The summer of 1998 was a time of reflection for everyone. The wizarding world mourned, looked for comfort and tried to rebuild. The young adults involved in the war found themselves retracing their steps and many of them questioned what was next. For some of them, going back to Hogwarts was a no-brainer. Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger wanted to complete their education. Draco Malfoy was ordered to go back as part of his probation., so the ministry could keep an eye on him. and Blaise Zabini had nowhere else to go. Between being alone, dealing with his mother's latest husband or keeping company to his best friend, he chose to go back to school. At least that would buy him a year before real life has to begin.
The two Slytherins boarded the Hogwarts express and Blaise was chatting animatedly, while Draco was apprehensive, bracing himself for disdain and glares. The train was surprisingly full, and they were having some trouble finding a place to sit. There were no empty compartments at all. After they walk back and forward a couple of times, a female voice called from a compartment in the back.
"Malfoy, Zabini!"
The two boys turned around and they saw Hermione Granger of all people beckoning them. They looked at each other, shrugged and approached her.
"The train seems to have fewer cars this year. You can sit with us if you want."
The two boys looked into the compartment. Ginevra Weasley was the only one sitting there, arms crossed, wand poking beneath one arm.
"Are you sure, Granger? Your friend looks…tense," said Zabini.
Hermione rolled her eyes
"She's just being overly cautious. If you behave like gentlemen, there is nothing to fear."
Blaise lifted an eyebrow and with a smirk took Hermione's hand and kissed her knuckles.
"Thank you, my lady. I assure you, we will be the embodiment of chivalry," then he walked into the compartment and bowed low to Ginny "lady Weasley, thank you for your kind invitation."
Ginny rolled her eyes and gestured for him to sit. Hermione laughed at his antics and offered her hand for Malfoy to shake. He smiled and accepted the hand.
"Thank you, Granger. This is most generous."
She shrugged
"It's just a seat, Malfoy, and I don't even own it."
The blonde smirked and entered the compartment. He couldn't resist the temptation to mess a bit with a Weasley. He offered his hand to Ginny palm up. She lifted her eyebrow even higher but Hermione gave her a reproachful look, so she put her hand on his. Malfoy bowed low and kissed it in a slow, almost lascivious way. Then he smiled and sat in front of her. Ginny's ears went red.
Hermione tried to dissipate the tension by asking everyone what classes and NEWTs they would be taking, and soon enough the two Slytherins were chatting animatedly with her. Ginny seemed still a bit tense, but she answered all the questions that were directed to her. At some point, the conversation changed to what they were planning to do after Hogwarts. Blaise was nonchalant, saying that he was waiting for inspiration to strike. Hermione felt a ping of envy at the Italian's attitude. She had a constant need to plan, even after a war when most of her best-laid plans went to shit she still didn't know how not to plan. Her brain threatened to go on a rant on how rich Slytherins could have that luxury but for some reason, she stopped herself. She didn't know anything about Blaise Zabini. And this year she had the intention to leave prejudice behind and try to see things and people for what or who they were. She found herself in a small chat with him. In the meantime, Malfoy turned to Ginny.
"What about you, Weasley? What are your plans?" he said with a soft expression that seemed to show real interest.
She was a bit stunned. She was expecting Hermione to bring the subject up to her, but her friend was now focused on the handsome Italian, so she looked back at Malfoy.
"Uhm, I'm going to try for the Harpies in the summer."
Malfoy lifted his eyebrows, impressed
"Nice! Chaser, I assume?"
She nodded. Then he launched into a discussion of the current season of the British teams, including all sorts of details on the Harpies' performance and how they could improve with the right chaser and maybe a new goalkeeper. Ginny found herself smiling and agreeing with Malfoy in many points and fiery arguing over others. By the time the trolley witch came by they had worked out an appetite.
"Ladies, what can we get you", Zabini asked, moving towards the trolley.
Hermione smiled coquettishly, earning a weird look from Ginny
"What do you suggest?" the curly witch said, with a slight batting of her eyelashes.
Malfoy looked at her sideways, then looked at Ginny and with a frown mouthed
"What the fuck?"
Ginny covered her mouth with her hand to hide her chuckle, then gave him a face that showed that her friend was freaking her out too.
Zabini did not note or did not care for the interaction. He answered Hermione's question with a dare
"Ever tried Hocus Pocus Pops?"
Ginny and Draco rolled their eyes and Ginny said
"What are you, five?"
Zabini answered
"What's wrong Weasley, scared?" he said wiggling his eyebrows
Ginny huffed
"Please. My brothers own the biggest Joke shop in Diagon Alley. But Hocus Pocus Pops are childish."
Hermione said
"I want to try. Never had them before."
Blaise's smile was huge, he ordered some pops and an assortment of pastries to share plus some water bottles. Then he sat and offered each one a pop.
Draco and Ginny took theirs reluctantly. Hermione took hers a bit too enthusiastically and immediately put it in her mouth. It tasted delicious, like sweet berries. She tried to say so but when she went to talk words didn't come out of her mouth. Instead, she was suddenly barking and clapping her arms like a seal. The other three break out laughing. Hermione tried to tell them to shut up but only more barking and clapping happened.
"You are ready to run and join the circus, Granger," said Malfoy while laughing his pants off. Ginny high five him, whipping tears from her eyes.
"I can't believe you fell for that, Mione," said Ginny, trying to catch her breath.
Hermione did the only thing she could think off: she used her seal flapping to give Blaise a good body slapping. He took it like a champ. When the effect wore off he collected himself and offered
"All right, all right, that was a low blow. I'll go next."
He put a pop in his mouth and a few seconds later he was a monkey, whooping, screeching, trying to hang from the compartment ceiling and scratching himself in an almost obscene way. The others laugh and celebrated his monkey business and when the effect wore off Hermione said she was now satisfied.
Draco gave Ginny a challenging look. She lifted her eyebrow and put the pop in her mouth. Growing up with six brothers, this was not her first rodeo. Suddenly she was a squirrel, slouched, sniffing and squeaking, and she went for the pastries and started munching on one very fast while making funny faces. The others awed and giggled and Malfoy said
"That's kind of adorable, Weasley."
She hissed at him and turned her back, protecting the pastry she was munching on. When it finally wore off she was flushed. even though she had done this many times with her brothers, she had never done it in front of cute guys. Wait, what? Cute? Who's cute?
"All right Draco, let's see your spirit animal," said Blaise, wiggling his eyebrows. He knew Draco had not done this since before starting at Hogwarts, he had been a very uptight teenager.
The blonde took a deep breath. He wanted to redeem himself, to erase his past. Maybe letting loosen up a bit was not a bad way to start this new year. He put the pop in his mouth and closed his eyes. Suddenly, he meowed and groomed his hair with his hand in a paw. The two girls awed and Blaise rolled his eyes
"Of course, I had to be a monkey and he gets to be the cute kitten."
The blonde kitten hopped from his seat to the one in front and rubbed his head on Ginny's lap. She was laughing nervously, tempted to pet him but blushing furiously. The other two exchanged looks and grinned. The blonde kitty lay on his back with his head still on her lap and pawed at her red hair playfully, meowing, entranced, apparently unaware that each pawing movement was slightly brushing her breasts. Ginny tried to straighten up but that only made it worst. The kitty rolled upright and was sniffing her neck playfully when the effect wore off. They looked at each other in slight horror, and he blushed furiously before scrambling back to his seat. Hermione smirked and threw them a bone
"Cauldron cakes, anyone?"