DISCLAIMER: REALLY GUYS? IT STILL BELONGS TO JO.
Harry finally showed up to breakfast the next day and acted like nothing was different. Hermione knew better than to push him, though. She just gave him a long look, willing her eyes to ask if he was okay, and he just nodded slightly and started eating.
"So," Harry said casually, "did you get all of your Salem information together?"
"Yes! I mailed it all out last night in fact! And Harry, guess what? Professor Snape wrote me a recommendation letter!"
Harry's eyes went wide behind his glasses and he broke out into the first smile she had seen in over a week. "That's brilliant! He never writes those. You must have really impressed him with your project."
"Apparently I did," she laughed. "I also got one from Professors Flitwick, McGonagall, and Dumbledore."
"That's great, Hermione. Congratulations," Harry said, still smiling.
"So where's your pet ferret?" Ron asked from next to her as he piled bacon onto his plate.
"Don't be so immature, Ron," she snapped. "We finished our projects so there's no reason for him to sit at our table. But that doesn't mean I'm going to be rude to him. He's going to be the only familiar face at Salem, so I'd rather stay on good terms."
"Whatever. He's still an arse," Ron said, cheeks bulging with food.
"He's not that bad, Ron," Harry said before he seemed to catch himself.
"Not that bad? Not that bad? Harry, this is Draco Malfoy we're talking about. He's the spoiled brat of a Death Eater that has tried to make all of our lives hell since day one!" Ron sputtered indignantly. "How can you even be taking her side on this after everything he's done?"
"Because he was a child! We all were! God, Ron, open your bloody eyes sometime and take a look around you! Life isn't all quidditch and girls, mate. There's a war on, we're in the middle of said war, our best friend is leaving the country, and people are dying. Getting over some immature resentment over some names and attitudes seems pretty simple in the midst of it all!" Harry ranted, green eyes flashing with anger behind his glasses.
"Blimey, Harry," Ron said, glaring at his best friend, "what the hell happened to you?"
Harry stood and grabbed his bag. "It's called growing up, Ron. I suggest you join the movement one day soon." With that, he walked out of the Hall.
XXXXX
"Ah, Miss Granger. I see that even during your free periods I can't rid myself of you. How fortunate I feel that you will soon be across an entire ocean," Snape said when he saw Hermione outside his lab door later in the afternoon.
"Hello, Professor. I was just checking on my potion," Hermione said as she walked over to her table. "I'm surprised Draco isn't already here. He had said he wished to make some of his potion as well."
"Yes, I thought he would be as well, but I was pleasantly surprised when I realized I might have a whole period of quiet. Ah, well, one can still dream," Snape said from the table in front of her where he was methodically stirring some concoction.
"You wound me, sir," she replied dryly, smirking when he gave a snort. She loved seeing this side of him. He was a completely different person outside of class. Sure, he was still an ass, and prickly, and had a hell of an anger management issue, but he was also extremely witty and intelligent. Sometimes she had to stop herself from laughing in class when he would say something scathing to a fellow student because she was sure only she could appreciate the dryness behind it. He was utterly fantastic, really.
"Are you making more powder?" His question interrupted her musings and she hoped the steam hid her blush.
"Yes, sir. I figure why not stock up while I have the chance? When I leave, I don't know when I will be here next and you really do have the best lab. Of course, I still haven't been accepted to Salem yet, but I can hope that I will and they will have a decent lab."
"Miss Granger, you and I both know that you could get into almost any school you wish had you sent off an early application in your sixth year. Do have some form of pride in your work, will you?" he said whilst still staring into his cauldron.
"If you believe that making me faint over the surprise of hearing you compliment my intellect will get you privacy in your lab, you are mistaken sir," she quipped.
Snape snorted inelegantly. "If I have learned anything in the years I've taught you, it's that nothing would be so simple."
Hermione threw her head back and laughed, the sound of it bouncing off the walls of the lab. Snape even smiled, although he didn't look up.
"But, honestly, thank you Professor," she said, turning the heat up on her cauldron. All that was left was for the heat to burn to a certain temperature and then she could take it off and wait for it to turn to powder. "Sir, I actually had a question to ask of you as well."
Snape sighed heavily, but lifted his free hand and made a motion for her to continue. "By all means, Miss Granger, please ask more of me. You've only taken up my free time and used my supplies thus far."
"I was wondering whether I could bother you with letters while at Salem. Although my study is in Charms, I will still be taking Potions classes throughout my training, especially because Charmed potions are extremely interesting to me. So I had wondered if you would allow me to write to you if I had questions," she explained, ignoring his sarcasm and removing her cauldron from the burner.
"And why, pray tell, could you not ask your instructor?"
"My instructor is Professor Jakobe Milfred, and obviously I have already read up on him. He's extremely intelligent but, to be honest, he's not at your level. Frankly, from my research, very few Potion Masters or Mistresses are at your level."
"I've told you, flattery will get you nowhere, Miss Granger," he said, smirking.
"And I've spent enough time in the company of two Slytherins to know that's complete bollocks, sir," she shot back.
"I'll have none of your cheek here, Granger."
Smirking, Hermione started the tedious task of scraping the inside of her cauldron as the contents dried, dissolving into powder. She knew better by now to not pester him after asking him a question. He would answer when, and if, he wanted to.
A few minutes passed in silence while the pair worked on their respective potions before Snape finally lifted his head.
"I suppose you would send me correspondence even if I refused, so there's no point in my refusal. I'm not entirely versed in Charmed potions, but I have worked with enough to know my way around. I should be able to keep up with what you will ask. So go ahead and become my 'pen pal' if you like," he said dryly.
"I would love to be your pal, sir," she replied back, just as dry.
Professor Snape hid a small smile behind his curtain of hair.
XXXX
Too soon, much too soon, the cold weather of winter seemed to fly past spring and plunge into summer. The days got longer, and temperature got higher, and nerves of fifth and seventh years alike skyrocketed.
The time for the OWLS and NEWTS were closing in.
The letters from Salem came in, and to nobody's surprise, Hermione and Draco were accepted.
Hermione ran herself ragged trying to keep up with her study schedule which included time in the potions lab to prepare for the practical test. Potions wasn't something you could only learn from a book. Plus, if she was to be honest with herself, she wanted to spend more time with her surly professor. She never would have guessed that he would be one of her instructors she would miss the most when the time came to leave. That was the initial factor in her asking to write him. She only thought up with educational excuses after so she would have a legit reasoning behind her request.
Harry could often be seen studying on his downtime as well, although Hermione noticed it was mainly Defense texts he read from almost religiously. She felt for her scarred friend. She knew that he would rather be in auror training than school. Any dreams he may have had for his future were squashed because of Voldemort.
Even Ron was studying, although he often took many long breaks.
She cherished the time in the lab with Draco and Snape. And as rude as he was, she suspected he enjoyed it too.
She also scheduled in sessions with Professor Flitwick even though he insisted that she was more than ready. Draco normally joined her for these sessions, and together they practiced wand movements and spells until their wrists were aching and Flitwick would kick them out.
Finally, it was the end of the year and exams were upon them.
After Hermione had taken her Astronomy, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Transfiguration, and Defense Against the Dark Arts NEWT it was time for Potions. Sitting down for the written, Hermione had a momentary panic attack as she read the first question. Her vision blurred and her quill-hand shook.
Taking a deep breath, Hermione closed her eyes. She knew that she knew the material backwards. Now was no time for panicking.
She had to do the same thing for her Charms NEWT as well. But after she had sufficiently calmed herself, she knew she had the test in the bag.
When it came to the practical portion of Charms, Hermione didn't feel the need to calm herself. She was in her element and she knew it.
When she walked out of her last NEWT practical, she felt a mixture of exhilaration and sadness. She headed to the tree Harry, Ron, and she had sat after the OWLs, where they had all agreed to meet.
She had just lied down to read when a shadow fell over her. She looked up into the grey eyes and smiled.
"So, how'd you do?"
"Great, of course," Draco said, snorting slightly. "No need to ask how you think you did. Since you haven't attempted to throw yourself into the lake or turn your wand on yourself, it only makes sense that you did well."
She laughed and patted the grass next to her, indicating he should sit down. She sat up as he did so.
After a few moments, Draco cleared his throat.
"Are you scared?"
Hermione didn't need to ask what he meant. "Terrified. I'm leaving my home, both the castle and the country. Hell, I'm leaving the bloody continent. I've come to realized just how happy I am that you'll be there, even if we didn't get along."
Draco nodded slightly. "I don't know what to do. I keep trying to picture it but I can't. I've never ventured into the muggle world. Ever. And I know Salem is a wizarding academy, but it's right in the middle of the muggle world. I don't know the first thing about that world."
"Are you going home for the next few weeks?"
Draco nodded. "I think so. I doubt my father will be there, but I have nowhere else to go. You?"
"I'm going to Harry's house. It's his first summer he doesn't need to return to his aunt and uncle's, and his house elf has been cleaning the place up. But the memories of Sirius still get him so he doesn't want to be alone, which works for me since I don't have a home anymore."
"I'm…more scared than I would like to admit."
Hermione slowly moved her hand to cover his still lying on the grass beside him. She felt him stiffen slightly, then relax.
"We'll figure it out together. I know enough about the muggle world, but nothing of American culture. We'll just adapt." She saw Draco nod again out of the corner of her eye.
"Thank Merlin that's over!" yelled a voice behind them. Turning, Hermione saw Ron and Harry making their way over. "What's the ferret doing here?"
Draco stiffened under her hand again and she squeezed before letting go. "Ron, seriously, shut up. He's here because I want him here. Either deal with that or go away."
"Seriously, Ron, just quit it," Harry said, and plopped down tiredly next to Draco. Ron just stood there and glared.
"Where's Ginny? I thought she was going to meet up too," Hermione asked.
"Yeah, where is the ginger? I haven't seen her hanging about as much this year," Draco added.
"Oh, you've just now noticed she's gone?" Ron sneered.
"What's that supposed to mean?" she snapped.
"Ron, mate, what's your issue?" Harry asked.
"My issue? MY issue? I'm not the one with issues this year, Harry! You two are the one hanging around ferret-face over here! I've been trying to enjoy my last year here, and you're walking around like you're so much better than all of us!"
"Ron! That's not true! How could you think that?" Hermione asked, scandalized. Harry had gone very still next to Draco.
"Don't even get me started on you, Hermione! Not with you cozying up to Malfoy over there. And running away to the States! No matter what danger you've been told you're in, you're still running away! Some Gryffindor! If you weren't a muggle-born I would think you belonged in Slytherin!" Ron shouted, his ears red.
Harry finally jumped up and got in Ron's face.
"What the hell is your deal mate? I told you, schoolyard grudges mean NOTHING anymore! You've been an utter prat this entire year! Leave Draco alone. Leave Hermione alone. And if you can't grow up, leave me the hell alone. School is over, Ron. Done. And now we're expected to go find out our own paths."
"Oh, DRACO is it now? Isn't that cute? You both make me sick."
"What does any of this have to do with your sister not being here?" Draco calmly asked. He was the only person who still looked relaxed.
"She hasn't been around because of him!" Ron yelled, pointing at Harry.
Everyone paused and looked at Ron curiously.
"What does that even mean, Weasel? From what I've seen, Harry hasn't done anything to harm your sister," Draco drawled.
"He's been ignoring her whilst in his annoying angst moods, that's what! And to see that he'd rather be in your company than hers really hurt her!"
"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard," Draco snapped. "It's not like she has some claim on him. You don't see Hermione getting ass hurt because Harry happens to be stressed about having the weight of the world's survival on his shoulders. Tell her to grow up."
"Shut up about my sister, ferret! You know nothing! You think that just because Hermione is naïve enough to trust you that I'm going accept you too? I don't trust you! Hell, I bet this is all some shit plan your dad concocted to earn more respect with You-Know-Who. He probably even whores out your mum to gain a leg up!"
The blood drained from Draco's face at these words and he jumped up, thoughts of hexes pushed aside in favor of his fists. Harry jumped between them, however, and struggled to hold Draco back.
"Don't, Draco. He's not worth it, and you know it. Just stop," Harry said softly, still struggling with the blonde before turning to face Ron. "Lay off of him, Ron. That was a shit thing to say. Just leave Draco be!"
"Oh look, you came to your boyfriend's defense," Ron said, laughing at his own joke. Then he noticed Harry tense and Draco pause. "Oh my God…that's it, isn't it?"
"What are you talking about, Ron?" Hermione said before Harry could answer. She also stepped between the pair and Ron. "Now you're just spouting nonsense."
"Oh shut up, Hermione. I don't know why I didn't see it before! You're a fag! Of course!"
"I don't know what you're talking about, Weasel. Just because Potter decided to defend a fellow human doesn't automatically mean I'm dating him!"
Harry stepped up to Ron, a determined look in his eyes and a forced calmness to his person. Finally, he said softly, "Well, congratulations Ron. You guessed it. I'm gay. What are you going to do about it?"
"You're actually serious right now? Gay? You're sick, Potter. And with him?" Ron spat.
"Leave Draco out of this. I never said he was gay. Just me."
"What about Ginny, Harry? And my family? I know you don't have one of your own, so maybe you don't know what disappointment feels like!"
Harry paled, but when he spoke his voice had a hard angry tone that sent shivers up Hermione's spine. "Don't throw them in my face, Ron. Ever. Your family has been like a family to me! But I didn't know that my happiness was bought with empty promises!"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ron yelled. "What was empty about it? Everyone has known since the beginning that you would end up with Ginny! But now you're a poofer!"
"I've always been a poofer, Ron! This isn't something I just decided to try on for a bit to see if I like it! And if I had known that my love for your family was being bought with the expectation that I'd marry your sister, I would never have said hello to you on the Hogwarts Express! When have I ever shown interest in Ginny? And why would I want to be with someone who idolizes me?! She's just as bad as the swarms of fans out there! How many times have you all heard me saying that I hate it? So why would I marry someone knowing that's how my life would be? She still acts like that shy first year that sent that bloody valentine to me!" Harry paused and took a deep breath, visibly trying to calm himself. "I never even entertained the idea of marrying her, Ron. Ever. And I didn't realize that my supposed surrogate family was only there for me under that condition."
Ron's face and ears were red, a telltale Weasley sign for extreme anger. "Well, if you wanted the world to leave you alone, this will be it. No one will want to be 'saved' by some faggot."
"Ron, you'd actually do that?" Hermione asked softly. "Even if you're angry, you'd forget all the years of friendship and turn everyone against him just out of spite? Think of all the people counting on him. If you go getting more people to rally against him because of something as stupid as your own homophobia, think how detrimental that could be to the war effort."
"So you expect me to stay friends with him? Sorry but I can't agree with what he's doing. It's disgusting."
"No, that's fine. But don't spread it around, that's all. When you get to training, avoid him. Stay with your family, or maybe in the auror dorms instead of Grimmauld Place. That's all," Hermione said.
"And," Harry chimed in, "when this is all over you can tell everyone you want to. Alive or dead."
Ron stood thinking it over. Finally, he spat, "Fine. I'll keep it to myself until this whole thing is over, because my family is at the center of this war. But, when the whole of the wizarding world is throwing themselves at your feet in thanks and admiration, I'll take joy in bringing you down."
"I look forward to it."
"Why, Mr. Weasley, who knew you had such under-handed tendencies," Snape drawled from their side, having crept up mid-argument when he saw them all in fighting stance.
"Maybe it's from this prat spending so much time with us, I'm starting to act like everyone from your house," Ron sneered.
Raising an eyebrow, Snape curled his lip in disdain. "Tread carefully, Mr. Weasley."
"You're not my professor anymore, Snape! So shove off."
"Let's see…that will be fifty points for threatening a fellow student, fifty points for your cheek, and one hundred points for that last remark. I may not have classes with you any longer, boy, but until you leave this property I am still in charge of you. Pity. It looks like it could've been a seven-year winning streak for Gryffindor house in house points for the first time in history. I will be sure to let your house know that it was you who felt it didn't matter, however. Enjoy your day." With that, Snape nodded to Hermione, Draco, and even Harry before walking elegantly away from an open mouthed Ron.
Author's note: Yes, I realize that I REALLY sped up in this chapter, but I did warn you lot. I want to get them away from Hogwarts. I had thoughts of scrapping this entire story and starting them out when they were older and away from school, but the premise I had typed up in my notes for this story didn't work that way. So, I decided to remove them as fast as possible.
Sorry if you got whiplash.
I'm sorry this is taking forever to update. I'm barely on the middle of chapter 7.
I also went back to a couple previous chapters and added XXXX's to where the line breaks showed in my Word document but not on here. Looks much better.
As always, thank you for reading and, if you so feel like it, reviewing.
Ta.