Chapter 1

Draco fidgeted with his sleeve, slipping it between his fingers and releasing it again. The clicking of boots on the cold stone floor echoed through the empty hallway. In front of him and behind him walked four aurors. He was nervous. He was finally getting out. Finally he could leave the draughty cell, the smelly inmates and tasteless food behind him.

Azkaban had never looked better, now that Draco knew that he never had to see it again. Even though Azkaban had seen worse times. It used to be a shitty hellhole. Now it was a dignified hellhole, with clean cells, warm bed linen in the winter, and half way decent food. That did not stop Draco's sentence from being absolutely horrific.

As they passed another row of cells, Draco heard cheering.

'You're getting out Malfoy? Lucky bastard, bet your dad bought you out, didn't he? It was lovely having you here,' sneered an eerie familiar voice.

Laughter rung from two different cells, followed by a wolf whistle. Draco did not react. He merely blinked once, kept his head down and kept on walking.

'Mudblood.'

Draco swallowed, uncomfortable with the truth in his statement. He knew it wasn't fair, he did have some sort of moral compass, twisted as it was, but he would give his entire inheritance to get out of here.

'Ignore them,' commanded an auror behind him, 'there we are. Just walk through the gate. Yeah, like that. Now turn around, put your hands behind your head.'

Draco stepped through the gate, turned around and put his hands behind his head. He could not see what the auror behind him was doing but suddenly he felt someone yanking up his trouser leg. The cold sea air hit his skin like a sledgehammer. He had almost forgotten how cold Azkaban really was without decent clothes.

The auror clasped a cool metal device around his ankle.

'What the hell is this?' Draco asked wiggling his ankle around..

'That what we call, or actually them Muggles do, a parole bracelet. It's a magical device will keep an eye on you and any shady business you might have . You will be monitored 24 hours a day for an entire year. The full 365 days, 52 weeks and 12 months. Now, I know you know the rules, but here they are again. Protocol you know?' The auror shrugged and unrolled a scroll. 'You will be allowed two weeks at home, to get reconnected, or whatever they want to call that shit, with your parents and any friends you may have left. After those two weeks, on September the first, you will go back to Hogwarts for your final year. We'll be keeping an eye out for you, no going to Hogsmeade, no getting of the Hogwarts grounds. No getting into fights, you are only allowed to use your wand inside the classroom or in a life of death situation. Study, study, that's all you're going to do. It's the first year that Hogwarts opening again and no-one, I repeat, no-one will fuck this up. Not you, none of your death eater or 'neutral' friends. Are we clear?'

Draco swallowed.

'Crystal clear.'

******

Hermione sat in the Burrow, legs crossed, all prim and proper. The couch was getting rather uncomfortable after a sit this long. The boys were having the time of their lives, recalling old stories about Fred, George and Umbridge.

'That last bit of fireworks, man that was a blast. I've never seen a pink toad run that fast. Come to think of it, I had never seen her run at all. Fat menace," Ron said, merrily swinging his butterbeer from left to right.

It was great to see them all having such fun again, it took quite a while before the sound of laughter rung through the Burrow again after the war. It had been hard on anyone. It was great to see Wood dragging George from his depression after Fred's murder. He had been a basket case for months. Nobody seemed to be able to reach him, he just locked himself in their old room, not talking at all, barely eating. They all tried, granted, they all tried to lure him out of it, but George would have none of it. But the most frightening thing was, he didn't crack a smile for seven months. George and not laughing is as likely as Snape and groomed hair and straight white teeth. ha

Hermione was happy for them. Molly and Arthur had been nervous wrecks themselves, and yet they managed to cheer everyone up with their hospitality and kindness. It was good to know that such people still existed, especially since they reached rock bottom themselves. It had been so hard to watch everyone fall apart and knowing that she couldn't do a thing for them (and people accused Harry of a hero complex!). Nothing would take the emptiness away, nothing could replace their lost son and brother. Ron had taken a fierce blow as well. One of his brother had died. Hermione remembered what it felt like, after all she had lost a brother that day as well. Fred had been as a brother to her, maybe not blood related but in the way in which the Weasley's considered her and Harry family, like extended brothers and sisters.

Hermione tried not to think of the war too much. It was just too painful. She quickly focussed on the conversation replaying between Harry, Ron, Ginny and Oliver.

'Why wouldn't you go back? I think it's a great opportunity to finish your last year!' Oliver said.

'Oliver, you don't like studying at all,' Hermione commented drily as she took a sip of her butterbeer.

'I know, but that means you can play Quidditch again and beat Slytherins ass. And you don't have to work, don't have to find a place stay. You can prolong the jump into ultimate adulthood with another year. Why not take that chance?'

'I should have known it was about Quidditch.'

'Wood, that's exactly the problem,' Ron said, 'We cannot play Quidditch.'

He looked like he swallowed a lemon, like it was a painful thing to say.

'What?! Why in Merlin's name not?' Oliver said.

'It wouldn't be fair to the years below us, would it? We've had the chances of playing Quidditch, of playing for our house, but the younger kids hadn't. It wouldn't be fair to steal their chance and position away from them. It's just like we can't become Head boy or girl,' Hermione said solemnly. She had always dreamed about being Head Girl. She worked so hard on her studies, she did everything she could to ensure the position would be hers, but it wasn't. And the worst part was that she knew who did get the position.'

'I'm sorry Hermione,' Ginny said.

Hermione knew Ginny felt guilty towards her about receiving the position, but she also knew that Ginny would not give it up. And for that Hermione slightly resented her. She sighed.

'I know Gin, but you made it fair and square.'

'Yeah that's true Gin! You did work very hard for it and you will be an official seventh year! We're just...unofficial seventh years,' Harry piped up. Hermione inwardly groaned. The boyfriend to the rescue. She had to admit it quite stung a bit to hear Harry say it out loud, especially while he knew that Hermione gave the position up to come along with him and Ron on their quest to kill Voldemort. And considering how hard Hermione had worked for the position compared to Ginny, Ginny wouldn't hold a candle next to Hermione's study record.

'Yeah Gin, plus you're a lot more popular and socially capable than our dear Herms,' Ron said good naturedly.

I must not hit boys, I must not hit boys was the mantra that run through Hermione's head. This was exactly the reason why Hermione and Ron broke up. And he accused Hermione of being socially inept?

'Do you think a lot of our old classmates will be coming back?' Hermione asked, desperate to change the subject.

'Not sure, I think Neville is coming back! I talked to him last week, he was buying his schoolbooks. He told me his Gran wanted him to finish his education, so that afterwards he could apply for an apprenticeship with Sprout,' Harry said.

Ron shuddered.

'Why would he want to spend even more years in Hogwarts, must be mental that one.'

Meanwhile Oliver and George were having a heated discussion about the latest match between the Flying Falcons and Puddlemere United, the team for which Oliver played the position of keeper.

'I swear, Higgs should learn how to fly and keep his head on straight. Bloody idiot, almost attack Jenkins from the Falcons last week, Jenkins apparently said something about his mother,' Oliver laughed.

'Yeah I think we can count Neville in,' Ginny said, 'What about the other Gryffindors?'

'No clue, I think the Patil twins are coming back as well since the coast is clear. And maybe Lavender,' Harry said, smirking at Ron.

'That would be amazing, wouldn't it Won Won?' Ginny said in a high pitched voice, batting her eyelashes.

A faint red tinge appeared on Ron's cheeks.

'Uh yeah whatever you say,' he mumbled.

'What about the Slytherins?' Hermione asked.

Harry narrowed his eyes.

'I don't care what they do, I hope they won't be coming back. No need to let them ruin the peace we've just managed to create.'

Hermione sighed.

'They have as much right to be there as we have Harry,' she said, slightly shifting in her chair. This was dangerous ground to thread on.

'Which is true, if it weren't for the fact that they were too cowardly to fight for the Dark Lord and certainly not ready to fight with us.'

'Harry, it must be difficult, knowing what is right and acting on it meant forsaking one's family. I'm not sure how I would react in such a situation.'

'No Hermione, you would never lay low and claim to be 'neutral', never and you know it. It's rubbish, that's what it is. They knew the death eaters were fighting for a lost cause, even though they all held the same beliefs. But they were just afraid to risk Azkaban,' Harry said hotly, then added mumbling: 'Bloody cowards, not even deeming their own cause worthy to fight for. Then I have more respect for the convicted death eaters, at least they were prepared to fight for what they believed in.'

Hermione gasped.

'Harry, don't you say that! They were just lost kids, just like we were! Only we had the luck to be born on the right side, while they don't! I'm not saying we all should be buddies and do Merlin knows what together but we can at least show them some respect and leave them alone.'

'I'll give them respect when they deserve it,' Harry said, his arms crossed. Ah, defensive mode.
Hermione knew a lost cause when she saw one. Stubbornly she crossed her arms as well.

'Oh give it a rest you girls,' George said happily, 'We don't let a bunch of Slytherins ruin our evening now would we?'

He gave Hermione the puppy dog eyes. She sighed and conceded defeat.

'Fine,' she huffed, 'But I'm not finished with you Potter.'

'That sounded like it belonged in the bedroom,' said Oliver smirking.

'Oi, he's mine Hermione, trying to steal my boyfriend now too?' Ginny said playfully and nudged her in the side. Hermione gave a hesitant smile and Harry had the grace to blush.

*********

Pansy Parkinson was laying on her bed while she stared at the ceiling. Twenty rows of twenty tiles. How lovely.

She was thinking of the war. Again. She couldn't help it. It had been a year and still it haunted her. She had wanted to give Potter to the Dark Lord. To just let him die. While he was innocent. Well, as innocent as Gryffindors could be. It was hard to tell sometimes, with their holier-than-thou appearances.

Every since the Battle of Hogwarts she had wanted to take those words back. Why? She still meant them. If they had given Potter on time, her mother wouldn't have died and her dad wouldn't be in Azkaban. She would still have a life, Draco Malfoy would still be her boyfriend, Blaise and Daphne still her friends. But no.

She wasn't stupid. She knew that people thought she was a filthy coward for what she had said. But she still meant it. That didn't mean that she wasn't ashamed. Harry Potter went down in the history books as a hero, Pansy Parkinson went down as an oral fable of treachery and cowardice. Great.

Blaise and Daphne hadn't said anything about grabbing Potter, but Pansy knew they wanted to. They were just better at hiding their feelings than she was. Maybe her inner Gryffindor came out and she was finally able to fight for her beliefs. But no.

She sat up and stretched her back. It sounded as if she broke a bone. Ugh, she had been so awfully stiff lately.

Her musings were interrupted as an owl flew through her window. It dropped an envelope on her bed, screeched at her and left again. Pansy stared at the envelope in horror. It bore the Hogwarts seal.

No, no way. Not possible. Never in a million years.

She ripped it open in a frenzy and read through her, her eyes wide with horror. She had to, she had no other choice. Except Azkaban maybe. Then she could see Draco again. But they probably keep males and females in different blocks...

Oh sweet Merlin.

********

Blaise Zabini woke up this evening with a head ache. And not a normal headache either. A pounding hangover. He sat up and felt the room spin. Not his house either by the looks of it. He stumbled out of bed to find his clothes, not even looking at the figure besides him. Another girl, another evening; no big deal. He put his clothes on and fled.

When he came home he nearly tripped over his half packed Hogwarts trunk. He stood up, gave it a good kick and fell into his own bed, deep asleep within seconds.

He never noticed the letter on his desk.

*******