Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I make any money from it
Thank you to all my followers, readers and reviewers. I hope you can forgive my absence from updating, things have been a bit busy and I am afraid to say it is going to be a couple of weeks before the next update due to being out of internet connection. :-O I know how can someone not have internet connection in the 21st century but I will update as soon as I can.
I agree with flyingpigmonkey that I could do with a beta reader and as I have never arranged a beta before, and kinda new to this, I shall try to find one sooner than later.
In the mean time enjoy :-)
The sun was shining through the window a small trace of which was now passing through a gap in her bed hangings and shining on Hermione's face. Slowly stirring from her sleep she pulled her blue hangings back and glanced at her clock. It displayed the time of 7:30am, deciding to get up and washed she turned her alarm off, stumbled out of bed and made her way to the shower. Half an hour later she returned to her room and changed into her school uniform while casting a drying and sleeking charm on her hair, she glanced at her reflection in the mirror smiled at the badge pinned to her chest and then left to meet up with Harry. The latter was alreadywaiting in the common room reading his potions textbook. "Are you ready for our first day back to school in over a year Harry?" Hearing her voice he closed his book, stood up and smiled at the brunette.
"I honestly cannot wait. How is your bedroom?" He asked while they made their way to breakfast.
"Well it is decorated in Ravenclaw colours with bookshelves for my reading material, a study table and other furniture. Oh and an amazing view of the lake and grounds from my window, the whole dormitory is amazing."
"It sounds to me like we have identical rooms. I was wondering do you think McGonagall did it on purpose. Decorating the common room like the lion's den and our rooms like the Raven's tower?"
"You know what Harry I think she did. Deep down we both know we belong in both houses and I think it was her way of letting us keep some of the Gryffindor in us true." They sat down and started to help themselves to toast and porridge. "I wonder what our first lesson will be."
"Knowing our luck it will be potions with Slytherin, well this year I do not plan to let Snape make me feel useless." He took a mouthful of orange juice and picked his toast up. A short while later Malfoy appeared at Hermione's shoulder.
"Potter, Granger" he nodded "would you mind if I sat next to you?" The whole hall seemed to have gone silent at this and Harry looked at Hermione.
"Of course Malfoy, please call me Hermione; we are in the same house after all."
"Ok Grang... Hermione and please call me Draco." He took a seat next to her and the whole hall erupted into conversation while, unknown to the three, Minerva smiled into her goblet at the actions of the three Raven's.
"Draco, I hope you do not mind me calling you that, the same applies to me. If you are willing to use my first name then feel free to call me Harry." The whole scene was watched by a very frustrated red headed Slytherin. Slowly the hall emptied of students as they were passed their timetables and eventually Professor Flitwick arrived at the trio.
"Ah Mr Malfoy, Miss Granger and Mr Potter here are your timetables. I am delighted that you three have been sorted into Ravenclaw house, if you have any issues please come and see me. Potter I have been thinking about the Quidditch Captain placement..."
"Please Professor I have enough responsibility with Head Boy duties. May I suggest you make Draco captain? I can always give him advice on the team and practice sessions." Oh how he wished he had a camera now, the picture of Malfoy's and Hermione's faces would be priceless.
"A very wise choice Potter, Mr Malfoy would you like to become Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain."
"I would be honoured Professor, however I would still want Harry to try out for the team." The blonde took the badge and pinned it to his chest.
"Very well, good day to you three." Harry took one last swig of his orange juice and looked at his table; first lesson was double potions with Slytherin.
"We best get moving its double potions, if I tried out for the team Mal... Draco wouldn't that mean you would lose your place?" he said standing up and making his way to potions.
"Pott..." he took a breath "Harry I hate to admit it but you are the best seeker in this school and I would be a fool not to allow you on the team. Anyway I always thought my skills would be more suited to a chaser." This time Draco needed a camera because it was not often Harry looked like he had seen a ghost. The three took seats at the back of the class room and were shortly joined by Theodore, Blaise and Ron.
"You know Potter that was very noble of you to allow Draco to take his correct place as captain." Blaise stated while glaring at Ron who had snorted.
"Knock it off Blaise. Harry, Hermione meet Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott." Draco introduced them while Ron glared at the blonde, however before he could say anything Snape walked into the dungeon.
"Today we will be brewing the draft of the living death, this should ease your brains back into the correct level of potions you should be brewing." With a wave of his wand the instructions appeared on the board. "Split into pairs and begin you have 90 minutes."
"Miss Granger would you like to work with me?" Blaise asked to which he was responded to with a bright smile and a nod.
"Harry get the cauldron set up, I will get the ingredients." Draco stated flatly and left the group with Blaise hot on his heels.
"That leaves me and you Weasley. Do not touch anything I plan to pass this class." With that Theodore left the group.
"What the bloody hell is wrong with you too? Why are you befriending ex-snakes and snakes, have you lost your minds?"
"Ronald we are getting to know our class and house mates, maybe you should consider doing the same. As for befriending snakes you are currently a member of Slytherin maybe you should consider what you say about your house." She looked at Ron with an expression of utter confusion while the red head opened his mouth to reply when Harry cut in.
"She does have a point Ron, if it wasn't for Malfoy we would all be dead by now. Anyway we have called a truce on our petty jealousy; it caused nothing but trouble anyway." He was now concerned the trio would end up in a heated debate causing them to receive a detention on their first day, glancing around he noticed the other three males returning to the table.
"I cannot believe you two..."
"Hey Weasley stop chatting and cut up those ingredients." Theodore said while placing what appeared to be flesh eating slugs in front of him.
"I hope you do not mind Potter but I like good marks in potions." Draco sneered, his old habit's taking control in his favorite subject, he noticed Harry sigh under his breath before turning to face the blonde his emerald eyes full of determination.
"Just trust me Draco I know how to brew potions."
Two hours later and much to the ex-Slytherin's, Blaise and Ron's disbelief Snape had nothing but positive comments about Harry's and Draco's potion. "Well Potter it seems Malfoy has created a perfect potion for the pair of you." He smirked at the raven haired man.
"Actually Sir Harry brewed this potion." Snape raised an eyebrow at his soon to be potion apprentice unable to believe his ears.
"Well in that case I suggest Ravenclaw deserves some points. 20 points awarded to Ravenclaw for Potter's perfect reproduction of the draught of the living dead. Add another 20 points for creating a change to Potters attitude. Now Nott and Weasley let's see your potion." By the end of the lesson theirs, Hermione and Blaise's potions had been classed as quality required for NEWT level potions. Ron had added the wrong ingredients while Theodore had his back turned measuring powdered newt causing them to be set homework.
"If I ever have to work with Weasley again it will be too soon." Theodore said while slamming his text book in his bag and storming out of the dungeon.
"Mr Weasley stay behind after the class." Ron shot them a look asking them to wait for him outside; with a small smile from the pair he made his way to Snape's desk. "Now Mr Weasley I have heard that you are not settling into Slytherin as well as you should be. Is there anything you want to talk to me about?" Ron shook his head he knew better than to slag his own house off in front of its head. "In that case I cannot have you dragging this class behind or disgracing the name of Slytherin. I am willing to offer you two choices; the first is that you take extra potion studies in your own time outside of lessons. The second is that you give up NEWT level potions as I know you will fail the subject unless you improve by putting in extra hours of study."
"Professor I have never been one for potions so I will happily drop the subject, I only ever took it so I could become an Auror but Kingsley has stated all students who fought in the war will have the opportunity to train so I no longer need my Potions NEWT." He turned on his heel and left the dungeon and a very shocked potions master behind.
"What did Snape want?" Hermione asked as he appeared from the class room.
"To give me a choice to either take extra potion lessons or to drop the subject, so I have dropped out of potions." He lead the group out of the dungeons and up the stairs not looking at them.
"How was your first night in Slytherin?" Harry asked changing the subject, he always knew Ron shouldn't be doing NEWT potions. He did not expect the red head to turn around and glare at him.
"Well I survived the night, no thanks to you two!" His face flushed a deep red as his anger rolled out of him and towards his two friends.
"It is not our fault you ended up in there Ron." Hermione replied hotly while folding her arms and glaring at the man in front of her.
"Yeah well thanks for the pep talk last night Hermione. I had to sleep with one eye open due to people trying to curse me. Luckily I managed to charm the bed hangings to be non penetrable and also making them impossible to open from the outside."
"Have you tried to not insult your house mates and actually become friends with them!"
"With those slime balls are you being serious, that is the most idiotic thing I have ever heard you say."
"I bet half of them are better people than you Weasley. At least they are loyal to their friends." With that Hermione stormed off to Transfiguration. Ron then turned around onto Harry.
"What did she mean by that?" He seemed to deflate at the comment but Harry could tell he was still simmering with rage about his situation.
"I do not know Ron, let me talk to her. I'll see you at lunch." Harry patted him on the back and then sprinted up the stair to try and catch up with the brunette.
Transfiguration passed in a blur for the class of Gryffindor's and Ravenclaw's. After scanning the room to see if Ginny was in the class he realised that they must be running the classes a year behind so everyone could catch up on the lack of education last year, this meant that there would be two year groups of first years running together. Hermione ended up spending most of the lesson helping Neville to transfigure his bird into a jumper, thus cutting off any conversation he could have had with her. Deciding to leave it until this evening he left the class and headed towards the Gryffindor table to see Ginny. "Hey Ginny, how is your first day going?"
"It has not been too bad although I was paired with an ex-snake in charms." She pulled a face and then noticed Harry frowning.
"You should try being friends with them. Speaking of snakes have you spoken to Ron, he needs you at the moment."
"No I haven't I do not know how to approach him, I can imagine he is hurt and angry. We both know that is a Ron you cannot face. Have you?" He nodded in response and she realised by his grim expression that it had not gone well.
"Gin just go see him. What are you doing this Sunday? Do you fancy spending the day flying and maybe have a picnic, that's if this weather holds?"
"That would be great Harry." She hugged him and Harry stood up and made his way back to his own table while noticing Draco and Theodore sat with Hermione the latter appeared to be rather annoyed.
"It just makes me so angry that he will not at least try. I mean look at the pair of you and Harry, you have swallowed your pride and put your differences aside to be able to get along as house mates."
"Calm down 'Mione you are making the cutlery hover." Harry said while taking a seat. "Care to fill me in on what I have missed?"
"Basically Potter, Draco asked Granger." A glare from Hermione made him change his words "Fine Hermione what was wrong and she basically went into a rant about how ungrateful a certain Weasley is and how we are better than him." Theodore replied with a hint of a smug smile playing on his lips.
"Please Theodore call me Harry."
"In that case call me Theo I hate my long name being used." Harry turned to face Hermione.
"Is that what all this is about Hermione you are angry at Ron for being his usual ungrateful self?" She sighed and pushed her spoon around her bowl of soup.
"Pretty much." With that she stood up and left the table leaving the three boy's looking confused. Draco was the first to recover from the sudden departure. Looking thoughtfully he faced Harry eyes full of curiosity, he could read people like books at times and right now he knew Hermione was keeping the real reason a secret.
"She is not telling the full truth. Harry I know it is none of my business but can you think of a time when Hermione started to act differently towards the weasel?" Harry sat there deep in thought for some time as he watched Ron at the Slytherin table talking to Ginny.
"No I don't think so... Actually she hasn't been the same towards him since he abandoned us in the forest last year." Harry grabbed the rest of his sandwich and left to find the brunette.
"Draco did you know he left the trio during their quest to kill Voldermort?" Theo asked looking concerned while shooting a glare at his old house table.
"No I didn't, I wonder if it was before they ended up in the Manor. I do not think anyone knew apart from the 'golden' trio I suppose no one but them knows exactly what happened during those 8 months. What a weasel though, no wonder his potion decided to place him in Slytherin." With that the pair of Raven's glared at the red head, formulating a plan to make his life a living hell.
There we have it another update on this story, do not forget to review.