Hogwarts, a new history
Platform 9 and ¾ had never been this empty. Quiet goodbye and the steam engine's sound were the only sounds as Hermione loaded her trunk into the luggage compartment and looked for a place to sit by herself.
Families didn't linger after their children boarded, quickly apparating home as soon as they were assured they were safe.
She didn't have anyone to say goodbye to this year. Weeks ago, she would have doubted if she could ever manage it again, as she had said it at so many funerals in such a short time.
Harry and Ron had decided to forgo the seventh year of education to start Auror training right away. Hermione had enough of dark wizard hunting, though she was undecided exactly what was next, finishing Hogwarts would be necessary.
Auror's had volunteered to take the ride this year, to reassure the parents of incoming first years that the school was taking safety precautions and because there was still a long list of muggle-borns who were missing, who hopefully chose this day to come out hiding.
The locomotive gave a screech of the steam engine, to signal it's intention of leaving soon.
Hermione gave a little wave through the glass to the prefect's cabin. Ernie Macmillan and Padma Patil were picked to be head boy and head girl with the usual gaggle of prefects. Hermione had stepped down for the time being, with a much more important project to head up.
Many people stared and whispered as she made her way down the corridor. Not wanting to be the subject of discussion for long she moved quickly, rejecting seat after seat until she saw
A familiar shock of blond hair, hidden behind Hogwarts, a history. On either side of him sat an Auror, one of whom was already dozing off. The train lurched as it picked up to full speed and the curly haired witch resigned herself that this might be her best option for privacy, as loathe as she was to share a compartment with Draco Malfoy.
No sooner had she slid the compartment door open than he'd peered up over the book at her.
"Do you mind if I sit here?"
The Auror's turned to him in unison, apparently ready to reprimand him. "Not at all. Make yourself comfortable. " It was a flat tone with no emotion despite the words. He said nothing else and returned to his book.
Hermione gnawed her lip trying to think of something else to stay. Even if it was monotone, for the first time Malfoy had made a genuine attempt to be friendly. As part of a very small pool of students taking N.E.W.T.S this year they'd probably have to learn to be civil.
"I've never seen that cover of Hogwarts, A History. Is it a limited edition?" There. She'd given Malfoy the opportunity to boast about his money and prestige, favor returned.
"It is a recently revised edition that mentions house elves and the chamber of secrets. I imagine a certain fourth year and her little SPEW movement got someone's attention."
"You remember S.P.E.W ?"
"It was kind of hard to forget the year everyone an anachronism for vomit on their robes. " She couldn't see the smirk but rather hear it.
"It's the same year you were fascinated by Harry's personal hygiene. "
He actually let out a bark of laughter and tried to cover it with a cough. One of the Auror's looked confused, then gave up and pulled out a book of crossword puzzles, the other had nodded off again.
Silence fell again and Hermione tried to distract herself with her own reading. She had just successfully lost herself when Draco spoke again.
"Have you heard how they are going to house returning students?" He finally dropped the book to look at her full on the face.
"No I haven't, I assumed we would go back to our regular dorms, though that would be quite a tight fit. "
"I agreed. However, it looks like there's a corridor of flat-like dorms for guests and when students were married in their seventh year. Someone should suggest it to McGonagall."
"Someone should." she agreed. "Do you mean me?"
Tilting his head to the Auror on his side he grumbled "No one is going to listen to me."
Upon arrival to the school, there was an unusual hold-up at Hogsmeade station. Many students were taking the time to stare at and try to pet the threstrals pulling the carriages. Hermione wanted no part in this so she quickly grabbed one and went to slam the door shut until a pale hand caught.
"Mind if I sit in this one? " it was just Malfoy alone this time.
"Not at all, make yourself comfortable. Will your Ministry friends be joining us?"
He shook his head and sighed. "No, they were just making sure I was actually coming back and not trying to skip out to another country. "
Hermione wasn't sure how to respond to that so she gave a weak smile and a nod that wasn't returned.
As soon as the carriage got to the castle, Malfoy got out first, speeding towards the Slytherin table without even a look back her way. She found McGonagall awaiting the first years in the journey across the lake. Apparently, all the second years who'd been denied the privilege under the Carrows reign were joining them this year too, delaying the start of the feast.
The headmistresses agreed to the revitalization of the guest/marriage dorms and said that she would afford it to any student who would be of age before the end of the year. She thanked Hermione for the suggestion and said she would make a list of each pair to a dorm as there were two bedrooms.
Hermione also met up with the wizard who would help her coordinate her special project. Dr. Bones held a muggle doctorate in psychology and a Healership from St. Mungos. He would be on call for the students who needed help and hold nightly group therapy in the hospital wing.
Now, she just needed to get her fellow students to actually go to the meetings.
In the morning, a slightly used copy of the most recent edition of Hogwarts, a history came by owl post with no note. It was then that she set her sights on getting one student in particular to the nightly meetings.