Return to Hogwarts

Like the rest of the Wizarding world, Platform 9 ¾ was almost, but not quite, back to normal. There was the bustle of families seeing their children off to school, but beneath the gaiety, there was still a trace of caution. And then there were families like the Creeveys, there to send Dennis off, but one could easily tell that each one of them felt the pain of not sending Colin off as well. There were a few Muggle-born students who were now without parents as a result of the war, as well. Hermione glanced sadly at a third year Gryffindor boy who was obviously being sent off by his grandmother. His mother had contacted her as a prefect to look after him during his first year.

Ron squeezed her hand. "Ok, luv?"

Hermione nodded. He helped load her trunk onto the train, and then they returned to the platform. Next to them, Harry and Ginny were making a bit of a spectacle of themselves, snogging intensely. Ron rolled his eyes and shoved them a bit. The couple pointedly ignored him.

Molly glanced at them and tutted, before enveloping Hermione in one of her signature hugs. "Have a wonderful term at school, dear. And I'll be sure to look in on your parents. Don't you worry about them. We'll see you at Christmas."

Arthur Weasley had decided that everyone had gotten the point now that his daughter had managed to snag The Boy Who Lived, and tapped Harry on the shoulder. Harry stepped back a bit sheepishly, as Arthur enveloped his daughter in a hug. "Be good, now, you hear? Study well, and we wouldn't complain if you brought home another Quidditch cup for Gryffindor." He winked at her.

"Bye, Daddy. I love you."

Arthur and Molly then switched girls. "I don't think there's anything else you can do to make us any prouder," Arthur addressed his son's girlfriend as he hugged her goodbye.

Hermione then hugged Harry tightly. "It's not going to be the same there without you there," she observed.

Harry chuckled, "Just think, you may go the whole year without any detentions without me to get you into trouble." They both laughed as she brushed out his new Auror robes.

The warning whistle blew, and she felt Ron's arms around her waist, reclaiming her for one final goodbye, as Harry moved back toward Ginny.

"I love you," Ron murmured in her ear, before turning her to face him.

"I love you, too, Ron," she reached up to kiss him. He wiped a tear from her cheek.

"Just say the word, and I'll be there at the banquet."

She shook her head and smiled up at him and sighed. She grabbed his hands and looked him in the eye. "This is so difficult, but I really think that we're both where we need to be this year. I wish there was another way, Ron. I really do."

He nodded sadly, inhaling deeply. "It's only for the one year," he agreed, obviously not placated himself by this thought. They'd had this conversation dozens of times over the past weeks. "And Hogsmeade weekends are only a few weeks away. I'll come to every Quidditch game I can, my baby sister is the Captain after all. Then Christmas will be here before we know it."

Hermione nodded, scared to speak lest she burst into tears. She slowly stepped up on the first step of the carriage and then turned around, finding that this brought her up to nearer Ron's height; she giggled and kissed him again. The final whistle blew, and she scooted aside as a tearful Ginny rushed aboard and to her compartment. She acknowledged Harry's pleading look with a nod. "I'll take care of her," she promised both boys, "I'll look in on her as soon as I get the prefects settled."

"Owl when you get there?" Ron asked.

Hermione kissed him again quickly as the train started moving. She stood in the door watching as she left her two best friends behind ... or maybe it was them leaving her behind. In any case, this was uncharted territory for Hermione, returning to Hogwarts without 'her boys', and it was making her feel as unsettled as she did when she rode the train when she was a first year. As the train picked up speed, she turned, wiped the tears from her face, and walked toward the prefects' compartment to join Neville and start the meeting.