A/N: Thank you to those who have reviewed. And even if no one is reviewing I will still continue because I like the story and the flow of the story. I hope you do to!

Note: In this chapter we flashback into the past, this entire chapter is put right after Hermione leaves. What everyone says and how everyone reacts.


Ad Astra Per Aspera

Just moments after the unknown carriage made its way out of the school grounds Ginny Weasley had gone up to her room to get her paper that was due in her first class for the day.

"Hermione?" She called out to her roommate that had not been going to any of her classes lately. Ginny had figured that she had gone out on the school grounds since the professors had not said anything about it. The entire school knew she was grieving many of the students thought she was overdoing it. Ginny didn't know what to say anymore. Hermione had changed so much since Justin's death. If then she was carefree to an extent, now, she no longer knew the meaning of fun.

Ginny walked over to her dresser and got the paper that she had written. As she was passing Hermione's bed she noticed there was an envelope on top her hear pillows. Ginny, letting her curiosity get the best of her, had decided to get a closer look. She saw a letter addressed to her and the boys, her heart began to pound and her hand shook as she reached for it. Then she remembered she had nothing to worry about, it was just a letter. Then it hit her. She ran to Hermione's dressed and pulled out the drawers and it was empty. She rushed to the closets and saw that it too was empty.

Everything was, gone.

Every single belonging, gone.

Every piece of Hermione, gone.

She ran her hands through her hair in frustration and picked up the letter leaving everything she came to get behind. "Why, Hermione?" She asked out loud as she made her way out the door. She ran through the halls of the school trying to remember where her brother's and Harry's classes were.

"Miss Weasley?" Professor McGonagal had run into her. "Shouldn't you be at divinations?"

"I'm," Ginny looked at her.

"What's wrong child?" The teachers face showing genuine concern.

Ginny hadn't realized the tears that had been falling. "Hermione's gone. I have to find Harry and Ron."

"They are in their classes right now. I think that is where you should be too." She said firmly but calmly.

"Did you not hear a word I said?" Ginny was starting to get hyped up over the entire thing. "She is gone! She ran away!"

"I know. I heard you." McGonagal replied.

"And?" Ginny asked.

"I was the one who helped her get out." The Professor looked as if she was ready for Ginny's next reaction.

"How could you?" Ginny asked in astonishment. "How could you let her do something so rash? How could you do this to the boys?" She began to cry harder. "How could you do this to me?"

"I am going to ask you to calm down so that we can go to my office and discuss the situation there. We will make a scene when the other students get out." She placed her hand on Ginny's shoulder.

Ginny nudged her away. "I have to find the boys." Ginny said backing up slightly. "You are going to let me find them or I am going to scream."

"Virginia, you are being irrational." The professor took out her wand.

"My sister just ran away and you're going to use a wand on me?" She asked breathing unevenly.

"I know that Hermione was very important to you but she is dealing with a lot right now and it was her choice to go." McGonagal explained.

"You knew?" Ginny voice shrunk. "You knew she was leaving and you didn't even let us say goodbye? Why?"

"There was no other way." The older woman motioned for the letter that Ginny held in her hand. McGonagal looked at the girl for a moment. "You can get you brother and Mr. Potter but I suggest you read it in a place where no one will find the three of you. We don't want anyone to make speculations about Miss Granger."

"Thank you." Ginny nodded.

"They are at potions," McGonagal pointed to the door that was right beside them. Ginny was right beside them the entire time. She shut her eyes in frustration secretly embarrassed for being a little irrational. "Professor Snape, please excuse Potter and Weasley."

"Are they out to save the school as well as the entire witch world again?" He mumbled under his breath.

"I'm sorry I did not hear what you said, professor." McGonagal said loud enough for the entire class.

"You may go." Snape motioned for the door.

"What's wrong, professor?" Ron asked always letting his mouth get ahead of his thoughts. McGonagal moved away revealing Ginny. "What happened?"

"I advice that the three of you go to the Gryffindor room and talk there." The professor said pointedly.

"What happened Ginny?" Ron kept asking as they made their way to their common room. "Ginny, answer me." He said raising his voice a little.

"Ron, she's crying." Harry said. "I think you should give her a little time to calm down." He and Ginny linked hands as they quickly made their way through the halls of the school.

"We're here." Ron said as he took a seat on the sofa. "What is it?"

"Hermione's gone." Ginny, shaking, handed him the envelope that she still had not opened.

Harry's eyes shot open and lead Ginny to sit down beside him.

"Guys," Ron had began to read the letter, and almost as if in the movies the three of them could hear Hermione's voice. "Though I hate to do it this way."

As the letter progressed Ron's voice cracked and having the soft heart he did cry too. Harry was in so much shock but the situation had made his eyes glisten as his girlfriend cried on his shoulders.

Ron handed her the letter when the paragraph was addressed to her.

"We've shared the laughter, shared the pain, cried in the sun and danced in the rain. We may not be blood sisters, but we've known from the start, that you and I? We're sisters by heart." Ginny's voice cracked and she was barely able to say what Hermione had written.

"That's it." Ron whispered. "She's gone."

"Wait," Ginny noticed that there was a small paper folded in the envelope.

"What is that?" Harry asked.

Ginny saw the initials neatly written over the piece of paper. "I know who its for." Ginny nodded.


The three of them forced the situation out of their thoughts and went to the Great Hall for dinner with the rest of the student body. Everyone was laughing and having fun and just basically enjoying their time not having to worry about classes, because classes for the day were finally over.

The feast seemed less appealing to Ron. The food didn't look edible, the juice didn't taste right. And for the first time in his life Ron didn't want to eat anything at the table. He just wanted to go to his room and think.

Harry held onto Ginny's hand the entire time. He didn't say a word and just stared blankly at his food. They were no longer a team and Harry for the first time felt something so unknown to him. Without Hermione, it was almost as if he felt scared, like all the courage just drained out of him. Hermione always knew what to do in every situation and now she was no longer there.

Ginny's eyes studied the entire place looking for someone. She knew that she had to give the note; it didn't belong to any of them. Then she finally found the eyes of the person she was looking for. The eyes looked back at her and she could see that deeper than the piercing eyes that came into contact there were glassy ones ready to let the tears fall out soon. Ginny motioned for the door. He looked at her questioningly.

"I have to go to the bathroom." Ginny stood up.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Harry whispered.

"I'll be right back," She shook her head.

Ginny looked at the eyes she was looking for again. She then made her way out of the door.

"What?" He asked coldly.

"Don't talk to me like that, Malfoy." She held up the note. "You got to be nice if you want this."

"What is it?" He asked, his tone still not changing. Ginny shoved it in his face. He saw his initials in Hermione's handwriting. "Can you give it?" He said changing his tone.

"You are such a user. You have to promise that you'll let me know what is written." Ginny stated calmly.

"It's my letter." Draco growled. Ginny shook her head. "Okay, you can see it too."

"Try being nice and maybe people will tell you things you don't know." She handed it to him. "What does it say?" Ginny noticed that there were not too many words written.

Ad Astra Per Aspera.

Make it down the road. I still believe in you.

HG

"Its Latin. What does that mean?" Ginny asked.

"Ad astra per aspera." It was the first time Ginny had ever seen Draco Malfoy smile, not smirk, but genuinely smile. "A rough road, leads to the stars."

"That's beautiful." Ginny said meaning it.

"This is why I fell in love with her." He whispered to himself.

"Huh?" Ginny looked up at him confused.

"You can change any situation in your life." Draco looked at her. "It just depends on how you looks at it."

"She left." Ginny said.

"I know. I saw her leave." Draco nodded. "Thank you Weasley, you have no idea what this means to me." He said waving the letter in the air a little.

"I just wanted to know," Ginny began, "What really happened to you and Hermione?"

"Something that won't ever happen again." He said in a cold tone.

"I have to go back." Ginny pointed to the door. "Thank you, for showing me."

"Thank you for giving it." He replied and made his way away from the Great Hall. Ginny only wondered where he went but then she never learned where.


Draco entered the place where he first got to know Hermione Granger. She was seated at the edge of the window, one mistake and she was goner.

Flashback

"What are you doing here Granger?" Draco asked making Hermione flinch.

"You scared me." Hermione whispered.

"You still haven't answered my question." He said in a disgusted tone.

She obviously was in no mood to have a petty fight with him. "This is where I come to think. Why are you here?"

And for some strange reason that night, the two of them like to assume it was because of the alignment of the planets, he decided to answer honestly. "I got lost when the stairs changed."

Hermione smiled at him. The light of the moon hit her literally lighting her face up. "I can show you back, if you give me a minute."

Draco just stared at her as she studied the glittering stars. "Are you going to sit there for much longer?"

"You could sit down, too." Hermione pointed to the empty spot beside her. "A front row seat to the most beautiful thing God has ever created." She said as he took a seat beside her.

"Yeah." He said but he didn't take his eyes off her.

"See that?" She pointed to the stars not noticing that he was still looking at her. "That is the north star. No matter where you, that star will help you find your way home." She didn't stop talking about all the stars and Draco had to admit it was absolutely fantastic. It was the most amazing thing he had ever seen in his life.

"Why the fascination with stars?" Draco asked.

Hermione smiled at him more brightly than he had ever seen before. "No one's ever asked me that before." Her tone was sing-song.

"I want to know." He said.

"Three reasons, they are the light in the dark," She pointed to a couple that seemed to be looking for each other down in the garden. "They make darkness look so beautiful." She put her head down smiling as she thought of her last reason.

"And the third?"

"As astra per aspera." She smiled but Draco looked at her confused. "A rough road," She made her pointer and middle finger make walking movements upwards, "leads to the stars." She pointed at the sky above them.

Draco was speechless.

End of flashback

No one knew, but that night a lone Draco's heart already belonged to Hermione Granger. He looked up at the same sky they did the first night they were civil to each other.

"Ad astra," He made the same hand movement with his pointer and middle finger as Hermione did, "Per aspera." He then pointed to the sky.

Draco shut his eyes. And then a tear, because Draco Malfoy knew that he would never see Hermione Granger again.


A/N: Were the characters a little OoC? If they were please tell me. I would really love to hear from all of you. I'd like to know if you like my story and if you think that I should continue it. Thanks!