Thanks godessa39 for the review.
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I can't believe he -- I just can't believe. Why would Harry do that? Why!
Hermione stared unseeing into the roaring fire in the Gryffindor common room. There were the sounds of sobs, and the sounds of comfort from the older years to the first and second years. Hermione as one of those who cradled a sobbing first year, Jeremy, and tried to make herself seem strong.
She just couldn't cry. She had sat there in the Great Hall, staring at his body, watching the blood soak into McGonagal's robes as she tried to coax Harry back into life.
But it was too late. We had ignored him, had left him alone. We shunned him because we were shallow and scared. I didn't want to die. I almost did so many times... But we should have...
A small hiccup of a sob. Jeremy looked up at her, face bright red in the firelight.
"Miss Hermione... It'll be okay... He's happier now. Right?"
She just sobbed and nodded.
I hope he is Jeremy. I really hope he is.
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Later, after the younger kids had finally passed out, they had tucked them into their beds and had sat around the fire. The fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh years all sat in a group, tears silently falling.
"When did we get this way? What happened to make everything go so wrong?" Whispered Hermione. She looked around at the sad faces, tried to envision their thoughts. Why? What?
"When we got scared... He wasn't the same after Sir- I mean after the Ministry. He pushed us away, and we got angry, got scared of what he might be plotting."
Hermione looked at Ron, "But we never asked. We never tried to figure out why he was so sad. Why he was trying to keep us out."
A small cough came from the armchair.
"He was trying to keep us safe." Everyone looked at Ginny, her face blushing to match her hair.
"I guess that I know that because I did the same thing my first year... When... You know... But he just wanted to make sure that either way, neither we nor he would end up hurting. It never works in the end, but he tried."
Everyone listened to this, listened to the small girl who sounded so mature...
Hermione nodded.
It makes so much sense... Why didn't we see that sooner? That he was just trying to keep us safe, unlike Sirius. He got too close to Sirius, and when Harry tried to keep him safe, he felt that he killed Sirius instead. And then we said such horrible things to him...
"We were so horrible to him too. I'm amazed he held out for so long. He really seemed so... lost those last few days. I don't understand how he lasted so long... I know I would have cracked a whole lot sooner than he did..." She stopped, staring at the fire once again, wishing she hadn't shared that last bit.
"I don't think I would have either 'Mione." Ron came to her rescue. He wrapped his long arms around her as she buried her head into his shirt. Her muffled sobs drew looks of pity, but many of the others simply stared, no real emotion to it. They knew what had gone on, but had no major role in the whole fiasco.
So they thought.
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Minerva McGonagal slipped through the Portrait hole, seeing her children all gathered inside.
"I know that many of you will be returning next year, but for those who will not be, you will be missed. I hope that when you go out into this new world you can help rebuild, and that you will find happiness. Let's go to the Ceremony. Follow me now."
She turned and led the Gryffindors to the grounds.
Hermione trailed at the end, fingering her graduation robes, smoothing the flawless black fabric. Red stripes on her sleeves displayed her Gryffindor status, and her new wide-brimmed witches hat sat heavy on her head.
How would Harry have looked in his own graduation robes? He would be standing there, next to Ron, fussing over the Quidditch bars, trying to get his hat to lie straight on his messy hair.
She hastily swiped away the start of tears. She wouldn't shed tears today, not unless they were shed in happiness. She hurried to catch up with the rest of the Gryffindors, her beaming smile lightening her mood.
They got out to the Graduation platform, the graduates sitting in the front chairs, the younger years sitting in the back. Headmaster Dumbledore stood to give his address.
"It brings me such happiness to see so many eager young faces look at me today. To know that you will go out and live your lives, and that you will all make such a mark on your world. I wish you happiness and luck." He smiled, waving a hand in the air. All of the graduate's robes flashed to a brilliant white.
"You head out today, chock full of all the knowledge we could stuff into your heads. Now take it and use it!" He laughed.
They all stood, tossed their hats into the air, and laughed and hugged and cried
Later, as they were about to board the train, Hermione looked back one last time, stared at what had been her home for seven years. The place that held so many memories, both good and bad. She closed her eyes and smelled the wind. She could hear the children behind her clamor and shriek. But they faded into the background as she swore she heard Harry's laughter once again, could feel the warmth of the Common room fire. She could hear late-night talks of Quidditch, see so many study sessions.
She opened her eyes, tears sparkling at the edges.
"Goodbye Harry."
She boarded the train, not looking back.
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Hermione wiped the flour from her hands as she walked to the door, stepping over the box of crayons and the magical coloring book as she made it to the front door.
"Hello?" There was no one at the door, setting off several alarms in her head. She shut the door, and ran to her son's room. She stuck her head in, saw him calmly napping. She breathed a sigh of relief as she stepped further in to sit by him. He was her little boy, her pride and joy. Hermione had never thought about having children before, but she had found herself in love, married, and pregnant before she could ever remember thinking about it.
She stroked James' strawberry hair before tucking his blanket around him tighter. She kissed his forehead before checking the room and closing the door most of the way.
She decided to call Ron at the Ministry to see if he was alright, just to be sure.
Throwing a bit of powder into the kitchen fire, she put her head into the flames and called out "Ron Weasly's Office!"
She looked around, hoping to glimpse her husband at his desk, but he seemed to be out. She spoke a simple charm to copy a note on his desk telling him to message home as soon as he got the note.
She dusted herself off before looking around. The nagging feeling that something was wrong persisted. There was a noise by James' room, and she hurried to investigate.
Oh Merlin let everything be alright. Let this just be my imagination. Let me be imagining things... Please...
She caught a glimpse of a shadow entering her son's room, and she shouted and drew her wand from her pocket. She would die before anyone touched her son!
"Get out whoever-!" She stopped cold. There was no one here, but she knew that something was here. She felt a presence, and she couldn't help but feel tears roll down her cheeks.
"Oh please... I'm imagining things... Please let me be imagining things..." She whispered as she clutched her son to her breast. James' muffled cries startled her, and she tried to soothe him.
She heard the fireplace roar as someone Floo'd in, and almost cried with relief when she heard the frantic voice of her husband.
"Hermione! Hermione, are you alright!" He ran to his son's room and saw his wife soothing James as tears rolled down her face.
"What's wrong? Are you alright? There have been some attacks to the Ministry, and I saw your note, and I was so worried!"
She looked at him with her tear filled eyes.
"He's done it again..." Hermione whispered, cradling the now calm James to her.
"Who's done what Dear?"
"Harry's gone and saved us again..."
Ron looked at her warily, hoping he was just imagining the words that were coming from Hermione's mouth.
"What's going on Mione? What's wrong?" He strode over and sat on the bed, pulling her to him, folding Hermione and James into his embrace.
"Someone came to the door, only there was no one there. I got a bad feeling and I checked on James, and then when I left, I tried checking on you. I had left you a note because I was worried about you, that bad feeling kept on, so I had to check... But then I swore I saw someone come in here -" Ron tensed, looking around. "But there was no one, and I felt something... And I just know that Harry was trying to warn me of something..."
Ron held her close, smoothing her hair for a few minutes, listening to the explanation for the note, and listened as she started to calm down, her babbling turning into murmurs.
"It's alright Mione. Nothing's wrong. Just a bit of trouble at the Ministry, nothing we can't handle."
They both tensed as they heard the fire roar and the thuds of three people coming through the fireplace.
"Ron!"
"Ronald!"
"Ron!"
The two of them looked on in wonder as Tonks, Arthur and Ginny all rushed into the room.
"Oh Merlin, when we'd heard -"
"Are you alright- "
"Ron!"
Ron held up a hand, and looked at Hermione.
"What's happened?"
Three stares were leveled at Ron, and Ginny was the first to talk.
"There were several explosions outside of the Ministry, you know. And then we heard some inside the building... One of the offices that got the brunt of it was the Auror's offices. Tonks was one of the ones outside when it happened. We thought -- "
She choked, tears falling thick.
"We didn't find you immediately, and then we saw the note... Oh Merlin Ron! I was so scared we'd lost you!"
Hermione turned into Ron's embrace, hot tears soaking his work shirt.
"I told you! Oh Ron I knew it!"
Ron was pale, his freckles standing out in stark relief. He turned his head into Hermione's hair, whispering platitudes. He was visibly shaken.
"Who -- Who did it? Do we know?" He shook silently, arms tightening a bit further.
"No," said Tonks, staring at Hermione. "What's she on about?"
Ron just looked up to the ceiling, smiling.
"Thanks Mate. Thank you so much..."
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Random I know. But... It's my story so... Nyah. Anyways, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed. I love you guys! Now, tell me what you think?