Before 19 Years Later

Explanations and the Feast

Hermione P.O.V.
As we approached the familiar castle it finally hit me, this was our last year at Hogwarts. I fought back tears as I watched the first years get off the boat and follow Hagrid with some frightened, nervous, awed, and excited faces. Which only brought the force of tears to come harder as I remembered how overwhelmed I felt when I walked up to the castle. I remember thinking that was to be my home for the next few months before Christmas when I would return to mum and dad. I felt Ron's eyes on me when I took deep breaths to not cry.
"Hey, you okay?" Ron asked me with a worried expression written on his face.
"Yes" I replied.
"Hermione, I know you better than that something's up. What?"
"Just...memories" I said as we reached the Great Hall and headed towards the Griffindor table. Once we sat down, Professor Sprout lead the first years in instead of McGonagoll since she replaced Dumbledore after, after he died.
"Alright first years line up here and let the sorting begin!" Professor Sprout announced cheerily.
"Bethany Carter" the Sorting Hat was placed on her head then called out, "Hufflepuff!" And again with,
Mason Greene, Hufflepuff
Crystal Kennedy, Griffindor
Erika Amoure, Ravenclaw
Jennifer Amoure, Ravenclaw
Jonah Torres, Gryffindor
Tori Gladeus, Slytherin
Rachel Coffey, Hufflepuff
Julia Gallow, Gryffindor
Taylor Hallow, Gryffindor
and so on, until there was no longer a line and the scroll that held all the first year names had been rolled up and cleared until it would be used again next fall. McGonagoll cleared her throat effectively silencing the hall,
"Students please return to your dorms with the exception of the seventh years from all houses. I think you lot know why." Once everyone filed out only a handful of the usuals remained from each table. We all stared expectantly at her waiting to be given more insight on the Baby Project. Not long after she started with the explanation.
"Alright I know you all might be confused on this whole Baby Project. I'm here to clear it up. this year the ministry decided that you lot needed to be prepared for that future. So you will be pared up with someone from the same house. You will each be given a "house" to live in with your baby. the baby will be fake but will require the same needs and love that a normal baby would. Girls, you will go through pregnancy but instead of the normal nine months, it will only last three. One month for each trimester, and every week will be equal to one month. You will give birth but the pain will be lessened greatly and it won't last as long a a normal birth." I was intrigued with what she was saying and felt a lot more comfortable knowing that it wasn't going to hurt as much as a real birth would. McGonagoll continued, "I will now give you your partners,
•Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley
•Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger
•Neville Longbottem and Luna Lovegood
•Draco Malfoy and Astoria Greengrass..."
And so on. but I was quite happy with my partner so I didn't pay any attention to the rest. She continued,
"Now if the pairs will please come up to the front to get the packets with your information. this will include where you live, what you have to do to "conceive" your baby(s), and when your parenting class will be." she said as we made our way up to the front. Ron grabbed our packet and we made our way to the back of the small group of seventh years. We opened our packet which would contain the information that would decide the rest of the year.