-Chapter 1-

Hermione Granger stood on Platform's 9 ¾ for the last time in her education at Hogwarts. Although she knew the school would never be the same, she still felt excited. She, along with Harry and Ron, had been invited back to Hogwarts to complete their seventh year, which they had abandoned on a hunt for horcruxes and finally, Voldemort's death. There weren't many former students returning so Professor McGonagall had squeezed them in with the actual seventh years.

Hermione was excited, but she also felt a bit wistful. For once in her life at Hogwarts, there would be no surprises. Well, she couldn't say that exactly, no. For once, she knew what to expect at school. There would be no more heroic tales of the Golden Trio fighting the Dark Arts and leading Gryffindor to win the House Cup. It would be a normal school year, if you could call anything that happened at Hogwarts 'normal'.

She was enveloped in a tight hug from Molly Weasley, who was spouting tears. Her youngest children, Ron and Ginny, were off for their final year at Hogwarts after all. Surely that would make any mother proud.

"You keep my Ron in place, you hear?" She told Hermione firmly. This worried Hermione a bit, Molly being so… involved in her son's relationship. She had a feeling it would be particularly messy if she and Ron were to split.

Hermione shook her head. She and Ron were happy; of course they wouldn't break up. Why such a thought had crossed her mind she didn't know.

There's still the matter of what happened sixth year… She reminded herself.

Over the summer, rumors had floated, particularly in a magazine called 'Witch Weekly', that Ron had been with someone entirely different than Lavender in their sixth year. Of course Hermione and Ron had not been dating at the time, but she still confronted him about it anyways. What had hurt her was that it was not only true, but he had been with Pansy Parkinson of all people.

She was past Slytherin and Gryffindor house rivalry, but really? Pansy Parkinson? She was known for being forward with any male that would pursue her, and he had actually been involved with her? It was downright disgusting.

Now, Hermione couldn't even kiss him without thinking that another pair of lips had claimed them before her. Ron thought she was being a bit ridiculous, and maybe she was taking it too far, but still.

"I'll try Mrs. Weasley," she promised, forcing a wry smile.

Ron boarded the train ahead of her, and while she waited for him to get his trunk, new owl, and Quidditch broom up the stairs, she noticed a patch of pale blond hair getting on further down. He bent to say his last goodbyes to who Hermione assumed to be his family, but she couldn't tell given the crowd.

So Draco Malfoy was returning to Hogwarts.

Or maybe it wasn't him. Maybe it was another student and she was being too quick to assume. Whatever the case may be, she wasn't too sure how she felt about his being back at school given the events of the War, and what happened in his manor. Sure he had lied for Harry, not identifying him which hinted that he honestly didn't want to be a Death eater, but it was merely unavoidable in his situation.

It was on this train of thought that Hermione remembered that fateful moment, lying on the floor, Bellatrix on top of her.

"Put the boys in the cellar! I'd like to have a conversation with this one, girl to girl!"

She was hit so hard she toppled over, and Bellatrix was there, standing above her. Bellatrix dropped to the floor, with her knife, and whispered furiously in her ear.

"That sword is meant to be in my vault at Gringotts. How did you get it?" She demanded.

Hermione shook her head furiously, insisting they had taken nothing from her vault.

"WHAT ELSE DID YOU TAKE FROM MY VAULT?!"

"Please, please I didn't take anything!"

"I don't believe it," Bellatrix snarled as she grasped her arm and carved that one word she had heard so many times in her life. That one word of blood status that would always haunt her, one that would always have the capability of hurting her. The one that she would, could, never forget. She screamed. This pain, compared to the pain she was sure would come as they battled their way further into the war, was nothing. She was suddenly hit with the realization that she was relieved it was her who was experiencing this. She couldn't bear it if Harry or Ron were underneath Bellatrix.

Her eyes cast ahead of them, and she noticed Malfoy. He was watching, not in amusement, but in horror. His mother had turned away but he looked straight at Hermione.

Then he extended his hand, and it reached out towards her.

"Coming, Hermione?" Ron asked impatiently.

She shook her head quickly. It wouldn't do to remember things such as that. She would focus on the school year ahead of her.

"Of course," She said as she lifted her trunk. When she looked one last time she noticed the pale hair was gone.

xxx

"Is it getting any easier for you?" Ginny asked Hermione when they had finally escaped from Ron and slid into the Head's compartment at the front of the train.

"Well, yes… no… I'm not sure really. I just can't stop thinking about it. It all feels a bit ridiculous really, I mean, it happened in sixth year. I shouldn't doubt Ron's loyalty now." She replied honestly.

And she believed that. Why make such a big deal over it? But for some reason, to Hermione, it was a big deal. Such a big deal that lately any time the idea of her and Ron's future together made her sick to her stomach. It was purely revolting, the idea of that future, and the fact that she suddenly didn't want it.

"It's understandable Hermione; we're talking about Ron and Pansy. If Pansy and Harry were together it would leave a mark in my memory too."

"-better watch yourself Zabini, Pansy will have your arse for talking to Astoria that way. Not that I blame you, because she's quite the sight." Malfoy was saying as he pushed open the Head's compartment door.

"Please, that didn't mean anything… Oh, hello." Blaise said as he noticed Hermione and Ginny.

"Hello, Blaise, I don't think we've met. Ginny Weasley." Ginny said politely as she stuck out her hand. He shook it and smirked at her formality.

"Malfoy," she added curtly.

Malfoy nodded once and they sat across from the girls.

"You'd think this was a business affair," Blaise commented, "does it seem stuffy in here to you all?"

Ginny laughed at that, "a bit."

Hermione listened to their exchange and tried to look at anything but those silver eyes. She didn't greet Blaise, because if she did, that would require greeting Malfoy, and she couldn't have that.

"Good to see you too, Granger," Blaise said, but his tone was friendly.

Damn him for making her speak.

"Yes, you too Blaise."

What was McGonagall thinking? Making two Slytherins head boys, Malfoy no less. Blaise Zabini was not so bad. He didn't actively participate in the Dark Arts and had never shown any devotion to Voldemort. But Malfoy… Hermione wasn't sure she was ready to interact with him at all. It brought too many painful memories to light. And there was the question of his loyalty. Did he still think her a mudblood that he hated? Or had he moved on, and they could be peacefully equal?

Malfoy suddenly seemed interested in a pattern on the wall, and Blaise and Ginny talked animatedly about the school year, seemingly forgetting past times.

Maybe I should too. I can just put everything that's happened behind me and be polite to Malfoy. Like nothing ever happened.

That was Hermione's last thought before she rested her head against the cool window and drifted.

xxx

"I still can't believe McGonagall has the nerve to make Ginny and Mione patrol the halls with those slimy gits," Ron said for the fifth time since they had entered the Great Hall, clapped through the sorting, and started to eat. It was becoming rather annoying, but Hermione still said nothing as he mentioned it, and reminded him to use his napkin a few moments later when she noticed pumpkin juice dribbling down his chin.

"Actually, Ron, Blaise Zabini was being anything but a slimy git on the train," Ginny informed him matter-of-factly.

"Whatever. I don't even know why they let that Death Eater trash back in the school."

"Ronald," Hermione finally hissed. She'd had enough. He was just taking things a bit too far. She wasn't friendly with Malfoy, but she didn't hold anything against him anymore.

"What?"

"That's not funny. For all you know he's changed his ways. Now that… he is gone, Malfoy has nothing to pressure him into being dark," she said.

And maybe Malfoy had changed. Even though people like Ron obviously wouldn't forget his past mistakes too easily, at least the feuding could cease. Hermione wondered why she even cared what became of Draco Malfoy and his time at Hogwarts, but she couldn't come up with a logical answer.

"He's sort of right Hermione, why did they let him back in?" Harry inquired.

"What happened Harry… all of those things he did… was because he just wasn't raised under the right influence, and his father had fallen under the pressures of Voldemort. You know that. And I honestly doubt, given his history, he has anywhere else to go. So could we all just stop being childish? I know there's a lot of hatred still there but I would like to enjoy my last year at Hogwarts if you don't mind," Hermione said stiffly.

"So you're just going to start bloody sucking up to him? After all he's done to you?" Ron asked angrily.

Hermione glared at him. Sometimes he really could be thick.

"Of course not Ron, I think what Hermione is trying to say is that we don't have to be his friend, but we can at least act like human beings and be pleasant," Ginny said, eyeing her brother menacingly.

Hermione thanked Ginny quietly, not wanting to take the conversation any further.

There were a few minutes of silence as forks and knives scraped against plates and everyone chewed thoughtfully, with the exception of Ron. His eating habits had not changed. Ginny cleared her throat.

"Hermione, I just wanted to let you know that McGonagall pulled me aside and asked that we meet in her office after the feast," she said, "we're just discussing Head's business," she added before Ron or Harry decided to comment.

Hermione picked her napkin up from her lap and placed it over her food. "I think I'll go now, if you're ready. I'm not very hungry tonight."

Ginny nodded at this and she kissed Harry's cheek before standing with Hermione. "See you in the dorm soon?" She asked.

"Yea-"he said through a mouthful of food.

Hermione stared at Ron for a moment as he returned his gaze to his own plate, saying nothing. Ginny pulled her away before they started fighting again, which they were doing a lot of lately.

xxx

"You think McGonagall's mad? Making you and Hermione both Heads? This means you'll have to patrol together," Blaise said.

Draco sighed. He hadn't the faintest idea why he'd even been offered the position, much less why the Headmistress thought it a brilliant thing to pair him off with Granger.

"Did you just call Granger by her first name?" Draco asked suddenly. They were on their way to the little meeting McGonagall had arranged.

"Well… sure. She calls me by mine, so why not?"

He shook his head. Things at Hogwarts had definitely changed. Draco wondered if he could just act as if the whole War hadn't even happened. Then he could go about cursing Gryffindors and sneering at the Golden Trio as much as he liked, but these times were different. No doubt Granger absolutely loathed him. He wouldn't be surprised if she actually tried to kill him, either.

Seeing her in the Heads compartment had been sort of a nasty shock, but he should have expected it of course. He had considered the idea of actually saying hello, or perhaps merely acknowledging her presence, but she had purposefully avoided meeting his steady gaze, so he decided against it. They weren't friends after all, so he had no obligations to be friendly. Though it might have done him some good, considering he wasn't very popular with any Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff at the moment. There weren't many Slytherins present anymore, and he couldn't blame them. They wouldn't be welcomed very warmly.

They stopped when they came upon McGonagall herself, who stood at the entrance to her office with Granger and the female Weasley already.

"Good evening, Mr. Zabini, Mr. Malfoy. I hope you both have eaten well. Before you depart to your dorm, I'd like to speak to you about some… new circumstances where Heads are involved." She sounded uptight and formal, and Draco assumed she wasn't thrilled to see him in particular.

"New circumstances, Professor?" Granger asked automatically, almost like a reflex. It seemed that being a teacher's pet hadn't changed in the least for her.

"Well, in order to restore order at Hogwarts, and display House Unification, you will all be placed in the same dorm, which has already been prepared for you."

So it was true. McGonagall was out to ruin him. And her favorite student, Hermione Bookworm Granger, probably wouldn't object to doing her bidding.

xxx

(A/N: Yay! There's the new and improved version of Chapter 1! I hope you enjoyed this one, and aren't too disappointed in the obvious changes. I realized I had to put some ill feelings and angst between Hermione and Draco in particular, but do not fear Dramione fans! You can check my progress of updating in the description. I shall have the next few updated Chapters up soon, and then we can resume the story! Tell me what you think!)