Toads and Body Binding Curses

It's September 1st, 2008. It's the 5th September 1st since I last arrived at Hogwarts and the 5th one since the defeat of Lord Voldemort. It's also the 5th one I've spent in a graveyard, visiting one of my good friends. Hermione Granger. It's still painful to see the name of someone so young on a headstone. She'd be turning 25 in a few short weeks, but instead she's etched in stone as being 17.

September 1st is my day to visit her. We all have our own. We didn't tell each other our dates because they each have special memories, but we all know each others. I chose September 1st because it was the day I first met Hermione. Both of us were on our way to Hogwarts for the first time, but you never would have known it by looking at her. Although she was Muggle born, she knew more about magic than any First Year I've ever met. I was born into a magical family, and I didn't even know one spell. She may have been bossy, but she was nice. I lost Trevor, my toad, and she was the only person who tried to help me find him. Granted all she did was talk about magic, Hogwarts, and how she had already read all of our textbooks, but she took the time to talk to me unlike anyone else.

Even after she, Harry, and Ron became close friends, they were never mean to me like other students. Especially Hermione. After Malfoy put a Leg Binding Curse on me, Hermione was the one who removed it. And she's also the only one who didn't laugh. They all encouraged me to be strong and not let others upset me or rule my life. I remember I took their advice and stood up to them at the end of our first year, and Hermione put a Body Binding Curse on me. At least she told me she was sorry before performing it. She always helped me in Potions, even when Snape would dock Gryffindor points. I was not good at potions and I was afraid of Snape, which is a very bad combination

In 5th year when Voldemort returned to full power, it was Hermione that formed the D.A. It gave me a reason to practice real hard and become well-versed in Defense Against the Dark Arts. I would kill the people who tortured my parents with a Cruciatus Curse. Harry always partnered up with me, but then I would work with Ron and Hermione while Harry checked everyone else's progress. I always set my standard against Hermione. My goal was always to do it better or faster than her. She was the smartest person in our year, maybe even the whole school. I remember the first time I disarmed her before she disarmed me. I think everyone was shocked, but no one more so than myself. Neville Longbottom never beats Hermione Granger in anything. But Hermione always the nice person merely said, "Good job, Neville. Want to try again?" She didn't get upset and gloat when she won the next time. She always made me strive to be better.

Seventh year was the hardest on all of us, but no more so than Harry and her. Hermione was Head Girl at a time when everyone was terrified that Voldemort would attack any second. We knew our time was up, and we had to be ready. The original D.A. members taught anyone who wanted to learn all the curses and counter-curses they needed to know. Even Malfoy, who had realized that being a Death Eater was not what he wanted, had joined us. We were all constantly on edge, and it was Hermione's job to keep everyone calmed and focused on school. One night shortly before Voldemort laid siege on Hogwarts, I was walking around the corridor because I couldn't sleep. I knew we were as ready as we could be, but I was still scared to death. Hermione was coming out of a meeting with Professor McGonagall, who was acting in place of Dumbledore who had been severely injured in fight with Voldemort a week before.

"Neville, what are you doing up?" she asked me, taking my arm as we headed back to the Gryffindor Common Room.

"I'm terrified, Hermione," I said, shaking my head. I never had any reason to pretend to be brave in front of her. "I'm afraid that we're not prepared enough, although I know we are. I'm afraid we're going to lose innocent people. I'm afraid we're all going to die without taking Voldemort down. But most of all, I'm afraid of losing myself to Voldemort and doing something horrible, like killing one of you. I don't have a strong mind like my parents or Harry or you. He could manipulate me."

"Neville, look at me," she said, making me face her. "Mark Twain, a Muggle writer once said, 'Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear.' It's okay to be afraid, but don't let it rule you in the end. I believe that whatever happens, it happens for a reason. If I die to save someone else's life and we win in the end, then okay. I don't want to die, and I'm so afraid of all this. But, I'm working with my fear. I'm letting it make me stronger. I know good triumphs over evil, and I know we'll win."

If Hermione could say that and mean it, which I knew she did, then it was time for me to believe that, too. I measure myself against Hermione, and it was my turn to strive for the limits. Now, I wonder if Hermione knew what was going to happen. That it was her giving up her life that saved us all, but I knew she was okay with that. Anyway, the particulars of that story are not mine to give. I believe that belongs to the person whose life she saved.

So, I find myself here four and a half years later, finally ready to say goodbye to a dear friend. The first person I met on my way to Hogwarts, the girl so self-assured that she rarely let things get to her, the bravest one out of all of us, the girl who gave up her life to save us all.

"Hey Hermione," I say, placing the lavender heathers on the ground. "I know I haven't talked to you the other times I've visited. It's hard because I can still hear your voice. It's been almost four and a half years, but I can still recall our conversation that night like it was yesterday. You know, I never really let you go that night? I know you said you were ready to die for good, but I don't think any of us were ready to let you go. Why did you do that? You were the strongest of us. You should have been the one to live! We needed you!"

I kneel on the ground and break down in tears. It takes me a few minutes to regain a sense of calm.

"But you did it. You were the strongest one, the one ready to sacrifice your life so we'd win. I couldn't let you go, though. I always measure myself against you, had your friendship; how was I supposed to function without it?"

I breathe deeply before continuing. "It was hard, but I've made it. I know this may not be as hard on me as maybe Harry, Ron, or Ginny, but losing you impacted my life in its own way. I've tried to be more like you. I've actually become pretty good at potions and very good at Defense Against the Dark Arts. In fact, McGonagall offered me the teaching position open for DADA immediately after graduation. Who would have thought of me as a teacher 12 years ago when we walked into Hogwarts and were sorted? I couldn't stay, though, too many memories. But I made it. I became a Hogwarts teacher. And I have you to thank. You pushed me never to give up and that I could succeed in whatever I truly wanted."

I stand and dust off my knees, the sun glinting against my wedding ring. "Do you remember Lavender Brown? Well, we met up again two years ago and got married last year. We had a daughter in August. I hope you don't mind, but we named her Hermione. Hopefully she'll go to Hogwarts. Maybe she can change some lives like I know you changed all of ours."

I look at the lavender heathers wrapped with a gold ribbon that has a toad and wand replica attached to it. "Goodbye, Hermione, and thank you. I'll always remember you. I'll see you next year. Maybe I'll bring little Hermione with me."

As I begin to walk away, the cloudy day turns bright and sunshiny, and I know Hermione's smiling down on me.

So, what do you think? Any good? Lavender heathers symbolize admiration, which is why I chose them. is a place to find a picture of what heathers look like.