August 13th, 1998
Hermione's P.O.V
Harry and I have now been staying at the Burrow with the Weasley's for the past two months, neither one of us has anywhere else to go. Harry has no family left and I have yet to go to Australia to try and restore my parent's memories. It will be too painful if I can't do it, so I'm putting it off for a while. I will do it … eventually.
We've all been to so many funerals. First there was Remus's, and then Tonks's, Fred's, Colin's, Lavender's, and Snape's - even though they never found his body. It was almost as if it disappeared from the shrieking shack. I don't really understand what happened with him, some people think he's still alive and is hiding somewhere, but I myself think he's dead.
Harry, Ron, Neville, Ginny, and I were all given The Medal of Merlin for our contributions in the war.
I've also been offered so many jobs it's not even funny. I seriously lost track last month of how many there actually is. Harry and Ron have been getting them too, but they haven't been offered anything that they're interested in. They both want to be Aurors, not me though. I want to get as far away from danger as possible, I've had enough to last an eternity and then some. That's why instead of accepting any of the job offers, I'm going back to Hogwarts to repeat my 7th year.
Almost as if reading my mind, Molly suddenly yelled from the kitchen, "Harry, Ron, Ginny, Hermione! Hogwarts letters!"
Ron and Ginny yelled, "Coming Mum," whilst Harry and I yelled, "Coming Molly." When we reached the kitchen the Hogwarts letters were being passed out, along with letters from the Minister for Harry, Ron and myself.
I opened my Hogwarts letter first. It was pretty much the same as usual, except it had a list of notices that applied to the returning 7th year students or as McGonagall referred to us '8th years'.
1.All 8th year students will share a house, as we do not have enough space in your original houses.
2.The curfew for 8th year students is 2AM.
3.8th Year students will not be allowed to participate in the house Quidditch teams. This is to make it fair to the younger house members.
4.8th years are permitted to be in the restricted section of the library.
5.8th years can enter the common room of any other house, as long as they have been given permission from a member of that house.
6.8th years are also allowed to enter the Forbidden Forest as long as they are accompanied by at least two other people and all three of you are armed. Please discuss any visits with Professor Hagrid before entering the Forest.
I was just about to open my letter from the Minister when Ginny shrieked. I automatically flinched at the unexpected noise, turning quickly to see that she'd dropped her letter and started jumping up and down.
"What is it Ginny?" I ask walking over to her.
"I made Head Girl!" she squealed.
I wrapped my arms around her. "Congratulations Gin, you'll make an excellent Head Girl," I tell her, trying hard not to sound jealous, even though I am. I'd always dreamed of becoming Head Girl, but the war had put an end to that dream. Ginny would make a great head girl though and she was my best friend, I'm proud of her nonetheless.
I walked back to the other side of the table, where my ministry letter still lay. I picked it up and opened it slowly.
Ms. Hermione Granger,
I would like to offer you a position as an Auror here at the ministry. You would need to undergo six months of training (same as everyone else) before taking up your position.If you would like to accept my offer, please owl me before 25th of August.
Sincerely,
Kingsley Shacklebolt
Minister of Magic
I looked up from my letter and over to where Harry and Ron were sitting. They'd just opened their letters as well and were both looking extremely happy. There was no doubt that they would both be off to Auror training while I went to Hogwarts. My face fell when I realized that we would be apart for the first time since we'd met in first year, this was going to be hard. Harry must have realized this too because the glee and excitement was gone from his face and he was staring unhappily back at me.
"Hermione, you know we have to do this," he said solemnly.
"I know Harry. It's going to be hard though. We haven't been apart for more than a few months since we met". I close my eyes, trying desperately not to cry. I can't cry, not now. I survived a bloody war! This shouldn't affect me this much, but it does. I feel like my whole world is crashing down around me. I know it's stupid, it's only six months after all but I've come to depend on Harrys comforting presence. Harry wraps his arms around me, quickly followed by Ron and then to my surprise Ginny. At first, I didn't understand why Ginny hugged me too, but I guess she was just trying to be a good friend.
The four of us stood there for a good five minutes before breaking apart. Ginny went to go share her good news with her family while Harry, Ron and I sat down to write our replies to Kingsley and Professor McGonagall.
Once we'd finished, I trudged back upstairs to grab the book I'd been reading earlier that day. Pride and Prejudice is an old muggle book of mine. My mum used to read it all the time. I believe it was her favorite. I know I've read it at least ten times since I obliviated them. I was just about to walk back downstairs when I heard shouting coming from the kitchen.
"I don't understand why she wants to go back! So many people died there Harry! She could have any job she wanted without going back! There's absolutely no reason for it! She should be coming with us!" Ron was shouting at Harry angrily.
"Ron, Hermione can do whatever the hell she wants! She's her own person! If she wants to go back to Hogwarts, we have no right to stop her! She just wants to get away from all the danger" Harry yelled back at him.
"She is my girlfriend so I have every right to tell her what to do and she will do it," Ron growled.
I've had enough of this. I quickly run down the stairs and into the kitchen. "Ronald Weasley! I may be your girlfriend but that does not give you the right to tell me what to do! If I want to go back to Hogwarts then you are in no place to stop me! I can do what I please!" I shout at him, before pulling my wand from my sleeve and pointing it at him.
"Well if you're going to go back there, then I don't think I want you to be my girlfriend anymore!"
"If that's how you feel, fine. I don't need someone like you controlling my life" I quickly put my wand back in its holder before turning and punching him in the nose, much like I did to Malfoy in 3rd year, except I'm much stronger now. "That's for being a total git".
I heard him cry out in pain as I stormed back upstairs and into the room that I was sharing with Ginny. I started to shrink my belongings, what little stuff I have, before placing them in my bag. The same bag I used just a few short months ago when we were hunting horcruxes.
I apparate to the first place I can think of, my parents' house. It's obvious that someone is here, or at least has been since I left. Furniture has been knocked over and picture frames are lying shattered on the ground.
I draw my wand and start to tentatively walk through the house. I quickly stop when I get to the hallway. There sitting on the fourth step is an extremely bloody and bruised Draco Malfoy.
"Malfoy?"
His head snaps up at his name.
"Granger? What are you doing here?"
"I should be asking you that! This is my parents house!" I shout.
"I know" he mumbled so quietly I almost didn't hear him.
"How do you know that?" I ask softly.
"Well, shortly after you, Potter, and Weasley disappeared from Malfoy Manor, I was ordered to come and search this house. When I reported that there wasn't anything or anyone here, my father hit me with the cruciatus curse," he said, looking down at his feet.
"I'm sorry, Malfoy," I say, as sincerely as I can. He looked up at me before barking out a laugh.
"Don't apologize to me. I should be the one apologizing. Look at all the shit I put you through these past few years. I'm the one who should be sorry".
Draco Malfoy just apologized to me, well sort of. Something must be wrong with him.
"Don't worry about it, Malfoy. I do have a question for you, though."
"What is it Granger?" he asks wearily.
"What are you doing here now?".
"Well I was in Diagon Alley" he started. "I was picking up a few things for my mother when a group of people attacked me. I don't even know who they were. This was the first place I could think of that would be safe".
"Damn Malfoy, they hurt you pretty badly" I said looking over the gashes on his face and arms.
"I didn't know you were one to curse Granger," he laughed weakly and I rolled my eyes at him.
I mutter a few wandless healing spells, clearing up the bruise on his cheek along with the cuts on his arms and face. I reached into my bag and pulled out a bottle of muggle pain killers that I always kept with me. I twist the lid off and pour two into my hand before throwing the bottle back into my bottomless bag.
"Here take these, they will keep the pain from resurfacing while the spells do their work and they'll probably keep you from getting a headache. I'm sorry I don't have any potions with me", he eyes me suspiciously before reaching out and taking the two pills from my hand. I go and get him a glass of water from the kitchen and he swallows them quickly before eyeing me suspiciously again. I try not to laugh at the look on his face when he swallows the painkillers.
"Don't worry they won't kill you."
He shrugs, "If you say so Granger, thanks for healing me."
"Don't worry about it Malfoy."
"Can I ask you something now?"
"Sure"
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Weasel and Potter or something?"
I sigh before answering him. "It's none of your business, but if you must know Malfoy, I just left them. Ronald and I got into a fight."
"What was the fight about?" he asks. I can't tell if he's being nosey or just curious, knowing Malfoy probably nosey.
"He seems to think that just because he's my boyfriend he has the right to tell me that I can't go back to Hogwarts to redo my 7th year!" I shake my head, I still can't believe that he said that.
"Well it sounds like it's a good thing you left his sorry arse," Malfoy laughs, genuinely laughs. I don't think I've ever heard him do that before.
"Oh, trust me it's definitely a good thing I left him. I also punched him in the nose, same as I did to you in 3rd year."
"You know that hurt," he says gently rubbing his nose. "You broke it."
We both go momentarily silent before I say "You do realize that this is the longest and most civil conversation we have ever had, right?"
"Yep," Malfoy says, with that laugh again. "Well I better get going, see you round, Granger."
He apparates away with a pop and I'm left standing there mildly confused. I just had a civil conversation with Draco Malfoy and I enjoyed it. What in Merlin is wrong with me?
