Chapter 2
Hermione
It was hard to believe that this would be the last time for them to take the Hogwarts Express to school as Hermione watched the Scottish landscape pass by, Crookshanks in her lap.
Harry, Ron and Ginny were discussing Quidditch and Neville and Luna only had eyes for each other. They had been a couple for a bit more than a month and she was happy for them, as she was for Harry and Ginny. Only a week after the War, Hermione and Ron had decided that they worked better as friends after all and that had come as a relief. After the battle, emotions had been running high and the kiss they had shared then had been a mistake. At least they hadn’t ruined their friendship over that.
They had all used the last few months to regain some normalcy after the War, and although there were still the occasional nightmares, at least for Hermione, it was getting better. Her mind-healer had helped a lot dealing with the memories, especially when it came to the torture Bellatrix Lestrange had inflicted on her and the Battle of Hogwarts, of course. What still pained the most was the loss of her parents. When Kingsley Shacklebolt had become Minister, he had personally sent some of the best healers to Australia to see, if they could do something to restore their memories. There had been nothing they could have done without the risk of doing serious and permanent harm to their minds and with a heavy heart, Hermione had decided to let them live the life they had built for themselves.
Molly and Arthur Weasley had allowed her to stay at the Burrow. It had been nice not to be alone, although it was not the same as being at home with her own family, and as an only child who had grown up in a relatively big house with only her parents, living in the Burrow with not just Molly and Arthur, but also Ron, Ginny, Harry, who would move to Grimmauld Place after graduation with Ginny, and George, who had come back home for a while to mourn his twin in the company of his family, had become somewhat suffocating after a while. She was glad to return to Hogwarts, even if it was with mixed feelings. The Battle of Hogwarts was still vivid in her memories, but so were the other years she had spent there, together with her friends. At least this year would be more peaceful, no teachers with Voldemort in the back of their heads, no Basilisk, no Umbridge. Oh, how she had hated Umbridge! Yes, this year she would be able to focus on her NEWTS instead of some looming danger.
When the train lost speed, Hermione got up and put a protesting Crookshanks back into his transport box and everyone gathered their belongings.
“I wonder, if Draco will be back,” Luna said in her usual dreamy voice. Except for Ginny and Neville, they had all spoken for the Malfoys in their trials, for one reason or another, and Luna had told the Wizengamot how Draco had brought the prisoners food, fresh water and potions, but what had remained with Hermione more than anything else was how Lucius Malfoy, a proud and arrogant man, had pleaded not to separate Draco from him and his wife for an entire year and considering what he had been through – Hermione didn’t want to imagine how living with Voldemort and his Death Eaters had been – she thought that the decision had been unfair.
“He’ll have to. The Wizengamot decided that he has to come back to Hogwarts, remember?”
Luna nodded. “Yes, sure. But maybe the Wizengamot changed their minds. He didn’t look well.”
“I don’t think the Wizengamot cares about that.” There was some bitterness in Harry’s voice. “It apparently doesn’t matter that Voldemort would have killed me, if Lucius Malfoy wouldn’t have interfered and that I wouldn’t even have gotten so far in the first place, if Narcissa Malfoy and Draco wouldn’t have lied for me.”
“It did matter,” Hermione contradicted. “They would have gone to Azkaban, if it hadn’t been for everything they did to help.” But secretly, she agreed with Harry. The sentence hadn’t seemed right, Lucius Malfoy having to degrade himself for the sake of his son without any success, had definitely been wrong.
“Are we really still outraged for the sake of the bloody Malfoys?”
Hermione rolled her eyes. If someone could hold a grudge, it was Ron. She didn’t see the point anymore. After living through a war, holding a grudge against people who seemed to have had a change of heart when it had mattered, seemed a waste of energy. The old Draco wouldn’t have risked his life on a daily basis to make imprisonment more bearable for those Voldemort had kept in the cellars of his home.
“We’re just saying that they could have at least allowed him to stay at home,” Hermione said, although she knew it was futile.
“Yeah, then we wouldn’t have to deal with him anymore.”
“Oh Ron, shut up,” Ginny chimed in.
“Yes, please be nice to him.” Hermione was a bit shocked, she had never heard sweet, gentle Luna speak with such emphasis. “It wasn’t his fault. He was just trying to protect the people he loved, as we all did.”
“Alright, alright. I’ll be civil. But I won’t become best mates with him.”
“No one is asking you to, Ronald. It’s unlikely that any of us become best mates with him, but we don’t have to hold onto childhood grudges either. I for one just want a peaceful year.”
“With as much time in the library as possible,” he teased good-naturedly now.
“As a matter of fact, yes,” she answered primly and left the compartment as the train came to a halt.
They got out, greeted Hagrid, who gathered the first years around him, and then went to the coaches. Hermione briefly wondered, how many more students could now see the Thestrals, but pushed the thought aside and climbed in.
It was all so familiar, the castle had been repaired, Minerva McGonagall, now Headmistress, stood at the stairs welcoming nervous first-year-students and the Great Hall looked as beautiful as ever, with the floating candles, the enchanted ceiling and the house tables. There was a smaller fifth table this time and Draco, who had probably taken the floo or a Portkey from the Manor to Hogwarts, sat there alone.
Professor Flitwick came to their small group. “Welcome back,” he beamed. “Please sit at the table Mr Malfoy already occupies. There are a few students who will have a few privileges this year. The Headmistress will explain everything after the feast. Excuse me. Mr Finnigan!” He hurried away to Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who now entered the Hall.
They exchanged brief looks, Ron made a face at the prospect of sitting with Draco Malfoy, and then they sat down.
Hermione was a bit shocked, if she was completely honest. She hoped it didn’t show, but Draco looked so painfully thin and there were dark circles under his eyes. Well, it was understandable. While they had seen mind-healers and found comfort in every-day life after the War, he had been locked up in the Manor, no contact with friends, just his parents, whom he had known he wouldn’t see for a year after coming to Hogwarts. And before that, there had been the fear of the outcome of the trials. Other than them, he hadn’t had a chance to really move on.
“Hi Draco,” Luna said happily, seemingly unbothered. “It’s good to see you.”
While he had only given them a short nod in greeting, he now really looked up for the first time, surprise on his face. “Hi,” he said after a moment’s hesitation.
In time they were joined by Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, and Padma and Parvati Patil. All in all, they were eleven students on this table. Hermione wondered what that meant, but then the Sorting Ceremony started and since this was probably the last time she would ever witness that, she decided to take it all in.
After the Sorting, Headmistress McGonagall took the place Albus Dumbledore had always taken for his welcoming speech. She saw a brief look of sadness on Harry’s face, but she couldn’t bring herself to share that sentiment. It was probably callous, but she felt very little but resentment for their old Headmaster. Everything could have been so much easier, so many lives could have been saved, if Dumbledore hadn’t played his stupid games until the end.
But it was over now and it wasn’t Dumbledor who spoke, but McGonagall. She welcomed them all back, only spoke briefly of the War and a new beginning, took a moment to remember everyone they had lost, and then she introduced the new teachers.
There were new professors for Muggle Studies (Ania Logan), Transfiguration (Liam Starkney), Defence Against the Dark Arts (Dorian Marrow) and Professor Slughorn had returned for Potions.
Hermione didn’t particularly like the pretentiousness of the potions master, but she didn’t really mind either. Professor Starkney would be the new Head of House for Gryffindor. That was something she would have to get used to. She had always respected and liked Professor McGonagall, but it was understandable that with all her duties as Headmistress, she couldn’t remain Head of House.
The food appeared and everyone dug in … well, almost everyone. Draco only had a few bites, but it wasn’t her place to interfere, he really wasn’t her problem. She didn’t want problems this year, just one single year of peaceful studying and just being a student. Still, he certainly could do with a decent meal.
When the Prefects led the students of their Houses to the respective dorms, McGonagall came to their table. “Good evening, everyone,” she greeted them with a small smile. “It’s so good to see you all back. Please follow me, I think I have a pleasant surprise for you.”
She led them to a wing of the castle Hermione had so far only passed on her way to the Astronomy Tower, there she opened a double door to a comfortable common room, which was decorated in all the House colours of the students present: Red for Gryffindor, blue for Ravenclaw and green for Slytherin. It was big for only eleven students and the furniture was comfortable and practical, with sofas, armchairs and couch tables.
The room was round and there were six doors, presumably leading to separate rooms.
“This is your new common room, there are, as you can see, six rooms, each one is set up for two students. As there are only eleven of you and the Ministry has decided that Mr Malfoy is to room alone, everyone else gets to choose who they want to share a room with. However, if you are a couple, I expect … a certain sense of responsibility. Don’t make me regret granting you this kind of freedom.” She gave every single one of them a stern look. Regardless, Harry and Ginny and Neville and Luna exchanged delighted glances. “Your house teachers will contact you tomorrow. If you wish to speak to a mind-healer, they will help you find one, if you already have one, you will be able to floo to appointments from their offices.” Hermione was glad to hear that. She was doing well, but she wasn’t quite ready to stop seeing the healer. It felt good to talk to openly to someone without having to feel bad for making them worry. “Every single one of you has shown much bravery during the War and even if it’s not easy, I hope you will be able to focus on just being students this year. If there is anything you need, please don’t hesitate to come to me or your house teacher. If there are no more questions, I will leave you to settle in.”
“Headmistress? I have a question.”
“Yes, Miss Granger?” Hermione decided not to be offended by McGonagall’s amused smile or Harry’s grin in her direction.
“Do we still collect house points for our respective Houses? And how will it be in class?”
“Of course, you are still members of your respective Houses and you will join your house mates of your year for classes.”
She nodded.
“Anything else?”
There wasn’t and when the Headmistress was gone, everyone started talking at once.
Hermione saw from the corner of her eye how Draco grabbed his trunk from the pile of luggage in the centre of the room.
“I’ll take that room, if it’s alright with everyone.” He pointed to a random room. Everyone turned to him for a moment, no one said anything, there were a few awkward shrugs and when it was clear that no one would object, Draco just nodded. “Alright then. Goodnight.” He vanished into his new room and was gone.
“Nice, as social as ever,” Ron grumbled.
“Leave him be. As long as he’s civil, we’ll be too.” Hermione was surprised that Harry of all people said that, but she supposed he was as tired of fighting as she was.
“What’s far more interesting than Malfoy - Harry and I take that room over there.” Grinning, Ginny pointed at one of the rooms, grabbed Harry’s hand and dragged him on to explore their new room.
The Parvati twins took a room together, so did Luna and Neville and Dean and Seamus.
Hermione, who had just let Crookshanks out of his box, looked up and saw Ron who looked at her with a sheepish smile.
No, she would not show him her disappointment. She loved him like a brother and really, really didn’t want to hurt him. But she had spent months living in a tent with him and then some more months in the Burrow – a little bit of distance would have been welcome. They just didn’t work well on such a close space; his messiness annoyed her and her need for order annoyed him. But it wasn’t his fault and they would have to make do.
“Looks like we’re roommates now,” she said as brightly as possible and when she saw his grin, she silently congratulated herself on a brilliant acting job.
They took their respective trunks and went to their shared room. It was nice. Not as cramped as the normal dorms, each side of the room contained the for Hogwarts typical canopy bed with a bedside table, a closet and on the right and left side there were two desks. There was another door and when Hermione looked in, she found a small bathroom.
She really liked it, what she didn’t like was that Ron immediately started to mess up his side of the room while unpacking his trunk and showing no intention of putting anything away where it belonged.
Hermione sighed and shared a look with Crookshanks, who had made himself comfortable on her bed. No, she wouldn’t say anything. She wouldn’t start a fight. Those good intentions lasted almost a whole day.
~tbc~