She had it all planned. She would finish her schooling, start her training with the Wizengamot (even though that decision still plagued her with doubts), and find a boy along the way (from a nice homely family with a stable job), get married and settle down. That was the life Hermione Granger had envisaged during the summer, lying in her childhood bed when the realities of the post-war world caught up with her.
Her hand reached up to toy with the Head Girl badge on her jumper. 'How much more wrong she could have been,' she thought wryly. Instead, she had gotten herself caught up in one utterly impossible situation with Draco Malfoy.
This year, she had struck an unlikely friendship with the blond, in the name of unity and forgiveness. Hermione had seen first-hand what prejudices had festered over the years. She could hardly blame a child who'd been brainwashed with the same ideals and hold a grudge against him for his upbringing. So, after one fateful discussion in the Gryffindor Tower, she had been told to extend the olive branch to the new Head Boy and make peace with the past.
To the great amusement of her friends at Hogwarts, what she got in return for her attempt at a civil entente was a bloody admiration for the boy and a girlish crush that was now full-blown unrequited feelings.
"Hermione, you have got to stop staring at him like that," Parvati had exclaimed one morning at breakfast.
"Boys appreciate the attention love, but this is Malfoy. You will probably creep him out."
"Dean!" Ginny had scolded while the others hid their chuckles in goblets of pumpkin juice.
Hermione had pushed her plate away and dumped her flushing face in her hands.
"Oh Merlin Hermione! Don't listen to them," Ginny had comforted. "You know we have no problems with Malfoy. So why don't you invite him for a drink to the Three Broomstick this Saturday? Neville will be bringing Hannah."
Of course she hadn't.
She was a take-charge kind of girl and yet, she had approached those new feelings with more caution and uncertainty than anything. She hated that even books and knowledge could not prepare her to face those basic emotions; emotions that dragged a whole trunk of silly giddiness and self-doubt at whatever age they came to someone.
She fussed about her hair in the morning. She didn't put a morsel of food in her mouth when he had been lying in the infirmary recovering from a Quidditch injury. She couldn't bear to sit beside him without fidgeting, especially during prefect meetings like the one right now. That was not who Hermione Granger was and yet…
Hermione focused her wandering attention back to the classroom of students, some in Quidditch uniforms, and others with ties askew and untucked shirts. Dean was already slumbering in the corner where the few other eight year prefects always gravitated towards.
'No wild Friday night party in the Tower tonight,' she thought relieved.
The aftermath of the wars had been very trying for all of them. The wizarding community was still getting back into its routines. But, it proved harder this time round. They had lost so many in that war. Many were still taking the time to heal and find their missing ones. Some had embarked on the journey to destroy any remaining threats, wanting to keep busy and preserve the peace just like Harry and Ron.
But upon the reopening of Hogwarts, Hermione knew that was where she still belonged. She was still plagued by nightmares and fears but at the same time, the young girl had never felt freer. Today, she could wander in Diagon Alley without fearing for her life. She could return home to her parents without fearing that she would bring danger to their doorsteps. She could finally be happy.
"If only Malfoy didn't prove to be such a challenge," she mumbled under her breath.
She snapped out of her musings when a sixth year Ravenclaw prefect, bounded to the front of the room, where she was sitting at the teacher's table. She smiled up at the boy.
"Hello Kevin. Is everything alright?"
"Hey Hermione. Yeah, nothing big. Madame Pomfrey's brewing a special batch of skelegro for Mungo's tomorrow and asked a bunch of Ravenclaw if we'd like to assist. So, I was just wondering if I could swap my Saturday's afternoon patrol with someone else?"
"Yes, of course. Let me just check the schedule."
Hermione glanced at the scroll hastily, even though she already knew which swap she wanted to happen.
"Would today work for you Kevin? There are two pairs patrolling the castle tonight?" she asked with a bright smile, which widened even more when the boy acquiesced. "Perfect! Come let's see who's free tomorrow."
She looked at Malfoy who was dealing with the fifth years' Valentine's Day event for tomorrow night. She knew he'd be helping Professor Flitwick with the reconstruction works on weekends as part of his probation.
And anyway, as she arrowed straight for Padma Patil, Hermione reminded herself that she always knew what she wanted.
"Padma! Hi!" she called out, cutting through the girl's conversation with Hannah Abbott. "Are you busy tomorrow afternoon?"
The said girl looked up, surprised at the interruption. Hermione cursed herself for not leaving Kevin behind. The calculating gleam in the Ravenclaw's eyes told her that she had surmised the situation pretty well.
"Well, I was planning on assisting on the brewing session tomorrow as well. Sorry Kevin, I won't be able to switch with you."
"I am free though and could cover your patrol," a bored voice offered from the table next to them.
Kevin timidly thanked Theodore Nott. Fuming over Padma's surreptitious glance at Malfoy, Hermione stomped back to her seat to annotate the change bitterly.