Goodbye For Now

Disclaimer: I forgot to put one in the last chapter so here it is-I own absolutely nothing from Harry Potterit all belongs to JK Rowling, one of the best authors in the world!

A/N: Thanks so much to my reviewers!

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Okay here's the next chapter ppl! Enjoy and plz review when you're done!

After what seemed like hours, Hermione took a deep breath. "I...I can't." She shook her head and stared at the floor, her tears wetting the white carpet.

Dumbledore observed her through his half-moon spectacles. Finally, he spoke. "I understand Miss Granger, but may I ask why?"

Hermione replied through her tears, "I...I just want you to live the rest of your life since the spell doesn't allow me to gain much more than a few years, and---"She broke off, sinking to the floor with her face in her hands.

Fawkes flew to her side, comforting her, and Dumbledore decided to see how many years he had left in his life, if she had said yes. "Lifenarus numbreus," he said quietly, pointing his wand at his heart. Soon, a small popping sound came from his wand and tiny dots flew out to form the number 44. Hermione looked up from her tears and saw the number, and she felt that she had made the right decision.

Dumbledore lowered his wand and the dots vanished with another small pop. "Well, Miss Granger if you're sure, then I suppose it is time to say good-bye, because I assume this is just between you and me." Hermione looked at Dumbledore and saw that he had several tears slowly trickling into his long white beard.

Hermione brushed her tears away and stood up, biting her lip, not wanting to believe that this was truly the last time she would ever be at Hogwarts, her home away from home for 6 whole years. Dumbledore hugged her gently and Hermione was so overcome with emotion that she began crying again. Finally, she pulled away slowly.

"I'm so glad to have met someone like you Miss Granger,"Dumbledore said. "You truly are a one-of-a-kind witch."

"Th-thank you Professor,"Hermione said softly. "And, may I ask you something before I go?"she said, remembering a question that had been pulling at her mind since she found out about the disease.

"Certainly Miss Granger."

"Why is it that I only got this disease if other people have been in contact with Crookshanks also?"

Dumbledore replied, "It is because, for some reason, catonen only affects wizards and witches with nonmagic parents, and only the first one that comes in contact with the cat, which was you."

Hermione couldn't believe it. Out of all the wizards and witches with nonmagic parents, she had to be the one to notice Crookshanks first. She silently cursed herself for being such a softie to unwanted animals.

"Miss Granger?"Dumbledore's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Oh, y-yes, I'm sorry, I'll be going now, and once again, thank you Professor, for everything you have done for me these past 6 years that I've been here,"Hermione said her final farewell, her voice cracking with sadness. "And w-will you tell everyone that I had to go away to the U.S. to study so they won't wonder about my disappearance?"

"Yes, Miss Granger, I will do that,"Professor Dumbledore replied. Hermione nodded and whispered a thank you before turning around and heading out the door.

She took a long route back to the Common Room, walking slowly through the dark halls. At first she was worried that the prefects might catch her, but then she remembered that last year, Professor Dumbledore had created a rule that prefects can take the first night off so that students can enjoy just one free night in the halls, but no one really stayed out, since Filch still insisted on patrolling the halls, and if he found students walking around, he would yell and yell at them, spraying them with spit.

Hermione only saw a few people staying out, but they never really noticed her because they were too busy having midnight makeouts, so all she had to do was creep very quietly and slowly around them, and then she could continue walking down the hall.

She suddenly heard a bang, so she slipped her hand into her pocket to get her wand, just in case. When she pulled it out, she also pulled out a small piece of parchment. Harry's note! She remembered the note he had slipped to her after the feast. She ducked behind a large statue and whispered Lumos so she could read it. She unfolded it and read:

Hermione,

I think we should talk. Please meet me in that unused classroom on the 5th floor at 11pm.

Harry

Hermione hurried to the classroom, and when she entered, she found Harry slumped on a desk, asleep. She checked her watch(which she had charmed so that it would work in Hogwarts even though it was a muggle accessory), and it read 12:28am. She slowly tiptoed over to him and took out the gift. She carefully placed it on the desk.

She also decided to write him and Ron a small goodbye note, so she used the other side of Harry's note and quickly wrote:

Harry and Ron,

I'm going away to the U.S. because my parents insist that I should study there instead of here, and I can't do anything about it. I'm sorry that its so sudden. I will miss you two so much! Thank you for being such wonderful friends to me.

Take care of yourselves,

Hermione

Hermione was about to put the note down, but she decided that she would also tell Harry her feelings for him, since she would never see him again.

Harry,

Only you will be able to see this, because I don't want anyone else to know. The thing is, I really like you as more than a friend, ever since our 2nd year, and I just wanted to let you know before I go. I know you probably just like me as a friend, but I really really really wanted to tell you before I leave. Thank you for being my best friend these past years, for being someone I could talk to. I will never forget you.

Love,

Hermione

Hermione cast a spell so that only Harry could see the writing, and she placed it down beside the gift. She looked down at his sleeping face, and before she could stop herself, she leaned down and placed a light kiss on his lips. Then, she turned around and left the room quickly before she began crying, otherwise he might hear her and wake up.

Soon, she reached the Fat Lady's portrait and realized that she didn't know the password. The Fat Lady glanced down at her and said, "Oh, are you Hermione Granger?" Hermione nodded.

"Professor Dumbledore has given me orders to let you in even without the password so here you go,"the Fat Lady said, swinging her portrait open.

Hermione walked in and up to the girls dormitory. She got her trunk and minimized it so it would fit in her pocket. Then, she left the dormitory, went down the stairs, and out of the Common Room into the hallway again. She slowly crept down the Grand Staircase and went into the Entrance Hall. Dumbledore had left one of the main doors open for her, so she slipped out and onto the grounds. Once she got into Hogsmeade, she turned around and looked back at the castle one last time before apparating to her apartment.

Harry suddenly awoke from a strange dream that he was having. He dreamt that Hermione was saying something to him, but he couldn't hear her, so he tried walking to her, but then she just vanished and he was left all alone in the room, and that's when he woke up.

He realized that he wasn't in his bed, he wasn't even in his dormitory, but in some classroom. He stood up and stretched, trying to remember why he was there. He looked down at the desk and saw several things placed there. He took the note and read one side of it, the side with his handwriting on it, and after reading it, he remembered that he had asked Hermione to meet him there last night. He turned it over and read Hermione's note, his eyes widening with each word that he read.

"But...that can't be,"Harry said to himself. "Ron was just telling me yesterday that Hermione was so worried that she wouldn't pass the NEWTs in June, so she couldn't be leaving..." He looked at the note again and saw the 2nd part of it. He read it disbelievingly. She...she couldn't have feelings for me...It's just not possible...But then he knew that Hermione would never lie to him, so it was true.

Harry raked his hand through his hair, trying to analyze what was going on. Finally, he decided to go talk to Professor Dumbledore because Dumbledore would definitely know what was going on. He took the notes and his cloak of the desk and knocked Hermione's gift to the floor by accident. He heard it thump as it hit the floor, so he turned around and picked it up.

Why didn't I notice this before? he wondered as he carefully tore the wrapping off.

Tears began to roll down his cheeks when he saw the gift she had given him. It was a framed picture of him, Ron, and Hermione standing by the lake, arms around each other, smiles spread across their faces. He remembered that Colin Creevey had insisted on taking it for them, but afterwards, they found out that it was the last shot on his camera, so they had let Hermione keep the photo.

Harry turned the frame over and read the back:

Harry,

I know it's a bit late, but this is your birthday present. I didn't have much time to go out shopping, so this was the best thing I could give you. I hope you like it, and I hope that all your birthday wishes come true!

Best wishes,

Hermione

Harry suddenly heard a loud meow. Mrs. Norris! Harry gathered everything in one arm and used his other hand to throw his invisibility cloak over him, then he slowly crept to the door and peered out through the glass. Mrs. Norris was standing in the middle of the hall, looking around suspiciously.

"Mrs. Norris?"Filch's raspy voice rang through the empty halls. Harry saw him go to Mrs. Norris and pick her up, asking, "Did you see any brats lurking around?" Mrs. Norris turned her head towards the room that Harry was in. Harry gasped. How did she know? He quickly went over to a shelf and squeezed himself under it. Soon, he heard the door open and Filch coming in, mumbling something that he couldn't understand. Filch walked around the whole classroom, peering behind every curtain. He came close to where Harry was hiding, and Harry began sweating from fear. But soon he moved away and after a while, Harry heard the door open and bang shut again. He slowly got out from under the shelf and hurried to the door.

After checking that the halls were empty, he left the room and headed for Professor Dumbledore's office, clutching the notes and the picture in his hand.

A/N: Whew! I think this story might be longer than I planned. Please review! Thanks again everyone!