Hermione had intended on returning to Hogwarts, before McGonagall had offered the "eighth year" class and before Kingsley had offered full NEWTs to anyone in DA who participated. She wasn't going back to hide from the reporters who wanted an inside scoop from one third of the "Golden Trio" as the media dubbed them. She wasn't going back to avoid Molly's insistent and awkward attempts at match making, between Hermione and her youngest son. She wasn't even going back for her NEWTs, though that was the reason she told everyone.
She was going back to Hogwarts in the hope, somewhere in its halls, normalcy was waiting for her. McGonagall had offered to let Hermione use the Floo in the headmaster's office, if she wanted to avoid stares and questions from the students on the train. Hermione had refused her offer, though it had taken her a while to decide that she wanted to be on the train again.
Platform 9 ¾ had been busy, as it always was on September 1st. Hermione tried not to fidget too much, and tried not to listen to the alarm bells that went off in her head when a boy, a wizard, by the owl in it's cage among his things, had bumped into her. She hadn't heard the apology he'd offered, and she'd run towards the wall before he could realize who she was, and ask for her autograph.
She was earlier than she remembered ever getting to King's Cross, though dealing with all of the Weasley boys, Ginny, Harry and herself had always been a bit of a challenge. It was easy to find a compartment to herself, where she decided any person from her year would be welcome to sit, even if it was Malfoy. She left the door open, and was glad to see Neville come by not too much later.
"Hey! I didn't know you were coming back too!" she said happily, before she pulled him into a hug. He stowed his trunk and sat across from her.
"Gran didn't want me to come back, but I needed to. I couldn't let it end like that, you know?" Hermione nodded and was momentarily distracted when she caught a bit of red hair out of the corner of her eye.
"There you are!" Ginny said, as she poked her head into the compartment. "You missed Ron and Harry on the platform. They came to see me off."
By the time 11 o'clock hit and the train started to move, the compartment Hermione claimed was full of loud conversation and cheer. Hannah sat on Neville's nap and blushed a bit while she braided Susan's hair. Susan was in a deep conversation with Padma Patil. Blaise Zabini was the only Slytherin who'd agreed to join them, and he was arguing Quidditch strategies with Ginny. Hermione was too happy to sink herself into one of her new textbooks, but Ginny quickly had it out of her hand.
"Nuh uh, you have the whole year to study. If you're going to learn magic, then I'm going to teach you some hair charms,: Ginny insisted.
"She could certainly use them," Zabini said. He acted like he'd said it under his breath, but he hadn't bothered to actually lower his voice. Hermione couldn't help but smile a bit.
"Do you know any hair charms, Zabini?" Hermione teased.
"Course I do. Looking this pretty doesn't come easy," he said, as though it were common knowledge. Perhaps Hermione had made a good decision in taking the train ride to school.