The War is over. Draco Malfoy and the Golden Trio have put the past behind them and are now attempting to face the future with renewed hope in their hearts. Hermione returns to Hogwarts for her final year, but Hermione isn't the only one in her year to return. When the Slytherin Prince returns new emotions arise and a battle of love ensues to win the Gryffindor Princess. Dramione.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters used in this fanfiction. All characters belong to their respected owner, J.K. Rowling. Enjoy, and please give me your feedback to let me know how I'm doing.

A little author's note: Sorry it's been a bit. I started this fanfiction after finals for college in the spring and after that I got a bit distracted with work and my summer schedule. I'll see if I can't get another two chapters up before Sunday!

All of Hogwarts woke to the sound of deafening thunder and pouring rain. Slowly, students filtered into the Great Hall for breakfast, chatting about what they did over the summer and what to possibly expect in their classes this year.

Hermione took her seat at the Gryffindor table and helped herself to some eggs and toast. She glanced up and looked around the Great Hall. Headmistress McGonagall was handing out schedules to the students who were already there. Hermione felt her lips curve into a smile and couldn't help but find it ironic that though McGonagall was headmistress she still stuck to her old routine before when she had been the Transfiguration professor.

"Miss Granger, your schedule." The elderly witch handed Hermione her schedule a few minutes later.

"Thank you, Professor McGonagall." She took it and scanned down the list as McGonagall walked off to finish handing out the remaining schedules. Muggle Studies…Ancient Runes…Arithmancy…Potions just after lunch…Herbology…Charms…and finally Transfiguration. Hermone smiled; another year full of schoolwork for her.

She stuffed the schedule into her bag and glanced to her side casually. She did a double take upon seeing Draco eating at the very end of the Slytherin table, alone. Hermione scanned the rest of the table to find that either they were terrified of Draco (and truthfully didn't really need to be) or that he was being ostracized from the rest of his house, because Draco was occupying a table all to himself while other Slytherins had managed to squeeze together on the remaining few. Hermione frowned; though Draco had caused her deep emotional wounds and sometimes physical ones, she knew it had been because of his association with his father and Voldemort.

Looking around, Hermione wondered whether or not she should go over to him, but before she could even make a decision Draco stood up and grabbed his bag to head off to his first class. Hermione watched him go, feeling bad for the blonde boy. He had once been so loved by his fellow Slytherins, even if it was just for his arrogance and status, and now he was completely alone. She knew exactly how he felt; before she'd attended Hogwarts she'd gone to a Muggle elementary school. There she found her love for books and learning just about, well, everything. She would read and re-read chapters of their homework every night even after she'd finished it (actually she usually worked ahead and by the end of the week she would have the whole book's lessons accomplished) and always knew the answers to the questions their teachers asked them. This quickly earned her the title of "Annoying Know-it-all Bookworm" and after just a few short years her parents had to pull her out of Muggle School due to the bullying and ostracizing. Well, that and the fact her parents were greeted one day with the surprising sight of an owl delivering a piece of mail designated to them explaining about how their daughter was a witch. A witch! Her parents, being dentists and of the Muggle world, were a little hesitant at first as it sounded like some kind of money scam, but the letter never asked for money; just that their bright and apparently magical daughter attend one of the most prestigious witchcraft and wizardry schools in the world. So, accompanied by her mother and father, Hermione made her way to Diagon Alley-which in itself was a hard task to locate-and then to platform nine and three-quarters after accepting the help of a wizard in disguise as a Muggle train conductor who demonstrated how to use the magical archway to get to said platform. She boarded the train, waved to her confused and still very hesitant parents, and was soon off to Hogwarts. The rest, you know….

Muggle Studies class was the same as always; nothing too out of the ordinary. Ancient Runes was just as meticulous as ever, and Arithmancy was nothing to worry about. It wasn't until lunch when Hermione sat down at the Gryffindor table that she found herself once more thinking about Draco. And now that she thought about it, since when had she started calling him by his first name, even within her thoughts? She'd been referring to him as Draco all morning. Perhaps it was because now they were the same, if you could call a War Hero and a former Death Eater the same. No, they were the same in loss and status. The purebloods had all but shrunk after the defeat of Voldemort; the one man who had sworn to help them rise in power and get rid of all Mud-bloods, Squibs, and any other dirty blooded or useless races that 'tarnished' the name "witch" or "wizard." Now the muggle-born and even squib population overpowered the purebloods, but those families still had their money and power.

She was brought out of her thoughts when Ginny plopped down at the table opposite her. "Hi Hermione."

"Hi Ginny, how are your classes going so far?"

"Pretty good, actually, but it's boring around here now that Voldemort is dead and no one is trying to kill each other."

Hermione smiled weakly. "I suppose; though Harry Ron and I probably wouldn't say the same. We went through seven years of hell to finally defeat that man. I think we deserve a bit of peace for a good long while."

Ginny shrugged. "I just don't like to sit here, that's all. I need to be doing something. Like Quidditch!" Hermione rolled her eyes, smiling.

Her red-haired friend continued. "Speaking of which, the tryouts are in a week, and since I'm Captain, I was thinking maybe you could come down and help me pick this year's team?"

"Oh, I don't know, Ginny, you know I've never cared much for the sport, and I only ever went to watch because Harry and Ron played…."

"I'm aware of that but I don't have Harry or Ron here to help me this year and you're the closest I've got to them. You've seen them play, I'm sure you know their moves and their style by now, not to mention you've seen enough matches to know most of the player positions and expectations. I know what to look for, but it'd be good to have a second opinion."

Hermione sighed. "I suppose I could help. But just because you're my friend, and my boyfriend's little sister, and he'll probably throw a fit if I told him I wasn't supporting you."

Ginny grinned. "Thanks a lot, Hermione. I knew you'd help me out."

After that there was silence for a few minutes as they ate, but soon it was interrupted by Ginny.

"So, anything new happening with Malfoy?"

Hermione took a drink of her pumpkin juice. "No, I haven't even had class with him yet."

"Well when you do, if something happens, let me know straightaway."

Hermione raised a brow. "What are you expecting to happen?"

"Well this is Malfoy we're talking about. He's bound to do something isn't he?"

"I…suppose so…but Ginny, don't you think-?"

"Oh, hey, it's almost time for class!" Ginny stood up abruptly after checking her watch, grabbing her bag. "Sorry Hermione I need to go, I'll talk to you at dinner!" And with that, Ginny was gone.

Hermione watched Ginny until she was out of sight before checking the time. She still had another twenty minutes until Potions with the Slytherins. Hermione had to wonder if Draco was in her period. It was more than likely seeing as how they were both in the same year. Sighing, Hermione pushed back her empty plate and grabbed her bag. She was no longer hungry and since Ginny was already gone she might as well get an early head start to Potions. Slughorn usually left the door open for the early students so she wouldn't have to worry about standing out in the hallway for ten minutes.

As Hermione made her way out of the Great Hall she found herself thinking about a familiar blonde haired boy while making her way to the dungeons where she would eventually find that Potions was to be her favorite class for the rest of the year.