Thirty-Eight. Hermione
The train stopped and I looked out the window at the sign that read platform 9 ¾ which hung off its pole. I looked at Harry who took my hand in his as we rose from our seats and left the compartment. We slowly walked down the corridor of the empty train and stepped off onto the platform. As we turned to take one last look at the Hogwarts Express it faded until we could see it no more.
I looked up at Harry, tears in my eyes, "It's over," he whispered. I nodded my head as I looked around me at the empty platform and thought of all the people that should be there, but were not. I could almost see Neville chasing his toad as his grandmother scolds him for being cowardly. But he wasn't cowardly; he was great and fought well. I could almost feel Mrs Weasley pull me into a hug offering for me to spend the summer at the Burrow, which is no longer there. And as I turn towards the barrier that leaves the platform I feel Draco with me and can amlmost see him; still in his wizarding robes, his cloak billowing around him. He looks beautiful, so perfect. Slowly he turns to face me and smiles; there is no trace of a smirk, just a smile.
He was never happy how he was, but I could see the happiness in his eyes. Even if in their deepness there was sadness, he was happy. Surrounded by all the people he fought for and all the people he fought with. I exhaled slowly fighting back the tears as, one by one, they all disappeared. I could see Dean Thomas, Padma and Parvarti Patil, Fred and George. And lastly, just before they disappear I saw Ron, he smiles just before he disappears and the only people left are my parents. They stand there for a while crying into each other, they were muggles and weren't ready for this. Slowly they fade away to.
I looked up at Harry who was looking in the same direction as me, tears streaming down his face; I wondered whether he was seeing the same thing or maybe different people. I looked at the barriers which lead to the muggle world, the world we will now live in. I knew once we walked through the barrier, the platform would disappear just like the train. Soon magic would be forgotten as the greatest school ever known is the last one to be shut down. Soon it would be just a memory along with the Hogwarts express and its greatest headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. I had no doubt in my mind that one day magic would be found again, whether in my time or not. One day Hogwarts will open its doors to a new generation of witches and wizards who will learn, not of the war that we learnt, but of the one we fought in. They'll be taught about the greatest headmaster to run it and the boy that was Voldermort's down-fall…for the second time.
But with magic comes power, and with power comes desire; Desire to be the best. I fear, in fact I know, there will be some one to rival the power of Voldermort and all I can do is hope, hope that there will be another person who has strength beyond what they know. A person who can defeat him and in the process, keep magic alive. As we have been unable to do.
As we walked through the barrier, hand in hand I started wondered whether things would have been different if things never happened between me and Draco, for better or worse. But I didn't care that they could have been better, because I got to know him and it was beautiful; only what came from it was a disaster. We emerged through the other side of the barrier; as I looked up I saw him.
Stood there looking more powerful than ever before. His blue robes flying around him and that all familiar twinkle in his eyes which shone behind his half moon spectacles, "Hello Harry, Hermione. I'm sorry I missed the war." The twinkle left his eyes and was replaced by determination, "But it's not over."
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A.N - As you can probably tell, more is SUPPOSED to happen. There is another chapter to this story, the epilogue, but ive only written about 3 chapters of the sequal to this story and i doubt ill write anymore, so i see no point in putting the epilogue up :/ However, if people want to read it and the few chapters from the sequal that i've written, ill upload them too :)