After Hogwarts
Chapter 1 – Last Day
It was a beautiful day. The sun was out, the flowers were blooming and a buzz of activity could be felt in the air. Students were out and about, laughing, chattering, playing and having a good time. Yet the girl standing at her window, watching the carefree scene before her, was far from happy. She had grown very pretty over the years, her chestnut curls losing their unmanageable look, and her intense brown eyes growing softer and more relaxed. Her face was also intelligent and altogether very attractive. However, at the moment, her thoughts were focussed on things more important that her appearance and it took two knocks to make her realize someone was at the door.
"Who is it?" she asked. "It's me," came a male voice. The girl's face hardened. "What do you want?" "Can I please come in?" She didn't reply. "Thanks." The door opened and a young man of seventeen came in. Even though the girl was annoyed at him, she couldn't help thinking he looked great. He had very light blonde hair that fell, since recently, with a careless elegance into his eyes, which were a wonderful shade of grey. His nose was straight, without being pointed, and his lips could form the most breathtaking lopsided smile. At the moment, his handsome face had a pleading expression on it.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" the girl asked, her eyes narrowing. "Oh, c'mon, Hermione! Don't go all 'Malfoy' on me!" replied the boy. "Why not? If you can call me mudblood, I can call you Malfoy!" retorted Hermione. "Look, that was a joke and you know it! I didn't mean it and if I'd known you'd get so upset, I would never have said it!" he pleaded. Hermione didn't reply. "I'm really sorry, Hermione," the boy came closer. "It's alright," she said with a sigh. "I'm just upset so about leaving Hogwarts and I want everything to be perfect on the last day so I can always remember it. I'm sorry if I've been grouchy." "Hey, you don't have to apologise...we're all upset about leaving, but we've got so many things to look forward to - you've got your column at the Prophet and I've got my Auror training...it'll be great!" he consoled her. "I know, I'll get over it. But for now, I just want to enjoy our time left at Hogwarts," said Hermione. "You know, Draco, I'm really going to miss this place." "Of course you are and you deserve to enjoy your time here, but you're not going to if you stay shut up in this room the whole day!" scolded Draco. "Come out, let's do something!" Hermione laughed. "Okay, okay, let's go!"
So they left the head girl's room and were just going down the steps to the entrance hall when they ran into Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. The years had improved Harry and he grown into quite a good-looking young man. His dark hair was still as unmanageable as ever, but it added a certain charm to his face. He also had a wise look in his green eyes and had grown up a lot after defeating Voldemort once and for all in a duel. Ron looked much the same as ever, with his red hair and freckles. He, too, had become a little more serious after taking part in the Great Fight against Voldemort, but neither he nor he had lost their sense of humour and their seventh year at Hogwarts had been filled with harmless pranks.
"Harry! Ron!" cried Hermione. "Thank goodness you're here! Now we can all be together." She frowned at the look on their faces. "Oh, come on! It's our last day! You can put aside your rivalry for one day!" "Where are we going?" asked Ron. "I was thinking we could go to Hogsmeade and maybe meet up with the rest at Three Broomsticks," she replied. "I also have to get a few things, so let's step on it!" The three boys reluctantly agreed to go together and the four left.
The village of Hogsmeade was packed with students. Some were enjoying the wonderful weather, some were talking over butterbeer, some were buying last- minute supplies and gifts to take home and some were getting their fortune read by a Madame Frulooka, an eccentric woman who was in Hogsmeade for a short time and much in demand. Ron, Harry, Draco and Hermione made their way through the crowd into Three Broomsticks, where they ordered four butterbeers and sat down to talk. They talked about all things and for a very long time and it almost seemed as if all rivalry was forgotten, until one remark brought it up again. They had been discussing their careers; Harry was going to train as an Auror and Ron was going to be Keeper for a local quidditch team near his home.
"You actually found a team to take you, Weasley? I bet they haven't heard of your first game," sneered Draco. Ron coloured as he always did when that memory was brought up. "Shut up, Malfoy," he said dangerously. "What? You haven't told them? Well, they're in for a shock!" laughed Draco. "Hey, Malfoy, how'd you like a makeover?" asked Harry, clenching his fists. "You certainly need it and I'd more than happy to give you one!" Draco's face hardened. Hermione decided it was time to intervene and put her hands between them. "All right, stop! Halt! Really, I wish you boys would act a little more mature! Ron, we all know you've improved a lot since that game and there's no need for you to get so touchy. Harry, kindly keep your thoughts about Draco's appearance to yourself. And, Draco, as headboy, I really wish you would have a little more sense and stop these fights instead of instigating them! There is absolutely no need for you to bring up that game when you yourself have told me how much you think Ron's improved since then!" Draco coloured and mumbled something. Harry and Ron looked at each other with surprise and disbelief on their faces. Hermione looked satisfied. "There! And I wish you all would remember that this is our last day at Hogwarts and I will not permit you to waste it by quarrelling like first- years! Now apologise to each other. Draco, you first." "What? Why me first?" Perceiving the look on Hermione's face, Draco looked sulky and said, "Oh, all right! Stuff and bother! I'm sorry, Ron. Harry." Again Harry and Ron looked surprised. Then Ron said, "It's all right. I'm...er...sorry for being so, umm, touchy." "And I'm sorry for, er, commenting on your appearance." said Harry.
"Good. I'm glad you boys have made up. Now let's pay and leave this place; I want to look at some books," said Hermione. "Hermione!" wailed all three boys together. "We've just finished the NEWTS!" cried Draco. "It's our last day!" cried Ron. "Yeah, can't you leave your books out of it?" cried Harry. "No, I cannot!" retorted Hermione. "If you think that just because we're leaving school I'm going to stop studying, then you're wrong! There are so many spells out there that we haven't even heard of and so many things that they don't teach us at school; I, for one, am not going to sit back and do nothing about it." After a short struggle, the boys gave in. Ron groaned. Harry shook his head. Draco sighed. And they left.
They made their way once again through the crowd to Walton's, a book and stationary shop. They went in and Ron was disgusted at the new sparkle in Hermione's eyes. She started at the very beginning of the shop and slowly made her way through to the end. After about half an hour in the shop, she carried three books in her hand to the counter and looked satisfied. "I didn't think they would have Octavia Mellhorn's Most Amazing Spells, but this is their last copy and I'm really glad we got here in time! Marcus Leventhol's Protecting Magical Creatures looks good, though I've never heard anything about it. But Desmond Goshart's Walking With The Beasts is a regular encyclopaedia of information!" And so Hermione went on in this fashion, in the shop, outside the shop and all the way back to Hogwarts.
Finally, the boys asked her to stop. "Hermione, this may be your idea of a great way to spend our last day, but it's not ours, so please, STOP!" said Ron. She looked as if she was about to say something in protest, but decided against it. "All right, we could always go to the library and see what's new there." "HERMIONE!" She laughed. "I was kidding! Much as I would like it, I'm willing to sacrifice it for your company." "That's a big compliment coming from her," whispered Ron to Harry and Draco.
So the four made their way to the lake, where they met up with Dean, Neville, Seamus, Parvati and Padma. To everyone's surprise but Hermione's, Draco uttered no protest at spending time with so many Gryffindors and, on the contrary, was most agreeable and amusing.
Draco Malfoy, once the most proud, arrogant Slytherin in Hogwarts, had changed over the years. He had matured and learned to think for himself. He was no longer guided by what his father said and questioned that man's views and beliefs. He had been appointed headboy and since Hermione was headgirl, she had gotten to know him better. She had urged the changes in him, introducing him to a life that was far from the dark side, but was fun. She had been weary at first, wondering whether he would accept her friendship and accept that life, but he had, for reasons unknown even to himself. Sometimes, shadows of his past would come up and he had not yet learnt to be friends with Ron or Harry, but he had learnt to keep his nasty retorts to himself. Only Hermione knew what an effort it had been at first to him. Only she knew exactly how much he had changed. And she respected him for it, as he respected her, and so they had become very good friends. Harry and Ron had been puzzled at first, but eventually they accepted Hermione's friendship with Draco and though they didn't share her views on his changes, they didn't harangue her about it anymore and tried to be nice to Draco for her sake.
"Oh, no! Look at the time! I haven't even started my packing yet! I'm sorry everyone, I have to go!" cried Hermione. "I'll go with you, I have some things to do, too," said Draco. The two went back to the Castle and into their dormitory. Hermione managed to pack everything in neatly in half an hour, after which she went down with the rest to have some pictures taken by Colin Creevey. Then, all too soon, it was time to leave.