N.E.W.T.s were long and exhausting, but at the end of their last day of testing Hermione felt a wonderful lightness within her. She lay outside on the grass under a tree by the lake in the balmy air and Ron and Harry flopped down next to her on either side. Bees hummed lazily through the air, and the water's stillness rippled gently with small glimmering edges of the squid's tentacles cresting above the broken surface. The sky was a brilliant blue, scattered with cottony wisps of cloud, the sun shone down warm and bright, and all of them felt extremely tired, content, and all at once nostalgic.

"This is it." Harry said softly. "This is the last time we'll ever do this here. Celebrate the end of all our exams….The beginning of summer."

They paused, all looking up at the sky and recalling the times they'd shared for the past 7 years of their lives.

"It's the end." Said Ron, a little sadly.

"No." Hermione replied slowly. She turned her head and looked over at Ron, and smiled.
"It's just the beginning."

Her hand and his met, and their fingers intertwined with a gentle squeeze. She looked over at Harry who smiled back at them, and closed her eyes.

Just the beginning.