I slowly made my way towards the Hogwarts express. I tried to keep my head down and avoided making eye contact with others. I could feel the hundreds of eyes staring at me. At that moment I wondered if I had made a mistake. It wasn't required that the 7th years repeat their final year. I had stupidly let Draco and Blaise convince me that it would be a good idea. I don't know what I was thinking.

As I continued to ponder the possibility of turning around and hightailing it back home I felt a defined arm grab hold of my shoulder and give me a tight squeeze. I glanced over to my right to see the very person I had expected, Blaise Zabini. One of my best friends since childhood. He had become a confidante over the past year and one of the best albeit messiest housemates I could ever ask for.

After the battle at Hogwarts word of my betrayal was spread throughout the wizarding community. My parents not wanting to be associated with such a scandalous daughter had promptly sold the manor and left London, leaving me enough money to barely survive for a couple years without work. In their eyes that alone was favor enough until I could find a husband stupid enough to bring my shame into their family. I would like to say that I was upset to lose my parents but it honestly wasn't that much of a loss.

I still remember the day. I was sitting at a booth in the back corner of the Leaky Cauldron. I heard the door slam open and watched as Blaise and Draco burst in faces frantic and eyes wide as they searched the small tavern for me.

"Are you okay?" they both shouted in unison. The whole situation was too funny for me to contain my laughter.

"I'm fine. Everything is okay. I actually feel good in a way."

Draco gave me a look of concern, "Get your stuff you're coming to stay at the manor with me. I'm sure my mother would enjoy the company." Blaise nodded his head in agreement.

"Guys I'm fine really. Although it wasn't much, my parents left me some money. I already booked a room for the night here and I'll figure something out tomorrow. Just sit and have some drinks with me. I need to celebrate being free from the tyrants I called mom and dad." I raised my glass and held it till they reluctantly clinked their glasses with my own.

The following day Blaise and I had a modest flat with two bedrooms. I'm still convinced that one of the boys owns the property but I haven't managed to pry that information out of them yet.

For right now though I was content in our humble flat. Blaise had decided to move in as an excuse to get away from his leech of a mother. At least that's what he told me. I think it was really so he could make sure to keep an eye on me, not that I needed him to.

Blaise and his mother were completely neutral participants in the war and were therefore not on the same social pariah list that I was. He still had good standing within the wizarding world, as well as enough charm to bag any witch he desired. I envied the fact that eventually he would be able to marry anyone he wanted. I was afraid that opportunity may never come for me due to my public shame.

I looked up and finally realized that Blaise was staring at me waiting for an answer to some question that I had not heard.

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

He let out an exasperated sigh with a big smile on his face. "I said who all do you think is going to come back for an 8th year?" slowing my pace a little bit, I thought about the question for a second.

"I don't really know, I guess I could see everyone but most Slytherin students coming back, and the golden trio of course. There really isn't any need for them to finish."

Blaise contemplated my answer for a second. "I suppose you may be right, roomie!" Blaise had taken to calling me that as of late. I have no idea why he fancies the phrase.

We made our way onto the train, not noticing the increase in noise as 3 particular students made their way onto the platform.

After finally finding an empty cart, I settled into the seat while Blaise placed our luggage into the overhead compartment. Just as Blaise settled into the seat next to me, the door to our room slid open. Draco gave us both a signature smirk before taking a seat in front of me on the other side of the large window.

"Pansy, how are you feeling?"

I could see the slight shimmer of concern in his eyes that you would only notice if you knew him personally. Knowing that I would be getting this question a lot, I put a small smile on my face that I hoped was convincing and I muttered a quick "fine."

I could tell Draco was about to press me further when the door to our compartment slammed open with a loud thud. In the doorway stood none other than Daphne Greengrass.

Daphne and I had an interesting past. We started out as friends, grew to be enemies due to our mutual obsession with becoming the next Mrs. Malfoy and then became friends again after we both realized fighting over a prat like Malfoy was not worth losing a friendship.

Daphne all but shoved Draco to the other end of the seat to sit right in front of me. She sat down with a huff before spilling that latest news I was sure she had to share.

"You are not going to believe who I saw while getting onto the train!"

"Please Daphne share this news you found so important it deemed damn near worthy of pushing me out of the seat entirely," Draco drawled, already uninterested.

Ignoring him she addressed myself and Blaise. "The golden trio are going to be completing their 8th year. I saw them along with Neville Longbottom, who is looking quite fetching might I add."

As my three friends continued to discuss, I found myself getting lost in thought again. I wondered yet again if it was still too late to leave and go back to the flat, my only sanctuary nowadays.

It was easy for Blaise, Daphne and even Draco to fit right back into a place of dignity within the wizarding world but the same could not be said for me. Blaise and Daphne were neutral. Draco had abandoned the dark lord to help the golden trio, as well as his mother assisting in concealing the fact that Harry Potter was indeed still alive. Their family had redeemed themselves for their war crimes and still held prestige within the community.

I on the other hand. There was no taking back the words that led to my lifetime sentence. I would forever be the girl that tried to hand 'the chosen one' over to Voldemort.

My mind continued to wonder as I felt the express begin to pull away from the station. The only thought running through my mind was that this was going to be a long semester.