5 months later
"Ginny! Ginny, where's my graduation robe?!"
Hermione was running frenziedly up the stairs to the Gryffindor girl's dormitory. She had arrived at her old common room a few hours ago to help Lavender and Parvati get ready for graduation, and had brought her robe along to show the other girls. Because she was head girl, hers was particularly exquisite. At the moment, however, she couldn't find it, and there were only 2 hours left until the big ceremony.
"I don't know, Hermione," came Ginny's answering call as she struggled to pin Parvati's thick, black hair up. "Parvati," she declared to the other girl, "your hair is impossible!"
"Lavender, have you seen it?" Hermione asked her friend as she rushed into the common room and nearly bumped into Kathryn, another 7th year Gryffindor who was straightening her robes as she ran out the door. "Sorry," Hermione apologized as she stepped back.
"Hermione, it's right here on my bed where you left it," Lavender answered, playfully rolling her eyes. "Help me with this mascara, it keeps running. Oh why couldn't I have remembered the self-applying makeup spell..."
Laughing at her own foolishness, Hermione grabbed her robe, slung it over one arm, then re-applied Lavender's mascara for her. "There, you look gorgeous," she said, stepping back to admire her work when she was done.
"Hey, Hermione, shouldn't you be going?" Parvati asked from across the room.
Hermione looked down at her watch and gasped. She had one hour before the ceremony began. Time certainly flies by when you have so many things to do, she thought wryly. "I'll see you two later at the ceremony!"
"I'll walk with you to your dormitory," Ginny said, stepping away from Parvati's hair (which was now twisted into an extravagent up-do).
"Good luck with your speech," Lavender and Parvati chorused.
"Thanks, I'll need it," said Hermione with a smile. She hugged her two friends, then followed Ginny out of the common room.
As the two girls hurried down the winding corridors to the Heads' Dormitory, Hermione chattered nervously about the upcoming ceremony.
"...and then I have to present a 10-minute long speech in front of EVERYONE," she exclaimed.
"You'll do fine, Hermione. Don't get flustered, it's not like you."
Hermione laughed nervously. I haven't exactly been "me" for a while, she thought to herself.
When they had reached the top of the spiraling staircase and stopped before the portrait that led to the dormitory, Hermione hugged Ginny. "Thanks so much for helping me with everything," she said with a smile. "Hopefully I'll see you after the ceremony."
Ginny hugged her best friend back. "You'll do fine," she repeated, then turned around and left.
Taking a deep breath, Hermione said the password ("Love is in the air") and climbed through the opening. The moment she got inside, the strong scent of cologne greeted her. Scrunching up her nose, she called out, "Draco?"
He poked his head out from his room. "Yes?"
"What in Merlin's name are you doing?" she asked, slightly amused.
"I...uh...well, a Ravenclaw gave me this cologne stuff."
"You do realize that cologne is what Muggles use."
His face immediately contorted in disgust. "Gah! The git, he didn't warn me," Draco mumbled. "Scourgify," he added, pointing at himself. Immediately, the smell disappeared.
Laughing, Hermione shook her head. He's changed too, she realized. As much as he tries to keep up his old attitude, this isn't the same Draco I knew a year ago.
"I'm going to go change now," she called to him as she stepped into her room.
"Fine with me."
She shut the door and looked into the mirror above her desk. "Where to start..." she murmured out loud.
Brandishing her wand, she performed a series of hair smoothing charms. Finally, her chestnut locks settled gracefully on her shoulders, shining with a glow that others rarely associated with Hermione's hair.
Makeup came next: eyeliner, mascara, lip gloss, and a few dabs of blush. Muggle makeup always looks far better than magically applied makeup, she thought as she happily gazed at her reflection in the mirror. I look like a completely different person.
The entire process took 45 minutes, and at last, Hermione was at the last step - her graduation robe. Picking it up, she smiled affectionately at it. The robe had no decorations other than a small Hogwarts crest on the back, but was beautiful nonetheless. It was made of a soft, gold material which symbolized her house, Gryffindor's, colours.
As Hermione slipped this on over her regular clothes, she looked into the mirror and noted to her surprise that she barely recognized the mature witch smiling back at her. I've grown so much since I first arrived here, she thought sadly. All of the people I've met, everything I've experienced, has changed me and made me a better person. The attacks, as nerve-wracking as they are, aren't too bad...we have the shield, we have the knowledge of counter-hexes, and we've managed to pull through all of them so far. They've slowed down too, at least since the adventure at Draco's house. Yep, I'd say that my life is just about as good as it can get at this point in time.
She was snapped out of her thoughts by Draco calling her name. Opening her door, she stepped out and replied, "Is it time to go?"
Draco was lounging on the couch, and when he saw her enter, his mouth dropped open in shock. "Hermione...you look beautiful," he sputtered.
She grinned. "Wow...beautiful enough to leave the Malfoy speechless. You're not looking half-bad yourself."
And indeed he did look particularly good-looking at the moment. His hair was combed neatly back (Thank God it's ungelled!), and the silver graduation robe he wore complimented his grey eyes. As he stood up, a smile grew on his handsome face, and Hermione couldn't help but restrain a swoon.
The pair headed out of their dormitory and down the empty hallways of Hogwarts. Everyone was already gathered for the ceremony, both graduating and remaining students. The ceremony would start in 15 minutes, and Draco and Hermione were to enter 5 minutes into it.
When they reached a side door, they stopped. "I have to enter from the other side, so I guess I'll go around. Good luck," Draco said. He kissed her hand, not wanting to mess up her makeup.
"You too," she said softly.
He walked off. As his echoing footsteps died out, Hermione took a deep breath, trying to relax. You'll do fine, she told herself, and Draco will be beside you the entire time. This last thought calmed her nerves more than anything, and when the clock read 6:05, she entered the Great Hall with a radiant smile on her face.
As the Head Girl and Head Boy walked in from both sides of the room, applause erupted. Whispers of, "Hermione looks amazing!!" and "Oh my God, Malfoy is so delectable," could be heard from the crowd. Even the Slytherins clapped, although it was done rather grudgingly.
As planned, Hermione and Draco both arrived at the center of the stage simultaneously. Draco was the first to speak. "Welcome, everyone, to the Hogwarts graduation ceremony of 1997," he announced, his voice magically magnified.
"Throughout all of our seven years at Hogwarts, every one of us -" Hermione gestured at the group of students that silently stood behind her as she said these words "- has worked hard in our studies. Because of the dedication of our wonderful professors, we're all set to enter this world as skilled witches and wizards."
"Although we're all equal to one another, the differences between the four houses, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin, have split many of us apart. Nonetheless, we've all made lasting friendships with students from our own houses, as well as students from other houses."
"It wasn't easy for many of us. Some didn't accept others because of their blood or family name. Some didn't accept others simply because they were told to hate them. I myself have had friends who didn't approve of my friendship with a Slytherin." Hermione looked slightly over to Draco and smiled.
He returned her smile. "In the end, we all came together as one group. Standing behind us are the 157 graduating students of 1997. For the first time ever, each student is surrounded by members of each different house. For the first time in our 7 years at Hogwarts, they will see the person next to them for who they are, not what they are."
"And so," Hermione concluded, "end our years at Hogwarts. We will always remember every memory from our time here: the sorting hat, quidditch games, the house cups, the tri-wizard tournament. As a class, we've also been through many heart-breaking events: the opening of the Chamber of Secrets, Cedric Diggory's death, the return of Voldemort, Professor Umbridge." A few chuckles arose from the crowd at the last part of this, although everyone quickly grew somber as they reflected on the other parts of the sentence. "These experiences, however, have only pulled all of us through to stand here today as one. Thank you to Hogwarts for making all of this possible, and congratulations to the class of 1997."
Cheering, whistling, and yelling exploded from the crowd as the graduating students tossed their school hats high up into the air. With one last smile at the sea of faces before them, Draco and Hermione retreated to go stand amongst their fellow students.
[A/N: Sorry this chapter was so boring. It was even boring to write :P The next chapter will be good though, but it's going to be a real tearjerker so be warned.]