hermione looked at him and put her hand on his. She was shaking something terrible.
Ron put his hand on hers and said, "If that's what you want."
Hermione smiled and her hand dropped. Ron had broken the ends of the knight's spear when he had taken her but part of it was still in her side. There was no way that he could heal it if it wasn't taken out. Carefully,
Quickly he performed a spell, and it was done. Hermione was all right. Ron ran his hand across the now healed wound testing to see if the spell had worked. It had.
Ron gently brought the piece of red material to cover Hermione's stomach, but Hermione stopped him. She pulled him down and kissed him. This time it was Ron who pulled back.
"Hermione," he panted, "we can't."
Hermione sat up and said, "Please."
Hermione's eyes pleaded with his. She wanted to and he did too, but he couldn't. He was leaving tomorrow morning and might never see her again. It would only be one night for him, but it could effect her forever. Hermione didn't care though and soon enough Ron lost the ability to think, he did love her and even though this was wrong, a part of him felt it was destiny.
Hermione wasn't thinking clearly either. She kissed him again and again without care. Each kiss growing with more passion. One day with Ron, one day and that would be it. One day to memorize everything about him. One more day to be his Bright Eyes. Was it worth it?
Yes, it was.
(A/N: Now I know that Hermione or Ron would never in a million years do that, but it doesn't work if they don't. If you read on you'll see what I mean.)
Neither Harry nor Ginny came to bother them that day. Hermione spent all day in there with Ron. No one seemed to care that Ron and her stayed together all night. The following morning Hermione woke up, alone, with a note pressed in her hand. She opened it and something fell out. Hermione picked it up and read the note:
Dear Bright Eyes,
Sorry I have to leave you. I'm not really good with good-byes. I don't have the heart to wake you because I know if I do it will be harder to leave. I really don't have a choice. I want you to know that I will miss you.
When we were here I always promised that I would tell you I liked you, but I more than liked you. I loved you. I guess I waited too late to say it. I love you, Hermione Granger, just in case you never knew. I always loved you and always will.
I bought this ring this summer. Please wear it. On this inside of it is an engraving. It's nothing special but I'm really nothing special either. Where ever you are remember me.
Wherever you are, wait for me. I will always wait for you. I love you Hermione Granger. Not distance, nor war, or anything will change that. I always have from the first days I met you.
I'm sorry about the troll. I guess that was my fault. I never told you I was sorry. I'm not good at good-byes so don't think of it as a goodbye, think of it as see you later. I will see you again meanwhile wait for me. I love you.
I will always love you my Bright Eyes. Love me too.
Ron
Hermione looked at her ring and saw the engraving. It said 'R. W. & H. G. 4-ever'. Hermione cried. She slid the ring on and gathered her things. Why couldn't she just go with him? She wanted Ron more than anything else, she wanted what she couldn't have.
Ginny was waiting down stairs with her stuff. She smiled at her. Hermione weakly smiled back and took her trunk. Ginny knew what happened yet didn't give her a hard time. She loved Hermione like a sister and felt her pain. Hermione had loved and lost, nothing could hurt worse.
"Ready," Ginny said.
Hermione looked back at her and said, "No, but I guess I'll never be ready then will I."
Hermione looked back across the common room. This was the last time she would see it. Ginny sensed her suffering and put he hand on he shoulder and Hermione cried. She felt dead. No parents, no Hogwarts, and no ...Ron.
The train ride home was emotional for everyone. Lavender and Pavartti cried the whole way home. Pansy Parkinson sat in the corner and tried to hide her red face. Ginny stared out the window and mouthed the name Harry. All her tears cried. Hermione, like Ginny, had no more tears. She sat at the window and looked at her ring.
The train pulled into a stop at King's Cross. Hermione evacuated the train. No one was waiting for her. She expected as much. Hermione took it off and put it on a chain around her neck. She knew what she had to do.
After all, what boy wore a ring?
******************
The next day a young man walked up to the Ministry of Magic Headquarters. He strode through the doors and walked up to the Department of War. The head of office sat back in his chair and looked at the man.
He was average height and looked in shape. His light brown hair looked tousled on his head. He looked about seventeen. He had chestnut brown eyes and a fair complexion.
"Mr. Mabry," said the boy, "you forgot me in the draft."
Mr. Mabry put down his newspaper and said, "So what brings you here?"
The boy repeated, "You forgot me in the draft."
Mr. Mabry sighed and said, "We don't make mistakes."
The boy stepped forward and said, "You did this time. Now you forgot me. I want to do my part in this war crap like it says in that letter, but if you don't have the time. I'm sure I'll be much happier at home."
The boy turned to leave when Mr. Mabry called him back.
"I like your spunk kid," he said, "what's you name?"
The boy thought and said, "Herman Grunting."
Mr. Mabry got up and handed him a letter saying, "Well Herman, welcome to the army. You will be taken to your War Camp in 200 hours."
Herman saluted him and walked out, a smile across his face and a twinkle in his eye. He clasped a chain around his neck and felt the ring at the end of it. It would be hard but 'Herman Grunting' aka Bright Eyes could pull off anything. Bright Eyes would not give up, and those who thought Bright Eyes would were horribly mistaken. No one would dare cross Hermione Granger, and Bright Eyes was no exception.
No Regrets
Hermione Granger walked down the halls of Hogwarts with sorrow in her every step. A tear silently leaked down her cheek and she wiped it on her sleeve like she had the ones before it. She had always known it was a matter of time before the works of Voldemort affected even Hogwarts, but she never thought that it would affect them like it had. They would always be together, or so Hermione thought.
Hermione sunk up against a wall and started to cry. She had been shaken when Voldemort had attacked her parents last year, but she had friends to help her through it. Now, she was alone.
Her parents had been too ill to even know their only daughter's name. She had gotten through it though. However now, she was alone. Her life was falling apart in her hands and to make matters worse, there was nothing she could do.
There she was, in her seventh year, Head Girl, plenty of job offers to go round. She had a bright future ahead of her, with good friends. Nothing could possibly get better, but then it couldn't possibly get any worse.
Today had started just like any other, ordinary day. Hermione had woke up, got dressed, and went down to the common room just as normal. There she met her best friends in the world Harry, Ron, and Ginny, and together they set off for the Great Hall. Together, Hermione thought, together.
"So," Harry said to Ron, "what do you think about the new Star-Scraper broom series? Pretty cool, I got the catalog in last night. Quidditch team sent it."
Ron laughed and replied, "More Quidditch offers, Harry?"
Harry slightly blushed and said, "Well ...yeah, but I'm not going to take 'em."
Ron smirked and said, "Yeah I know. But I'm just saying that you're a damn fool. If I were you I'd take the job as soon as the owl landed in my hand. I mean what team hasn't tried to recruit you. Let's see there was the Chudley Cannons, the Whimborn Wasps, the Chudley Cannons, Plumbrick United, the Chudley Cannons, the Hudson..."
"All right Ron," said Harry blushing, "I get the picture. I'm a fool for not going for the Chudley Cannons, but what can I say. That's not what I want to do for the rest of my life. I would prefer just to settle down and live a nice quiet life with a job that doesn't involve getting knocked in the head with various balls."
Ron pouted and Ginny chimed in, "Come on Ron. Are you jealous?"
Ron made a "humph" sound and said, "No, I just think that Harry is a fool."
Hermione smiled, some things never changed. Ron and Ginny would always fight like cats and dogs, but when it came down to it they would give their lives for each other. Ginny would always have that little schoolgirl crush on Harry (even thought it had exceeded a meaningless crush now). Ron would always pout like a four-year-old when he didn't get his way, and bounce back one minute later forgetting whatever it had been.
Yeah, Hermione thought, some things never change and yet, others do. Hermione always wondered what it would be like if they hadn't all met, if she had never gone in the bathroom and cry her eyes out only to be attacked by a troll and saved by Harry and Ron.
Ron, she thought, had been the reason that she was in there. If he would have never said that 'too-smart-for-her-own-good' comment in the first place they might not even be friends. Heck, they might even be dead.
Yet, maybe if Ron and Hermione hadn't been that good of friends in the first place, just maybe, Ron would notice that she was no longer busy- haired, buck toothed Hermione. Maybe he would see what he saw in the other girls. Maybe, he wouldn't think of her as a best friend, maybe …just maybe, something a little bit more than that.
OK, so her hair still had that somewhat bushy quality to it, but her teeth were not as big and you had to admit that her curves weren't all that bad either.
She was not the only one who had changed. Harry now stood tall and slightly muscular. His bangs, which he had always worn long to hide his scar, fell in right in his eyes. Which made even Hermione want to tuck them behind his ears sometimes, but never as much as Ginny wanted too.
Ginny was different too. Her hair now darkened and lengthened to halfway down her shoulders. Her figure was slimmer than Hermione's and she was only slightly shorter than her as well. She was no longer just Ginny Weasley. Ginny was a school heartthrob and some had taken to calling her Ginger (much to Ron, Percy, Fred, George, Bill, Charlie's, and-her honorary brother and maybe something more-Harry's disapproval).
However, Ginny was not the one who had changed the most. Ron now stood slightly taller than Harry at a height of 6'2. He was now slightly defined and his deep blue eyes made it hard to keep eye contact with him without giggling like a fool-for Hermione at least.
His hands were large and had a protecting quality to them. Now he wore his favorite shirt and faded blue jeans, which clung tightly to him from underneath his Hogwarts school robes, this made him look older.
His hair tousled and still bright red, even thought his freckles had faded and now only could be seen when he got a sunburn which didn't happen often as he was already tanned to a mild quality.
Hermione laughed as she watched Ron's expressions change. Even though he had grown up and could sometimes be as serious as a heart attack, he still had that boy-like quality to him and the Weasley temper did not get better with age.
Although, most of Ron and Hermione's fights lasted within two days tops, they were some of the most brilliant rows that Gryffindor, nay, Hogwarts for that matter, had ever seen. However, when Ron and Hermione did fight they always made up.
It seemed as if they had bonded in the last two years. Hermione and Ron knew more secrets about each other than Lavender and Pavartti knew gossip. They would never let anyone (not even Harry or Ginny) on to just how close they had become. It was an unspoken bond between them. They were confidantes to each other.
It had happened in fifth year. Hermione had never been close to the other girls and really didn't want to tell them all of her secrets for fear of them being included in the latest gossip scoop from Lavender or Pavartti. Up until fifth year, Ron had always had Harry to lean on, but then the Voldemort business started and both Ron and Hermione felt that Harry didn't need their problems, especially when his were ten times as worse. Thus, they went to each other when they needed support.
All four of them sat down at the Gryffindor table and Ron looked at Hermione with his deep, piercing blue eyes. Hermione felt as if her mind was being read when he looked at her like that. When Ron gave Hermione 'that' stare, she knew there was no hiding it. She knew that Ron would find out.
"What up Bright Eyes?" Ron casually asked as Harry and Ginny immersed themselves in a heated conversation about animagius.
Hermione smiled and replied trying to change the subject, "Nothing, Ron, could you pass the juice?"
Ron leaned in to her and said, "Hermione, I know something is wrong. I just called you Bright Eyes and you didn't even say a thing to me. And I would pass the juice, but there is none at this table. In fact there's none anywhere. Why hasn't the food come yet?"
Hermione looked around and shrugged. At that moment Dumbledore came into the Great Hall looked sadly around at his students. His age was showing now. The twinkle in his eyes was less today than it had ever been. His hands trembled as he sighed.
This was so unlike the Dumbledore they knew and loved. However, the Dumbledore they knew and loved had been tested to his limit and found that not even he could put a brighter light on this, not even he could make this better.
"Attention students," he announced, "will all seventh year boys come to my office immediately."
Harry and Ron looked at each other and Harry said, "I hope he doesn't know about us putting the grow-better potion in Snape's soup."
Ron grinned back, but Hermione knew that it had nothing to do with Potions and soup. She knew that Ron knew too. As he might be able to fool his sister and best friend, he would not be able to fool her. Just as Ron could tell something was wrong with her, she could tell when he was hiding something. They could never fool each other.
Harry and Ron got up and walked out of the Great Hall. They came toward the Headmaster and followed him into a room with the other seventh year boys. Ginny looked at Harry, but quickly dismissed the thought of anything bad happening to him, as it seemed impossible.
Ron turned and shrugged to her and Ginny as some official looking people followed them in. This had absolutely nothing to do with Potions or soup. Hermione knew it and Ron knew it, but there was still that hope that it wasn't as bad as it looked. It was hope, even if it was in vain.
The door closed shut behind Ron. The official looking men stood to the back of the oval shaped room. There was a desk at the far end and Dumbledore was sitting at it looking strangely somber.
Ron weakly smiled at the men, but they made no effort to show any sort of happiness, or emotion for the matter, back to him. Ron smirked and thought, that can only mean one thing, they are from the ministry.
There was silence for a moment and then Dumbledore began, "I have always been truthful to my students about everything that has been going on in the outside world good and bad. As some would like to believe, there is nothing happening out there. However, that it a lie. I do not prefer to let to my student so therefore, I will not be blunt. We are losing the war with Voldemort. There are many causalities and supplies are low and in high demand and one of them is..."
Dumbledore bowed his head and sighed looking up at the men in the far corner of the room. One of them nodded his head and Dumbledore looked upon the faces of his former students, trying to imprint their young, innocent faces into his memory.
" ...one of them is soldiers," Dumbledore sighed and continued, "There is a draft being instituted now and it includes seventh year boys. Hogwarts will be closed and everyone will leave tomorrow, however you will not go home to your parents. You will take a different train to a war camp and be trained to fight. You leave tomorrow and there is no getting out of this. You have officially graduated from Hogwarts."
The boys looked from one another in shock. They had 24 hours before they had to leave everything they knew behind. 24 hours before they would be on a train to god-knows-where, 24 hours to do anything they had never had the courage to before now, or it might go undone. Only 24 hours…
Dumbledore looked at the boys and said with what looked like the last bit of twinkle he had and said, "You all have been taught well. Use what you have learned and be wise. Make the right decisions. I believe in you all."
Neville was shuttering with fear. Draco was pale as a stone. Harry stood and looked forward, knowing it wouldn't get any better if he ignored it. Ron stood and bowed his head. He would have only 24 hours to make up for three years. Only a day to fit in what he should have done long ago.
The boys were let out in the Great Hall after being handed their official draft papers. Harry and Ron sat down in their seats and began to eat, having nothing to say to anyone. From down the table Lavender started to cry in Shamus' arms.
"No!" Lavender screamed, "you can't leave me! Don't leave me! I love you Shamus don't go."
Hermione watched on as Lavender cried in Shamus arms. He slightly stroked her hair and rocked her back and forth. Him holding her in his arms, but Lavender didn't seem to notice that he was shaking. The Great Hall was soon filled with such sounds. Hermione looked at Ron.
"What's going on?" Hermione said in almost not wanting Ron to answer.
Ron picked his head up and Hermione could see that his eyes were a bit red. Hermione leaned closer to Ron and pleaded with her eyes. Begging to know what was wrong. Praying that he would tell her it was nothing more than being caught in the Grow-better-soup prank, but knowing better. Ron merely picked up the letter and handed it to her. It read:
Mr. Weasley
We are certain that you are aware of the present condition. This is why we feel it necessary to draft men of the appropriate ages (30-17) to fight along side our volunteers.
This is not a question or an offer. We are very sorry to be blunt, but you have been chosen in this draft. Our apologies, however we at the ministry feel it necessary.
There will be a train to take you to your War Camp site tomorrow. Pack lightly and only bring the necessary. We await your arrival.
It is time to do your duty to your kind. With your help we may prevail.
1 Our regrets
Sergeant Jack Mabry
Head of the Department of War
Britain Ministry of Magic
Hermione dropped the letter and let it fall to the ground. Ginny picked it up and stared in disbelief. It couldn't be possible. They had only one day left. Hermione may never see them again. It was too much.
Hermione got up and ran out of the Great Hall. No one tried to stop her. She ran and ran until she couldn't any more. She slowed to a walk. She clutched her Head Girl badge and threw it across the hall. It seemed that nothing mattered to her anymore.
First her parents now her friends. She heard someone come her way. One of the teachers no doubt, but a teacher would have said something to her right now. Whoever it was picked up the badge and sat next to her.
Hermione recognized the scent. He had always smelled lightly of ripe oranges and beach air-a scent that Hermione though smelled good on Ron. Hermione breathed in the scent and felt more tears find their way down her cheeks. She may never breathe in his scent again.
"Lo' Ron," Hermione said.
Ron laughed and said, "Why the long face Bright Eyes?"
Hermione smiled, he had called her Bright Eyes ever since an accident last year that made her eyes glow for a week. Thus earning her the nickname Bright Eyes. She normally hated this nickname, but Ron had been persistent in calling her that-mostly because he knew that nicknames bothered her to all extent. It used to get under her skin, but now she felt it strangely comforting. She laid her head on his shoulder and sobbed.
"Come now," Ron said, "we're not gone forever."
Hermione continued to sob and said, "You'll go and die and ...and I'll never see you again."
Ron pulled her close and said, "Course I will. Me and Harry have been through worse."
Hermione sobbed and said, "Yeah, you have but never without me. I want to be there with you. Why couldn't they just draft the whole seventh year? Why do they have to be so damned sexist? I am just as capable, if not more, than you."
"Nope," Ron said smiling, "you have to stay here. You've got a future ahead of you. Like you said, you're more than capable of being a soldier than we are. You're going to do better things than just being a soldier. Plus, do you really think that they wanted Pansy Parkinson there complaining about her nails the whole time?"
Hermione knew she had to face the truth, she loved Ron. She always had and always would. When she was in sixth year she promised herself to tell him that, but her parents had been attacked. Ron had helped her through that more than anyone else. Hermione didn't know how much sleep he had lost all those nights in the common room when she cried herself to sleep in his arms, but it wasn't as much as she had when she though that he could never love her as more than a friend.
She didn't know how many times he had done her homework for her so she would ruin her grades. She didn't know how many times he had talked her out of doing stupid things. All Hermione knew was that he had done more for her than Harry, Ginny, or anyone. He was always there, and now he wouldn't ever be again.
Now, he would be there to make her laugh in the middle of History of Magic when she was bored, and now he wouldn't be there to taunt her about the S.P.E.W. campaign she had held in her fourth year. Now, he wouldn't be able to tell her that everything would be OK when she felt like her life was falling apart. Now, when she woke up, she would know that he wasn't waiting down stairs to take her to breakfast.
Now, Ron would never be there for her, and he didn't know how she felt. Hermione would gladly give up everything she had just to have one more day with him loving her like she did him. One day and then maybe she would be able to move on, but then again, Hermione knew that it would only leave her wishing for one more day with him.
"Ron, I don't want a future," Hermione said.
"Yes, you do," Ron said, "your going to go out there and get a nice, well paying job and go and do great things. Things that are better than being a soldier."
"You don't understand," said Hermione, "all I want is to go back to this morning where everything was fine, and we could be just friends. I want to go back to all those nights where when I feel asleep the last thing I remember is your voice. I want to just stay here, at Hogwarts, with you …forever. I don't want to move on with my life, or do great things. That would mean leaving you behind, forgetting you, and that is something that I can't do, no matter how much I want to or how many people tell me that I should."
Hermione's eyes brimmed with more tears as she spoke in a shaky voice, "Ronald Weasley I love you and you've had me from the moment you said hello. It's all but killed me to know that you didn't love me, or couldn't love me, the way I have loved you. Through this all you've kept me together without even knowing it. I know that you don't love me, but it doesn't matter because you're going to leave me anyway. So just go! If your here any longer ...I'll do something I'll regret."
Ron stood for a second and said, "Funny isn't it."
Hermione looked deadly seriously at him and said, "I find nothing about you not loving me and me going crazy because I'm losing you funny."
Ron held the Head Girl Badge in his hands stroking it saying, "It's funny because you don't know all the times when you were asleep I've told you I love you. You don't know how many times I've tried to tell you that, but I couldn't because I thought you didn't love me. Last year when your parents were attacked, it killed me to see you cry. It was then I thought you would never love me. All through these years its been you that have helped me when I got behind, you that told me to get over things, and you who listened to me when I wanted to complain. Then when you needed me I couldn't do anything about it. I tried, but I suddenly realized how much I needed you, and you were too good for me. I couldn't make you feel better like you could me. All I could do was hope that you could get through it on your own. Then, I thought that you didn't love me because every time I tried to make you feel better …it made you feel worse."
Ron pocketed the Head Girls badge and sunk down the wall and sat near Hermione saying, "If I would have known that you loved me, I ...don't know what I would have done …but I would have felt like the happiest bloke in the world."
"I wish we could just go back to this morning."
"Me too."
Ron and he sat for a while. He looked at her face and wiped a tear from her eyes with his thumb and followed to tuck her hair behind her ear. He kissed her forehead, then her nose, then her eyelids, then her temple.
She ran her hand over his temple where his scar was from their first year when he took the blow from the knight, so she would not get taken instead. Ron brought her to a standing position and she quickly felt her knees give way. She was losing everything she had.
Hermione felt Ron pull her closer, she wanted badly to kiss him, but if she did then she didn't know what she'd do. Ron's lips and hers were a fraction apart. She wanted to, but she couldn't. Hermione pulled away. She couldn't love him, not now that he was leaving. She couldn't never be true to these feeling she had about him.
Hermione stared at her and said, "Hermione if you don't want to..."
"That's the problem," she said through tears, "I want to. I want that and more, but if I kiss you then it will only make me miss you more when you go. I can't!"
With that Hermione turned and ran. She ran down the corridors of the castle. She ran up to Gryffindor tower, but the tears blurred her eyes and she ran into something very solid.
It was a suit of armor. It came crashing down on top of her. Hermione screamed as she felt the pieces hit her and something going right through her side. She was in horrible pain. The something that went through her side was a lance. Hermione felt blood ooze out of her side and soak her shirt and robes. Hermione knew if someone didn't find her soon, she might die.
Then she felt someone lift her gently. They brought her through the portrait hole and she felt them climb the stairs as they held her. She felt them laying her down on a bed. Hermione opened her eyes and saw Ron. He was adjusting the pillow to keep the side that the lance had pierced up.
"Ron," Hermione said weakly.
"Hermione," he said, "I'm going get Madam Pomfery, she'll fix you up in no time. Just stay still and …I'll be back soon."
Hermione knew how badly she was hurt and said, "Ron just do it."
Ron looked stunned at her and said, "Hermione, I can't. I going to get Madam ..."
Hermione called back her last bit of strength and said hotly, "Like hell you can't! You're better than me at healing people, and if you go and get Madam Pomfery, I might not be here when you get back."
Ron hesitated and said, "Hermione I..."
"Just do it!" Hermione yelled.
Ron knew she was right. He lifted up her school robes and saw the deep wound the spear had made. Ron knew he couldn't do anything if he couldn't see the direct wound, but that would mean...
"Ron," Hermione said, "please."
Ron looked into her eyes. She was breathing hardly now and the wound wouldn't stop bleeding. Ron hands shook, but he had no choice. He hesitantly unbuttoned the red shirt half way and saw the wound on Hermione's side. The spear still was stuck through it. It hadn't hit any organs and it seemed only to have gone through skin. Ron knew he could heal it but still hesitated. Hermione looked at him and put her hand on his. She was shaking something terrible.
Ron put his hand on hers and said, "If that's what you want."
Hermione smiled and her hand dropped. Ron had broken the ends of the knight's spear when he had taken her but part of it was still in her side. There was no way that he could heal it if it wasn't taken out. Carefully,
Quickly he performed a spell, and it was done. Hermione was all right. Ron ran his hand across the now healed wound testing to see if the spell had worked. It had.
Ron gently brought the piece of red material to cover Hermione's stomach, but Hermione stopped him. She pulled him down and kissed him. This time it was Ron who pulled back.
"Hermione," he panted, "we can't."
Hermione sat up and said, "Please."
Hermione's eyes pleaded with his. She wanted to and he did too, but he couldn't. He was leaving tomorrow morning and might never see her again. It would only be one night for him, but it could effect her forever. Hermione didn't care though and soon enough Ron lost the ability to think, he did love her and even though this was wrong, a part of him felt it was destiny.
Hermione wasn't thinking clearly either. She kissed him again and again without care. Each kiss growing with more passion. One day with Ron, one day and that would be it. One day to memorize everything about him. One more day to be his Bright Eyes. Was it worth it?
Yes, it was.
(A/N: Now I know that Hermione or Ron would never in a million years do that, but it doesn't work if they don't. If you read on you'll see what I mean.)
Neither Harry nor Ginny came to bother them that day. Hermione spent all day in there with Ron. No one seemed to care that Ron and her stayed together all night. The following morning Hermione woke up, alone, with a note pressed in her hand. She opened it and something fell out. Hermione picked it up and read the note:
Dear Bright Eyes,
Sorry I have to leave you. I'm not really good with good-byes. I don't have the heart to wake you because I know if I do it will be harder to leave. I really don't have a choice. I want you to know that I will miss you.
When we were here I always promised that I would tell you I liked you, but I more than liked you. I loved you. I guess I waited too late to say it. I love you, Hermione Granger, just in case you never knew. I always loved you and always will.
I bought this ring this summer. Please wear it. On this inside of it is an engraving. It's nothing special but I'm really nothing special either. Where ever you are remember me.
Wherever you are, wait for me. I will always wait for you. I love you Hermione Granger. Not distance, nor war, or anything will change that. I always have from the first days I met you.
I'm sorry about the troll. I guess that was my fault. I never told you I was sorry. I'm not good at good-byes so don't think of it as a goodbye, think of it as see you later. I will see you again meanwhile wait for me. I love you.
I will always love you my Bright Eyes. Love me too.
Ron
Hermione looked at her ring and saw the engraving. It said 'R. W. & H. G. 4-ever'. Hermione cried. She slid the ring on and gathered her things. Why couldn't she just go with him? She wanted Ron more than anything else, she wanted what she couldn't have.
Ginny was waiting down stairs with her stuff. She smiled at her. Hermione weakly smiled back and took her trunk. Ginny knew what happened yet didn't give her a hard time. She loved Hermione like a sister and felt her pain. Hermione had loved and lost, nothing could hurt worse.
"Ready," Ginny said.
Hermione looked back at her and said, "No, but I guess I'll never be ready then will I."
Hermione looked back across the common room. This was the last time she would see it. Ginny sensed her suffering and put he hand on he shoulder and Hermione cried. She felt dead. No parents, no Hogwarts, and no ...Ron.
The train ride home was emotional for everyone. Lavender and Pavartti cried the whole way home. Pansy Parkinson sat in the corner and tried to hide her red face. Ginny stared out the window and mouthed the name Harry. All her tears cried. Hermione, like Ginny, had no more tears. She sat at the window and looked at her ring.
The train pulled into a stop at King's Cross. Hermione evacuated the train. No one was waiting for her. She expected as much. Hermione took it off and put it on a chain around her neck. She knew what she had to do.
After all, what boy wore a ring?
******************
The next day a young man walked up to the Ministry of Magic Headquarters. He strode through the doors and walked up to the Department of War. The head of office sat back in his chair and looked at the man.
He was average height and looked in shape. His light brown hair looked tousled on his head. He looked about seventeen. He had chestnut brown eyes and a fair complexion.
"Mr. Mabry," said the boy, "you forgot me in the draft."
Mr. Mabry put down his newspaper and said, "So what brings you here?"
The boy repeated, "You forgot me in the draft."
Mr. Mabry sighed and said, "We don't make mistakes."
The boy stepped forward and said, "You did this time. Now you forgot me. I want to do my part in this war crap like it says in that letter, but if you don't have the time. I'm sure I'll be much happier at home."
The boy turned to leave when Mr. Mabry called him back.
"I like your spunk kid," he said, "what's you name?"
The boy thought and said, "Herman Grunting."
Mr. Mabry got up and handed him a letter saying, "Well Herman, welcome to the army. You will be taken to your War Camp in 200 hours."
Herman saluted him and walked out, a smile across his face and a twinkle in his eye. He clasped a chain around his neck and felt the ring at the end of it. It would be hard but 'Herman Grunting' aka Bright Eyes could pull off anything. Bright Eyes would not give up, and those who thought Bright Eyes would were horribly mistaken. No one would dare cross Hermione Granger, and Bright Eyes was no exception.
