The Last Time

When they thought about it, it was strange to know that this was the end. It didn't seem like it had been seven years. It didn't seem like it should be time for the final feast again. It didn't even seem like it should be a Friday.

It had all gone too fast.

Did they have regrets? Perhaps. If they did, they kept them to themselves.

It was odd to think that within a few short hours, they would be gone from this place forever. Time, as ever, had slipped through their fingers and the years could not be relived. It saddened them to know that in a few hours, all they would have left would be their memories. And even those would not be there forever.

For it was the end of another year at Hogwarts. The final feast before they left for home. The final celebration before they went out into the world - a world that was not quite as safe as it once had been. For these graduates, a future was not guaranteed, but only because the threat of the Dark Lord was still very real.

For Harry, Ron and Hermione, this was their future. They were part of that group of teenagers who would soon be gone. They had shared so much during their time at Hogwarts and they were almost inseparable, yet they knew that it was unlikely they would stay in touch.

In the last few hours before the feast, the three of them, along with the other seventh year Gryffindors, Slytherins, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, packed away their belongings into trunks and pulled down their posters with some regret. They looked around their bedrooms for the last time.

The seventh year boys and girls walked down the stairs from their dormitories and hugged each other in their common rooms for the last time.

The seventh year Gryffindors climbed through their portrait hole and thanked the Fat Lady for the last time.

They walked down the Hogwarts staircases for the last time.

They pushed open the double doors and entered the great hall for the last time.

They sat at their house table for the last time.

They waited for Dumbledore to announce the winner of the house cup for the last time.

The Gryffindor table erupted into screams and yells of triumph. Harry, Ron and Hermione hugged in celebration for the last time.

They ate all their favourite foods off Hogwarts' magical plates and drank pumpkin juice from Hogwarts' golden goblets for the last time.

They listened to Hufflepuff Hannah Abbott's speech and were dismissed from the hall for the last time.

They stood in the entrance hall, seventh years from all four houses for the last time. Hugging. Saying goodbye. Promising to keep in touch.

Slowly, seventh years began to leave.

In the end, it was only Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco Malfoy who remained. Ron told Harry and Hermione that he would wait outside. Hermione wished Malfoy good luck and went to wait with Ron.

Harry, like Draco had done seven years ago, offered the other boy his hand.

Draco took it and they shook, wishing each other good luck, figuring that they were never going to see each other again, so they might as well be polite.

Together, they left Hogwarts for the last time.

They parted, and both travelled on the Hogwarts Express for the last time.

They arrived at Platform Nine and Three Quarters and went through the barrier for the last time.

On Platform Nine of Kings' Cross Station, London, Draco Malfoy's eyes met Harry Potter's for the last time.

Both smiled.

For the first and last time.

End