CHAPTER 28
The service ended and people slowly left the Great Hall. By the end, the only ones left were Hermione's parents and Harry and Ron. Dumbledore motioned to them and they came to the front. They stood around Hermione's well loved copy of The Lord of the Rings sitting on the lectern, and all laid a hand on it. It had been turned into a portkey for the occasion. With one hand on the coffin, Dumbledore muttered the word 'Resurgum' (A Latin word meaning 'rise again'.) to activate the portkey and they were transported to a graveyard in Muggle London, where Hermione was to be buried. They arrived on the top of a hill. There were no other graves around, but a lone weeping willow on the top of the rise. Looking out past the tree, the view was breathtaking. Here, Hermione had a view of London, her favourite city and her home.
It was a quiet service. The coffin was lowered into the grave and inside was placed the jar with the first's years' papers in it, her iPod, her copy of The Lord of the Rings and a red rose by everyone present at the funeral. Dumbledore attended, but did not take the service. He was dressed in a neat black tuxedo to match Harry, Ron and Hermione's father, and a Muggle celebrant was present to lay Hermione's body to rest.
Hermione's parents offered that they come back to the house for coffee, but were politely declined. The Grangers assured the boys that they were welcome anytime and thanked Dumbledore solemnly for looking after their little girl during her time at Hogwarts. The Grangers said their goodbye's to the boys and to Dumbledore and left.
Dumbledore decided to leave Harry and Ron alone for awhile and apperated back to the school, leaving them a portkey to return when they were ready. The two boys left stayed at the graveside for a little while longer, each whispering their goodbye's and thinking of all the good times they shared with their friend. Two hours later they returned to the school. Everything that had happened to them over the past few weeks was circling around their heads, including what Dumbledore had said at the funeral. They returned renewed, having said goodbye to their friend. They each remembered an old saying Hermione often used to recite to them: Worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but doesn't get you anywhere. They were still shattered at losing such a close companion, but also determined to make something of her death.
Draco's funeral was somewhat different to Hermione's. The only one to attend was his mother, yet Dumbledore held a service all the same. The students of the school certainly weren't going to pay their respects to the boy that killed their beloved Hermione. Not even one Slytherin attended. They were all too disgusted at him for sullying himself with a Mudblood and even Snape didn't bother to show up. His mother was crushed. With Draco's father in Azkaban and surely going to die there, Draco was all she had left. She blamed herself for Draco's fragile state of mind. She scolded herself, believing that she could have done something to protect him from his father's abuse. There was of course, nothing she could have done. Being of such high profile, Lucuis was offered a day of pardon to attend his son's funeral. He said he'd rather spend the day in prison than go. He was ashamed of his son for getting involved with a Muggle, and rudely declined their offer. The only noise that could be heard other than Dumbledore's voice was the quiet sobs of Narcissa Malfoy. She sat alone in the front row, wearing a black dress and black veil which covered her face. Apart from her the Hall was empty. She had seen the turnout for Hermione's funeral and pitied her son that no one attended his service.
Thus ended the tale of two of Hogwarts' top students. While the death of one left a large hole in the massive school, the other barely caused a ripple. The loss of one made some sick, and the loss of the other even relieved some people. But it was certain that the events of that year changed some people's lives forever, and Hermione at least, would never be forgotten.
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