Author's Note
Not DH compliant.
Draco Malfoy chose to fight against his family and Lord Voldemort following the treatment of his father after the incident in the Ministry of Magic. Harry Potter defeated Lord Voldemort and while Hermione and some others from their year returned to Hogwarts to finish their schooling, Ron Weasley and Harry were being fast-tracked though the Ministry to become Aurora's. This means Hermione is in the same year as Ginny and Luna.
Chapter One – A New Year
Hermione, Ron and Harry were sitting in the Leaky Cauldron.
"It's hard to believe that we won't be together this year" said Ron.
"I'm only at Hogwarts" Hermione responded. Harry smiled and shook his head, "You make it sound like she's never coming back".
"Yes but you don't have to finish school, you could be at the Ministry with us" Ron argued.
"But I want to finish school" Hermione answered.
"I wouldn't expect anything less Hermione" Harry added "And Ron we'll be so busy with training at the Ministry that you won't have time to notice that there are only two of us."
"Was only making a point" mumbled Ron as he finished his butterbeer. "I'll get us some more" he said and headed to the bar.
"What is it with you two" Harry asked Hermione.
"Don't ask me" she responded "We agreed friends only, I don't think of him like that, and I don't think he thinks of me like that either. We're not you and Ginny." Harry blushed at that comment.
"You'll look after her for me won't you" he asked
Hermione rolled her eyes "She doesn't need looking after"
Harry smiled "I know, and I'll look after Ron, we both know what he's like with change" laughing. Ron returned with three more butterbeer's and asked what was so funny. "Nothing" Hermione and Harry replied, and they spend the rest of the night reminiscing of the adventures they'd had.
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Hermione approached Platform 9¾, and thought of Ron. He was right it was strange being on her own.
"Feeling ok" came a friendly voice from behind her
"Ginny" said Hermione as she turned and hugged her friend.
The girls said goodbye to Mrs Weasley and boarded the train.
"Well prefect I'll see you later" joked Hermione
"Wouldn't miss it Head Girl" replied Ginny smiling as she headed off to find some friends. Hermione headed towards the top compartment where the Head Boy and Girl were to sit, wondering who the Head Boy was. She opened the door to the compartment and couldn't believe her eyes.
"You! They made you Head Boy"
"Nice to see you to Granger. Should have realised you'd come back to school" came the response.
Hermione sat down shaking her head. Of all the names she and Ginny had come up with for Head Boy Draco Malfoy was not one of them. Why was he back at school anyway?
She pulled a copy of Pride and Prejudice out of her bag and started to read, trying to figure out how she was going to survive the year. Draco Malfoy may have picked the right side eventually but she still wasn't sure how much she could trust him.
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After the welcome dinner had concluded, the first years were in their dormitories, and the prefects briefed on their duties it was time for Hermione to head up to the Head Boy and Girl's dormitory. She hadn't seen Draco since they left the Great Hall. She'd taken responsibility for Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, while Draco got Slytherin and Ravenclaw.
"Responsibility" Hermione said to the portrait, which swung open to reveal her new home for the next year. The common room was a nice size and reflected the colours of all four houses. She saw two desks against the back wall, and a sofa and two chairs around the fire place. There was a staircase off each side of the room, obviously one for the Head Boy and one for the Head Girl. She walked further into the room, taking it all in. There was no sign of Draco, so she took a 50-50 chance and headed up the stairs to her right. The room she found was in the Gryffindor colours, with her trunk at the end of the bed. Seeing the bed she realised how tired she was, so she changed into her pyjama's and headed to bed. She'd deal with the Draco issue in the morning.
Unbeknown to her Draco was sitting in the common room, wondering to himself why he had decided to come back to Hogwarts and if it was all going to be worth it.