Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
A/N: Two chapters in one day, don't get used to it. Please Review. -Cole
Luna Lovegood walked quickly down the hall, tonight was Harry's, Ron's, Hermione's, Neville's, and Draco's graduation ceremony. She was already three minutes late, and probably missed the first part of McGonagall's speech.
McGonagall's speech, Luna thought, Because Dumbledore is dead. Ginny's dead too. They're dead. But I'll see them again. I have to see them again.
Luna entered the brown doors and sat down in the student guests area. The only reason Luna was there was her relationship with Harry. Harry had said that if Luna couldn't come he wouldn't speak to the audience. McGonagall had allowed it, and Luna was very pleased.
"Welcome," Professor McGonagall began, "To the Class of 98 Graduation Ceremony. I am sorry we are running a bit late, but the preparations took a bit longer than usual do to the...unusual circumstances. We would first like to take a moment of silence for those who have been lost." She paused for a minute, and then started up again, "We would also like to take this time to welcome back Ronald Weasley and Nymphadora Tonks, who have both been unconscious for the last three days," the crowd began to clap ecstatically, and that lasted for three minutes. Once the crowd settled down, the speech continued, "And so, another year has come to an end. Another group of children are going out into the real world. But this is the first group I can say are completely and totally ready for anything life throws their way. They have faced death, pain, grief, and Voldemort. Nothing is worse than that, not even death.
"Tonight, Hermione Granger, our class Valedictorian, would like to say a few words. As would Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter, who are tied for Salvadorian." I would now like to introduce Hermione Jane Granger, the class Valedictorian!"
Clapping ensued as Hermione walked to the stage. She smiled out into the audience before she began, but her smile was one mixed with happiness and sadness, joy and pain. "Hello," Hermione began. Luna gave her a small smile, and Hermione continued, "I had this long, boring speech prepared for today, and if it wasn't for Harry and Ron, you would all have to listen to me ramble on and on for hours about good education, decent defensive methods, and other boring topics. However, Harry somehow convinced me that I should speak from the heart. And Ron, in turn, threatened to dump me if he had to spend his first day out of the Hospital Wing listening to me babble on and on about pointless information.
"So here I am, speaking from the heart. I would like to say that I have no regrets, but I expected too much happiness. I expected everything to be wonderful because this is magic, and magic is good. Or so I was taught. I am a muggle-born witch, I never knew of real magic until I got my Hogwarts Letter. It was the strangest thing that had ever happened to me, but it was also the greatest." She paused, as if thinking about her answer, "No, no it wasn't the greatest thing that ever happened to me. Meeting Harry and Ron was. Harry is my best friend. I know that I could tell him anything and he would look at me and smile and say, 'Mione, I know you'll figure this out.' Harry could always make me smile, even when Ron and I had our rowes and no one else could get me to dry my tears, Harry somehow forced me to laugh, and that is a miracle in itself.
"Ron, on the other hand, was always optimistic. He always knew that things would be okay. And when they weren't he would simply say, 'It's not the end. Because We're the Golden trio, and our end will be spectacular.' This, of course, would make Harry and me laugh, because we knew we would face so much danger." She looked out into the audience, as the tears welled up in her eyes, "We faced so much together. And we lost so many along the way. But somehow we stayed strong.
"When Ron fell unconscious after the Battle, I was in hysterics. But I was not as bad as Harry. Harry was absolutely bawling. And yes, I did make sure discussing the boy-who-lived's tears with the audience would be okay. Anyway, it was then that I realized that Harry and Ron were brothers. They were best friends, and I, I was their best friend. What we feel for eachother ran so deep it is unimaginable.
"I love Harry as much as I love Ron. But it is two different loves. Harry I love as a brother, and Ron I love as a boyfriend. I love them both so much, that if one died, I would be dead too. Not physically, no, but mentally.
"I speak to you today knowing that I am free from hate, that the world is free from Voldemort. But most of all that my best friends are free from a Prophecy that cost so many deaths.
"I congratulate you, my fellow students. Because you have learned, and you have survived. And remember, whenever you face a test, simply say, 'How much would Granger study?' and then study half as much."
Hermione left the stage with some people in tears, some laughing, and many clapping. Luna smiled through glistening eyes, and Hermione smiled back. Both girls looked on the verge of tears, but when you have boys as your best friends, you learn to control pain.
Draco walked up onto the stage next. McGonagal gave him a smile, trying to ease his nerves. Draco expected everyone to hate him, but he was a Malfoy, and Malfoy's do not back down in public.
"Hi, most of you know me as Draco Malfoy, the Slytherin Prince. The coldest seventeen year old boy on the face of the planet. Most of you know me as Lucious' son, a Death Eater in training. Most of you know me as a cold-hearted, hating, spoiled brat. And most of you are wrong.
"My name is Draco Malfoy. I am a Slytherin. I have never had any true friends. My parents used me as a tool, they trained me and abused me. My name is Draco Malfoy, and this is the true story.
"Many of us didn't want to join the Death Eaters. Many of us tried to rebel. And many failed. But Blaise, and Keira, and I succeeded. We fought back, and Blaise died fighting back. We wanted to show the world that there were some decent Slytherins. And I hope we did.
"I remember one day, I was walking up to the Gryffindor Table to criticize Harry on his choice of girlfriend, the lovely Miss Luna Lovegood, and I stared at Harry, and you know what I saw?" Draco paused, giving the audience time to try and guess, "I saw pain. And it was real hard-core pain. It was the same look I have in my eyes when I am alone. It's the same pain I carry. And I..." Draco let his voice break as he tried to swallow back tears, "I let Harry see my tears. And instead of mocking me like he would of normally done, he smiled at me and his eyes showed sympathy. His sympathy, the fact that he cared, that was the last straw.
"That night I went up to Blaise and Keira and I told them that I was switching. I told them I wasn't going to do it anymore. They had already switched to the Light, and they were proud of me, they became my friends. And Keira still is my friend, and I would like to wish her and Dean all the luck in the world." This caused Keira Moon to blush, but you could hardly see it on her black skin.
"I always wanted someone to care about me, someone to wonder if I would be alright. I always wanted to feel love, or atleast for someone to like me. The day Harry showed me sympathy. Harry, a person I thought hated me. He showed me sympathy. That was the day I switched, although I did not tell Dumbledore for almost a year.
"I am a Traitor. I am a Malfoy. I am a Slyhterin. I am a part of Dumbledore's Army. And I am damn proud of this. I stand before you today a changed man. Please do not remember me as I once was, cold, evil, heartless. Remember me as I am now, Draco Malfoy, eighth in command of Dumbledore's army. Remember me as a fighter for the Light, because that is what I was destined to be."
Draco walked slowly off the stage. He expected people to boo him, to curse him, and to yell at him. Instead, one by one, people started clapping. Luna and Harry had started the applause, of course, but the whole hall was clapping. And Luna swore that she saw Draco smile.
Next was Harry, Luna looked up to him, and he smiled at her. Then he looked out into the audience, he smiled at Amelia Bones, the Minister of Magic, and at his fellow seventh years, but his eyes traveled to Luna, and rested on Remus. He gave his guardian a small smile, and then began, "My name is Harry Potter. I am the boy-who-lived. I am your 'saviour'. I defeated Voldemort. I've recieved Order of Merlin first class, and I am seventeen.
"I am also Harry. I am Luna Lovegood's boyfriend. Ron and Hermione's best friend. The Captain and Seeker of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. The most troublesome student since the Marauders. And Madame Pomfrey's most frequent visitor.
"You know me as Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived. But I am so much more, and so much less. I am not a god, I do not want to be a god. I want to be normal.
"But I lost that right, didn't I? I lost it the day Voldemort was defeated the first time. The day my parents DIED. You think it would be great to be me, but you are so wrong. My parents are dead. My friends are dead. Sirius and Dumbledore are dead. People that I loved are dead. Do you seriously want to be me?
"No, I didn't think so. But I'm not here to yell at you about you're obsession with being famous. I'm here to congratulate you on surviving the second war. You are all survivors, and you are all heroes. What you did, even if you weren't in the war at all, was something that saved a life. You all did something to take down Voldemort. And for that you are heroes.
"You are my heroes, because without your support, your belief in me, I would not have gone on. Even when you doubted me in fifth year, you helped me reach this point. How? Because I needed to prove myself then.
"You are all heroes, you are all survivors. And as you leave here and go out into the real world, remember. You are ready, because you have faced fear. And nothing is worse than facing your greatest fear."
Harry slowly walked off the stage, he smiled out into the audience, but Luna could see the tears welling up in his eyes. This was the end. He would never be a Hogwarts student again. A whole chapter of his life was ending. And this chapter was a very exiting, very sad one. Harry looked out at the audience and then turned to Luna. She ran to him and he closed his arms around her. "It's okay," Luna soothed, "It's going to be okay."
The audience, however, wasn't so sure. Their saviour, their boy-who-lived, was in tears. Something had to be wrong, something was hurting their hero. But Harry slowly let go as Luna and made his way back onto the stage. By now, the rest of his class was up their, and they were waiting for him to begin the diploma distirbution.
One by one the students recieved their diplomas. One by one they left their childhood behind. Each student was applauded, but no one got more attention than Hermione, Ron, Draco, Neville, and Harry. Finally, the last student, Rose Zeller, was given her diploma.
"It's all over," Hermione whispered to Ron as they walked out of the Great Hall together. They, along with Harry, Luna, Neville, and Draco, had stayed later to say hello to all of the guests and to help McGonagall clean up. Hermione was leaving that night instead of the following morning because she had to get her guardianship papers filled out. Technically, because she was eighteen and had been since her birthday in September, she didn't need a guardian. However, when you are a witch, and a famous witch at that, you need someone who will be able to take care of any legal or medical matters when you are unable to. Molly Weasley, Ron's mother, had offered to be Hermione's guardian, but Hermione said that would be a bit strange considering she was dating Ron. Instead, she chose Remus, who was Harry's guardian after the death of Sirius. Remus had happily accepted and offered her a place to live until she was able to get a place of her own. At first she had declined, but now, after so many people had died, she had accepted the offer of being closer to the ones she loved. Harry, Tonks, Draco, and Remus were now living in 'The Most Noble House of Black,' as 12 Grimmauld Place was originally named. Tonks and Remus had moved in soon after Sirius' death, and Harry spent most of his sixth and seventh year summers there. Remus had also become Draco's guardian, but that was done through the Ministry since all parties involved were registered wizards. McGonagall and Mad-Eye now lived together a few towns over, so Hermione would be able to visit them anytime she wanted. Hermione found McGonagall's and Mad-Eye's romance quite adorable, and didn't think anything of it when they announced their engagement in March, two months before the Final Battle.
"I know," Ron replied, his eyes glistening. Ronald Billius Weasley rarely ever cried. In fact, Hermione had only seen him cry twice. Once when Ginny died and again when he heard that his father and Charlie died in the beginning of the Final Battle. But now, tears were shining in his bright blue eyes, and Hermione grabbed his hand to comfort him.
"Hey," Draco called from behind them, "No water works Weasel." Ron and Draco had been sending insults back and forth since Ron woke up last night. They no longer hated eachother, but they had both lost a large part of their family. Draco was now an orphan and Ron's family had been lowered from nine to four, they needed to argue, it was the one thing that kept them sane.
"Sod off, Malfoy," Ron replied as he fought back tears. Harry came up from behind him and gave him a brotherly hug.
"Don't worry about it mate," Harry soothed, "We'll be seeing Bill and Fred and your mum tomorrow. We have the whole summer ahead of us." Hermione, Harry, Luna, Neville, and Draco were staying at the Weasleys for three weeks during the summer, while Remus and Tonks redecorated Grimmauld Place. Harry offered to go somewhere else considering the recent events, but Molly told him that she wanted him there, and that he was part of the family.
The Weasley's had lost five of their nine family members. Ginny went first, she died before the Final Battle, trying to set a trap to catch some of Voldemort's closest Death Eaters. Unfortunately, the plan was misunderstood, and Ginny's life was the cost for not knowing the next step.
Then cam Arthur. He had died killing Avery, mainly because he was the one that killed Ginny. Arthur fought long and hard, but Avery one in the end. However, five minutes after Arthur died, Avery laid down and stopped breathing, most likely because of the amount of blood he lost.
Charlie died protecting Fred, and Fred blamed himself for his older brother's death. Harry tried to tell him it wasn't his fault, but he then realized that sometimes he still thought that Sirius' death was his fault. Reassurance doesn't mean anything, you have to deal with the grief alone.
Percy had redeemed himself in the eyes of his mother as he fell defending three third years who had been in the back of the lines, but had somehow become targets for Nott and Avery. Percy had taken three Crucios, two weaker killing curses, and an Avada Kedevra before he fell to the ground lifeless.
And then there was George. He was the last Weasley brother to fall, and the bravest. He had died taking the Avada Kedevra curse for Ron. He wasn't even suppose to be on that side of the battlefield, but after learning of his father's and brothers' deaths, he had to save the rest of his family, he needed to.
Maybe it was a good thing George died, for Katie had died at the exact same moment, or so Hermione was told. George had proposed to Katie the day before, and Katie had said yes, but they were going to wait awhile before getting married.
They'll never get married, Hermione thought to herself as the six of them made thier way up the steps and into the Gryffindor Common Room. Luna had taken up camp there since the night before the Final Battle, and she didn't plan on leaving until the last day of school, tomorrow.
Hermione grabbed her trunk and the rest of her things and shrunk them. Then she gave Ron a kiss goodbye and hugged her other four friends before walking out the door and heading up to the Headmistress' Office.
That's right, Hermione pondered as she walked up the steps after saying the password ('Long Live the DA), Headmistress, Dumbledore is gone, Dumbledore is really gone. Tears stung her eyes but she fought them back furiously. She wouldn't cry, not now, she needed to get to London, she needed to talk with Remus and Amelia Bones, the new Minister of Magic, she needed to get back into life, she needed to forget.
But I can't, Hermione reminded herself while she threw the floo powder into the fireplace after saying goodbye to McGonagall, I can't forget. Harry didn't. It's been two years and he still hasn't forgotten Sirius. Hermione smiled to herself as the tears blinded her line of vision, Maybe we don't have to forget, maybe we just have to let go.
