Chapter 34: Endings and Beginnings

The seventh year at Hogwarts had passed faster than I could have imagined. Classes, exams, duels, late-night study sessions, and quiet moments in the library with Draco had all blurred together into a strange, vivid tapestry. Dark Melody was gone, and the bright Melody I had worked so hard to reclaim had finally settled comfortably inside me. My hair still carried the dark shade that had once marked my armor, but everything else reflected the girl I had fought to become, strong, open, and alive. The castle had never looked more familiar, yet more temporary. The halls echoed with laughter, hurried goodbyes, and the low hum of excitement that came with the end of the school year. Friends, both old and new, hugged tightly, whispered secrets, and promised to stay in touch. Even Pansy gave me a small, begrudging nod that said she had lost whatever tiny battle she had been waging against me. Draco walked beside me quietly as we carried our trunks down to the platform. There was a strange weight in the air, not sadness exactly, but the bittersweet tension of endings. He glanced at me, dark eyes soft, and I knew he felt it too. We had survived everything, grown together, and yet the future beyond Hogwarts was unknown. The train to King’s Cross rumbled to life, steam curling around the platform as students settled into compartments, chattering and laughing. I found an empty compartment, and Draco slid in beside me, his presence a quiet comfort. He reached over, brushing his hand against mine, and I did not pull away. Not now, not ever again. The countryside sped past the windows, sunlight dancing across the rails. I leaned back, Draco’s arm resting lightly against the back of the seat, and let myself relax in a way I had not been able to in years. Hogwarts was behind us, but the world ahead was wide, open, and full of possibility. “You know,” Draco said softly, his voice breaking through the rhythm of the train, “there is a lot I want to ask you once we get home.” I tilted my head to look at him, curious, a flutter in my chest that had nothing to do with magic. “Ask me what?” He smirked just slightly, that teasing glint I remembered from years ago, but there was something serious underneath it too, something I could not read completely. “Just something important. Something that might change everything.” I swallowed, my heart skipping. The train carried us forward, the horizon bright and endless, and the question hung between us like a secret we were not ready to voice yet. I leaned my head against the window, letting the sunlight warm my face, and watched the fields blur by. Whatever was coming next, whatever he wanted to ask, I knew one thing for certain. I was ready. And Draco Malfoy was ready too. The train sped on, carrying us home, carrying us forward, carrying the promise of everything that had yet to come. And somewhere deep inside, I felt it, the first whisper of the question that would change our lives forever.