A/N: Thank you for reading! And for any of you that have any suggestions for future chapters, please review :) I made up a mythical creature and a spell in this chapter, so please don't get angry and then tell me they don't really exist in the Harry Potter world.
Special thanks to BrightestWitchOfHerAge16: Thank you for your support!
The entire wizarding world was now enthralled by the mystery woman, Sparrow, who came upon the radio every few weeks to give words of guidance and sing. Although no one knew who Sparrow was, 'well… almost no one', Hermione thought to herself, a hint of a smirk on her lips, people admired her. This effect could be seen through the rather apparent increase in overall prosperity and lightness.
Hermione, Harry, Ron and Ginny had all taken seats in an empty compartment on the Hogwarts Express. Because of these dangerous times, the train was now heavily guarded with aurors - not that the members of the DA weren't capable of fighting for themselves.
The train started its slow chugging in the direction of Hogwarts Castle, and after placing their luggage on the racks above, the four began chattering away amicably. They were soon joined by Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood and Lavender Brown, all of who seemed to have been quite busy over the summer.
"Have you all been hearing about that radio girl, Sparrow?" Neville asked, before biting into a licorice wand and looking around, a slight twinkle in his eye.
"Oh, yes," Luna replied dreamily. "You know they are calling her the Beacon of Light?" she stated, eyes looking dazedly out of the window.
"Yeah, she's helped our side garner a fair few more supporters!" Lavender squealed excitedly. "And she's got a beautiful voice! It's almost… magical! No wonder people are becoming more inspired-"
"I do hope she doesn't come across any Grimpie Landwobblers. They're vicious when it comes to music, they are," Luna sighed.
During this entire transaction, Harry, Ron and Ginny sat, awkwardly staring anywhere but at Hermione. Hermione, on the other hand, looked bashful, but quite pleased before she proceeded to bury her nose in her book, hoping Neville, Luna and Lavender didn't notice.
Suddenly, a small scroll of parchment appeared in front of Hermione's nose, unfurling itself. It read:
Dear Ms. Granger,
I would like to formally congratulate you on earning the position of Head Girl for your final year at Hogwarts.
While I am well aware that this year will be quite eventful, to say the least, I trust your talent, judgment, and charm will be put to good use.
Would you kindly join the Head Boy and myself in the first compartment to the left at quarter to four? There are many things to go over in preparation for this year.
Sincerely,
Albus P. W. B. Dumbledore, Headmaster
After Hermione had finished reading, the parchment transfigured into a silver badge, the words Head Girl engraved at the top. This magic was accompanied by a mass of small bubbles, making her jump.
"What was that about, 'Mione?" Ron asked through a mouthful of chocolate frog.
"Well," she began, a small smile forming on the edge of her lips, "Dumbledore has appointed me Head Girl," she finished, looking up at her friends as she tilted the badge to face them, a light blush appearing on her cheeks.
"Congratulations!"
"That's wonderful!"
"We're so happy for you!"
"Who's Head Boy?"
She blushed before saying, "Thank you, and I haven't a clue yet, but Dumbledore would like me to meet him at quarter to four… Does anyone have the time?"
"Aetas Exhibeo… It's half past 3 right now," Neville replied, checking the time with a flick of his wand.
"Great!" Hermione exclaimed, jumping up, "I'll go find the right carriage and see you lot later, alright?"
She bent over to give Harry and Ron each a kiss on the head, and Ginny a squeeze of the hand. Hermione then proceeded to walk down the narrow corridor of the train, searching for the Heads compartment. While she knew she had many more, demanding responsibilities this year, she couldn't help but feel a little excited about being Head Girl. Sure, she probably wouldn't have as much time as, say, Hannah Abbott, but she knew she worked hard for the grades she received, and, damn, she deserved this!
Finding the compartment with the Hogwarts insignia on it plated with the words Dux Ducis, which she knew was Latin for "Leader", she pulled open the door only to find the area empty. Looking around, she slid in to the compartment, shutting the door with a click behind her. She sat in the seat nearest to the window and stared out, thinking about the previous conversation her friends were having about her - Sparrow. Her mind wandered to the moment when the Weasleys had found out who she really was…
Looking up, finally, Harry let out a strangled, "Hermione…"
She was standing at the top of the stairs, looking down at them all, a blush creeping to her cheeks.
They knew.
Hermione's heart was beating a mile a minute as she looked in to the awestruck faces of her magical family. She was just about to turn away and run back to the safety of Ginny's room when she saw said witch give her a small smile and beckon for her. Hermione slowly turned to walk down the staircase, and as soon as she set foot on the worn, toffee colored carpet, 9 pairs of hands pulled her in to a massive hug.
Suffocating, Hermione managed a weak, "What! Please, I love you all, but… can't… breathe…"
Chuckling, Ginny managed to untangle the limbs surrounding Hermione, giving her space. With soft, anxious eyes, Hermione looked everywhere but at the people in the room.
"Bloody hell, Hermione," Ron started, ignoring the glare he received from his mother for his colorful language. "Why didn't you tell us you could sing like that?"
"Yeah!" continued George. "Coulda saved us years of having to listen to Charlie belt out all the Christmas carols!"
"Hey!" Charlie said, a look of hurt coming across his face as he folded his arms in a defiant manner.
Hermione chuckled a little at that, but the tension and stress still did not ease completely from her shoulders. She turned to look at Harry and said, in a small voice, "…Do… you do understand what I'm trying to do, don't you?"
Harry nodded before pulling her in to his arms. His chin resting upon the top of her head, he gave her a quick kiss on her crown before saying, "Of course I do. I understand completely," he said, pulling away to look at her face. "You've been through so much. When you came back that night, you were broken. You had lost hope. In everything. I remember feeling the same way at some points in my life. But like I had you, you had us to put your pieces back together again," he finished, a smile on his face.
Hermione relaxed slightly, knowing that he understood. "I'm not trying to become a celebrity or anything," she continued. "I just… I never want anyone to feel like how I did. There is so much pain right now, so much loss… All because of this stupid war. I have you all, but there are some people that have no one. Harry's destiny is to end this war, and I think this is my destiny… to be there for those people as well. I feel like this is a good way to do it," she stated, softly, albeit firmly.
"Come to think of it," Fred said, his look pensive. "I'm surprised you didn't do something like this before… Hell, we were all there when you started that nonsen- I mean, business with the house elves… What was that called again?"
"S.P.E.W." Hermione replied proudly.
"Ohhh right, spew!"
"S.P.E.W!" she said in a huff, a look of irritation crossing her face.
Fred held his hands up in mock surrender, his mouth open before Bill cut in.
"I think," he began, looking at her in slight amusement, "What Fred is trying to say, is that we, too, completely understand where you're coming from, and that we aren't surprised, simply because you are a caring person through and through. Right, brother?"
"Yeah!"
Hermione rolled her eyes at Fred before giving Bill a smile.
"Thank you, Bill."
"Don't mention it," he replied, giving her a wink.
A slight flush rising to her cheeks, she turned to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, both of whom were distracted in deep conversation with each other.
"Mr. Weasley?" Hermione questioned
Startled by the sound of his name, he jumped, before turning to look at her.
"Yes, Hermione?"
"Do you…" Hermione said, hesitantly, "Do you think it's alright that I do this? It won't be cause any problems, will it?"
He opened his mouth to respond before closing it again for a brief moment.
"No, Hermione, it shouldn't cause any problems," he said. "My only concern would be what should happen to you if anyone were to find out who exactly 'Sparrow' was," he continued. "As you probably saw from above, the effect you had on our family alone was powerful," he stated, a look of question falling in to place. "I wonder how other listeners reacted…"
"They loved it, of course!" Ginny exclaimed, walking over to link arms with Hermione. "Hermione has given us all a boost of hope. We need this, and I will bet any one of you that only good things will come of this," she continued, challenging the looks of mischief on her brother's faces.
"Your father is right though, love," Mrs. Weasley interjected. "I believe if Hermione is to continue doing this, we, as a family, need to promise here and now that no one will find out."
All the heads in the room bobbed up and down in agreement with Mrs. Weasley's statement.
"We've got your back, 'Mione," Charlie said, straightening his back proudly. "Besides," he followed, "I feel great knowing that the face behind that stunning voice belongs to this beautiful witch!"
Hermione fell out of her reverie when a pigeon flew by her window, squawking loudly. Sighing, she pressed her forehead against the cool glass. From the moment she turned off the output for the first time, her alias, Sparrow, had become an icon. Although it was underground, everyone wanted to know who she was, and because of her performance on the radio, the Twin's station was becoming increasingly more popular.
Over the next few weeks, prior to their return to Hogwarts, Hermione had learnt that Ginny had quite a powerful voice, and that Harry was a fair singer as well. Ron, on the other hand, volunteered to just be the drummer for their practice sessions. She continued to write music and performed her pieces on the radio, consistently. 'Sparrow' had not only helped the wizarding world, but Hermione as well. She felt more powerful, stronger than ever, and she loved every minute of it.
Her thoughts were interrupted when the compartment door slid open and a tall man with a long, gray beard stood in the doorway.
"Ah, Hermione!" Professor Dumbledore exclaimed, giving her a warm smile and walking in to take a seat, "I see you're early."
She was just about to smile in return when a second figure appeared in the doorway. Her look of excitement turned in to a look of shock.
Silvery, blonde hair shone in the afternoon sunlight, lightly covering a set of arctic, ice blue eyes. With one of his marble-colored hands holding the door open, Draco Malfoy slipped in to the room, eyes fixed on Hermione.
As she looked at him, she could tell something had changed. Although his face had a gaunt, stressed appearance, his eyes looked softer, not as harsh as she had always remembered. A pair of perfect pink lips curved in to a tiny smile before parting to reveal a set of immaculate, white teeth.
He didn't know how long they had been staring at each other, but he had never remembered her being this beautiful. Her brown hair, while still curly, was pulled back, held by an oriental-style clip, exposing her slender, tanned neck. Her endless, brown eyes were like deep pools of chocolate, staring back in to his… Stop it, Draco! He scolded himself. Meanwhile, he could see a whole range of emotions pass through her eyes: shock, aversion, confusion, curiosity. Hm, so Gryffindors really do let all their emotions show easily…
"Hello, Hermione," he said, the sound of his silky voice causing a shiver to run down her back.
Her breath hitched as he said her name. This was the first time she had heard it come from his lips. While she was shocked at the very fact that he said her name without malice, she was more affected by how he made it sound so… delicious… Hermione… Ugh, Hermione! Get it together!
Clearing her throat, cheeks burning, she bit her lower lip and replied, hastily, "Good afternoon, Mal… D-Dra…M- Good afternoon."
The out-of-character smile still on his face, he moved to sit next to Hermione, his knee brushing against hers as he sat down.
"Now that you're both here," Dumbledore started, "I feel it necessary to congratulate the pair of you again on your academic successes, and hear any ideas you might have for this year," he paused, looking at the two of them.
"Well, now that you bring it up!" Hermione took a deep breath, her enthusiasm returning, before she plunged in to a detailed report of her plans for this year.
Hermione, Draco and Dumbledore finished speaking about a half hour after they met. During the duration of their conversation, they each voiced their opinions about certain aspects of the year from protection, to classes, to festivities. Much to Hermione's surprise, Draco was civil and, in fact, nothing but pleasant throughout the whole exchange. Bidding them each farewell, Dumbledore apparated away, a loud 'pop!' accompanying his departure.
"So…" Draco started, after a brief silence.
"So…" Hermione repeated, looking anywhere but at him. She looked up when she heard a small chuckle, and saw that he was smirking at her.
"What!" she exclaimed, confused as to why he was behaving this way.
"No, nothing," he replied, amusement dancing in his eyes.
Huffing heavily, Hermione turned back towards the window, away from him and his hauntingly beautiful stare. No! Hermione scolded herself, Stop thinking his eyes are beautiful!
"What's wrong?" he asked, sensing her frustration.
"What's wrong?" she questioned sarcastically, her frustration and confusion rising, "Why are you, all of a sudden, acting differently? It's been one summer, how can so much have supposedly changed? Calling me by my first name, smiling at me, is this all some kind of ploy to get some information out of me? To get a reaction out of me? Mudblood Granger? Because you won't!" her voice rising with every question, until she saw him wince. "You're Malfoy, I'm Granger… So, why is everything… different?" she finished, her voice soft, head in her hands.
Draco sat, staring at her. At first, he was confused as to why she was so angry. He winced when she said the word "Mudblood", as it reminded him of everything he now realized he stood against - but she didn't need to know that… yet. For a while, he didn't understand what exactly was happening. It took a few moments before he realized: she was upset because she didn't have control over the situation.
Of course, he thought to himself. The bookworm always knows everything. She is practically a walking library, for Merlin's sake. Must be weird for her to be… What's that muggle saying? "In the passenger's seat", so to speak…
He watched her as she rubbed her temples in a circular motion. Clearing his throat, he reached out a hand, hesitantly, debating whether or not he should engage in some form of physical contact. Deciding against it, he began speaking, steadily, "A lot of things happened this summer. Things have changed," he said, frankly, looking straight in to her eyes.
"I call you by your first name because that is your name, unless you would prefer I call you Granger? Believe it or not, no, me being friendly towards you is not some kind of 'ploy', but rather an act of civility. We're going to be seeing a lot of each other this year, I would rather not cause myself any more undue stress. In case you didn't realize, this year is going to be hell for a lot of us," he scowled, his own temper getting the best of him, "Why is it so hard for you to believe I have changed?" he finished, his brow wrinkled in frustration.
Although Hermione was more enlightened by his small confession, her Gryffindor stubbornness got in the way.
"Hmm… perhaps it's because for the last 6 years of my Hogwarts life you've been nothing but horrible to my friends and I? Perhaps it's because everything you've said about me or to me has actually caused a lot more harm than you may have thought? Perhaps it's because you're walking in the footsteps of your idol, your death eater of a father!" she replied, hissing the last sentence.
Suddenly, Draco shot up, his eyes flashing with anger, "I am NOT a death eater," he growled, an accusing finger pointing at her, "and my father is NOT my idol. Don't speak of things of which you are ignorant, Granger," he yelled, sneering her name.
Turning on his heel, he stormed out of the compartment, leaving the door open in his wake. Stunned, Hermione sat with her eyes wide and mouth open. So, Draco Malfoy was not a death eater, she thought. Who cares, said another voice in her head, you don't know that he's changed for real. For all you know, he could still be lying. He seemed so upset though, she wondered. If he wants your approval and forgiveness, he's going to have to work a lot harder for it. She groaned, leaning her head back against the window, trying to piece together the events that had just transpired.