I was told make it clear there will be a major character death, not the major character death. Second, anything in "bold" will be 'Raven'/Bellatrix, and anything in "italics" will be Hermione.

Lastly, holy crap? I didn't expect so many people to come over from the first version. This is very odd for me. But since you're all here, if you want to maybe drop in on my other stories that'd be great too. Lol just saying! Not Impurity because that's being moved to ao3.

As the train rolled through the countryside, Harry and Ron stopped at the last compartment. The two spent the final portion of the trip looking for Hermione, who went to the restroom and hadn't returned in almost an hour. Ginny said the restrooms were empty, and after much convincing, Harry dragged Ron through the train looking for their missing friend. Each compartment had the same story.

"We haven't seen her. Sorry."

"Keep better track of your friends, Potter."

"Why would the mudblood be here?"

On and on, each person made Harry more confused and Ron more annoyed.

"This train isn't that big, Harry. I'm sure she's fine," he complained.

"She left an hour ago, Ron, and none of our other friends have seen her. That's too weird."

"I still say we go back to our compartment and wait for her there."

"We tried that, remember? Plus, this is the last one. We'll ask if they've seen her and if not," he paused and shook his head, "let's just ask, alright?"

Harry knocked politely on the window. There was shuffling inside. Harry waited patiently while Ron grew agitated. He banged on the door.

"Oy! Open up. We can hear you in there," he huffed.

"Ron, quit it," Harry hissed.

The lock clicked open, and the door slid to the side, revealing none other than Draco Malfoy. The blond brushed his hair from his face and sighed dramatically. Harry peeked over Draco's shoulder. A girl wrapped in a cloak sat in the corner; the only thing on display was reddish-brown curls, and Draco leaned against the doorframe, breaking Harry's view.

"I should have known. No other self-respecting wizard would be so uncivilized in the presence of his betters." Draco folded his arms and looked them up and down with disinterest. "Now. What reason do you have for interrupting the only peace and reprieve I get away from you two?" he asked.

"It's not like I want to be here either," Ron muttered.

"Great. So leave."

The door started to close, but Harry stopped it with his foot. "Have you seen Hermione? She went to the restroom an hour ago, and she hasn't come back," he said quickly.

"Did you seriously ask me if I've seen your mudblood?" Draco scoffed.

Harry clenched his fists and gritted out, "Don't call her that."

"Or what? Going to hex me?" he leaned forward and whispered, "Kill me like you did Cedric?"

Harry whipped out his wand, and Ron followed suit. The two trembled as they aimed their wands at Draco, who kept his wand at his side and practically dared them to cast a spell. The standoff lasted another few seconds before Harry dropped his wand. Ron did the same and shook his head.

"Come on, Harry. I told you she wasn't back here. No way she'd be hanging out with scum like him."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Draco drawled. "She hangs with you two all the time."

He slammed the door in their face and shut the curtain. Harry was tempted to blast the door back open if only to make a point, but he didn't need to draw any more attention to himself. The two made their way back to their compartment.

"Hey, did you see that girl in the corner?" Ron whispered.

"Yeah," Harry muttered. "You see her before?"

"No. Must be a Slytherin."

"But I've never seen her at school. Ever."

"Well, she can't be any good if she's hanging around with the likes of Malfoy," Ron spat.

"Especially alone."

"We should keep an eye out for her once we reach the station, see who she goes home with," Ron said.

"Yeah, agreed."

The two stopped talking when they saw a barefoot Luna approaching them. "Hello Harry, Ron," she said dreamily. "You haven't happened to see my shoes have you? They keep hiding from me."

"Uh, no, Luna, we haven't seen your shoes," Harry said uncomfortably.

There was an awkward silence, broken only by the muffled laughter of the compartments nearby, and Luna stared at them with the same dreamy eyes until Ron huffed and stepped around Luna. Harry, though he seemed mildly apologetic, said nothing as he went around her as well.

"Fucking Loony, I tell you," Ron muttered as they passed.

Luna's eyes cleared, and she glanced over her shoulder. She cast a small spell that would make them forget about Hermione until the train pulled into the station. She smiled and continued down the hall.

Luna knocked on the compartment door twice before it opened. She stepped inside, and as soon as the door closed, her glamour melted away from her skin. She shivered and grabbed her shoes from the bench. The former blonde, now with silver hair and two deep gold eyes, sat in Draco's lap and kissed him on the cheek. He wrapped his arm around her waist and stretched out.

"Did you do it?" he asked.

"Obviously. They were no longer worried about Hermione, of course, but rather the stranger in the corner of the compartment," she said.

A snort sounded from the girl in the corner. The cloak fell to reveal Hermione, though sporting a different look. Her bushy hair had transformed into long, wavy curls thrown into a low ponytail. Her normal brown eyes were a bright red and focused on Luna.

"How much time did you buy me?" she asked.

"Until the train pulls into the station. Which is basically fifteen minutes."

"Great. That's enough time to get more sleep."

"Actually-

Hermione groaned and said, "Please do not be so vexing this early in our vacation, or I will be tempted to leave you to your devices for the summer."

"You wouldn't last a day," Luna teased.

"Draco, control your witch before she becomes my footstool," Hermione said, though there was no malice behind it.

"You both are children," he grumbled.

"But you love us so," Luna said, kissing him on the nose.

"Gross," Hermione muttered.

"As if you and Raven are any better," Luna said pointedly. "I remember what happened during the Valentine's Day feast. You are very lucky the dynamic duo was too dense to recognize an 'O' face."

"Luna!" Hermione and Draco exclaimed in unison.

"Oh, come off it. We all know it's true!" Luna laughed and twisted around in Draco's lap. She relaxed against the window and added, "They've probably never seen a girl's calf, let alone her happy place."

Hermione blushed and sunk down on the bench. Luna snickered and propped her head. Draco grimaced and scratched the back of his neck.

"I could've gone my entire life without that knowledge," he said.

"We both know it was bound to happen at some point. Especially since someone turned seventeen-"

"Enough!" Hermione interrupted.

Luna held up her hands in surrender. Hermione waved her hand over her face. Her hair thickened and turned back into its dull shade of brown. The red faded from her eyes, and she stood up from the bench. There was a cracking sound as she stretched, and she tugged uncomfortably at her jeans.

"I cannot believe I let Dan convince me into wearing these," she sighed.

"They look better than the others," Draco said.

"Oh shut up," she huffed.

"I mean no harm, my Lady."

Hermione rolled her eyes and said, "Stop calling me that."

"I thought you liked being called that?"

"Yeah, when I am home and free from these idiots," she said.

Draco rubbed circles on Luna's hip and asked, "Fair enough, but we have at least another thirty minutes. Are you sure you want to go back now?"

"Yes. I have someone to keep me company," she said, tapping the side of her head.

"Oh, she's awake?" he asked.

"Yes, which is all I can ask for today."

"Please tell her that I miss her."

"I will."

Hermione rolled her neck before she opened the door. She looked up and down the hall before she shuffled out of the compartment.

Once she dragged her trunk off the train with Neville's help, she waved goodbye to him as he went to his grandmother. The woman gave her a long, searching look, and Hermione pretended not to notice. Augusta has always given her that look, waiting for something, and it drove Hermione mad. Lucius, Cissy, nor Jean know why. She considered writing a letter but wasn't sure how to start. Hermione glanced back and found the Longbottom duo gone. Hermione made her way to where Harry, Ron, and Ginny were being fussed over by Molly. She stayed off to the side while the other three drowned under the attention.

Hermione's heart panged at the display but was soon replaced by anger and resentment. Hermione had a mother, a woman who would've fussed over her when she got off the train and sent her ridiculous gifts during the year. The Order, Dumbledore, killed her. Hermione also had a father. No matter how angry she was with him, he kept her safe and sane. But he was labeled a monster for wanting a world where magical beings protected their existence instead of merging with muggles. There's a reason the two were kept apart, and there's no reason to try and put them together.

Arthur glanced at her, hesitant, and she forced herself to smile. Arthur was one of the men at the house that night, and though he never cast a single offensive spell, she still blamed him for her mother's death. In fact, as Hermione looked around, almost every adult surrounding them was there that night. Sirius, of course, absent as he was not yet ready to venture into the outside world. Lily and James Potter were also missing, but they got what they deserved. Hermione took a deep breath and managed to calm down. Tonks appeared, and she smiled at her cousin. The metamorphmagus squeezed her shoulder and winked.

"Wotcher, Mione," she greeted.

Hermione twitched at the nickname. Tonks smirked as her eyes twinkled with mischief. The others, minus Arthur, finally acknowledged Hermione's presence. They greeted her with various 'hellos' and awkward smiles. And just like that, it was over. Everyone went back to Harry and pretending she didn't exist. Hermione felt something warm in the back of her mind.

Breathe, my love.

Hermione smiled and looked down. She replied mentally, "You are supposed to be resting."

I will once I know you are safe.

Such a romantic.

Hermione heard her Raven snort at the comment, and she coughed to hide her laugh. A hand brushed against hers, and she looked over at Tonks. Her cousin jerked her head towards the exit, and Hermione nodded, relieved to getaway. Neither one bothered to alert the group they were leaving. Once they were off the platform, Hermione and Tonks visibly relaxed. Hermione risked a look at her cousin and sighed.

"I need time, Nym."

"For?" she asked. "Just curious."

"I thought he was dead," she said flatly. "I thought I lost him, and to find out he's been alive the entire time was disorienting."

Her cousin inclined her head and led her to a luxury SUV parked down the street.

"I take it you haven't forgiven him?" Tonks asked.

"No. Neither my father nor Raven has earned it. And yes, she knows that as well. Just because our relationship has grown stronger does not mean I have completely moved on from the past. I refuse to do that while she is locked away in some prison. As for him," she paused and rubbed the side of her head, "he broke his promise."

"I want you to know no one in the family expects you to welcome him back with open arms. I doubt even he expects it."

Hermione nodded. Tonks sighed and walked her to the car. She waited for Dan to unlock the door before she lugged Hermione's trunk onto the backseat. Dan got back behind the wheel as Tonks shut the door.

"Be seeing you?" Tonks asked.

"Yeah."

Hermione got in the car and closed the door. She played with her necklace as Dan pulled into traffic.

"Jean told me what happened," Dan said.

"Please do not ask me if I am okay," she sighed.

"I won't." Dan patted her arm and turned on the radio. "Get some rest, kiddo," he said.

Hermione laid her head on the window and closed her eyes.