Learning to Live

Chapter One

"Harry," Ron said, as he took the time to look at his best friend, "Today's our last day."

He nodded. "I know ... "

They were both sitting on the floor, in the corner of the abandoned Gryffindor Common Room. They had been sitting there for little under and hour, and up until that very moment, they had both been pretending to be very engrossed with reading their books. Neither was interested in the content of either book, they were secretly mulling all of this over in their heads.

They were at the end of their seventh year and Hogwarts was almost a thing of the past.

Their friendships had grown even more, they had formed new frienships, they had learned more than they thought possible, and they had matured more than ever.

Ron squinted a bit, thinking hard. He scanned the room quickly. "I think I'm gonna miss it."

"I think I'm gonna miss it too," Harry said slowly, "And now that I stop to think about it, I really don't have anywhere to live."

"Oh, please," Ron said, grinning, "You've got somewhere to live, you thickhead."

Harry looked up at him. "I really don't want to be a burden to your mom. And while she let me stay on holiday, I don't -- "

"Pfft. Please." He shook his head, "Like my mom would let you stay anywhere else. You're like her own son. Until we find somewhere, you're stuck with me, man. We'll be at the Burrow. Potter and Weasley at the Burrow. That's all there is."

Harry felt a grin spread across his face. "I appreciate it," he said. There was no way to describe how much he appreciated it. He was never going back to Number 4, Privet Drive. He was never going back to the Dursleys'. Not once, if he had any say in it.

They were both sitting a tad akwardly in the silence that followed, for neither boy was good with showing their emotions toward each other, despite the best friend factor.

There was a small bang as Hermione walked into the common room and silently crossed the room to take a seat on one of the poofy couches, completely across the room from where Ron and Harry were currently talking. She didn't take out a book like normal, she just gazed at the floor.

After a few more moments passed without her saying a word to them, they looked at each other, concerned looks on both faces.

"Hermione?" they both asked cautiously, in unison.

She didn't answer, continued to stare at the carpet.

"Hermione." Harry stood up slowly, taking a small step forward.

She took her time to look up at him. "Yeah?" Her voice sounded small and a bit far away, confirming their thoughts that there was something wrong with her.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked, though they both knew the answer.

"Yeah ... I just can't believe ... "

They looked at her, with looks pressing her to continue.

"I can't believe that we're leaving!" She burst into sudden tears, buring her face in her hands.

"Oh, Hermione ... " they mumured together.

They both got up and came to sit next to her: Harry to her right on the couch, Ron kneeling on the floor, and what he hoped was a comforting hand on her knee.

They didn't know what to say -- they never knew what to say -- so, they just let her cry and didn't say a thing, hoping that she talk when she was done bawling.

"I really can't believe it," she sobbed, "I mean, this is our last day! We're going out into the real world now! Without Professor Dumbledore or our friends to protect us! We're not going to know what to do! I don't know if I can handle it!"

Ron shook his head. "D-don't worry about it, Hermione -- we'll be fine!"

"What if we loose touch?" she asked, taking in a shuddering breath. She looked panicked, as though this was something that could, and would, happen. "What if we never see each other anymore?!"

"Oh, please, like that's gonna happen." Harry then smiled and shook his head, "I'm staying at Ron's until we find somewhere to stay. Somewhere to live. Then you can live with us, Hermione. It'll be fine."

She wiped her tears and smiled at him. "I suppose so ... "

"I'm gonna miss everyone else though ... " Harry looked slowly around the common room, "I'm gonna miss this school. Good times here. I'm gonna miss getting into trouble ... "

"Leaving school isn't gonna keep us from trouble," Ron pointed out, grinning.

"Well, it won't be quite the same ... "

Seamus, Dean, and Neville came tromping into the common room, chattering loudly.

Hermione took one look at them, made a small noise like a squeak, and started bawling all over again.

"What happened?!" Seamus exclaimed, as the three of them quickly walked over.

"She's gonna miss you guys," Harry explained.

"Ohhh ... " Dean sat across from them and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "We'll see each other, Hermione," he assured her, "We'll make sure to talk to you a lot -- "

"Exactly!" Seamus said, "Dean, Neville, and I are gonna be roomates once we get out of here -- we'll have you guys around!"

Neville nodded vigorously. "And I promise that I'll write you all the time!"

She took a deep breath and seemed to think about it. She then jumped up and hugged all five of the guys in turn. "I love you boys!"

They smiled at her. Then they took the time to think about it and laughed at their situation.

"What I really can't believe is how fast time has passed," Ron said, "I think about it, and I can remember perfectly when we were all sorted ... "

"I know," Dean said, nodding, "I remember it too."

"I remember every year," Harry said, "Hit by hit."

"The Sorcerer's Stone," Ron said.

"The Chamber of Secrets and the Heir of Slytherin," Dean added in.

"Sirius and Pettigrew," Hermione said slowly.

"The Tri-Wizard Tournament and ... Cedric ... " Ron said rather quietly.

"Sirius and Voldemort," Harry finished stolidly.

They all sat in silence for a few minutes. No one wanted to say anything to Harry, or to each other, for that matter. The years had flown by, and soon almost everyone knew everything that had been kept secret in past years.

"W-when are we due out on the Quidditch field?" Harry asked after a few minutes.

"In about an hour," Hermione answered blearily, "This is just like American Muggle graduations," she told them, "They call you up, and Dumbledore gives you a diploma, a certificate telling your achievements. And that's it," she sniffled, obviously trying not to cry again, "There'll be speeches too. And family watching from the audience."

The boys nodded slowly, absorbing this all.

They were leaving Hogwarts.

They were really doing it.