Resentment | Dramione

Chapter 42

A week since the graduation party had passed, and only last night had they received word on who had passed their exams and who hadn't. The exact results on what they had gotten for each subject weren't released yet, but as soon as Hermione saw her name on the list of people who had passed their exams – including all her friends from her year – she couldn't care less about her exact results, and could do with waiting one more day.

Which brought her to today. The actual graduation where nearly a hundred students were excitedly waiting to get their diploma – including their results on each subject – sitting in the Great Hall and staring back at the row of teachers that were lined across their usual spot in the back of the Hall, Professor McGonagall upfront taking the lead.

It was a dreadfully long ceremony, because each student who had passed their exam was being called out one by one, where an assigned teacher for the student would say something about them, and then the student would get handed their diploma for them to sign and take back to their seat.

Given the fact that the ceremony was alphabetically arranged, Hermione was the second of her year – Seamus being the first – to go up the stage and shake hands with Professor McGonagall, whose eyes Hermione could swear were starting to well up with tears as the woman couldn't wear a more prouder smile.

Hermione smiled back at the old woman, whose hair had seem to grow a darker gray, and silently thanked her for all that she had done for Hermione and her friends throughout her Hogwarts career. As strict as she might have been, McGonagall always had the best intentions for her students, and showed a soft side to her on several occasions.

"Hermione Granger," Professor McGonagall started, her voice less authoritative as opposed to a few minutes before, "I have taken it up to myself to have your final speech." Beaming with a happiness so big that she couldn't stop smiling, Hermione patiently waited for her to continue. Honestly, she couldn't have wished for a better teacher than McGonagall to do her speech. "Many students around here know you as the best friend of Harry Potter."

Giving a quick look at the crowd in front of her, she saw a lot of students nodding in agreement. "As true as that may be, you are definitely so much more than just the best friend of Harry Potter." Professor McGonagall smiled, focusing solely on her. "You are a brilliant witch. You're incredibly wise, and I don't just say that because of your excellent grades, however remarkable they might be."

"No, your intelligence outstretches your knowledge that is broader than all the books you've read page by page in our library. It's not just facts and rules all the time. It's emotions, and the capability of looking beyond the exterior of people. To really look deep within someone, and judge them for that." The corner of her Professor's lips quirked up into a playfully knowing smile. "You outsmart your own reasons, and you're not afraid to stand up for what you believe in. For that, you remain loyal to the people you care about, and that alone is already worth more than a thousand scholarships combined."

"Miss Granger, I've had the pleasure of observing you and watching you grow throughout all those years. And Merlin, have you grown." Hermione smiled in slight embarrassment, never really having heard so many sweet words for so long. "Gone is the buck teethed girl with the unruly hair, and a grown woman, wearing her experiences as proud as a warrior coming back from war."

Professor McGonagall lowered the parchment that she had been reading from just seconds ago, and finished her speech with an impromptu heart of words. "But above all, what I appreciate the most about you, is that no matter what you've been through, you are still you."

"Still you raised your hand at any given opportunity in any class," a loud chuckle was heard to her right, and Hermione turned her head to see Draco with a broad grin on his face. It wasn't a teasing grin, if anything, he looked proud of her. Turning her head back to McGonagall with slightly flustered cheeks, she listened to the end of her speech. "You kept on showing again and again that you were capable of standing up for not only yourself, but also for your friends."