Chapter 1: Saying Goodbye

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It was the last day at Hogwarts. Harry, Ron and Hermione were leaving Hogwarts for good. They had just finished their 7th and last year at Hogwarts, and just finish saying good-bye to Hagrid.

"Can you believe it?" Hermione exclaimed as they walked along the train looking for a compartment to sit in. "We'll never see Hagrid or anyone again!"

"Yeah," Harry said. "Time flies when you're having fun I guess."

"And when you kill You-Know-Who," Ron said, rolling his eyes jokingly.

It was true. Earlier that year, Harry finally defeated him, the Dark Lord, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, You-Know-Who, or what brave souls call him, Voldemort.

But Harry admitted that he couldn't have done it without Ron or Hermione. They were all appointed special awards and got offered many jobs.

Harry decided to work with Fred and George at their joke shop while waiting for Ginny, his girlfriend, to graduate when Ron decided to try out for a national Quidditch team. Everyone in Gryffindor admitted that Ron had gotten pretty good ever since 5th Year.

Hermione didn't know what she was going to do, but in truth, she wanted to get away from magic.

:-:-:-:-: Flashback :-:-:-:-:

"Granger," Dean yelled, "you're useless!" He slapped her across the face when she said she couldn't go to the last trip to Hogsmeade.

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Dean and Hermione, or 'Mione, which friends usually called her by, as her name was too long, had being going out since 6th Year. They were Hogwarts' cutest couple, but what bystanders and viewers didn't know was that Dean also had a problem. At least that what Hermione called it.

He would get angry for the tiniest little reasons and take it all out on her. She ended up with bruises and cuts, but she always lied about what really happened or covered them up with a concealing charm.

"You know, Ron," Hermione said, "Voldemort's dead now. You don't have to be afraid of him anymore."

As they took their seats in their compartment they found, Hermione took a book out from a bag and, surprise, surprise, it was Hogwarts: A History.

"You know, 'Mione," Ron mocked teasingly, "I heard too much reading damages your brain."

"Really, Ron," Hermione said, looking up from her book, "I think you got it the other way around."

Most of the train ride was quiet.

Harry and Ron talked about things (cough-Quidditch-cough), while Hermione just sat, looking like she was reading.

But in the truth, she was thinking. Thinking about what she was going to do. She, for sure, wanted to leave the magical world behind, but that would mean leaving Harry and Ron behind as well. But she knew she had to do it for herself for once, rather than always worrying about others. Sometimes, it was important to think about yourself for a change.

Finally, the train pulled in the station and Hermione said one last goodbye, her final goodbye to her best friends, Harry and Ron. Ginny came running to tell Ron and Harry that Mrs. Weasley was ready to go. Harry was to stay there for the summer since he was of legal age and didn't have to return to the Dursleys.

"Bye, 'Mione, see you soon!" Harry and Ron yelled to her after they gave her one last hug and kiss on the cheek. She walked to the barrier where she turned back and saw Ron and Harry waving along with all of the Weasley family. They yelled goodbye as Hermione slipped though the barrier.

But Ron and Harry never knew that they would never see Hermione again. Or at least for a really long time.