Scars That Heal (Dramione Fanfiction) [COMPLETE]

50 - Old Endings, New Beginnings

The last week of term arrived. It was Monday, then Tuesday. Wednesday dragged by, but Thursday flew away in seconds. On Friday there was a presentation for the seventh years, accepting their graduation from Hogwarts, and on Saturday people mainly broke all the rules and were completely overlooked by the teachers. Sunday was the last day Hermione would ever spend at Hogwarts. On Monday, the train would collect them and she would be gone.

Hermione woke up slightly earlier than normal. She relished her bed, remembering the pattern on the curtains and the patch of squeaky springs just below her elbow. A voice came from across the room, and she pulled back the curtain to listen properly.

"This has to be the best day ever," Luna was mumbling sleepily. "It's our last one, and I want to make it my favourite."

Murmurs of agreement filtered through the air, and Hermione decided to get up properly. She pulled herself out of bed and went to her cupboard, pulling out some comfortable summery clothes. Laying them on the bed, Hermione brushed her tangled hair out and decided to tie it back in a loose ponytail to keep it off her face in the warm weather. Then she dressed, went to the bathroom and brushed her teeth. She was still quite sleepy, so Hermione splashed her face with cold water and rubbed it vigorously with a towel.

"How are you already this awake?" Ginny asked incredulously, squinting through blurry eyes.

"It's all a pretence," Hermione said dramatically in response. "I'd rather be asleep right now, but I'm going to make the most of my last 24 hours as a Hogwarts student."

***

After breakfast under the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall, the group wandered through every corridor looking for things that reminded them of their time there. There were so many little places that made them think of their younger selves, and tiny, unnoticeable things that triggered memories in all of them. 

Every teacher they popped in to see had old schoolwork of theirs, and offered it to them as a way to "look back on your successes". It led to a few hours of going through old test scores, disgusted groans at old handwriting, and grimaces at stupidly answered questions and poorly done homework. All of the teachers seemed more than happy for them to spend time in their classroom, pages littered over the floor and constant chatter. It was a happy mess, just like them; caught between two periods in their lives, unsure whether to stay in the past or let the future roll by.

At lunchtime, for zero reason other than the pure joy of breaking rules, they went down to the kitchens by themselves to find the house elves. They were graciously admitted inside the kitchens, and were immediately offered tea, coffee, pastries and other snacks. Hermione had expressed her discomfort about putting the house elves to more trouble, but when she saw how happy they were to assist them in anything she didn't worry as much. Although she had given up on her attempts to make SPEW a bigger organisation, she still believed that they deserved more kindness and respect. 

"Come on, then, what shall we have for our picnic?" Dean asked the others, as six of the nearest house elves waited, ears cocked to take their orders.

They asked for as much food as they could possibly carry out of the castle, and the kitchen sprang into action. Pretty soon they were well-equipped for several meals, and even had an enormous fruit cake already cut into thick slices pushed into their hands. It was a staggering amount of food, and Hermione had to put an Undetectable Extension Charm on their bags so they could fit all the food in. Then, they realised they would collapse under the sheer weight of the food, so she added several other charms to lighten the load.

Hermione and her friends made their way to the other side of the Lake which was nearer to Hagrid's house. They invited him to join them, and he willing obliged. Those hours they spent eating and talking really made them feel how much they would miss the others when they had their own lives once again, and wouldn't be seeing each other every day. Fortunately, any fears they had had about having to carry spare food were eased when Hagrid arrived, as he made sure there were very little leftovers for them to have to take back.