Never Forget
It was never easy for Hermione Jane Granger growing up. Although she had brains, studied hard and achieved good marks while at school, she never had any true friends. Those few which she would class as friends often stayed away from her during school time and every lunch hour, Hermione would sit alone, friendless and self conscious.
It was hard for a ten year old girl to cope with the ties of growing up and becoming good at something, she needed to study hard, if she wanted to achieve something of herself once she left school. Isn't that what her teachers often said?
But then, one day, a spectacular thing happened. Hermione Jane Granger found her place in life, her calling; she would be among others like her, other witches and wizards. Her excitement hooked onto her like an earring hanging onto an ear lobe.
She spent many nights, during the summer of 1991 studying her new school books, she still wanted to achieve good marks, and she wanted to prove to herself and others that she, Hermione Jane Granger would be something which they could not.
Of course, it was never going to be easy for her. Her first few weeks at Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry, had been tainted by people calling her a know it all, she had never wanted this. All she wanted was to belong. The girls shunned her, the boys made fun of her and even teachers snarled at her, although that was only Professor Snape, and he did snarl a lot.
Eventually, as you all may well know, she found herself in the friendship of Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. They were her two best friends and although they sometimes led her into trouble, she enjoyed their friendship. Yes, Hermione Jane Grainger had friends.
That was almost twenty years ago. And I said before her life was never easy growing up. She watched people she cared about die, she fell in love and never had that loved returned for a long time. But still, she had her two friends, their friendship which she cherished so desperately.
When she left school at seventeen to help Harry find Horcruxes which would lead to the eventual down fall of Lord Voldemort, Hermione had never expected her life to take the staggering twist which it did.
"HARRY!" Hermione screamed as she watched him run at Voldemort, but he did not hear her.
"Ron NO!" She screamed again as Ron chased after Harry, she watched helplessly from the floor. Her chest ached terribly, but she did not care, she could not chase after her two friends, she could not help them and they needed her.
Hermione heaved herself off the cold flooring, trying to run, but she could only hobble, her leg hurt terribly as well, but soon the pain vanished from her mind as she watched Ron fall to the ground. Her mind screamed as she saw Harry rush to Ron's side. Ron moved his hand, he was alive, he was still alive she breathed hard as relief washed over her aching body.
"Harry no! You can't!" Hermione cried as she tried to reach him, but he was moving away from her, gaining on Voldemort, their battle would soon begin, and as she grew close to Ron, Hermione stopped.
Her heart in her mouth, her breathing painful as she panted, Hermione witnessed the downfall of Lord Voldemort at the hands of Harry Potter, the boy who lived, and now, the man who saved them all.
But not all could be saved. Hermione glanced around her. Dead bodies lay on the floor. Her friends, Remus Lupin, Ginny, Arthur and Molly Weasley, Professor McGonagall, Bill and Fleur, they were all alive. Her tears filled with rage as she remembered how she found Tonks dying slowly in the arms of her fiancé Remus, she was only a few years older then herself, and her life had been stubbed out by the cruelty of the second war.
No ones lives would ever be the same again. Too many innocent people had been killed; too many had been left without homes, family members, or even friends. But she was lucky. She had her friends and her family.
Hermione raced towards Harry, tears blurring her vision as she tried to throw her arms around him, but he had moved out of the way, with a side step towards Ron. Fury burned in her heart. Harry had never side stepped her when she had tried to hug him, he was often a little ridged, but he had never avoided one of her relief hugs as Ron had so aptly called it.
"Harry James Potter don't you ever side step me again! You were almost killed! You could have died, and you Ronald Weasley, you could both have been killed!" She shouted at them half demented as the realness of the situation hit her hard and fast. "You shouldn't have raced after him! You should have waited for the right moment Harry, you know that! We talked about this over and over!"
"Hermione…" Ron said in a shaking whisper as he tried to get up.
"Is telling us off for acting like baboons, which is nothing new." Harry said trying to crack a smile.
"Will you two stop it? Of course you acted like baboons! Did you both have a death wish? You should have taken you time, we planned for months Harry!" Hermione cried throwing her arms in the air deflated.
"She does have a point you know mate." Ron sighed "We had all this planned, and then…"
"It's okay Ron." Harry said helping his friend to his feet. "You know her; she never could stay mad at us for long."
"HER? Am I THE CATS BLEEDING MOTHER?" Hermione screamed at them both as they walked in front of her.
A soft hand touched Hermione on the shoulder and she spun on her heals to look into the smiling face and dancing blue eyes of a man which she had always know. Albus Dumbledore looked at her gently and kindly.
Hermione screamed with fright. She turned back towards Ron and Harry who were now stood with Remus, Bill, Fleur, Ginny, Arthur and Molly. She ran forwards, straight to their side as they hovered over a body. Who had they found, she wondered to herself.
"Harry, Dumbledore is alive! He is over there! Oh let me through! Harry what is it? Who is it? Oh no tell me it is not someone else we know!" Hermione wailed as she pushed her way to the front of the small group. No one was taking any notice of her words.
Hermione gasped. How could it be? It was impossible. She could not believe her eyes as Bill lifted the dead body of her into his arms. Ron and Harry cried softly, tears streaming their cheeks as they watched on.
"We did it Hermione, we got him. We did it for you." Harry said softly as Remus closed her terror filled eyes.
"I love you Hermione, I always will." Ron whispered so that no one but Harry and Hermione herself could hear him.
"She was so young; she had her whole life to live…" Molly was saying but Hermione could not hear anymore clearly as their voices became muffled.
She turned around and found Dumbledore standing beside Sirius and a man who looked exactly like Harry, James Potter, Harry's father, a woman with emerald green eyes, exactly like Harry's was standing behind her.
"Come along Hermione, we will take care of you now." Lily Potter said softly.
"But…Your Harry's mum!" Hermione said in disbelief.
"Yes, I know I am, and you are one of his most treasured friends. Sirius tells me that you are quite a little witch. You need not be afraid Hermione, it is peaceful and we are all together." Lily said taking Hermione's hand. "And they will never forget you."
Hermione Jane Granger was buried a week later in June 1998, in a small cemetery close to her parents home. Hundred of people attended the funeral, people who Hermione could hardly remember, distant relatives, and students from Hogwarts, former teachers, her parents and most importantly her two best friends.
"Hermione Jane Granger was a strong, reliable, friendly young lady who was a true Gryffindor. Always kind, always there to offer support and help, but most importantly she was the bravest of the brave." Professor McGonagall said from the stand in the small church. "Let us never forget what a truly amazing, talented and bright young woman she was. Let us never forget the friendship she gave to those who needed it most. Let us always remember in our hearts and souls, exactly who Hermione was."
"I believe Harry Potter would like to say a few words now." The minister said as professor McGonagall stepped down from the podium. Harry stood up from his seat in the front row, beside Ron and Hermione's parents.
"For me to stand here and talk about Hermione is like finally saying goodbye to her, which is what funerals are for. But I shall never say goodbye to Hermione, only a simple see you later. For those of you who knew and loved Hermione like I do and like Ron does, you will know how hard it is for me. She gave her life in the hope of saving us all from the greatest evil around, and we were saved.
"Everyday for me is like a fresh stab of how life without Hermione will be. It is a constant reminder of how strong she cared for people who she did not even know. Numerous times, she showed kindness, bravery, strength, determination, but most of all, she always, and I mean ALWAYS showed love.
"So now if you could all stand, and for one last time, let us say, see you later Hermione." Harry said, as tears ran freely and unashamedly down his face.
"See you later." The church chorused as Harry stepped down and joined, Ron, Bill, Remus, Viktor Krum, Arthur and Mr Granger as they lifted the cherry wood coffin containing Hermione's body and walked out of the church with the mourners following them to what would be Hermione's body's resting place.
"Ah see Hermione, they all loved you." James said kindly resting is arm around her shoulder and giving her a soft squeeze.
"I know. I just wish they weren't all so sad. They said such beautiful things about me." Hermione said softly.
"At least you got a funeral." Sirius laughed. "My body will never be found."
"Mine was the grandest of them all." Dumbledore said fondly.
"Let's move on Hermione. We have plenty of time to watch them grow up." Lily said kindly.
"Harry would be happy to know that you are always watching out for him." Hermione said happily.
"Oh I am sure that he knows. They always do." Lily laughed.
And now, twenty years to the day that Hermione Jane Granger was layed to rest, she sat watching her friends and their families as they gathered around her graveside. Beside her as always was Lily. Hermione had come to look up to Lily as a mother figured and smiled when they watched as Ginny gave birth to James Sirius Potter, they cheered at the couples wedding, they laughed when James and Sirius muttered words of distaste when Harry became an Auror, but most importantly, they stood together on the day which Remus Lupin passed, and welcomed him into their fold.
Hermione was truly at peace and not once had she missed anything important in her friends' lives. She had smiled when Ron got married; she cheered when his son was born and every year, when Harry, Ron and their families meet at the graveside Hermione makes sure they know she was still with them.
Every now and again, when something went wrong in either of their lives, a small silvery otter would appear and gallivant around them, making them smile, laugh or just remember that she had never left them. It was her way of letting them know, she was always there, and goodbye had never came, only a simple see you later, when they would, meet up again.