Kind of a part II of the chapter I posted yesterday. I hope you all are enjoying it, and thanks so much for the reviews! Keep them coming!
"So we finally made it." Hermione said exhaling deeply as she sat down.
"We sure did." Ginny replied. "I think that's the first time in all seven years that I didn't get on the train at the last minute!" They both laughed. "You know, I know that it's kind of weird for both of us. With Harry and Ron not being here, but I feel like it'll also be good in a way, know what I mean?"
"I agree. It'll be a good different. We're adults now so it'll kind of give us a glance at real life, even though we are still in school. Not seeing everyone for long periods of time will be a challenge but we have each other and our friends."
Conversation went on like this for about a half an hour before a knock came at their compartment door. They looked up and saw her. "Luna!" they both let out excitedly. They all exchanged hugs and sat down together.
"Oh it's so nice to see you both. I wondered, Hermione, if you'd be returning. It only seems right. I've seen some others from your year as well."
"Really? Who?" Hermione asked quickly.
"Maybe she meant me!" It was Neville. He entered smiling from ear to ear and gave them all hugs.
"Nevillle!" They all said together.
He laughed. "It's so nice seeing all of you again. Been a long summer, yeah?"
Ginny spoke first. "You've got that right. I thought it would never end."
"So you decided to return too, Neville?" Hermione asked him.
"I reckoned so. I've decided that I want to teach. In a few years I hope to come back and teach herbology. So I needed my final year. I got offered an auror spot but… that's not really my thing. I heard Harry and Ron took up the offer." Hermione and Ginny nodded. "Good for them. I mean, I really couldn't see them doing anything else." He chuckled.
After a few more minutes one last and final knock came at their door. This time it was Dean and Seamus. All of the same greetings and hugs took place. It was such a good time, like some sort of a family reunion. Everyone was laughing and carrying on as if nothing had changed. A sense of normalcy was nice for a change.
The train ride went all the way into the darkness of night. It was getting quieter, people were starting to nap. Hermione had gone off to meet with the other new head girls and boys, Neville went to chat with some of his herbology friends, and Luna joined her Ravenclaw mates. This left Ginny, Dean, and Seamus. Seamus had dozed off a while back, snoring as loud as humanly possible.
"Well…here we are again, huh?" asked Dean, trying to avoid all awkwardness.
"Here we are." Ginny replied, smiling weakly.
"Look, I hope this isn't awkward. Like, I hope I'm not bothering you by sitting here."
"Oh no, no. But I was thinking the same thing funny enough. Dean, I know we have a past. And you may not know this…but I do feel bad about how I handled it all…and how it ended. I mean, I'm in love with Harry, that still stands. But I want you to know I never meant to hurt you and I would like it if we could still be friends. We don't have many people this year…and I want our little group to be as close as possible."
"Thanks Gin, it means a lot. But I think deep down I knew all along whom your heart belonged to, I just didn't want to see it. And in all honesty, I don't think it was right that I dated you. I know that sounds bad but I don't mean it in that way. I just mean I wasn't honest with myself that whole year. Perhaps that caused more problems for us. But I'm really beginning to be honest with myself. It's been hard, truly. But I know that's what's right. And just think, if we had stayed together being miserable, we never would've found who we truly want to be with."
"We? Wait…you mean you found someone!? Dean, spill! Tell me who it is!" Ginny said, laughing.
Dean shifted quickly and uncomfortably. "Uh…wait…well I didn't mean us really. I meant you…you found someone. Right? That's good for you. I just meant us splitting up helped that." Dean's face turned red and he couldn't look Ginny in the face. She looked at him questioningly, and then stood up heading toward the door. Right before she walked out she spoke,
"You're right, Dean. I'm glad we were able to find who makes us truly happy…..and when you become more comfortable with, as you said, being honest with yourself, I'll be so happy for you…and I'm sure the person you love will too." With these words she shot her glance down at the sleeping boy beside Dean. He looked at her wide eyed and red cheeked, and then Ginny disappeared.