NOTICE:

I do not own any aspect of Harry Potter -the universe, place names, titles, or characters, nor anything else having to do with HP. The plot of this fan fiction is, however, mine. Harry Potter/Harry Potter universe and all aspects are owned by J.K. Rowling.

Chapter 3

Draco had to wait in the recesses of McGonagall's office while she finished speaking with Granger, and then the Headmistress herself had escorted him down to his dorm. He was still going to be staying in the Slytherin's dungeon dormitories, it seemed, but now he had a room all to himself, complete with an entrance password. "No one is to know your password, other than myself and the other members of staff. This way, you can have a safe haven to escape to when the other students turn on you." she said, lacking the convictions she had possessed earlier in the evening. "I know there are many who will be unhappy with your return to the school -especially since you spent last year as assistant to the Carrows, helping them with rounding up any students who dared defy them."

"You know I only did so under threat!" Draco snapped, his cool demeanor slipping. McGonagall seemed to wilt a bit at his words. "I know that, Malfoy. I do. But they don't, and you need to be prepared for that fact. Their feelings towards you are justified, if not fully informed."

Draco frowned, knowing she was correct. He would be damned if he admitted it, though.

Hermione groaned and rolled over, attempting to ignore the chattering she heard coming from beyond the curtain of her four-poster. She wasn't remotely ready to get up, but a quick glance at her watch informed her that breakfast was already being served down in the Great Hall, so she had better start getting ready before she missed it. She sat up slowly, pushing her bushy hair from her eyes as she did, and begrudgingly opened her curtains, revealing the carefully choreographed chaos of the seventh year girls' dorm. "Morning, 'Mione!" Ginny said rather chipper as other girls called out their morning greetings, all while they scrambled around in various states of readiness.

All of Ginny's school items were strewn across her bed as she haphazardly attempted to get her things ready for the day ahead. "Careful, Ginny, your tie is in danger of sliding off the bed." Hermione warned, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and walking over to her trunk where she had laid out the day's uniform and her already packed bag. Ginny snatched her tie up just as it was going over the edge of her comforter, saving it from being trampled by Maisy, one of the other girls in Ginny's dorm. Their dorm; It was now Hermione's dorm as well now. That was a strange thought. She never imagined she would miss the sounds of Parvati and Lavender discussing which eyeshadow to wear that day, or Fay and Hettie talking about Quidditch, but she did. It was going to be an odd year if she was already perturbed by her new dorm-mates.

Hermione couldn't help thinking back on every first day of school she had experienced, and as she did, she was hit with the heavy realization that this was going to be the last one she ever had. The last first. That after this year, the world -both magical and Muggle- was going to recognize her as a fully functioning adult. Sure, she had fought in a war, but that was just a temporary state of being -adulthood was for the rest of her life. That train of thought almost sent her spiraling into a anxiety attack, so she quickly changed the direction of her thoughts. Instead, she tried to refocus by thinking of what she wanted to eat for breakfast as she quickly got ready.

Panic attacks and anxiety were just two of the many aftershocks she felt from the war. Her parents had insisted that she see a Muggle psychologist, who had diagnosed her as having Borderline Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Then she was sent to a psychiatrist, who had given her medication to help with the symptoms. The medications had made her even more nervous, given her nausea, and turned her into a bona fide insomniac, so she had stopped taking them. She would rather deal with her symptoms on her own than put up with the side effects of the drugs that were supposed to be helping her. Her parents believed her when she had lied and said that she was getting better with the pills -that she was vanishing each morning. Unfortunately, they were out of their depth when it came to her health unless it had anything to do with teeth.

Once Hermione was ready, she picked up her bag and made her way down to the Great Hall. As she went, she kept up a running list of the spells she knew in order to stave off the memories that were stirred up as she passed various locations in the castle. Even the Great Hall had been hard to be in last night, despite the festivities keeping Hermione sufficiently distracted.

When she reached the entrance hall, Hermione was brought up short, memories of the war flashing through her mind's eye. She didn't know how long she had stood there before she heard a derisive snort from behind her. She turned to see Malfoy standing a short way behind her, eying her haughtily. "Merlin, Granger. No one's going to jump up and curse you. It's just breakfast." he said dismissively, looking her over before walking around her and into the hall. His remarks irked her, but mostly because she knew he was right. No one was going to curse her, despite the fact that all she seemed to be able to remember just then was the fighting and death that occurred there. On a morning not unlike this one, if she really thought about it. But today, thankfully, there were no Death Eaters, no bodies, nothing to make her fear for her life and the lives of those she loved. Just the wonderful smell of bacon and coffee, and the chattering of the student's early morning conversations. Perfectly harmless, just like Malfoy had said.

That thought irked her to no end -the fact that Malfoy had seen and recognized her trepidation, and that he had called her out on it. It was bad enough that she would panic at the thought of entering the Great Hall, period. But did he of all people have to notice?

Hermione slumped into a seat halfway along the long Gryffindor table. She didn't realize she had been staring at her empty plate until Luna happened by. "I wouldn't trust the porridge today either," she intoned solemnly. "I've heard Nargles like to lay their eggs in the castle larder." This statement made Hermione blink furiously a few times as her brain processed what had been said, all the while Luna serenely continued over to her own table. Hermione shook her head to free herself from that rather odd train of thought, then helped herself to some toast and marmalade. She prayed it would be enough to keep her sated until lunch, for it was all she felt she could manage at the moment, as her stomach was all in knots. First day of school nervousness was quite normal for her, but it seemed to complicate her other anxieties just then. Godric help me make it through today... She thought dismally.