Graduation Day dawned, bright and sunny and Astrid leapt out of bed, eager to get moving. She was in the shower early and was braiding her hair as her parents emerged. Her father gave a small smile.

"See? You can get up when you want to," Martin teased and she scowled at them-but not for long. She was just so excited at finally reaching this day. Hiccup's door opened and he trudged out.

"So no chance of a lie in," he grumbled, running his fingers through his wild auburn hair and yawning. The weather was still hot so he was wearing shorts and Astrid found her eyes drifting to the scars on his left leg. They were still ugly and red, though starting to fade a little and she recalled that horrible moment when he had been struck, when she had heard the thud and the scream as he fell... She closed her eyes...

Warm hands closed gently on her shoulders and she opened her eyes as Hiccup leaned close, his emerald gaze concerned.

"Are you okay, Milady?" he murmured gently. She managed a wan smile, sighing.

"I just saw..." Her eyes drifted to his legs. "And I remembered..." He kissed her forehead gently.

"I'm alive, Astrid," he reassured her. "Still got two legs as well...and the most fabulous girlfriend, a dead mother, a father back from the dead after five years, a crazy three-legged dog and a frankly insane two-limbed godfather." He grinned. "Would've taken that all day long when Al threw me out in October. I never thought I would graduate, I never dreamed I would ever have such a wonderful person in my life...and I will never stop thanking Odin for you...for you all..."

Ingrid blinked, her eyes suddenly moist and hugged her husband. "We're going to be so proud...of you both today," she said. Hiccup shrugged.

"Astrid's the one to be proud of," he told them cheerfully. "I'm just there to make up the numbers!"

"You're more than that," she protested.

"Carry your bag?" he suggested. She smirked.

"My own private footman," she grinned. "Carry me?" He looked appealingly to Martin.

"Um...little help here? How is this fair?" he protested. Martin smiled back.

"She's your girlfriend," he reminded Hiccup and the boy sighed, reaching forward and picking her up bridal-style. Her parents both gaped, realising he was stronger than he looked. "Okay, Milady..." he groaned, "where to?"

She giggled and draped her arms around his neck. "Breakfast please," she said superiorly and he walked carefully to the stairs.

"Your wish is my command," he said cheekily and stole a small kiss before carrying her downstairs.

oOo

Graduation was held on the sports field with the proud parents seated behind the graduating students. Hiccup was amazingly self-conscious in his deep brown cap and gown. The stage and lectern were decorated in the brown, red and green colours of Berk High and the students were all seated ready to start. Hiccup had checked that Gobber and his Dad were seated in their finest next to the Hoffersons. And Astrid was at Hiccup's side because her name was next to his in the alphabet and at the edge of the row as she was the Class Speaker.

His hands drifted down and his fingers touched hers. She smiled and her hand curled around his as Principal Johann stood up as the ceremony started.

"Welcome-students, friends, parents, staff," he said clearly, his voice echoing around the stadium. "Today is a momentous day, the day the Senior Class graduates and we send these young men and women out into the world with Berk's values of hard work, single-minded determination and loyalty to gird them against the trials they will face."

Astrid was concentrating hard, her brow lightly furrowed and lips pursed. Hiccup knew he should be paying attention but frankly, she was much more enticing and he gave a slightl sigh, shuffling his feet before turning his emerald gaze back to Johann. The man had launched into an irrelevant story before swinging his narrative back to the Seniors.

"This year has faced challenges," Johann continued. "Whether the work-which has been harder than ever-or disciplinary-with the record number of suspensions, this Senior Class has faced more obstacles than usual. And there have been tragedies...a student a victim of a hit-and-run accident, bullying and violence and the suspension and subsequent imprisonment of the Principal for child abuse." He paused and stared over the attentive students, his eyes drifting over the hunched figure of Hiccup, who was inspecting the grass furiously. "But there have been successes. The Football Team won the Archipelago Cup for an unprecedented third consecutive year, we have won several scholarships and a State-wide prize as well as having a number of students graduating on the Honour Roll."

He smiled and then lifted his notes. "Now, without further ado, the Diplomas..."

Hiccup walked up to collect his Diploma with a self-conscious smile, having scored As in Math, Physics and Art and overall a B. There was cheering from his friends, polite applause from the parents and whooping and cheering from Stoick and Gobber. The Hoffersons were also clapping loudly and for a moment, Hiccup paused and grinned at them before accepted his Diploma with a firm handshake. Astrid graduated with a straight A average, on the Honour Roll and as top graduating student. Hiccup was whistling and Stoick and Gobber cheered just as loudly as for the boy. The entire year stood to applaud her and she blushed and smiled as she accepted her Diploma.

Once the Diplomas were handed out Johann handed out some additional awards. Snotlout, Eret, Fishlegs and Tuffnut all won Football Scholarships to Archipelago University. Astrid was awarded the Good Citizen Prize-traditionally awarded to the outgoing Class President-and Roland won the prize for Fundraising for Good Causes. Heather and Anna jointly won the prize for Ancient Viking culture, having got the best overall marks in Viking History, Mythology and Ancient Norse. Then Johann paused.

"There is one additional award that must be handed out," he announced. "I have only received confirmation of this today. It was felt that this year, Berk High had an artist among us talented enough to submit as a candidate for the coveted State-wide scholarship...and I am pleased to announce that, for the first time, a student from Berk has won the prize. Step forward the winner of a scholarship that can be applied to whatever course the winner chooses-Hiccup Haddock!"

Hiccup blinked and stared. "Um...what?" he muttered. Astrid elbowed him.

"You've won the State Art Scholarship, mutton-head!" she hissed.

"But I didn't apply for anything-Al would never have allowed it and..."

"Well, someone did on your behalf and you've won-so get up there, dummy!" With a sigh, he clambered up and walked to accepted the certificate and envelope from the Principal.

"Miss Sylvester sent in your assignment, Hiccup," Johann said to him in a low voice as he handed the award over. "She feels you are the finest artist she's worked with here. Well done!" Hiccup smiled and shook his hand.

"Um...wow...thanks," he murmured.

"And I am certain your father will be thrilled to see it," Johann grinned as both Stoick and Gobber roared in excitement. Hiccup almost face-palmed.

"Um...yeah...sorry 'bout that...but really, they ARE ancient Viking culture in two rather huge packages..." he said awkwardly. Johann patted him on the shoulder.

"I'm glad you have your family here," he said, fully aware of Hiccup's issues throughout the year. "Off you go."

He arrived back as his seat almost in a daze as Astrid smiled, gently touched his hand as she rose to give her speech. Hiccup again found himself concentrating on the beautiful young woman standing at the lectern, thanking Odin and Thor that she was his girlfriend, officially making him the luckiest man on Midgard.

"All of us wear masks," Astrid said as she began her speech. "We try to appear happy when we are feeling down, confident when we are uncertain, brave when we are scared. But High School is a peculiar environment where masks are more difficult to lower than usual...and who you are, who you like and who you don't can come to define you. Where being popular becomes more important than being decent, where being seen in the right place is more important than doing the right thing. Where the illusion is more important than reality.

In our year, we wore our masks and around us, darker things were happening. Our Principal was abusive, victimising his stepson under our noses and we missed it because we saw the mask and not the reality. We were all to blame by accepting what we wanted to see, not what was there. And before us, a student was isolated, abused and ultimately, almost lost his life. The boys who harmed him have been put away...but could they have been stopped before they attempted murder? Probably-if we had stood up and tried.

I wore a mask...Miss Perfect, the Class President. I am not perfect...far from it. But a person I had treated harshly, who I had underestimated and ignored because he was beneath my notice and not part of my crowd saved me, helped me and protected me. And thank Odin I saw beyond his mask when he called for help. Helping him gave me someone whose friendship and love I value most highly." She smiled and Hiccup blushed. Her parents shared a look of pride at her speech.

"You can all do amazing things," she said to her fellow students. "But be yourself. Take off that mask and be who you really are. And if you are not liked and accepted by your friends for that...then they are no friends and you need to find better ones. Because life behind a mask will cut you off from what matters most...and maybe, the people who will make your life truly perfect." She smiled. "Congratulations Senior Class-we did it!"

There was a blizzard of caps being thrown in the air and Astrid tossed hers aside happily, watching it spinning through the air and hitting Mister Mildew. The students rose, cheering to the speech and at the end of the ceremony...and Astrid grinned and sped down the steps...to find Hiccup. She nodded and smiled in acknowledgement at the congratulations of her friends for her speech but her eyes were locked on the tall, auburn-haired, emerald eyed boy who was smiling and waiting for her. She flung herself against him and he wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off the ground and swinging her around a couple of times before gently setting her down.

"It was all for you," she said breathlessly as he gently swiped the bangs off from over her left eye.

"So I make your life perfect?" he asked her huskily. She grinned.

"Well, I did exaggerate for the speech but...yeah, pretty much..." she laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You make mine...tolerable..." he told her grinning.

"Tolerable?" she asked tartly.

"Adequate?"

"Adequate? Oh, you are so dead..." she growled as he leaned forward and silenced her with a deep kiss. When they broke apart, Miss Sylvester was standing by them and Hiccup blushed and pulled back from his girlfriend, incredibly flustered.

"Miss Sylvester...?" he gabbled. "Um...I never even know you...I mean I..." He paused and tried to compose himself. "Thanks," he hazarded. She smiled.

"Really-you are welcome," she told him. "You have a rare talent, Hiccup...and I could tell you had real issues. Some of your solo works were very dark but incredibly moving...so you deserved recognition. I sent in your Project work since it was solely your artistic input in that piece..." He rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously as Miss Sylvester smiled and turned to Astrid. "Your image will hang in in the gallery in the State Capitol, Miss Hofferson." She stared and gaped...and then she smiled.

"I could get used to that," she admitted as her parents and Gobber and Stoick came up. Ingrid and Martin hugged Astrid tightly...and then did the same to Hiccup. He smiled a little self-consciously and then fist-bumped Gobber.

"Thanks, old man," he grinned. "I don't think I'd have done it without you...or you, Mr and Mrs H..."

"We couldn't have been prouder, Hiccup," Martin told him firmly. "You proved me wrong. You were a decent, hardworking young man I am proud is going out with my daughter."

"And the awkwardness continues," Hiccup murmured at Astrid. She giggled.

"Hey, you have the seal of approval from my father," she sniggered.

"Well that fills me with confidence..." he sighed, as Stoick grabbed him and hugged him fiercely. "Um...Dad...still need air..." Hiccup groaned. Apologetically, Stoick stood back but he was beaming ear to ear and his face was very proud. Slowly, the others in the gang coalesced around them, all grinning in glee as Hiccup high-fived them and Astrid hugged her girlfriends.

"Um...what now, Milady?" Hiccup asked, an arm gently draping round her waist. She returned the favour and grinned.

"Now we celebrate!" she announced. "High School is done!"