She looked out the window into an ominous sky. Black clouds, thunder, and pouring rain. It could be a little nicer, she thought as it was the first day back at Hogwarts and she was excited to say the least. The weather was the exact opposite of how she felt inside. She frowned and burried her nose back in her book, alone.
How she missed riding the Hogwarts Express with Harry and Ron every year. They were currently in Auror training. The three of them were offered jobs at the school this year. Harry was offered the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor position, but he politely declined, as he didnt wish to return to Hogwarts, probably ever. Hermione was suprised, however, that Ron had turned down the position of Charms professor.
She had this year all planned out in her head as soon as she was offered the position of Transfiguration professor, which she honorably accepted. She pictured herself, Harry, and Ron as professors at the place they once called home. Hogwarts was still her home and would always be as far as she was concerned.
Harry and Ron had both felt that returning to Hogwarts wasn't the right future for them. They decided to become aurors. Hermione was devastated when Ron, her boyfriend, had told her he wasn't returning to the school with her.
"But Ron Hogwarts is our home! I couldn't imagine never going back."
"Hermione, there are bigger things out there for me. I can't go back. Loads of our loved ones were lost at that school, including my brother. I'll never go back."
"Fine, well you're not stopping me from going back. I've always wanted to teach and you know that. I thought you would come and maybe we would buy a house in hogsmeade. You know, spend everyday together like a couple should."
"Hermione, enough. I've told you countless times that I'm not going. Get over it!"
'Get over it.' Had been a phrase she heard an awful lot from Ron latelty. The war was over and it had been a year since then. Almost everyone involved, including herself, Ron and Harry, had experienced some PTSD. Ron had gone crazy at one point and disappeared for days. When he returned Hermione questioned him and he told her 'he was busy, get over it'.
That wasn't the last time he had used the phrase. They had fought often. Almost everyday. One night, after a trip to Diagon Alley to buy the rest of her teaching supplies, she had come home to the Burrow to the door locked. She knocked a few times. She knew that Ron was the only one home at the time. After getting no answer, she unlocked the door magically.
There he was, naked from the waist down. There was a girl she had not seen before who was also naked, but completely. As the door swung open, Ron quickly jumped up.
"Hermione! I didnt know you would be back so soon!" He nervously said to her.
She could feel her eyes well up with tears. "Ron what are you doing!?"
The young witch, who Hermione didnt know quickly grabbed her clothes and said "well I can see I'm not wanted here." And apparated away.
Hermione looked at Ron, confused and horrified.
"Look Hermione, I was just having some fun, get over it." He said calmly as he left the room.
That was the last time the pair really spoke. There were some "hellos" and "how are you's" here and there, but there relationship was over. It was never said, but they both knew it. The war had changed everyone.
She was anxious about returning to Hogwarts. She was excited, yet nervous about teaching. But after the incident with Ron, she was just happy to be away. After all, Hogwarts was her home. This year would be different without her friends, but maybe that's what she needed.
He didnt know why he decided to accept the potions master position. Perhaps it was because he needed normalcy in his life. Maybe he was honored because it was his beloved god father's position for years. He didn't intend on ever returning to Hogwarts, but with his parents in prison, and no friends, it was all he really could do.
Draco Malfoy sat alone on the Hogwarts Express pondering to himself. 'What would this year be like?' 'Could he be a normal person, or would his dark past follow him?' 'Would people accept him?'
He heard the squeek of the trolley and heard a quaint old witch ask "anything from the trolley dear?"
It was always a tradition that he would buy loads of treats for him and the other Slytherins, but this year he didnt feel much like eating candy.
"No, thank you." He smiled sweetly at the old witch and she continued on down the train.
It was true that Draco had spent the last year alone, in the manor. Lucius and Narcissa were both in Azkaban due to their involvement with the Dark Lord. He missed them, but he wasn't going to keep living the way he was. He was a troubled child, and his father influenced him to become a terrible person.
Well not anymore. Draco Malfoy had changed.
The war was tough on Hermione. Being on the run, searching for horcruxes with her two best friends was terrifying. And not to mention, having to destroy one herself was just as bad, if not worse. The Hufflepuff cup had shown her horrifying things and tried to have her betray her friends. Her world.
However, none of that had compared to what had happened at the Malfoy manor. Hermione shuddered at the thought of her helpless body being torchered by Bellatrix LeStrange. That was, perhaps, the worst day of her life.
After the war she was torn up about the deaths of her loved ones. Remus and Tonks would never get to see their son, Teddy, grow up. They would never send him off to Hogwarts. That made Hermione sad. It wasn't fair.
The death of Fred was a very traumatic experience for Hermione as well. Although, the Weasley family was devastated. It had always been "Fred and George." Now it was just George. He sunk into a deep depression without his twin brother. It had broke Hermione's heart to see the once hilarious, fun loving George become the dark depressed George who never left his room. Fred's death was also one of the reasons that Ron wouldn't return to Hogwarts. Ginny decided she would return to the school and take her seventh year, since she had missed it. Hermione was thankful for that, as after the situation with Ron, Hermione and Ginny had grown very close. Ginny was very supportive and agreed that Hermione shouldn't forgive her prat of a brother.
Ginny had stayed many nights with Hermione and comforted her as she weeped. Hermione always appreciated her company, but she knew that Ginny should have been home with her fiance.
Harry and Ginny has wasted no time getting engaged after the war. They must have realized how precious life is and how quickly the unthinkable could change things in the blink of an eye. Hermione was happy for them, she really was. She found herself a little jealous, though. She always thought her and Ron would get engaged-even married. But that had all changed. She was ready to out the past behind her and start off fresh. A new beginning.
One thing she couldn't and wouldn't forget about was the death of her father. That would follow her forever.
Hermione was at the Burrow for Sunday dinner. She always went to Sunday dinner at the Weasley's, despite her falling out with Ron. She was having a debate with Harry about the ingredients to an antidote. Harry was sure that he was right, but Hermione intended to prove him wrong. So, she aparated to her parents house to retrieve a book on antidotes she had.
Hermione appareted to her backyard, and upon arrival, heard her mother screaming. She ran toward her house to find out why she heard her mother's blood curdling scream.
There he was, Hermione's father, lying face down on the kitchen floor. Hermione rushed to her mother's side.
"What happened?" She screamed.
"He's not breathing! Call an ambulence!" Her mother screamed back.
Hermione followed her mother's request and then sat in the floor and held her mum. Together they sat on the floor, shaking and crying hysterically, waiting for an ambulence to arrive.
Hermione's father, Wendell, was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at a local hospital. Cause of death; heart attack. Hermione was heart broken. She cherished her parents, even more than her friends. Hermione's world was crumbling around her. She was even against the idea of returning to Hogwarts. She couldn't imagine the pain her mother must be in. She couldn't leave her. Hermione's mother, Monica, had convinced her that going back to Hogwarts and being a teacher was the best thing for her. After all, it was her dream. She only hoped her mother was right.
That was only two short months ago, so the wound was fresh on her mind.
Draco had experienced quite a tough time himself during the war. He had started his sixth year out with a task from the Dark Lord. Kill professor Dumbledore. He didn't want to do it, but his family's lives were at stake. His godfather, Severus Snape, rest his soul, had carried out the task for young Draco. He was too weak to do it on his own. That was just the start of the terrible things Draco went through.
The Dark Lord was living in Draco's home. He didn't feel safe unless he was at school, where everyone hated him. Everyone besides his idiot Friends Crabbe and Goyle, his girlfriend Pansy, and his only sane Friend, Blaise.
Draco had seen one of his proffesors, Charity Burbage murdered in his own home. Just because she taught muggle studies. Draco was brought up to believe that muggles and muggle born people were beneath him. However, he had known this was taken too far. He held his composure as the poor women was torchered and killed in front of him, but later that night he silently wept to himself. He wanted it to end. All of it.
He had never liked the golden trio, Harry, Ron, and Hermione. But that doesn't mean he wanted them dead. He cringed at the thought of his aunt torchering Hermione Granger. He didnt particularly like the girl, but he grew up with her. He couldn't even bare to see how badly his aunt was treating her. He also lied about Harry being Harry. He said he wasn't sure. He had betrayed his family, but he just wanted the war to end. He cried quietly in his room again that night. Secretly, he had hoped that the damn scarhead was able to defeat Voldemort.
Draco had lost people in the war as well. His friend Crabbe died right in front of him. Sure he was an idiot, but Draco still found himself upset. His parents were both sent to Azkaban. How he missed his mother, but loathed his father for making him join in on the dark side. He cursed the day he received the mark and wished he could take it all back.
Blaise and Draco stayed in Contact, mostly through owl. Blaise was traveling the world after the war, trying to set his mind straight. He offered to bring Draco with him, but Draco politely declined as he wanted to be around when his mother was released from prison. He despised staying at the manor, especially alone. He tried to rekindle his relationship with an old girlfriend, Pansy.
Pansy was ecstatic that Draco wanted to be with her again, and before no time she moved into the mansion with him. Draco wasn't too fond of the girl, but he didn't want to be alone. Eventually Draco was tired of Pansy and her insesant talking about how they should have won the war. That mudbloods and bloos traitors would all pay. She even went as far as trying to touch Draco's dark mark. She admired it. Draco had kicked her out almost as fast as she had moved in. They were not meant to be together. They still visited each other for a quick shag every oncw in a while, but that was it.
Draco was alone once again in the huge mansion that belonged to his father. One day as he was in the drawing room reading a book, alone of course, he received an owl. He snatched the envelope from the birds mouth and began to read.
" Dear Mr. Malfoy, It is with great honor that I would like to offer you the position of potions master. We would be honored if you accept. You would be a great asset to the school, and I know professor Snape would've loved to see you excell at your best subject. I will need an answer promptly, so I can make it official. I'll be awaiting your owl. Sincerely, professor McGonagall."
At first Draco thought of saying no. He even wrote "What the bloody hell would make you think I'd ever return to that place?" But he crumpled the parchment and tossed it in the wastebin. Instead, he decided to accept the offer. He wasn't sure exactly why, but he wanted to return to Hogwarts. He didnt want to be alone anymore. At least he could torcher students the way his godfather did. This would be a fresh start for Draco. The past would be in the past. A new beginning.