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We're starting fresh with a new story that has an end in mind, great direction, awkward sexual tension and we promise we will finish it and you will love it! This chapter has been reviewed, edited and reuploaded!

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Your two dreamers.

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Chapter One: Back Again

The Guide and I into that hidden road
Now entered, to return to the bright world;
-Dante Alighieri
'Inferno'

"Where did Ron tell you he was going again?" Hermione asked a little bit outraged.

"Don't be upset Hermione, but Ron didn't want to let you know yet. He'll come back to England, but for now he's in Romania training dragons and preparing for his job at Gringotts. He's planning to look after the dragon in the bank that was abused by the goblins." replied Harry.

"Dragons? And Ron? That's odd. So he's with Charlie then?", she asked as her heart sank a little.

"For the time being. He'll come back though. Besides you have me and Ginny here to keep you company right? You'll be fine, Hermione. So what happened with your parents?"

"Oh. That. Well, I was lucky enough to reverse the memory charm properly. These spells are very tricky. They understand everything that happened for the past 17 years, and with their 'sabbatical' let's call it. I carefully picked the words to explain Voldemort, but I think they understand more or less. So far, Australia was just a safe haven. And what's up with your family? How are the Dursleys?"

"Better, surprisingly. They finally realize that I was helping them all along, but Dudley took me by the most surprise."

"What do you mean?"

"He was actually grateful for the way everything turned out; that none of us were killed." Harry looked out the train window for a moment and added, "As far as I know, his parents feel the same way, but it's just a little embarrassing for them to admit it."

Hermione looked back at him thoughtfully explained, "Well after 16 years of maltreatment, I'd understand why."

The train to Hogwarts that they were currently on was beginning to approach castle boundaries. Hogwarts was almost in sight.

"What do you think we're in for this year?" Hermione said jokingly.

"Everything that we were supposed to be doing while we were actually trying to save the world," Harry said with a smile.

Hermione smiled back. She thought of all the trials she'd been put through the past year with her two best friends. All the running, and lying, and fighting had finally come to a close. The present seemed to lack a significant purpose, and that scared her. Her stomach dropped thinking about the fact that she would be spending the year away from Ron. They had come to a mutual understanding about the fact that they only had friendship and nothing more. They were best friends, and naturally they would see each other on all the holidays and owl each other every week. After the kiss, they began a romantic relationship, which ended awkwardly. After years of being best friends, it seemed like something that would never change, and shouldn't change between them.

"Hermione. HERMIONE! We're here. We need to get off the train. Are you alright?"

"Yes. I'm fine", she replied too stoically.

As they were exiting the Hogwarts Express, Hermione was distracted by Ginny waving from the platform with her 7th year friends. She saw a glimpse of something. Shiny sleek blond hair, dark robes and a small flash of a green tie. She closed her eyes and prayed to every imaginable deity that it wasn't who she thought it was. Today, it seemed that she was short on luck. Draco Malfoy had bumped into her as she was stepping off the train. With the history of bullying, insults and natural enmity they shared, never had she wanted so desperately to apparate away from him. Their last meeting had ended with her and her two companions saving his life in the Battle of Hogwarts against a masked Death Eater, which resulted in an awkward and unspoken agreement of indifference between them. She looked up at him, waiting for a cruel response, but nothing came. She noticed that he looked healthier, but far from friendly because he was reserved as usual in his older years. He was quiet, and said nothing as he stared back at her with an unfathomable expression before walking away. He stalked off toward a small group of returning Slytherins (she only recognized Gregory Goyle and Theodore Nott from the bunch who looked solemn in an attempt to keep a low profile) without a second glance, while Harry and Hermione made their way to Ginny who was talking to the Patil twins who had also returned. Hermione thought about how odd it was that Malfoy said nothing to her at all when she ran into him. With his pride and his arrogance, a snarky comeback was inevitable, but today it wasn't.

"Hey, Hermione! Ready to get back to your life's passion?" Ginny greeted her.

"Don't bank on it. I haven't touched my books in a year! I'll be surprised if I even remember how to make a Cure for Boils!" Hermione joked. Harry rolled his eyes, "I don't even know what that is and we're in the same year."

"Well you are the war heroes, so naturally everything will fall into place. We just need some time to adjust from the year away I suppose", Parvati Patil said with a smile.

"Well you two did something right. We're all alive today and that's the most important part.", Padma Patil said beaming at two of the trio. She tried to shift the conversation realizing the weight of the topic and that their third friend was missing, "By the way, where's Ron?"

"He's off to work. He didn't feel right coming back to Hogwarts. There are a lot of bad memories here for him." Ginny replied with a little scowl at her lack of tact. Hermione knew it wasn't her fault for asking but her heart broke a little bit knowing that he didn't want to be at Hogwarts despite knowing his two best friends are attending this year. She decided that she still did not let go of the fact she found out about it on the train when he lead her to believe the false pretense that he would still be coming back to school.

"Let's go. The carriages are leaving." Harry called in a rapid attempt to change the topic of conversation, well aware of how Hermione felt about his absence. It seemed to be the one thing everyone sensed from her at the mention of his name.

All the eighth years waited outside the Great Hall doors as McGonagall came to greet them. There were very few of them, maybe only 15 to 20, considering that most of their peers had finished most of their 7th year before the battle. They saw no reason to come back when their NEWTS could have been done separately at the Ministry of Magic, without having to complete another full year.

"Welcome back 8th years. We've all been through a lot together, and I'm glad you chose to return. There are some changes for your year which apply as this will be a different year for all of Hogwarts. The conditions are: One, you are allowed to go to Hogsmeade on all weekends, so long as you are back before curfew which is 10 pm because you are above legal age, and it may do you good to get away for a bit. Two, you must sit and attend classes with the seventh year students. Finally, there will be a person you can talk to if you are having difficulty settling into the atmosphere. As you enter the Great Hall, you will see a woman with jet black hair and purple robes; she can help as a guidance counselor. Her name is Ms. Starks, and do not hesitate to talk to her, I guarantee that she will help."

As they walked into the Great Hall, Harry whispered to Hermione, "After a childhood of fiasco interviews with Rita Skeeter, I think I'm impervious to psychoanalysis." Hermione laughed. "Harry! Did you just admit to considering her help?" He laughed a little, "Point taken."

Hermione looked over to the Slytherin table to notice that there was a scarcely populated section where Malfoy was sitting with his house mates. They all appeared to want peace and tried to be quiet and solemn in an attempt to go by unnoticed. This worked to the opposite effect as many others from the opposite House tables were staring, searching for the infamous house and its ex-death eater population. They first years were especially taken with this group and craned their necks to glance over the house members whom they had many preconceived ideas about. It appeared that the effects of the war had not quite worn off in the few months, but compared to the span of time Lord Voldemort had plagued the wizarding world, it wasn't surprising. Malfoy was looking at her like a puzzle he was trying to deduce. She returned his gaze with a fierce one of her own. After a few seconds of staring unblinkingly, he looked away to talk to Theodore Nott sitting next to him. The atmosphere has definitely changed thought Hermione. While Malfoy's presence never threatened her at school, she felt even more uncomfortable with his strange and quietly reserved demeanour.

Harry went down to sit next to Ginny, and he occupied himself with conversation. They looked back a second to smile at her before continuing. Do I really look that miserable that they need to do that?

The first years were sorted, but they all seemed to be wrapped up in their own conversations. Hermione noticed one girl who looked bookish like her when she was younger, who was just sorted into Gryffindor. Those were the times I had nothing to worry about and nothing to do.Then she remembered how they had to rescue the Philosopher's Stone and realized her life had never quite been normal after all. She completely ignored the sorting hat song and school song for the first time as she thought about how all her illicit activities with her friends at school had lead to the final fight for her fate as well as the world's. Well I suppose this is as normal as it gets.

McGonagall tapped her glass and silenced the room. "Welcome back to Hogwarts. We must start this year as a new era and beginning for the school. It is time to start anew and prepare for our futures. The eighth years, as you notice, are a new addition to our usual routine. They will be attending classes along with the seventh years in order to complete their NEWTS. As per usual, the Forbidden Forest is off limits to all students. To the first years, your prefects will explain to you, the rules which will apply for as long as you are at this school. Third years and older students are allowed on Hogsmeade trips with signed permission forms, however, only the eighth years are allowed to visit on every weekend. I wish everyone a successful year." For a second, Hermione thought she was looking at her. "Let the feast begin", their headmistress finally announced, as the silver coverings finally gave way to pies, roasted vegetables, savoury meats, crispy breads, an endless supply pumpkin juice and what seemed like every other kind of food she liked and would want to eat.

Neville (who appeared noticeably thinner), one of the few friends who came back to repeat seventh year again, looked at Hermione as the feast began, "I know it's strange without Ron being here, but you can always talk to me if you want. I've been meaning to ask you what happened with your parents. Harry told me and Ginny they were in Australia before the battle. What happened after?" He lowered his voice with respect to the privacy of the question. She smiled and her sprits lifted just a little. She began to tell her story once more.

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Your two dreamers.