Harry Potter and the Eighth Year at Hogwarts

Harry was running through a long open hallway, one that reminded him of King's Cross station, but more open. And quite a bit cleaner. He was out of breath, and there was a painful stitch in his side, but he kept moving deeper into the room, muttering, "Horcruxes…I've got to destroy the last Horcrux…" He turned a sharp corner, and found himself looking right in the eyes of Lord Voldemort.

"Didn't Dumbledore tell you?" Riddle hissed. "You are the last Horcrux, Harry!" He cackled and shouted, "Crucio!" Harry was blinded by pain, and the only thing he could hear or think or feel was his screams. His body turned in onto itself and—

"Ron! Harry!" Mrs. Weasley burst into the room with a stack of clean clothes. "Get downstairs before all the breakfast is gone! Today is a very, very busy day, and I want to get a head start!"

Ron groaned as he threw his heavy comforter off of him, and craned his neck to look over his bunk at Harry, who was shoving his glasses onto the bridge of his nose.

"Big day, hunh, mate?" He said, climbing out of bed. "What do you bet Mom will explode at me before we leave?"

Harry chuckled to himself. Ron and Mrs. Weasley had not been on very good terms of late, they could hardly stay in the same room as each other for five minutes without it turning into a shouting match.

"Makes me almost miss Fred and George…" he trailed off, and his ears went red when he realized what he had said.

"No kidding," Harry said, pulling on fresh clothes from the pile Mrs. Weasley had brought up, and then shoving the rest into his trunk. "I swear they enjoyed her yelling at them. They had it down to a science."

Ron looked at him gratefully. "Should we head downstairs, then?" Harry nodded, and both boys grabbed their trunks and headed down the stairs.

"Morning, boys," Mr. Weasley said as they headed into the kitchen. "Excited?"

Ron was too busy grabbing a pastry to respond to his father, but Harry grinned at him and nodded. He didn't remember the last time he had been this excited for anything. It probably had not been since eight years ago, when he was going to Hogwarts for the very first time.

Harry sat down and helped himself to a piece of toast when Hermione and Ginny walked in. Hermoine walked behind Ron and threw her arms around his neck, kissing first behind his ear, then trailing kisses down his neck to his collarbone. Ron turned and kissed her back, full on the mouth, running his hand through her hair at an awkward angle. Mr. Weasley raised his eyebrows, and Mrs. Weasley pursed her lips, but looked pleased regardless. Ginny, who, having sat down, was buttering a piece of toast, and was oblivious to the situation, looked up over at them, rolled her eyes, and cleared her throat pointedly at them. They broke apart immediately; Hermione's blush scarlet. Ron looked smug, and went back to his doughnut. Harry chuckled and smirked at Ginny, before he found her uncomfortably gazing back at him, biting her lip. He quickly jerked his gaze away. It will be better, at Hogwarts, he told himself. She won't constantly be there to remind you of all you threw away.

Hermione accidentally elbowed him as she clumsily threw herself into the seat between him and Ron, jerking Harry back into reality. "I'm so excited!" She said giddily. "I just can't wait to go back!"

It finally hit him, and he couldn't help but share in Hermione's giddiness. They were going back to Hogwarts. All of them.

"Are you sure you don't want to travel by Floo Powder, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked again. "I mean, everyone knows your returning to school today, reporters will be everywhere…"

"We've taken on Voldemort, Mom, I think we can handle a few cameras," Ron said sharply.

Mrs. Weasley bristled and went to check on Ginny once more, muttering something like, "…just want what's best for all of you…"

Oblivious, Ron, grabbed Hermione and pulled her onto his lap, trying to tickle her, not noticing she wasn't really in a laughing mood. "Ron," she chastened. "Couldn't you at least try to be nicer to your Mum? She's really making an effort to get along, and it's your last day together until the holidays—"

"Bloody hell, Hermione, what am I supposed to do? She's always trying to coddle me like I can't handle it, when I've been out in the real world, fighting dark wizards! She tries to pretend like all we did last year—all I did last year—was sit in Shell Cottage, safe and sound. I was out there, Mione! I fought him, and I think I can handle a little bloody press."

Hermione bit her lip, finally saying, "All right," softly, and then exiting the room, making excuses that she needed to go pack.

Ron sighed after she left, burying his head in his hands. He looked exasperatedly over to Harry, who was polishing Hedwig's old cage, which was now going to be used for Pigwidgeon. "She of all people—you of all people, should understand…"

Harry gave Ron a sympathetic look, but said nothing. He honestly would have been just fine travelling by Floo Powder, preferred it, actually. But he knew Ron would prefer not to. He was finally enjoying his time in the limelight, and who was Harry to begrudge him of that? Plus, although it wasn't common knowledge, Harry knew Ron still hadn't forgiven himself for leaving Harry and Hermione for those long months last year, and he didn't want to make too big a deal out of it.

"ALL RIGHT EVERYONE," Mrs. Weasley bellowed from downstairs. "Time to go!" Everyone ran down the steps, where several trunks and owls were waiting. "I thought we could apparate this year…give everyone a few more minutes for last minute packing. Now, Arthur will apparate to King's Cross, and I will magick your trunks and things to him. Now Ginny is the only one who can't apparate yet…Harry, dear, would you mind? I'm terrible at Side Along Apparition myself, and Ron's going with Hermione…still hasn't recovered from that splinching accident…" Bill, who had come to send everyone off, guffawed, and Hermione looked very smug. Harry assured Mrs. Weasley that of course he could help Ginny, but he couldn't help but feel a blush creep onto his cheeks.

"All right…everyone ready?"

All of a sudden there were several whooshes as six people (and their trunks) vanished from the room, until only Harry and Ginny were standing in the kitchen of the Burrow.

Harry made his way over to her, and she hesitantly wrapped her hand in his. "You nervous?" he said gently.

"No," she said, lifting her chin and looking defiantly at him.

"It's okay to admit it," he said. "It's me, Gin."

She smiled sadly at him, not saying anything.

"We should probably go, or your mum will be worried."

"She probably is, knowing her. She's always a mess on September 1st," Ginny said wryly.

"Ginny," Harry said cautiously, "You might want to hold on to me a little tighter than that."

Ginny turned, and looked at her arm, limply held in his grasp. She slowly removed it, and slid her hands around his waist, pulling him close to her. "You mean like this?"

"Something like that," Harry said, his voice breaking. Then he turned, and they were pulled into that suffocating vacuum that he hated so much, but for the first time, he didn't mind it, because the entire time, he was facing Ginny, and looking into her startling green eyes, wide and scared, pulling him close to her. Before he was ready to let go, their feet slammed into the ground of platform 9 and 3/4s, where their whole family awaited them. Ginny quickly pulled out of his grasp, moving to say goodbye to her parents. Ron looked at him sympathetically, but Harry didn't have the time to pay him any attention, because at that very moment, Rita Skeeter, along with a dozen other reporters and photographers, swarmed the platform, all surrounding Harry, asking him a million questions about returning to Hogwarts, life as the savior, even condescending to ask him about Dumbledore.

"Harry," Rita Skeeter said, "How difficult will it be for you to return to Hogwarts knowing Dumbledore won't be headmaster?"

"Mr. Potter, how have your nightmares been?"

"Can you give us a statement on your relationship with Ginny Weasley?"

"How have you spent all that money the ministry gave you for your efforts against He-Who-Should-Not-Be-Named?
"Would you care to talk about your relationship with Severus Snape?"
"How will it be going to class with known Death Eaters' children?"
Harry, blood boiling, fought through the crowd to reach Ron and Hermione, who grabbed their trunks and hurried after him, towards the train.

"Ms. Granger, what is your relationship with Mr. Potter? Sources say you two were romantically involved while you were in hiding from You-Know-Who last year."

"Just ignore it," Harry hissed, ignoring how red Ron's ears were.

"Hermione, how has your life changed now that you have played a key role in bringing down one of the most powerful dark wizards who has ever existed?"

"Granger, can you give us a comment on how you feel to be going back to Hogwarts, now that you have had real life experience fighting dark wizards?"
"Ms. Granger, we have heard reports that you and Mr. Potter are planning to get engaged. Would you like to comment?"

Hermione faltered as she was putting her trunk into a compartment of the train. She was bright red, trying desperately hard not to tell the reporters off, when her hand slipped and the trunk flew away from her…and into the hands of Draco Malfoy.

"Allow me to help you, Ms. Granger," he said. He politely lifted the trunk into the train and moved along. "Sorry for getting in your way." Cameras started clicking away as Harry found Hermione and started pushing her towards the Weasleys, where Ron was now glowering. Harry quickly hugged Arthur, and kissed Molly's cheek, before heading back to the train with Ginny, Ron, and Hermione. The reporters had been kicked out by the engineer, who was ready to leave. The four quickly boarded the train, seconds before it started to move out of the station.

"Well," Hermione said breathlessly. "Ron and I should be going to the prefects carriage…we'll see you guys later?" Ginny and Harry both nodded, and Ron stomped after her.

"Should we find a compartment?" Harry asked Ginny.

"Harry…"

"Luna and Neville probably saved us seats…"

"Harry—"

"We need to talk, Gin. I've missed you. I miss you."

"Harry, there's really nothing left to say. I'm going to find some Gryffindors from my year. I'll see you at the feast."

"Ginny—"

"I'm sorry, Harry. You know how I feel. I just…can't get past it."

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" Harry looked over to see Hagrid herding several nervous looking eleven year olds towards the path that led to the lake. Harry couldn't help but smile, and fought the urge to go up to Hagrid and talk, but he knew he would just get in the way of the first years' voyage, and he needed to get a carriage soon, anyways.

He moved towards the large crowd gathered around the thestrals when he heard, "Harry!" He turned and saw Hermione running towards him. "Oh, Harry…I'm so glad I found you—where have you been? I found Ginny sitting with Luna and Neville, but you weren't there and none of them knew where you were and I was so worried—"

"Hermione," Harry said patiently. "It's okay. I found an empty compartment near the front of the train."

"You were alone in a compartment?"

"Yes!"

"How'd you manage that? I mean, now that everyone knows you and Ginny have broken up, I'd just assumed you were mobbed by a swarm of hormone-crazed girls! Honestly, Harry, I'm surprised they didn't track you down…" she trailed off at the look on Harry's face.

"Where's Ron?" Harry asked to cover his blush.

"Oh, I left him when he found Dean and Seamus. Started to brag about our year last year. He was still in a terrible mood from those reporters."

"Sorry, I felt terrible about that. I'll write Rita Skeeter herself to tell her that rumor about us isn't true. I'll even give her a load of baloney about a new love interest of mine so they stop targeting you, if you think that will help."

Hermione laughed sadly. "Harry, I love you for that, but honestly I think it should die down once we get to Hogwarts. Even if it doesn't…as much as I'd like to flatter myself thinking Ron's upset about the rumors about us being together, I really don't think he cares. He's just mad that you were the one getting asked the questions, not him."

Harry shook his head, frustrated with Ron. He wished he could show him just how much he was hurting Hermione by acting this way. "Still hasn't figured it out yet, has he? That being at the center of all that attention is horrible."

"How could I?" Ron appeared from the shadows next to them as the moved up in the line for the carriages. His ears were scarlet, and he glared at Harry's hand, which Hermione was now grasping with her own.

"Ron…" Hermione said, exasperated. "You know he didn't mean it like that…"

"Oh, I think he meant it! Just like he meant everything he said last year while we were in hiding!"

"Yeah, I meant it!" Harry didn't mean to raise his voice but before he knew it, he was shouting. "We can never get past this, can we, Ron? You don't seem to understand that I don't go around asking for all of this? Do you think I wanted my parents to be murdered? Do you think that in our first year, when I dived for Neville's Remembrall thing, that I was thinking, oh, yeah, maybe McGonagall will see this, and make me Seeker of the Quidditch team? No! I didn't even know what a Seeker was, Ron! I'm sorry there was a prophecy made about me, and I'm sorry that Voldemort couldn't kill me, and I'm sorry my name was put in the Goblet fourth year, and I'm sorry that reporters didn't ask you to tell your side of our little Horcrux hunt last year. I'm sorry, but believe me, I would trade places with you in one second."

"I bet you would," Ron spit, seething at him. "But for right now, I would like you to take your bloody hands off of my girlfriend, before somebody snaps a picture and they write another article about your love story! C'mon Hermione,"

Hermione only glared at him. "I'd thank you," she said coolly. "Not to tell me what to do, Ronald. I think you should go cool off, and I'd like to talk to Harry about a few things before we get to the castle."

Ron leveled his gaze at her, his face turning a shade of violet that could match Uncle Vernon's. "Yeah, well, you always did choose him, didn't you?" He stormed off then, jumping into a carriage that was about to leave the station.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," Harry said as he put his things on the back of the carriage, adding her trunk as well. "I shouldn't have blown up on him."

"Speaking as your best friend, no you shouldn't have, but as his girlfriend…he had it coming. And honestly, I think he'd take it better from you than from me."

Harry chuckled and climbed into the carriage, holding out a hand to help Hermione in.

"No, allow me." A pale, slender hand extended and handed Hermione into the carriage. She gratefully accepted the help hoisting herself in, until she looked into the face of Draco Malfoy. She gave him a bewildered look, while Harry just glared at him, praying that he wouldn't climb into their carriage.

"Don't worry, Potter, I'm not joining you," he said, smiling a little. "I just wanted to apologize. Not just for my actions helping…You-Know-Who…but also for how I've treated you all in the past. A lot has happened to me in the past year, and I truly regret…I'm sorry for the snot I was to you all. And I hope, in time, if we can't be friends…we can at least be civil to one another." And with that, Malfoy walked off, leaving Harry and Hermione to glance at one another, shocked at what just took place. The carriage began to move, as Hermione said, "Did Draco Malfoy just…apologize?"

"I think so," Harry said, smiling a little. "I could barely recognize him without the snarl."

Hermione tipped her head back and laughed. Then she looked out the window and quickly become somber. "This is the first year…I can see them. The thestrals."

"I'm sorry, Hermione." Harry put his arm around his friend, trying to comfort her, but he didn't really know what to say. It had been a terrible year. No words could make up for that.

"I hate Voldemort."

"Believe me, Hermione…I don't think anyone hates him more than I do."
"I'm glad you killed him. I didn't think I would be okay with killing anyone…but I'm glad he's gone, and I'm glad you killed him."

"I'm not."
"Why? Do you feel guilty?"
"No, just the opposite. Dumbledore always said that there were fates worse than death, and that's what he wanted to do to Voldemort. I wish I could have given him one of those fates."

Hermione was quiet for a moment.

"You're a very powerful wizard, Harry."

"What do you mean by that?"
"Well…everyone always said Dumbledore was the only wizard Voldemort ever feared. But that's not true. Voldemort feared you, too, Harry. And that makes you very powerful."

Harry didn't know what to say, so he changed topics.

"What did you have to tell me?"

"What?"
"You told Ron you had to talk to me about something before we got to Hogwarts."
"Oh, yes. I wanted to talk to you about Ginny."

Even the sound of her name made his chest hurt.

"She misses you, and she wants to be with you,"

"I'm not sure about that, Hermione. She can barely stand to be in the same room as me."

"Then why did she tell Dean Thomas to bugger off today?"

"She and Dean were terrible together."
"Maybe, but aside from you, he's the only other person she's ever loved."

"She told you that?" Harry didn't know whether to be happy about that, or insanely jealous.

Hermione nodded. "You don't understand it, because you've only ever loved her. But when you love more than one person, it's hard to let another one go, especially in your guys' situation, because it's too painful for her to be with you right now."

"Hermione, you're really not making me feel better."

"She's not ready right now."

"Hermione, you're not listening. How am I supposed to win her back when it's too painful for her to even look at me? She won't talk to me, and I can't…I can't…I can't make her fall in love with me again if she refuses to interact with me!" he sputtered.

"You're not listening either, bolthead. She's still very much in love with you; otherwise she would have talked to Dean today! You don't have to make her fall in love with you again, you just have to give her time to cool off. You have to remember, Harry, she's lost Fred, who she was very close to, and she went all last year thinking that the three of us were dying. Give her time, and I promise she'll come back to you."

"But what if, in the meantime, she falls in love with someone else?"
"Harry James Potter, you are the savior. I don't think she's going to forget about you anytime soon. Just give her space."
"That's the thing, Hermione! I don't want to give her space! I want to be with her every possible waking moment! I had to give her up last year to save her, and it broke my heart, Hermione. I can't wait. I want to be with her now."
Hermione laughed softly. "God, Harry, you of all people should know that you don't always get what you want."

Harry chuckled, and they were quiet for a moment. The thestrals stopped as they reached the castle.

"Bolthead?" He asked her as they climbed out of the carriage.

"I'm trying it out," Hermione said smugly. "Because of your scar? Get it?"
Harry laughed again, but stopped as he looked up at the majesty of Hogwarts. She was beautiful, with no evidence of the battle that took place their last year. And for the first time in a while, Harry's face broke out into a wide smile.

He was finally home.