I know this is a short chapter, but bare with me as I have a stressful week. I'll hopefully get another chapter up by this weekend!
Also, thank you for reviewing!
I got a guest review from Natalie and I really appreciate that you like the story. With Draco and his house, I realize you're right and I put him in the wrong house. I had originally wanted him to be "reformed" and a Gryffindor, but I decided I think he'll always be a Slytherin, but maybe a better person. So, to answer your question, he's still in Slytherin (another reason because I have plans for him and Ron living in a dorm together, and those dorms are already made). Thanks!
Hermione trudged along the corridor, Neville behind her with Ernie and Pansy in close pursuit.
"It's not that bad, Hermione, when you think about it. I mean, if you were still in Gryffindor you'd have to—"
"To what, Neville, be alone with a Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Hufflepuff? Big whoop. I can deal with that. I'm muggleborn for fucks sake, they're going to eat me alive." She scowled at him, before turning back to the corridor.
Neville sighed. "You don't have to even go to the common room."
"But I have to have all my classes with them." Hermione snapped back.
Pansy groaned behind them. "At least you're in a respectable house. My mom is going to kill me when they hear which house I was resorted into." The former Slytherin sounded completely miserable with the choice that was made for her.
Hermione was taken aback. Pansy Parkinson…being something other than completely dreadful? Who would have believed the day would come?
Hermione gave her a faint smile. "I guess we all have to get used to being disappointments to our families."
Pansy flinched, back to her own self again. "You don't have the right to talk to me, mudblood. You're nothing in this world, rubbish, and will never be-"
She was cut off with two wands to her throat, both Hermione's and Neville's.
"If you ever call her that again," hissed Neville, "I will not hesitate to end you. I fought off bloody death eaters. I think I could take you."
"You're forgetting," she sneered, "That I am one." She yanked up her sleeve.
Hermione recoiled at the sight of the mark, still swirling on the other girl's skin. "I thought that would have disappeared with the death of Voldemort." She whispered.
Pansy laughed. "You think that this just goes away? It doesn't. Not unless you don't believe the same things that you did during the war, when you got the tattoo. Besides, I'm proud of it. It shows who I am, and shows that I'm pure."
Hermione felt as if she was going to hurl, her vision getting blurry. She staggered, seizing the wall as she fell, before the feeling subsided. She wiped the tears from her eyes, stood up again, and growled at the other girl. "At least I'm respected here, Parkinson. You're nothing to this school."
"Fuck you, mudblood."
Ernie and Neville cleared their throats. "Um," Ernie pointed to the door. "We're here…"
Hermione sighed, pulling away from the other girl. "I guess we should get started then." She pushed into the room, and sighed at the smell of warm cookies and mint.
Pansy, Ernie and Neville followed, all physically relaxing as they stepped into the room.
"Okay, so we need a room name and a mascot." Neville was right down to business, and Hermione couldn't agree more. She just wanted to go lie down for the rest of the night. The two boys both sat on the couch, leaving the girls standing at opposite sides of the room.
"What about the snakes?" Pansy regarded Hermione, a look of disgust flashed over her face before she looked back at Neville. "We have one former Slytherin and a new Slytherin too. I think it suits it."
Hermione shook her head. "No, that wouldn't work. What about us being Nunc priores inimici and being thestrals?"
Ernie sat up, raising an eyebrow. "Former enemies now friends? Isn't that not completly true?"
Hermione laughed. "Not yet. Hopefully this will help us get along better, but if it doesn't, oh well. We tried. And I didn't know you knew Latin."
Ernie blushed. "I was tutored in it at home over the summers."
"No wonder you're in Ravenclaw now." Neville winked at Ernie, before turning to Pansy. "Sound good to you?"
Pansy bit her nails. "Thestrals are those things that you can only see when you've seen someone die, right?"
Hermione nodded. "Yeah. I figured after the war, everyone can see them."
Pansy looked green, her voice soft and trembling now. "That's what was pulling the carts, wasn't it?"
Hermione shuffled her feet, uncomfortable with the girls (again) sudden change in behavior. "Yeah…it was."
Pansy's lip trembled. "I saw my own father die, that's why I can see them."
Hermione approached the other girl, trying to place a hand on her shoulder. "I'm so sorr-"
Pansy flinched away. "Don't touch me, mudblood." She fled the room, tears in her eyes. Her door slammed shut behind her, making the other three flinch.
Neville gave Hermione's hand a squeeze. "She'll get better. Give her time."
Hermione sighed. "I should probably go and unpack. We have a long day tomorrow." She walked into her room, and shut the door. She felt numb as she wandered to the bed. She sat down, curling up before breaking into tears, letting the wall down. She stayed like that for what felt like hours, before falling asleep, exhausted from the crying.
The dorms were quiet as the 7th years all fell into a restless sleep. The days were long, but the nights were longer for the witches and wizards born from the war.
Yay! I'm actually kind of happy with the story as I look over it. I have one more question for you all. If any of you are interested in helping me re-read each chapter and edit before it's posted, I'd really love the help. PM me if you are interested!
Make sure to keep voting for whose POV the next chapter should be in.
Keep reviewing too! I love to hear the feedback and suggestions! Love you all!
