Unexpected

1

Walking through the barriers between 9 and 10 felt like a dream come true for Hermione Granger. She never thought she'd be riding the Hogwarts Express again. The war had ended and peace was restored to the Wizarding World. She took a breath of what seemed like new air. Hermione turned to her parents and hugged them tightly. She was so happy to be able to take off the spell she had put on them. They now knew they had a daughter, and just had a memory of going out of the country for vacation. Hermione thought it'd be better if she didn't worry them with the details. She told them she loved them and hugged them goodbye one last time before she boarded the Hogwarts Express for her seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Hermione pulled her trunk along as she looked for the compartment of her two best friends. Harry had been living with the Weasleys until the summer was over, he planned to find a flat of his own after this year's term ended. Ron was planning on the same thing, but maybe not as fast. He was enjoying living with his family in peace, even if they had lost a few loved ones. They all sometimes helped with the joke shop. They would not let it go out of business, they knew Fred wouldn't have wanted that. Hermione sighed as she thought about Ron, she had really hoped it'd work out. She had thought she'd been in love with him since fourth year, but it hadn't worked out how she hoped it would.

Putting a smile back on her face Hermione opened the compartment where Harry, Ginny, Ron, Neville, and Luna were all sitting. "Hello!" She exclaimed excitingly as she was tackled by a long red head in a hug. Laughing Hermione said, "good to see you too, Ginny!"

Ginny broke her embrace and smiled brightly at her. "I've missed you, we all have."

"I know." Muttered Hermione, "I just wanted to spend the summer with my parents seeing as I haven't seen them in such a long time."

They all nodded their heads understandingly. Harry stood up and gave Hermione a hug, as well as Luna and Neville. Ron stood up, but hesitated just a bit before hugging her in an awkard side-ways hug. Hermione almost giggled but hugged him back. Looking at her watch, which Hermione had charmed to run off magic so it would work at Hogwarts, Hermione gasped. "Well, I better be off to the Head's Compartment. Sorry I can't sit with you! Ron, I'll be meeting with you and the other Prefects in an hour in the Head's Compartment, okay?" Ron nodded silently and Hermione grinned at him and waved too all her friends as she exited the compartment and made her way down the train.

Now, Hermione did used to be a lanky, awkward-looking, bushy haired nerdy girl. Well, she still was a bookworm know-it-all, but she had filled out her looks quite well over time. Her hair was now tame and lay in soft brown waves down past her shoulders. Her teeth, that used to be a bit oversized to her face, now fit in well. Her figure was petite and curvy. A lot of people were shocked that hadn't seen her in a while, but the people she were always with barely noticed the changes. It upset her a little bit, but she wasn't to worried about it.

Hermione anxiously made her way to the Head's Compartment, she couldn't wait to see who had been made Head Boy. She figured it was a Ravenclaw, that was the most obvious choice. She slowly slid open the door and sucked in a breath. When she looked up at the blonde haired, pointed nose boy sitting in the compartment she gasped aloud. What was McGonnagol thinking?

.

Draco Malfoy had changed. He sensed it in himself, but refused to acknowledge it. He loathed himself for changing... for feeling the need to change. The war was over and he had been invited back to his final year in Hogwarts with the rest of his year. He was still in shock that he, and majority of the Slytherin's who had fought alongside the Dark Lord, had been forgiven, much less welcomed back to school.

Glancing out of the window, Draco caught a glimpse of his parents. Narcissa Malfoy stood a little ways behind her husband, Lucius Malfoy. Both were half concealed as they looked to their only son behind a pillar. Draco winced as he spotted several families walking by, noticed them giving his parents disgusted and suspicious looks. His mother made eye contact with him briefly and in that short moment, he saw the hurt and guilt in her eyes, even as she struggled to conceal it. His father, on the other hand, looked as if he didn't care, much less see the people around him. He may look like he didn't care, but Draco could tell from his father's stiff stance that it took all that he could not to leave. Lucius Malfoy had changed as well, and as Draco caught his fathers attention, Lucius gave his son a sad smile that had faded as quickly as it came.

Draco gave a slight nod; a small inclination that he was alright and that they could leave. And with a small air kiss from his mother, and a slight nod from his father, they apparated.

Sighing inwardly he got up and stretched. He was amazed at how he grew. He was still tall and a bit lanky, but with a more defined build; His shoulders were broad and his muscles toned; His skin had also gone from pale alabaster, to a light tan. The change that always caught him by surprise though, was the depth of maturity he could see in his eyes. Overall, he thought he looked pretty dam.n good.

Reaching up to his luggage, he pulled out a picture of a mousy girl turned Cinderella. He sat back down, a smile tugging at his lips, as he surveyed the laughing girl. He had ripped the bloke Krum from the other half of the photo, but couldn't get rid of the gits arm casually thrown around the girl's shoulders.

Draco leaned into the chair and closed his eyes, resting his head against the wall. He began to tuck the picture into the pocket in his robes when something stabbed him. Cursing slightly, he pulled out the badge responsible and groaned. ' Head Boy ' was scrawled on it, along with the Hogwarts coat of arms. He still could not grasp what that hag-Headmistress McGonnagal was thinking. What good would it do to make him Head Boy?

He was just about to shove the badge back into the same pocket he had placed the picture, when the door to the compartment opened.

Draco Malfoy had changed, and he had a sickening feeling it was due to, and for, the girl standing before him.

"Hey Hermione," he chocked out, "How are you?"