Dear Parvati,
I finished my last year at Hogwarts. There was a nice little ceremony at the end, you would have loved it. We stayed late after everyone else went on to bed, and then had what pretty much was a party. The next day we left the castle by the very same boats that took us to Hogwarts in the first place.
It feels strange to leave Hogwarts for the last time. I had pictured leaving of course. Much of last year I spent lot of time looking forward to it. I had always picture leaving it with you though, in the same boat that we came in, naturally.
I got N.E.W.T results back a few days ago. They weren't quite up to Hermione's standards, but I thought they were quite good. Out parents were proud too, and I think that you would have been too. You were always proud of me when I did well. That's one of the things that I admired about you. Whenever someone (you!) did better than me, I got miffed. But whenever I did better than me, you would be proud of me. That always amazed me that you could do that, that you were never jealous of my grades, when yours weren't usually as good.
I got my first job today. It's at a little book store in Diagon alley. Not flourish and Blotts, but a good place for a first job. I don't think I'll stay there, but it's good to keep busy, and it's really neat to look at all the old books that they have in the back.
I know it's silly, but for some reason, when I was younger, I thought that when we grew up, we would work together. When I got older I thought that we would work close to each other. Now that I'm grown up it ends up that I'm working nowhere near you. It's funny how that works out don't you think?
Thanks for listening; it really helps me clear my head. Sorry for not writing sooner.
Thinking of you,
Padma