A/N: Important note- new one. I revisited this story recently and saw a few details that needed to be corrected, as well as a mix up in chapter order. I did give up on this story but now I'm giving it another go, and I have a plan. Thank you so much for following and favoriting it.
Hermione beamed at the first years as they climbed into their boats. She took a deep breath and slowly twirled her wand in her hand.
Home.
All the work over the summer had ended in a new Hogwarts with a new hall and new passageways. She herself had designed the memorials for the war that were placed around the grounds.
"It feels almost surreal." Neville sighed. She turned her head and smiled at her old friend; she agreed with him. The lake was alit from the lanterns on the dozens of rowboats that lead to the castle. It looked like magic itself. A piercing jolt of jealousy shot through her as she realized the kids on the lake didn't have any nightmares about her weathered home, but she berated herself immediately. It was a good thing they didn't have those memories.
"Come on Nev, last boat is for us." Hermione sat down at the front of the boat, and smiled as the boat took off on its own. She looked down at the water and lightly traced her hand on the surface: cool and dark. She leaned back into the boat. This was going to be the best day for someone in this school and she wanted to see it play out. The boat slowed to a halt and rested along the sand. She quickly stepped out and into the midst of the kids. "All first years follow me!" She yelled, walking backwards towards the doors. She checked to make sure everyone was following; she nodded at Neville who was bringing up the rear.
"Excuse me miss, are you Hermione Granger?" Hermione smiled at small boy. He was a good two heads shorter than she was, and he had that same nervous look she knew she once donned.
"I am and who are you?" She asked, walking forwards now.
"My name's Tristen." He paused, "It's just," He paused, nervous, "if I'm sorted into Slytherin will you hate me? My brother told me a lot about you and the rest of the Golden Trio and… Please don't hate me." Hermione stopped walking and stared at him. Hate him? Hate him for simply being who he was?
"Tristen, I promise you that no matter what house you're put in, I won't hate you simply for that fact. If you're nice to others, I'll be nice to you okay?" He gave a small smile and nodded. She shook her head as he ran back to his friends and she heard one say 'I told you so'. She knew the 8th years who were coming back, and she knew the Slytherins who were returning. Her friends would be passive towards them. Would the others though? Hermione took a deep breath. She knew she'd be setting the first example because everyone would notice her and Draco. Maybe no one would know that the Ministry was forcing her to watch over him, or maybe they all would. She didn't know which would be better for everyone, or for her. She donned on a smile and let the wheels stop turning as she reached the door and stood next to her new headmaster, McGonagall.
"Hello Ms. Granger." Her old teacher nodded at her.
"Hello Headmaster."
"You and Neville can go on inside then, I'll take it from here." Hermione nodded and waved for Neville to follow her. McGonagall refused to give up this part of the process, she had argued that even if she was Headmaster, she had done the job for 20 years and she wasn't stopping now. No one had argued with her. The two 8th years made their way to the Great Hall in no rush, they both knew there wouldn't be food until the first years were sorted anyway.
"So Draco wanted to be put in Azkaban, did he?" Neville asked; Hermione shook her head in befuddlement.
"I have no idea why. He wanted to plead guilty to everything in the trial. There's no way it's a guilty conscience. Not with him." She answered. He nodded.
"Could he be trying to run away from something then?" She laughed at this; there was no mirth.
"Isn't he always Neville?"
"You don't forgive him?" He asked. She sighed and twirled her wand.
"I don't know. I can't say what I would've done if I had been raised that way." She said. She scrunched her nose, "That sounded like a load of fluttery bull." Neville laughed.
"Bull that's somewhat true. I'm just done with the war and Merlin… I really hope everyone else is too." She stopped him by the corner before the Great Hall and looked over his shoulder to make sure that McGonagall and the first years weren't close yet.
"A kid asked me if I'd hate him if he was sorted into Slytherin." Neville's eyes looked down and he frowned. "There are going to be some people who are still mourning and WILL hate people for being in that house." He met her eyes again and shrugged.
"So we watch out for them. Someone's bound to do something, and I think everyone knows that. I'm tutoring this year, I'll make sure the blood stays cool during those sessions. We'll just talk to the others and try to get them to set a good example." She gave a small nod and then a small smile. She stayed and leaned her head against the wall as Neville made his way into the Great Hall. Creating good examples. She could do that with Draco. She could try at least for his sake, and she could do this because Harry had practically begged her to do this. More importantly she could try for the firsties' sake, set a good example for them, help make this place their home. Harry had forgiven so many people, if he could do it, others could… Hermione snorted.
"Yeah Hermione because people have been known to be so accepting and forgiving of others." She muttered. She walked into the Great Hall and made a quick sweep of the area. Everyone was calmly talking at their own tables. Good. Hermione moved towards her table and sat down in between Neville and Ginny.
"There you are." Ginny smiled, "Okay, so I've seen Dean, Seamus, and Luna. Them and the Snakes, anyone else I'm missing?" Hermione shook her head.
"That sounds about right. Very few people were considering returning, so that gives everyone their own room. That also means the Head dorms got a little makeover." Hermione grinned.
"Sounds like a great place for me to sleepover right?" Ginny suggested.
"Of course." Hermione laughed.
"Quiet now." McGonagall demanded as she swept in, the first years following behind her. She gathered them before stepping up to the podium to address the rest of the room. "Welcome back everyone, and hello to those who are new. Hogwarts has changed. We," She paused, "have all changed. This year our Head Boy and Girl are from the same house, and have been picked because of their grades, actions, and ability to keep a calm, fair mind. Be rest assured that I will hear any complaints in my office. Now, let the sorting begin and please hold your applause until the end." Hermione raised an eyebrow. Not a mutter had been heard when McGonagall made the 'leave the clapping til the end' comment. McGonagall had told her that it was to stop any differing in the amount of clapping a student got- to even the odds. Hermione understood perfectly- no Slytherin would have to feel like the entire school hated them. She scanned the tables, looking for any disgruntled faces. She paused when she saw Malfoy…
He had been acting strange ever since the trial… and now he was hers to watch over- she a government appointed watcher, a reporter of his actions, a factor in whether or not he'd be able to keep his magic after the year was up. She twirled her wand. Why, again, was she doing this for Harry? She snapped out of her thoughts as the Hall erupted into applause and she quickly joined along with them. Hermione wondered how she managed to zone out for the entire sorting. "I wonder which house he was sorted into." She yelled to Neville.
"Who? That firstie? Were you not paying attention?" He yelled back. She shrugged and looked back at the Slytherin table, and he was looking at her now. She kept clapping. The last thing she needed was for him to think she was intimidated. Now what was so odd about him… he raised an eyebrow at her staring. He was still pale… he was most likely still arrogant. Blonde, tall, cocky. Maybe nothing had changed.
He leaned forward and she felt… calm, unwaveringly calm, and everything suddenly seemed happy. It only made sense that she had to go and sit with him, yes, she had to go now. She stood up, and then paused.
All of the feelings came back- paranoia, anger, sadness. What the fuck? She sat back down. Why had she almost gone and sat over at the Slytherin table? Bizarre case of sudden house unity? She looked back up at the Slytherin table and saw Blaise and Malfoy arguing. "Hermione, come on eat something." Neville ushered, she turned her head and gave an annoyed smile.
"I will Nev, I was just thinking." She assured. Hermione shoveled rice onto her plate and tried to bite back any growls of annoyance at the fact that now both Neville and Ginny were watching her eat. They had been watching her to make sure she ate ever since… her accident. At first it was annoying, then it was sweet, then it was annoying. She wasn't of the sort of mind to purposely starve herself, and that was what she told them after she had been released from the hospital. It was just that most of the time things were more important or more consuming and there wasn't enough time for eating. She took a deep breath and glanced once more at the Snake table- they were simply chatting, but something was terribly wrong. She was sure of it, or was she? She knew emotions could scatter and she'd been paranoid for the longest time. She put her hand in her pocket and twirled her wand.
"So Gin," Hermione smiled, trying to distract herself, "When's the big day going to be?" Neville leaned around Hermione and gaped.
"Harry asked you?" He asked. Hermione beamed when Ginny turned as red as her hair.
"We didn't want to make a big deal about it yet. It's more of a promise ring." She grinned sheepishly. Neville reached around Hermione and grabbed Ginny's hand.
"Where is it?" He asked, turning the hand every which way. She pulled a necklace out of her shirt, and showed them the ring. "Damn," Neville laughed, "if that's what the promise ring looks like, I'd love to see what the wedding ring will be." Hermione had to agree. It was a large ruby set in white gold. Going around the sides of it was some sort of inscription that blazed like fire.
"Why not just show it off now?" Hermione asked.
"It's nice having something just to ourselves for now… We're thinking for Christmas we'll tell the family, and that's when I'll start wearing it." Ginny paused, "How'd you notice anyway?"
Hermione laughed, "Harry had been walking around with a huge grin before we left, and you've never worn just a chain."
"Well at least now I have someone to gush to." The redhead grinned, taking a sip from her goblet. They ate the rest of the dinner quickly, Neville making sure that Hermione was actually eating. But her feelings of annoyance quickly shifted direction from Neville to what happened earlier. She couldn't shake the feeling that something explicitly weird had occured. No one just feels calm for a few seconds. She doesn't at least. All she had done was make eye contact with Malfoy… it sure as hell wasn't because he was some angel and there was no way it was imperio. No one would dare an imperio in the Great Hall. A clearing of the throat stole her attention and Hermione turned her head to the front of the room as McGonagall took the podium once again.
"Students, if I may please have your attention." She looked around as the room went silent, "Thank you. The respective prefects to your houses will show you the way to your dorms, and if all eighth years could follow Ms. Granger, she will show you to the new wing in the school." As she stepped down the room erupted into chaos as seventh and sixth years yelled for their houses to follow them. Ginny and Neville did the same as they tried to herd everyone out the door. Hermione stood up and made her way to the middle of the room, and beamed as Luna flounced up beside her. The amount of respect Hermione had for the blonde had gone up after the war, when Luna was the one, not Harry or Ron, who had made her smile, not a fake one to please everyone else- a real one.
"I'm going to give Ginny the password to my dorm room, I'll give it to you too. You guys can come over whenever you want to." Hermione whispered before the rest of the 8th years gathered around her.
"Do you think Headmistress would allow me to paint our rooms?" Luna asked. Hermione grinned at the thought of Luna's drawings taking over the walls she'd have to share with Daphne.
"It wouldn't take much to cover it back up at the end of the year. I say go for it." Hermione would personally fix it if it meant Luna would be able to be happy. She turned to the rest of the group, "Alright, follow me." She took them down the main hall and towards the library, and then up a flight of stairs. Hermione stopped in front of a portrait of a famous wizard on a muggle ship. "The password is Duck Bill."
"Pleasure to see you again Ms. Granger, as well as all of your companions." The wizard smiled.
"The pleasure is all mine." She answered as the portrait opened. She stepped to the side to let everyone go in and see their new homes for a year. The common room was an exact replica of the one for the head dorms, just a few more couches. There was one huge fireplace, and floor to ceiling windows that allowed a view to the Forbidden Forest and parts of Hogsmeade. She stepped inside and made her way to the fireplace.
"If you pull this tapestry," she demonstrated, waving at the Hogwart's emblem. She pulled the bottom tassel and it rolled up, revealing a staircase leading down, "It'll take you directly to the back of the library. And down that hall," She said, walking to her left, "Is where all your rooms are. Your names are on the door, two per room." She studied them as they all filed in by her: Dean and Seamus laughing about something, Luna smiled before quickly slipping into her room, and Daphne, who spared a quick smirk towards Blaise, followed. Hermione narrowed her eyes and glared at Draco and Blaise as they passed her, Draco glanced at her. If they thought of giving Luna any hell… and another wave of calm came, this time it was peaceful and tiring, and she leant back against the stone wall. She ignored the way Blaise was suddenly pushing Draco down the hall.
"Granger, you look tired, why don't you go up to your room and sleep." Blaise suggested, as Malfoy quickly slipped inside his room. Hermione nodded, that seemed like a grand idea. She glided out of the room.
"Sleep sleep sleep, ssllleeeeeeepp, sleep, sleep." She sang to herself, walking down the hall. She kept singing as she walked by Peeves who had just flew out from the wall. "Peevvees!" She giggled. The Poltergeist gaped at the girl he had spent summer with.
"What are you doing Girlie?"
"Nap time!" She beamed, she stopped in front of her portrait. Somewhere it clicked that she was acting far too strange, but the thought quickly slipped away; she was tired. "Wolf's mane." The writer in the frame had dropped her book when she saw her favorite student just- whatever that was. She shook her head and allowed the portrait to open.
"The generations just get queerer and queerer." She muttered as she picked her book back up.