A Dramione Baby Project

Back to Hogwarts

Hermione boarded the Hogwarts express with butterflies in her stomach. It was her final year of Hogwarts. The war was finally over and she was ready to return. The train felt the same as the previous six years she'd rode it but there was one thing missing; Harry and Ron. She had arrived with her parents and got on the train alone. She'd find them somewhere she thought.

She began walking along the train corridor, glancing in each compartment, searching for her two friends. She smiled at everyone as they stared at her. A few people glanced at her upper arm and started whispering. They must've heard about the scar that Bellatrix Lestrange left, she always wore long sleeves to hide it now. Hermione felt embarrassed as a shiver went up her spine. She remembered the worst day of her life vividly. The way Bellatrix pinned her down and tortured her in ways that most people could only imagine in their worst nightmares. The way she screamed out as Draco Malfoy stood back and watched. Not doing anything even as she yelled out in pain and desperation.  Luckily she'd never have to speak to him ever again. She thought about him for a minute. How would she react if she saw him? Probably break down and cry, she thought. He could've saved her! But he's a coward.

She snapped out of her thoughts to a familiar, soft voice saying,

"Hermione, are you alright?"

She looked up to see Luna Lovegood standing before her.

"Oh yes, I'm fine thanks," She replied, subtly wiping away a single tear.

"If you say so. Just remember; I'm here if you ever want to talk about what she did," Luna replied knowingly. She'd been through it too. Maybe not as bad but she'd still been tortured at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Thank you Luna, that means a lot," Hermione replied sincerely. "I'm here for you too Luna."

They both smiled and briefly hugged as they walked opposite ways.

Hermione continued down the train, slowly getting frustrated with everyone whispering about her. She still glanced into each compartment, seeing a few familiar faces.

Some of which were repeating their seventh year as the war got in the way. She saw Padma and Pavarti Patil, Hannah Abbot, Ernie Macmillan, Draco Malfoy...Wait, what?

She did a double take and peered back in through the window. It was definitely him! He was alone. His knees were pulled in tightly to his chest, with his feet on the seat. His head rested on his knees as he stared out the window. His blonde hair was a mess and his robes were ripped. He slowly turned to reveal a big scar down his left cheek and a black eye on his right. The scar looked old, but not too old. It was probably from the war, she thought. But the black eye looked new, like it had been done minutes before. They only made eye-contact for a split second before Hermione quickly realised that she was staring at him with her mouth hanging open in shock. She closed her mouth and began walking faster down the corridor. Leaving him to go back to his previous position.

Her emotions all boiled up inside her. She felt strong hatred towards him for not helping her, but she also felt slight sympathy. He'd done a lot of bad things but was it his choice? Or did his family and...Voldemort force him to do what he did? She tried to get him out of her head but it was hard.

She soon found Harry and Ron in a compartment with Ginny. Ginny and Harry sat on the left with Ginny next to the window and Ron sat opposite Harry. They all looked up and smiled at Hermione as she opened the compartment door.

"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed happily, gently patting the seat next to him.

"Hi," Hermione replied, putting on a very believable fake smile, whilst graciously taking the seat offered.