Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor any recognisable characters from within the series.
It started with a quill.
Or, at least, that was the instance in which Hermione Granger remembered everything changed.
It wasn't a monumental event. Not in the slightest. The act of retrieving a quill from the floor, on behalf of another, it's just a nice gesture. Polite. Something most pleasant human beings do for one another. However, if there's one thing she's learned over the past eight years, it's that Draco Malfoy is anything but pleasant.
In the moment Hermione was stunned. Too stunned to comment, or call the blonde out on it. More than that, no-one else had seemed to notice the act. Upon further study she noticed that Malfoy himself hadn't even noticed what he'd done. Completely away with his thoughts, it was almost a reflex on his part.
Hermione shook off the thought. Whatever the reason, it was none of her business, and if it wasn't conscious then she should just be grateful and get on with her studies.
Content with that, she turned as she felt a sudden chill. Someone to her left sat in the vacant seat.
"Ronald, you're late" she told him.
"I'm not yet, the Professor isn't even here yet"
"I hope you're not thinking of taking advantage, Ronald. Just because you know the teacher-"
Ron caught the eye of several students behind him and rolled his as if to say 'Here we go again,' earning him an amused assortment of giggles. Looking back at Hermione, he could tell she was anything but amused. "Lighten up, will you? It's the first day back at Hogwarts. You're the one who wanted to come back. You were right too, on the way here several people stopped and asked me for stories about our time searching for Horcruxes. People are really interested in what we have to say, you know?"
"I wanted to come back so that we could focus on our studies. Not so we could be accosted by the student body and forced to act like dancing monkeys for their entertainment" she hissed.
Ron gave her a pointed look "Come on, Hermione. The war was hard on everyone. A story here and there won't kill us"
Hermione glared at the red head and turned her focus to the front of the class where the Professor had just walked out of his office. This caused many to whisper, not so subtly, at the revelation. "Hello everyone. I'd introduce myself, but we have all grown up together so I hope you all remember me" Harry Potter gave a small grin. Anyone who knew him, really knew him, knew that his heart was beating out of his chest with nervousness.
It wasn't his idea to return as a Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts. Truly, it wasn't. Harry just wanted one normal year at Hogwarts. One year where he didn't have to risk his life, solve a mystery and defeat the Dark Lord. As usual though, life had other plans.
Considered to be cursed, the role of Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor was difficult to fill even before the war. Now, no-one would touch it. Not for any amount of money nor favour. No-one was stupid enough to take it on.
No-one except Harry. He came to an agreement with the Headmistress of Hogwarts. He could continue to study for his N.E.W.T.S. under private tutoring from the other professors while teaching DADA. The school was desperate, so he agreed. He'd show that there was no reason to be scared, and next year he could do what he liked. That was the plan.
"I want to reassure you that in this classroom I will be completely unbiased" Harry continued "However, outside of the classroom, I'm still a Gryffindor" this earned him a few genuine chuckles and Harry visibly relaxed. "I completely understand if you have little confidence that I can prepare you for your N.E.W.T.S., after all I've never taken them myself let alone prepared others to do the same, but I think if we work together we can manage not to cock it up" he finished. "Now, first and foremost we'll discuss how Defence Against the Dark Arts has an impact on Human Rights and what that means for witches and wizards everywhere…"
After double DADA Hermione and Ron made their way to the Great Hall for lunch. True to form, Ron's plate loaded itself with chicken drumsticks, and he tore into them. Hermione opted for a tuna salad sandwich. She looked around and observed the magnificent hall. The whole school had been rebuilt. The long house tables were slightly smaller now due to the lower numbers of students returning to the school, which meant there was room to create a round temporary table in the corner for the returning eighth year students. This table didn't have the subdued feasts the others had for lunch, but whatever you wanted would appear on the plate.
Only fourteen students returned for their eighth year. Harry Potter (who still insisted he was a part time student), Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas, Susan Bones, Justin Finch-Fenchly, Mandy Brocklehurst, Terry Boot, Anthony Goldstein, Daphne Greengrass, Blaise Zabini, Theodore Nott and, of course Draco Malfoy who had just taken a seat opposite Hermione. The table was large so it didn't put them in proximity to one another, she could only assume he'd chosen the seat to be as far from herself and Ron as possible.
"So 'Mione"
"Hermione, Ronald" she corrected him.
"Sure, Hermione, why do you insist on extra syllables anyway?" he asked, almost to himself "What are you doing now? Fancy going to the Three Broomsticks?"
"I can't Ronald, I have class to attend" she wouldn't tell him, but there was a reason that she refused for him to call her that awful nickname.
"Class? We just had it. Monday we have double DADA at 10am, Tuesday we have Charms, Wednesday Care of Magical Creatures, Thursday is Potions and then we have a three day weekend" he counted all this on each finger, using a drumstick as a pointer "Thanks again for talking me into this. It might be the easiest year at Hogwarts we ever do" he grinned.
"That's your schedule, Ronald. Not mine. For the last time I didn't opt for the minimum, so I also have Ancient Runes, Ancient Studies, History of Magical Art and Architecture, Muggle Studies and Alchemy. Can you believe it Ron? Alchemy! So few students are offered the chance to study it. It's the chance of a lifetime" she quickly got over her frustration with Ron thinking about all she had yet to learn.
"Why are you taking muggle studies? It's a bit pointless for you, isn't it? And isn't alchemy just advanced potions?"
"I want to take muggle studies and learn from the Wizarding perspective, and no Ronald. Alchemy isn't just advanced potions" she spat "It's understanding ancient magic, turning base metals into noble metals. We're to study the composition, structure and magical properties of the four basic elements. It's connected with potion-making but it isn't just potions" she told him. The excitement in her eyes was evident but she could tell she'd lost him. She could always tell, he went a bit cross-eyed when she talked about anything which he himself wasn't interested in.
Ron seemed to snap out of it "Yeah, yeah 'course 'Mione." She scowled once again at the nickname but let it slide. Just once, and only because Harry had just taken the seat next to him.
"Harry you were fantastic" Hermione told him immediately "You're going to do great this year!" she told him, enthusiastically.
"Thank you, Hermione" he appreciated the compliment, his confidence needed the boost.
"Yeah, great job Harry. But homework? Really? 'To write an essay on Witchcraft and how it impacts the Human Rights of both Magical and Muggles alike'" Ron smirked, and elbowed his friend in jest "Good one. Almost like you're a real teacher"
"I am a real teacher, Ron" he told his friend
"'Course you are, mate" he grinned and went back to his chicken. Meanwhile Harry's plate remained empty. Clearly he didn't feel much like eating right now.
Hermione huffed and moved to sit by her other best friend "Ignore him" she said as she came around the other side "You know how he gets on the first day back. You're going to make a great teacher this year, Harry. If there's one class where we need a great teacher, it's this one. And you're the best of the best when it comes to this and you know it. You've spent seven years practically training for the job"
Harry lifted a little as he chuckled "Thanks again, Hermione" and his plate provided a ham and cheese sandwich "I didn't ask for this?" Harry said.
"No, I did. Eat. You don't want to get hungry. Teaching and studying may not be as exerting as Quidditch, but you still need to keep up your strength" she told her friend and waited for Harry too follow her advice. "Good. I'd best be off. Enjoy the rest of your days"
Hermione let out a soft and easy breath as she walked the halls of Hogwarts. She wanted to be present this year. Her last year at the famous school. No distractions from her studies, she wanted to take it all in and relish in it. It was, after all, her last chance to do so.
As she walked down the hall to her next class she could sense someone following her. Turn for turn they kept up the pace, that is until she turned her wand on them and came face to face with Draco Malfoy.
"Why are you following me, Malfoy?" she asked. Draco hadn't even seemed to notice, his head buried in a book, until he felt the wand press into his chest.
Looking up from his text, he saw Hermione and sighed "Alright, get it over with" he said, closing the book and opening his arms, as if widening the target.
Hermione looked puzzled "Get what over with, exactly?"
"Whatever hex you're about to unleash on me. As soon as I made the decision to return I knew it would happen at some point. So come on then, get it over with"
Hermione felt like a fish, her mouth opened and closed and yet no words would rise to the surface. She lowered her wand and looked off to the side "I thought you were following me" she said.
Draco, she noted, looked like he'd found the last piece to the puzzle as something clicked. "I see. I guess living through a war means a heightened survival instinct. You Gryffindors always did need a healthy dose of that" he added, as if trying to mock her however, it came out quite serious "I promise I'm not following you. Just going to my next class"
Assured, Hermione put her wand away completely. "You're doing more than the minimum then?" she asked, somewhat awkwardly.
Draco shrugged "Full schedule. I figured if I was going to return to the blasted school I may as well actually try and get something out of my last year - you know?"
She did know, but she figured it was rhetorical. It was then that she paused, just outside the classroom he was about to enter "You're taking muggle studies?" he became slightly guarded and shrugged again, this time he didn't offer an answer to the unspoken question. So she spoke it. "Why?"
Draco took a steadying breath "Perhaps I want to learn from the Wizarding perspective?" he said. It was then she knew that he had eavesdropped into her conversation with Ron, and also then that she knew their conversation was over. She walked into the classroom and didn't look back. Whatever his reasons he didn't want to share, and that was just fine by her.