New Life

AN: if you guys haven't noticed yet... I haven't killed any "good guys" that's cuz I don't want them dead... and cuz I'm not 100% sure who died. I can't make myself read the last book... or watch the last movies. Yeah I know I'm a coward. Sue me, if I finish it it's over. And I don't want it to be over. Ok here's chapter 4. enjoy.

Thanks to all reviewers, TempestParamour, paigeelee13, TruthCannotAlwaysBeHidden,

Disclaimer: I own nothing.. blah blah blah

Draco POV

To say every bone and muscle in my body hurt would be making light of what I felt. My body was being shuttled between fire and ice. One moment I was burning with fever the next I felt as if I were naked in the snow. My godfather had long since cast a magical bind on me so he and Blaise could heal themselves from my scratching and thrashing. I was sure I had hit them more then a few times. And it was likely easier on me as well. If I couldn't move, I couldn't injure myself.

I could hear myself panting hard, taking in as much oxygen as I could. I shifted my eyes around the room, it was almost dawn, but of what day I couldn't remember. It must have been only one night because Blaise still had on his suit, though his jacket and tie were over the back of the chair he now slept in. Surely he wouldn't of gone more then one night in the same clothes just to watch over me. I shift my eyes as I hear movement near the door to my room.

"Ah, you're awake. That would be a good thing I would imagine, now I'm going to remove the silencing charm around you and I want you to tell me what you feel. Calmly and in a normal voice. You're voice will likely be a bit raspy. You were screaming most of the night." My godfather says, waiting. I nod and swallow as he flicks his wand at me, setting a tray of tea and scones on the side table. I take a slow breath and squirm a little as I gather my thoughts.

"I hurt, everything hurts. It feels like every bone and muscle in my body has been ripped apart and tossed on the floor, then shoved back into my body and now there trying to sort them selves out. Were you two here all night?" I ask softly, he was right, my voice even hurt. The sound grated on my ears. He nods and pours some tea, glancing at me before pouring a third and letting me up.

"Zabini, wake up and help your friend sit up. Make sure he's leaning against the backboard. Circe knows he'll likely have balance issues for a bit. Mr. Zabini...? BLAISE WAKE UP!" I roll my head and watch as Blaise flails and slides out of the chair he was in, looking embarrassed as he gets up and rubs his head.

"Sorry Professor, guess I sleep a bit harder when I'm not in my bed." I roll my eyes and sit up with his help, laying back against the headboard of my bed and sipping my tea. I looked around my room, stretching my neck, moving down my body slowly, feeling the muscles sift, the joints pop and settle. Everything felt new... more real. My pillows were tossed off the bed, my blankets kicked to the foot of my bed. I did NOT have a restful night.

"So what happens now? Will I have any more nights like that?" I ask slowly, sipping my tea, feeling it run down my throat, feeling the heat spread threw me.

"Most likely you will not spend another night like that, unless your mate refuses you completely. Then you will likely go insane and rip your self apart. Or if someone gets between you and your mate and you don't do something about it, you will likely go into a rage as soon as you sleep and take out whatever poor sap offended you." He sipped his tea slowly; take a bite of a scone, savoring the taste before continuing.

"As to what happens now... you should spend the day working your body, making your muscles work correctly. Learn of the some more... difficult abilities to control and think of any questions you might have about your new self. I suggest testing your speed and strength first as they will likely be the ones you need to control the most. I know you likely want to take it on all at once but going slowly would be the best and safest path. It is still early so I suggest going back to sleep for a few more hours and starting your training at a more reasonable hour. The tea should help you relax, just a few drops of sleeping potion to calm us all. I'm sure we could all use it." I nod and finish my tea, setting the cup back on the side table. I work my shoulders and spine, stretching and bending in bed, before sliding back down and curling up with a sigh. I feel Blaise move and settle into the other side of my bed.

"Hope you don't mind mate but I can't sleep in that chair any more... and someone needs to stay close incase you need help. Promise to keep my hands to myself if you do." I snort and burrow deeper into my blankets, mumbling as I let the potion take me off into dreamland for a bit longer.

I get up a few hours later and stretch, heading to the shower after kicking Blaise out of my room. Telling him to go use his own bathroom to pamper himself in. I take a long shower, rubbing the sleep and pain from my eyes, letting the water beat at my tight muscles. I sigh and get out, pulling on a pair of boxers and moving back to my room, stretching and bending, groaning as I feel my muscles pull and complain about the movement. I look up at Blaise comes back in, sitting on the couch watching me.

"Well, how do you feel? Anything hugely different?" I shrug at his questions and toss him his camera, moving back to the empty corner of my room for my photo session. He rolls his eyes and takes them, grumbling about someone being an ungrateful git. I raise an eyebrow and turn, doing the same poses and movement as I did yesterday. I take the camera back and set it aside to take the other private pictures a bit later. I clear my throat before I speak.

"Nothing to different... mainly just stiff, tight, like I said earlier. I think my voice might be deeper but I can't tell... just sounds, well tight I guess. Makes sense really. I was remade last night wasn't I, everything's going to need a bit of work to make it work right again. Hoppy?" I smile at the little elf as she pops up in front of me, curtsying slightly.

"Can we have some breakfast... please? Ask Master Severus if I should be eating anything differently... and tell him that I'm mobile and wish to speak to him." she nods, tilting her head to the side, looking me over before she pops out.

"I think she notices something different mate, might want to check your magic before we do anything else. I wouldn't be surprised if that was a bit off as well." Blaise says as she helps me straighten up my room a bit. The elves could do it but it was such a simple task... why shouldn't I at least do something. Merlin's beard it might actually help my body work right. Simple tasks and all that. Next, we go threw the rests of my gifts I received last night before I... had my attack, I didn't get a chance to properly thank the guest. THAT was going to be fun, mother would likely make me write cards now. I shake my head and look threw what I received. A few more shirts, some Quidditch gear, a few books, even a few of those new gift card thingies for shops in Diagon alley. Amazing what things muggle's come up with that are actually useful. All told, it wasn't anything amazingly special. Just normal gifts really. Truth be told I probably was hard to shop for. I mean what could one get me that I didn't already have?

I sit on my floor and do some stretches, working the kinks out of my back and arms, rubbing my legs to get out the knots. I'd have to go on a run later, everything was just tight, coiled like a taught spring, ready to explode. I hope this wasn't going to be my new normal... I'd go mad. I look up at Blaise with a grin.

"You think you can keep some minor magic in check if I can't control it?" I ask with a grin, chuckling as he rolls his eye and pats his pockets, trying to figure out where he's left his wand. I shake my head and dig in my closet, pulling on some green cotton sleep pants and a long sleeve cotton shirt. I dig threw last nights clothes and bring out my wand, hawthorn with a unicorn hair core, 10 inches and springy. I raise an eyebrow and wait for Blaise's nod that he's ready for whatever happens.

"Let's start with something simple shall we? Wingardium Leviosa." I saw evenly, pointing my wand at one of my chairs, flicking my wand up. Grinning as the chair lifts evenly, setting it down with a soft thud. I rub my neck, the pull of magic felt weird but it didn't hurt. I could still do it. I sit on my bed after we go threw a few other spells and charms, each a bit harder then the next, nodding.

"Still works, feels different thou... not bad just, I don't know weird... a deeper pull maybe? Least I won't have to relearn everything. That would most definitely suck." I say with a snort, flopping back on my bed.

"I believe that would make sense, as your magic is coming from deeper inside of you now. How are you feeling this morning? Any cravings or new desires?" the voice drawls from the door. I shake my head and sit up, looking over my Godfather as he stands in the door, Hoppy skulking behind him with our breakfast.

"No uncle, nothing that I can tell anyway. Everything feels normal for the most part. Stiff still but I assume that will go away with some exercise and use. Can we have breakfast now? I'm staring." I grin as he rolls his eyes and moves to the side, motioning Hoppy into the room, following her in and sitting at the table, pouring himself some tea, nodding to a glass of... blood on the table.

"I suggest you at least try that. If you don't need it fine but if you fight the urge and loose it will not be pleasant. For any of us." he says and I nod, his logic was sound but... blood... cold and stale. I take a deep breath and take a drink, letting it slide down my throat slowly. I sneer and set the half-drunk glass down, nudging it away from me.

"I think I'll pass on the rest of it. It's wrong, maybe warm would be better but I doubt it very much. If I have to I'll come to terms with drinking it I will but I'd rather not." I say and dig into my breakfast, eating all on my plate and filling it again. I glance up at Blaise as he watches me eat, I can only imagine what I must look like, stuffing my face like Weasley probably.

"Don't start on me Zabini, I'm starving. You try having your whole body go threw a remake and not want to eat everything you can get your hands on. Will it always be like this uncle?" he sips his tea thoughtfully as he watches me, an eyebrow raised as I fill my plate yet again.

"I do doubt it Draco but I would caution you to watch your food intake if this keeps up more then a week or so. Your body should be accustomed to its new metabolism by then. If not I believe we may need to put you on some sort of potion to curb your appetite." I nod and finish my... what is this... fourth plate? Sitting back with a sigh.

"I agree; it is rather odd to be so ravenous. I mean to be hungry is understandable, I didn't eat much last night but this is... disturbing. I think I might of put more food away them that Weasley boy in my grade." I sigh and rub my face, shaking my head. Ronald, his name was Ronald. Or Ron rather... I probably should start calling them by there real names instead of Weasley and Potter. If she really was... perhaps calling them by their given names would help. I could always go back if she turned out to not be my mate.

I shake my head and get up, heading to my closet to find some running and work out clothes, tossing my sneakers out into the room as I talk.

"Finish up Blaise, were going for a run around the estate and them some Quidditch perhaps. I need to... so something. Would you like to come with us Uncle? Perhaps we can find you a mate as well." I can almost see him roll his eyes at that before he speaks in his best professor voice.

"Perhaps later Draco, your father wishes to speak to me. I informed him your needs trumped his and that I would find him after I spoke to you. Do not over work your self." I nod as I come out of my closet, pulling on my shirt, nodding to him as he leaves. I roll my eyes and kick Bliase's chair.

"Up lazy thing... I need to start my new life. And since you've so graciously accepted the offer to be my companion it's your new life as well. UP I say! I need to run. I need to go and do and work off all that food I ate. I highly doubt my mate wants me to be fat this young. Do vampires get fat?" I ask, bouncing in place, glaring at Blaise as he raises an eyebrow at me.

"I have no bloody idea... stop bouncing. You'll make me ill." I roll my eyes and head outside with him for our run.

XxX

Hermione POV

I wake up early and smile sadly as I look around my room. It still wasn't home but I had enough money from after the war that I had bought my own house. Sure, it was larger then I likely would need for a long while but I loved it and it was mine. I stretch and get up, straightening my blankets. I wasn't so OCD that I had to actually make my bed every morning but I saw nothing wrong with fluffing the pillows and smoothing out the blankets. It just made it look nicer, cleaner. I smile and skip down to the kitchen to start some breakfast. Tea and oatmeal with some dried fruit and syrup mixed in for good measure.

While my breakfast steeps and soaks I go threw a few morning exercises, sitting on the floor in the sun. I stretch and bend into a few yoga positions, just enough to wake me up and get my blood moving. I sigh and get up, mixing the fruit and syrup into my oatmeal before picking up my tea and sitting at the island bar, sipping happily. I loved this house, I really did. Sure it didn't have all the homey touches and what not but it was my own, and I had spent most of the time since the war in either hospital, the Weasley home or helping rebuild countless buildings in the magical world. It was a place I didn't have to worry about hiding my magic from my parents or from nosey neighbors.

Don't get me wrong I loved my parents but... them being non-magical made it difficult in my younger years. I was just happy they still wanted the old house when they got back. I would have hated it if it just sat there, empty and alone. Sure I could have sold it or rented it out but... having my parents understand enough to want it back made me feel better. After I had found them and given them back there memories, it was tense. They were angry with me. For using magic on them, for not telling them what I was going threw, for not telling them how bad the magical world had gotten. They understood it all of course, they knew I could have gotten into trouble by telling them but I don't think that helped much.

I come out of my musings as an owl taps at my window, looks like the post was here. I smile and move to open the window, getting a few treats out and dropping them into the tin near the perch as I take my post from the owls, giving the one that stays a scratch before I sit back at the table to sort my post, tossing each piece to the table as I go threw them.

"Daily Prophet, why do I still subscribe to you? Letter from Molly, I just left last night crazy woman. Probably wants to make sure I'm not dead. Letter from school, little early but who am I to complain. Means I can get my shopping done earlier and not have to put up with the last minute crowds." I shake my head and get back at my breakfast, eating as I scan threw the paper. I really had no idea why I still held a subscription. After all the horrible and totally wrong things they printed about me and my friends... but it kept me up-to-date I guess.

Nothing really new and exciting happening, the purebloods had just started their party season. I guess purebloods were just like any group of well to do humans. They had there parties and there bigotry. I shake my head and scan the gossip section, seeing if anyone I knew was in the news, happily they were not. Then I move onto the comic section, a new section brought on by new blood at the paper. So many of the subscribers were younger and wanted something besides news and gossip in there paper. The comics were simple but it was a start. It meant they could change. It gave me hope for the rest of the world.

I laughed at the comics that I enjoyed, copying them and posting them on the fridge. I grinned as I ate my breakfast, opening the letter from Molly, rolling my eyes and getting some parchment and a quill, answering her letter with a small shake of my head.

Molly,

Yes, I got home just fine, as I'm sure Arthur and the others told you. You don't need to worry so much. I'm a big girl Molly, I CAN take care of myself you know. I already told you I'd be over for Sunday Supper. Yes I can bring some form of sweet for Dessert, I'll bring extra for Ronald. I too received my letter from Hogwarts, of course I read yours first. I think I'd enjoy shopping with you all if we can find a day to do it where were both free. I have no major plans this week so any day would be fine. You have my floo correct? Never mind I'll be sure to tack the address on before I send this owl.

The house is... fine. It's a bit empty still but I haven't had much time to make it a home really. I have pictures and books but nothing to make it a home, no half-knitted sweaters or odds and ends. It's just... a house still I suppose. Something to work on.

Truly,

Hermione

I smiled as I folded and tucked the letter into an envelope, scribbling down my floo address and tucking it in as well, setting it to the side to give to Pig when he was done eating and sleeping. I chuckles and stroked his feathers before going back to the bar and opening my letter from Hogwarts. I take out two letters and a badge, grinning at the silver Head Girl badge. I smile and set the badge to the side, unfolding my first letter.

Dear Miss Granger,

It is our pleasure to inform you that your desire to return to continue your education, marking your 8th year if you count the abysmal 7th year that occurred during the war, has been approved. While we acknowledge that this letter is reaching you much earlier then normal we do have our reasons. As an adult, you may have more to do and less time to go shopping for school supplies. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

It is our pleasure to inform you that you have been chosen, out of all 7th and 8th year students, to be Head Girl. Please make sure to note weather you have accepted this offer or not in your return letter.

Term begins September 1st, we await your acceptance owl no later then July 31st.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

I smiled and got another piece of parchment and wrote out a simple note, confirming that I would be attending school this year and that I would be more then happy to be Head Girl. How could I not accept? It had been a dream for me since I started school, a dream I thought I had lost considering I spent most of my 7th year on the run or fighting the war. I chuckle and shake my head, unfolding the other note from Hogwarts.

Miss Granger,

I am very glad you asked to come back to Hogwarts. A mind like yours deserves all the chances it can get to get as much information as it can get. I was pleased when your name came up for Head Girl as well, I do believe you are the best we have. I do however wish to convey to you that many of the choices for Head Boy are not as wonderful.

While they may have been on the wrong side of the war many of the Pureblood children are of strong magic and character, if a bit tainted by their parent's bigotry. I just want you to be aware that your partner and roommate may be of a student from Slytherin House. I do hope you can both get over your differences and show that the world is not over and that we can move on from the past and the war.

Please bare this in mind when you meet when you have your meeting with Professor McGonagall and the Head Boy on the train on the way to school. I do promise that everything will turn out well.

Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore

I blinked as I reread the letter, it wasn't... how could he... they... a SLYTHERIN? How could they put a Slytherin, likely one of the dark lord's flunkies, in such a position at school? Snape was one thing, he had shown his true loyalties, but... one of the students? How could they think that was a good idea? I shake my head and set the letters to the side, eating my breakfast quickly and sending the return post off with a scratch to each owl. I couldn't think about this right now. I needed to get my life in order, buy things to fill out my house. Buy my things for this school year. New books, a new set of uniforms, probably should get a new cauldron, some ingredients, odds and ends I would use through out the year.

I shook my head again and headed back up stairs to my room to shower and change for a quick trip into town to get some knick-knacks to put around my home. I had a home... no... I had a house. I needed to make it a home. But how did one do that? What made a house a home? Love? Family? Right now I didn't really have either of those things. I just had me and my cat, wherever he had wondered off to. No boyfriend, no parents, no roommate. I liked having my own space, not having to deal with people touching my things but... I really didn't like being alone.

I lock up as I head out my front door, looking up at my house as I pause at the end of my walkway. It was a beautiful two story gray stone house, a tidy front garden and more then enough storage space in the three-bay garage and almost clean slate of a basement. The back and side gardens were spacious and had plenty of room for fruit trees, a vegetable garden and any number of plants for potion ingredients. I should probably see if I could find someone to buy some plant from. Perhaps Luna would know where to go; the girl seemed to know everything sometimes. I smile to myself and head down the road and into the small town I lived by. It wasn't London but it had a grocery, a post office and all the stores a muggle would need. Sure, I had magic but sometimes I just wanted to do stuff myself.

AN: ok so that's chapter 4, good or bad... I REALLY wanna know what you guys think. Ok? Oh and I understand life happens and we don't always get to read when we want to. wow 4,380 words. awesome.

AN2: for anyone who cares to know Hermione's house is #522-1 on house plans . com (just take out the spaces) , just ignore any changes I made. There probably superficial.