The Boy Who Lived

Chapter 10: Farewell Summer, Hello School

Ginny was the first to leave.

She and Harry had gone to Andromeda's for the last time the day before she was due to go to Platform 9 1/3 at King's Cross. Andromeda had been sad to see Ginny go, but had assured both of them that she would be alright. She even told Harry not to worry about coming since he would be leaving to go to Auror Training the next week and should prepare for that. She'd be fine, she told them firmly after giving them some fresh bread she had just baked with some jam. So they said their goodbyes and they both promised to visit during breaks.

The next morning came far too quickly for the young couple. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley said their goodbyes to Ginny during breakfast, because Harry had assured them that he could take her to the train, much to their amusement. Apparently when they were a couple Mr. Weasley had strived to do the same with his dear Molly. Though why they were laughing and shooting each other embarrassed intimate looks Harry did not want to fathom.

So there Harry stood waving goodbye to Ginny as the train pulled off from the platform, first years and parents and friends gawking at him and staring at Ginny in a way Harry didn't particularly like. He missed Hogwarts, but he knew that it wasn't for him anymore. It was time to move on.

Besides, he doubted anyone would begrudge him a visit.

The next week flew by in a blur. He and Ron had to pack and then weed out all unnecessary things. Mrs. Weasley kept trying to donate pots and pans, spoons and other household items for the apartment they would be sharing. She also kept attempting to give the two boys cooking lessons, much to their consternation.

Coupled with the stress of packing, another surprise appeared. Hermione showed up two days before they were supposed to leave. She hadn't called or made any plans to stay at the Burrow: she simply showed up and knocked almost timidly on the door.

Ron, unfortunately (or fortunately?), had been the one to answer it. Harry had not been there at the time, but there had been a fair amount of shouting that had led Mrs. Weasley to the front hall, ready to attack someone who was trying to break in. When she had seen it was Hermione she had quickly ushered her inside the house, much to Ron's annoyance and forced her to drink tea to calm her nerves.

As a result Ron and Hermione had still not talked about why they were fighting at all, which Harry could only tell, because they were currently not on speaking terms. Every time Hermione tried to approach Ron he turned the other way.

"Ron!" Hermione finally said the morning before they left, slamming her book so hard shut that the resounding clap made both Ron and Harry jump. There was no way pretending that you could ignore that one, but still Ron didn't look at her. "Will you stop being a git and go on a walk with me?"

Harry was trying very hard to think of the best tactical way to retreat from the room at this point, but he needn't have worried, because neither party really noticed him anymore.

"No I will not go on a walk with you!" Ron practically sneered. "Why would I want to go on a walk with you?"

"Maybe, because according to you we're dating!" Hermione said loudly and clearly for the first time. Ron turned nearly purple at her words and started sputtering incoherently. "And I want to talk to you?" She said this last bit a little softer and stared at him expectantly.

"Well," Ron started, regaining himself a little. "Well, bollocks to we're dating!" He huffed. "How can we be dating when we aren't even talking to each other?"

"What are we doing right now you git?" Hermione said. Harry had never seen her so angry before that she was actually cursing. Even when she had been upset with Malfoy she had hit him rather then exchange too many words. "What have I been trying to do ever since I left?"

Ron stared at her, seemingly a little stunned. "Don't you dare bloody call me a git Hermione. I've done nothing to you!"

"Nothing!" Hermione practically shrieked. "You've done nothing?!"

"Nothing to warrant you to ignore me in my own bloody house for weeks on end before you up and disappear!" Ron bit back. "And THEN expect me to be all nice and answer all your letters like a decent boyfriend and act like you actually like me and go and visit you when it's YOU who have been ignoring ME and I'VE done NOTHING to upset you that I can figure out?"

Harry had to keep himself from groaning or burying his face in his hands. This was like watching a train wreck—nothing good could come of this fight right now and he did not want to be sitting here watching it.

"Well, maybe if you had actually tried to talk to me instead of letting your pride get to you then I would have explained why I was ignoring you!" Hermione said. "Did you think about that in these last few weeks when you have refused to answer any of my letters?"

"I don't understand what you bloody problem is!" Ron said and stood up with a finality. "How is what I've done to you in the last few weeks any different then what you've done to me the weeks before that?! You need to get off your high horse Hermione; I haven't done anything wrong. And just so you know for future reference we are most definitely not dating."

And with that he left the room, leaving his two best friends behind. Harry sat in a stunned stupor. Had Ron just broken up with Hermione before they had even really gotten together? He glanced over at Hermione and was terrified at the look of hurt on her face that could only mean that tears were impeding. Where the hell was Ginny when he needed her?

"It was stupid to come here," Hermione said miserably and wiped her cheeks. "I shouldn't have… I just thought if I could come here he would talk to me and I could tell him how I felt for sure this time and oh, Harry!"

For the second time that summer Harry found Hermione in his arms sobbing her eyes out. And for the second time that summer Harry was at a loss for what to do.

000

Hermione still stayed at the Burrow that night, but only because Harry convinced her too. Mrs. Weasley had stumbled upon them in the family room when she had gotten up to use the bathroom and had heard crying. She ushered Hermione into the kitchen for some tea and gave Harry a kindly smile that he took for a dismissal and hurried back to Ron and his bedroom.

Ron was already asleep when he got in. Or at least faking asleep. It was obvious that he knew Harry had been trying to comfort Hermione and Harry felt a little queasy as he changed into pajamas and climbed into bed. He hated being caught in the middle of Ron and Hermione, but it seemed that he was constantly placed there these days.

Well, he decided, he would just have to stay out of it. He had done all he could do by trying to talk to Hermione with Ginny. He already knew Ron would be too stubborn to change his mindset.

Thus, the trio split off to different apprenticeships, for the first time separated since they had started school. The only good thing about the apprenticeships was that housing was separate and so Ron and Harry had chosen to be roommates in an apartment building and Hermione had gotten a studio on the floor above them.

Ron refused to go see her of course, but Harry enjoyed her meals, which she had been teaching herself to bake at her parents house, because she was apparently bored at home. All in all the first month or so of their apprenticeships went by relatively quickly.

Draco Malfoy strode through the forest; head held high and ready to face the world. He used to have night terrors about this forest ever since first year when he had gotten detention with Potter, Weasley, and Granger. But in the last three weeks he had been staying at Hogwarts this seemed like the most likely place to search. That or Dumbledore's grave and he wasn't quite keen on attempting that yet.

But where would a good place be to hide a wand in a forest? Draco doubted Harry would give it to anyone for safe keeping. Even the big oaf Hagrid. After all, he had a penchant for letting secrets spill when he had too much festivity. And who else was there? McGonagal? Hardly.

Draco snorted at the thought.

He found himself staring at the whomping willow tree. He had heard that there was a passageway that lead to something—what he wasn't sure, but the branches were bashing angrily at him, making him dart out of the way. Better to try that later, he decided.

It was barely his second week at Hogwarts. Classes had started and life was extremely dull. He had been placed in a room in the dungeons by the Slytherine House, right next to where Snape used to be situated. He could sometimes hear Slughorn late at night singing to himself and playing a piano—it was rather annoying.

The first teacher he had been assigned to was Blenheim Stalk, a short portly little man with a red face and a shout that calmed a class down before it even started. He was the new Muggle Studies teacher and the author of Muggles Who Notice. McGonagal had informed Draco that he was known and respected for his knowledge on Muggles and it was a great blessing to have him teaching a class at Hogwarts.

Draco knew this first assignment was a punishment. Well, no, a test really. It was to make sure he actually wanted to be a Teacher's Aid for the year and also to test if he could handle this new world Potter had created. If he wanted to survive he would have to like Mudbloods…or at least act like he did. Draco was actually, surprisingly, relatively fine with the situation. After all, it got that one particular teacher out of the way more quickly.

As he was thinking he found that he had tromped himself into a muddy puddle, which had splattered all over his boots and clothing. Cursing, Draco went to grab his wand, only it slipped out of his hands and landed alongside his boots.

For a moment he stared blankly at the place where the wand had vanished and then let out a long, low string of courses as he bent over and tried to scoop the wand up. Removing himself and the wand from the mud, he cleaned himself and then wiped off his wand.

Maybe it was best to turn in for the night, he decided as he looked up and saw the moon hanging low in the sky. Moving back towards the edge of the forest, he was forced to use Hagrid's Hut as a guideline. He was still furious with himself over the mud and so when his world lurched once again that night and he found himself on the ground now, he was only angrier for his unobservance. Something hard was pressed against his stomach and he had to force himself to roll over on his back.

What the bloody hell did he just trip over? Slowly he sat up and cautiously looked for the offending object. It was a rock alright and a pretty big one at that. And his stomach? He reached out and was surprised to find that the object he sought wasn't rough and course as he had expected it to be. Instead, it was smooth and had a cool feeling to it like it had just been laying at the bottom of the lake.

Draco brought it towards his face to examine it and was surprised to see that there was something etched into the side.

"It's Grindiwald's sign!" He said out loud in surprise. He flipped it in his hands once, trying to make out the inscriptions, but failed to do so. On a sudden whim he flipped it two more times, each time giving it another look. Before he could do it a forth time a figure cleared his throat. Draco looked up and his mouth went dry.

"So you seek the wand, hm?" The voice said, obviously filled with amusement. Draco could barely even nod.

So I decided Dumbledore took the stone out of the ring, though I don't think that the book is very conclusive. I was totally for it being in the ring, because I liked the idea of Draco wearing it around. However, I realized that Harry couldn't leave it in the forest if it was a ring, because anyone could find it and pick it up. Besides, if Dumbledore was cursed by it and couldn't take it off up to that point then how did he put it into the Snitch? Though someone said Dumbledore didn't have it on the last night he was alive… I just feel like more information needs to be had, but until that point I'm going to assume that I can make my own choice haha. So I'm still torn over what to believe, but this is the basis of the story.

And I do see what you all are saying about Hermione not being one to cry, but that was kind of the point that I am trying to make is that she's so terrified and upset about an actual relationship. I don't know ;p I just see her acting this way and I'm sorry if you guys don't agree!