I Swear This Time I Mean It ✔️

Chapter 34

{A/N: Hello everyone! Thank you for being patient while I took an unexpected hiatus. I finally came into some time for writing and I cannot tell you how happy I am to finally be able to continue this story. There will be more chapters left in this story than I initially thought, so I'm not even going to try giving an estimate as to how many are left because this chapter was not planned at all. I'm also on AO3 now, the link to my account is on my profile!

I hope that you're all well and staying safe, especially with current events. I'm sending you all of my love as always. Enjoy!}

Tomorrow was to be the last day of classes, and Hogwarts seemed to be vibrating with all of the pent up energy it was containing. End of term exams were on the horizon, and the eighth years especially were worried about what their NEWTs could hold. For them, this would be their first time really stepping out into a post-war world, and no one knew what the unsheltered walls outside of Hogwarts would hold.

The Slytherins especially were anxious, and Harry could do little to try to calm their nerves.

"It's complicated Harry," Blaise began to explain. "If we don't work, we'll be relying on old money. If we do get a job, it'll be something menial because no one else will hire us unless it's to exploit us as being beneath them."

"I can-"

"Then it'll look like favoritism my darling. It's a double-edged sword," Draco lamented.

"I don't know what it will take to make people learn. By perpetuating hatred and prejudices they're not better than Voldemort!"

"Hey, you already helped me with what I want to do. I have a client base now because people trust me since you did. Change starts with us remember?," Pansy chimed in.

"I hope I don't have to use my bat-bogey hex anymore, but I'm prepared if I need to."

"This is why we've been following my study timetables, which I've revised for the upcoming week by the way. I've divided up the subjects based on who excels in what, and we can each teach our own review sessions. Bring your questions, and we'll go over them together."

It was times like these where Harry truly was grateful for Hermione. She handed out the timetables, and then she was off to the library, with Pansy, and Ginny in tow. Ron exhaled heavily once they were gone.

"Do you lot fancy some exploding snap?"

"Please, I need a break," Neville agreed, dropping his head into Blaise's lap.

"Don't sweat it Nev, you've come a long way since first year. You've got this mate. We all do, really."

"Thanks Ron."

Draco could tell that Harry's mind wasn't completely focused on the game, but he kept insisting he was fine every time Draco brushed their hands together.

Once Hermione came back, good naturedly lecturing them for not studying, Draco took that moment to slip away. He had a letter to write.

When he came back to their room, Harry was laying in their bed, staring at the ceiling, his dragon plushie in his arms.

"Harry my darling, are you alright?"

"In theory. I'm just thinking."

"Would you like to share?," Draco asked, getting into bed next to his Harry.

"I'm just thinking about how all of this is going to be over soon. What we've built here, it's finally coming to an end. We'll all never be together for this long in our lives ever again. It's honestly terrifying. I don't even know if I know how to be alone in a healthy way for long periods of time."