This is it.

Today was my graduation ceremony. I was finally going to graduate from Hogwarts. Only seven years ago I'd been so excited to arrive at the school. Now, I can't wait to leave.

Funny how you change your mind over the years, eh?

As I pulled my school uniform on, I thought of what I'd gone through at this school. In these classrooms. These corridors, the common room, my dormitory, the grounds. I have so many memories.

I've made friends, had my first boyfriend, had my first kiss, fought dark wizards, laughed, talked, and cried. (Yes, I said cried) I've had good times and bad.

I pulled my graduation robes on (red and gold for Gryffindor) overtop my uniform and shuffled through my trunk looking for my shoes.

"Ginny, are you ready?" I glanced up and saw Alina Burr, fellow graduating Gryffindor waiting for me.

"Yeah," I stood up, slipping my feet into my shoes. "I'm ready."

"Laureen is waiting for us downstairs." I took a deep breath.

"Okay." I followed Alina down the staircase and we met Laureen at the bottom. All the younger students were staring at us, but I didn't notice. I was too busy thinking of the other female Gryffindor who should be walking with us.

Nicolette Alfrid, a muggleborn witch, should be graduating with us today, but she's not. She died last year, during the Final Battle as she was trying to get away. I hadn't found out until after Fred's funeral.

It's no fair at all. She should be here with us, joking about how she was surprised any of us had managed to pass each year. She was the life of our dormitory, but no one was immune to the war that had been raging. Our dormitory had been so... quiet this term. There was no one to wake Alina when she slept in, no one to tease me about my love life, no one to mock Laureen's accent.

We all missed her so much. I'd been distraught when I found out.

As we walked to McGonagall's office where the graduating Gryffindors were to meet, Alina and Laureen started talking about when we first met.

I grinned as I remembered that particular day.

"It was like fate when the four of us sat in the same boat," Alina said reminiscently.

"It sure seems like it," Laureen agreed.

"And here we are, graduating."

"It's perfect, except..."

"Nicolette's not here," I finished grimly. Alina and Laureen nodded miserably.

"It's not fair," Alina muttered wiping at her eyes where tears were leaking from. "She didn't deserve to die. She was only trying to escape." I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze.

"It's going to take a while to get over it, and we may never, but we can't forget to keep living. She would want us to go with our lives, not grieve for her and not live our lives to the fullest." As would Fred...

Alina murmured her agreement and Laureen gave a quiet chuckle. "Since when have you become so insightful?"

"I haven't. It's just something someone told me the day after the war. They have... experience with this type of thing." Thankfully, no one asked me who.

We walked in silence until we arrived outside McGonagall's office. Taking a deep breath, I glanced at my two friends and knocked on the door.

"Come in," was heard and Alina pushed the door open hesitantly. "Girls." I noticed that the boys were already here. There were only three, because like Nicolette, we had lost a Gryffindor boy.

Collin Creevey had died during the final battle, just as Nicolette had.

"Hey," Arnie said shyly. The others, Carter and Ed, smiled politely at us.

"Hey Arnie," I greeted. "Ed, Carter."

"Ginny."

"Hi."Alina grinned bashfully and stepped beside Ed and intertwined their fingers. This was only a recent development.

Laureen sidestepped me and grabbed Carter's hand as well.

Professor McGonagall stood from behind her desk and gestured for the six of us to follow her to the great hall.

We entered the hall shortly thereafter and saw that all our family and friends were already seated. I tried to spot my family, but for once I couldn't see the cluster of red.

We followed our head of house to the front of the hall and up onto the stage where the others were seated.

There were the Ravenclaws in blue and bronze, the Hufflepuffs in yellow and black, and the Slytherins in green and silver. Our small red and gold cluster joined them at the end and watched as McGonagall, headmistress, took the podium.

"Good evening, and welcome to the graduation ceremony for the class of 1999..."

That's when I tuned out. Instead of listening to McGonagall speak on and on, I searched the crowd for my family. It didn't take long to locate them; they were way at the back, and in the middle were a blonde head, a brown head and a black head.

So Hermione and Harry had come. And Fleur. Hermione had been taking classes with us, but the professors found that she knew most of the material, so they just ended up giving her a tutor. They even gave her a choice between sitting with us up here to graduate and just privately getting her certificate. Obviously, she chose the latter. She hadn't wanted to make a spectacle of it.

Beside her was Harry. Merlin, I haven't seen him since the one year anniversary of the Final Battle. I miss him so badly. I'm just hoping I'll see him tonight. Of course, I'll definitely see him tomorrow for the graduation ball (We were allowed to invited someone already out of Hogwarts, but we needed permission first) but I don't know if I'll last that long.

Hermione and Ron were going to be there as well; Hermione was allowed to attend the ball even though she wasn't receiving her certificate today.

"...stand and prepare to receive your certificates." Professor McGonagall's voice cut through my thoughts and I stood with the others and lined up at the back. Having a surname that starts with 'W' can be quite irksome at times. As I waited in line, I looked back to Harry. He was whispering with Hermione, and from here, his face looked a little... red? I kept staring, hoping he would look up. They were only in the 'H's.

Finally, he looked up at the stage and caught my eye. The wide grin that took over his face must have been infectious, because the next thing I knew, I was grinning just as widely. We kept our eyes on each other, and it was with great reluctance that I turned to the headmistress to accept my certificate and to shake the hands of the other professors.

After some pictures, we were free to go, being reminded that the ball the next evening started at eight. I wasn't even listening. I tore through the crowds, pushing people out of the way and forgetting all my manners. I reached the large group, completely out of breath and was engulfed in a large hug courtesy of my mother.

"Mum. Mum. Mum!" I pushed away from her. "Where's Harry?" I couldn't see him anywhere.

I know I'll regret being so rude to her later, but right now I really needed to see him, feel him... Of course, mum was furious, thus, not answering. Surprisingly, it was Percy who told me what I wanted to hear.

"Him, Ron and Hermione stepped outside; they were getting mobbed by the crowds..." But that was all I needed to be told.

I sprinted through the crowd, tripping once over someone's smartly placed foot, and burst through the front doors. I stopped then because I honestly had no idea where they could be. Fortunately though, luck must have been on my side this night because there he was, his back to me, talking to his two friends.

I felt my face break into a smile and ran towards him. I knew Ron and Hermione had seen me, because they smiled widely, but Harry's back was still to me. I took this to my advantage and leaped onto his back. My arms went around his neck and his hands flew to mine unconsciously.

"Bloody hell! Ginny?"

"You've been spending too much time with Ron." I grinned against his neck and didn't even realize Ron and Hermione had left. I jumped down and went to stand in front of him. I stood up onto my toes and kissed him lightly on the mouth.

His hands were on my waist and mine on his shoulders when we broke apart. I rested my cheek on his shoulder and felt him place his chin on my head.

"I missed you."

"I've missed you, too."

I grinned up at his face and kissed him again, entwining our fingers. "You should get back to your family," he muttered against my lips, making them tingle.

"What if I don't want to?"

"It's your graduation, Ginny," he said raising an eyebrow and pulling away.

"I know, but it's mad in there!"

"Yeah, but c'mon. I'll endure it for you to be with them. Besides, maybe they'll create some sort of barrier around me; there're enough Weasleys for that."

I laughed at that and hugged him again, breathing in the scent that was only his. He tugged at my hand and then we were back in the great hall, Harry keeping his head down as I tried to locate my family. I finally spotted them but as we were making our way over, I was stopped by Alina.

"Ginny! I want you to come meet my fam- Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't realise you were with someone. Well, um, go on ahead. I'll talk to you later." She sent a glance at Harry and waved at me, turning back around again.

"Uh..."

"That was Alina; my dorm mate."

"Oh."

"C'mon; I think that guy over there just realised who you are." I grinned as I dragged Harry through the crowd and quickly slipped into the little circle my family had created.

"Ginny!" I groaned and turned around to face my mum, her face red. I felt Harry tug his hand from mine and discreetly gave the finger in his general direction, earning the sound of many sniggers.

"Yes, mum?" I asked sweetly.

"What in Merlin's name do you think you were doing, running off like that? We had no idea where you had gone!"

"I went to find Harry, Ron and Hermione. I told you."

"No, you did not. You asked where they were and then took off."

"Mum," I said, looking around; people were starting to stare. "Can we not do this right now?"

"I don't see what the-"

"Molly, just leave it for now." I watched thankfully, as dad calmed mum down. Hopefully she'll forget about it by the time I get home in two days.

Everyone else greeted me after that and we spent quite a while just talking and reminiscing.

"Just imagine, there'll be no Weasleys here for at least another eleven years," Ron said and everyone laughed.

"Yeah, I'm sure the staff'll have no idea what to do," I retorted sarcastically. Everyone laughed again and I felt a smile grow on my face. This is just what we all need. Along with Fred.

Author's Note - Miss me? I know, I know, I'm in deep trouble for not updating 'LtU' in months, but I've had no inspiration. I'm working on a new story due out hopefully sometime before 2010, and I'm desperately trying to work on 'LtU'.

As for this story, its been half written for months, and suddenly I had inspiration to finish it. Don't worry, it is a two shot. I hope you enjoy it; I've always enjoyed writing from Ginny's point of view.

Please don't throw tomatoes at me!

-PadfootProngs7