Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or anything else to do with Harry Potter. Just the warped storyline added. No profit, no gain, and all that jazz.

Warning: This will turn into HP/SS slash in the next chapter or so and the rating may very well be changed to R.

"I can't believe we just graduated" Hermione whispered as she and her two best friends shared an emotional group hug.

"Yeah mate, after so many years of running away from danger, hexes and madmen out to get you, I'm awfully relieved we've all come out of it alright", Ron added.

Harry looked at his best friends intently and searched for words to tell them how much he valued their friendship, love and support over the past seven years.

"I couldn't have hoped for better friends than you two", began the green- eyed wizard. "Others would have bailed on me over the years, considering the amount of danger being around me has put you guys in. But never you two. You were always there in my corner, always helping me out, even if it meant getting in trouble along the way".

Speaking so honestly about his emotions wasn't the easiest thing for Harry, but he felt a strong urge to share these feelings with the two people he cared about most in the world.

"I'm so glad I chose you over Malfoy back on the Hogwart's Express 7 years ago, Ron. And I'm just as happy we were around to help you out with the mountain troll situation, 'Mione, "Harry grinned at his friends.

They both grinned back at him, and then at one another. Theirs was a special friendship and everyone who knew them acknowledged it. The three were blindly loyal to one another and did their best to be supportive and helpful throughout the various ordeals they'd all dealt with over the years.

They three started making their way back to Gryffindor Tower, to enjoy the post-graduation party with their friends.

They walked in comfortable silence, each of them thinking back on their eventful relationship. Hermione knew she would have had a much more difficult time dealing with her mother's illness back in 6th year, without the attentive aid of Ron and Harry. The two had sat up with her night after night, reading up on Magical remedies for Muggle diseases. They'd even straightened up their act, academically, over the weeks she'd gone home to nurse her mother back to health, so that they'd be able to help her catch up with her studies, upon her return. She had to hand it to them – when they put their minds to it, both managed to take decent notes in class and to understand the material quite admirably.

She glanced at her friends again and sighed, thinking how she'd miss not seeing them every day, from now on.

Ron was also deep in thought, remembering how his friends had always been there to straighten his head out, over the years. He blushed as he thought back on the time he'd been convinced that his feelings for Hermione were of a romantic nature. His friend did not freak out on him or reject him coldly. She merely explained to him that he had misinterpreted his own feelings, and helped him realize he could never jeopordize their close friendship by turning it into a romantic fling. She said they loved one another far too much to take that route. Plus she added that she didn't do threesomes, and since they couldn't very well delete Harry from the equation, it was not going to happen.

For some reason, hearing the clever girl's logic, mixed in with her rare attempt at humor, helped him realize she was right. What they had was too special to risk losing. Besides, he honestly couldn't imagine spending long periods of time in 'Mione's presence, without their other best friend. He knew they both needed Harry there to moderate their fiery tempers. Furthermore, ever since Harry and 'Mione had set him up with Susie (Susan) Bones, he'd been happier than ever.

Thinking of his budding romance with Susie made him blush and giggle happily, which caused his friends to gaze at him with confused expressions on their faces.

"It's nothing" he blurted hastily before either one even asked.

"Right mate" Harry teased. "I bet you weren't thinking up ways to sneak out of the Tower to visit Susie tonight, eh?"

The gangly redhead blushed again, but smiled at his friends.

They reached the Tower and just as Ron said the password to the Fat Lady, Harry jerked back and told his friends he'd be back shortly. He mumbled something about having forgotten to say goodbye to someone, and rushed off in the direction they'd just come from.

The two friends looked at one another in surprise and proceeded to enter their common room.

Harry was engaged in a battle within himself, wondering if he'd really have enough courage to go through what he'd been planning over the past few months. He was going to Severus Snape, his most hated Potions Master's quarters, to say goodbye. He'd played the possible scenarios in his mind over and over again over the past few weeks, and now that the time has arrived, he could only hope for the best.

TBC ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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