Hermione paced the length of her dorm room nervously. She had moved her stuff, including her newly acquired year 6 school things which did include a very shiny (although very green) Prefects badge for Hermione, back into the Slytherin dorms as school was resuming today. The train would be here any minute meaning she'd have to go down and face everyone. This summer had been glorious. She spent her days roaming the grounds and immersed in the vast library, not having to share or worry the book she wanted to read was checked out.
The only blip in her otherwise peaceful summer was that damned marriage contract. After Druella's garden party, apparently she had intrigued Abraxas' father and he contacted Dumbledore that night. Dumbledore told her the next morning of the communication. At first, she was furious he was even entertaining the idea. The whole reason she was here was to help Tom, how would a marriage to Abraxas even remotely fit into that plan? Once she calmed down. Dumbledore explained his logic, and while she didn't agree with it she couldn't begrudge him for hedging his bets.
Dumbledore's plans always seemed to have a secret back door, a fall back in case something went wrong and this was no exception. He explained, Tom had turned his back to her once and had come back, but what if next time the dark arts keep him? What if she doesn't come back and she has no way into his organization? That's is where Abraxas came in. She now had two years to change Tom, if not, she married Abraxas and tried to dismantle the organization that way. Abraxas already pledged to make this as easy as possible, if needed she could convince him to distance himself from Tom after school, meaning Lucius and Draco would be distanced as well. And that was a start. It was then that she realized she had the potential to be Lucius's mother and after a shudder rippled through her body she decided to cross that mental bridge if it ever came up.
She admittedly accepted it was an alright fallback, but that didn't mean she had to be happy with it.
The clock chimed 6 o'clock and it seemed as if the castle roared to life. All the fireplaces in the common room lit with the green fire she had come to know. She exited the common room, walking to the great hall. As she walked she decided on her game plan. She had already written Druella and Abraxas, asking them not to tell anyone (Tom) about the contact as she wanted to be there to tell everyone (Tom).
Once she got to the main entrance, she spotted Druella first. She was walking in, closely followed by Walburga and Philomena. Hermione actually found herself excited to see her Slytherin friends. She waved and ran over, catching Philomena's eye. She waved back and nudged the other two, pointing in Hermione's direction. When they realized It was her, they waved enthusiastically back and made their way to each other. Once in each other's proximity, Druella threw her arms around Hermione's neck, pulling her in for a hug. Hermione repeated the action with Walburga and Philomena.
They all walked into the great hall and took their seats at the house table, each taking turns filling each other in on the rest of their summers. Philomena playfully scolding Hermione about her summer being ruined by the Nargle hunts her father and brother insisted on. Hermione rolled her eyes and laughed, internally realizing that she was to blame for Luna's obsession.
Most of the upperclassmen had trickled into the hall by now. Orion, Cygnus and the rest of the, now 5th years of the gang, sat around them. They only waited on three others for the picture to be complete. Hermione's heart leapt into her chest when she noticed them walking towards her. Evan and Abraxas slightly flanked Tom as they entered. They made their way over and sat down. Evan beside his sister, looking anywhere but her. Abraxas had taken a seat across from Hermione and nodded in greeting, anything more would have given everything away and he knew they couldn't yet. Tom had sat to her right, just like old times. He gave her a small smile before turning towards Dippet at the front of the hall. The first years, being led by Professor Sutton started to filter in to be sorted. Hermione took the time to analyze Tom.
He was just as, if not more, attractive as when he had left. He had grown a few inches, his hair as dark and silky as ever, skin as pale and flawless as she remembered. She internally sighed, she didn't know how this year was going to go but she knew it couldn't go well.
With the sorting done and announcements announced, it was supper time. The food appeared on the tables, just as it has every meal she's ever had at Hogwarts but still she was amazed. The castle, even things she had grown accustomed to, always amazed Hermione. Soon chatter turned back to summer and Druella, Abraxas and herself making sure to steer very clear of anything related to the contract.
Dinner was a short affair as the students wanted to get settled in their rooms, Tom- the other 6th-year prefect of course, and herself began to help the other prefects with the first years. This did not take too long and before Hermione knew it she was in her Dorm with Druella, Walburga and Philomena, chatting as they unpacked. They chatted into the night, they laughed, they sighed and they outright cackled at each other. As Hermione laid her head down to sleep and the lights turned down, she couldn't help but think of the drama that was to unfold this year.