Author's Note: I am the worst excuse for a human being. Chapter 3 was posted with no mention, whatsoever, of my three muses. I would be lost without coyg81, In Dreams, and Noppoh. The self-flagellation and turning of the thumb screws will continue until I feel suitably punished.
The carriage continued to fill with the rest of the returning eighth years and Ginny (although she was technically a seventh year student). This final year was going to be unusual, to say the least; they were to complete their seventh year studies but would do so separately from the remaining students who were heading into their final year straight from sixth.
The new headmistress had taken quite some time to consider their positions within the student body, consulting with the portraits of many previous headmasters before deciding the small group should all live and study together as a unit. There were bound to be hiccups along the way but these students all needed to heal and mend bridges. She figured the only way to do that was to throw them all to the lions together and she prayed to Merlin she was doing the right thing.
Luna, the only Ravenclaw, was tucked in by a window amidst the Gryffindors. She wanted to sit up front of the train to keep the nargles away from the driver's lunch as it was Tuesday, and they were particularly hungry after all the mating that went on over the long weekend, but Neville assured her the driver had his lunch safely stashed in his work bag. Happy with this, she started to read the Quibbler's horoscopes for September out loud for everyone instead.
She had just finished telling Harry that he'd be changing his sexual orientation by the end of the month when a commotion could be heard from the other side of the carriage. Turning heads observed a red-faced Ron Weasley storming down the aisle, followed by an irate Hermione Granger.
"And it's only the first of September," Harry observed quietly to Ginny.
His girlfriend rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me this is what we're in for. I thought everything was alright at The Burrow."
Harry was about to respond but thought better of it. He wasn't in the mood for drama; this was going to be a peaceful year. Hopefully. He settled into a window seat on the other side of the carriage with Ginny sliding in beside him.
Ron flopped into the seat opposite Luna and stared out the window, breathing heavily through his nose and seething with gusto. How the fuck could McGonagall allow that piece of shit back into Hogwarts? That fucking Slytherin cunt didn't deserve to fucking breathe!
"Won Won!"
"Oh bollocks!" Ron turned away from the window. "Hey Lav."
He couldn't have sounded less enthusiastic if he tried.
.
After Ron had unceremoniously sat down, Hermione moved past the Gryffindors and Ravenclaw. She briefly acknowledged Dean Thomas who was entering the carriage with Parvati Patil, the pair looking particularly cosy as they greeted their classmates.
Ginny reached out to Hermione as she continued past but was waved off with a mumbled excuse, the redhead barely catching 'toilet'.
"Leave her," Harry coaxed. "She needs to cool off."
"So does my prick of a brother!" Ginny hissed. "His temper is a bloody embarrassment."
Harry didn't have an answer to that; he wholeheartedly agreed.
.
Hermione pulled the carriage door back and stepped out into the narrow hallway at the end. The rocking of the now moving train caused her to stumble towards the toilet, knocking her shoulder painfully against the door. The jolt brought tears to her eyes that continued once she had securely locked herself in the little cubicle.
Gripping the side of the handbasin, the most focused and brilliant member of the Golden Trio burst into heart wrenching sobs.
He had held her for seconds but he would never realise what it meant to her.
After a few minutes, Hermione gathered herself together and, casting a spell to conceal her tear-stained cheeks and puffy eyes, walked back towards her friends with her head held high. It was getting harder and harder to do.
By now all the seats were taken and, despite everyone's attempts to 'budge up' and make room (Lavender instantly hopping onto Ron's knee), Hermione insisted she wanted to get some advanced reading done so moved into the middle of the carriage to sit on her own. Nobody argued; this was Hermione Granger afterall. One silencing charm later, she had her head down and was furiously writing away with her favourite eagle-feathered quill clenched between her ink-stained fingers.
She wasn't sure if she had seen things but was it possible Draco Malfoy was reading a muggle paperback? And, not only that, was he reading one of the Time Wars series? Surely not! Hermione wanted to ask the moment she saw him lift up the book but the opportunity was lost, thanks to Ron.
Meanwhile, her Lucas and Andre were in the middle of their own adventure and Janice was waiting to post chapter four online (apparently the story had over one hundred followers thus far and readers were anxious for updates). There was only one slight difference; in BiblioBabe199's Time Wars fanfiction, Lucas Priest had platinum blond hair and silver grey eyes.
.
Further down the carriage, five Slytherin students were keeping a low profile and talking quietly amongst themselves.
Draco was sitting by the window alongside Theo Nott who was currently engrossed in The Dracula Caper. Across from them were Blaise Zabini, with his girlfriend Tracey Davis sitting on his knee, and Pansy Parkinson cuddled into his side with her legs tucked under her.
"Blaise, mate," Draco smiled. "We've only left the station and you've got the girls hanging off you!"
"Says the one! Apparently our Pans is a cuddler," his best friend replied. "Who knew?"
"Oh, for Merlin's sake! It's bloody freezing. At this stage, I'd cuddle Argus Filch himself if it meant I could heat up," Pansy moaned. "You don't mind, do you, Trace?"
The quietest Slytherin of them all smiled at her friend. "Of course not, Pans. Cuddle away."
"Don't I get a say?" The Italian exclaimed. "Mi sto usando qui!"
"No one's using you, Blaise," Tracey laughed. "You're just doing my best friend a favour; like a dutiful boyfriend." She leaned down to kiss his cheek.
"Oh, please!" Theo looked up. "Trying to read here."
"Which one are you on?" Pansy enquired. She couldn't see the book's cover from where she was sitting.
"Eight."
"Oh, I loved that one! All those robotic vampires. It was really cool when-"
"Spoilers, Pans!" They all responded simultaneously.
This was a frequent issue. Pansy Parkinson's mouth had no filter.
The five friends continued to banter about the muggle books Draco had written to suggest they read over the summer. The girls were engrossed as soon as they started the first book, although it took a while for them to do so, with Blaise eventually starting The Ivanhoe Gambit just to stop Tracey's constant chatter about how brilliant it was. He was equally enthralled from the first chapter. Theo was the last to agree to try the books, hence he was only now on book eight.
It wasn't as simple as just picking up the first book and beginning to read, however; it was almost a cleansing ritual for Pansy, Theo, and Blaise. They looked to Draco as their unofficial leader - a title he'd never wanted but took seriously nonetheless - and so, at his suggestion, they took their first steps to freedom by agreeing to read muggle literature. For Tracey, it was an easier step having been exposed to the non-wizarding world through her muggle mother.
The tight-knit group knew they wouldn't be welcome back at Hogwarts but, of all the Slytherins that graced the dungeons of the old school, they were most anxious to make amends. Tracey and her parents hadn't been involved in the war and she was kept away from Hogwarts for most of the previous year. She was, however, a Slytherin and wanted to use her halfblood status to prove to the rest of the school that some snakes really weren't all that bad.
Blaise and Theo had witnessed the Carrow's torture and mutilation firsthand and, although, they weren't physically attacked by the siblings, Pansy was. Their lifelong friend had been Crucio'd by Alecto for daring to help a first year who had been cursed for dropping his inkpot. The twisted sister continued to stalk Pansy after that, cursing and hexing her at every available opportunity. The sheer brutality eventually wore the young girl down and she would cry herself to sleep every night, pleading with the gods for an end to her persecution. Seeing Harry Potter in the Great Hall prior to the final battle caused her to speak out against him but she had just wanted it all to stop.
Pansy was determined to apologise for her actions, and explain herself, but it was only the first day of term and she wasn't quite brave enough. Yet.
A few hours passed as the train continued its long journey towards the Scottish Highlands. The Slytherins remained at one end of the carriage with the Gryffindors and their adopted Ravenclaw at the other. Hermione "Switzerland" Granger stayed in the middle, her quill scratching the parchment constantly.
.
After a snack from the sweet trolley, Hermione stood up and walked past the Slytherins to the opposite carriage door. She had no desire to pass Ron and have him berate her for earlier, or pass snide comments that she would find too hard to overlook, so she decided to pass the Slytherins instead. She figured they would just ignore her.
As she was making her way along the carriage, Draco asked Theo to move so he could step away to use the toilet. The taller wizard stood to allow his blond friend leave his seat, putting both of them right in Hermione's path, meaning she had no choice but to stop as the aisle was now blocked. She halted a few feet away, biting her lip and trying not to make eye contact with anyone in particular.
"Granger, I apologise," Theo was the first to speak. "I didn't notice you."
"Eh...that's alright, Nott," she replied, looking up. It was the first time in all their years at Hogwarts that she had ever spoken to Theo Nott directly and Hermione was taken aback by his quiet tone. He was softly spoken with actual manners, it seemed. She felt the knot (yeah, even she acknowledged the pun) in her stomach loosen as he smiled at her.
"As soon as this blond bombshell steps off my foot, I can move to let you pass," Theo grinned, his eyes narrowing at Draco. The blond in question was rooted to the spot, not having moved since Hermione came near. She didn't look at him, her attention focused on his friend, but he felt his pulse quicken all the same. He may just have pushed down heavily on Theo's foot before moving his own away, muttering an apology. At least, it sounded like an apology.
"Is that a term of endearment or a jibe at his intellectual capabilities?" Hermione's inner Gryffindor encouraged her to be sociable so she attempted a Slytherin-style remark.
Theo's answer was drowned out by the laughter of his fellow Slytherins.
"Nice one, Granger," Pansy snickered. "Look! Draco's speechless."
"He won't be speaking his mind so," Blaise was laughing so much Tracey almost toppled off his knee. She had to grab the table in front of them for support.
Draco turned to Hermione, an unreadable expression on his face.
"You've set them off, Granger. This may go on for a while."
Hermione couldn't answer; she was genuinely surprised by the comedic atmosphere. Theo came to her rescue.
"You have to admit, he certainly is a whiter shade of pale."
That threw her completely. Did Theo Nott just reference a muggle song? She gaped unattractively at the dark-haired obstacle in her way.
"Em...can I please get by? I really need the loo."
"Of course, of course," Theo shoved Draco aside to make room for her to pass. "It seems our blond has also mislaid his manners."
Hermione smiled politely and continued on towards the door.
Draco lit on Theo as soon as she was out of earshot.
"What the absolute fuck!" He exclaimed before turning to the others. "And you lot! Talk about making a show of me!"
"Calm down, Draco. We were joking with her, not at you," Tracey interjected. "We need this! We need to make things right in order to-"
"And what's better than getting into Granger's good books?" Pansy interrupted, casting a warning glance over at Tracey. "She's the most likely to forgive us first. After her, the rest will follow."
"We hope," Blaise added.
"It's important that Granger accepts us," Theo continued before sighing loudly. "Look, we may as well tell him." He looked back at Draco. "Like the guys said, we need this. But, first and foremost, if we succeed, she's more than likely to accept you. That's what we're aiming for."
Draco was taken aback. "You are all doing this for me," he whispered.
"We know how you feel, mate." Blaise confirmed, before placing his hand across his chest and adopting the air of a voiceover actor. "And it is our Slytherin duty to ensure you achieve your goal. Therefore we, my fellow students and I, are determined to see you physically wrapped around the fit body of one Gryffindor princess by the Yule Ball."
"You ruined it at the end, sweetie," Tracey murmured.
Theo leaned over to the blond who's cheeks were now a blooming shade of rose pink.
"Weren't you on the way to the toilet?" He nodded in the direction of the carriage door.
Draco followed his friend's gaze.
"I was. Wasn't I?"
"Well then, no time like the present, mate. Go make a start."
Theo clapped Draco on the shoulder before gently, but firmly, nudging him in the direction of the carriage door. Before he completely left their sight, however, Pansy surreptitiously waved her magic wand.
There was no sign of Hermione when he stepped through to the small hallway. He felt slightly panicked until the muffled sound of the toilet flushing reminded him of where she was intending to go in the first place. He took a deep breath, stepping farther away from the small door in order not to crowd her. After a minute, the lock slid open and Hermione stepped outside.
"Don't go back to your seat!"
She looked up, surprised. Draco had rushed the words out, hoping she'd listen to him.
"Pardon?"
"Look, I need to use the toilet, alright? But I'm asking you to wait here for me. I want to talk...to you."
Hermione tried not to laugh out loud. She pursed her lips together but her eyes shone with mirth.
"What!" He demanded.
"Your hair," she grinned. "Not your best look."
Reaching up, Draco felt a mohawk on top of his head with an edge that could cut steel.
"Bastards!" he exclaimed, moving swiftly towards the toilet and praying to Merlin there was a mirror in the cubicle. He turned to close the door and caught her standing by the window, the bright September sun highlighting her long caramel hair. Draco Malfoy's broken heart pumped a little stronger.
"I'll wait," she turned to him. "Hurry though, your hair needs immediate medical attention."
He never urinated so fast in his life.
And there was no mirror in that particular toilet. Fuck.
He unlocked the door and stepped back out, looking sheepish.
"There's no mirror and I left my wand back on my seat. I can't go back looking-"
"I could, you know," Hermione couldn't find the words, choosing instead to retrieve her wand from her pocket and wiggle it in front of him.
"Thanks," he smiled shyly, moving towards her.
Hermione's heart was in her mouth as she waved her wand towards his head. Pettinare. The razor-sharp mohawk collapsed down and flopped around Draco's face.
"Em...it didn't exactly work," she confessed, biting her lower lip. Placing her wand back in her pocket, she lifted her hands up. "May I?"
He couldn't answer. Never taking his eyes from hers, he stepped even closer.
Almost reverently, Hermione reached up and touched Draco's hair for the first time. It was so soft, she heard herself gasp slightly. She ran her fingers through the silky smooth locks, comparing his hair's texture to that of Teddy Lupin's baby fine hair. Gently coaxing the unkempt strands back into place, she found herself unable to remove her fingers. So many nights dreaming about him, yearning for him, and here she was touching him for the first time. It was almost heartbreaking; he had no idea how she felt. Nor would he ever know.
Draco thought his lungs would burst. Here she was, so close he could smell her delicate perfume. He would die for this witch in front of him, he knew that now. He just wished he had done it months before and saved her from all that pain.
As she focused on her task, he never moved his eyes from hers; they were the colour of his favourite dark chocolate with flecks of honey or the lightest caramel. The touch of her hands sent sparks of desire shooting through him like a lightning bolt. He closed his eyes, visualising Madame Pomfrey in a Hufflepuff yellow thong and nothing else. It instantly helped.
"I chose my mother."
Hermione lowered her hands. "Pardon?"
"I had no choice," he continued, opening his eyes and letting his gaze fall to her navy Converse. "It was her or you. I wanted so much to save you but...I was weak."
At his final word he looked up, his silver eyes capturing her breath. "I-I don't understand, how-"
"The Dark-" he began, before shaking his head slightly. Taking a deep breath, he began again. "I had failed in my task during sixth year and barely escaped with my life. I should have let the sick bastard kill me rather than plead for mercy but I guess I'm not very strong." He shrugged his shoulders. "He called me 'a waste of space,' Granger. How right he was."
Hermione opened her mouth to reply but he raised his hand to stop her.
"I need to say this. Please," his pleading look was heartbreaking. "Please-"
"Go on," she encouraged him gently.
"I'm a skilled Occlumens, thanks to Snape, so Voldemort never realised I-" Draco stopped abruptly. "It doesn't matter. He told me that, if I stepped out of line again, he'd feed my mother to Fenrir Greyback and make me watch. I did what I could when the three of you...I was too scared to do anymore. I'm so sorry."
Hermione could feel the tears welling in her eyes. One tiny droplet slipped from her eyelash to her cheek and, without thinking, Draco raised his hand and tenderly wiped it away with his thumb. She was frozen to the spot, staring at him in shock.
"I don't expect-" he began.
He never finished. The train's piercing whistle announced their arrival at Hogsmeade Station.
Draco stepped back. "We'd better-"
"Yes. Yes, we should-"
He opened the carriage door and stepped back to let her pass. Hermione smiled as she moved ahead of him, feeling the hairs rise on the back of her neck due to his proximity. Abruptly, she turned back and looked up to him.
"Thank you."
Draco nodded but no words came.
"You saved us that night, even if you didn't realise what you were doing," she spoke quickly, as everyone was now out of their seats and reaching for their bags. "You didn't tell them who we were and you practically gave your wand to Harry. I could see the torment in your face, Malfoy. It can't have been easy for you either having that-that thing is your home."
Without thinking, Hermione stood on tiptoe and kissed Draco lightly on the cheek before turning to walk back to her seat.