The days quickly turned into weeks. With Ron not talking to her,
Hermione found herself spending more and more time cooped up in her dorm
room when Lavender wasn't there. When Hermione had gotten back from
Hogsmeade, emotionally and physically exhausted, Lavender had spent a good
ten minutes crooning over the ring on Hermione's finger.
"You're so lucky!" she cried. "Marrying a Malfoy; you'll be set for life."
"I can't wait," Hermione replied sarcastically, pulling her hand away from the excited girl. "What I can't wait for most is for when I can go up on top of that hill outside and chuck this baby as far as I can into the water below." She fingered the ring as she spoke, enjoying the astonished look on Lavender's face.
"You wouldn't."
"Care to make a wager, Lavender?"
"You're spoiled, Granger," Lavender complained. "You've got the greatest guy in the world and you're whining about it. Why don't you grow up?" With that she walked away and Hermione felt the tears come to her eyes again.
"Correction, Lavender," she muttered, "I had the greatest guy. Now he won't talk to me."
Harry had given Hermione his mother's diaries a few weeks ago, but with studying for exams and the wedding date being pushed up, Hermione hadn't had time to do so much as glance through them yet. She kept putting it off, wanting to read them when she was alone. Finally, one day in early June, she managed to find a spare second when she wasn't being fitted for a wedding dress or reviewing Transfiguration spells in her mind. She grabbed the three books and sat in her silent corner of the library, flipping through the pages.
A few times, she almost closed the books, thinking it was wrong to be searching through such a personal item, but her glances upon the engraved wall made her curiosity peak. No, she had to know who R.L. was and she had to know soon.
It was a hard decision on how to read the diaries. At first, Hermione just flipped through them absentmindedly, hoping a name somewhere would ring a bell. After awhile of searching that way, she changed her mind and flipped to page one, starting at the beginning. "It's got to be in here somewhere," she said quietly, after getting halfway through the first book without so much as a mention of any names. "What does 'R' stand for anyway? Ryan? Rob? Reed?"
Hermione read the first whole book that day in the library but could not find a thing. The only names she found mentioned were those of the Marauders as Lily described the torments they put her through. I hate that James Potter Lily had written one day during March. Today, while Kaylen and I were walking across the grounds, he managed to hit us with several snowballs. And the best part is, his stupid friends just stood there, laughing! Well, Remus wasn't, but that Sirius Black deserves a good punch. It all okay, though, because as they turned to leave, Kaylen temporarily turned each of them into snowballs themselves. Dumbledore gave her heck for it, but it was fun while it lasted.
Hermione smiled at the references to Harry's Dad and his friends. She wondered if Harry had read these and if not, he might want to, considering they contained a personal insight into his parents' lives at Hogwarts. Tucking all three books away under her robes, she left the library, avoiding Malfoy and his gang down the hallway. She didn't want to face him ever again, but she knew that come the end of the year, she would be leaving school with him to go to Malfoy Manor. It made her feel physically sick when she thought about going to that place, but she knew she had no choice. Something told her Lucius Malfoy would go to any means to get her to marry Draco.
Much to Hermione's dismay, the end of June arrived quickly. She aced all her exams, as usual, but Ron still wasn't speaking to her. It had been a long four months without his friendship, but she assumed that the old saying was true. In hard times, you really did find out who your true friends were. Harry had stuck by her side, but he had been so distant for the past two years that he wasn't much help. Hermione knew that he had his own problems, what with Sirius being gone and Voldemort still on the loose, so she didn't want to pester him too much.
While the girls in Hermione's dorm sat on their bed and planned out their graduation dresses, Hermione sat on hers and planned out her wedding dress. While they discussed post-graduation parties, Hermione planned food for three hundred people at the wedding reception. Well, technically she didn't plan anything. Lucius had it arranged ahead of time and sent to her via owl. She just looked it over and nodded politely.
On the day of graduation, Ron came up to Hermione with a single comment. "Congratulations on everything, Hermione. I hope the rest of your life is just as wonderful as the years here." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Harry and Ginny staring sadly at Hermione, whose eyes had began to leak solemn tears.
Those weren't the only tears Hermione shed that day. She cried when Professor Dumbledore gave his speech on how proud he was to watch them all bloom and flourish through the years. She cried when Professor McGonagall congratulated them as a graduating class, she cried when Hagrid shed a few giant tears on their behalf and she cried when the rest of the group started cheering and yelling. They had done it. They were leaving Hogwarts forever.
"I'm going to drink so much tonight!" Hermione heard Lavender telling Padma and Parvati. "And then I'm going on a three-year tour around the world, living in some exotic places for certain amounts of time. My parents are planning it all."
"I'm going to post-graduate school at the branch of Hogwarts college," confessed Padma, "but I'm taking a year off first to relax and give myself some time to think. My parents are planning it all."
"Yeah, well my parents have planned my wedding by the end of this year!" Hermione wanted to shout. "When you're touring in North America and you're sitting in the sun being lazy, I'll be working my ass off as a housewife!" But she kept her cool and simply smiled at all the well- wishers.
"We did it!" Harry cried, running up to her. His hair was messier than usual and his glasses were crooked. He hugged her tightly. "We actually lived through our years at Hogwarts! I didn't think I'd see the day."
"You're positive."
"Well, you know, with Voldemort on the loose, I naturally assumed I was going to die by my sixth year. Now I'm out in the real world, so anything's possible, though."
"Harry, don't be so negative." Hermione was becoming frightened at the hopeful look on Harry's face when he spoke of death. "By the way, I'll have your mother's journals back to you by the time I leave."
Harry shrugged. "Don't worry. I'm sure this won't be the last time I'll see you." It was only then that the reality of the situation hit them both. "Hey, no more 'see you after class'."
"And no more 'meet me in the library'."
"No more Potions, Transfiguration, or Charms. No more Snape, McGonagall or Flitwick." Harry's eyes had begun to mist over. "Hermione, this is it. We're out of here."
"I know." Hermione was already crying quietly, the wedding plans forgotten. Forget Malfoy, she was leaving her best friends and the best years of her life. The troll in the bathroom, the Deathday party, all the ghosts, Moaning Myrtle, the expansive library, potent potions, secret passages, midnight talks, midnight adventures, SPEW, and so much more. She was leaving it all behind. She hugged Harry tightly, neither of them wanting to let on their tears.
Four hours later, Hermione was packed and ready to go. She waited patiently in the Entrance Hallway to board the carriage with Malfoy that would take them to the Hogwarts Express. While some were staying late to join parties and such, Harry was leaving at this time, too. He bid Ron farewell in the hallway, promising to visit soon. Hermione's heart wrenched when she saw Ron walk away without so much as looking at her. She fought the tears back this time, not wanting to be a wreck and giving Malfoy something else to base foundation on.
"Are you all set, Miss Granger?" Professor Dumbledore asked, coming up behind her.
"Yes," Hermione answered in a small voice. "Thank you so much for everything you've done for me over the years." She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"You're welcome," the old man whispered back. "Keep in mind, your father is against the wedding and has been from the start."
Hermione pulled back with a quizzical look but Dumbledore went silent as Draco approached.
"Ready to go?" he asked her.
"Does it matter?"
"Not really. Crabbe, Goyle! Get our bags and load them up!" The two oafs fumbled forward and began grabbing the luggage. "Careful!" Malfoy hollered. "Some of that is sacred!"
Hermione turned back to Dumbledore, but he was already out of sight. She quickly hugged Professor McGonagall and tiny Professor Flitwick. "Bye," she whispered, hiding her tears. She fled down the steps before she could turn back and climbed into the carriage. Once everyone else was boarded, the carriages began to move away and Hermione purposely leaned over Malfoy to wave goodbye. And when she leaned back, Hogwarts was gone from her sight as she looked forward to her new life.
"You're so lucky!" she cried. "Marrying a Malfoy; you'll be set for life."
"I can't wait," Hermione replied sarcastically, pulling her hand away from the excited girl. "What I can't wait for most is for when I can go up on top of that hill outside and chuck this baby as far as I can into the water below." She fingered the ring as she spoke, enjoying the astonished look on Lavender's face.
"You wouldn't."
"Care to make a wager, Lavender?"
"You're spoiled, Granger," Lavender complained. "You've got the greatest guy in the world and you're whining about it. Why don't you grow up?" With that she walked away and Hermione felt the tears come to her eyes again.
"Correction, Lavender," she muttered, "I had the greatest guy. Now he won't talk to me."
Harry had given Hermione his mother's diaries a few weeks ago, but with studying for exams and the wedding date being pushed up, Hermione hadn't had time to do so much as glance through them yet. She kept putting it off, wanting to read them when she was alone. Finally, one day in early June, she managed to find a spare second when she wasn't being fitted for a wedding dress or reviewing Transfiguration spells in her mind. She grabbed the three books and sat in her silent corner of the library, flipping through the pages.
A few times, she almost closed the books, thinking it was wrong to be searching through such a personal item, but her glances upon the engraved wall made her curiosity peak. No, she had to know who R.L. was and she had to know soon.
It was a hard decision on how to read the diaries. At first, Hermione just flipped through them absentmindedly, hoping a name somewhere would ring a bell. After awhile of searching that way, she changed her mind and flipped to page one, starting at the beginning. "It's got to be in here somewhere," she said quietly, after getting halfway through the first book without so much as a mention of any names. "What does 'R' stand for anyway? Ryan? Rob? Reed?"
Hermione read the first whole book that day in the library but could not find a thing. The only names she found mentioned were those of the Marauders as Lily described the torments they put her through. I hate that James Potter Lily had written one day during March. Today, while Kaylen and I were walking across the grounds, he managed to hit us with several snowballs. And the best part is, his stupid friends just stood there, laughing! Well, Remus wasn't, but that Sirius Black deserves a good punch. It all okay, though, because as they turned to leave, Kaylen temporarily turned each of them into snowballs themselves. Dumbledore gave her heck for it, but it was fun while it lasted.
Hermione smiled at the references to Harry's Dad and his friends. She wondered if Harry had read these and if not, he might want to, considering they contained a personal insight into his parents' lives at Hogwarts. Tucking all three books away under her robes, she left the library, avoiding Malfoy and his gang down the hallway. She didn't want to face him ever again, but she knew that come the end of the year, she would be leaving school with him to go to Malfoy Manor. It made her feel physically sick when she thought about going to that place, but she knew she had no choice. Something told her Lucius Malfoy would go to any means to get her to marry Draco.
Much to Hermione's dismay, the end of June arrived quickly. She aced all her exams, as usual, but Ron still wasn't speaking to her. It had been a long four months without his friendship, but she assumed that the old saying was true. In hard times, you really did find out who your true friends were. Harry had stuck by her side, but he had been so distant for the past two years that he wasn't much help. Hermione knew that he had his own problems, what with Sirius being gone and Voldemort still on the loose, so she didn't want to pester him too much.
While the girls in Hermione's dorm sat on their bed and planned out their graduation dresses, Hermione sat on hers and planned out her wedding dress. While they discussed post-graduation parties, Hermione planned food for three hundred people at the wedding reception. Well, technically she didn't plan anything. Lucius had it arranged ahead of time and sent to her via owl. She just looked it over and nodded politely.
On the day of graduation, Ron came up to Hermione with a single comment. "Congratulations on everything, Hermione. I hope the rest of your life is just as wonderful as the years here." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Harry and Ginny staring sadly at Hermione, whose eyes had began to leak solemn tears.
Those weren't the only tears Hermione shed that day. She cried when Professor Dumbledore gave his speech on how proud he was to watch them all bloom and flourish through the years. She cried when Professor McGonagall congratulated them as a graduating class, she cried when Hagrid shed a few giant tears on their behalf and she cried when the rest of the group started cheering and yelling. They had done it. They were leaving Hogwarts forever.
"I'm going to drink so much tonight!" Hermione heard Lavender telling Padma and Parvati. "And then I'm going on a three-year tour around the world, living in some exotic places for certain amounts of time. My parents are planning it all."
"I'm going to post-graduate school at the branch of Hogwarts college," confessed Padma, "but I'm taking a year off first to relax and give myself some time to think. My parents are planning it all."
"Yeah, well my parents have planned my wedding by the end of this year!" Hermione wanted to shout. "When you're touring in North America and you're sitting in the sun being lazy, I'll be working my ass off as a housewife!" But she kept her cool and simply smiled at all the well- wishers.
"We did it!" Harry cried, running up to her. His hair was messier than usual and his glasses were crooked. He hugged her tightly. "We actually lived through our years at Hogwarts! I didn't think I'd see the day."
"You're positive."
"Well, you know, with Voldemort on the loose, I naturally assumed I was going to die by my sixth year. Now I'm out in the real world, so anything's possible, though."
"Harry, don't be so negative." Hermione was becoming frightened at the hopeful look on Harry's face when he spoke of death. "By the way, I'll have your mother's journals back to you by the time I leave."
Harry shrugged. "Don't worry. I'm sure this won't be the last time I'll see you." It was only then that the reality of the situation hit them both. "Hey, no more 'see you after class'."
"And no more 'meet me in the library'."
"No more Potions, Transfiguration, or Charms. No more Snape, McGonagall or Flitwick." Harry's eyes had begun to mist over. "Hermione, this is it. We're out of here."
"I know." Hermione was already crying quietly, the wedding plans forgotten. Forget Malfoy, she was leaving her best friends and the best years of her life. The troll in the bathroom, the Deathday party, all the ghosts, Moaning Myrtle, the expansive library, potent potions, secret passages, midnight talks, midnight adventures, SPEW, and so much more. She was leaving it all behind. She hugged Harry tightly, neither of them wanting to let on their tears.
Four hours later, Hermione was packed and ready to go. She waited patiently in the Entrance Hallway to board the carriage with Malfoy that would take them to the Hogwarts Express. While some were staying late to join parties and such, Harry was leaving at this time, too. He bid Ron farewell in the hallway, promising to visit soon. Hermione's heart wrenched when she saw Ron walk away without so much as looking at her. She fought the tears back this time, not wanting to be a wreck and giving Malfoy something else to base foundation on.
"Are you all set, Miss Granger?" Professor Dumbledore asked, coming up behind her.
"Yes," Hermione answered in a small voice. "Thank you so much for everything you've done for me over the years." She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"You're welcome," the old man whispered back. "Keep in mind, your father is against the wedding and has been from the start."
Hermione pulled back with a quizzical look but Dumbledore went silent as Draco approached.
"Ready to go?" he asked her.
"Does it matter?"
"Not really. Crabbe, Goyle! Get our bags and load them up!" The two oafs fumbled forward and began grabbing the luggage. "Careful!" Malfoy hollered. "Some of that is sacred!"
Hermione turned back to Dumbledore, but he was already out of sight. She quickly hugged Professor McGonagall and tiny Professor Flitwick. "Bye," she whispered, hiding her tears. She fled down the steps before she could turn back and climbed into the carriage. Once everyone else was boarded, the carriages began to move away and Hermione purposely leaned over Malfoy to wave goodbye. And when she leaned back, Hogwarts was gone from her sight as she looked forward to her new life.
