It was four days before the end of the school year and the beginning of the summer holidays. Graduation was going to be the night before the last day, and all of the students were ready. Teachers bustled around, readying job resumes and trying to get the 7th years as prepared as possible for the upcoming graduation and step into the real-life wizarding world. Exams were over, Harry managed to pass all of his classes with fairly decent grades, Ron passed all, but barely scraped by in Potions, and Hermione, as usual, passed with flying colors. Ginny was morbidly depressed at the prospect of being left alone without boyfriend, best friend, and brother, and Fred was eager and willing for Hermione to graduate so he could suprise her. What kind of suprise? You shall wait then you shall see...
Hermione walked down the aisle between tables, then came to a stop behind Harry and dropped her bag on the floor. She threw her arms around his shoulders from the back, since he hadn't noticed her approach. He jumped about a mile out of his seat, and yelled--
"BLOODY HELL! Why'dja have to scare me like that!" Hermione grinned as several people in the Great Hall turned around to look at them. Seeing nothing interesting, they returned to their meals.
"Harry--guess who just got a job as assistant to the head writer of the Daily Prophet!" She squealed.
"Who?" Harry muttered, shoving a forkfull of mashed potatoes into his mouth. When she didn't respond, he looked up to see her with her hands on her hips, staring him down. "You?" He said through a full mouth. As he fixed his mistake, Hermione's face lit up once again and she jumped up and down like a little girl.
"Yay!" She squealed. Harry swallowed, then grinned at her as she swung her legs over the bench and sat next to him. He put an arm around her and gave her a brotherly squeeze.
"Congratulations!" He said, kissing her lightly on the cheek, as old friends are known to do. Ginny and Ron walked up at that point.
"What's going on?" Ginny asked, swinging her legs over the bench and sitting on Harry's other side. He slipped his other arm around her and waited for Ron to take the seat across from him. Harry told them about Hermoine's news and waited while they offered their congratulations as well.
"So where does that put us all?" Ron said after a moment. "I'm working with Bill at Gringotts, he's already got a job waiting for me. Harry, you're supposed to be going to Auror training aren't you?" Harry nodded and agreed through a mouth full of potatoes. He swallowed.
"Mad-Eye is going to be one of my professors. I'm kind of looking forward to it--maybe I can actually see how the real Mad-Eye Moody teaches." Everyone laughed, but there was a definite reservation in the air. Everyone knew what came next, but no one wanted to bring it up.
"And I'll be here...at wonderful old Hogwarts." Ginny said, sighing. Another pause...
"This will be the first time in almost seven years we've all been seperated." Hermione said quietly. She looked up and watched her friends' reactions. Ron looked at the table and unconsiously reached across the table and took Ginny's hand. Ginny leaned her head on Harry's shoulder, and Harry's grip tightened around her. Hermione placed her hand over Harry's and gave it a reassuring squeeze before she took her other hand and placed it on Ron's arm. He looked up at her and smiled, and she knew at the moment that everything would be alright between them. And in that moment, they were all connected--all touching and very afraid to let go. They knew that their new lives wouldn't be easy, but they hoped that it would be kind to them all. At the end of the week, they would all be different people, with completely different lives. Hermione hoped that they wouldn't lose touch over the next few years. They all sat together in silence until the Great Hall was almost empty. Then they all stood up and parted, each walking alone to his or her next class.
Hermione was sitting in front of the mirror in their room. Ginny had just finished her hair for the graduation ceremony and dance tonight. Now, Ginny stood behind her with her hands resting on Hermione's shoulders, smiling.
"You look beautiful." She said quietly. Hermione stared at her reflection in the mirror. Ginny had done an excellent job. Her hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail at the base of her neck, nothing exquisite, but good enough. Ginny had used a special gel on Hermione's hair, so that it was falling down her back in loose ringlets without any frizz. It looked perfect. Ginny had even let a few curls fall so that the framed Hermione's face. She'd used a gold toned eyeshadow and brown eyeliner on Hermione, giving her a fresh, natural look. She smiled. She looked good. She turned to Ginny.
"Well?"
"Stunning. Merlin--I can't believe you're graduating. I'm gonna miss you Hermione." Ginny said. She had a very un-Ginny-like crackle to her voice. Ginny never cried--well, hardly. But she was crying now. Hermoine smiled and held her arms out. Ginny came over and they hugged. "You've been like I sister to me Hermione." She said, sniffing as she pulled away.
"Me too Gin. I'm gonna miss you too." Hermione slipped her feet into her jet-black pumps and looked at her Gryffindor Red graduation robes. She took Ginny's hand and pulled her towards the door. "Now let's go get this stupid graduation thing over with so we can go into Hogsmeade and party!" Hermione and Ginny took off down the stairs laughing.
"Yeah!" Ginny yelled as she slammed the door behind her.
"You're going to what!"Ron and Harry yelled. They were sitting in the boys dormitories waiting for the girls to finish getting dressed. Ron and Harry had thrown themselves across their beds and were watching as Fred straightened his tie in the mirror.
"I'm going to ask her to move in with me." Fred repeated.
"Are you kidding? You've only been dating for eight months!" Ron said loudly. Harry just laid on the bed and looked at Fred, flabbergasted.
"But I'm in love with her, and I fully intend to marry her someday." Fred said, finally satisfied with his appearance. He joined his brother and Harry on the bed.
"Why not now?" Harry asked, sitting up and running a hand through his hair.
"She's too young. Just out of school--out on her own. I want her to get used to being free before I ask to tie her down for good. Plus, I think she wants to get a little more involved with her job. Marriage is a big step, and I just want to make sure we're both ready." Harry nodded in agreement.
"I agree." Ron said. They all three nodded. Then there was a knock on the door.
"Are you two ready?" Hermione's voice came from outside. "C'mon! Me and Lavender will meet you in the common room! Hurry up or we'll be late!" They heard her footsteps retreating down the stairs. Harry and Ron stood up and fixed their graduation robes. Fred clapped them both on the back and smiled.
"C'mon boys, let's go turn you into men." Fred said, then shoved them ahead of him and they walked downstairs.
