A Changing of Ways

Author's note: This is my first story, I have done the first couple of chapters so please let me know if you like it and I will carry on writing!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything except the plot. J.K Rowling owns all Harry Potter, sadly.

The war had ended, and along with it the longstanding entrapment and fear felt by those at Hogwarts had been vanquished. Students returned to their families in order to gain peace and make sense of all that had happened. Hermione Granger's parents returned from Australia of their own accord, yet she knew their memories of her still ceased to exist. She, along with Harry Potter, found that she had nowhere left to call home.

The Weasley's had left soon after Voldemort's death, in order to deal with their grief over loosing Fred. Ron had felt bad about abandoning Hermione, but she convinced him to go and be with his family. Harry also had no family left to stay with, not that he hadn't had offers from people. Everyone wanted a piece of the boy who lived, but he instead chose to spend his time relaxing with his best friend, for which Hermione was grateful.

One night in the Gryffindor common room, (which remarkably remained unscathed by the battle) Hermione turned to Harry and laughed suddenly.

"What on earth are we to do now Harry?" He turned and smiled at her.

"I honestly have no idea, but it sure as hell beats looking for horcruxes and worrying that the people we love are going to die all the time."

"True enough I guess," she laughed.

"Do you miss Ron?" he asked curiously.

"I… yeah of course I do, I hope they're all okay at The Burrow," She said quickly to cover the knot of guilt she felt in her stomach.

"Hermione…" Harry knew her well enough to know when she was hiding something. Hermione exhaled deeply, ready to tell him all about her true feelings about Ron, and her guilt that their kiss in the Chamber of Secrets seemed to mean a lot more to him, than it did to her. However just as she opened her mouth to speak, a loud tapping sounded against the window beside her. Both Harry and Hermione almost jumped out of their skin, and Hermione quickly opened the window to let the large barn owl inside. It swooped elegantly over to Harry, dropped two thick envelopes in his lap, and flew straight out again. He turned one of the letters over to reveal the Ministry of Magic symbol.

"Weird…" he said slowly.

He tossed Hermione the one addressed to her and she ripped it open, intrigued.

The letter read:

Dear Miss Granger,

Due to circumstances during the war I am aware that you were unable to attend your final and most important year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Over the summer we plan to renovate the school and hope to reopen September 1st, as usual term resumes. It has been made compulsory for all students in your year to attend, including those who attended their seventh year while the school was under the control of Severus Snape. We hope to give you another chance to take and achieve the N.E. of your choosing, in order to proceed into the Wizarding World as you would like. Below is the list of students who will be repeating/ retaking their seventh year.

Yours Sincerely,

Kingsley Shacklebolt

Minister for Magic

Hermione finished the letter and squealed in excitement. "Oh Harry this is fantastic! Back at school again with all our friends, just like it should have been! Oh the new classes, the books, the library, just think about how much we'll get to learn! I have to start preparing, I need quills and potion ingredients, and I have to start studying!" She swirled around on the spot in happiness.

"Studying?!" Harry said in disbelief. "Hermione, you don't even know what classes you're taking yet!" he laughed. For the first time in days he felt weightless; they would all be returning to Hogwarts together. This war had aged them, but now they all had a chance to have fun again with each other, and live uninhibitedly again for one more year. They would be united, and strong enough to help each other deal with the horrors of their pasts.

Hermione scanned the letter further, until she reached the name of a student on the returns list which made her frown. Her eyebrows mashed together in anger as she contemplated the outrageousness that he be allowed to return.

Draco Malfoy would also be attending the repeat seventh year. It appeared as though both Lucius and Narcissa had thrown every last galleon and excuse at the ministry to keep their son out of Azkaban. As Draco never actually fought in the battle, and his whereabouts throughout the whole thing were unknown, no proof actually existed that he took part. It infuriated Hermione that the Ministry had been successfully bribed into overlooking the foul mark on Malfoy's arm and bypassed the fact that for a short time he had acted in the role of a Death Eater.

"Malfoy's coming back too" she spat. Harry looked up at the viciousness in her voice.

"Yeah I saw that" he said slowly. He eyed her closely which did not go unnoticed by the brightest witch of her age.

"What? Its completely ridiculous, do you not think, to let him come back here after everything he's done?" she glared at Harry.

"Well…it's just… I mean Malfoy was never that bad Hermione. I mean sure he said some pretty awful stuff, but deep down he could never really carry out all the shit the Death Eaters could. He couldn't kill Dumbledore, he didn't fight in the battle…" he trailed off at the incredulous look on her face.

"What?!" she shouted.

"Look, the end of this war was about righting wrongs and finding peace. Malfoy is a foul piece of shit and a coward Hermione, but he never actually tried to kill anyone! He might regret all he's done- the Ministry obviously thinks so!"

"You're seriously telling me you're trusting the judgment of the ministry now?" she asked, eyebrows raised.

"I don't know" Harry squirmed. "Maybe we should just give him a second chance that's all I'm saying. Please Hermione I want this year to be fun, not ruined by the likes of Draco Malfoy".

"Okay, whatever, we should go to sleep though Harry its half past one". Normally she would have argued but Hermione's bed was calling, and she wasn't about to miss sleep over Malfoy of all people.

"Sure in a minute" he replied.

Harry watched her stomp slightly up the staircase to the girl's dormitories. Hedwig perched sleepily in the corner of the common room and Harry watched her, feeling guilty that he would soon have to wake her. Quickly he crossed the room and took a quill and parchment from a shelf next to the owl. He scrawled across the paper:

Malfoy,

Trying to convince her to feel kindly towards you is not the slightest bit easy. Serves you right for all the times you called her a mudblood you prick. I think I've convinced her to at least give you a chance, but this is Hermione we're talking about, she is not an easily persuaded woman.

I'm still not sure about doing this; I know that you care about her, but you were also a Death Eater for Merlin's sake. Hermione's my best friend and I don't want to see her get hurt. I'll remind you that Ron is also my best friend, and he loves Hermione. The only reason I'm even considering this is because I can tell she doesn't feel the same way about him.

You best not be fucking with me Ferret.

Harry Potter

Harry awakened the drowsy bird and tied the now sealed letter to her leg. She ruffled her pristinely white feathers at him disgustedly, but he merely whispered an apology and took her to the window. He hesitated for a moment and she looked at him hopefully, but to the owls disappointment he raised his arm, and she flew out the window, into the night.

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