Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter franchise, nor anything affiliated with it.

Hermione's POV

So far it's been just about 3 days since we've come back to school, and almost nothing has happened in any of our classes. I'm extremely surprised since our first semester is coming up to an end in January. We just have about 6 weeks till exams and 7 till the end of this semester.

Muggle Studies still hasn't found another teacher yet, and most of the students are having all sorts of mental health issues. Luna spends most of her free time talking with the students in our class and giving counseling sessions.

Potions has been pretty standard and we aren't really learning anything new. Most of our time is spent studying for exams and I've pretty much finished all of that stuff.

Transfiguration isn't that exciting as most of us were able to learn how to transfigure ourselves into objects in just a couple of classes much to our professor's dismay. That is pretty much the biggest thing in the curriculum for our year. Since most of us are very good at spell casting and difficult magic, due to experience in the Battle of Hogwarts and Dumbledore's Army, we were able to figure it out pretty easily. Most of the time we just make up transfiguration games to amuse ourselves with while our teacher keeps an eye on us.

We're in Arithmancy right now which is probably the only one that we still have work to do, but it isn't very interesting. We're working on data management and probability, but I already put some research into this back in sixth year because I had some free time. I used to really like this class, but like most of the other classes we are doing right now, it's been getting more boring and less creative.

When class ends Draco and I walk to our dorm to drop our books off before dinner. Draco has been getting a little bit better with the help of his physiotherapy and medication, but it still pains him a great deal to be walking around. Thanks to a map I created back in first year, I was able to find the fastest and most efficient routes for us to take to get places. That has made it a lot easier for us to get to class without much hassle.

When we get to our room Draco practically collapses on the couch. I put my bag on my usual couch across from Draco and then sit down. The cushions on both of the couches have been getting messier and messier as we've progressed through the school year since neither of us have the drive to place them back properly anymore. They are either really squished or are thrown all over the place.

"Draco, if you don't want to go down to the hall for food, we can stay up here. I have some extra food in the fridge that I can use to make us some dinner. You look really tired." I say. He looks just about dead due to his persisting lack of sleep. His nightmares were horrible after his mother's death back before we ended up going on that airport trip, but I guarantee that they've gotten much worse since the attack. At least I know that I've started to get more nightmares because of it, though I work hard to make sure that Draco doesn't find out because I know he'll worry about me which he doesn't need to do.

"Thanks Hermione, I just really don't want to walk anymore today. My knees were just so painful today and I don't think I'll be able to bear any more movement right now. Merlin! I wish this would just be over soon. I hate having to consume these potions, they're so bitter and revolting. The braces are better than having none but they don't make that much of a difference, and the crutches are so cumbersome when I'm trying to move slightly faster so that we aren't late for class. I just want this to be over so I can go back to doing things like normal." He groans into his hands and I feel bad for him. He didn't ask for any of this but he has to deal with it anyway.

"It's alright Draco, you'll find a way to cope, I know you will. For now, how about filling your most likely empty stomach?"

"That would be nice yeah. Thanks again Hermione. I doubt that I would be able to stay sane with all of this stuff if you weren't here to help me." I smile and get up before heading over to the kitchen to start preparing food for us.

"You're welcome. Is cream of mushroom soup and spinach pastries okay for dinner?" I ask once I've opened the fridge and pantry, and taken a look around. "I also have some leftover grape juice from about two weeks back."

"That sounds great Hermione." He replies.

With the approval from him, I grab all of the ingredients and start mixing the cream, salt, and butter in a pan and leave it on the stove for a while to heat up. I then grab the mushrooms collected from the garden at his house, which Bipsy dropped off last time, and chop them up into small chunks and some fine minced pieces that might as well be paste at this point. Once I've finished prepping the soup, I grab the leftover pastries Bipsy made and reheat them in the oven. I then walk over to the pan and mix the cream base a bit then add the mushroom into it. I stir it for a bit, then add some green onion bits and a bit more milk to make it a bit thinner. I remove the pan from the stove and place it on a coaster along with the pastries. I then grab two bowls and two plates to dish our food onto and put both meal sets on a tray. To finish off, I grab two glasses and fill them with grape juice before placing a warming charm on the remaining food on the counter in case either Draco or I want more later.

I walk back over to him with the tray and place it on the coffee table. He's already pulled out his laptop while I was cooking and is getting a head start on homework. He has his textbooks strewn on the table with pieces of parchment overlaid on them. He has a few sheets of the parchment in his lap and is carefully writing notes from the textbooks and his diagrams. I love his handwriting as it has such a precise flowing script to it. He uses cursive instead of printing and it makes it look so much more fancy and elegant. His forehead is slightly creased in concentration and his shoulders have lost their usual rigid posture. I just look at how concentrated he is, but also how peaceful he looks right now, for a few moments before walking over to his side of the coffee table. I tap his shoulder and try to get his attention.

"Draco, food's ready. It might be best to have it while it's still hot." He looks up a bit surprised, but quickly snaps out of it. He nods and after placing his work into rough piles, he moves it to the corner of the table. We sit opposite each other like usual and take our food. Draco eats the food very quickly like usual and I ask him if he wants more.

"No it's okay, though I may get some later. Don't worry Hermione, I can do it myself. Anyway I should practise taking short trips every now and then. Once those become easier I can make them longer." He then drinks down his glass of grape juice before placing all his dishes in a neat stack on the tray. Once he finishes that he brings his pile of work out again, but spreads it in a neater more compact configuration.

"By the way Hermione, the soup was really nice. It was so creamy and rich."

"Thank you Draco. I'm glad you liked it."

He then turns back to his work and I continue eating what's left of my food. When I'm done I gather all the dishes and take them back to the kitchen. I wash them quickly and place them back in the cabinets and make sure to leave a bowl out for Draco if he wants more food. I then go up to my room and gather all I need for homework. I come back down and sit on my couch. I'm about to start my homework when a questions pops into my head.

"Draco, why don't you use a wheelchair? I would have thought that either you or Madame Pomfrey would have thought of it, unless you don't know what it is." He takes a moment to respond and puts down his parchment before he responds.

"Well Madame Pomfrey mentioned it to me one of them times you were asleep as an alternative to the crutches and braces. I said no for a number of reasons. One, I'll never get better if I don't try to push myself. If I use a wheelchair I wouldn't feel like trying to get better because that's just how my brain works. Two, though a wheelchair is very convenient on flat surfaces, I wouldn't be able to take the stairs with it. Hogwarts doesn't have an elevator and it would take too much effort to levitate the wheelchair up and down the stairs. Three, a wheelchair is much more obvious than crutches and I would like as little pity from people as possible. Four, wheelchairs also take up a lot of space and are very cumbersome. So yes, I do know about wheelchairs and no, I would prefer to not use them."

I smirk at his lengthy and very well thought out answer. It's quite clear to me that he does not want to use one.

"That makes sense. It totally understand where you're coming from. Well not entirely, but I understand your train of thought. You can go back to your homework now, sorry for disturbing you."

"It's alright, I don't really feel like doing this stuff anyway, but I have to if I want to graduate."

"True." After that we fall into silence and listen to music instead while doing our work.

I finish all of the homework questions for Arithmancy pretty quickly and add to my notes for that class. Once I'm done with the rest of my homework, I pack up my stuff and go up to my room in the hopes that I can get a little more sleep tonight.

When I reach my room I go to my desk to file my notes away in the cabinet next to it. I then place my binder and textbooks on my shelf in their appropriate sections. I'm about to shower and brush my teeth for bed when I hear a tapping on my window. I open my curtain to see Harry's owl staring back at me with a letter in her beak.

I open the window and let her in. She hops onto my side table and I take the letter from. I quickly summon an owl treat from my purse and give it to her. She nods in thanks and flies back out the window.

I take the letter and sit at my desk to open it. I take my scissors and carefully make a slit in the top for me to take it out. I place the scissors back in it's holder and take the letter out. After placing the envelope on the table, I open the letter and start to read

Dear Hermione,

How are you and Malfoy doing? I hope you guys are better now. I was wondering if you guys wanted to meet up in Hogsmeade again sometime soon? Stuff at work has finally been slowing down and the fiasco with at the airport is clearing up. I think your next trip is in two weeks time, right? Well anyway, that date works for me so if you could get back to me as soon as possible on your availability that would be great.

In the meantime, I'll catch you up briefly on what I've been doing the past week. We managed to placate the unhappy purebloods, but we did have to threaten a few of the more stubborn families. Just little things, but overall it was a pretty big hassle to deal with all of them. Ron has been suspended for the past few days because of the scene he pulled in the airport. He's really starting to bug me with all of his talk about how the purebloods should all die unless they've been called 'blood traitors' during Voldemort's reign. It's all a load of bollocks but he just won't let any of it go. It's wearing me down and I hope he has to go on a mission soon so he can get out of my hair.

Anyway, what's going on with you? Have you and Malfoy gone on any dates yet? Also, how has the search been for the new muggle studies professor, or have they still not found anyone?

Well please respond soon, and I promise I'll give a more detailed account of what I've been doing for the last while when we meet up again.

Always,

Harry P.

I read through it once more to make sure I haven't missed anything and then pull out a piece of parchment to reply to his letter. I then pull out one of my erasable pens, a purple one, and then start writing.

Dear Harry,

We'd love to meet up with you and we are free next Saturday and Sunday. However due to some issues that I'll explain, or rather let Draco explain when you get here, would it be okay if you meet up with us at the castle? I'm sure McGonagall would be okay with it and I can always ask her for permission and let you know later her response. We can hang out in our Head dorms seeing as how we have a lot of space here and can have a lot more privacy.

Do you want to invite Neville, Luna, and Blaise, or just Ginny along as well? It really depends on what you want to do and if you want to talk about more sensitive stuff. Anyway, Draco and I have not had time to date yet. We still haven't found another muggle studies professor and instead have a free period or therapy sessions everyday for that class while we wait.

I'm sorry to hear that Ron has been bugging you as well. It's such a shame that he's gotten so bigoted, I miss the old Ron. It's just so toxic listening to him talk now. Oh well, hopefully he'll change one day and we can go back to being a group of three best friends. Till then, we can just hope.

So in summary, we'd love to see you next weekend. I can't wait to see you then.

Sincerely,

Hermione G.

I put my pen down and read my letter over to make sure there are no mistakes on it. I then grab an envelope from a small folder containing all my paper writing supplies like labels, paper, parchment, and envelopes. I place the letter inside after carefully folding it. I seal it with a little bit of wax from a candle and place on my table to drop off at the owlery later tomorrow.

I then get up and grab my stuff for my shower and brushing of my teeth. I enter the bathroom and take a nice, hot, relaxing shower. I then brush my teeth quickly after putting on my pyjamas. I exit the bathroom afterwards and then put away my used clothes in a small basket in my closet to wash later.

I crawl into bed and start a playlist of soundtrack music to fall asleep to. I lay down and adjust myself till I'm comfortable and let the peaceful music take me to a beautiful place where I'm comfortable around my friends and there's no prejudice.

Author's Note: I'm so sorry about the late update, I had a couple of events and I didn't have much time to write. Next update should be up Wednesday since my schedule is clearing up, but no promises. Thanks so much for the support, I really like hearing feeback from you guys. Please review! Have a great week, till next time.