Still, silent and slow, three words which described that night perfectly. It just so happened that these three words described Hogwarts after the war. The once solid fort which seemed to never tilt or waver had crumbled and with it so did people. Afterwards, students returned home to bury their dead and to rebuild their lives, but soon a new school year had to start. This year McGonagall was headmistress and previous students who had not completed their final years were able to continue if they wished.
Hermione Granger was one of these students; she unlike her friends wished to finish her education at Hogwarts and earn a job like everyone else. Once the war was over and done with, the ministry were keen to offer the trio any role they wanted to play in the wizarding world. Of course Harry became an Auror like he had intended too. However, her ex fiancé Ron Weasley basked in his fame, and wrote books about their adventures and personal lives, in which caused the end of his relationship with Hermione and ultimately the release of a new book.
Hogwarts seemed like an escape route, a side road where no could follow her. She was almost happy again, after the loss of so many of her friends and then the very public break up, Hogwarts was her rehab in a way.
She sat wedged on the window sill in the Library; the clock had just rang 12. The book she had been reading for the past 3 hours was finally coming to an end; soon she would be going back to her dorm she thought as she could feel her eyes getting heavy in the dim light. Her eyes drew closer and closer together, until they were firmly shut.
"Granger" an agitated voice whispered. "Granger. Wake up. I know that sorry accuse of a library teacher lets you be but, Filch might not be so lean. Granger"
Hermione's eyes shot open, searching for the reason her slumber had been disturbed. The once candle lit corner was now pitch black and there in front of her was someone wearing a black polo neck t-shirt, with matching black jeans. "Malfoy!"
"Shhh." He said while putting his finger on her lips. "Do you want him to hear you?" He whispered. "He doesn't know we're here but he's going to if you don't shut up" He grabbed her wrist and dragged her out of her seat on her window.
They ran past the rows and rows of books, until he came to a sudden halt causing Hermione to run straight into his back. Hermione fell towards the ground, landing on her front. She looked up to see them in a part of the library she had never been before. It was always filled with Slytherin students; they would cover the small table and chair that occupied the aisle.
She looked up to find Malfoy lying next to her on the floor. "Are you okay?" She asked a bit too loudly, while pushing herself up.
"Whose there?" Filches voice screeched through the empty aisles. "I know you're here. There's no place to hide now."
With that Malfoy shot up, grabbed her hand, then said "Come on, Granger"
He pulled her towards the end of the aisle, past the table and chair. "Why did you bring us down here? It's a dead end." Hermione asked, staring blankly at the stone wall, letting go of Malfoys hand and crossing her arms.
"Haven't you ever been to Diagon Alley, Granger?" He pulled his wand out and tapped twice on the stone directly in front of him, then once on the stone to its left and then once again on the previous stone. The wall started to fold in on its self, opening out to the corridor on the other side. Malfoy let Hermione go through, and then hopped through the new hole in the wall after her. Hermione found herself standing on the 7th floor, in front of the entrance of the room of requirement.
Before she could say anything, a small wooden door appeared in front of them.