Last Kiss

12 Grimmauld Place to King's Cross

Hermione’s POV

As I walked through the doors of 12, Grimmauld Place, I couldn’t help but feel a burst of excitement to see my best friends for the first time since the summer started and since the... war ended. I heard the soft, dreamy voice of Luna Lovegood, and the loud, sometimes annoying voice of Ron Weasley bickering with Harry Potter, probably about something completely irrelevant to the conversation at hand.  Oh, it felt so good to be back!

I walked in, much to the excitement of the others, and sit down. We exchanged greetings, and more than a few hugs, and start to catch up about what we did over the summer. Harry and Ron talked about Harry’s new broom: The Firebolt 2001, the latest version.

“I’m so happy to be back!” I said to my best friends.

“We’re happy you’re here!” Ron said giving me a big bear hug and a kiss on the cheek. “We missed you.”

“I missed you too.” I hugged both of them and smile. “I have something to tell you.”

“Anything!” the boys said in unison.  “Come on then, spit it out!”

“I’m going back to Hogwarts this year to re-do 7th year.” I explain. “You’re coming with me, right?”

They all look at me sadly and shook their heads slowly, even Luna, Ginny, and Neville.

“You- you aren’t?” I asked.

“No. we’re really sorry ‘Mione.” said Harry.

“Harry and me are getting full time jobs as Aurors; someone has to round up the last Death Eaters, right!?” Ron said excitedly.

“And I’m going over to shell cottage to stay with Bill and Fleur.” Luna chimed in with a hint of sadness in her soft voice.

“I’ll be joining Harry and Ron and the Order.” Ginny said sadly. It’s hard to think she’s not coming.  She is one of my best friends.

“A-and I’m going to get a degree in Herbology. I hope to end up teaching at Hogwarts.” Neville explained.

“So, none of you are going to be with me?” I ask,

“Ginny, Luna! You guys were only 6th years during the war. You have to return!”  I said desperately.  Ginny and Luna shook their heads again and shared a dark look when I mentioned the word ‘war’.

“We’re really really sorry Hermione. Right guys?” Ron apologized.  There are nods from every one of my friends.  

‘Hmm,' I thought sadly. 'I was expecting this visit to be much happier.’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

September 1st came much faster than I had hoped. I walked through the barrier at King’s Cross, and thought about who I will spend my time with. Nobody, I guess. This is going to be a long year.  I walked onto the train, and thought about the memories here. Neville, who kept losing his toad, the dementors’ attack, meeting Remus, and the thing I would never forget: meeting my two best friends. Of course, I didn’t like them much at first, but once you’ve met those two clumsy, annoying, hilarious boys, there was no way you couldn’t get attached to them. Even little Won Won. I laughed at the thought, and tried to find an empty compartment.

I found one and sat down with a hollow feeling inside of me. I hoped I could sit alone today, and think about all the happy memories. I knew that was what would keep me going this year.

I heard light footsteps padding down the hall. Probably looking for friends, I thought, sadly reminded of the fact that I’ll be alone this year. To my surprise, the person walked into my compartment. I looked at him - the pale skin, the loose blond hair, the shockingly gray eyes, and tall figure.  It took me one second to figure out who it was.  Draco Malfoy.

“Get out.” I said.

He looked at me in shock; he probably thought this compartment was empty.

“Get out!” I hissed, louder that time.

He looked over at me, and smirked. I hated that smirk so much.

“Nice to see you too, Granger.”

He sat opposite of me, for my annoyance or his pleasure I had no idea.

“Why are you sitting with me?” I asked, dreading the answer.

“Because I want to” he replied.

“When have you ever liked me?” I laughed. “The truth, please.”

“Well,” he mumbled, “there were no more empty compartments, and no one else will let me stay with them. No one really... likes me.”

“And what makes you think that I like you?” I snorted.

“Please?” he asked quietly, with his head hanging down. Wow! What happened to him over the summer!? I had never seen Draco Malfoy that vulnerable. I almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

“You really have no friends?” I asked quietly.

“No. Goyle... died, and Crabbe got sent to Azkaban.” I shuddered.

Eager to change the subject, he asked me a few questions.

“Speaking of friends, where are Potter and Weasel?”

I looked at him in annoyance. “It’s Weasley. And they aren’t here. They got jobs.” I said sadly.

“And Longbottom, Loony, and Weaslette?” he asked, knowing it would annoy me.

“Ugh!” I cried out in frustration.

“You are an annoying git! Their names are Neville, Luna, and Ginny! Why can’t you be nice for once? And- they aren’t here either.” I added hesitantly.

I slouched against the window, staring outside for a few minutes. Then I asked him a question that had been on my mind for a while.

“Do you ever feel like everyone tries to act as though the war never happened?”

“Yeah.” he said, surprised. “All the time.”

Those few words released the tension between us, at least for the moment. We spent the rest of the time talking and joking around.

‘Wow, Malfoy has really changed,’ I thought. ‘But in a good way.’ I smiled to myself, and got ready to be back at Hogwarts.