Potter

Chapter 92

Dear Lily,

It's been an amazing first week of Hogwarts! Professor McGonagall has pulled the school together brilliantly, and everything is running as smooth as ever. Classes are wonderful, and the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is quite brilliant!

I miss you so much. We all do. Ginny and Neville have been noticeably grumpy, and I caught Draco sulking in the library the other day. He's absolutely fine, of course. Just sulking. I think he resents our attempts at inclusion, but somewhere deep (deep?) down he appreciates it. Caiden and Blaise don't leave him alone for long, though. They seem to be the only two he truly doesn't mind hanging around.

I'm not sure how Caiden gets into the Slytherin common room so often– I think Draco and Blaise spoil him, honestly, and he's made a good friend there as well– but apparently it's one of his favorite places to be. I wouldn't have thought so, being that it's not his house, but he's in the Gryffindor common room just as much, so I suppose I can't be too critical, can I? Though I can't help but wonder how much time he actually spends in his own.

He fits right in at Hogwarts, Lily! I can't believe we ever thought he was a muggle. He's absolutely excelling in his classes already, though I'm sure Remus has already told you all about that, if Caiden hasn't written himself.

It's so strange to be back here. But I think, day by day, everything is healing.

Being here is good, again. Like it used to be.

Tell me everything about St. Mungo's when you get the chance! I want to hear all about everything– what methods do they start teaching first? What was your first morning like? I want to hear everything! But study first if you have to.

Everyone sends their love– I'm sure this one will arrive in a pile of other letters.

Best of wishes,

Hermione

_

Every part of me ached with exhaustion.

Every bone, every pore, every strand of hair sagged with the weight of sleep, threatening to pull me down where I sat– and currently I had pulled myself up onto the counter of the houses's tiny kitchen to read the letters that had arrived this morning.

Hermione's had been pleasant, filled with brisk love and information I found myself appreciative of. I had read over her painfully perfect handwriting with a smile, or at least the closest thing to a smile I could manage.

It was only the second day of training, but the Healers in charge of training at St. Mungo's didn't see any point in starting us in slowly. Even Theo, who always saw fit for quips or snarky comments, had fallen quiet with exhaustion, his responses and words limited to 'ha' and 'hmms' that had me almost concerned for his health.

I would've felt bad for him, had I not been driven to the exact same point myself. The only reason I hadn't fussed when he claimed first shower was that I was too tired to argue, and found my curiosity towards the pile of letters that had gathered since this morning to be painfully ginormous.

It was the first round of letters we had received, arriving a week after everyone had left for Hogwarts. I wasn't startled by the late date, and more than a little grateful for it– I wasn't been sure how well I would have handled hearing from everyone when I was still so busy missing them that I had been considering just heading to Hogwarts after all.

Of course, that hadn't happened– but Lavender had provided lots of tea and chocolate for both Theo and I. We both had had no qualms about sitting and doing nothing but wait for everyone to get back until Lavender had stood in front of us, hands on her hips and an eyebrow cocked as she threatened to hex us unless we helped her with dinner.