Now darlings, because I love you all so much, and because I finished packing early, I did another chapter for you. Don't mind the first paragraph, I just got stuck and started typing the first thing that came into my head, snd that was what it was. I also think I was paying tribute subconsciously to my Nana who died this time last year (I'm not looking for sympathy, just making my reasons.)

Also, I think this story is affecting me, because of the dream I had last night. If you don't want to read it, skip down to the story, but I told everyone today, including the cleaner, and my brother made my lunch for me because of it. So, skip it if you want, but I think you may get a few laughs out of it. So, below is my dream

So I go down to the kitchen, and my dad is discussing accomodation, because we've taken in someone we met on the Internet, and he wants to take someone else in. For some reason, I find the situation perfectly normal. Then my mum keeps ranting at my brother that he needs to do the Latin translation our teacher left him, but my brother sits reading a Terry Pratchett. I would find that bit normal in reality really. But then it gets weird.

My brother beckons me over and shows me a photocopy inside his Terry Pratchett. He says the TP IS his Latin translation, and the photocopy is it in Latin, he's cross-referencing the two. He says he's doing "Vimes prosecution against someone" for Latin, and I say No, he's doing Cicero's prosecution against Verres for HISTORY (how I remembered that detail in my sleep I don't know, but that actually IS his special subject for history...) He shows me the photocopy that is apparently Terry Pratchett in Latin, and it has the name "Practicus Tacticus" on the front, but it's not Latin, I tell him, because it's written in hieroglyphics, and he says, don't be silly, of course it's Latin. I get back to whatever I was doing, which turns out to be baking.

Then this story's influence comes in. A horse in a hammock appears, and Michael (my brother) uses his sheet of hieroglyphics to find out this means "cheated." Then a witch appears, just pops up. She accuses my brother of cheating in the chess game, hence why she sent the horse in the hammock. Because he cheated, she is going to torture him to death. I'm standing there with a mixing bowl, and I suddenly have a brave streak. I run at the witch and hit her with the wooden spoon. Her head falls off. The body disappears and my mum puts the head in the bin, muttering about me breaking the spoon.

Then I go upstairs to finish packing and find that my pencil case is on the neighbour's roof, so I think I'll just pop out and get it, then my mum comes in with a pile of freshly laundered clothes seeing me about to jump...then that awkward moment is avoided because I wake up and my mum really IS there with a pile of freshly laundered clothes.

Anyway, this story inspired at least PART of that. Anyway, see you in a month! xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Well my children, I feel I should give you all a little word of warning.

Ron and Hermione cleared that hurdle, aren't you glad? They got over the chess game blues.
Wow.

But life isn't like that my children...

"Um, Nana? Get away from my laptop. I'm telling them a happy story."

Sorry about that darlings. Old ladies can get out of hand, you must agree.

Which reminds me of what I'm about to write about.

A few weeks later, all the angst and bad temper over the fateful chess game was forgotten. Hermione and Ron were now joining the others everyday in the village. It was the whole group from the Ministry, the six of them that, though they had been apart, would always be a group. They had picnics up in the hills and went to several more movies, sometimes the same one over again, since all except Harry and Hermione were so intrigued.

It was after just such an excursion that they returned home to find four owls waiting for them, each carrying a large square letter. Mrs. Weasley gave them a nervous smile. "They must have known Neville was coming for dinner. They're the NEWT results."

Hermione screamed.

"Calm down 'Mione." said Ron. "Look, here's yours here, this is mine...Harry, Neville, there you go."

Hermione opened her letter and scanned her results. Six "Outstandings." She breathed a sigh of relief.

"Ron? How did you do?" Ron was staring at his letter as if it had just sprouted a head. She snatched it off him.

"Oh wow, Ron!" she said and threw her arms around him. "Didn't I tell you all that extra study we did paid off? Well done!"

Ron had received two "Outstandings" and the rest "Exceeds Expectations" which was rather a feat, going by the marks he had received up to that point.

"You take the credit 'Mione, if it wasn't for you helping me and Harry study..."

"Harry, how did you do?" she asked.

Harry grinned. "See for yourself. You really have outdone yourself Hermione."

Harry had managed one "O" in Defence Against the Dark Arts, and "Es" in everything else.

"Oh, don't be silly, I didn't take the exams, well done! Neville?" asked Hermione.

"Two As, two Es and an O in Herbology." he said grinning widely. "That's the one mark I was looking for. Professor Sprout's retiring next year and I thought maybe..."

"Oh, Neville, it would be so great for you to be a teacher!" said Ginny. "Well done!"

"Well, this is a cause for celebration." said Mrs. Weasley relieved they had all passed. "Perhaps I'll invite Andromeda over, she can bring Teddy, Bill and Fleur, oh and Auntie Muriel..." She bustled off.

Hermione couldn't stop smiling. This meant that she could finally choose her career path, although despite all their speculation over the years, despite what Harry and Ron had said to her, there was only one thing she really wanted to do.

But in the light-hearted moment, there was no need to start discussing the future. They sat and laughed about the fact it was all over, and then were silent. For this meant, that with the exception of Luna and Ginny and perhaps Neville, there would be no more Hogwarts. No more sleeping at the back of History of Magic. No more parties in the Gryffindor common room. No more sneaking down to Hagrid's after hours. No more playing Quidditch against Slytherin. No more long talks on the way to the greenhouses. No more elf-made feasts. No more anticipation in the face of Hogsmeade weekends. No more Hogwarts.

This down-in-the-dumps moment passed as well, though the next thing to come was not much better.

Aunt now one-hundred-and-nine-you-know Muriel turned up and surveyed them all.

"So you're the famous Harry Potter are you? Well, hmph."

"Ginevra dear, are you quite sure green's your colour? It makes you look pasty."

"Ronald, don't slouch so, you'll develop back problems if you haven't already."

"Neville Longbottom? I know your grandmother. She never did speak that highly of you and I must say..."

"Lovegood? You must be the daughter of that batty old man that lives in the hills."

But it was Hermione that was worst off.

"Oh, Miss Skinny Ankles still hanging around is she? Make sure you make a better catch than this one Ronald m'dear. You know what they say, the smaller the feet, the more chance of death in childbirth."

Hermione blushed a deep shade of magenta and moved slightly away from Ron.

Andromeda came and they all played with Teddy for a while, who was waddling round the room, his hair a shade of fiery red that Harry was sure would have made Tonks proud.

Aunt Muriel however tut-tutted and said "I never really liked small children. Too inquisitive." Andromeda shot her a dirty look.

Aunt Muriel continued to insult everyone repeatedly. When Bill and Fleur arrived she made a rasping noise over Fleur's quickly expanding belly, saying the girl "needed to lose some weight." when she had been told umpteen times that Fleur was pregnant to which she just snorted. She continued in this manner the whole way through dinner, and soon Hermione felt like crying. Not only did she now have skinny ankles, but bushy hair, prominent teeth and an unhealthy pallor. Then the talk turned to the NEWT results. All four of them received high praise, and Hermione received the highest from everyone.

"Six 'Outstandings!'" exclaimed Bill. "Merlin's hairpiece, you'll be the next Minister for Magic!"

Hermione blushed and said "Don't be silly."

Aunt Muriel surveyed her. "Boys don't take to girls with too many head smarts you know. Take it from someone who knows. I've had a hundred and nine years of being turned down you know, for outsmarting people."

Hermione bit her lip and tried hard not to look at Ron.

"It's a pity dear, that you're not pretty either, or maybe you would have stood a chance at a happy marriage."

The tears pricked to her eyes. She very quickly excused herself and went upstairs and threw herself on the bed. Had she looked out her window, she would have seen Auntie Muriel leaving with a lot of mashed potato stuck in her hair, and had she been there, would have been reminded of a Christmas when Percy left in such a fashion. After a while Ron came upstairs and put his arms around her and whispered.

"Well, it proves one thing. Auntie Muriel has only ever, and I mean, ever, reduced family to tears, no one else. It would seem that you are now an honourary Weasley."