CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Months Past
It was now the end of May, and the students were frantically studying for finals (N.E.W.T.'s for the 7th years), which were in less than three days. There hadn't been a sighting of Voldemort since the headline story in December, so finals were decidedly not cancelled. Hermione was the only one not panicking, of course, for she had already studied earlier that year.
On the day of testing, Harry and Ron woke up early for some last minute cramming, while Hermione slept peacefully up in her dorm. When she finally did come down to go to breakfast, the two were asleep on top of their Transfiguration Books. She snapped her fingers and the two woke instantly.
"Horse feathers! Oh, um...hello there Hermione..." said Ron, his ears turning red.
"You two should go get some breakfast, it'll help you think." She said, grabbing Harry's hand and practically dragging him to the Great Hall. Ron followed close behind, and the three sat down at the table together. With only three days left of school, Hermione was getting a little pushy.
Everyone ate quickly and went off to their first period classes. The N.E.W.T. for Transfiguration was crucial, and tough, even for Hermione.
At lunch, the three sat back down, but were too tired to eat. Well, two of them were at least.
"I'll see you two after fifth period, ok?" said Hermione, hopping up from the table. The two boys ate silently, and then went off to Divinations.
By dinnertime, even Hermione's mind was boggled, and the three were glad that the day was over. The day after tomorrow was graduation, and their last day at Hogwarts.
The next day was a Saturday, so they went for a walk down by the lake, joined by Astrid.
"I'm gonna' miss you guys." Grumbled Astrid, whom they had forgotten was only in her sixth year.
"We'll miss you, too." They said, almost in unison.
On the day of graduation, the seventh years, their families, and the teachers, filed into the Great Hall (after supper, when all of the other students had already returned home) to begin the ceremony.
"When I call your name, step forward. You will receive your certificates AFTER the ceremony." Said Professor McGonagall. "But first, a word from our Valedictorian, Hermione Granger." The room burst into applause as Hermione stepped up to the podium; this was just like Harry had seen in a movie once at the Dursleys'.
"In our seven years here at Hogwarts, we have seen wars, death, games, pranks, love, and most importantly; friendship. This school has taught us not only magic, but also understanding. Understanding of how students can sometimes make more of a difference than the teachers, and that the teachers know what's best, though we didn't know it at the time.
We learned how to laugh here, and we learned how to cry here. Hogwarts has been our home for almost half of our lives now, and some won't leave it as easily as they thought, I know I won't. We grew up here, we matured here, and-if I may say so myself- had some pretty good times here.
Hogwarts was an experience that I, nor many of my schoolmates, will ever forget." And with that, she stepped down and returned to here seat. The room, once again, burst into applause.
"Once again, when I call your name, step forward." Said McGonagall, her voice a little shaky. "Hannah Abbot... Susan Bones... Terry Boot... Millicent Bulstrode... Vincent Crabbe... Justin Finch-Fletchley... Seamus Finnigan... Hermione Granger... Gregory Goyle... Neville Longbottom... Draco Malfoy... Morag McDougle... Pansy Parkinson... Padma Patil... Parvati Patil... Sally-Anne Perks... Harry Potter...Lisa Turpin...Ronald Weasley...and Blaise Zabini (A.N.///Sorry if I missed any names!). Congratulations, all of you! You've made it!" she said, bursting into tears.
The people in the Great Hall were still cheering, even as the students were leaving the stage to go meet up with their families. Harry searched the crowd, as if expecting to see the Dursleys, or even a big black dog. But there was neither.
He finally went to join Ron's family.
"Harry, dear! Congratulations! Do you happen to have anywhere to stay this summer?" asked Mrs. Weasley right off the bat.
"Not right now, no." he replied, shaking his head. He was now a good foot taller than her, as was Ron.
"Well, you're welcome to stay with us as long as it takes you to find a place." She said, patting him on the shoulder.
"Thank you...I'll be right back." He said, making his way towards Hagrid. Hagrid spotted him, and pulled him into a gigantic hug. Hagrid was STILL taller than Harry by far.
"Don't let this be the last time I see yeh, Harry, understand?"
"Not a chance Hagrid." said Harry, smiling up at him. Hagrid smiled back, and then saw Hermione coming towards them.
"Tell the same to Hermione, I've got to be going." He said, patting Harry on the back. "Good luck, Lad." And with that he walked away.
"Well, we made it!" Hermione exclaimed, hugging him tightly. "What now?" she said briskly.
"Don't know, Love. I just don't know."
A.N.///Well, that's the end of this story. Should I write a sequel?
-MS
Months Past
It was now the end of May, and the students were frantically studying for finals (N.E.W.T.'s for the 7th years), which were in less than three days. There hadn't been a sighting of Voldemort since the headline story in December, so finals were decidedly not cancelled. Hermione was the only one not panicking, of course, for she had already studied earlier that year.
On the day of testing, Harry and Ron woke up early for some last minute cramming, while Hermione slept peacefully up in her dorm. When she finally did come down to go to breakfast, the two were asleep on top of their Transfiguration Books. She snapped her fingers and the two woke instantly.
"Horse feathers! Oh, um...hello there Hermione..." said Ron, his ears turning red.
"You two should go get some breakfast, it'll help you think." She said, grabbing Harry's hand and practically dragging him to the Great Hall. Ron followed close behind, and the three sat down at the table together. With only three days left of school, Hermione was getting a little pushy.
Everyone ate quickly and went off to their first period classes. The N.E.W.T. for Transfiguration was crucial, and tough, even for Hermione.
At lunch, the three sat back down, but were too tired to eat. Well, two of them were at least.
"I'll see you two after fifth period, ok?" said Hermione, hopping up from the table. The two boys ate silently, and then went off to Divinations.
By dinnertime, even Hermione's mind was boggled, and the three were glad that the day was over. The day after tomorrow was graduation, and their last day at Hogwarts.
The next day was a Saturday, so they went for a walk down by the lake, joined by Astrid.
"I'm gonna' miss you guys." Grumbled Astrid, whom they had forgotten was only in her sixth year.
"We'll miss you, too." They said, almost in unison.
On the day of graduation, the seventh years, their families, and the teachers, filed into the Great Hall (after supper, when all of the other students had already returned home) to begin the ceremony.
"When I call your name, step forward. You will receive your certificates AFTER the ceremony." Said Professor McGonagall. "But first, a word from our Valedictorian, Hermione Granger." The room burst into applause as Hermione stepped up to the podium; this was just like Harry had seen in a movie once at the Dursleys'.
"In our seven years here at Hogwarts, we have seen wars, death, games, pranks, love, and most importantly; friendship. This school has taught us not only magic, but also understanding. Understanding of how students can sometimes make more of a difference than the teachers, and that the teachers know what's best, though we didn't know it at the time.
We learned how to laugh here, and we learned how to cry here. Hogwarts has been our home for almost half of our lives now, and some won't leave it as easily as they thought, I know I won't. We grew up here, we matured here, and-if I may say so myself- had some pretty good times here.
Hogwarts was an experience that I, nor many of my schoolmates, will ever forget." And with that, she stepped down and returned to here seat. The room, once again, burst into applause.
"Once again, when I call your name, step forward." Said McGonagall, her voice a little shaky. "Hannah Abbot... Susan Bones... Terry Boot... Millicent Bulstrode... Vincent Crabbe... Justin Finch-Fletchley... Seamus Finnigan... Hermione Granger... Gregory Goyle... Neville Longbottom... Draco Malfoy... Morag McDougle... Pansy Parkinson... Padma Patil... Parvati Patil... Sally-Anne Perks... Harry Potter...Lisa Turpin...Ronald Weasley...and Blaise Zabini (A.N.///Sorry if I missed any names!). Congratulations, all of you! You've made it!" she said, bursting into tears.
The people in the Great Hall were still cheering, even as the students were leaving the stage to go meet up with their families. Harry searched the crowd, as if expecting to see the Dursleys, or even a big black dog. But there was neither.
He finally went to join Ron's family.
"Harry, dear! Congratulations! Do you happen to have anywhere to stay this summer?" asked Mrs. Weasley right off the bat.
"Not right now, no." he replied, shaking his head. He was now a good foot taller than her, as was Ron.
"Well, you're welcome to stay with us as long as it takes you to find a place." She said, patting him on the shoulder.
"Thank you...I'll be right back." He said, making his way towards Hagrid. Hagrid spotted him, and pulled him into a gigantic hug. Hagrid was STILL taller than Harry by far.
"Don't let this be the last time I see yeh, Harry, understand?"
"Not a chance Hagrid." said Harry, smiling up at him. Hagrid smiled back, and then saw Hermione coming towards them.
"Tell the same to Hermione, I've got to be going." He said, patting Harry on the back. "Good luck, Lad." And with that he walked away.
"Well, we made it!" Hermione exclaimed, hugging him tightly. "What now?" she said briskly.
"Don't know, Love. I just don't know."
A.N.///Well, that's the end of this story. Should I write a sequel?
-MS