1. Beginnings and a new lesson

The first school day dawned bright and early and along with it woke the Head Girl. Never one for sleeping in, Hermione rose from her large four poster bed rubbing sleep from her eyes as her blankets pooled around her waist. Once she was accustomed to the early morning light, she flung the covers aside and groggily made it into the bathroom to shower.

10 minutes later and the head girl emerged from the bathroom, clad only in a giant fluffy white towel. Quickly she dried and dressed in her school uniform of knee length skirt, white oxford and jumper, socks and shoes, to escape the cold that threatened to seep into her bones from the castle's walls she grabbed her robe of the back of the chair that stood in front of the vanity and her school bag from the floor, and exited her room and made her way down a flight of stairs into the head's common room.

Hermione entered the Great Hall, to see only a few students already down before her. Glancing down the Gryffindor House table, she sighed. Harry and Ron were not yet up, not that she expected them to be mind you. Shrugging it off, she walked to wards the centre of the table, and sat where she had done for the last 6 years, and would do so for the last and final one. Dumping her bag at her feet, Hermione began to help herself to a few slices of toast and a goblet of water and waited for her boys to finally show.

She watched the room slowly fill with students who had now risen and were starting their day with breakfast. Every now and then she would glance at her watch and then the doors as they opened revealing yet more people. None of which happened to be the two people that she was waiting for.

The tables were starting to fill, and Hermione hoped that her two friends had not slept in on their first day. Glancing around Hermione even noted that the teachers had arrived and were eating quietly, dreading the time in which lessons would begin and the so too would the school term.

The doors to the great hall began to swing open and Hermione turned hopefully towards them, only for her eyes to land on the one person she despised and wished she would never have to see again-Draco Malfoy. He wasn't alone either. On his right was a dark skinned male that was just that slight bit shorter than Draco, and dangling of his left arm like a badly behaving pup was a short, slim girl with hair as black as night that just came to rest above her shoulders. Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson. Hermione glared at them and was about to turn back to her breakfast, when a shock of red hair flashed behind the "Silver Trio" as they had been dubbed the previous year, much to the Golden Trio's disgust. Hermione instantly brightened as the three Slytherins moved out of the entrance of the door to reveal none other than Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, the remaining two of the Golden Trio. Hermione smiled up at them as they sat across from her and mumbled good mornings before reaching for food.

After the two boys had finally had their fill of the food, and were in a much better mood for it, they joined in with Hermione talking about who they thought might be their Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher this year.
"I for one hope it's not going to be some stuck up ministry official!" Ron exclaimed before taking yet another bite from a pork sausage and noisily ate and carried on. "I wood hate 'or anuver per'on like Umbr'ge". Hermione shook her head at his manners, "Honestly Ron! How many times do i have to tell you, chew with your mouth closed and don't speak with your mouth full!" she exclaimed. "I would be nice to have someone like Lupin to teach us" Harry sighed. After the war had ended many had died. Lupin along with many others had been one of the dead. Hermione felt sorry for Harry as Lupin had been one of a very few who had known his father and had been somewhat like family, and now that was gone. A flash of anger went through Hermione at the thought of those dead because some hypocritical wizard had tried to take over the magical world. She was glad it was finally over and no one would be taken from him unexpectedly. She gave Harry a small smile just as the post arrived.

Owls flew about the Great Hall, dropping of time tables to every student and sometimes other letters from family and friends. Looking over her timetable Hermione grumbled along with both Harry and Ron, their first lesson was yet again a double with Slytherins and what made it worse, was that it was potions with Snape. Well at least that was expected and...Normal, in a sick and twisted way Hermione thought.

"Hey, 'Mione how's Malfoy as the head boy?" Ron asked. He just had to bring it up didn't he? And my morning was going well enough
"I wouldn't know Ron, we hardly talked last night, not that im complaining at all. All we did was get the password from Dumbledore then went and found our rooms before going to bed." This was in fact the actual truth.
"I still can't believe how he managed to get the position, he had his Prefect status taken away from him AND he was a death eater!" Hermione understood where Harry was coming from but she knew, along with the rest of the school, that one Draco Malfoy had been pardoned for everything due to being forced into servitude to save his mother. Lucius on the other hand had suffered the Dementors Kiss not too long ago. Hermione voiced this to which Harry grudgingly admitted defeat to Hermione yet again.

Hermione went back to studying her timetable and came across an interesting block, where her free period had been on Friday (and the rest of the years divination's class) was now a shiny new class. This new class had no name, just the room number and that it was taken by McGonagall. Hermione's eyebrows drew together as she scowled down at the sheet of parchment. But before Hermione could question this shiny new subject, Dumbledore rose from the staff table and instantly the hall went quiet.

"Could all 6th and 7th years stay behind for a moment after breakfast so that i can have a few words, thank you" with that the bell rang and 6th years and below, all ran off towards their first lesson. Once the hall was finally empty except for the 6th and 7th years, Dumbledore and McGonagall, Dumbledore stood once more, this time coming around the stand in front of the staff table.

"As im sure you are all aware by now, you have all got a new subject, but as of yet its name has not been revealed to you. I cannot tell you much about this subject, except that it is something the Ministry have wished to test and i believe it would help you all for the future. You are not all going to be in the same class at the same time; again as you can see some of you will have this "subject" first period, second, third or last. we have decided to split you into four groups as we believe this would be more manageable than having you all cramped into one room, i do think that may cause a few accidents and become a tad bit..Stuffy, don't you think?" Dumbledore's gaze swept around the room at the apprehensive looks on all the students faces and couldn't help but think that this was bound to be one interesting year, especially when his gaze landed on two individuals in the room.

"I think that is all, good luck for your final year, now off to class!" every single body in the room scrambled to gather their belongings and dashed out of the Great Halls doors and down corridors towards whatever lesson they had first. Hermione, Harry and Ron were all heading towards the dungeons for potions along with the rest of Gryffindor, all wondering the same thought.

"What could this new subject be?"

A/N: So this is my first uploaded story on fanfiction. I hope at least someone reads it . and if you do happen to, please leave a review they will be greatly appriciated :-)

XXBexkuXX ^.^