Hermione sank against the wall as a group of young first years ran by, one of the girls squealing in disgust as the two boys behind her laughed with delight as they held a toad out in front of them. The brunette witch shook her head, but smiled nonetheless as she continued down the slim hallway of the Hogwarts Express. She briefly glanced at each of the carriages in search of her friends she had lost in crowds coming down from the school in the carriages.

The warm ball of ginger snuggled tightly in her arms squirmed in distaste as she re-situated him in his arms, Crookshanks clinging to the edge of her sweater as if it were his life force. Hermione placed a gentle kiss on his head, and the kneazle hybrid immediately ceased his struggles with what nearly sounded like a defeated "hurumph".

Dodging another group of students, Hermione was relieved to get out of the crowded hallway as she crossed into one of the open compartments.

While it vaguely surprised her, she found no need to argue at the students inside of it, each sharing mature and pleasant conversation with one another.

Ron and Harry were an obvious given, but Hermione was also pleased to find the other blonde she was looking for in deep conversation with Ginny, the two giggling at whatever story Daphne had come up with to share about her fellow peers down in the dungeons. Hermione knew her red-headed friend got along with Daphne from the beginning of Dumbledore's plan of Inter-House unity, and she was pleased to find that the friendship remained strong.

Squished in on the other side of Ginny was a boy Hermione immediately recognized as Neville, mostly because of the outrageous plant he had now that resembled something between a squash and a mushroom with a dark color and bright yellow spots around it. She vaguely remembered the name as a bubotuber, and she frankly wasn't too fond to find out what kind of puss the new plant produced. Still, she was also relieved to see him talking with the whimsical Ravenclaw Hermione had gotten to know since her third year, Luna Lovegood.

"Mione, there you are!" Ron exclaimed as he scooted shoulder to shoulder with Harry to make room for her. "Thought we were going to leave without you there for a minute or two."

"You didn't seem too worried," Hermione replied, cocking an eyebrow in his direction as she took a seat beside Daphne across from Ron. He sheepishly rubbed his neck as she was referring to the argument he had just ended with Harry in regards to the Canons. Again.

"Honestly, do they talk about much else up in your tower?" Daphne whispered, a sly grin spreading across her face.

Hermione snorted. "You really have no idea."

The two carried on in small talk, and before long, the train took a large lurch forward and started the trip southward. Only when the final and fleeting glimpses of Hogwarts were out of sight did the compartment door slide open again and two all-too familiar figures stood lounging in the doorway, also blocking part of the passing student traffic in the hall behind them.

"Afternoon ladies," Blaise smirked, gesturing to everyone in the compartment, including the boys. Ron scowled and Hermione could tell Harry was refraining from rolling his eyes. Still, neither made any move to comment on them to leave.

"Me and my partner were just passing by, and wondered if you lot had any spare sickles? A licorice wand sounds really good right now," Blaise continued, looking down at Hermione and Daphne with hopeful eyes. Neither one tried to hide their eye-roll, but Daphne was the one to pull her bag to the side and dig around for a few coins.

"I hope you know you do spoil him," Hermione teased as she watched Daphne throw Blaise a single galleon. "And his ego is already big enough."

"I thought I was the only one to get comments about egos from you," Draco frowned. Although his tone was teasing, Hermione couldn't help but wonder if it had been the faintest and briefest spark of jealousy she had seen flash in his silvery eyes as they passed from her to Blaise.

She could have sworn she heard the Italian wizard beside him mutter something about sharing, and Draco quickly turned down any further comment about it with a scolding glare that would have burned a hole through his skull.

"Care to stay and chat, or are you two just going to bicker like an old married couple all day?" Ginny asked. Daphne couldn't contain the snort that left her before she slapped her hand over her mouth in embarrassment. Hermione and Draco were the only two to notice Blaise's smirk turn to a real smile as he watched her face turn a light pink.

"Afraid we must be on our way, Weasley," Draco replied. He ignored Ron's eyebrows shooting up his forehead at the lack of mention of the surname he had usually used when addressing them. "Pansy is dying to tell us about her summer plans, and since Daph's not there to help, we're stuck with hearing it."

Draco near grimaced as he said it, and Hermione held back a smirk as she heard the blonde beside her mutter "you're welcome" under her breath.

"Have fun with that for me!" Daphne exclaimed as she sent them a wave. Blaise rolled his eyes but gave her a quick smile nonetheless as he backed out of the compartment's doorway and into the hall.

"We'll be sure to fill you in on all the details," Draco drawled. He scanned his eyes over Luna and Neville, who had started their conversation again by the window, before settling them on Ron and Harry.

"Potter. Weasley." He each gave them a firm nod before his gaze raked across to Hermione, who hadn't realized she was staring to begin with. The moment her eyes settled on his, she barely held back a jump.

Draco smiled down at her and, before she could say anything, sent her a wink and a quick, "I'll see you around Granger."

Hermione couldn't help but let her eyes trail his form as he and Blaise disappeared from view down the hallway. While Ron, Harry and Ginny quickly picked up on their conversation again, Hermione stroked the top of Crookshanks head and turned to see Daphne staring at her.

The blonde witch raised an eyebrow, a simple question hidden behind her gaze that was looking for a simple "yes or no" answer. Hermione's faint blush that spread from her cheeks to the tips of her ears was enough. The Slytherin's eyes lit up, but rather than squealing with delight or teasing her about it for the remainder of the trip, Daphne placed her head in her hands as she leaned forward and asked, "So, do you have any plans for the summer?"

Hermione was filled with surprise and relief, but quickly picked up on where the blonde was trying to distract her realization from. She began small talk once again as the train continued its journey back to King's Cross, a wild year of memories and friendships that would last her a lifetime waiting back for her next year.

Even as she and Daphne continued to talk, she couldn't help but let her mind wander.

The seemingly impossible friendship that had blossomed between Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger - that neither student was aware the other hoped it would one day transform into more - started through something as simply complicated as a house-unity test.

That, and with the help of a mischievous niffler and one adorable kneazle.

End of Book 1

Hey y'all!

*GIANT CONFETTI CANON BLAST* Oh my gosh, we did it! This is the final chapter and conclusion of the first book of a sequel series I am starting between the life of Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy! Thank you guys so much for reading, and honestly, I don't have much to put into this author's note besides the fact that I want to thank you so much for sticking with me even when I didn't upload for a little while and was on a bit of a hiatus. Still, it means a lot to me if you're reading this now, and be sure to read the following author's note I've left for information on the sequel!

And, as always, I hope y'all have a wonderfully, marvelous, fantastic morning, afternoon, evening, or night!

-Summerwinds