Chapter 4: Leaving

Okay, I read some of the reviews that was left by the people who are just now reading this and I started thinking a lot. I'm going to be changing a lot because it was totally irrational. Keep in mind that when I originally wrote this, I was just starting to write and this was one of my first fanfics. I was going with whatever came to my mind and never stopped to consider anything at all. So yeah, there will be a LOT changed after this chapter! The first three didn't really need much changing, but from here on out, IT'S GOING TO CHANGE! The original chapter four is going to be erased to avoid future complications with things I'm hoping to change. I've tried rewriting it so that the conversation Hermione has with Dumbledore is different but then it seemed pointless to the plot of the story! So yeah, here comes the changes!! Prepare yourself!!!!

The next day seemed bliss for the young couple. Everyone who saw the ring was very amazed and they all had their opinions. Most of the girls swooned over how romantic it all was and some of the boys thought it was a smart match to put the famous Harry Potter and brilliant Hermione Granger together. Although there were some who insisted that it was dangerous for her to accept Harry's proposal when she was already proposed, not to mention that they were only sixteen. Hermione calmly explained to those people that she was going to owl Viktor and let him know, and as for the matter of marriage, Hermione said that they were going to wait until graduation the next year. Harry and Hermione agreed that the ring was more of a promise ring then a real engagement ring until they were ready to claim otherwise.

But the bliss came to a complete stop when Hermione awoke the next day and caught sight of the calendar across from her. Viktor was going to be there towards the end of the day. The letter that went out to him just came back to Hermione, which told her right away that he was going to be there. Gryffindor was going to have a dinner party for her in the Common Room that night after classes were over. Hermoine dreaded it the whole day because she knew that it meant that it was going to be the end of her schooling. She felt so stupid making up excuses as to why she was leaving at her age to be married and stopping her schooling. She told some that she was going to go to school in Bulgaria, which soon became a hope for her.

"Hey Hermione." Serenati greeted during lunch, sitting next to her slightly younger cousin. When Hermione gave her no reply, Serenati felt the urge to try to cheer her up. "Oh come on, Hermione! Perk up! You still have some time here with us."

"You don't know how I feel." Hermoine mumbled.

"What? Where do you get off saying that? I left the country I know to come and learn here! I left all of my friends and now the only people I have left from America are my sister Rose and brother Scorpio! I know what it feels like to have to leave something you love. I had a boyfriend, remember? Josh and I were really in to each other." Serenati's blue eyes suddenly got very glossy as she began talking about her past. "We had known each other for the longest time. He was my best friend turned lover. I shared everything with him, even my first kiss when we were seven. But I left so that I could learn so much more then what I was learning at Salem. Josh and I are going to learn to Apparate and see each other often. Don't lose hope in love just because you're away from the one you love, Hermione. It's a powerful thing. Trust me." Serenati said.

"Thank you, Sere." Hermione said, hugging her cousin.

"Any time, Herm." She replied.

The rest of the day Hermoine dwelled on her cousin's words. She hadn't really thought of the difficulties that her American cousins were facing since they arrived in England. Rose and Serenati moved during the summer and lived in a house with their 20-year-old brother Scorpio, whom was getting a job there anyways. Hermione knew that Salem had a different curriculum then Hogwarts did and knew that the two were beginning to learn things they had never known. Hermione was beginning to see her cousin's way of thinking and hoped that she was right.

"Hermione! Viktor just arrived!" Ginny shouted as they stood around the Common Room that night during the start of dinner. Hermione felt weird putting on the dress she was proposed to in again but did so none the less, for she had no other dresses and was told to look nice. She hardly put any make-up on and had Lavender curl her hair in ringlets, unlike her once natural ones.

"Oh Hermione." Lavender said when Hermione went to her for a hug, Parvati next to her and rubbing Hermione's back in a soothing way. Hermione broke away and smiled at the two. They had become so much closer over the years and Hermione now considered them as her friends rather then just the two girls in her dorm.

"Where's Harry?" Ginny asked, standing next to Hermione. Ginny hadn't really minded that Hermione accepted Harry's proposal for she was long over Harry and already had a boyfriend in her year and house. In fact, she even offered to help Hermione with the wedding in any way possible; that is if there is going to be one to help with.

"He never came down." Neville replied.

"Last I saw of him, he was in his bed. He had his curtains drawn so we don't know if he was sleeping or what." Dean said.

"I think he was crying. I heard some whimpering from time to time." Seamus added. Hermione nodded at the group and headed up the stairs. She knocked on the dorm room door gently.

"Harry?" Hermione called softly. When she got no reply, she carefully opened the door and entered the room. Sure as they said, the curtains were drawn around the bed and there was a soft whimpering. Hermoine went to the bed and pulled the curtains back. And there was Harry, sitting with his knees to his chest and crying. Her heart broke and she swooped down and embraced him deeply. "Oh Harry." She whispered.

"Hermoine, please don't go." Harry said, wrapping his arms around her tightly, afraid that if he let go he'd lose her forever. He crushed her slender body to his strong chest, Hermione's arms around his neck.

"I have to Harry. I just have to." Hermione replied sadly.

"Why? I don't want you to go Hermione! I love you! First I lose Sirius and now you! I don't want to lose you!" Harry cried. Hermione squeezed him tightly, sniffing back her tears.

"I love you as well Harry, but it's something I must do! I promise you won't lose me." Hermione replied. Harry just cried and Hermione held him. After a while she broke away from him and looked at his wet, red face. She wiped his tears away with her fingers and gave him a passionate kiss. Harry gently pushed her to the bed and he kissed her with all the love he felt for her. When they broke apart, Hermione looked into his emerald eyes, seeing pain and love shining in them.

"I love you, Hermione." Harry whispered.

"I know. But I have to do this." And with that Hermione slid out from underneath him and left the room. She straightened her dress and composed herself as she walked down the stairs. She saw Viktor was surrounded by students and his three sisters and two brothers. Viktor looked up just in time to see her step on the last stair and went right to her, planting a huge kiss on her lips. Hermione cringed but tried to maintain calmness.

"Hermione, let us go!" Viktor said, being careful to pronounce her name correctly. Hermione had spent her time with him making him pronounce her name correctly, which turned out to work finally.

"Viktor, can't we stay a little bit more? I have friends who want to see me off and I haven't really packed everything yet." Hermione asked. Viktor sighed and nodded.

"Only for three hours, Hermione." Viktor replied. Hermione nodded and went off to talk to her friends. For the next two hours, she talked with them about the happenings over the past years. She was beginning to get upset and went up to her dorm to begin packing.

"You know Hermione, there are spells for packing." Rose said from the door, a few of the other girls with her. Hermione turned around and looked at them.

"Do you really have to go?" Ginny asked, going to Hermoine's bed and sitting on it.

"Yes, I suppose I do." Hermione replied, going back to folding her clothes.

"How can you be reacting so calmly to this! You're leaving Harry behind!" Parvati cried.

"I have my reasons for being so calm." Hermione said.

"I still don't see how it's possible to be so calm. I would be hysteric if I found out I had to leave school and Harry Potter! He could give you anything you want and not to mention he's so hot! Viktor may be rich but, no offense, he's not the number one person I'd chose to look at the rest of my life." Parvati replied. Hermione shook her head slightly. Parvati was always one to be materialistic and never focus on what was truly important.

"I'm doing it for reasons that I don't really understand anymore. All I know is that I am." Hermione said wistfully. She reached under her bed and pulled out a photo album. She felt tears surfacing as she looked opened the first page to see two pictures from her first year. She forced herself to close the book and roughly put it in her trunk.

"Here, let me help." Serenati said, going forward and helping her cousin. The other girls did the same and soon they were all standing around the bed, folding clothes and putting them in the trunk. Her school trunk sat next to her trunk for her person affects, Rose and Ginny beginning to put some of her books in it. Hermione sighed when the packing was finished and looked at the girls.

"Thank you all." She said, everyone leaning in to hug her. Hermoine went over to Emma's cage and closed the latch, the young owl inside waking from her nap to see what her owner was doing. Hermione reached her finger in an gave her a rub on the head, Emma nipping at her finger in affection. Hermione gave another deep sigh and grabbed the cage. "Here I go." She said. Serenati took the trunk of clothes and Ginny took the trunk of books, the group following Hermione down the stairs.

Hermione looked around the room and felt a sudden rush of memories from every single night that she was ever in the room. She remembered the first time she laid eyes on the room in fascination. She remembered leaving the Common Room to find out more about what was paralyzing the students. She remembered her restful evenings in the arm chairs after a day of using the Time Turner. She could remember trying to help Harry concentrate for the Tri Wizards Tournament. And she remembered trying to talk to Harry about Sirius. Yes, she had spent many days and nights of her life in this Common Room. And she never wanted to forget it.

"Hermione! Come!" Viktor called from across the room. Hermione was snapped away from her memories and looked at her friends sadly. She fought off her tears as she hugged everyone. She even hugged Luna Lovegood, who had snuck in to say goodbye to Hermione. Ron was nearly in tears as he hugged her tightly.

"Oh Ron, stop it!" Hermione said, finding it hard to not cry when he was.

"I'm losing my other little sister! Of course I'm crying!" Ron said. He had started calling Hermione his 'other little sister' during 4th year and it only came up once in a while. He had grown to love Hermione as he loved Ginny, and Hermione grew to love him as she did her cousin Scorpio, who she considered a brother.

"It's alright, Ron." Hermione soothed. They pulled apart and Hermione looked around the room. "Have you seen Harry?"

"Yes and no." Was all Ron said, walking off into the crowd. Hermione was about to chase after him, but was stopped when Viktor grabbed her shoulder.

"We go now." He said. Hermione gave him a nod and looked sadly around her as he pulled her out of the Common Room. Lavender, Parvati, and Ginny were trying to comfort Ron, although he only made them cry. Serenati and Rose weren't crying too hard, for they were invited to the wedding and would be able to see Hermione once more soon.

"I can't believe Harry didn't come down to say goodbye." Hermione muttered.

"That Harry Potter doesn't know anything." Timotei, Viktor's 15-year-old brother, commented. He and Stanimir, the 16-year-old, were carrying Hermione's luggage and leading the group. Viktor's sisters were all around, talking and giggling in Bulgarian.

"Don't say that about Harry! He's my best friend." Hermione blurted. Timotei rolled his brown eyes and shifted the weight of the trunk on his shoulder. All three of the Krum boys were built very strong and looked older then they were said to be.

"No more talking until we get in carriage." Viktor ordered. They went down to the main entrance in silence, only to be greeted by the professors.

"Will Miss Granger be continuing school in Bulgaria?" Dumbledore asked, looking at Hermione then at Viktor. Hermione looked up at Viktor in hope, although Viktor did not look at her.

"Yes, she shall." Viktor replied in a formal way. Dumbledore gave a thoughtful look as if he suddenly spaced out then nodded.

"I will have her school records sent out, then. Farewell, Miss Granger." Dumbledore said. Hermoine gave him a weak smile and nodded. Professor McGonagall stepped forward and looked at the young woman.

"I will keep and eye on the boys for you, Miss Granger, and owl you if they've been misbehaving. And don't hesitate to visit." McGonagall said. Hermione was shocked. She had never seen her professor act so....emotional!

"Thank you, Professor." Hermione replied. She said her goodbye's to her other professors and went out into the night. Hermione was surprised that it was cold and tugged at the matching jacket. They reached the gates and the carriage awaiting them.

"Get in!" Viktor ordered everyone. His sisters went in and his brothers followed after strapping the trunks to the top of the carriage. "Hermione!"

"Can I just have a minute? You know, just to look. I only want a minute." Hermione pleaded. Viktor rolled his eyes and got into the carriage, shutting the door after him. Hermione was about to walk forward but was surprised when she was pulled backwards, hitting something rather hard. Hermione turned around to see Harry smiling at her, the two under the Invisibility Cloak. Without saying anything, Hermione threw her arms around Harry's neck and kissed his with all the passion she had in her, even more then when they were in Harry's room.

"Oh Harry! I love you so much! Please, please wait for me! I will be back soon! I swear!" Hermoine cried in a whisper, her head buried in the crook of his neck.

"I promise I will wait, Hermoine. There is no one on this earth I love more then you. Please, don't take too long." Harry replied. Hermione looked up at Harry and they kissed once more.

"Hermione?" Viktor called. Hermione gave one last look at Harry then slipped out from under the cloak and went to the carriage. When she got inside, she sat between Viktor and his 14-year-
old sister Petia, which was a tight squeeze seeing as how Petia wasn't the thinnest of girls. As the carriage rode away, Hermione looked out the back window in sorrow, looking at Harry's uncloaked form with tears forming in her chocolate eyes. Yet what Hermione didn't know was that leaving Harry wasn't the worst of what was to happen to her.

-End of chapter!!!

What did you think? Better or worse? PLEASE let me know! I strive to know if you approve of this or not!!!! Thank you for reading! I hope to have the next one out by at least Friday!

-Serenity