Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I do not own the places. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter, all I own is the plot. Any resemblance to any other piece of fiction or something is purely coincidental.
- Chapter 8
"Oi! Lazy bones! It's half past eleven!"
Sirius poked James with his wand, but James didn't wake up.
Remus shoved something into his hands. A wet towel. Sirius grinned evilly.
"Moony, you sly devil."
Three, two, one…
"Argh! What? Huh? Who- Padfoot!" James bellowed.
"You are such a lazy prat." Sirius said simply.
Remus grinned. "It's a Hogsmeade day and you're still in bed?"
"How did things go yesterday?" Sirius asked.
James groaned. "Ungh…don't ask. She didn't look at me once, well, once but she glared angrily at me that time. She had a wonderful time with Steven Moore, I'm sure."
He sighed.
"I'm going to take a shower."
Before he had closed the door behind him, something did a little pirouette in his mind, making him pause.
"Before I forget…How did things go with Cathy?"
Sirius beamed. But before he could say anything, Peter popped up out of nowhere.
"She said yes." He said quickly, making Sirius glare at him.
James smiled. "Good. Glad at least one of us is having a bit of luck."
Hermione opened her eyes. It was light inside the dormitory. The other girls weren't there, but she found a note on her bedside table.
'We went down to breakfast. See you in Hogsmeade.'
"So much for a friendly wake up call." She muttered darkly.
She got up and walked towards the shower when she suddenly understood. Lily had seen her and James and now she was thinking the wrong things.
She let out a moan. How was she going to put things right between them if they kept interpreting things the wrong way!
"I've got to talk to her today…I have to put it right!"
The Marauders made their way down to the great hall. They noticed the girls sitting at the table and walked over to join them.
"Hey sweetheart." Sirius sat down next to Cathy and kissed her.
James took a deep breath, determined to talk to Lily. He had to tell her he liked her before he'd explode either with anger or with cropped up emotions.
"Hi Lily." He said bravely. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"
But Lily stood up and grabbed her bag. The others followed her example. Cathy smiled at Sirius apologetically but followed the others as well.
"Goodbye, James." Lily said coldly.
He watched the girls disappear around the corner.
He sat down dejectedly. Not even when he had been prepared to tell Lily everything that went on inside his head did she give him the time of day.
"I don't know what you did last night, Prongs. But I think you screwed up." Sirius said quietly.
Hermione heard voices in the common room as she walked down the stairs from the dormitory. She waited at the bottom step for a while to listen to what they were saying.
"Lily, I think you overreacted. He just kissed her on the cheek."
"I know…I know, okay? And I feel stupid enough about what I did this morning. But I just get angry when I see him because I like him. And I can't help thinking he likes her more than me and that's why I get so defensive."
"You're scared, aren't you?"
Lily hummed in agreement. Hermione didn't want to listen to more. She knew enough. The plan had worked, because they now both realised how much they liked each other. All she had to do now was talk to Lily so she could get them together and then she could finally go home.
"Good morning!" she said merrily as she stepped inside.
"Oh…Hey Hermione. Sleep well?" Lily asked her.
"Er…yes, very well, thank you."
"Who's Harry?" Emma suddenly asked.
Hermione blushed.
"What do you mean?" she stuttered.
"You talk in your sleep. You mentioned his name a few times."
"Nine times, actually." Susan whispered to Cathy with a smile without letting Hermione hear.
Hermione now blushed even more. She had had no idea she talked in her sleep. She vaguely wondered what Lavender and Parvati could have heard over the years.
"He's…a friend. A friend back home…"
Lily looked pensive. "…Harry…I like that name. It's got a ring to it."
Hermione looked at her hands. "Listen…now that my home has been brought up, there's something I'd like you all to know. This is my last day here. I'm going back home."
The girls looked back at her surprised. "Home? Stone Ridge?"
"Let's just stick with home." Hermione muttered.
Lily's expression softened. "We're going to Hogsmeade today. Would you like to come with us if you've got time?"
Hermione smiled at the friendliness Lily was known for. "I'd love to. But I think I'll go have breakfast first. I'll see you guys there."
Hermione stood up and made her way out the portrait hole. She entered the great hall and saw the boys not far away.
"Good morning." She said merrily.
"Hey, good morning." Remus replied. "We heard from James that you're leaving us again. I'm sorry to hear that."
Hermione nodded. "Me too…But I'm glad I can go back home. To my friends there."
"Do the girls know?" Sirius asked.
She nodded.
"We're going to miss you. It was really fun to meet a girl who could appreciate a good joke or a prank without sighing heavily." Sirius continued. "But we'll miss you."
"One of us especially." Peter said smugly, just before he got hit on the head for that comment by both James and Sirius.
Suddenly a loud crash made all four boys duck. Peter grinned.
"We did it!"
Sirius grinned too. "Yeah, we did! But let's get out of here before McGonagall sees us. She'll know it was us in an instant."
Hermione looked up quickly to see two floating chairs chasing a young Severus Snape through the hall.
"Let's go before Snivelus points at us." James said.
Immediately the boys all ran off in a different direction. James took Hermione by the hand and dragged her with him.
"Come on!" he urged. "He might blame you for it as well because he saw you with us."
They ran through the corridors, passing a large stone gargoyle.
"Wait!" Hermione panted.
James looked at her inquiringly.
"I need to get something." She said.
She whispered something to the gargoyle, who jumped aside to let her in. James waited for her impatiently and when she returned, he grabbed her wrist once more.
"What were you doing in there?" he asked her over his shoulder.
But Hermione didn't answer and stuffed something in her robe pocket.
"Let's get out of here and meet the boys at Hogsmeade. The girls will be there too."
Hermione nodded and followed James as fast as she could. When they finally reached the entrance to the little village, she noticed how James became more nervous. He craned his neck and searched the crowd to see if he could find someone.
Hermione smiled. "I'm sure Lily is out there somewhere. Why don't you try one of the pubs?"
James blushed. "I'm that obvious?"
"'fraid so. But don't worry. I knew you two belonged together the first time I saw you. It's…a cert that she'll accept a date from you. Just…ask her normally."
Hermione didn't walk on and stared at the castle in the back.
"I need to go back soon…I want to go back."
"Don't you want to say goodbye to everyone first?" James asked.
"I do."
James turned to face her and gave her a big hug. They let go when suddenly someone made a sound between disgust and hurt.
"Ugh!"
Hermione could see Lily's red hair billowing out behind her as she strode away from them.
"…Perhaps it isn't a good idea to say goodbye to everyone. Lily…doesn't like me very much, I feel."
"Why not?" James asked surprised.
Normally Lily liked everyone and everyone liked Lily. The girl even stood up for a person like Snape, who didn't even appreciate it.
"Don't you know?" Hermione asked with a smile. "She feels…that I'm standing in between the two of you. She loves you, so why can't you tell her that you love her too?"
James blushed. "I suppose you're right. I have been a bit confused, I'll admit. But I know I love Lily…and there's nothing that can change that."
"Then tell her." Hermione said warmly, feeling that she had finally fixed their problem.
"I'll come back with you to Hogwarts. I don't want you to leave alone."
She accepted his company and she walked towards the school grounds with him. Once they reached the Quidditch Pitch, she started to feel excited again. This was it. She was going home.
She looked around and tried to place herself where she had appeared those few days ago.
"Well, this is it then." She said to James. "Goodbye…"
"Wait, before you go…I've got something for you."
He handed her a small package with a little note. She took it and read the little paper.
'Nice to have met you. I'll never forget it and I hope you won't either. Perhaps we'll see each other again somewhere in the future.'
Hermione smiled at the little note before unwrapping the present. It was a small silver ring with a lion engraved in it.
"…James, that's really….it's wonderful! But I can't accept it…not where I'm going…"
James nodded. "I understand. You're not really from Stone Ridge, are you. I know you're not. Peter's aunt works there and she's never heard of you. And…I heard Dumbledore talking to McGonagall."
"…You're right. I'm not from Stone Ridge. But I can't tell you the truth… I can't."
James shook his head. "That's okay…Harry…I like that name. Does he really look that much like me?"
Hermione's head snapped up. She saw a little twinkle in his eyes, a twinkle that reminded her of Dumbeldore's eyes.
'Perhaps we'll see each other again somewhere in the future.' It shot through her head.
"How did you know…" she asked.
He shrugged and laughed. "I don't know…I just did."
Now she felt free to laugh too. "Yes. He's exactly like you…but he has her eyes…"
She gave the ring back to him.
"I'm leaving now. Promise me you'll go back to Hogsmeade to ask her out today. She loves you and you love her. Do something about it."
James laughed again. "I will. Goodbye Hermione."
He shook her hand one last time, gave her a hug and turned around.
"I'll see you around someday." He said as he walked away.
"…No…you won't…" she whispered. "Goodbye…"
She took out the bottle Dumbledore had given her from her pocket and drank the potion inside it. She watched as James' silhouette blurred and how the world around her slowly dissolved. Her stomach jerked and somersaulted before the world finally came back into focus.
James was no longer there. Slowly she noticed that there was a loud cheering sound coming from the Pitch behind her.
She turned around and saw a little red speck that was flying very fast, making very sharp turns.
It was Harry. And she realised he had seen the Snitch. She wanted to cheer, but remembered something.
Had it all been a dream? Her books were all over the grass and sharp shards of glass littered the ground around them.
She reached into her pockets and pulled out a little piece of paper.
'Nice to have met you. I'll never forget it and I hope you won't either. Perhaps we'll see each other again somewhere in the future.'
Not a dream, then.
Another, even louder roar of enthusiasm came from the pitch and she realised the game was over. Slowly a large red crowd emptied out onto the field and someone was carrying a gleaming silver cup.
In the middle of the group she recognised him, his black hair as messy as ever. Her heart jumped. She was back, back where she had left off.
Her heart jumped even more when she realised he was running to meet her.
"We've won!" he shouted halfway across the field. "We've won, Hermione!"
She broke into a run to meet him. His arms circled around her waist as they met, spinning her around in a little victory dance. When he stopped spinning her, their faces were closer than she could have ever hoped for.
She could see him swallow with difficulty and noticed she was doing the same herself.
He fumbled with something in his hands and slipped it on her finger. She tore her eyes away from his to look at what he had given her.
A small smile crossed her face as she saw it was a thin silver ring with an engraved lion on it. She looked back into his green eyes and smiled at him warmly.
He bent his neck and slowly brought his mouth down on hers. She closed her eyes and kissed him back.
A loud roar erupted from the crowd around them, but they didn't seem to notice. Ron smiled strangely and waved the wolf-whistling onlookers away.
"Go on, get moving. Nothing special to see…" he muttered with a large grin on his face.
When they finally broke apart there was no one else left on the field and dusk was slowly starting to fall. He smiled shyly at her.
"So…"
"Yeah…"
He laughed a little and leaned in for another, but shorter kiss. He took her hand and together they walked back up to the castle, hand in hand.
The End
That was it guys. Actually, rereading this made me think it was a bit of an abrupt ending...oh well, too late to change it now :P
Emma Barrows: Hope you enjoyed the story! I'm always glad to receive a review from you. I know you'll stick with it till the end. Thank you!
Randypotter1222: Well, I must admit that I hadn't thought about Lupin and Sirius while writing the story. But seeing as how they're not mentioned...I get away with it so easily ;)
Pottersgirl91: Hope you enjoyed the ending!
Mercutio: well, well, well what to say indeed ;) I discussed the ending with you earlier today and I think it's too sudden and too fluffy for you, but I will hear it from you in a few moments anyway, so...See you in de fusie in a few minutes!
Olga de Bont: You liked a sleeptalking Hermione? Good! I'm glad. De auditie is 5 november...dusss...ik ga heeeeeel veel studeren :P
CherryHead: I'm so happy to receive such an over happy review from someone who only just started reading. Sorry that this was the last chapter, you really joined in at the very last moment. But still, a good yet review is always better than no review at all ;)
Tessa: I am very flattered that you think I portrayed both lily an james in a proper way. There really isn't much to go on in the books, which makes it harder. Glad you liked it and perhaps I will see you at some of my other fics. (Not obligatory ;) )
XXRoseDawsonXX: I will certainly check out that story you mentioned. And I am very pleased to see that you liked the story a lot. I hope this last chapter didn't ruin it :P Thanks for all your reviews.
Well guys, that is it from me for a while. I have got to try and get some studying done and I have to get some rest. I haven't slept a lot this week. I thought it was way too much fun to stay up a lot of nights with a housemate of mine and I must admit it did tire me out a bit :P Thanks again to everyone who reviewd, it always makes my day when I receive one of those lovely emails from you guys :D
Love, raven55