Disclaimer: Harry potter does not belong to me and this fanfiction is purely for entertainment and not profit. Enjoy.
Chapter 1
"The Sleepless"
The Hogwarts castle was once again alive with the loud voices of its students. It was time for the school's revival. Everything was going back to its wonted buzz. No more fear. The aftermath of the war left everyone coping in their own way: some took their time to grieve, and some just started with a clean slate. In retrospect, one way or another everybody was slowly healing.
Our heroes have returned to finish their 7th and final year, with a goal to make it as memorable and joyful as they could. This is what they fought for and no one would take that away from them.
A lively clatter of cutlery echoed off the walls of the Great hall. The four houses dined harmoniously. The clinking of a glass brought everyone's attentions to the new headmistress. Professor McGonagall cleared her throat and stuck her chin into the air glancing around the room.
"Silence please. Mr. Bolt please refrain from sticking bananas in your ears unless I have wrongly admitted you into a wizarding school instead of a zoo."
The first year hid his blushing face into his sleeve from his laughing classmates. McGonagall pursed her lips and adjusted her posture.
" I have an announcement to make. Quiet everyone. As some of you already know, the school has decided to add an extra non-elective subject.
"Which is absolutely… out of discussion," she added, silencing the collective groans. " After talking it out with the former headmasters we have come to a conclusion that what the school needs now more than ever merriment and unity. From now the 7th and 6th forms will be taking Wizarding Art of Realistic Performance. Or simply known as W.A.R.P. Especially for this subject we have brought in an extra professor"
A man with ridiculously voluminous golden hair stood proudly by the Headmistress, grinning from ear to ear, dazzling the students with his white pearls for teeth.
" Hello everyone! What a brilliant day!" He took a breath as if inhaling an imaginary bouquet of flowers and curtsied with a chuckle.
Ron Wesley froze before he could pop the eighth piece of chicken into his mouth; his eyes round like porcelain plates and not only his. Hermione Granger exchanged worried glances with her friends.
Her disbelief was rudely interrupted by confetti of chicken from Ron's mouth.
"Eww Ronald. Keep your mouth shut when you eat!"
He looked at her apologetically and shut his mouth as she hastily picked the pieces of poultry out of her hair.
"Yes… Mr. Lockhart has turned out to be perfect for this job, putting his acting and …uhh" McGonagall stammered, "flamboyancy to good use I think."
A hint of laughter laced her words as she spoke. Pushing her half- moon spectacles up with her finger, she looked over at the man next to her, blazing in blue and golden robes and puffed out like a peacock. She let out a visible sigh.
"You will all be owled your new schedules today. That will be all."
The Great Hall turned to uproar. Its occupants chittered feverishly.
"That idiot teaching us?! What is he even doing back?"
"Wasn't he at St Mungos?"
"He is a WACKO," someone shouted.
Hermione looked over at Harry who was shaking his head from side to side, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance.
The sun has set and a bunch of Gryffindor's sat comfortably by the fire in the Common Room gregariously chatting away about what was yet to come in the new year. Coming through the portrait hole, Hermione spotted her friends lounging on one of the sofas.
"I take it you have received the new schedule than?" She plopped down in the space between the two and eyed her own parchment keenly.
"Our first WARP lesson is tomorrow, right after potions," Ron noted, rubbing his sleep filled eyes. "Bloody insane."
Hermione shot him a look "I happen to think it's a great idea, we could use something different around here…. It's a great contribution in promoting house unity. After the war, some relations have been more edgy than usual."
"You mean Slytherins?" Ron scoffed, "Harry, what do you think?"
Both pairs of eyes landed on the shaggy-haired friend who didn't say a word, up to now. He shrugged and with a sigh pulled himself up from his lazy lay.
"Hermione is right, this is what we fought for, equality, everyone deserves a second chance. After all not all Slytherins were bad." And they immediately knew his mind went to Snape. Ron's expression softened and he hung his head and nodded.
"Alright, but don't expect me to be buddy buddies with these prats, some of the younger ones have gotten so bratty and snotty I wish I could just-"
"They just say what they hear their parents say," Hermione said. "Some of them are still stuck in their old medieval ways. Even after the war. It's nature versus nurture. Harry for example had nothing, but had the best influences-"
"Unlike Malfoy, the rich twat had everything-" Ron cut in.
"But had the worst influences," Hermione finished.
"Tsk tsk Malfoy… haven't seen him, is the albino snake even back in school?"
"I think I have seen him around a couple of times in the last week… seems real quiet," responded Harry.
"He better be!" Ron mocked standing up and stretching. "Well I am absolutely knackered! G'nite Hermione." He kissed her on the cheek and Harry followed.
"Goodnight guys" she called back smiling. Standing up she made her way to the Girl's Dormitory. She put her books and clothes in order, pulled her robes off, and crawled into bed. Just as she was about to close her eyes she remembered she forgot to brush her teeth. Of course she could just use a cleaning spell like the others always did, but she thought about what her parents would have to say about using magic to take care of her teeth. With a groan she stood up and wrapped her soft lilac nightgown around herself. She shivered as she felt the slight breeze brush past her bare legs, walking down the staircase towards the girl's bathroom, toothbrush in hand. Shuffling her feet, she hoped that no one would catch her past the curfew; as she was breaking the very rule she was meant to enforce.
Somewhere along the way, Hermione got lost in her thoughts thinking about the self assigned reading list and extra credit work she would have to do to really do her best this year. A sudden dry cough halted her and she realized she had walked past the girl's lavatory. Way past. She brushed the curls away from her face looking around. A few steps from her stood a tall dark figure with a pale complexion that was accentuated even more so with the dim shine of a wand pointed upwards at his face. He raised a perfectly shaped platinum blonde eyebrow and after what seemed to be a moment of hesitation, stepped closer towards her. Hermione face scrunched up and she reflexively took a step back.
The stealthy sound of his footsteps quickly subsided.
"A little late to be out of bed.. Granger."
Hermione swallowed the ball that stuck in her throat from stupefaction and adjusted her gown straightening up.
" Malfoy…. I could say the same to you."
He chuckled wearily "Touché"
Hermione eyed him curiously as he swiftly passed her by, he was still in his school uniform, neat and crisp as usual, but something about his face caught her attention. Malfoy's eyes were sunken and the skin under his eyes was sickly black and blue. Without a second thought Hermione threw out her hand and grabbed him by the sleeve of his jumper, she was surprised at with how easily she managed to spin him around. He looked down at her expressionlessly.
"Malfoy what happened to your face, who did this?"
She let her grasp loosen and dropped her arm stepping within his reach. Upon closer inspection she became aware that the discoloration on his face were not in fact wounds, but were marks of severe insomnia. He looked dreadful.
"Malfoy…when was the last time you slept?" She murmured anxiously.
"Sleep is for the weak… the strong are all dead." He whispered hoarsely.
Hermione furrowed her brows and let her grip on his jumper drop. "Than what are you?"
Malfoy stared at her for a few seconds. Hermione became suddenly aware of the mute silence that surrounded them. The words she heard next were the last words she expected to hear from him.
" A coward"
Hermione was so shocked; she temporarily lost her ability to speak. Her mouth slightly parted, her mind frantically searching for a response. Nothing.
"Goodnight Granger"
And with that, she watched Malfoy slowly recede from view and into the dark.
Brushing her teeth back at the Prefects bathroom, Hermione couldn't get Malfoy's words out of her head. Finishing up, she headed back to her dormitory and back into bed. A new day was ahead and she wanted to be as fresh and as well rested as possible. Letting the strange encounter fade into the back of her mind, Hermione drifted off to sleep.