The Seventh Year

See the market place in old Algiers,

Send me photographs and souvenirs,

Just remember when a dream appears,

You belong to me...

Ron had his own thoughts as he ran the song through his head. Second year, when he had to put up with that stupid git, Gilderoy Lockhart, who Hermione had had a crush on. In third year, when he broke his leg and found out that he had been housing a servant of You-Know-Who in his house for twelve years: his pet rat, Scabbers, who had turned out to be Peter Pettigrew. In fourth year, when he and Harry had actually stopped talking for a few months after Harry had gotten into the Triwizard Tournament. They became best friends again, and Ron even had his time in the spotlight, because he had been Harry's victim in the second task.

And then in fifth year, when Harry had confided it in Ron that he secretly had a crush on Ginny and wanted to go out with her. Ron had told Harry that he had had a crush on Hermione since first year, be never really wanted anybody to know. So Harry brought the two of them together, and they didn't want to leave each other, he and Hermione. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley even approved of Hermione staying over their house over the summer. But it had only been last night when they had shared their first kiss. They were hiding from Colin Creevey, who wanted to take pictures of them together. And they ended up in a broomstick closet. And it just came. They started making out in a broomstick closet...

Oh, I'll be so alone without you

Maybe you'll be lonesome too...

There was a sharp bang from across the room as two figures walked in, laughing hysterically. It was Ron's older brothers, Fred and George. They had come to stay at the castle for the last week of school while Mr. and Mrs. Weasley went to visit Charlie in Romania.

The Trio looked away, still incredibly sad about the events to come tomorrow. They would have the graduation ceremony, and then go their separate ways, only to see each other on the train ride home. Of course they would always keep in touch through Owl Post, but it wouldn't be the same as seeing each other in the flesh...

Fly the ocean in a silver plane,

See the jungle when it's wet with rain,

Just remember 'till you're home again

You belong to me...

Hermione was actually holding a box of tissues because she was crying so much. She didn't want to leave Hogwarts; it had become her home-away-from-home. It was one of the best places in the world. Of course, she would be getting a job there sooner or later, but she wanted to keep taking classes and staying in her dormitory. The thought of flunking her exams had actually crossed her mind for a quick second.

But she remembered second year, with Gilderoy Lockhart. He was such a cutie, but absolutely no brains whatsoever. She had been Petrified by the basilisk, a serpent with eyes that can kill upon looking at them. She had been the one to figure everything out, but Harry and Ron had actually saved the school from being closed for good.

And third year, when she had applied for so many classes that she had to use a Time Turner to make it to all of them. She hadn't revealed it to anybody, not even Harry and Ron, until they had to go back three hours in time to stop Buckbeak, a hippogriff that Draco Malfoy (whom she had actually slapped that year as well) had provoked into scratching him, escape, and to let Sirius Black, Harry's godfather, escape on his back.

Fourth year, when Harry and Ron had stopped talking, and she had to play interpreter between the two. She had to be friends with Harry one moment, then friends with Ron the next. She had gone to the Yule Ball with Viktor Krum, an eighteen-year-old from Durmstrang, another wizarding school. Ron had gone ballistic over it, and they had a row in the common room, ending up with them not speaking to each other.

And then fifth year. Ahh, glorious fifth year, where she and Ron had told each other how they felt about one another. And then yesterday, when they had ended up making out in a broom closet. It had been a weird experience, seeing as how neither of them had made out anywhere before. But that had sparked the beginning of a more serious relationship that everyone - for some strange reason - had expected to happen. She loved Ron dearly...

Oh, I'll be so alone without you,

Maybe you'll be lonesome too

Fly the ocean in a silver plane

See the jungle when it's wet with rain

Just remember 'till you're home again

You belong to me...

"I don't want it to end," Harry said finally, breaking the silence. "I don't want any of it to end."

Hermione and Ron smiled.

"We don't want it to end either, Harry," Hermione said, handing Harry a tissue. He had started to cry. His eyes were sparkling.

"We'll still get to see each other often, won't we?" Ron asked, taking a tissue and blowing his nose.

"I hope so. Things just won't be the same without you two," Harry said. "I mean, coming to Hogwarts and seeing you guys every year was the only thing keeping me from going insane when I was with the Dursley's over the summer. Now I'll probably go insane."

"Maybe now Dumbledore will let you move in with Sirius," Hermione said. "He's cleared, right?"

"Yea, and he has a house, too. But still," Harry said, looking at Ron and then Hermione from in between them. "You two have been the best friends that I've ever had, and ever will have."

"And you've been one of the best friends I've ever had, Harry," Ron said.

"Who's the other?" Harry asked.

"Why, Hermione of course!" Ron exclaimed.

"I'm only kidding around, Ron. I knew it was Hermione," Harry said, smiling.

"Well, we'd best get some rest for graduation tomorrow. We don't want to fall asleep while we're getting our wizarding licenses, do we?" Hermione asked, getting up off the couch and pulling Harry and Ron up with her.

"You're probably right, 'Mione," Ron said, calling her the special nickname he had chosen for her in fifth year.

"I know I'm right," Hermione said, smiling.

Graduation the next day was the toughest part. All the seventh years, including the Slytherin's, were crying. Harry had finally made amends with Draco Malfoy, his archenemy for all seven years of his wizarding life. They had put aside their differences and decided that if they were ever to see each other again, they would be polite and nice. It was the best thing they could do.

Ron and Hermione made amends with Malfoy, too. Draco had made fun of Ron's family and Hermione's heritage, calling her a 'Mudblood', which meants 'dirty blood'.

"I would like to announce for all to see, the graduating seventh years!" Professor Albus Dumbledore yelled from the podium. "All the staff wishes you the best of luck on the next of your journeys."

Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor House, Transfiguration professor, and Deputy Headmistress, stood up and walked to the magical microphone.

"Would Mr. Harry Potter, Mr. Ronald Weasley, and Miss Hermione Granger please step up here for a moment?" she asked.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione all walked silently up to the podium. The Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs were all smiling. Even some of the Slytherins were smiling, too.

"These three students have shown extraordinary bravery over the past seven years. They have saved the school time and time again, even if it meant breaking a few rules every now and again," McGonagall stopped to grin at the Trio. "But, in any case, these three have all been given awards for special services for the school."

The whole Great Hall, where the ceremony was being held, erupted in cheering. Everybody of course knew that this would happen, but it was still great to hear the news.

"Thanks, Professor!" Hermione cried. She hugged Professor McGonagall tightly.

"You're very welcome, Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall replied, patting Hermione on the back.

Harry, Ron, and Hermion all sat back down, in which, Professor Dumbledore rose up again.

"I understand that this seventh year class has a song that they wish me to play for them?" he asked.

The Hall nodded.

Dumbledore pointed at a magical radio, and the song began to play.

See the pyramids along the Nile,

Watch the sun rise from a tropic isle

Just remember darling all the while,

You belong to me...

See the market place in old Algiers

Send me photographs and souvenirs

Just remember when a dream appears

You belong to me...

Oh, I'll be so alone without you

Maybe you'll be lonesome too...

Fly the ocean in a silver plane

See the jungle when it's wet with rain

Just remember 'till you're home again

You belong to me...

Oh, I'll be so alone without you

Maybe you'll be lonesome too...

Fly the ocean in a silver plane

See the jungle when it's wet with rain

Just remember 'till you're home again

You belong to me...

That song marked the end of the line for the Hogwarts seventh years. Although it could have probably been the darkest times the school had seen in decades, it had still been the best.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all crying and laughing at the same time as the song ended. Harry would have the end of the day to say good-bye to Ginny and tell her to write all the time and never forget about him, and Ron and Hermione would have enough time to go back to the broom closet and make out again. Everything would end perfectly for the seventh years. It had been the best seven years of their lives.

Oh, I'll be so alone without you

Maybe you'll be lonesome too...

...Just remember 'till you're home again

You belong to me...