Disclaimer -- Harry Potter and all related characters, spells, etc, are the creation of J. K. Rowling.
Prologue-- The Fifth Year
With the help of Harry and Draco, Voldemort was killed by a group of Aurors, The Order of the Phoenix. Unfortunately, Wormtail escaped again, and Sirius is still a wanted man, even though he played a significant role in the downfall of the Dark Lord. Fudge has renewed the efforts in the hunt for Sirius, especially because he is believed to be the Heir of Voldemort.
The fight against Voldemort both unified and divided Hogwarts simultaneously. While the houses began to work together to achieve a common goal, an internal struggle churned within Slytherin. They were torn between loyalty to their parents, most of whom were Death Eaters, and loyalty to their school. Draco refused his father's wishes for him to become a Death Eater, finally standing up to the years of abuse. His father was taken to Azkaban after Voldemort was killed, and given the Dementor's Kiss. Draco's mother disappeared, whether she was killed by Lucius or fled from the Dementors, nobody knows.
Chapter One-- Back to Nine and Three-quarters
Harry couldn't believe his summer, the last week of which had been spent with at the Burrow with the Weasleys, had gone by so quickly. Now they were once again at King's Cross, making their way through the crowds of muggles, each carrying an oddly shaped bundle of luggage. He had spent the first part of vacation as always, with the horrible Dursleys, and then went to stay with Ron. He was a little sad to leave the comfort of the Burrow, but as always, returning to Hogwarts felt like returning home. And he couldn't wait to see Hermione. He and Ron were kind of worried about her. She had turned down their invitation for a visit and hadn't replied to most of the letters they had sent her. They hadn't even seen her at Diagon Alley, where they met each year to buy books and supplies. They supposed she was just too busy with schoolwork, already studying for the upcoming O.W.L.S.
Upon reaching the barrier between platforms Nine and Ten, they all said their good-byes. Molly Weasley hugged her youngest son. "Make sure you don't get into too much trouble. And look after Ginny," she said.
"Ok, g'bye Mum," said Ron, hugging her back.
"Harry, have a good year. You're welcome to come to our house for Christmas Break, you know." she said, kissing Harry lightly on the forehead.
"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley," he replied. "C'mon, Ron."
They headed towards the barrier and casually leaned against it. Suddenly, platforms nine and ten were gone and the Hogwarts Express was before them. Harry barely had a chance to take in the familiar sight before he heard a squeal of delight.
"Harry! Ron!" Then there were arms encircling Harry's waist, smushing him against Ron into a tight hug.
"Hermione!" they both managed to croak out.
"Would you mind giving us a little breathing room, d'ya think?" gasped Ron.
She ignored the comment and held them a moment longer, then finally releasing them. "I am so glad to see--" she was cut off by the train whistle.
"Let's wait till after we're on the train for the reunion, ok?" said Harry.
They climbed aboard and found an empty compartment.
"Listen, I'm sorry I didn't write you this summer, but I've been awfully busy," started Hermione.
"Eating, sleeping, and breathing with your books again, I suppose," interjected Ron.
She gave him an annoyed look, but continued. "I had to spend most of the summer with Mom, in France." Hermione took a deep breath. "She didn't want me to come back here."
"What?" said Harry and Ron in unison.
"Well, she wanted me to go to a private muggle school in France. She thinks magic is a waste of time. Dad, however, said that I was mature enough and it should be my decision." Again, she paused before continuing. Her face changed a little, and she bit her lip, as if trying to solve a hard puzzle. "My parents have decided to get a divorce."
There was silence at first. Ron and Harry both stared at her. Then, Ron hugged her, and Harry sighed, "Mione, oh.... I'm sorry."
"Thanks, guys." Hermione looked out the window. There was another moment of awkward silence.
"You want to talk about it?" Ron asked tentatively, looking concerned.
"Not right now," Hermione said briskly, turning back to them. "We need to go down to the Prefects' compartment." It was Hermione's second year being a Prefect, Ron and Harry's first.
They made their way to the front of the train. Thankfully, catching up on recent events hadn't made them late. The Head Boy and Girl, both from Ravenclaw, were just starting to talk. They gave directions to the Prefects' bathroom and handed out copies of the Hogwarts Official Rule Book, magically condensed into only a thousand pages. Then the Prefects were dismissed to change into their robes. Hermione noticed Draco Malfoy was a Prefect for Slytherin. She smiled at him, hoping the animosity between them that had been set aside last year to defeat Voldemort would remain locked up. He briefly smiled back, only to be tugged away by Pansy Parkinson, his fellow Prefect and off-and-on girlfriend. Harry and Ron were leaving the compartment to find Ginny, and Hermione walked after them, wondering what Draco saw in Pansy.
Returning to the compartment where they had left Ginny waiting for them, they discovered another of their friends.
"Brynna!" said Ron. "How was your holiday? I haven't seen you in so long!"
"Hello, Brynna," said Harry and Hermione.
She laughed and said hello and hugged them all, telling them about her summer, which she had spent visiting family in the United States. Brynna had transferred to Hogwarts last year from an American wizarding school when her mother changed jobs. She had entered Gryffindor as a fourth year and quickly became friends with Ginny, who introduced her to Ron, Harry, and Hermione.
After summer stories had been exchanged, Ron, Brynna, and Hermione began to play a game of Exploding Snap. Harry and Ginny were sharing a pile of Chocolate Frogs and Every Flavor Beans, watching the game. The five of them had put on their black robes, three of which had shining Prefects' badges charmed onto them.
"So, Ginny. Er--" Harry gulped. He had been about to ask her something, but when she looked up from a suspicious orangish-brown bean, her blue eyes met his, and the words caught in his throat. "What classes are you taking this year?" he finished lamely.
Ginny grinned. She was good friends with Hermione, and her good studying habits had worn off. Ginny was quite a scholar, and she loved to talk about her classes. "Well," she began, "I'm taking Arithmancy again this year, only I've had so much help from Hermione, Professor Vector has let me skip the next level, so I'll be taking it with her. I've got Muggle Studies, of course," (Ginny took after her father with her fondness for the non-magic world.) "and then the usual, Care for Magical Creatures, History of Magic, you know."
"Mhm," mumbled Harry, his mouth full of Frog. He swallowed. "Sounds like a lot of work, Gin. You up to it?" he teased.
She grinned at him again in reply and his stomach did flip-flops. Harry inwardly cursed the offending organ. Ginny's presence had strange affects on his stomach all summer. His heart-rate, too. And another, more unmentionable, part of Harry's anatomy.
"Hermione lent me her old Arithmancy textbook--" she gestured to the heavy book in her lap-- "over the summer, so I could do a bit more catching up. I'll be ready... I hope." Her smooth, clear face paled a bit at her last words.
"I'm sure you'll do fine," said Harry, patting her knee. The creamy color of her cheeks was quickly replaced by a blush that complemented her copper hair.
"Thanks." Her reply was barely a whisper.
The train began to slow down, little by little, and Harry noticed how dark it had gotten outside. "Almost to Hogwarts," said Hermione, announcing the obvious. Ron had put away the cards and they sat in silence watching the familiar landscape pass by. Within minutes, the train had come to a stop and everyone had begun to clamber off. "Firs' years! This way!" They could hear Hagrid, calling to the nervous first years.
A long row of carriages stood at the edge of the lake, and the four of them climbed inside the nearest, anxious to get out of the cold, into the castle. They were a bit surprised to discover it was already occupied. Draco Malfoy was in the corner, shivering. "Hurry in, shut the door. It's cold out there!" he ordered.
They quickly did, and the five of them sat there for a moment, staring at each other. Brynna, who didn't know Draco as well as the rest, was the first to break the silence. "Hello, Draco. Did you have nice summer?"
He scowled at her, but didn't answer. The carriage began moving.
"Where are your thugs?" Harry asked, referring to Crabbe and Goyle.
"Decided I needed a bit of time to myself, if it's ok with you, Potter. Now I'm squashed in here with the lot of you."
To avoid any further arguments, Harry, Ron, Brynna, and Hermione decided to keep quiet for the remainder of the trip up to the doors. Ginny was too intimidated by Draco to even move.
Finally, the carriage came to a stop. They stepped out into the night, walked up the stone steps, and into the doors of Hogwarts.