September first found Hermione at Kings Cross with her Grandmother and the Weasley's. Even Adrian had come to see her off and promised her that he would write at least weekly. She had blushed when he'd reached for her hand and put a heated kiss on the back of her knuckles, winking at her and then watching with a huge smile as she got on the train and waved at him as it took off from the train station.
Theo and Harry had gone off to find a compartment and Hermione had found herself wandering around the train for a bit as a few of her fellow classmates nodded politely in greeting. She returned the gestures, her mind elsewhere.
She had asked Adrian when he'd returned her to Fosgate Hall what Malfoy had meant by his comment in Madam Malkins and he'd just shrugged and said that he'd forgotten himself and should've been a bit more discreet with the PDA. Hermione had been a bit confused, but Theo had explained it in detail the next day and Hermione had been incensed at first by Malfoy's high-handedness...but then after much contemplation she'd realized that the wizard had just been trying to be considerate of her reputation.
She hadn't known what to do with that piece of information, so she'd ignored it.
Now that she was back on the Hogwarts Express and on her way to school for another year—Hermione knew fundamentally that things were going to be different this year. She was no longer a Muggleborn witch—at least not officially. She was now a Prewett—a member of the Sacred Twenty Eight. The thought made her want to retch, but she couldn't deny to herself that a part of her was oddly relieved too.
It would be nice to have a year at school where she wasn't being tormented for being herself.
When she walked through the second train compartment—her eyes caught on a flash of blonde in the third compartment on the right. Her head turned and locked with grey eyes looking at her. His expression was neutral...not closed off but not welcoming either. Blaise Zabini, Crabbe and Goyle were in the compartment with him as was Daphne Greengrass. The witch looked up and nodded at her, which she returned before bolting down the train compartment...desperate to find her brother and cousin.
Back in the Slytherin compartment, Daphne smirked at her blonde friend—who's expression was thoughtful.
"Did you see that Adrian was with her family?"
Draco just sighed, but didn't respond. He didn't need to.
"Marcus told me that Adrian told him that Hermione visited McKinnon Manor this past week. He wasn't invited but Theo was."
Everyone's eyebrows raised with interest at this piece of news.
"No one to my knowledge has ever set foot in McKinnon Manor." Daphne said with a tinge of awe in her voice. "Did you know it was speculated once upon a time, that the McKinnon family hailed from Morgana Le Fay herself?"
Draco scoffed, but Blaise just chuckled at his friend's look of disbelief. "That's just rumors Daph," Draco insisted with a sneer, "besides...there have been many rumors surrounding that family and none of them were ever proven. And don't you think if it were true...that the McKinnon family wouldn't have been wiped out by the Dark Lord?"
What Draco failed to tell anyone other than his Mother, who'd been there that day...was that he highly suspected that Dumbledore had convinced the McKinnon's to relocate from their ancestral home—thereby allowing them to be killed for the greater good.
His Mother had agreed with his supposition and they'd both decided to keep their own counsel about said events. His Father hadn't been happy when he'd found out that they'd forgotten to mention certain facts from the will reading but Draco didn't need his Father to run interference for him.
Lucius had all the subtlety of a pit viper most days.
And he was just as venomous and treacherous too.
"Well, whatever the reason I think it's fascinating. Do you think she might hold a ball there eventually?"
"Doubtful." Blaise quipped with a grin. "I don't think that Hermione Prewett is going to allow anyone she doesn't implicitly trust access to her family Manor. Muriel may hold a gala or two at a Fosgate Hall, but McKinnon Manor will be off limits. Shame though."
Draco nodded absently, his gaze staring out the train window as they finally passed through London and began to make their way north.
"How's Pansy?" Blaise asked flippantly, and watched his best mate stiffen at the question.
"Wouldn't know, actually. Thankfully, she took the not so subtle hint and has set her sights on other prey."
"Who?"
"Marcus Flint, I believe."
Daphne giggled while Blaise just grimaced in disgust.
"He is Sacred Twenty Eight." Crabbe piped in helpfully and Draco sighed again but nudged his mate in the shoulder.
"As if that makes it any less weird?"
Crabbe just grinned while Goyle stuffed his mouth with the sweets he'd packed away for the long journey.
"I think they're perfect for each other." Daphne deadpanned and Blaise snickered at how malevolent his witch was.
"Well, their mental acumen is comparable if nothing else." Draco responded evenly but his lips quirked tellingly.
"Harsh, mate."
"But true."
"Hmm," Blaise smiled as the trolley came to their door and he was quick to open it and pick up a few things for him and Daphne. Draco bought some ice mice and a cauldron cake while Crabbe and Goyle got one of everything. "Here you go love."
Blaise handed Daphne her sugar quills and she beamed at him with a "thank you" before conversation slowed as everyone enjoyed their treats. After a while Draco excused himself to stretch his legs and told his friends he'd be back in a bit.
Elsewhere, Hermione had found Theo and Harry in a back compartment in the third car. Ron wasn't with them thankfully as she'd seen him with Neville, Seamus and Dean in another compartment and they were all playing exploding snap. Luna had found them though, and she and Theo were looking in some odd colored book together.
"Hey." She smiled as she walked into the compartment.
"There you are!" Harry breathed out in relief. "I was about to come and search for you."
Hermione smiled at her silly brother. "I'm fine Harry. Has the trolley been by yet?"
Everyone shook their heads in the negative, so Hermione took a seat next to Harry—who was sitting by the window.
"You and Adrian seem to be getting along rather well these days." Harry bit out with a playful grin, and laughed when his sister smacked his arm in retaliation.
"Stop it Harry!" Hermione blushed a bit but her smile was telling as she couldn't deny she had grown rather fond of the older wizard this summer. "Adrian has been a welcome distraction this summer, but now that we are back at school I don't know what to expect."
Theo raised his head and grinned. "The wizard is smitten Hermione. I know you don't know much about formal courtships and the like."
"I don't." She admitted with a scowl. "You know what happened the other day at Madam Malkins, Theo. I'm still trying to process it all."
"What happened?" Harry asked, intrigued.
Theo smirked at his cousin who rolled her eyes at him, but she spoke up anyway.
"Malfoy caught Adrian and I in the back snogging. He inferred that Adrian needed to be a bit more careful in regards to my reputation in public."
At Harry incredulous look, Hermione giggled. "I know, I think I had that exact look on my own face. After the deplorable ways in which Malfoy has treated me the past five years, its hard to buy into the fact that he's all of a sudden worried about my reputation."
Theo just chuckled. "I'm not."
"What do you mean?" Harry demanded.
"Look, I know you both haven't had many good experiences with Draco."
"None." Harry muttered and Theo just laughed harder while Luna smiled too.
"He's always been rather polite to me, if a bit standoffish." Luna hummed out breezily—noticing the astonished looks being sent her way by everyone.
"Not in public, but privately he's been rather kind. He helped me get a pair of my shoes back last year when one of my housemates tried to hide them in the castle. Took points away too which I wasn't too upset by, even if it was my own house."
"Really?"
"Hmm, yes." Luna nodded. "I'm not excusing Malfoy's actions and the things he's said to Hermione because they were rather unkind...but he's always had a thin skin. He doesn't take to taunts well and has a tendency to react first in the worst way."
Theo mimicked Luna's expression. "She's right. But for all his faults, he does tend to live his life by a rather strict set of rules. He and Pansy may have been casually seeing each other but Draco would never compromise a witch's integrity. Especially not a Pureblood. He may taunt and say mean things, but he'd never raise a hand to a witch. In fact, one of my older housemates back in third year did just that to a witch in our house and Draco took him to task right in front of the entire common room. Hexed the offender and told him if he did it again—he'd make sure he was expelled."
Hermione's face paled and as she glanced at Harry, his expression was horrified too.
Apparently there was more to Draco Malfoy than met the eye.
Just then the trolley stopped by and Harry grabbed some sweets for everyone. For a while they just sat and discussed the upcoming school year. Hermione had made prefect, and Harry had too which had been a surprise. Ron had been livid but when Harry mentioned that now he'd have more time to get ready for Quidditch tryouts the red-head had seemed appeased. Malfoy was still a prefect, as was Parkinson. Head Girl was Cho Chang and Head Boy was Eddie Carmichael—also in Ravenclaw.
When the train got a bit closer to Hogwarts, Hermione grabbed her robes and went to get dressed while Luna left to check in with Ginny. Theo headed back to the Slytherin compartment so Harry could get his robes on and he left for the Head's compartment at the front of the train.
When he got to the compartment, nearly everyone was there except for Parkinson, Malfoy and Mione.
Hermione was at that moment making her way towards the prefects meeting when she heard several voices coming from up ahead. She immediately recognized Sally's voice and she smiled—then scowled as she heard a couple wizard's taunting the little witch.
"Look who we have here, Selwyn. It's a little firstie! What's you name little girl?"
Sally didn't like the look on either boy's face, but she stood up straight and said in her bossiest voice, "Sally."
"Sally!" The other voice scoffed. "That must be a Muggle name! Are you a Muggle witch, Sally?"
"I don't know what you're talking about but you better let me through!"
"Or what?" The Selwyn boy mocked. "What are you gonna do, little ickle firstie mudblood?"
Hermione was about to step in a say something when a deep voice interrupted the taunting.
"Just what is going on here?"
Hermione immedately recognized that voice and she felt her legs stuck as she listened with bated breath—wondering just what Malfoy was going to do to his own housemates, who were being hateful prats.
The other two boys chuckled and said arrogantly, "Just introducing ourselves to little Sally here."
"I see," Draco murmured and then Hermione heard a yelp and a crushing sound that sounded suspiciously like someone being pushed against something. "Let me get this straight Selwyn? You were openly taunting this first year and calling her a mudblood? Did I hear that correctly?"
"Yeah, so? It's not as if you haven't used the word yourself Malfoy."
Hermione heard Draco sigh and she wished more than anything she could see his expression.
"Yes, regrettably but that ends today. Spread the word Selwyn. If I hear anyone using that name in public they will answer to me. You need to remember where you are and your place. Are you a Slytherin or a Gryffindor?"
Hermione bristled at that, but continued to listen as the two boys mumbled something she couldn't hear. Then she heard them walking away.
After a few seconds, her heart—which had been in her throat—started to calm as she heard Sally's timid voice speak.
"Thank you Mister."
There was a beat of silence and then Malfoy's voice spoke up, and it was far kinder than Hermione thought he was capable of.
"Ignore those dolts. What is you name?"
"Sally."
Draco chuffed and Hermione felt herself actually smiling.
"And do you have a last name, Miss Sally?"
"Oh! Um...yes. Sally Kelley."
Draco stared down at the little Muggleborn witch, who looked shockingly like Hermione Granger had the first time he'd seen her on the Hogwarts Express six years ago.
He almost smiled at the similarities. The young girl's voice was even haughty like Granger's had been.
"Do you have a name too?"
This time Draco did chuckle deeply and his eyes lit up with mirth.
"Draco Malfoy, but you might hear me being referred to by other names."
"Like what?"
Draco winked and then said conspiratorially, "Foul evil cockroach."
Hermione couldn't help it as she laughed out in shock and Draco looked up in surprise, his head stretching around the corner to see Hermione Prewett genuinely smiling at him.
It was surreal.
Sally it seemed, heard the guffaw too and her curly head followed his before she chimed out happily, "Hermione!"
The little witch rushed over and was instantly enveloped into a warm embrace by Hermione...who mouthed, 'thank you' over her head. Draco nodded and then turned around and left them alone.
"You okay?"
"Yeah." Sally said emotively. "What's a mudblood?"
"It's a very mean name that some people say because they don't know any better. If anyone calls you that come tell me and I'll deal with it personally. I'm a prefect for Gryffindor House and once you're sorted, let whomever your House prefect know that we are friends...okay?"
"Maybe I'll get sorted into your House?"
Hermione tapped the young witch's nose and said "Maybe" with a bright smile.
"I have to go to the prefects meeting but I'll see you in the Great Hall."
"Okay." Sally muttered before her face brightened a bit. "That Draco Malfoy seems nice."
Hermione grimaced and hesitantly replied—not wishing to respond directly, "Just be mindful, alright?"
"Will do." Sally nodded and watched the older witch move towards the front of the train. She went to turn around and saw a vaguely familiar blonde witch staring at her strangely.
"Hello Sally. I'm Luna."
"Hi Luna."
"Come sit with me."
"Okay."
Luna took Sally into her compartment where Ginny was talking with Faye Dunbar and Lavender Brown while elsewhere Hermione entered the Head's compartment noticing she was the last to arrive. She nodded politely at everyone and went to stand next to Harry.
"You okay?" He whispered and she just mouthed, 'later' as the Head's handed out the prefect schedule and then sent them on their way.
When she looked up, she caught Malfoy's gaze for a fleeting moment—his expression as always was inscrutable but Parkinson just glared hatefully at her.
Hermione rolled her eyes, not in the mood to deal with Pansy's histrionics today.
"Well...well...if it isn't little Miss perfect!"
Hermione looked around in feigned confusion before her attention was focused on the Black-haired witch.
"I'm sorry Parkinson...were you addressing me?"
Pansy just scoffed, but Malfoy cleared his voice in warning which the witch ignored.
"Obviously."
"Oh dear, I'm sorry. I'm not used to being addressed by you in such a thoughtful way. Did you hit your head this morning...you feeling alright? Perhaps Madam Pomfrey has a tonic for whatever is ailing you."
Her voice had been so sickeningly sweet, that everyone stopped at stared.
Malfoy was trying his hardest not to smile.
"Piss off Granger..."
Hermione sighed and shook her head. "Get over yourself Parkinson. Whatever your issues are, go seek out some counseling for it. No one appreciates your vitriol and I must say that someone of your breeding should be more concerned with the kind of image you portray."
"That's rich coming from you. You were raised by Muggles."
"Yes I was and proud of it. At least I learned how to be respectful, kind, thoughtful, considerate, intelligent and compassionate. I don't think anyone could use those superlatives to describe you."
Pansy went to lift her wand but Hermione just grinned and flexed her hand—freezing the witch in place. Everyone gasped as Hermione casually walked into the other witch's space and said lowly so only she and Malfoy could hear her.
"Be very careful Parkinson. I can turn you to ash with a flick of my wrist. What do you think might happen to you if you raise your wand at me again?"
With a snap of her fingers, Pansy crumpled to the ground and blue eyes met grey as she stared down Malfoy who just smirked at her in response.
Impressive magic.
Harry opened the compartment door and followed his sister out into the walkway, ignoring the looks of awe on everyone's face.
He was fairly certain word of this was going to be around the school by the end of dinner.
So much for a quiet year.