Holding Back Tears

Chapter 2

"You're going to make us late!" Harry yelled at Ron impatiently from the dormitory door.

Harry had on thin black material cut into an exquisite graduation gown. The collar, the front opening, and the end of the sleeves were bordered with maroon and a gold trim.

His jade eyes were still covered by glasses and his rebellious hair was covered by a wizard's hat that was also black with the Gryffindor crest on the side.

Underneath the robe Harry opted to wear khakis with a white dress shirt accompanied by his gold and maroon Gryffindor tie. 'It looks nice but comfortable' he had thought. He accessorized his ensemble with his muggle watch, which he was now irritably looking at. It was reading 7:58.

Ron rushed out of the bathroom with his identical robe thrown on unzipped over black dress pants, a dark grey shirt, and a black tie. It also looked as if he had spent more time on his hair than usual even though it was just going to be rearranged by his hat, which was abandoned on the bed.

Harry raised an eyebrow at his friend as Ron tried to zip up his robe. "What?" Ron asked self-consciously checking over his appearance making sure he zipped his pants, buttoned his shirt correctly, and tied his dress shoes. All was in order. He looked back up at Harry with a frustrated glare.

"You're dressed really nice." Harry commented, "Dressing up for a certain girl we both know?" All Harry could do was laugh at Ron's still frustrated but now indigent stare, but Harry also noticed the pinkish tint on Ron's face after he mentioned this.

"No. It's our graduation, Harry. We're supposed to dress nice." Then Ron proceeded to go around Harry, open the door, but before he could cross the threshold Harry said, "Hat." Ron gave an aggravated sigh, marched over to the bed, threw on his hat, and followed Harry out the door. Both boys were going at a very fast pace.

When they reached the common room Hermione was standing at the portrait hole watching the clock anxiously. She had her hair smoothed strait, but instead of pulling it into a bun she left it down, flowing past her shoulders toward the middle of her back. She had on the same kind of robe as the boys' but with a more feminine cut and it hid whatever she was wearing underneath.

When she saw them her gaze rested on Ron a bit longer than needed. She looked at him from head to toe. As the boys ran down the last couple of stairs she smiled at them, pushed open the portrait hole door, and they set off toward the lake at a run.

The whole way they ran Ron kept staring at Hermione in front of him. She looked beautiful, and he was wondering how in the world she was running so fast in the heels she was wearing.

When they reached the front doors they flung them open and almost ran into the rest of their graduating class.

"It's nice for you three to join us." Said a familiar stern voice they had heard for the last seven years. It was the head of their house, Professor McGonagall. "Now find your places in line before we have to delay the ceremony any longer." With one last humorous look at each other and unregretful smirks they found their places and proceeded to the lake.

When they reached the lake the seats were filled with family members and friends. Hermione found her parents next to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and the rest of the red headed family. Her dad had a video camera, and Mr. Weasley was looking at it longingly, as if he couldn't wait to get his hands on it and figure it out. Her mom and Mrs. Weasley were chatting around their husbands like old friends.

Seeing her parents interacting with the wizarding world and having them be so proud of her made her heart swell with love for them. The thought also made her want to cry, but NO, she was not going to. She took a deep breath and continued to their destination.

After everyone was seated, Dumbledore stood from his seat with the professors and walked to the podium.

"Thank you all for coming on this joyous occasion. I trust you are all as proud and relieved as I am that they all made it." He said with his gentle frail voice, a smile on his almost hidden lips, and sparkling eyes.

"I have watched each of these students grow and become the great witches and wizards they are, and I'm excited to see them go out into this world and become better and even stronger in their knowledge but especially in their wisdom. Life is trial and error, and I hope that along with their successes they make their share of mistakes, because this is how we learn true life's lessons."

Dumbledore paused and looked over at the graduating class staring intently back and were hanging on his every word.

"Now with that said. I believe we should get this little shindig started."

"Without further adu, I will introduce you to the valedictorian. I present to you one of the cleverest people I've ever known, but not only does she have intelligence, she has loyalty, determination, dedication, bravery, and heart. Here is Miss Hermione Granger!"

'I'm not going to cry. I'm not going to cry. I'm not going to cry.' This was all Hermione could think while Dumbledore introduced her so lovingly. She couldn't worry about forgetting her speech mid sentence, tripping and falling off stage, Ron and Harry laughing at everything she said, the whole class laughing at what she said, or that it was time for her to walk up to the podium. Well until she noticed everyone looking at her expectantly, and then she knew it was time.

In the immensely long second it took to get to the podium her fears returned. She looked around at the crowd. She saw her parents and the Weasleys' who were looking up at her proudly, and then she looked to her fellow graduates. She saw Harry giving her an encouraging smile and a little 'thumbs up', and then she saw a head of red hair and blue eyes. Ron looked at her intently then smiled a little and gave her a wink.

She seemed to regain the composure she had lost, and she gave Ron a little smile in return before she turned back to the crowd who had grown a little restless.

"Hello, family, friends, teachers, mentors, and all our loved ones. We are here to celebrate a completion of courses, passing of exams, and finished schoolwork. If you take this day literally that is it.

"If you would have asked me seven years ago I would have said that was all that mattered to me: books, homework, and courses. As I grew physically, though, so did my priorities and values in life.

"I grew to learn that a wise person's advice is more valuable than anything I could ever read in a book. I learned that finding something new about your friends and having them impress you everyday even though you have known them for six years, is more stimulating than being instructed in a subject that hasn't been changed or impressive in years.

"I learned the biggest course you can take is fighting for your life. In that moment when you think that you could die that day, everything unimportant, like material possessions, melt away, and you realize that only important thing in life is love. The love you give to family and friends. The love you receive in return is what pulls you through, not the transfiguration class you have the next day."

Hermione paused and smiled at everyone listening heartily on her, there wasn't a movement in the crowd. They all sat motionless looking strait at her.

"So thank you all for the wise advice, never-ending friendship, and unconditional love. It is because of everyone that loves us that we are here today. We could not have done it alone, not even I. So not only do I present you a class of academic excellence, I also present to you a class of wisdom, friends, and love: a class of true life experience. A class that is ready to fight for their life as adults, with our loved one's support and encouragement, in this dangerous world."

Hermione backed away from the podium and motioned toward the graduates. The whole audience, professors and school mates, except for select Slytherin families, clapped and stood. Hermione gave a small bow/curtsy and reclaimed her seat with her peers, but along the way she received many pats on the back and honored smiles.

When the audience grew quiet again Dumbledore reproached the front of the stage to start passing out the diplomas. When Granger, Hermione was called there was another standing ovation. Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall gave her looks of pure pride and adoration, Ron behind her still at the chairs was cheering loudly over everyone, and the sun was barley visible over the lake shining with reds, oranges, then from pinks to purples, and finally dark blues.

It was the perfect moment. With tears in her eyes she took the certificate, smiled to the crowd, and took her seat, but she did not shed a tear.

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A/N- Ok, FIRST I wanna thank all of you who reviewed my first chapter. I was touched that you really enjoyed it and thank you for the criticism I received. I'm sorry this chapter drags a little too, but I wanted to give you some background and some happy stuff before it gets sad and dark.

Yey, I finally got this chapter up. I've been working on it since the day after I posted the first chapter. For the last 3 weeks I've been surviving without cable and the internet. Today is the first day I have the internet and I've made sure to update to make y'all as happy as I.

Here is the reason it's gonna take me a while to update. When I started writing this fic. I was bored and I really didn't think through every detail of this story. I know what certain things I want to happen, but I'm having trouble coming up with some crucial parts of the story. Plus I'm at Texas Tech in an apartment with my best friend so I don't have a lot of time, but I swear to you that I will update and work on this story as much and as often as I can. I want to make you all happy, and I am just as excited to see how this story goes as you all are.

~LOVE Always~

Tiffiany Hargis