I'm studying for an English exam I have this summer, and I think that translating this story (which is mine, I have published it in Spanish) will help me a lot. My English is great but not perfect, you may find some errors. Apologies in advance.
This is my first Dramione :) I will try to update once a week!
All the Harry Potter universe belongs to J. K. Rowling.
If you prefer Ao3, you can also find this story there.
*Warning: This story contains sexual content*
Chapter One
Back to Hogwarts
Voldemort had been defeated, many lives were lost during the years of the war, but at last the magic world was completely free.
All of his followers, the Death Eaters, were either imprisoned in Azkaban or could return to their normal lives if they proved they were sorry for what they had done, as in the case of the Malfoy family.
Most of them lost almost all of their possessions, though the Malfoy's were able to keep their manor and Lucius was offered a job in the Ministry, but it had nothing to do with what he had done before.
He was a mere subordinate, just another employee that followed his superior's orders, and he would never regain his status or power.
But those who didn't go to Azkaban suffered the punishment of having to participate in the rebuilding of Hogwarts after the final battle.
Draco Malfoy spent two months walking through the castle grounds with his parents and other repentant Death Eaters. They replanted trees, rebuilt statues, reconstructed walls and shattered doors.
Without using magic, of course. Otherwise it wouldn't be a punishment.
Because of that, his hatred for all things muggle-related grew.
His precious hands had had to carry stones as if he were a pathetic squib, and he would never forgive the new Minister of Magic, Arthur Weasley, for that.
A blood traitor as a Minister of Magic, it was hard to believe.
Each time Draco imagined him in the main office of the Ministry, he gagged. But the thing that made him sick was having to go back to Hogwarts on the first of September.
Because of the war, no student had been able to finish the school year, and they were all forced to repeat it.
He would have to share classes again with the bloody Weasley siblings, his arch nemesis Potter... and that filthy mudblood Granger.
Although he hadn't told anyone, he sometimes had nightmares where he heard her piercing screams and the laughter of his aunt Bellatrix, as she tortured her on the cold floor of his parent's manor.
Those shrieks full of pain were burned into his memory, and he doubted he'd ever be able to forget them.
Draco snorted and finished filling his trunk with all the books he would need. The Hogwarts Express was leaving in two days and it was better to have everything ready in time.
He had already turned eighteen years old and he didn't feel like going back to school, but he needed to finish his studies in order to start looking for a job in the magic world.
His mother, Narcissa, came into his room and went over to the cage where his eagle owl, Dark, was resting. She was holding a copy of the "Daily Prophet" in her hand.
"Draco, can you guess who they've chosen as the new Head of Slytherin House?" she asked, lifting a brow.
Draco stared at her for a few seconds and then shook his head.
"Slughorn... that dumb. It's ridiculous" his mother grunted, tossing the newspaper onto her son's bed.
"I'd rather be alone right now, mother" he answered sharply.
Narcissa pursed her lips and left the room without a word, slamming the door shut with a loud bang.
Draco sighed and walked over to the window, opening it wide, and the damp night air from England hit him in the face.
His relationship with his parents had never been the same after the war, he no longer trusted them.
It was their fault he had the bloody Dark Mark on his forearm, a reminder of what he had to do to save his own life and his parents'.
But no, he wasn't going to do anything for them anymore.
After finishing the school year, he would leave home and start his new life away from what was left of his family.
Draco sat down at his writing desk, pulled out a little piece of parchment and wrote a few lines.
I'll meet you on Monday at 10:30 on platform 9 and 3/4, Goyle. Don't be late.
Malfoy
He opened Dark's cage and hooked the parchment into one of her legs.
"Take this to Greg, love" he whispered, stroking the feathers on her neck.
The owl nipped gently at his hand and took flight, plunging into the dark forest surrounding the Malfoy Manor.
Two days later, Draco was pushing a trolley with his trunk and Dark's cage.
His owl always preferred to fly to Hogwarts. He was sure she would be waiting for him in his room when he arrived.
He grimaced as he walked among the muggles, got close to the wall that connected that train station of London to the magical platform where he had to take the Hogwarts Express, made sure nobody was watching him and hurried across the wall.
Draco appeared on platform 9 and 3/4. There were several students around, boarding the train and saying goodbye to their families.
He had chosen to go alone, Narcissa had insisted many times on accompanying him but he had flatly refused.
He hadn't let anyone go with him since his second year, he didn't need it and especially not now that he was an adult and had become more reclusive, if that was even possible.
He waited until the clock hanging on the wall read 10:30 and, after a grunt, got on the train. Draco Malfoy did not wait for anyone and that wouldn't be the first day he did.
He walked down the corridor to the end of it. He liked to sit in the last compartments so he didn't have to endure the noisy first year students.
Draco smirked when he found the last compartment of all empty, went in and sat down by the window.
He pulled out one of his books about the secret life of Salazar Slytherin from his bag, opening it where he had stopped reading the night before.
Ten minutes later, when he was fully immersed in reading, the door to his compartment opened.
He lifted his eyes, of an icy blue so light it seemed to be grey, to meet a pair of brown eyes looking at him warily.
"Sorry, I thought this one was free" Hermione said quietly.
Draco's breath caught at the sight of her.
She had changed a lot, that last year she hadn't been at Hogwarts because she had been busy searching for horcruxes with her beloved Potter and Weasley, and he had barely caught a glimpse of her when they were held at his manor and during the Battle of Hogwarts.
But now she was in front of him, and she was still dressed casually.
He watched her from top to bottom, pausing for a moment at the little neckline in her shirt, and stopping again at her hips marked by the tight jeans she wore.
He went back up to her face and squinted at her. He could see that she was uncomfortable and knowing that he still intimidated her made him smile.
She was one of the witches that had helped destroy the Dark Lord, but she was still nervous in his presence.
"This compartment is taken, Granger" he replied, not looking away.
Her eyes widened in surprise, and it took her a few seconds to respond.
"Granger?" she repeated, confused.
Draco arched an eyebrow.
"Would you rather prefer me calling you mudblood?" he asked, slurring his words in contempt.
Hermione swallowed and averted her gaze.
"No, I prefer Granger" she murmured, closing the door again.
Draco slumped against the back of the seat and frowned.
He had felt a twinge in his crotch when he saw her and his blood had raised his body temperature... which was not a good sign.
Did he find the mudblood attractive? That wasn't possible.
No, it was simply because he hadn't had sex in many months and his body was asking for a bit of action.
Draco thought of Millicent Bulstrode, also from Slytherin.
He had shagged her a few times last year before things got too fucked up in the castle, along with a couple of Ravenclaw girls who were always pining for him and adored his air of superiority.
The two Ravenclaws would be difficult to find and maybe they had boyfriends and were no longer interested in some casual sex, or perhaps they wanted nothing to do with a former Death Eater.
He needed something quick, and for that Millicent was the best.
Surely he'd see her in the Great Hall and he could suggest her to get lost around the castle... or maybe she would tell him, she was always up for a good time with him.
He turned his attention back to his book, in an attempt to take his mind off Hermione and the reaction she had provoked in his body.
When it was only a minute before eleven o'clock, the time when the train was due to leave, the door opened again.
Through it came Gregory, Blaise, Pansy and Theo, their faces a little sweaty, a sign that they had come running.
"The last ones, as usual" Draco grunted with annoyance.
His four friends took the rest of the seats.
"I'm sorry I'm late, Draco" Gregory said, sitting beside him.
Draco muttered a curse under his breath and closed the book, with his friends around he wasn't going to be able to concentrate on reading.
The train whistle, and the drinks Pansy and Theo had left on the table spilled a little as it started moving.
"We're here together again" Pansy murmured excitedly.
"Well... not all of us" Theo answered.
Everyone remained silent for a moment, remembering their friend Crabbe who had died shortly before the battle against Voldemort, as a result of casting a spell that was too complicated for him.
Draco frowned and clenched his fists on the table until his knuckles turned white.
"He brought this on himself" he said in a harsh voice.
No one dared to reply.
An hour later, the fivesome had changed clothes and were wearing their Slytherin uniforms.
Draco rested his head on one of his hands as he stared out of the window blankly.
His thoughts flew back to Hermione and he inwardly cursed himself for that.
He needed Millicent as soon as possible, surely after being with her he would stop thinking about the best friend of the bloody Harry Potter... the great saviour of the magical world that everybody idolised more than ever.