Hermione's POV

Miss Granger,
I am pleased to inform you, that after the events of last year, the ministry of magic has decided that those completing their final year last year, did not receive the proper final year of education. Therefore we have decided to invite all those who were in seventh year last year, back to redo their final year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They will be merged with the seventh years this year, though the heads will get separate housing.

Please send back a reply, as to if you will be returning to Hogwarts this year before the 12th of October. As usual the train will leave on the 1st of September, from platform 9¾ at kings cross station.

Hoping you are well,
Minerva McGonagall

Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,
Order of Merlin, First class,
chairman of the Wizengamot

Hermione pushed the letter aside after reading it for the thousandth time. She had already replied, stating she will be returning, about a week before Harry and Ron told her they would not be joining her for their seventh year. She sighed, rubbing her hand down her left arm, where the word 'Mudblood' was carved deeply into her arm. She always did this when she was nervous. She mentally scolded herself, saying "There is nothing to be afraid of. So what if Harry and Ron aren't coming? She has Ginny. That's enough… right?" she sighed dropping her arm, and walked over to her bedside table and pinned her Head Girl badge to her chest, grabbed her suitcase and trudged downstairs, where her mother and father were waiting, to take her back to kings cross, back to school, back home.

Draco's POV

Draco could feel the cool badge in his hand; it probably weighed about a pound, but to Draco it felt like 5 bricks had been placed on his hand. Why me? He asked himself. Who in their right mind thought it was a good idea to put ME as Head Boy? Me! Draco Malfoy! Ex death-eater, and all time bully, me! He slumped down on the black leather of his couch and began to think, and the more he thought the better he understood. It was that unity crap again! I bet they put the mudb- MUGGLE born nerd Granger as head girl. It made sense. They were trying to prove purebloods and muggle borns could coexist peacefully. Draco snorted. Draco had come a long way from the annoying, stuck up git he had once been, but it wasn't as if he was a muggle lover, he was still a long way from THAT, and mudbl- MUGGLEBORNS were not much better… Stupid mother. 17 years I had been referring to muggleborns as mudbloods and now if he so much thought the word his mother would hex him into next year. He sighed. "Dilly!" He shouted for his house elf. What stupid names they had.

CRACK! "Yes master Draco?" she asked bowing low, her nose almost touching the floor.

"Take my bags down-stairs… please" he tacked on, as an after-thought.

"Of course master," she said, bowing low once again, and with another loud CRACK, she was gone.

Draco thudded downstairs where he saw his mother was waiting for him. He gripped her arm tightly, and with a loud whooshing sound, he too was gone.