Hermione took a seat beside Ron directly across Ginny and Harry. She had a clear view of Malfoy but tried to avoid eye contact with him to avoid thinking any inappropriate thoughts.
"Hermione you look like a right mess!" Ginny said bluntly. Leave it to Ginny to tell you exactly how it is. "Harry and Ron told me what happened with the ferret. A lot of the seventh years have been asking what happened to you but we didn't let on that the side effects were unknown. You know how news travels fast these days."
"Good, thanks Ginny." Hermione said with a sigh of relief. "I'm hoping to have this sorted out by the time people catch on to the side effects."
"What exactly are the side effects?" Harry asked in concern. He was wearing a look of guilt. Hermione knew Harry unnecessarily blamed himself for the burden she chose to take on by choosing him as friend and now he's probably somehow feeling guilty over this incident too.
"It's nothing crazy Harry, don't worry." Hermione assured him, "Like Malfoy described earlier, the spell did what it was supposed to, I can communicate with him silently as we can read each other's thoughts and see each other's memories as well. However, because we both said the incantation at the same time, with more force than necessary I can also sense his feelings too."
Her three best friends stared at her with uneasy looks.
"So you can really feel the ferret's emotions?" Ron asked disgustedly.
"Yes Ronald. But I'm sure it won't last abnormally long. It will probably be over by the end of the week." Hermione said with false bravado.
The boys immediately calmed and began to complain about food while Ginny shot her a knowing look. Hermione had a sneaking suspicion Ginny would be interrogating her sometime in the near future.
Who were you just trying to convince, them or yourself? Malfoy's voice rang into her skull.
Did anyone ever tell you it's rude to eves drop ferret.
It's not my fault I can't get your bloody voice out of my head. Not to mention your intense emotions. Women.
Well you better try. I thought you were an Occlumens anyways.
Good Idea. Draco thought before he could stop himself.
Hermione smiled smugly to Draco from across the room. Now if you don't mind the sorting ceremony is about to start and I don't want to miss it.
The sorting ceremony ended quickly as there were only a few first years this year. Hermione rested her chin on the palm of her hand as she idly thought about how the new first years would never know the Hogwarts she knew. They had restored the castle to the best of their abilities. Even the room of requirement still worked; however she was sure some of Hogwarts hidden treasures died that day during the final battle.
She continued to watch nostalgically as Professor McGonagall stood where Professor Dumbledore once did. She felt a sense of sadness but it wasn't just her own, she could feel Malfoy's too and it was laced with guilt.
She refrained from commenting on the peculiar understanding she was beginning to gain of Malfoy and listened to the Head Mistress deliver her speech instead. Professor McGonagall had changed things up a bit and decided to make all announcements post first day classes when everyone had a chance to settle down and get their excitement out. This didn't bother Hermione at all. The older woman had finished listing the rules and was about to announce Head Boy and Head Girl before the feast would begin.
"The honour of Head Boy and Head Girl are going to the two students who have shown excellence in all courses, involvement within the community and most importantly strength, resilience and an open mind towards the future." McGonagall said to the mass of young eyes staring up at her, "These two students will be a representation of hope and change and will work together to bring about the unity Hogwarts needs." McGonagall paused for dramatic effect as her audience hung on to every word. "Ms. Hermione Granger—" An uproar of applause was heard across the Great Hall as Hermione blushed fiercely and smiled at her fellow students. "...and Mr. Draco Malfoy."
Silence engulfed the Great Hall for a minute which felt more like an eternity to Draco. Blaise stood up and slowly began clapping. Soon the entire Slytherin table was applauding as the rest of the hall began loudly protesting the choice.
"Silence! I expect everyone to come together and support the Head Boy and Girl as they work to bring forth unity to Hogwarts." McGonagall said sternly. "Now bon appetite."
Ron quickly began stuffing his face as an abundance of food appeared before them.
"Mione," said Ginny in a concerned tone, "This means you'll be sharing a dormitory with Malfoy, are you okay?"
"You'll be doing what!" Yelled Harry and Ron as bits of food fell out of their mouths.
"Yes. The heads always get the privilege of having their own dormitory and common room," Hermione said in a quipped tone to her two best friends.
"Well we can't let that happen what if he tries to do something I wouldn't put it past that death eating scum" said Ron angrily.
Hermione rubbed the sides of her head she could feel a headache coming on. It had been a long day. "I can take care of myself." Hermione said firmly, "As much as I don't want to spend time with him McGonagall already made it clear to us that we must work together, especially now with this whole charm problem!" Hermione waved her hand around her head for dramatic effect, "I have to figure out how to get him out of my mind. Anyways as much as I hate the ferret I agree with McGonagall's speech on unity. We've all been through too much and the younger generation needs to see that we can work together." She finished her rant with an air of professionalism.
"Work together?" Ginny said with an incredulous look, "Well hopefully you don't kill the ferret in the process."
At that statement they all laughed and tried to shake off the stress of the situation and dug into their food.
As Hermione ate, her thoughts drifted towards Malfoy. She looked across the room to see him sitting closely and whispering with Theodore Nott, Pansy and Blaise. She focused on his presence in her mind and tried to silently eves drop on their conversation.
She could feel Draco's annoyance as Pansy asked one question after another about his new living arrangements with the Head Girl and the charm side effects. Draco briefly explained what happened without going into too much detail. He did not let on that they had no idea when the spell would wear off and that was probably for the best.
"Urgh how terrible Drakey," Pansy said as she leant into Draco's side. Hermione noted his feelings of guilt and also annoyance. Strange she thought the two of them were always an item.
"It must be terrible to have to share a room with the mudblood." Pansy said with malice.
Hermione shouldn't have been shocked and she really shouldn't have cared but the way Pansy said it with so much hate just stung. She subconsciously rolled up her sleeve and looked down at the jagged scar on her thin arm. Mudblood. No matter how smart, how caring or how many lives she saved she would always be seen as nothing but dirt to people like them. She knew she shouldn't let it get the best of her. Just ignore it, she told herself as she often told her two best mates. But it had been a long day and her defenses were down, she could feel the tears building in her eyes. She blinked furiously and looked around the room for a distraction. Her eyes connected with Malfoy's. He was starring right at her. He must have felt her emotion. She held his gaze as he looked at her knowingly. It was unnerving to share such an intimate moment with, for lack of a better word, an enemy.
"Don't call her that," Draco said, surprising Pansy as he pushed her off his arm, "You probably wouldn't be alive let alone at school right now if it wasn't for her."
Hermione sat there unable to tear her eyes away from her childhood bully. Had he just stood up against his friends to defend her? The girl he spent years calling Mudblood?
I never meant it really. I didn't know better. She heard Draco's thoughts.
This was all just too much for Hermione's first day back. She could feel the tears threatening to fall. She would not let everyone see her cry.
"Harry, Ginny, Ron I have to go to the library to check something—" She rambled quickly before getting up and jetting out of the Great Hall.
The second she was outside those doors she felt the tears stream down her face. She just kept running until she reached the highest point of the astronomy tower. She knelt down and sat by the large window letting the fall air caress her tear stained face.
She had no idea how long she had been sitting there when she heard footsteps approaching behind her. She didn't even bother to turn her head to see who it was she could sense it was Malfoy so she j continued to sit by the window ledge staring out at the dark sky.
Malfoy timidly took a seat beside the tiny girl. He never realized how small Granger was before, or maybe the war had just taken a bit of a toll on her. Contrary to popular belief, he hated when women cried. It always made him feel terribly awkward and upset. It reminded him of his mother and how his father would bring her to tears when he was a child. He examined the know it all's long wavy hair and how much tamer and soft it looked now. Without thinking he reached out and gently pushed her hair behind her ear.
She flinched under his touch. Of course, no one trusts the death eater, he thought with a sigh.
That's not true. Hermione thought without bothering turning her face to look at him. She was ashamed to be crying in front of him.
There's nothing wrong with crying Granger. What Pansy said out there was wrong, but you have to understand she doesn't even mean it. She is insecure and jealous and she was raised—we were all raised with a different mentality. You wouldn't understand. Draco explained with his thoughts. He too avoided her gaze and looked out at the night sky as well.
Try me. He heard Granger think.
Draco sat there awkwardly unwilling to explain. He had never had a civil conversation with the Golden Girl let alone an intimate one.
It's getting cold Granger and you're barely dressed, let's go back to our dorms. The old bat gave me our password. Malfoy taunted.
Hermione rolled her eyes but smiled at the distraction and willingly took it. My robes are destroyed thanks to you no less, and she is not an old bat. Well maybe she is seeing as she chose you to be Head Boy.
Hey! You better sleep with one eye open Granger. No Scarhead or Potty to save you now.
Scarhead and Potty? Really? And you're supposed to have top marks? Hermione laughed out loud.
I think your forgetting I'm the one who knows the password to our dormitory Granger.
Hermione could feel the glee coming off of him as she followed him to the seventh floor of the castle, through a hall way that led to a tower. Draco came to halt in front of a large framed photo of a beautiful, Victorian looking woman who sat beside a knight. The couple stared at them and smiled expectantly.
"Draco, do tell me the password," Hermione said in a falsely sweet voice.
Draco paused. It was a tauntingly sweet voice but she had called him Draco and he couldn't recall ever hearing her call him that before. He found that he quite liked it. That thought scared him.
Hermione examined Draco as he just stood staring at her.
"Unity," Draco said and quickly walked inside straight to his bedroom, leaving Hermione to stand alone in the common room.
How rude. Hermione thought. Not exactly surprising though.
She sank down onto the large, black, plush leather sofa and rested her eyes only for a moment before she drifted into an exhausted sleep.