Chapter 1- Off to Hogwarts

"Well, I honestly didn't think i'd be back here again!" Ron said as Harry, Ron and Hermione boarded the Hogwarts express.

Harry Potter couldn't quite believe that after everything he and his friends had been through last year, they were being given the chance to retake their final year at Hogwarts. As they wandered down the train looking for an empty carriage, Harry couldn't help but look at everyone around him. Many forlorn faces passed him as students from all years greeted their peers and grieved the loss of their friends. Even now, Harry could remember perfectly the horrors of the last battle between him and Voldemort; how many of his friends perished; Fred, Lupin, Tonks, Lavender, Snape and so many more, it became hard for Harry to stand up straight. One face he noticed as he passed had his head bent down at the far corner of a carriage so Harry couldn't see his face, but he could recognise that bleach blonde hair anywhere. Harry couldn't help but mutter under his breath as he passed, "Bastard!" Just loud enough for Draco Malfoy to hear before he disappeared from sight.

"What did you expect Ron? They couldn't just send us away with no NEWTs and expect us to make a living!" Harry heard Hermione snap, as they reached an empty carriage near the back.

Ron sauntered into the carriage and spread himself out across one side as he replied: " I know that, but I just figured McGonagall would be too upset to reopen the school, let alone agree to be the new head mistress, I know I would be." Hermione and Harry came in after, and seated themselves on the other side, Harry resting his head against the window pane watching the trees pass.

Harry was beginning to have the same feelings as Ron. As they chugged along, Harry began to feel worse and worse as if his body knew that in a few hours time he would be back at Hogwarts where utter catastrophe took place. Although Hogwarts to Harry felt like home, nothing could penetrate the awful feeling that another year at Hogwarts meant something bad was just around the cor-

"-Harry, what do you think?

"Huh?" Harry said coming out of his stupor to find both Ron and Hermione staring at him expectantly.

"I said, have you decided which classes you're taking this year?" Hermione asked again.

Harry processed the question, then replied: "I haven't really thought about it much but i guess I still want to be an Auror, so I probably wont change anything, why? Are we usually allowed drop studies midway through NEWTs?"

Hermione explained, "Usually, no you can't but given that this is our second attempt at 7th year, McGonagall announced in the paper that if students wish to, then they can drop subjects due to the stress and anxiety caused last year. I was just telling Ron that rather that putting myself through hours of pointless subjects just to prove i'm smartest, I've decided to drop the subjects I least need and go into muggle studies."

"Why do you want to go into muggle studies?" Ron said.

"I've been around wizards for 7 years, and although it's been great, I've grown away from my parents and the muggle world. Hopefully muggle studies will help me to have the best of both worlds." Hermione countered

With an outraged look on his face Ron suddenly cried out: " Oh no! When my dad finds out about this, we'll never hear the end of it!" Hermione burst out laughing and a small smile played on Harry's lips as once again he left the conversation and returned to his thoughts.

…..

Harry stayed like this until the sun slowly began to set over the horizon letting him know that they were very close to Hogwarts. Looking over at Ron and Hermione he discovered them cuddled up on one side of the bench fast asleep. Harry got up and stretched, then decided to change into his school robes; as he left the carriage, he immediately stumbled across the last person he wanted to see. Ginny Weasly. Harry has spent all of his summer holiday at the Burrow, with the whole Weasly family, which unfortunately made their relationship very difficult. Harry reminisced over how close they used to be, but since Fred's funeral nothing had been the same. Ginny had told him that she needed some space to clear her head and to focus on other things which almost broke Harry. After they had been through so much, he couldn't cope with losing her. As the weeks went by they grew further apart, and things became much more awkward between them, so Harry was almost relieved when it was time for them to go back to Hogwarts.

Looking at her now, Harry felt the urge to run up to her and crush her with a hug, letting his fingers get tangled in her long ginger hair, on the other hand he also felt like bolting back to his carriage before she saw him. He could almost smell her soft flowery shampoo from where he was standing. Suddenly she looked up and spotted him by the door. Slowly she walked up to him, a guarded look on her face.

"Hi Harry."

"Hey ginny, you okay?"

"I'm fine Harry, did you want something?

"I was just going change into my robes, and I wanted to see how you were."

"Right. Harry, I feel like you're following me around like a lost puppy, everywhere I turn your there." Harry felt like he'd been slapped in the face. He couldn't believe that Ginny had said that.

"Ginny, I know you don't want anything to happen between us anymore, but that doesn't mean I don't want to be friends, this, us, it's killing me. If we're going to be seeing each other around school I want us to be on good terms."

"Oh Harry!" Ginny sobs. "It's not that simple! When I look at you all I see is what we used to be like, and how we can never have that kind of relationship again. Of course we can still be friends, I just don't think we can hang out as much as we used to." Harry could see small faces peering out of other carriages at this point. 'Just like old times" he thought, knowing that this argument would spread around the school like wildfire.

Harry had had enough of this conversation, " Fine, if thats what you really want." Then he carried on down the train to find somewhere to get changed.

When he emerged, there was chaos all along the corridor. Harry didn't realise how late it had gotten, it had already gotten dark and he could see the twinkling lights of the castle in the distance; everyone around him was frantically trying to gather up their stuff ready to get off. Realising he'd better get back to his carriage, Harry began to push past people to get to Ron and Hermione. However, a few steps later Harry found him self sprawled across the floor. Harry had been walking too fast and accidentally tripped over a bag left lying in his . As he was getting up, a smooth delicate hand appeared helping Harry to his feet. Harry was about to say thank you, when he noticed the green rim around the Hogwarts robes. Looking up further he could see bleach blonde hair slicked back, pointed green eyes, a small angled nose and what should have been a mouth curled into a smirk, but in reality was just an ordinary shaped mouth. Had Draco Malfoy just helped Harry?

" Are you okay? Draco asked.

"What?" Harry replied in astonishment.

Draco repeated: "I said are you okay?"

" Um, yea."

"Good" And with that, Malfoy sauntered away as if their small encounter had never happened.

Harry stood there for a few minutes completely astounded before carrying on to his carriage. When he arrived, he vaguely noticed Ron and Hermione look away from their packing to see Harrys stricken face and give him an odd look.

"You okay mate? Whats happened?" Ron asked.

The train suddenly came to a stop so all three of them began to depart their carriage and follow everyone out of the train. Deciding not to mention what just happened, Harry told them about his encounter with Ginny instead. While Ron and Hermione mulled over this conversation, all Harry could think about was Malfoy. Questions swarmed in his head. Whats wrong with him? Why was he less of an ass than usual? Did it really happen? All Harry knew for sure was that something had happened to Malfoy during the great battle, something that had changed him. The only problem was, Harry didn't know whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, only time would tell.