Despite the fact that there were now eight years of students at Hogwarts, it was the first year in the school's history that the four benches sat below capacity in the great hall. A lot of the returning students had left gaps intentionally not wanted to sit where friends gone used to, others were pretending to enjoy spreading out more. Despite all of McGonagall's efforts, the start of term just didn't feel like it used to.

Eyes kept turning to the golden trio, almost as if everyone was waiting for them to make everything feel like it once did. Harry seemed to have expected this, or had just gotten used to it as he sat totally unphased by all eyes on them. Ron seemed to sort of enjoy it, it at least it was a positive distraction to the grief for him. He was even telling jokes and keeping the Gryffindor table in high spirits. That was everyone apart from Hermione. She never liked or asked for everyone's eyes to be on her. It was like fourth year on acid with the way everyone was watching her every move and gossiping about her love life. She knew people needed something other than the war to focus on now, but why did it have to be her. It was as if everyone expected her to be okay, needed her to be okay, and it was killing her that she wasn't. She tried to keep her head down but she could feel the eyes of everyone around her burning into her skull.

Out of all the house tables, the Slytherin table was the emptiest. Whether it was due to the amount of students murdered by their families for defecting to the light, the number of older students who now resided in Azkaban or the younger ones pulled from the school by their parents from fear of how they would be treated, the Slytherin table sat half empty. The biggest and most notable gap in the table was that of the now former Death Eaters. It seemed no one even wanted to be associated with where they used to sit.

Hermione couldn't help but keep finding herself staring at it. The hole in the room almost mirroring the hole in her. The more she stared the more her hatred built. The last she had seen any of them was at Hogwarts, in the battle. Harry and Neville had made a point to attend all of their trials, but she couldn't bring herself to do so, just hearing whispers of results. The Greengrass sisters were pardoned immediately for killing their father moments before he could kill Professor Slughorn for refusing to join the Dark Lord's cause. Nott and Zabini were also pardoned thanks to Harry's testimonies. Parkinson looked like she was going to go down for sure after she demanded Harry be handed over to Voldermort in the great hall, but Neville had shown everyone a memory in the ministries pensive of her taking a Cruciatus Curse for him. Malfoy's trial was the only one Ron attended. The boy's testimonies about what had happened in Malfoy manor weren't quite enough to sway the council though. That was before Luna stood up to give her evidence. It seemed that when everyone else had been watching Harry and Voldermort in the final duel, she had her eyes firmly on Malfoy and saw him throw his wand to Harry's feet. They pardoned him. Crabbe was the only one to be sentenced for his killing spree after Goyle's death.

It had been made mandatory for all students who were enrolled last year to complete an extra year of study due to no one learning during Snape's reign as headmaster, however none of them were there. It's not that Hermione particularly wanted to see them again, but she'd had to come back. She'd been made to sit in the hall where she saw Fred's dead body. She would be attending defence against the darks arts classes in the very room where first years were tortured only a year previously. She had to do all of it, and so did every other person in the hall apart from them. How did they get away with moving on with their lives? Why didn't they have to come back and endure another year?

The doors to the great hall swung open breaking Hermione out of her stream of consciousness. A small stream of students made their way into the hall. At first she thought it was the new first years, but that was before she spotted the unmistakable platinum blonde holding contrast against all the black and brown surrounding him.

"They're back. They actually had the fucking nerve to come back" Ron blurted out what everyone was thinking.

Hermione couldn't keep her eyes off Malfoy, who hadn't looked away from his fixed path once. He looked about as rough as Hermione felt. Long gone were the days of the immaculately tailored jackets pressed trousers. He looked more like a man who'd found his old school uniform in the back of his wardrobe and thrown it on to see if it still fit for a laugh. The main difference being he wasn't laughing, and it hadn't been years. He, and the surrounding Slytherins made their way to their old seats. Hermione caught herself letting out a breath as they sat that she hadn't realised she'd been holding in. She almost thought she'd been holding it in since May.

The second Draco sat down he turned to McGonagall with a curt nod. She allowed a brief smile and a nod back before returning her attention to professor Flitwick who she had previously been conversing with.

"What, and just like that we pretend everything is normal" Ginny says bringing Hermione's head back to the Gryffindor table. She realised her friends had been talking the entire time.

"Gin, just drop it, I trust McGonagall's judgement." Harry attempts to diffuse the situation.

"Harry, it's bad enough we have to do another year here, but I thought the point of everyone you love dying was to show you that life is to be lived, not to be locked up back here with the same people who murdered our friends, our family" said Ron, heat rising with every word.

"They didn't kill anyone" Hermione spoke before she realised she had. Everyone's eyes flew up in shock. Hermione Granger defending the enemy.

"They are literal death eaters 'mione, they might as well have" Ron practically spat at her.

"Hey" Harry called breaking the tension. "Hermione's right, they didn't kill anyone, they would be in Azkaban right now if they had and you know that's true. I'm not saying we have to forgive them or even talk to them and neither did 'mione so lay off alright. Besides, you helped testify for them."

"I didn't do it for them" Said Ron.

"It doesn't matter who you did it for. The point is you know they don't deserve to be in Azkaban, and this place won't exactly bring back the happiest memories for them." Said Neville.

There were a few grunts of acknowledgement around the table. Hermione squeezed Harry's hand in thanks before going back to pulling at the sleeves of her jumper, a habit she picked up whilst on the run last year. Without thinking she looked back to the hole forgetting it was no longer empty to find his grey eyes staring at her making her jump. There was no malice behind his eyes, and if Hermione had looked for more than a second she may have even seen a slight glint of concern there.

She could no longer feel the eyes of everyone in the room on her, just his. It took all the strength she had not to look back at him. Thankfully in that moment professor Slughorn entered the hall followed by the rather terrified looking group of first years.


Sitting in Gryffindor common room was so much worse than she imagined it would be. Ron had sat himself on one of the large arm chairs and was commanding the room telling war stories she'd heard a thousand times. Harry was more preoccupied with Ginny to pay any attention to the crowd. The other eighth years were chiming in with Ron giving their side and a few of the first years looked about ready to burst soaking up every word. She felt like she should be enjoying it with everyone, and she couldn't figure out why she wasn't, but for some reason nothing seemed more desirable in that moment than the portrait hole. Before she could stop herself, she was on her feet and heading out.

"Hermione, where you heading?" Neville asked. He'd positioned himself a little further from the main circle. Though his confidence had clearly grown so much in the last year, his ego hadn't and Hermione couldn't help but admire that.

"Just out, there's always a few stragglers around the castle lost or who don't know the password yet on the first day."

Neville gave her a knowing nod and a small smile. He'd become her best ally in recent months. Her whole friend group had been thrusted into the spotlight, and he seemed to be the only one beside Harry who understood how much she hated it.

"Well if you happen to find yourself near the kitchens, I think we could do with a few peppermint night caps. I don't think the younger ones will get much sleep without it."

"I think you might be right" Hermione replied before giving Neville's arm a squeeze and heading out.

The second the portrait hole shut she ran her hands across her face and through her hair taking in a deep breath. The castle was quiet. Almost disturbingly so. After the battle was over, many wizards worked tirelessly to re-build the castle back to its former glory, but it just didn't feel right anymore, something was off.

Hermione made her way down Gryffindor tower, across the corridors and down the moving staircases where she encountered a handful of lost and slightly frightened looking students who she directed back to their respective common rooms. It wasn't long until she was in the dungeons.

The kitchens were empty when she arrived. With meals over for the day, all the house elves had retired for the evening. She hadn't frequented the kitchens often before so she had no idea where to begin looking.

"Midnight snack?" called a voice behind her making her jump. They must have slipped in the portrait hole behind her without her noticing.

"Something like that" she said without turning around. She didn't need to, she knew that voice all too well.

"Anything in particular?" The voice had gotten closer.

"Are we really about to make small talk right now?" She said before finally turning around. Draco Malfoy was stood a mere few feet from her. His hands were in his pockets and his head was turned down slightly as if to try and meet her eyes.

"I know where the elves hide the chocolate cake" he said dismissing her tone.

He moved past her without waiting for a reply and headed to a cupboard with a cooling enchantment on it. He pulled out a small chocolate cake decorated with strawberries before silently walking over to one of the four replica great hall tables and placing it down and gesturing for her to join him.

Not really seeing a better option, Hermione reluctantly took the seat opposite him.

"Eat"

It didn't take her much persuading. She grabbed one of the forks from the table and began picking at the side of the cake.

"Aren't you going to eat?" She asked.

"I'm not hungry."

"Then why did you get the cake?"

"Because you barely ate anything at the feast. Not that the Gryffodorks noticed."

Hermione didn't have a reply to that. She wasn't surprised he'd been watching her that closely, and she was hungry, so she just continued to eat.

"Thank you"

"It's just cake Granger"

"I'm not talking about the cake." She said looking up. His expression was well composed, not that he regularly gave away what he was thinking.

"Don't" was all he said. His voice sounded like it was all he could manage.

"If she'd realised what you did she would have killed you."

Draco's eyes dropped. Without hesitating Hermione bowed her head to try and reach his eyes again.

"Just don't" he protested as he began to twirl his signet ring around his finger.

"Fine, but at least eat with me"

"Fine"

They sat eating in relative silence for a while. Draco making sure to push the strawberries in Hermione's direction.

"Why did you come back?" She asked. It had been puzzling her ever since she saw him. Surely finishing his education wasn't a top priority for him.

He played with a piece of cake with his fork before saying "Better here than the Manor."

"Is it though? Surely more people died here than the manor"

"Yeah but I didn't have to watch those" he almost spat out. Hermione could see a flash of pain run across his face turning him paler than before.

"The castle just doesn't feel right to me. There's something off." She said trying to change the subject from the manor.

"It's the portraits" He said simply.

"What do you mean?"

"There's less of them now. Magic can only heal so much. Each portrait is a capture of the essence of a person, so once destroyed, it's as if the portrait dies, and we all know magic can't bring people back from the dead." He explained.

'Oh, I didn't know that" Hermione says.

"You mean I've just found the one thing the great Hermione Granger doesn't know."

Hermione didn't want to admit it, but it was nice to hear the humour in his tone.

"Didn't know. You just told me so I know it now."

"You're right. I guess that means you officially know everything now. So what are you doing still in school?"

"Well even though I clearly know everything-"

"Clearly"

"I don't have my NEWTs yet, which I'm going to need my dream job"

"Which is?"

"That I don't know" she admitted earning a slight chuckle from Draco. She couldn't help but let out a small smile in response.

"Was that a laugh?"

"What? No" he protested pulling his face straight, but there was still kindness in his eyes.

"I think it was a laugh. In fact as the all mighty know it all, I can say with certainty, that was a laugh" she said unable to hide the slight smug look spread across her face.

"Whatever" he said pushing the last bit of cake toward her.

Another silence fell between the pair, though this time there was something more in the air. The smile slipped off of Draco's mouth as his gaze intensified.

"Hey, since you know these kitchens so well, where to the elves keep the peppermint night caps?" Said Hermione trying to break the tension. Draco immediately snapped back clambering off the bench.

"I'll grab you some, how many do you need, three?"

"About twenty"

"Twenty, Merlin's beard how bad is your insomnia Granger?" he asked.

"They're not for me. The first years have been listening to Ron's war stories all evening and I don't think they're going to sleep with how riled up he's got them." Hermione could have sworn she saw Draco tense up at the mention of Ron, but it was gone as soon as it came.

"I'm surprised. Surely a story from Weasleby would put them all straight to sleep" He said whilst piling his arms with the drinks.

"Hermione, you in here?" came a voice from the portrait hole. She recognised it as Neville immediately.

"Yeah I'm in here" she said as he walked in. Draco's head whipped around in shock at her tone. She seemed entirely too unphased for his liking.

"Malfoy?" said Neville looking at the boy whose arms were now full of peppermint night caps.

"Couldn't sleep" was all Draco said. Hermione couldn't help but find his pathetic excurse hilarious when she let out a slight laugh.

"Hey, Hermione I came to give you a hand with the drinks, but it looks like Malfoy's got it covered. I didn't realise you two were speaking again." Said Neville to Hermione directly. Draco couldn't help the visible confusion on his face. It wasn't often that Draco didn't have the upper hand, and it was clearly bothering him.

"We're not." Was all Hermione Said.

"Oh, okay then. Well I can take those, from you mate" Neville said before crossing the room to relieve Draco of the twenty drinks.

Draco shot Hermione a questioning look as Neville turned to leave.

"He knows" was all she gave in explanation. The annoyance was beginning to rise on Draco's face.

"Knows what?" He asked frustrated.

"That the great Pure-Blood Draco Malfoy had his first kiss with Muggle Born Hermione Granger in fourth year." Said Neville before ducking out of the portrait hole.

Hermione couldn't help but burst into a fit of laughter as Draco turned bright red. She hadn't realised how good it felt to truly laugh again.

"YOU TOLD LONGBOTTOM?" he yelled accusingly practically spinning on the spot.

"No, he saw it happen" she said while attempting to compose herself again.

"HE'S KNOWN FOR FOUR YEARS"

Hermione broke out into more laughter as Draco began gesticulating wilder.

"Yes, and he never told anyone so will you just calm down."

"What else does he know?" Draco asked coming back to sit opposite her again.

"Not much. I told him we talked for a bit and agreed to put the whole thing behind us. That it was just a moment of weakness" She said.

"And he believed you?" Draco questioned harder.

"Yes, and before you ask no one else knows there was ever anything between us." She confirmed with a more serious tone to her voice.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he pleaded.

"Because I thought you might kill him. Besides, Neville has always been fiercely loyal to his friends. If I asked him not to tell anyone, he wouldn't." she reassured him.

"I can't believe Longbottom knew all this time" said Draco raking his fingers though his hair.

"Your face was priceless by the way." Said Hermione clearing the last of the cake off of the plate. There was something about watching his composure break that had always made her extremely happy.

"Do you ever regret kissing me that night" Draco asked in a more serious tone. She looked up at him, taking in what his face was saying that his words left out.

"No" She said with certainty "I don't regret any of it"