A/N: This is my first fanfic, so I'm gonna try my hardest to make it good. It's taking place 8th year, after the Battle of Hogwarts. The first chapter or two is just setting the groundwork. This is a Dramione story, with eventual smut and some other character pairings along the way.
*I do not own any of the characters in the story, I simply enjoy writing about them. *
Chapter 1: Escape
Hermione loved going to the astronomy tower. She was able to get away from the chaos of school. The tower provided her with a short reprieve from classes, and responsibilities as Head Girl, but mostly time away from all the people in the castle. The seventh years that didn't finish could come back and finish, but Harry had opted out, choosing Auror training instead. Ron had chosen to come back and attempted to rekindle the romance that he had with Hermione while hunting for Horcruxes, but it was for nothing. Hermione had written it down to the high-running emotions that they both had while on the run. Ron didn't want to believe that, but after trying and failing multiple times he receded to sulk in his dorm instead.
They had the same dorms as their seventh year, since only a select few had decided to come back, and since even fewer first years came in, they were easily able to stay with the second years. She often went up to the tower to study under the stars because she was able to focus better. Her Head Girl dorm was often to stuffy for her, even though she only shared it with Ron, who was Head Boy.
It was one of those nights where she retreated to the tower with the excuse of studying. It was a clear Friday night, and she could see the stars. She mapped out the constellations in her head and followed the movement of the thestrals as they flew in the sky. She was at peace up in the tower, despite the dark past it had. She thought about Dumbledore, and about everything that happened the year before. She hated finding peace in a place where he had fallen to his death, but she also welcomed it. To her it was a sign that she was able to put the past behind her.
Just as she was dosing off, Ron came bursting into the tower. "Hermione!" he cried breathless. "Come on we're going to a party." She frowned. Who was having a party and why? "What do you mean we're going to a party? Who in the world is having a party?"
"The Slytherins." Ron replied simply. "We're going to a party the Slytherins are having in the Room of Requirement. They invited us, and McGonagall thought it would be good for the unity of houses and whatnot."
"So, we have to go?" Hermione frowned. She didn't like the idea of a party, she would rather stay in the Astronomy Tower.
"Yeah, it's for eighth years of all houses, and since we're Head Boy and Girl, we kinda have to." Ron answered promptly. "I didn't like the idea of being around the Slytherins, but McGonagall insisted. I'd rather not go against her. She's bloody scary when she gets mad."
"I suppose we should go then." Hermione replied, still not completely sold on it. "As long as one of the professors knows what's going on."
"Come one then 'Mione, the room is going to seal itself at 10 and no one is going to be able to go in until at least 2." She let Ron pull her to the seventh floor, knowing arguing wouldn't help.
They arrived on the seventh floor and Ron spoke the password to get into the party and pulled her into the Room of Requirement. She slowly scanned the room, seeing people from all houses talking. There were mostly Slytherins and Gryffindors, a good amount of Ravenclaws, and only a handful of Hufflepuffs. Hermione guessed parties weren't their thing continued scanning, her eyes eventually falling on the smallest group of people in the room, a Slytherin group containing Pansy Parkinson, Theodore Nott, Blaise Zabini, and Draco Malfoy. She studied their movements, noticing that they didn't seem like they belonged. Everyone else at the party were relaxed, sitting on chairs or the floor and talking and laughing, socializing with the other houses. These four were staying in their group, looking rather stiff and barley talking. Hermione wondered why they came if they weren't going to interact with anyone else.
Rather than stay in the doorway and stare at everyone, Hermione moved into the party. She went to find some of her Gryffindor friends so she wouldn't feel so alone and alienated. She ran into Luna, Ginny, and Neville sitting on the floor in a circle.
"Hello Hermione." Luna said dreamily. "I was wondering when you were going to show up. I was afraid the Wrackspurts had gotten to you."
"Thanks Luna, but I was just studying is all." Hermione replied sitting with them.
"I figured so." Ginny replied. "You're always studying these days. You've barely any free time anymore."
"That's not true." Neville chimed in. "She's got free time she just uses it to study."
Hermione sheepishly grinned and the group laughed. Neville passed her a bottle of butterbeer and she gladly accepted, taking a drink and giving him a nod.
As people started drinking more, the atmosphere in the room relaxed a lot more. Even the four Slytherins started relaxing. That is, until Pansy relaxed too much and suggested the group play some party games.
"Hey Head Girl!" she called to Hermione. "Can we play truth or dare or something? This party is boring."
"If you guys want to. I figured since we're all pretty much adults that game would be a little too childish." Hermione replied. Pansy giggled and called everyone to the middle of the room.
"Hey guys we're gonna play truth or dare. Come to the circle if you want to join. If not then just stand around like a bunch of losers." Pansy called. Most of the people in the room went to the circle immediately, some looked skeptical about it but eventually decided there was no reason not to. Soon all the eighth years were seated in a circle in the middle of the room, ready to play.