Disclaimer; I did not create or conjure Harry Potter, the characters or the storyline, I simply tweaked it a little for my own amusement
This story takes place after the war. Hermione and Ginny go back to Hogwarts. Hermione is finding it hard to deal with life after the war as more happened at Malfoy Manor than she let on to her friends. Draco is the only person who knows what truly happened. Will he let it slip? Can she ever get over it?
To sleep perchance to dream
Chapter one; Back to Hogwarts
Hermione Granger was hit by waves of déjà vu as she and Ginny boarded the Hogwarts Express. It had been a long and difficult summer for the golden trio and for the wizarding world in general. The weeks after the battle of Hogwarts had been a haze of memorial services and days spent dodging the media. the press followed them incessantly, owls swooped in and around the Burrow all day and it seemed as though they would never get a moments peace until Kingsley Shacklebolt, the new minister for magic, stepped in and ordered that they be left to mourn and readjust.
Professor McGonagall, newly appointed headmistress of Hogwarts, was generously allowing a once off "8th year experience" for all those who wanted it and after careful thought Hermione and Ginny decided to return to their beloved school. It was an easy decision for Hermione as she valued her education and was determined to graduate with honours. For the boys it was more difficult. They decided in the end to begin auror training. After writing to the new headmistress she received a letter back containing, to her surprise, the head girl's badge. She knew that to be head girl was a great honour and that it was something she had aspired too for a while but she couldn't manage to feel as excited as she would have been before the war.
Things were awkward between her and Ron at the moment as they had had a brief summer romance which ended in a flurry of shouting "mostly on his side) and tears (on hers). He would always be special to her of course but it just wasn't meant to be. The war had changed her in more ways than she would like to admit and there were things that she couldn't tell him. He would become irritated with her when she wouldn't explain why she was awoken by terrible nightmares every other night or express what was wrong with her when she fell into a silent mood. She had a secret that she hadn't been able to tell anyone yet and didn't know if she ever could but she suspected that if she couldn't tell the one she supposedly loved then that was a sign. So they fell apart. It was heart-breaking as she had always thought they would end up together, but she wasn't that little girl with a crush anymore. Nobody escapes a war unscathed.
Celebrity had gone to Ron's head somewhat and he wanted to live life to the full while he still had his "irresistible good looks" as he said himself (usually through a mouthful of food) Harry and Ginny's relationship however, was still going strong. The two were very much in love and spent as much time as they could together, which unfortunately left Hermione at somewhat of a loose end in the weeks leading up to their returning to Hogwarts seeing as she and Ron were in the uncomfortable position of just having broken up and living under the same roof. She took that to be her cue to finally go to Australia to retrieve her parents.
It was an ordeal to say the least. They seemed happy when she found them. They were living in Sydney where they had set up a dental practice together. It was a very poignant reunion. She reversed the spell and their eyes lit up when they recognized her. Hermione didn't tell them the full story or they would never let her out of their sight again but she did tell them that she had done what she had done to protect them and her from Voldemort. In the end they decided to stay in Australia while she finished school as they really did love their life there. She agreed to visit them on her school holidays and spent the rest of the summer there with them in the searing heat until it came time to meet the Weasley's at kings cross station.
Back in the present Hermione followed Ginny down the train until they found a compartment. They were soon joined by Neville, Luna and Dean. The group of friends spent the journey chatting and catching up. Hermione pretended to read for most of it, not taking in a word of what was once one of her favorite books. The déjà vu of being here on the train with her friends had gone and she was left with what was becoming a familiar empty feeling. How could things seem so unchanged and yet be completely different? Ginny gave her a sidelong glance every now and again that told her she wasn't fooling her. She chose to ignore this for the time being. Ginny was one of her best friends but she still wasn't ready to talk about what bothered her. After a while she got up and left for the compartment in which she would meet the prefects and the head boy. When she got there she was met by a boy and girl from each house but no head boy. She greeted her recruits, asked them to take turns to patrol the train and dodged their questions about Harry.
Looking up at the school Hermione felt a little better. The castle had been restored to its former glory, its doors wide open to the students as they made their way up the drive. From the light spilling out of the entrance hall she could make just make out the monument that had been erected by the lake during the memorial ceremonies. It was a long stone scroll that displayed the names of all the people on their side who had died during the battle of Hogwarts. She caught Ginny looking in the same direction and gave her friends hand a little squeeze knowing she was thinking of her brother. It had been a struggle for Ginny to convince her mother to allow her to go back to school. Molly was in a bad state after the loss of her son and didn't want to let Ginny out of her sight. In the end it was Mr Weasley who had convinced molly to allow it.
They entered the great hall and sat in their usual seats at the Gryffindor table. Looking around Hermione noticed that the Slytherin table was a good bit emptier than she had ever seen it. Her eyes met a flash of grey and she blinked in amazement and dawning realization. Draco Malfoy was sitting at the Slytherin table, far away from the others. He was looking at her. She tore her eyes away, tears threatening to well up in her eyes. Why was he there? Why would he come back? Another swift glance to make sure she hadn't imagined it told her that he was wearing the head boys' badge. No wonder there it had just been her to deal with the new prefects. It wouldn't be like him to bother attending. She really wished he hadn't come back. How could she possibly face him? What if he teased her publicly about what happened? She didn't think she could handle it if he did.
Hermione was distracted from her darkening thoughts when first the new students were brought in to be sorted and then professor McGonagall began her speech. There were tears from some as she spoke of all those who were lost. She addressed the 8th years then and welcomed them back for their final year. Hermione was a little mortified as well as pleased when Minerva then spoke of her.
"The staff and I would also like to welcome back in particular a very special student. Hermione granger has done a lot for our school and the wizarding world, risking life and limb to ensure our safety from Voldemort (a shudder ran through the room when she said the name) and we wish to thank her for all that she has done for us over the years." To Hermione's surprise and embarrassment the staff and most of the students stood and applauded her. She could feel her face go bright red and did her best not to cry.
To her further embarrassment the call went up for her to make a speech. "Oh Merlin" she thought, panicking. She looked to McGonagall who smiled in encouragement. There was no getting out of this. Feeling as though she would rather have the floor open up and swallow her she made her way up to the podium where McGonagall moved aside for her. The room was silent. She chose a spot on the wall above the students' heads before beginning.
"Thank you professor. I'm not really sure what to say. Last year was a difficult one for everybody. The whole wizarding world suffered at the hands of lord Voldemort. Thankfully we had Harry, the bravest man I know." A huge cheer went up for the boy who lived. Hermione met Ginny's eyes and they smiled at each other. She wasn't sure what else she should say for a moment and the students waited, eager to hear tales of what the golden trio had gotten up to over the last year.
"We lost many great people over the years because of Voldemort. But thankfully because of the combined efforts of so many we can now live free from his bigotry and prejudice." Her eyes flicked to Malfoy, who looked pale and seemed very interested in his hands. "A couple of years ago the sorting hat sang a song warning us about the troubles that were to come. He advised us to stick together and drop all animosity between houses."
" The message is clear. If the wizarding world becomes a more inclusive place for all, for muggle borns, half-bloods, magical creatures the list goes on. If we can pull together and be tolerant of others no matter what their heritage is then we will never have to experience the terror and heart break of war again. I understand that this is easier said than done for some of us here." Again she looked at the Slytherins. "But together we can achieve it. Thank you." There was a huge applause as she made her way down to her seat. Ginny gave her a big hug and they waited for the feast to begin.
It wasn't until they made their way, full and tired, out of the great hall that Hermione realised she would no longer be sleeping in Gryffindor common room but in the head girl's room. She also realised that meant she would be sharing a common room with the head boy. That wouldn't have been so terrible if the head boy was anyone else but him.
She found the way to their new common room which was located on the sixth floor. The door was hidden behind a tapestry depicting the building of Hogwarts. She spoke the password and entered to find a small but comfortable sitting room with a large fireplace over which hung a tapestry showing both Slytherin and Gryffindor coats of arms. A carpet on the floor showed the same thing and there were two comfortable looking couches, one green and the other red. There was a desk at either side of the fireplace with empty book shelves above them and another large set of bookshelves standing on the wall by the door. They also lay empty for the time being. Hermione headed up the stairs where there were two doors. One sported her name on a plaque, the other Draco's.
She entered her room and was instantly pleased with it. She had a window that viewed the lake, a desk, four poster (with red hangings) a heavy looking wardrobe, chest of drawers and a bookcase. Her trunk lay at the foot of her bed and she decided to unpack then and there rather than go to sleep just then.
Anything to avoid the nightmares.
As she worked, folding things and putting them away, stacking her books on the shelves and putting her toiletries in her personal bathroom. She heard the door to the common room open and shut and footsteps on the stairs. She listened until she heard his door shut and then she went for a shower, it felt good to get rid of the train grime. She then got into her most comfortable pyjamas and sat on her bed. She really didn't want to sleep. Instead she began to read the book she had pretended to read on the train.
A few hours later her eyelids began to droop. She couldn't keep this up much longer. Hermione got up and paced around the room a few times before splashing cold water on her face. That did the trick and soon it was light enough outside to get up. She looked at her watch which read 6 am. That was good enough for her. She got dressed and headed out to walk about the grounds for a while. The common room was empty for which she was grateful. She would have to face Draco soon to discuss patrol times for them and for the prefects, not that he would be of much help. Still it was her duty to confer with him even if it was the last thing she wanted to do.
The walk helped to clear her head and wake her up as she walked by the great hall on the way back in she saw that it was already filling up and that Draco was already there. "Good" she thought. That meant that she wouldn't run into him when she went up to get her things.
She entered the great hall to many smiles form various tables. She avoided looking at the Slytherins altogether and sat with her back to them. Ginny sat beside her and they discussed their classes. When the post came they both received letters. Ginny got three; one from her mother full of questions about how she was and letting her know that if she ever wanted to go home she could at any time. She sighed as she read it. "She'll be ok Ginny she's just worried" Hermione said giving her hand a squeeze. Ginny nodded and opened her other letters, one from Harry which made her smile and another from her brother Bill.
As she read that letter Hermione rooted through the stack that she had received. Most of it was fan mail care of the daily prophet and some requests for interviews which she and the rest of the golden trio had been receiving since the battle. There was one from her parents and another from Harry telling her all about how he was enjoying his training. She smiled. It was great that he had the cloud that had hung over him all these years removed. Harry was finally truly happy. Sure there were an awful lot of people to mourn and the scars of battle were slow healers but he had gotten Ginny back and they were happy together and now he had his new training course. She just wished she could find a way to be as content as he was.
A squeal at her side made her jump. "Oh Hermione!" Ginny squealed again. Hermione read the letter Ginny passed to her and beamed at her best friend. Bill and fleur were going to have a baby. "Oh Ginny that's brilliant!" she exclaimed wholeheartedly when she had finished reading. Bill wanted Ginny to be godmother and she was over the moon for her. "It's just great to get good news isn't it" Ginny was still beaming. They ate their breakfast and discussed everything from baby names to what Ginny should wear on the day.
Short I know but leading up to better things I promise. Please read and review