The Young and the Magical

By PepsiAngel

Author's Note: This is the last chapter! I borrowed shmoopy scenario from Seinfeld. But I'm slowly paying them back; never fear. Thanks to my reviewers (all six or so of you) for their feedback. Oh, and one last thing: BOOK FIVE! *squealbouncegiggle*

Chapter 5: Draco or Ron? and other life changing decisions

"Aurgh," groaned Hermione, holding a hand gingerly to her forehead, where there was a throbbing pain. She quickly glanced at the watch that sat on her bedside table. 11:30 the small, grainy letters read.

She let out another moan as she rolled out of bed and yanked on her outfit from yesterday that was still laying on the floor, where she had discarded it in her rush to get to sleep last night. Quickly, she pulled a comb through her sleek hair and popped in a mint before leaving her dorm.

The idea of looking good was pushed from her mind, no longing seeming as crucial as it had just the day before. She was trying to recall what had happened last night, but the pounding in her head was making it difficult.

Had she said anything offensive? Or, perhaps, she had made a spectacle of herself and brought embarrassment to the Granger name? She hurried to find Parvati, who she could scarcely remember being with Saturday evening.

"Parvati!" she called out as she spotted the malicious Gryffindor.

The girl waved her over gracefully, and you could almost see the bad intent sparkling in the darkness of her eyes.

"You missed breakfast, did you know?" asked Parvati.

Hermione winced and mumbled something about not being hungry.

She nodded meaningfully. "Oh, you poor dear. Your head must be killing you!"

"I can't seem to remember what happened last night. It must have been all that butterbeer."

Parvati smirked. "Yes, well, butterbeer will do that to you. Some parents even want to ban the sale of it to minors.

Can you imagine? Just because it has the word 'beer' in it, they automatically assume we can't handle it. Of course . . .some of us can't."

Hermione smiled and nodded, not quite certain what she was agreeing with. Couldn't her friend tell she really didn't feel like discussing the fine art of handling liquor?

"Anyway," she interrupted pointedly. "Do tell me, did I come to a decision? I can't quite recall."

A genuine smile spread over her face at the mention of The Decision, capitalized because they both found it worthy. "Remember we both agreed this was best, so don't try and change your mind now."

Her eyes narrowed, "Why would I want to?"

She glanced around the room and, after verifying that nobody was close enough to hear, whispered her response. Hermione's eyes slowly widened until they were the size of small tennis balls.

"And I agreed to this? Are you sure?" asked Hermione, her tennis ball sized eyes darting around shiftily.

"Oh, Hermione, you can't see the beauty of that relationship. You sad, sad girl."

She shook her head, "But I'm not sure I like him that way . . ."

"Of course you don't like him, you love him," replied Parvati. "I even conducted a list of why you two are perfect for each other."

"Did you? Let's see it then."

Parvati flipped her raven hair over her shoulder before continuing. "I didn't literally write out a list," she said impatiently. "It's all in here." She tapped her head with a long, slender finger. The sun was positioned in a way that caused a stream of light to beam down through the large, single paned window. It hit her crimson fingernails, her nails were always red, and sparkled.

"Here?" inquired Hermione, glancing around the other girl to find 'here'.

Wincing, she managed to say, "Here, as in my head, hence the whole pointing thing."

"Oh, right. So, do I get to hear why I love him?"

*

"Ron, will you please stop pacing?" hissed Ginny, from her perch on Harry's lap. She tossed her scarlet tresses away from her neck, hitting Harry in the face in the process.

She began rubbing his face and cooing, "Oh, did I hurt you shmoopy? I'm sorry!"

He nuzzled his face into her neck lovingly. "Of course you didn't hurt me shmoopy."

"You're shmoopy," giggled the redhead as she kissed him.

Ron continued to pace, much to his sister's chagrin.

"At least he isn't telling us to stop kissing, shmoopy, leave him alone," murmured Harry.

She rolled her eyes in false exasperation, "Y-"

"I know, I know, I'm shmoopy," Harry interrupted sheepishly.

His girlfriend let out another giggle, "Then who am I?"

Ron finally seemed to notice their incessant mushiness, which was quite the feat. His mind was completely preoccupied; knowing this was the day Hermione would tell him and Draco whom she wanted to be with. "Enough with the shmoopys! You're Ginny, you're Harry. Can't you two stop acting weird for one day?"

Ginny looked utterly unimpressed and Harry winked at her. "If this is weird I don't want to be normal, baby."

"Oh, Harry!" she exclaimed and threw her head back in an exaggerated laugh.

She is always so dramatic, Harry thought, a bit annoyed. He felt terrible immediately, and continued to cuddle her.

"Lighten up, Ron," added Harry. "She won't choose Malfoy over you, you know."

Ginny studied her brother and voiced her disagreement. "Well, actually, Draco's major eye candy- not to mention a total doll. I don't think Ron really stacks up in comparison."

His face paled considerably at this comment. Harry once again fought not to groan aloud at her antics.

She chuckled softly, "I'm only kidding."

Immediately, he relaxed a little. His face was still chalk white but he had finally stopped walking back and forth.

"That's much better," announced Ginny before leaning over and kissing Harry once more.

Ron sighed, "Here we go again."

*

Draco, on the other hand, was almost unnaturally calm; as if he had no idea that at the very second he was nonchalantly discussing the fine art of doing his hair (it was a favorite topic of his) with an eager Crabbe and Goyle Ron was nearing a nervous breakdown.

When he finally got around to mentioning the situation, it was extremely casually. "By the way, boys, do you think Hermione is nearly finished? I'd have thought it would have only taken her half this time."

The dude was cool, man.

"Who cares?" whined Goyle, filing his nails.

Crabbe nodded seriously, "Draco, you can totally have any girl you want!"

Malfoy flashed a grin at his friends, "Oh, do you guys really think so?"

"We do! Don't worry you're pretty little head about her," replied Goyle soothingly.

He sighed happily, "You two always know just what to say to make me feel better."

"Group hug!" declared Crabbe and the three Slytherins threw their arms around each other.

*

It was only a little while later when an incredibly nervous Hermione sent Ginny to get Ron and borrowed Hedwig from Harry. She scribbled down a quick note, her normally tidy handwriting now more like chicken scratch, and sent the owl off to find her second bachelor.


I hope I'm making the right decision, she thought, silently looking for some kind of sign. Her search for this indication led her to look up at the sky outside the owlery and caught a glimpse of a rainbow. She was certain this was what she had been looking for. It had not rained for days yet there was a rainbow?

Oh, this was definite signage.

It looked like it was just outside the open window; if she just leaned out far enough she could grab the rainbow, it seemed. She could put it in a jar, leave it beside her bed, befriend it, talk to it . . . it would be beautiful.

So, Hermione stretched her arm out and reached. She sat on the edge of the sill and reached so hard she began to wobble. She tried to reach out and grab the side of the building but it was too late.

As she hurtled towards the ground, she closed her eyes and began repeating a Latvian chant under her breath. It helped her in stressful situations, almost like a security blanket of sorts.

She kept her eyes squeezed shut but instead of hitting the ground below she landed in someone's arms. This someone, who Hermione immediately established as male, was very conveniently strolling under that window trying to clear his head at the exact moment she was falling.

(Strategic placement, baby.)

He set her on the ground and she blushed, suddenly feeling more than a little embarrassed. As she looked up, prepared to thank him, her eyes nearly bugged out of her head.

"What're you doing over here?" she asked curiously.

He hooked his fingers in the buttons on his robes in an 'aw shucks' kind of way and hung his head bashfully. "I was just taking a walk. I've had a lot on my mind these last couple of days."

She nodded sympathetically, causing a chunk of glossy brown hair to fall onto her face. He gently pushed it away.

When she looked up at him, her eyes were filling with tears, despite the small smile on her face. She saw that he also had a tiny grin forming on his lips. "Don't cry, Hermione," he whispered and kissed her gently.

"I think Parvati was right," she said softly. "I do love you."

He rested his hand on her face. "I've been wanting to hear you say those words for awhile now. I love you too, but-"

She looked sadly hopeful. "There are so many buts involved. Let's not question anything, darling, and just go with what our hearts are saying. Okay?"

"Should we go tell everyone else?" he asked. She nodded and he took her hand, leading her back to Hogwarts.

*

Everyone was assembled in front of the steps leading into the school. Hermione, Ron, and Harry were clearly nervous, while Draco looked indifferent and Ginny appeared anxious. Parvati, who was standing off to the side, was the only one who noticed the secretive glances Hermione was shooting at a certain someone.

"As you know," Hermione began shakily. "This has been an enormously difficult decision for me to make."

Parvati sneered and everyone else nodded.

"But I do feel I have come to the right decision, one that will make everyone happy."

Ron exchanged uneasy looks with Ginny and Harry. Draco continued to look confidant and calm.

"I realize it might take a bit of getting used to, but he and I are connected on so many different levels. I can honestly say I love him with every molecule of my being, and I know he feels the same."

Both Draco and Parvati's smirks just kept getting bigger and more arrogant by the minute.

She turned to Draco, her face like stone. "Draco, it's been wonderful getting to know you better. You are handsome and I'm sure you have a good heart but I'm afraid we simply aren't meant to be."

He looked quite surprised but not at all upset. Ron looked like he was going to fall over from shock.

Moving forward, she took Ron's hands in her own, her face betraying her and expressing how uneasy she felt. She forced a smile, though she thought she might throw up. He looked even worse than she did.

"Ron, you are one of my best friends," she began. "And I care about you but only in the way one cares about a friend."

She turned and faced the others, "You see, it is Harry that I love! I've known for so long, but it was only with a little help from Parvati that I finally acknowledged how I feel."

Draco was the first to regain his ability to speak, "Well, why didn't I guess? You and Potter are a perfect match! I don't know what I saw in you in the first place."

"Draco, I'm sorry," began Hermione.

He waves his hand at her, "Don't be. I meant I have no idea what in the world I see in you because you are a girl. I don't know why I bothered to try and deny how I feel."

Suddenly, he leapt back towards the school, shouting out gleefully, "I'm gay! I'm gay and I want the world to know!" Occasionally, he would jump into the air and do a fancy move usually reserved for ballet recitals. Not that Draco knew anything about ballet; he was much too macho for that.

Ha.

Harry moved forward and snaked his arm around Hermione's petite waste. "You understand, don't you, Ron?"

"Oh, I understand alright. I understand you knew how I felt about Hermione and went behind my back," he hissed.

"Why ever are you upset," she inquired in confusion. This question caused Ron's eyes to cloud over with anger.

"You two are so bloody clueless!" he announced. Before he could sprint away, they spotted a single tear sliding down his cheek. Normal people would feel quite awful about this but Harry and Hermione were heartless.

Which, undoubtedly, you already knew. This is canon stuff, I tell you.

An outraged sob broke through the awkward silence. Suddenly, Hermione remembered . . . Ginny!

"How could-" her voice broke as she sobbed. "You?"

Harry placed his hand gently on her arm, "Listen, I'm sorry."

This was too much for her to take. The sizzling redheaded heartbreaker of Hogwarts, with her puffy eyes and cherry nose, didn't look like she would be breakin' a heart any time soon.

"How dare you Harry Potter?! I thought you and I had something special. It turns out I was just your flavor of the week. You sick, sick bastard," she cried.

He and Hermione began backing away slowly, "When you fall in love, you fall in love, shmoopy. I can't control it."

There was no talking to her, however. Her eyes were blazing a disturbing shade of olive. "Shmoopy? Don't you ever call me that again! And you, Hermione!"

As she started advancing on her, the answer seemed obvious. "Run?" asked Hermione.

"Run," agreed Harry.

So, they took off, being chased all the while by Ginny, who was crazy with grief. They kept going and didn't look back once (which would explain why they didn't realize the psycho stopped chasing them at the end of Hogwarts' property.). The two lovers never stopped running.

They were like, runaways!

They did end up settling down, months later, only because it isn't possible to run forever. If they could, they would have. They loved the feel of the wind in their hair, their legs burning, their lungs begging for air . . .

Oh, right, they weren't literally running.

They ended up in Azerbaijan, or as Hermione liked to call it 'our little piece of paradise.' Whatever. They were hitched by a hobbled old man they found sitting around at the bazaar. They grew old together in a crumbling hut and raised their twelve and half (please, don't ask) children as muggles.

THE END.

Disclaimer: Oh, God that was a crap ending, and I don't mean the H/H. You all deserve better but I had a deadline. This is for the always darling Nita in hopes she'll forgive me for the twist. Love you dearie!