Hagrid, Hermione's old friend, was waiting for her at the train station with the school carriage. He was concerned about her health and why she was alone. Hagrid helped Hermione into the carriage and then sat down beside her to drive. Once comfortable inside the carriage, Hagrid asked "where Harry and Ron were" and Hermione burst into tears. She would have thought the Professor McGonagall had told him about Ron and why she was there. She didn't know what to say to Hagrid, so she continued crying to avoid the conversation. She stared out the window at the lake until they reached the castle. She had packed her apartment into the carpet bag that she carried. She had performed a charm on it so that it contained her entire contents of her apartment. She wasn't going to let Blaise take those things from her too. He had already taken her freedom and her best friend's life.
The carriage stopped outside the doors of the castle. She was hoping that McGonagall was waiting for her and that they could speak in private. Hermione had hoped that she could just discuss her situation with Minerva and then go off to bed. Hagrid got off the carriage and went to the doors and opened them, waiting for Hermione to follow. He closed the door behind her and followed her into the Great Hall. Sitting at the head table in front was McGonagall. Hermione looked at the older women and was emotional; she didn't know either to be happy that everyone looked so happy or to be sad because McGonagall was sitting in Professor Dumbledore. Hagrid motioned for Hermione to follow him; Hermione walked up to the teachers table and sat down next to Hagrid. Sitting across the table from Hagrid was her worst enemy, Draco Malfoy. She didn't know what to do; she knew that he used to be friends with Blaise Zanbini.
Malfoy was seething inside. He saw Hermione and all he could think of was what was going to happen when Blaise found out where she was hiding. There were already some news of what happened and who killed Weasel. He knew that a student would say something to a family member and they would tell someone and then it would be all over that Hermione Granger was hiding at Hogwarts. He had to do something to protect the school and the students, not to mention his own ass.
McGonagall waited until supper was over before she approached Hermione. Hermione rose from her seat and followed the Headmistress. Hermione followed her down the corridor and followed her up the stairs, while they were waiting for the stairs to turn, Minerva smiled at Hermione. It was one of those I feel sorry for you smiles and it was all that it took for Hermione to start to tear up again. She wasn't going to cry yet again over something that wasn't going to change anything.
Hermione and the Headmistress stepped off the stairs and started walking down the hallway slowly. There were two Hufflepuff prefects doing their rounds, this make Hermione smile when she remembered her 7th year as a Prefect. McGonagall stopped in front of the Room of Requirement and told Hermione that this is where she was staying while she was at Hogwarts. Hermione was puzzled and asked the Professor "why this room and not one of the teachers unused offices or apartments?" McGonagall replied' This Room has everything it needs, it is the Room of Requirement." Hermione smiled at the older women and stepped toward the door. The Headmistress spoke to her before she entered; she said to meet her in the Great Hall for breakfast in the morning. Hermione sighed and climbed through the door. She turned around to close it and saw Malfoy walking down the hallway that she and the Headmistress had just come from.
She scowled and closed the door. She turned around and the room was changing itself. This was the Room of Requirement after all; the only thing it couldn't do was conjure food. Hermione had already eaten so she didn't care. She was relieved to see that the room had transformed itself into her apartment. The only thing missing was Crookshanks, but he was staying with her parents while she was gone. She didn't know where she would be and how long she would be going. She went over to where the fireplace appeared and sat in the red chair. It was just like being at home even though she knew she wasn't and she might never see it again. She stretched out her feet and sighed. It had been a long time since she had relaxed. She stood up and walked to the windows and looked out over the lake. There was glittering, silver moon. It reminded her of the Draco's eyes. She lie down on the bed and fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, Hermione woke up from her deep slumber and felt revived and safer than she would have at home. Hermione felt safe here and wanted to stay here forever. It brought back good memories of old friends. Hermione got dressed in a grey short sleeve sweater and some white leggings. She put on her comfortable boots and pulled open the door, throwing the room one long look. She walked into the corridor and continued down the steps. She looked around and everywhere she looked brought up memories. She remembered Ron sitting down on this step laughing at something in the Daily Prophet. Hermione could feel the tears falling freely from her eyes. She didn't do anything to stop them and decided to sit on the last step. She gasped in her breath as she realized that she would never hear Ron's voice again, she would never laugh at something he said. All that she had of him were memories. He was gone forever and there was only one thing she could do. She could bring Blaise to justice. She could make him suffer, just like she was. Hermione felt hollow inside, it felt like the world was crashing down around her.
Hermione got up from the step and walked aimlessly toward the Great Hall. She needed to eat and that was much easier than going all the way down to the kitchens. Once she pushed open the heavy oak doors and moved into the Great Hall. She didn't know where to sit and looked around for a familiar face. She felt so out of place, she had not been here in so many years. She looked toward the teacher's table up front and looked to Draco. He was scowling about something, his face was turned up and his slate grey eyes looked annoyed. She walked through the crowd of students toward the table. She looked off to her left side and saw a group of students with their books open in front of them, she smirked, and it reminded her of herself at their age. She sat at that table with Ron and Harry and read though breakfast.
Hermione continued to walk toward the teachers table; she chose a spot next to Professor McGonagall in the center of the table. Professor McGonagall turned toward Hermione and gave her a soft smile. Hermione was unsure the smile made her feel better or worse. She smiled back at her old House Teacher and summoned an elf to make her food. She ate some bangers and mash. She turned in the other direction, looking toward Draco. She didn't see Draco, she saw Professor Snape .Just when she turned to look the other directions he caught a glance of his blonde hair. Draco was still scowling. She felt a prick of anger; he was supposed to be helping her. The bells dinged, bringing Hermione back to reality. She looked up at Professor McGonagall to tell her to have a good day. The Headmistress asked Hermione to follow her to discuss her safety plan while she was at Hogwarts.
Hermione followed Professor McGonagall into the Hogwarts Teachers' Lounge. The lounge was located next to the library, so Hermione knew where it was. She slowed behind her old teacher, she entered the lounge and Draco came in behind her and closed the door. Draco performed a spell for silence and cleared his throat. Draco walked up to one of the tables and sat down. He put his booted feet onto the table. He motioned to the other chairs around the table. Hermione and McGonagall exchanged looks and followed his lead. They sat opposite him at the table. Draco was trying to think a way to broach the subject of Hermione's safety. Professor McGonagall spoke first, she turned toward Hermione and told her while she was at Hogwarts she could teach a class or she could work in the library. Hermione sighed and cleared her throat; all she wanted was to leave her. Hogwarts brought up too many memories. The war had happened here, her friends died here. It was too much and she felt the tears tickle her eyes. She brushed them away. Draco was looking at Hermione when he spoke.
Draco had been racking over his brain and came up with a possible situation to their mystery. The only way that his solution would work was if Hermione agreed. Draco also needed to get the Headmistress's permission to use magic inside the school that wasn't for a class. Draco wanted to give Hermione a makeover; he wanted to make her look like someone else. It was going to be hard work, but he would make it happen. He needed to get her to think like another person, one of the easiest ways to do that was to make her into someone else. Draco wanted Blaise to believe that she was somewhere else. Draco needed to protect Hogwarts, he had spent too much of this life trying to ruin it.
