DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters. They are the property of JK Rowling and I am not profiting from this piece in any way.

Platform 9 and ¾

10:45AM

September 1st, 1998

"Have fun, Hermione," Harry said, arms pressed around her and a quick kiss on her cheek. "Look after Gin for me, won't you?"

"Harry, Ginny duelled with Bellatrix Lestrange and survived," Hermione said, pulling out of his embrace and smoothing out the creases in her shirt. "I think she can look after herself."

Harry rolled his eyes, taking Ginny aside to give her a private farewell. Ron took his place in front of Hermione, grasping her hands and bringing them softly to his lips. It was a gesture so intimate that Hermione blushed at it being done in front of so many others on the platform, but her embarrassment was quickly lost in a bout of happiness when Ron pressed his lips to her own.

"I'm going to miss you," he said afterwards, their foreheads resting against one another. "I'm going to miss waking up next to you and seeing that rock on your finger and knowing you're mine." He paused to kiss the sparkling engagement ring he had given her just two weeks prior. "I'm going to miss your smile and the freckles on your nose." Another kiss, this time to the tip of her nose. "I'm even going to miss you yelling at me when I don't feed that bloody cat of yours."

"Oh, Ron," she said, pulling him close and kissing him with as much force possible, the scarlet steam engine screaming in the background. "I'll miss you so much."

"I know," he untangled himself, gave her a light kiss on the forehead. "Now go and catch your train before I change my mind and force you to stay."

Hermione laughed and squeezed her fiancé's hand once more, trying to hide the tears in her eyes. A few began to leak out as she waved goodbye to Harry, pulling Ginny onto the train behind her. Their luggage had already been stowed away so the two joined their possessions in their compartment. Both stayed silent as they collected themselves before throwing the window open to look for their beaus.

Harry and Ron were laughing together, searching for Hermione and Ginny's faces at the window, both beaming when they caught sight of their witches.

The train started pulling away as Ginny blew Harry a final kiss. As it picked up speed, the two girls fell against their benches in the same breath.

"It feels strange going back to Hogwarts without Harry and Ron," Hermione said, twisting her engagement ring. "It feels strange to be going back at all."

"Maybe this is what we all need," Ginny offered. "A return to a bit of normality in our lives…well, as normal as Hogwarts ever gets."

Hermione offered her friend a smile. "I was hoping for a quiet year, but I guess with this," she gestured to the Head Girl pin she had placed on her top when they had entered Platform 9 and ¾, "the year will be a bit more stressful than I had hoped."

"At least Terry will be a good Head Boy," Ginny said, referring to Terry Boot who had been appointed as Hermione's male counterpart according to the letter the brunette had received from Professor McGonagall.

Even with all the proper seventh year students, two returning seventh years had been appointed as the Heads. Hermione had almost anticipated a Slytherin to be picked, perhaps Theodore Nott, as everyone was so keen to promote unification between the houses, but she was pleased that someone as intelligent and level-headed as Terry Boot had been chosen instead. The two had always worked well together and she had found him to be more than capable during their fifth year within Dumbledore's Army.

Luna and Neville joined their compartment after the first hour of travel, holding hands. Crookshanks, Hermione's beloved familiar who had someone managed to survive the warfare, hissed from his basket perched on the floor. The four of them discussed what the castle would be like this year and everyone fell silent as they imagined the terrible sadness it would cause to be back in a place where so many friends had died. Hermione placed a hand on Ginny's back when the girl let out a sob they could only assume was for Fred.

The mood was lifted with the arrival of the food trolley rattling down the train, and for the rest of the trip, the group indulged in pumpkin pasties and an assortment of sweets from Honeydukes, separating only to change into their robes. By the time the train reached Hogsmeade Station, conversation was exhausted and their stomachs were growling again, eager for the welcoming feast to begin.

Hermione hopped off the train to catch the first thestral drawn carriage to the castle with Terry Boot for an early meeting with Professor Slughorn before dinner.

"Good holidays, Hermione?" Terry asked as he helped her into the carriage which set off at a faster pace than usual as soon as he was seated.

"They were okay. It was nice to let down my guard after…" she didn't want to mention the war and she had glided over the countless funerals she had attended. "How about yours?"

"Yeah, they were alright. My parents were a bit upset I was coming back here again, but when McGonagall offered me Head Boy, I couldn't say no," he said, bouncing slightly in his seat as the carriage stuck in a pothole. "Besides, I don't think last year really counts as a seventh year. Didn't learn much, other than not to piss off the Carrows."

Hermione was spared having to reply to a comment she wasn't sure she knew how to address by the arrival of the carriage at the gates.

"Miss Granger, Mr Boot, welcome back to Hogwarts," Slughorn said, indicating they should follow him through the entrance hall and up two staircases. "As you can see, the castle has been restored to its former glory, with only a few locations with irreparable damage. It shouldn't cause any interference with the running of the school, though parts of your duty, when on patrol, will be to ensure no students enter the areas in case of injury. Now, here we are."

The three halted in front of a landscape of the Black Lake. The giant squid's tentacle could be seen poking out of the water, shifting slightly with the ripples of the water and the shake of leaves. Slughorn reached out and poked the tentacle which transfigured itself into a doorknob.

"Now, Miss Granger, your living quarters are to the stairs on your left, and Mr Boot, the same on your right. The other students should be arriving in roughly five minutes, so Professor McGonagall expects you in the Great Hall in no longer than ten minutes for the sorting and feast," Slughorn patted his stomach which growled loudly at the mention of food before bustling back the way they came.

Hermione followed the Potions Master's directions and emerged from the stone staircase into a small apartment with light hardwood floors and dark red walls. The room was accented with small amounts of gold, walls plastered with bookshelves and it featured an adjoining kitchenette. Being a couple of floors up, she had a view of the forest, Hagrid's hut peeping out right at the edge of the trees.

It was the bedroom which took Hermione's breath away, which was through a large oak door near her miniature kitchen. A king sized bed sat against one wall, facing a window with extraordinary views of the grounds. The bed itself was lavish, covered in numerous pillows and cushions and topped with a luxurious blue quilt, the front of which was emblazoned with the faint outline of a lion, demonstrating her house pride. Aside from the pattern on the quilt, the room had deviated from the traditional Gryffindor pride which was throughout the rest of her living quarters.

The walls were painted a light blue, similar to ones she had been surrounded by in her childhood, and the floors were a light wood, partially covered by a soft white rug. There was a large wardrobe and an even bigger bookshelf with an adjoining ensuite. She ran out of time to explore, Terry knocking at her door to say they had two minutes to get to the Great Hall. He had already headed down once she past the picture of the Black Lake, the tail of his cloak disappearing around a corner.

Hermione hurried after him, never one to be anything less than perfectly punctual, and sidled into her seat next to Ginny at the Gryffindor table, across from Neville. The sorting progressed too slowly for all the older students who were eager for the feast, but Professor McGonagall rose to her feet before the food had appeared.

"I am very pleased to welcome you all back to Hogwarts after the horrors this castle saw during the last school year," McGonagall began, trying to be brief. "There are just a few short announcements I would like to make. Firstly, our new Head Boy is Terry Boot of Ravenclaw, and the Head Girl is Hermione Granger of Gryffindor house." A polite round of applause followed, no one startled by the decision. "Next, there are a few areas of the castle which we have been unable to repair. As such, these areas are strictly out of bounds, along with the Forbidden Forest. Prefects are instructed to inform their houses of these locations following our feast. And finally, I would like to tell you all that in light of recent events, any aggression towards other houses will not be tolerated in the slightest way."

The last announcement was punctuated by gleaming looks at both the Slytherin and Gryffindor tables by the staff. "Anyone caught partaking in such acts will be punished harshly, and there are no exceptions to this rule."

"I hope that doesn't include the Quidditch pitch," Ginny muttered to Hermione who just rolled her eyes.

"And now, with that out of the way, I hope you all enjoy our marvellous feast," McGonagall took her seat once more and Hermione heard the cries of delight from the new first years as every table was covered in a range of delicious foods.

The Head Girl filled up her plate with shepherd's pie as she filled in Ginny on her new living space.

"You have to let me visit," the redhead said. "I wish I got my own apartment. The Gryffindor Common Room is always so noisy."

"You can come up whenever you want, Gin," Hermione shrugged. "It'll get pretty lonely, otherwise."

"And I don't have to worry about walking in on you and my brother again," Ginny shuddered.

Hermione cringed at the memory of being interrupted during a very intimate moment with her fiancé. They had all been staying at the Burrow and it was the night of their engagement party. The guests had mostly left, so she and Ron had snuck up to his room for a bit of time together. But Molly, wanting the couple to be present to farewell all of the guests, had sent Ginny after them to ensure they came straight back down to the garden. Hermione and Ron had been so preoccupied that neither of them noticed the creaking of the floorboards as Ginny climbed up the stairs until she had burst through the door, finding them in a compromising position.

"Yes, well, if your mother had just given us a few seconds of privacy then it wouldn't have happened," Hermione said, her face hot. Ginny just laughed, her brilliant red hair rippling in a curtain down her back. Hermione had endured enough displays of affection between Harry and her best girlfriend that she supposed it almost made them equal. Almost.

"Can I come and visit tomorrow after classes?" Ginny suggested, to a sound of affirmation from Hermione.

The main courses faded away to desserts, and, as usual, Hermione was fit to burst by the time she had finished a slice of cheesecake. Professor McGonagall dismissed the students and she trailed after Ginny for a short time until she had to veer away to her own dormitory.

On the counter of her kitchenette lay an envelope addressed to her. She pried open the scarlet Hogwarts seal and found a list of instructions and duties she was to perform whilst Head Girl. The list, whilst not particularly challenging, would be time consuming, further limiting her time to prepare for her N.E.W.T.s, be sociable, and write to her fiancé.

She sighed, opting for a shower in her gleaming bathroom and an early night rather than worrying about her responsibilities for the year.

The Great Hall

7:30AM

September 2nd, 1998

"Double Potions with the Slytherins every Monday?" Ginny groaned over her bacon, waving her schedule in front of Hermione's face. "What a way to start the week."

Hermione picked up her own schedule, frowning at the lack of spare time she would have. "Monday…Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Transfiguration, lunch, double Potions. And Magical Theory after dinner."

"I swear, McGonagall is off her nutter," Ginny said, sounding so much like Ron that Hermione had to check she hadn't transfigured into her fiancé. "Look how many classes she's given us with the Slytherins!"

"Her way of promoting inter-house cooperation, I suppose," Hermione pushed her scrambled eggs around her plate as she scanned over the remaining days of the week. She was due to have Charms, Transfiguration, and Potions with their rival house, and for the briefest moment she regretted choosing so many N.E.W.T level classes. In the past, they had combined students from all houses into the N.E.W.T lectures and practical lessons, but with the added number of students repeating their seventh year, there had been some alterations made to the timetable to ensure each student got their fair share of attention from their professor.

"Oh well," Ginny shrugged. "I have a free period and then Divination, so it looks like my morning won't be too bad."

"Lucky you," Hermione said, a small crease forming between her brows. She gulped down the last of her eggs and finished up her pumpkin juice, tucking her schedule into her satchel. "Look, Gin, I'm going to go and send a quick letter to Ron and then I have to run to class, so I'll meet up with you in Transfiguration. Save me a seat?"

The redhead nodded, mouth too full to speak, and waved Hermione away. The brunette witch wound her way through the Great Hall, dodging late comers, and hurried along to the Owlery. She had scrawled her fiancé a short letter the night before, explaining her new residence, and Ron had told her to owl him as soon as she could. Taking it literally and scheduling herself enough time to do so, Hermione had endeavoured to post him a small note on her first morning.

The Owlery was as empty as she had expected, with just the soft hooting to accompany her. She picked out one of the school's barn owls to deliver her note. She had planned on getting herself an owl, but amongst the rush of her engagement, deciding to come back to Hogwarts and moving in with Ron, her plans had been lost. The owl swept out of a window and Hermione watched it fade into a speck into the distance before checking her watch.

She had fifteen minutes to get back to the castle and into her Arithmancy classroom. Arithmancy, her favourite subject, was to be a class shared with students from every house, as the demand for places in seventh year Arithmancy was quite low. Hermione had been hoping for a lesson without any Slytherin presence, purely because, as immature as she found herself to be, she was unsure how to face some of the people in that house. She had watched her friends be cut down by their relatives and the thought of seeing their faces made her feel sick to her stomach.

From her observations in the Great Hall at the past two meals, she had seen the return of Pansy Parkinson, Theodore Nott, Blaise Zabini, Daphne Greengrass, and Draco Malfoy himself, who had watched her get tortured by his own aunt. Just the thought of it sent shivers up her spine, made her body ache where Bellatrix had harmed her.

Hermione managed to get to one of the empty desks just seconds before Professor Vector arrived to begin the class. She noted the few students who had opted for the class: Malfoy, who was seated with Greengrass in the back corner, Padma Patil, sitting with Michael Corner, and Hannah Abbot, who offered the Head Girl a shy wave but made no move to sit with her.

"A bit of quiet, if you wouldn't mind," Professor Vector tapped her wand needlessly against her desk, demanding the attention of the six students. "In light of recent events, Professor McGonagall has asked that all students are to be paired with members of other houses to promote unity. As such, it appears there must be one or two changes."

Hermione's breath caught in her throat. She wasn't sure she could face either Draco or Daphne, not just yet, but she was spared when Professor Vector, who always seemed to have a soft spot for the Gryffindor, paired her with Hannah instead, matching Daphne with Michael and Padma with Draco. The professor handed out a few complicated charts to each pair, asking them to decipher the message within the next hour. Hermione and Hannah worked together solidly, finishing their charts seconds before the chime rang for the end of class. Professor Vector assigned the first chapter of their textbook for reading to be done by their next class, dismissing the students.

Daphne and Draco led the way to the Ancient Runes class Hermione shared with the pair. She gave a small smile to Hannah Abbot who departed towards the dungeons and lagged a significant distance behind the two Slytherins who seemed to be on the receiving end of numerous hateful glances in the short walk to their next class. No student dare say anything against the pair, lest they be punished by the numerous prefects and teachers who walked the halls between classes, patrolling for any misdeeds.

Professor Babbling was already setting up the lesson by the time they arrived, Draco and Daphne slinking to a table in the back corner again, whilst Hermione took her usual seat up the front. The professor gave the same speech about promoting inter-house cooperation as Professor Vector had, but as they were focusing primarily on revision for the lesson, there was no need to move students around. Hermione visibly relaxed, sure she would have her fair share of Slytherin company in the hour of Transfiguration and two hours of Potions still to come.

The Great Hall

Noon

Ginny hadn't stopped grumbling to Hermione about their hellish Transfiguration lesson. McGonagall, who was still managing to teach her classes and run the school, had instantly enforced her rule of sitting with members of another house. Hermione had been placed next to Blaise Zabini, who, to her luck, had remained quiet for the hour long lecture, only speaking when Hermione asked him something and on those occasions, using a gentle voice.

Ginny had not been as lucky. She had been placed with Pansy Parkinson, who still treated Ginny like she was some filthy animal, turning her nose up and refusing to do anything the redhead asked. Ginny still held a grudge against Pansy for her willingness to give up Harry during the Final Battle, and the Slytherin made no move to apologise for what she had said.

"I mean, she wanted to give up my boyfriend to be murdered," Ginny continued after they had sat down, each helping themselves to some food. "The least she could have done would be apologise, but she deserves to give me a hell of a lot more."

Hermione tuned the rest of her friend's ramblings out, instead propping up her Arithmancy book on a jug of pumpkin juice. Ginny redirected her rants towards Neville, who hadn't made it into the N.E.W.T level Transfiguration class and was spared the so called torture of McGonagall's meddling. They could only hope that Slughorn wouldn't adhere so strictly to the rules placed down by the Headmistress, but the Head Girl doubted it. Their Potions Master, whilst jolly and normally quite happy to please the students, would be one of the staff all too keen to promote unity between the houses.

The pair of girls traipsed silently and slowly down to the Dungeons after finishing their lunch, letting other students meander passed them. Slughorn had already put up the title of the potion they were going to be making, a Dreamless Sleep Potion, and had listed the ingredients on the blackboard.

"Welcome back, welcome back," he boomed, rubbing his stomach cheerfully as the students filed in. "Now, before you get too comfortable, I'm sure you're all aware that you are to sit with members of another house." Hermione inwardly groaned, slumping slightly next to Ginny. "So, up you hop. I've drawn up a revised seating plan," he flourished his wand and it appeared on another blackboard, "so quickly find your new partner and get to work!"

Hermione searched for her name on the board, finding it next to Theodore Nott who was already halfway over to her, his books stacked up. Ginny had been placed with Blaise Zabini and she offered Hermione a melancholy wave as she went to join the Italian Slytherin.

"Nice rock, Granger," Theodore greeted her with, dropping his belongings on Ginny's empty desk whilst Hermione set up their cauldron.

"Pardon?" she asked, not looking up at him. The diamond on her left hand glinted and his meaning was clear. "Oh, thanks."

"I don't bite," he said, turning and walking to the supply cupboard to gather their ingredients.

Hermione remained behind, watching the charismatic Slytherin. He certainly had never been outwardly rude to her, unlike his housemates, but his father had been a Death Eater and she had therefore classed the junior Nott as someone to avoid. Nott had always been an admirable student, handing in all of his work on time, his grades only slightly lower than her own, and he had remained clear of Draco Malfoy's little gang. In fact, there was no solid evidence in her mind that Theodore Nott was anything like his housemates, other than his father.

"We need to heat up the cauldron first," she said when he had returned, all of the necessary ingredients bundled tightly in his arms. He lined them all up neatly on the table, in a similar manner to how she would have done, erasing further doubts about the boy she had in her mind. "Thanks."

"No problem," he replied, focusing back onto the potion, carefully adding ingredients one by one. They worked silently for twenty minutes, both with their brows creased, glancing between the instructions in their textbooks and the changing colour of their concoction. After the hectic part was over and their brew had to be left to simmer for thirty minutes, Hermione cleared away all the mess they had made with a flick of her wand.

"How's Head Girl treating you?" Theodore asked. She could see he was bored by their silence, and she wouldn't admit it to him but she was a bit fed up with it, too.

"Seeing as we've only been back for one day, I've hardly experienced it," she took her seat again, writing her observations of the potion on a length of parchment. "I thought you were a shoe in for the Head Boy position. Terry's smart, but your grades are higher than his."

"Almost as good as yours, Granger," he said, a smile tugging at his mouth. Hermione turned to look at Theodore Nott truly for the first time, noting a scar on his chin and another thin one on his eyebrows, dark brown eyes similar to her own, and perfectly sculpted cheekbones. An neat mop of brown hair hung slightly over his forehead, and Hermione determined that he certainly was not an aggressive looking character. "I think McGonagall would have faced serious opposition from some of the students if a Death Eater's son was given Head Boy. And being friends with some of my housemates," he inclined his head slightly towards Draco who was working next to a silent Pavarti Patil, "wouldn't have helped my case either. Doesn't matter, though. More time to relax."

"I don't think Professor McGonagall really considered friendship circles when she chose the Heads," Hermione said, mouth turned down at the corners. "That's really shouldn't be a concern."

"Granger," he began, "you're engaged to a war hero, your best friend is the 'Chosen One', and your girlfriend over there," another inclination of his head, this time towards Ginny, "is dating him. You don't think your choice in friends influenced her decision, even in the slightest way?"

She opened her mouth to retort but had to concede he had a good point. What if she had chosen to dither about with Pavarti Patil and Lavender Brown in their first year instead? Would she have maintained such steadily high grades? Would she have made Head Girl? Would she even be alive after the events of the last year? She shuddered to think.

"See what I mean, Granger?" he said, then frowned. "Hang on, do you want to be called Granger or would you rather I got you used to Weasley?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Neither, actually. I have a first name, Theodore," she said, noting his cringe at the use of his first name.

"What sort of name is Hermione, anyway?" he asked, checking the time and looking down to their potion. They still had a few more minutes before it needed any attention.

"It's from a play by Shakespeare," she said, rereading over her notes. "A muggle playwright," she added.

"I may not read much muggle literature but I still know who Shakespeare is," it was Theodore's turn to roll his eyes at her. "We need to add the last few ingredients."

Their faces formed an identical mask of concentration as they partook in the most complex part of the potion making, being certain to stir it seven and a half times counter clockwise, then eleven and a third time clockwise for five consecutive cycles. Other students who had reached the same point where not getting results anywhere near as precise as Hermione and Theodore's, whose mixture had reached the desired purple colour.

"Ah, I think I see a new dream team in the making," Slughorn boomed with a wink towards the only successful pair in the class. Blaise and Ginny had ended with a light pink potion, and Draco and Pavarti's attempt had resulted in a plum coloured concoction, rather than the desired lilac. All the other students had fallen well short of the mark. "There may yet be a place for you in my little club, Nott, my man."

"Thank you, sir," Theodore said, giving the teacher a charming grin as all the potions in the class evaporated with a wave of Slughorn's wand.

The Potions Master assigned homework to all the students who had failed the task, asking them to research why their potions had not been successful before he dismissed them for the day, sending a collective groan throughout the students. Hermione was just pleased she had been given a somewhat successful partner as she wasn't sure how much more homework she could take onto her plate.

"Dream team, eh, Granger?" Theodore caught up with her outside the classroom. At the sight of her eye roll he amended his statement. "Oops, Hermione."

"Thanks, Theodore," she said, watching him wince.

"It's Theo, actually," he said.

"See you tomorrow, Teddy," she said, grinning as he cringed again.