A/N: Sorry this chapter has taken me so long to write. I've wasn't happy with the way this one and the next chapter were going. And I know it's not that long, but the next chapter is, and I'm almost done editing that one.

I've also been really busy. I'm leaving in two weeks for college (woohoo! Here I come, Allegheny!), which is why I get all sappy at the end of this chapter...friendship and years passing so quickly. My friend, Madeline, surprised me when we were coming back from a concert last night by suddenly bursting out with something about how much she was going to miss me...and that on top of me having two weeks (really only 13 days) left in this house I've lived in my whole life, I'm feeling a little bittersweet. Sorry if I got mushy :D

Anywho, I'll be posting the next chapter sometime this week, but I'm not sure which day, because I have to take a math placement test for Allegheny. Wish me luck!

Without further gilding the lily, I give you:

CHAPTER 4

ALMOST GONE

The rest of the summer at the Burrow passed by rather uneventfully, which Harry didn't mind in the least bit. The results for their O.W.L.s came a few days after Harry's party (with a note attached from McGonagall explaining they were tardy because there had been a mix up at the Ministry with all the confusion over Umbridge). Hermione, as expected, received an "O" in every course, and was practically glowing with pride (though Ron called it "gloating"). Ron and Harry had done well, too, though Harry's marks in History of Magic and Divination weren't anything to speak of.

All three of them had received an "O" in Defense Against the Dark Arts, as he expected they would, and through several owls, they learned their fellow fifth years who had been a part of the D.A. all achieved "Outstanding," as well.

The only thing that bothered Harry was his "E" in Potions. McGonagall had clearly said that Snape only accepted "O" results into his Advanced Potions class, which Harry needed to become an Auror. He thought of appealing to McGonagall or Dumbledore, and figured that would give Snape an even bigger reason to hate him.

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A few days before the term was to start, Mrs. Weasley went to Diagon Alley to buy their school things, telling them there was no need for her to take all of them (she didn't want them anywhere near the twins' shop, where business was booming).

They were alone again, except for Charlie, who was talking to someone in the fireplace about the goings on in Romania. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and were lounging on the grass at the edge of the field where they usually played Quidditch.

Hermione was, as usual, absorbed in a book (Friend or Foe?: Dark Detectors and Their Usages). Ron, who was lying in the grass on his back, hands under head, looked to be asleep, and Ginny was writing a letter to a girl Harry didn't know. Harry, though, was thinking (or trying NOT to think) about the end of last term. Earlier, when the four of them had walked into town, Harry had seen a large black dog sitting near a garden fence, and couldn't seem to get it out of his head.

He knew Sirius was gone. He did. It annoyed him that his friends had been giving him worried looks all summer, just as Hermione had done a few moments before. Their was a hollow ache, an emptiness inside him, and he tried to enjoy things, but most of the time he just felt blank. Members of the Order popped in a few times a day, and this morning, Remus Lupin had Apparated into the living room, where Harry sat perusing through the book Hermione bought him, but without much interest. Lupin looked even more haggard than usual, and Harry instantly felt guilty for moping about, without even considering what Remus was going through.

All of Remus's friends from school were gone. One a traitor, and two dead.

And now he sat on the grass with his friends, trying not to feel sorry for himself, but finding it very difficult.

Ginny suddenly looked up from her letter, and asked, "Harry, we're still going to have the D.A., aren't we?"

Hermione snapped her book shut, looking avidly at Harry, and Ron opened his eyes and sat up. All eyes were on him.

"Well, er..."

Harry hadn't really thought about it. The reason the D.A. had been started was because Umbridge was a rubbish teacher, and they weren't learning anything, but now...did they really need it? Harry voiced this out loud.

There was a thick silence, as each person thought, but then Hermione broke it with, "Well, I guess you couldn't say that it was absolutely necessary, like last year, but then..." She paused, and bit her lip. "But I really think we should. Not because we don't know enough already, but because I think, in light of current situations, that it's a good thing to have."

"How do you mean?" Ginny asked.

"Well...think about it. It's not just us Gryffindors, it's all the other houses, as well, excluding Slytherin, obviously. And from all different years. It brings all of us together, and bridges a divide that we've never been able to cross before this. And with what the Sorting Hat said last year, about us being stronger united...I just think we should."

She looked cautiously at Harry, and then added, "But it's entirely up to you, Harry."

The truth was Harry didn't feel like he was worthy to teach his peers anymore. After what happened at the Ministry of Magic, he felt as if it had all been for naught. But he looked at his three friends, and the eager look on the face of each, and didn't want to let them down. Suddenly he felt very old.

"Alright," he shrugged. Hermione grinned, and Ron cuffed Harry on the arm. Ginny gave Harry a queer look, but smiled a little, and then went back to her letter.

Harry's thoughts wandered now to memories of D.A. meetings. He thought of Cho, and Marietta on the train, and didn't feel a bit sorry for her, though he reckoned he shouldn't have been so harsh with Cho about it. She was only defending her friend, really, Harry thought. And that's what friends do: stick by each other, even if the other is wrong. He was slightly embarrassed of being cold to Cho, but that didn't change the fact that he didn't have feelings for her anymore. Yes, she was pretty, but in actuality, she reminded Harry of Parvati or Lavender, with the games they played, and their fickleness.

"So, Harry, did you figure out what you're going to do about Snape?" Ron asked lazily, without opening his eyes.

"No," said Harry, dejectedly. "There's no way he'll let me into that class. He's probably gloating over it right now."

They continued to talk about the situation for a few minutes, but Harry was really starting to get upset, and the subject dropped quickly. Harry stewed for a few minutes, and then said he didn't feel well and wanted to lie down. He went back to the house, and as he went, he could feel their eyes on his back.

Instead of going up to Ron's room, however, he made his way to the living room and sat down on the sofa. Charlie must have finished because he was nowhere to be seen.

Harry was slipping off into a peaceful doze when a loud knock sounded from the front door. Footsteps came from the kitchen, and Charlie walked through the hall, popping his head in and saying, "Didn't know you'd come in, Harry," and then added with a grin, "I would have made you get the door."

He heard Charlie open the door, followed by some mumbled speaking, and then the door closed again. Harry looked up as Charlie entered the room, followed by a dreamy-looking Luna Lovegood.

"Hi, Harry," she said casually. Her slightly mad-looking eyes traveled over him, and she said, "You haven't grown."

Harry couldn't help but laugh. "Thanks for noticing."

"My pleasure."

"Well...I'll leave you two to, er...catch up," said Charlie, giving Harry an amused, questioning look before leaving the room.

"So...what are you doing here?" Harry asked, and then cringed because he realized it sounded rude.

Luna didn't seem to notice. "Oh, I just thought I'd stop by. I live near here, you know. Daddy and I just got back from holiday. We didn't find any Crumple-Horned Snorkacks."

"Oh...that's too bad," said Harry, trying not to laugh. Though he certainly liked and respected Luna a great deal more since the end of the year, it was still hard to take some of the strange things she said seriously.

"Well, everyone else is outside."

Luna gazed around the room, as if she hadn't heard what Harry said. But then she brought her eyes level to Harry's and said, "Why aren't you?"

Harry sighed and shrugged his shoulders. Luna watched him for a moment and then nodded as if she understood perfectly. He was grateful that she didn't say anything, even though he was sure she knew what he was thinking about.

"Lead the way," she answered instead.

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They spent the rest of the day outside, and really enjoyed themselves, despite Ron still thinking Luna was mad, and Hermione wanting, but resisting to remark about Crumple-Horned Snorkacks.

Mrs. Weasley came home when the sky was just beginning to darken. Luna said she'd better be off for home, and politely declined to join dinner.

Ron and Harry decided to play a game of chess after dinner, and Hermione sat on the couch and watched with her feet curled under her.

Harry felt strangely at peace with just the three of them sitting in the living room of the Burrow. He realized that there was usually someone else around, like Ginny, or the twins, instead of just the three of them. Not that he minded, but he looked at his two best friends now, and thought of all the years and the things they'd been through together, just the three of them. He thought of third year, the year they found Sirius. And then he thought of this year...how he'd lost Sirius. He heart constricted at this, but he tried to think of other things, happier memories: defeating the troll in first year, and Hermione finally becoming our friend. Or Ron volunteering to be my second without a moment's thought, when Malfoy challenged me to a wizard's duel. Ron taking a fall at McGonagall's chess set, and Hermione figuring out Snape's potion riddle. Countless other first year memories filled his head.

He went through each year like this, happy memories mingling with sad, and it all felt oddly bittersweet. Sixth year, he thought. Only two years of Hogwarts left. Have we really been there that long? Then he thought of how much he would miss Hogwarts, the place that felt more like his home more than anywhere. They wouldn't be children anymore, but adults.

Suddenly he was aware of Ron and Hermione staring at him. He shook himself out of his reverie.

"You alright, mate?" Ron asked. "It's your turn."

"Oh." Harry automatically moved a piece, and it was taken by one of Ron's.

Hermione was watching him all the while. She could tell that he wasn't brooding over Sirius, but something else...she had caught the almost wistful look in his eye as he looked at his two best friends, at a moment when Ron was concentrating. Then it dawned on her.

"It's going to be weird, isn't it?" she said, hugging her knees to her chest.

Harry's head snapped up, and his eyes connected with hers, but Ron only said listlessly, "What'll be weird?"

"Not being at Hogwarts."

This time, Ron looked up quizzically, and looked back and forth between Hermione and Harry. "What'ya mean?"

"I mean when it's all over."

All three of them were silent, each gazing off into space, focused on their own thoughts. Ron finally spoke up.

"It doesn't seem like we've been there five years, does it?"

Hermione and Harry shook their heads. A lopsided smile formed on Ron's face.

"But we've had some great times."

Harry grinned himself, but jumped in surprise as Hermione suddenly burst into tears. Both boys glanced at each other, but neither raised their eyebrows as they usually did when Hermione was like this. Both understood. Ron got up from his seat on the floor, and sat down next to Hermione on the couch. He hesitated a little before putting his arm around her shoulders. Harry couldn't help but grin at the sight as Hermione buried her face into Ron's shoulder, hiccupping with choked sobs. She let the tears run themselves out, and after a few minutes, wiped her face with her sleeve, smiling sheepishly.

"Oh, come here, Harry," she said, her face still blotchy and tear-streaked.

He sat on the other side of her and she hugged him and Ron in turn. "My favorite red-head," she said, leaning over to kiss Ron on the cheek, "and my favorite Seeker." She leaned over to kiss Harry's cheek, as well. Harry didn't look over at Ron, but he was certain that Ron was blushing.

The three best friends fell into a comfortable silence, and one by one, drifted off to sleep.

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And there's the end of that chap...

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, and keep on doing so! I love reviews...love them. *huggles*