Realization

Hermione Granger sat on the banks of the creek near the Burrow talking to Ginny Weasley as Harry Potter and Ron Weasley played Quidditch. The day was turning into evening although the moon was not out yet. Suddenly, Hermione heard a huge cheer of joy from Harry.

"That's the third game! Harry Potter is the champion!" He and Ron sat down their broom and came over to sit by the girls. They were unusually (especially for the boys) silent for a few minutes until Ginny spoke up.

"It ... feels so strange, doesn't it?" she whispered. Nobody had to ask what felt weird, because it was on everyone's minds: Cedric's death, Voldemort's resurrection, everything.

"Sirius told me that his 'youth disappeared' for cause of the war against Voldemort. If it lasts too long this time, this summer may be the last time we can actually be 'teenagers'," Harry said. He sighed. As he closed his eyes, he saw Voldemort's menacing stare, the green light, Cedric's limp body, Cho Chang crying hysterically. He opened his eyes and tried to focus on the starry night time sky. He didn't notice Ron grimace at the name 'Voldemort'. However, if he had noticed, it probably wouldn't have astonished him.

"I tried telling my parents everything," sighed Hermione. "But I couldn't make them understand You-Know-Know fully. I don't think they'll ever really get it. It seems weird, having a completely different world that I can't talk to my parents about with freely. They'd never understand the true horrors of him. And if they ever did, they still wouldn't understand how important my role will be in the upcoming war."

Ron looked at his friends. "Dad's been working over time at the Ministry. He hasn't worked this hard since You-Know-Who was in his prime. Dumbledore is trying to bring back 'the old crowd', whatever that means. But more and more people have transferred to the Dark Side."

Ginny gulped. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had been best friends for going on five years. She was just Ron's baby sister. Just the not-so-secret-admirer of Harry for years. Just the only fellow girl Hermione had to talk to in the Wizarding world. But she still didn't consider herself as 'one of the group'. And she was sure the others felt that she was merely a tagalong. She got up and silently began to walk towards the Burrow, thinking no one would notice. Harry saw, however, and went to follow her.

"Well, Hermione," sighed Ron, standing up. "Who knows what'll happen next year. But the four of us will face it together. Things are so different. And they'll get even stranger." They had grown up so much since they had first met on the train on the way to Hogwarts in their first year.

"Oh, Ron," whispered Hermione, "I'm so scared. We're in so much danger. I don't know what I would do without..." she drifted off as her voice began to break. Burying her face into Ron's chest, she began to sob.

"Hermione, shhh. Everything will be okay. We'll make it. Trust me." They slowly walked back to the Burrow, hand in hand, Harry's words ringing in their minds. "This summer may be the last time we can actually be 'teenagers'."