Hermione had never thought that she would be here again.
She had never thought that she would be sitting in one of the compartments of the Hogwarts express.
She had never thought that she would be on her way back to Hogwarts, back to where it all started.
But here she was, Sitting next to her best friends, whom without, she wouldn't know what would have happened to her and to the whole wizarding world.
Here she was, musing about how it will feel like to walk though the large oak doors that led to the Great Hall again; how it will feel like to walk through them for the last time for the beginning of the year.
She thought that it would be magical. Just like her first year.
Well, it was pretty damn obvious why she would think that.
She was walking through the doors where her life began. Where she was granted the chance to start her life again. The chance to have a fresh new start.
Behind those doors was — after all — where she found out who she was.
It was where she found out which one of the Hogwarts great houses she would be in and how she would be able to live up to the house's ancestors expectations.
It was where she sat down next to her two best friends in every morning and in every evening.
And now she was going to experience that feeling again for the very last time.
Hermione didn't know if she was supposed to feel sad or relieved.
"What do you think Hogwarts will be like?"
The sound of her best friend shook her out of her dazed state.
She turned away from the window and came face to face with her friend whose glasses — this time — were in good shape.
She couldn't help but remember how she fixed them for him the first two years, where everything was sweet and rainbows.
"I am not sure. Perhaps it will be like last years." Hermione replied.
"McGonagall is the new headmistress. I have no bloody reason to doubt her better judgment," Ron shrugged.
Hermione looked at Ron and smiled. She was very glad that Ron didn't refuse to come back to finish their eighth year.
After the war, Ron and Hermione drifted apart. They both were very understanding and they both knew that they needed time to recover from their never ending trauma.
They both then came to terms that they weren't right for each other.
It was just convenient. All it was for both of them was just a silly crush.
They both worked it out and they both decided that it would be fine to continue to be just best friends. Nothing less and nothing more.
"I agree," Harry nodded.
"I am just a bit overwhelmed. The houses were never pleasant to one another, and now with the war that happened?" Harry scoffed.
"The Slytherins will be a cursed walking statue. People already hated them before the war, I can't imagine what they will go through." He shook his head.
"I am confident that the headmistress will do what's right. McGonagall doesn't blame the Slytherins for their choices after all." Hermione added.
"Even if she did and if everyone else did, we will be there to tell them otherwise." Ron explained.
During the war, the trio came to terms that the Slytherins were forced to do what they did.
They did see what Lucius Malfoy tried to force his son to do.
Draco Malfoy, after all, didn't try to escape with his parents after the war, who were both then caught by the aurors.
Draco stayed with the winning side, and even though he wasn't on their side during the war, him staying with them at last spoke volumes.
It was just peer pressure that forced the Slytherins to do what they did, and their parents, of course.
And the trio learned to overcome all of the prejudices that came with the Slytherins, seeing as that Snape was one of the main reasons Harry defeated Voldemort.
"That's right." Hermione clipped.
"Mione, we will be there soon, you should change into your robes." Harry suggested to Hermione.
"Right, I will be back in five." Hermione smiled and took her robes and headed to the bathroom.
Upon finding the small bathroom, Hermione entered and closed the door behind her.
She quickly changed into her Gryffindor robes and tried to flatten the frizz that was called her hair, but at last, Hermione gave up, exited the bathroom and started to head toward the compartment.
Just as she reached the compartment, she noticed the blond guy who was in her thoughts just a few minutes ago, exit his compartment.
She couldn't help but think if that was how he looked like in all of those years.
Did he always look that...nice?
She could remember telling Harry how sick he looked in their sixth year, but Harry just brushed it off and kept on explaining his theory about the blond being a death eater.
Though, she never realized how pale he actually was. How sharp his cheekbones were. How white his hair was. How grey his eyes were.
She could almost call him perfect...except the fact that he wasn't. And everyone knew what was under that black suit. What was under his black jacket and his white crisp shirt.
She didn't hold him accountable for that, though. She didn't hold him accountable for wanting to save his and his parents' lives.
Harry told her about that night in the Astronomy Tower. He told her how Draco was backing away. How his wand was shaking in his hand and how scared he was.
And she believed him. She believed her best friend and his judgment. She believed him when he said that he saw another side of Draco Malfoy.
A side that was good. A side that was pure and just broken.
When her eyes met his, she couldn't miss how wide they went for just a second. It was in and out in just one second.
He regained his posture and merely lifted his eyebrow. His mouth was drawn in the slightest of smirks that she almost missed it.
It was what Draco Malfoy would have done in his fifth year. Fourth, third, second, hell! Even in his sixth year if he wasn't too occupied with that vanishing cabinet of his.
Hermione counted four seconds. Just four seconds before he turned around and headed for the opposite direction.
Hermione let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding and slid open the door for the compartment.
Even as she sat down, even as her friends greeted her once again, even as they included her in their conversation.
Hermione couldn't stop the sinister thoughts that were going off in her head.
***
Upon their arrival, the students went straight toward the doors of the great hall.
Hermione couldn't contain the excitement alongside the nervousness that she was feeling.
"You okay, Mione?" Ron asked her when he noticed how shaky she was.
Hermione sucked in a breath, "I am fine, Ron. Just nervous."
Ron smiled and patted her shoulder. She offered him a small smile.
Their friendship was always the same.
Even after their first kiss in the chamber of secrets and after coming to terms with their relationship, their friendship never changed and it even grew stronger.
Hermione could say that about almost everyone standing in front of her.
Bonds have changed, they grew stronger and more powerful.
Padma and Parvati were now almost inseparable. With Lavender dead, the two sisters became closer than they have originally been.
Hermione could see how Padma leaned forward and whispered something in her sister's ear that made her smile a faint smile.
Hermione couldn't help the smile that appeared on her face. She admired how Padma was strong for her sister. How she was always the shoulder that Parvati could lean her head on and cry until there was no more tears left.
Hermione also noticed how Ginny was standing next to Luna and Neville, cracking up a joke that made both Neville and Luna laugh.
Ginny was the strongest of all the Weasley's. Even after Fred died, she remained strong for her parents and especially George who was broken because he lost his other half.
But thankfully, Ginny, Bill and sometimes Percy were there for everyone of their family.
After a few months, all Ron, George and the rest of their family would do after seeing a picture of Fred or hearing someone mention his name was smile a fond smile.
Hermione was proud that her best friend remained powerful for her family in such a painful and hard time.
"Mione, come on. We are entering." Harry took Hermione's hand in his and did the same with Ron and tugged them forward toward the great hall.
Hermione took a deep breath before the doors opened.
She gasped.
The great hall looked as magical as ever. The homey and sophisticated vibe was almost visible in the air.
Everything was repaired.
The tables were in better shape. The windows were now fixed. The houses banners were up, almost waving at everyone.
But most of all, Hermione couldn't miss the thousands of candles that lit up the whole hall.
The whole place felt out of earth.
The ceiling was still bewitched to look like the night sky. Hermione smiled at the stars that were floating in the sky above them.
Harry tugged Hermione and Ron to the Gryffindor table, smiling at the place as he did so.
Hermione could almost feel the energy coming out of him. He was happy, extremely happy that he had the chance to be back.
Back home.
The students sat at their respective tables and looked up towards the head of the hall where the Professors and the Headmistress stood, smiling at all the students who came back and those who were new.
Hermione looked around the tables, trying to figure out who came and who didn't.
From what she saw, most of the Slytherins were back. She couldn't help but feel happy that they weren't tied to their twisted families anymore.
Most of their families were in Azkaban, and those who weren't were under house arrest.
The Hufflepuffs and the Ravenclaws were all back, except those who died during the war.
The Gryffindors were missing some people who decided to just go on with life and not waste another year on academics.
Hermione almost scoffed at their irrational thoughts.
She was only back for her academics. She wanted to finish her last school year and she wanted to pass her N.E.W.T.S. for the chance at a decent job.
But at the same time, she couldn't refuse when Harry talked to her and Ron about returning to Hogwarts. She knew how much Hogwarts meant to him.
So at the same time, Hermione was also back for her best friend. She wanted Harry to have an amazing year just like her, if not even better.
After everyone was seated, McGonagall decided to give the beginning of the school year speech.
"Hello new students and welcome back to those who are new. I am your headmistress, Professor McGonagall." The Professor first introduced herself.
Hermione tuned out the rest of the speech, she couldn't look away from the mysterious blond who was sat in the table across from hers.
It was an energy tugging at her, pulling her to look at him, even if she didn't want to. But she couldn't help it.
He was like a magnet, and she was attracted to him out of her own control.
It was only after the sorting was done that Hermione paid attention to what the professor was saying.
"Due to what happened in the war,"
Hermione could cut the tense silent that fell upon everyone with a knife.
"I was encouraged to change how this school year will go for all of the eighth years who were present during the war," McGonagall glanced around the four tables.
"The plan I have come up with is simple. I will be placing the binding spell on two students of different houses. Houses that hate and hold prejudice against each other," McGonagall glanced at the Slytherins then at the Gryffindors who were know for their rivalry.
Hermione widened her eyes and could almost hear all of her friend's heartbeats that were going faster than normal.
"A Slytherin will be bound to a Gryffindor while a Hufflepuff will be bound to a Ravenclaw."
"That means that those two will have to spend most of their time together, sleeping in the same dorm, spending time together in the common room. Anything to throw away the hatred and prejudice that fell upon these houses."
Hermione almost scoffed at this idea. Why couldn't they just spend time with their own friends? From their own houses? It was definitely more convenient.
McGonagall answered Hermione's unasked question.
"The seventh year Slytherins and Gryffindors will share one big common room and the same goes for the seventh year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws."
"The binding spell had already been casted on you upon your entry to the great hall." McGonagall explained.
"Bollocks." Ron murmured, annoyed at the whole idea.
"It might be a good idea, we will get to know the Slytherins more. Think about it guys." Harry whispered.
Hermione didn't respond. She was way to anxious to know who was she bound to.
"The binding spell will burn your wrist when you stay away from your assigned partner for three or more hours." McGonagall warned in a firm voice.
"The list is already with me and I will be going through the names once everyone is well fed. Please, don't let me interrupt you." McGonagall waved her wand and the food appeared in a blink of an eye.
Hermione could hear the refusal and dissatisfaction in everyone's tones as they shared their opinions about this new plan for the school year.
"This whole idea is full of bollocks if you ask me." Ron grumbled as he grabbed a chicken wing.
"As I said before, this could be a good idea, just look at the pros of this plan." Harry explained.
"Harry, this has more cons than pros, unfortunately." Hermione muttered.
"You guys need to be more open minded." Harry huffed.
"We will see if you can still be open minded when you find out who you are bound to." Ron shot him a sharp look.
Hermione smiled at the look Ron was giving Harry. She agreed with Ron.
Hermione couldn't predict what she would do if she was bound to someone she hated.
Will she spend the rest of the year with someone who she couldn't stand their presence? How is that acceptable? Hermione didn't know.
"I don't care unless I am bound to an ugly Slytherin boy or an irritating Slytherin bitch." Ginny shot her nose up.
Hermione snickered at Ginny's antiques while Ron shot his sister the same sharp look he gave Harry.
Harry just smiled and suppressed a laugh.
During the war, Harry and Ginny drifted apart and after the war was won, they both realized that it was nothing but a faint fondness.
Though, Harry still cares for Ginny. He just doesn't like her more than a friend.
After finishing their food. McGonagall stood at the head of the great hall once again.
She waved her wand and a list appeared in her hand.
"I will first start with the Ravenclaws and the Hufflepuffs." The headmistress announced.
"Hannah Abbott will be bound to Luna Lovegood."
Hermione saw Luna smile at the Hufflepuff.
The list went on and on until all of the Ravenclaws and the Hufflepuffs were bound.
McGonagall waved her wand once more and another list appeared in her hand.
"I will now announce the partners for the other two houses." She announced.
The first few names were people Hermione was not acquainted to.
It wasn't until a few names later that McGonagall came upon one of her friends.
"Neville Longbottom will be bound to Theodore Nott."
Hermione heard Neville gasp.
She wasn't sure why he gasped though. Theodore was always the quiet one in his friend group.
She remembers that he almost all of the time kept to himself, he never even bullied the Gryffindors. He just walked around with his friends and with a book in his hand.
The list got even weirder from there.
"Ronald Weasley will be bound to Daphne Greengrass."
Ron squinted his eyes. He never had one conversation with Daphne.
"She is not bad. I have never seen her bully anyone. Theodore is also not that bad, Neville." Hermione heard Harry explain to his friends.
Ron then exploded and went on and on about how he will have to share his personal space with a girl who he didn't even know.
But what happened next shut Ron up.
"Ginerva Weasley will be bound to Blaise Zabini."
Ron went red and full on the protective brother.
"My sister will have to share a room with a boy?! What bollocks is that?!"
Ginny only glanced at the Slytherin and then a smirk grew on her face.
"Zabini is a freaking snack." She eyed the Slytherin.
Hermione couldn't keep the laugh bottled up in her throat and Ron ended up giving her a death stare.
"Harry Potter will be bound to Pansy Parkinson."
Harry gasped and Ron broke on laughing at Harry's expression.
"This could be a good idea my arse." Ron sucked in a breath and tried to control his laughing but he failed miserably and ended up laughing again.
"Oh shit." Harry rubbed his temples.
"You are in for a good year, Harry." Hermione smiled and Harry just shook his head.
Hermione then returned her attention back to McGonagall.
She couldn't help the anxiety that fell upon her once again.
"Hermione Granger..."
Hermione sucked in a tight breath.
"Will be bound to..."
She let it out slowly.
"Draco Malfoy."
Her eyes widened.
No no no no no no no!
That didn't just happen.
Most of her friends were now slack jawed and their eyes were widened.
Hermione could hear her own heartbeat and she couldn't feel her fingers from how cold they went.
Though, she could already feel her face beginning to heat.
She heard Malfoy scoff from the opposite table.
"Granger and I? What a fucking joke!"
***
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