A/N: I hope that you liked the prologue, and I am happy to introduce chapter one! Reviews are appreciated, but of course not required.

A/N2: Sorry, no romance yet. But there will be soon.

Chapter One: Restoring Hogwarts

Hermione's POV

I was sitting in that chair five minutes after Malfoy left. Did he really save me? Though I didn't trust him, I could've sworn that at the battle I saw him out of the corner of my eye. But being a Slytherin and a Death Eater or ex-Death Eater or whatever he was, why would he want to save me, much less kill his father or join our side. Did he speak the truth? I didn't want to believe him, but I think he did save me. But why should I care? Why do I care? If I learned anything in the Order of the Phoenix, it was to trust no one. Still, it makes me wonder.

"Hermione, you coming down to the Great Hall? The feast is about to start!" I heard Neville call up the stairs. Anxious to get out of the dorm room, I called down a "Ya!" and grabbed my robe, throwing it on as I went out the door.

. . .

There was a single table taking up most of the Great Hall, and people everywhere. There seemed to be no particular order to things, people randomly scattered around the table. I spotted Harry, looking down at a large piece of parchment I recognized as the Marauder's Map. He was probably checking to see if everyone was there.

Apparently, I was the last person to arrive, because he had everyone sit down soon after I walked through the door. I took the only empty seat, which was next to Luna Lovegood, and- ugh- Draco Malfoy. Luna waved at me, and I gave her a little wave back,

"Attention, attention," Professor McGonagall said. "Now that-" She began, but was interrupted by someone bursting through the door.

"Rita Skeeter for the Daily Prophet!" The reporter shouted. Groans overtook the crowd; everyone hated Rita Skeeter. "Ah, Mr. Harry Potter! Anything to say about the events of the past couple of days?" She asked dramatically, her Quick Quotes Quill floating next to her, along with a piece of parchment.

"Rita, I have nothing to say to you, and I never will! You twist everything I say!" Harry said angrily.

She turned to her Quill and parchment and spoke to the quill. "Harry is extremely shaken by the Battle of Hogwarts, and is still mourning the many casualties this has resulted in; he still goes teary at the mention of his parents-"

"Skeeter, get out of here!" Professor McGonagall yelled. Rita just turned back to the parchment. "Everyone is on edge here at Hogwarts, even the Professors are baffled by the fact that their own Headmaster betrayed them-"

"OUT!" Professor McGonagall shouted forcefully. Rita turned and headed out the door, still muttering to her Quick Quotes Quill. "Tension is at a new time high for Hogwarts, and this reporter…" Her voice finally faded away, and Harry used his wand to shut the door.

"Now that Voldemort is dead, we have to focus on bringing our school back to the top. We have some rules to put in place and decisions to make. Everyone in this room can vote and make nominations on anything we discuss. First matter to vote on is the head of the school. Any nominations?" Professor McGonagall asked. I raised my hand. "Yes, Ms. Granger."

"I formally nominate Mrs. Minerva McGonagall for the Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." I said.

"I second that." Harry said from across the table.

"Any other nominations?" After nobody raised their hand, she spoke. "Okay, all in favor raise your right hand." Every hand at the table flew up. "All opposed?" Not a single hand was raised.

"Passed. Thank you all for having confidence in me. Now, there are a few rules that will be effective immediately. First, all students wishing to remain at Hogwarts over the break are welcome to do so; I will post a sign-up sheet in the common area. Second, I am officially abolishing House tables in the dining hall to encourage inter-house friendships. All other House-related events, for example Quidditch and House Cups, will remain as they are. Are there any other suggestions?" She called on a Ravenclaw girl a few seats down from me.

"I think we should bring back the Yule Ball."

"I second that." Ginny said.

"Okay, all in favor?" I raised my hand, and so did most of the students.

"All opposed?" Only about a dozen students raised there hands; Malfoy was one of them. Big surprise there.

"Passed. Any others?" Professor McGonagall asked. "Yes?"

"I think we should have a spring Quidditch season too." Harry said.

"I second that." Ron said. I smiled. Those boys and their Quidditch.

"All in favor?" It was another unanimous vote; everyone's hands shot up.

"All apposed?" Not a single hand was raised.

"Passed. Any others?" Everyone remained silent, and she took that as a no. "None? Okay. I would like to remind everyone that the Hogwarts Express leaves from Hogsmeade Station tomorrow morning at 8:30. And now, we eat!"

Food appeared on the table, and I ate more than I had eaten in months.

Draco's POV

I was sitting in the common room with Crabbe and Goyle. They had some Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, and were eating big handfuls all at once, grimacing at the taste, then proceeding to repeat the process. Such idiots. Sometimes I wonder how they've managed to pass first year.

"Draco, Professor McGonagall wants to see you in her office." Pansy Parkinson said, coming through the portrait hole. "What did I do?" I asked. She just shrugged. Sighing, I got up and exited the portrait hole. Considering the Slytherin dormitories are located down near the dungeons, it takes awhile to get up to the higher floors.

When I finally got up to the stone gargoyle guarding the Headmistress' office, I saw that I was not alone. Potter, Weasley, and Granger were just arriving as well.

I ignored them, and they ignored me. "Dumbledore." Potter said, and the gargoyle moved to reveal a spiraling staircase. The four of us stepped on, and it took us up to the door. He used the bronze knocker, and Professor McGonagall called out from inside. "Come in and have a seat."

He opened the door, and we filed in and sat in the seats surrounding the desk. "Now, you are probably wondering why you are here. It is about your education. Mr. Potter, Weasley; Ms. Granger, you were all absent this past year, and I would highly recommend coming back to Hogwarts next year to serve your seventh year, take your N.E.W.T.s, and graduate. Mr. Malfoy, I would like to inform you that you missed many assignments and classes, thus failing your seventh year. I suggest you do the same. What do you all say?"

"I'd love to stay for another year." Potter said.

"Me too." Weasley said

"I'll stay for another year." Granger said.

Professor McGonagall turned to me, and I thought for a moment.

"Why not." I said

"Good. You each will be receiving your Hogwarts letters over the summer by owl as usual. Now, get a good night's rest, because tomorrow the Hogwarts Express leaves."

We all exited down the stairs, then parted ways as I headed down to the Slytherin dorm and they headed up to the Gryffindor dorm.