Until the Last Breath

I remember looking out my window with Crookshanks curled up in my lap and my Transfiguration homework spread out in front of me. I was staring absentmindedly in the mirror sitting on Lavender Brown's end table. I wasn't really paying attention to my reflection of bushy brown hair and brown eyes in the mirror; I was deep in thought thinking about Harry. He still had not gotten over the fact that Cedric died and Voldemort was back. It must be hard on him I know, as it had just happened two years ago. Since then Voldemort had been regaining power, getting new followers and regaining old ones. Some of the followers were at our school I think, a lot of the Slytherins were acting differently since the beginning of last year. But that wasn't what had troubled me; as it was only a matter of time before the Slytherins had joined Voldemort's circle, just as their parents had done before them. The part that troubled me is that you couldn't trust anyone any more. You didn't know who was on your side or theirs, who was your friend or your enemy. I was pretty sure about Harry, Ron and most of the Gryffindor's though. Most of them had common sense. Most of them.

'Hermione? You there?' I heard a familiar voice call in the room. It was Parvarti Patil, one of my roommates. She was very pretty; she had long dark hair and dark eyes. I liked her eyes best, more than anyone else's. You could tell what she was thinking and feeling just by looking at them, and that didn't make her a good liar. That was something good about her; she was really honest. You couldn't find that quality in many people.

'Oh there you are Hermione. I wanted to ask you something, Lavender and me couldn't decide. Do you think Lavender looks better in her long red dress or her strapless black one? She has a date with Ron you know, tonight. Don't you think they just look darling together? I'm just so glad they hooked up! Lavender has liked Ron for an awfully long time; she just never had the guts to say anything. We all thought he liked you, you know? But I guess not, he asked her out after all. But that was partly my doing. I accidentally-well not really but you know. Anyway I told Harry that Lavender liked Ron at the Yule Ball two years ago, she really was disappointed that she had already agreed to go with Seamus. It's about time he asked her out! Do you know if he has ever had a girlfriend? I'll have to ask him about that, but not now...I have to help Lavender pick out her dress. So what do you think black or red?' Parvarti said this all very quickly, she had a tendency to babble on and on about things. It had taken me a moment to register what Parvarti had just said.

'Well, I don't know. I've never seen the red one,' I said hesitantly. I'll admit I wasn't the best person to ask about clothes.

'Well the red one is beautiful, I helped her pick it out, two years ago, it was supposed to be for the Yule ball, but it didn't match with Seamus' dress robes at all, so she had to change into her other ones. I don't know why she agreed to go with him in the first place, he has no fashion sense at all. I mean none, did you see his dress robes. Ew! Anyway, the red dress is long, it is a bit too long for Lavender, but if she wears heels with it, it is okay. It is has thin straps, and there is a charm on it that makes it shimmer, it has Veela hair along the edges. That really makes it shine. I think it suits her well. Wow, I think she should wear the red dress. Thanks for all your help Hermione, you're a lifesaver!' And with that Pavarti ran off, Hermione didn't even get a chance to say anything. You had to be a good listener to be friends with Pavarti, that's probably why Lavender was her best friend. Lavender was really shy and didn't say much, except to Parvarti, they gossiped like nothing you have seen before. But when talking to other people Lavender tended to get really shy. It had hardly been a minute when Pavarti came running back in.

'Okay, Hermione! Look, isn't she beautiful! She wanted to leave her hair down, but I finally convinced her to put it up. I think we both agree that it looks much better,'

Lavender indeed looked very pretty, with her light brown hair pulled up in a loose bun, her long silver earrings and the red dress. Parvarti had been right; it was a nice dress. She was smiling rather nervously, and her face had turned a pale, ghostly colour, though it was hardly noticeably with all the make-up she had on. She looked at me expectantly.

'Err...You look beautiful Lavender. Have fun tonight,' I wasn't quite sure what to say.

'Oh she's mad!' Lavender said toward Parvarti, and she turned and ran toward me. She probably would have sat down on my bed if it weren't covered with homework. 'You're mad aren't you?' I shook my head no. 'Are you sure, I knew I shouldn't have done this. Now I feel bad, everyone was saying how you and Ron were made for each other, and then I stepped in. I'm not going Parvarti you can't make me!' Lavender had gone back over to Parvarti who was still standing in the door of the sixth year girl dormitories.

'Lavender, you have to go. It would break Ron's heart if you didn't! And after we spent all that time getting ready-' I interrupted Parvarti, her voice was bugging me, and I really wanted to focus on my homework, there was a test on Monday.

'It's okay Lavender; you can go. I don't mind really. I don't like Ron that much anyway. I never really did, I don't know why everyone thinks that.'

'Are you sure?' Lavender said. She always worried about everyone; she never wanted to hurt anyone's feelings.

'Positive, now go and have fun,' Both her and Parvarti left the room, but not before Parvarti told me that she also would be gone that evening, she was going out with Dean Thomas, another fifth year. I was happy for her, but only because I would get the whole girls dormitories all alone for at least a couple hours that night.

It suddenly struck me that it was seven o'clock and I hadn't eaten anything since lunch. I made my way down the stairs, almost hitting Natalie McDonald as she was running quickly.

The Gryffindor common room was pretty much deserted, a couple seventh year girls were in the corner whispering something and giggling, a group of first year boys had just left as I came in, but other than that, there was no one. I was just about to head out, when the portrait hole opened and the once empty common room began to fill up.

'Harry, you're just as bad as Wood was. You'd think you were trying to kill us!' Fred had said. Or it might have been George. 'I'm going to sleep, g'night everyone!'

Everyone left but Harry.

'I can't believe them; I don't understand how Oliver did it. I was going to get something to eat, you want something?' Harry said.

'I was just about to leave too; I'm starved. Haven't eaten since lunch,' I said.

'Alright, hold on let me take a shower,' Harry left to take a shower and I flopped myself down on the couch. I really should have been upstairs doing my transfiguration, I wanted to get a head start on tomorrow's reading, we were beginning more difficult transfiguration this year. Not that I didn't know how. I was the top of the class after all. I should have stayed upstairs.

In a few minutes Harry came out, his hair was still wet; he never bothered to dry it. We made our way to the kitchens. We found it quickly, as we had been there many times before.

Right before we tickled the pear in the fruit bowl painting Harry stopped me, 'Hermione, you are not going to get the house elves to ask for money again, are you? You know they like working. They actually like it.'

'Relax Harry, I get it now. I have been doing more research over the summer about the house elves and found out why they serve wizards; I must have missed it before. They chose this,' I went into the kitchens with Harry close behind me. It had hardly been a second when they all came running up to Harry and me. Well, I should say Harry; the house elves are not too fond of me after the last couple years. Oh well. I heard a familiar squeak and looked down to see Dobby. He was wearing a bright green shirt that had blinking blue spots on it, he still loved his socks, and it seemed he had gotten some new ones over the summer. I looked up because it was too painful for my eyes to look at Dobby's shirt.

'Can Dobby get you anything misses?' Dobby squeaked. However, before I got a chance to answer, a bunch of house elves had brought me some tea. Harry and I sat down at the table, as house elves brought us a different dish every few minutes. After we were full, Harry suggested we go on a walk. As it was a beautiful night, we walked around the lake. Nothing was said for the first few moments until Harry broke the ice. 'You're not mad about Ron and Lavender are you?'

I could just imagine the look on my face, I was stunned, 'NO. Harry why is everyone saying that!? I could not care less about Ron and Lavender!'

'Oh, okay. I was just wondering and stuff,' Harry said sheepishly.

'It's all right Harry. It is just that everyone is bugging me about it. I don't like Ron,' Harry gave a small 'Oh' and they continued walking.

'What's that?' Harry pointed to a tree near the lake, something was moving near it.