A/N: Well this is it...its finally over...my last chapter of my first ever novel...I hope you loved reading it, as I did writing it...well on with the show!
Thanks again to my beta: Niffler80, Mandy! You so totally rock!
The sunlight pierced through the window, which blinded my tightly closed eyes. I rolled over to get the light out of my eyes, and I stopped to listen to the soft sounds of breathing from the person lying next to me. I squinted my eyes to focus at her, as she slowly shifted herself, fluttered her eyes, and awoke with a smile.
“Good morning, Honey,” he said, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Morning, Honey,” she said, smiling widely and leaning forward to give him a kiss.
“So today’s the day,” he said as he slowly stroked her arm. “Are you ready to graduate?”
“Yup. You got your speech ready?” she said, rolling over to swing her feet over the side of the bed.
“What? There was a speech we had to do?” Ron gasped, as he shot out of bed and rushed to his desk table, searching for his speech.
“Ron, you forgot to do it?” she asked, shaking her head, as he looked frantically for his speech.
“I know where I left it…downstairs,” he said, taking a breath as he picked up the parchment that had fallen to the floor.
“Good,” she said, putting her hair up in a bun.
“You want to meet me downstairs in ten minutes?” he suggested, preparing himself for their last breakfast at Hogwarts.
“Sure,” she said, walking over to him and giving him a kiss.
She walked to the door. “Don’t take too long, Honey,” he said mockingly, staring at her from behind. She quickly turned around and caught him staring at her.
“Like what you see?” she said, swaying her hips even more as she left the room.
“Yeah,” he yelled to her.
A rapping noise came from the window. An owl hooted loudly from outside. It had a package attached to his leg. Ron walked over to his windowsill.
“Right on time, as always,” he said, opening the window and letting the owl fly in to sit on his dresser.
Ron gave a soft pat on the owl’s head and untied the package from his leg. He reached into his drawer, pulled eighty-nine Galleons and fifty-one Sickles from his pouch, and placed it in the owl’s bag. The owl hooted wildly before taking off out the window.
“Now, what could be inside?” he said, unraveling the package and opening it. “Perfect.”
I placed the package on my bed, as I got dressed into a polo shirt, jeans pants and some tennis shoes. After wasting five minutes trying to tame my hair, I gave up and walked downstairs to wait for Hermione on the couch. For a minute, my mind raced. Today is our graduation day, and our End of Year Feast, and then tomorrow we’ll be gone. No more Hogwarts to return to. I felt lost in my thoughts. Missing this place had never occurred to me until now.
“Ron, are you ready?”
Ron turned around. Hermione looked elegantly beautiful, walking down the stairs with a radiant smile on her face. Ron snapped out of his trance as he jumped off the couch and raced to her, “Yes, Dear.” He offered his arm.
“Why thank you, kind sir,” she said with a tinge of red on her cheeks as they strode out of the common room.
We headed down to the Great Hall as students began to cheer and parade around singing “term is finally over” or “no more stinking Professor Snape’s class.” Students happily celebrated the closing of the year. Even in the Great Hall, noise came from cheerful chattering students.
“Hey, everyone,” Hermione said, taking a seat with Ron’s help. Ron gave her a quick kiss.
“Oh, go get a room,” said Krystel, shaking her head at them, while Neville did the same.
Owls came swooping in on them from every window of the Great Hall. Three owls swooped down in front of Ron, dropping a letter from each of their beaks.
I picked up the letters in front of me. The first one was from Mum and Dad, the second one was from the packaging company and the third was from Mr. and Mrs. Granger. I opened Mum and Dad’s first and read:
Ron,
We are so happy that you’ll be graduating today. Your father and I couldn’t be any more proud of you for what you have accomplished. I hope that you have your speech ready for tonight. Your father and I will arrive there at four ‘o clock sharp, for your meeting with Professor Dumbledore.
Love,
Mum and Dad
P.S. Your brothers also agree to meet you before the ceremony.
Awe, it’s so nice of them to come early for that meeting with Dumbledore. I stuffed the second letter in my back pocket. Knowing what it contained, I was afraid to open it. I pulled out the last letter and began to read:
Ron,
It is so good of you to write to us. Yes, we will be attending tonight’s graduation and will also come at four ‘o clock to the meeting with Professor Dumbledore. He has informed us by letter of the meeting. I will look forward to seeing you and Hermione. Congratulations on a job well done this year!
Mr. and Mrs. Granger
That was nice of them to say that. I stashed that letter in my back pocket along with the others, and began to fill my plate with hotcakes, sausages, and fruit.
“Who sent you those letters, Ron?” Hermione asked curiously, with a playful smile.
“One was from my parents, the other ones were from my brothers,” he lied, chewing his food as he looked down at his plate.
“Okay,” she said, and went back to eating.
“Hey, do you all still want to go to the lake? It will be the last time there as a gang, before you graduate,” Ginny said sadly, looking at everyone.
“Sure, Ginny, we’ll go!” Neville exclaimed, taking hold of Krystel’s hand as she beamed at him.
“That’s sound like fun,” said Hermione, placing her drink down and elbowing Ron in the ribs, which made him look up. He nodded.
“Great, meet you all there in half an hour,” Ginny said with a smile.
Everyone nodded.
After a few hours at the lake, we went to see Hagrid at his hut, one last time. We sat there and got warm drinking tea and refusing to eat his biscuits. I was really going to miss Hagrid; we had such good memories with him. I’ve really come to appreciate all that he does at Hogwarts, and for the Order. Even though at times I had wanted to kill the man for the things that he had made us go find, and the creatures he had showed us. A few more cups of tea filled us up, and then we left to get ready for that night’s graduation ceremony.
I took a quick shower, since it was a quarter past three, racing to get dressed in my graduation robes. I picked up the package, placed it in my pocket, grabbed my speech from the desk, and made my way down the stairs.
“Ron, where are you going so early? Graduation doesn’t start until five,” she said, as she sat on the table rewriting her speech.
“I have to go and see Professor Dumbledore about last minute arrangements for the ceremony,” he said. He walked over to her, gave her a kiss on her head, and started to walk away.
“Oh, do you have your speech?” she asked, turning more toward him.
He tapped a pocket in his robes, “Right here. Don’t tell me you’re rewriting your speech for the millionth time,” he said sarcastically, walking back to her and picking up the parchment from the table.
“Yes, I am…don’t read it,” she warned, taking it away from him before he could read anymore.
“Aw, well, I have to go…,” he said, moving away from her, but he stopped and turned around once more.
I walked back to her and took her quill out of her hand. She looked at me with a smile. I leaned down to kiss her. The kiss grew passionate, and when I pulled away slowly a smile broadened on her face.
“I love you, Hermione Granger,” he said, and kissed her again.
“Oh, you do? Well, you better.” She kissed him once again, “I love you, too, Ronald Weasley.”
“See you at the ceremony.”
I walked out through the portrait, making my way down the hall to Professor Dumbledore’s office. Passing through the halls, walking through the crowds of students who were getting ready to go home, I felt a sense of homesickness run through me. I finally reached the gargoyle and muttered, “lemon drops.” The gargoyle moved to the left, revealing the rotating staircase. I walked onto it and stepped up the staircase. I knocked on Dumbledore’s door once, and it opened widely, showing his office. My parents were sitting on chairs next to Mr. and Mrs. Granger. I braced myself, taking a deep breath, and walked in.
“Welcome, friends and family, to this year’s Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Graduation Ceremony!” Professor Dumbledore called out to the applauding audience. “We are pleased to introduce to you this year’s graduating class!”
I could hear Professor Dumbledore say those words as the huge oak doors of the Great Hall opened up. I looked over at Hermione standing next to me. She had a smile full of confidence on her face as she took a deep breath and began to walk in. We walked in as pairs. Hermione and I led the pack to the front.
I walked over to the two open seats in the front. The rest of the class filled the twenty-four seats in front of the stage. After the class filed in, Professor Dumbledore motioned everyone to sing the school song. I glanced over at Hermione next me and took her hand into mine as she smiled, looking out at the audience and continuing to sing.
“Thank you, everyone. Now we will begin with the diploma ceremony, starting from the Hufflepuff House. Then next to Ravenclaw, continuing with Slytherin and ending with Gryffindor,” concluded Professor Dumbledore. He walked over to the diploma table and took a diploma case into his hand.
Professor Sprout read off the names of the graduating Hufflepuffs. One by one, they made their way onto the stage to receive their diplomas and ropes of honor for higher achievements. This continued on with the Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Gryffindor. After everyone had received their diploma, Professor Dumbledore motioned the audience and students to silence, and began to speak.
“Today we are pleased to hear from this year’s Head Boy and Girl, who are remarkable students,” he said, and turned around to look at the pair, who lifted their heads in pride and appreciation.
“First we will hear from Miss Hermione Granger, our Head Girl,” he concluded, and took a seat next to Professor McGonagall.
Hermione made her way to the podium with full confidence. She didn’t look scared or worried at all. Placing her speech on the podium, she smoothed it out and took a deep breath. Then, she began.
“Good evening, classmates and invited guests. Today we mark the end of our infancy, the end of our childhood…the end of our beginning. As new graduates, we look forward with hope to the future, and then the future becomes the past. But at what point in our lives do we begin to think about the past and the future? I know when I first received my letter of acceptance into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; my mind filled with visions of what my future may lead to.
"I look back to my knowledge gained here and know it has prepared me for what the future may bring. I also look to the past, which helped make me who I am now, and who I will yet grow to be. I am grateful and thankful for the experience that I’ve received from my Professors, family, and friends. I would like to commend you, the graduating class, on completing your time here at Hogwarts. I hope that the knowledge gained here will be helpful to those whose lives you will someday touch. Thank you.”
Cheers and applause came from the audience, professors, and students. Hermione gave a slight bow and walked back to her seat, and she saw Ron, applauding happily for her.
Professor Dumbledore stood up from his seat and walked up to the podium. He motioned for quiet. “Now we will have the pleasure to hear from this year’s Head Boy, Ronald Weasley,” he stated, and walked back to his seat.
I walked up to the podium, still nervous and a bit shaky. This would be my first time giving a speech, and what bad timing it was. I pulled my speech out of my pocket and opened it neatly on the podium. I coughed a little to the side, to clear my throat.
Ron took a deep breath and began to speak steadily, “Thank you, Professor Dumbledore, for that kind remark. To my fellow classmates, Professors and honored guests, there is but one point in our lives where we separate ourselves from adolescence and move into maturity. Through our many years of attending Hogwarts we have grown not only mentally, physically, and skillfully, but also in the way of being proud of one’s self and the accomplishments that we have faced.
"We have grown to know the meaning of being loyal, trust-worthy, skillful, brave, and wise. But above all, we have learned the meaning of Unity through friendship,” Ron paused and looked down at Harry who grinned and nodded, then glanced back at his family who just beamed at him. His Mum wiped a tear from her eyes as his Dad’s face glowed with pride. His brothers gave me a thumbs-up, and his sister-in-laws, just smiled at me. Ron glanced down at his speech and continued.
“Knowledge; when learning meets understanding. I have gained much knowledge, not only from my family, professors, and friends, but also from a special person who helped me to figure myself out and prepare myself to become the person I am today. I recall a time, on my first train ride to Hogwarts. Oddly, I ended up sitting with “the boy who lived,” my best friend, Harry Potter. He has taught me that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, and the meaning of bravery, loyalty, and friendship. But above all, he taught me that the choices we make in our lives will lead us down a path of joy and happiness, even while others point out our mistakes and imperfections. In closing, I would like to make a decision that will put a permanent mark on my own life.”
I walked away from the podium and toward Hermione nervously. She just stared, puzzled and confused at what I was doing. I gave her a quick smile as she gazed up at me, then a smile appeared on her face.
“I know we’ve talked about this, but I want to hear it this time where it matters most,” Ron said as he took a knee in front of Hermoine, gazing into her eyes as she gasped with a hand clasped over her mouth.
He pulled out a small box and opened it as a tear fell from her eye. Inside was a 14k platinum band with a single 1/4ct diamond in the middle of a small platinum lily.
“I know we’ve been through a lot since we met, but now I know where my heart and love lie. It is with you, and I want nothing more than to make you happy and for you to be a part of my life. Hermione Granger, will you marry me?”
Hermione looked shocked as she lowered her hand from her mouth. Slowly, she muttered, “Yes.”
“I’m sorry, what did you say? Not everyone can hear you,” he whispered to her with a wink. Hermione smiled widely.
“Yes, I’ll marry you!” she shouted, crying wildly and smiling at the same time.
He pulled the ring from the box and slipped on her left ring finger. “I knew you would,” he said, standing up to give her a passionate kiss as applause and cheers erupted loudly throughout the Great Hall.
Professor Dumbledore walked to the podium and announced, “I hereby pronounce this year’s graduating class, Graduated!”
A/N: Wasn't that such a wonderful ending...Tear...it brought tears to my eyes to finally know that its over...no more story...that's it...well I was thinking about making a sequel, but it depends on my readers...do you want me to do a sequel to this story...please let me know through a review...if not then...this is it...sad to say! I might be writing another one so look out for that! Maybe?! Thanks again to all my readers and reviews....you all ROCK!! Now good riddins to you all, and Peace Out!!