Hermione was bored, and desperate for things to return to some semblance of normality. Fortunately, the Easter holidays were upon her and the end of her rest period was in sight. After her transplant, Hermione had been in hospital just under a week before she was discharged. However, all she really did was swap a hospital bed for her own bed at home. Since her mother was still teaching, Voldemort had been her primary carer and he'd been pretty strict about her getting enough rest. He'd even spoken to her house elf, Mitzee, to make sure she kept Hermione in bed when he wasn't around.

Hermione had entertained herself with homework from school, which Beth and Lucius had provided for her, but now she was pretty much caught up. Luckily, for the last few days she'd been allowed out of bed and she was now roaming the house as normal. Of course she still had to take things easy and after several weeks stuck in bed, she tended to tire easily as she was rebuilding her strength and stamina.

On the day Hogwarts broke up for Easter, Hermione was disappointed when Beth returned home on her own. Even though it wasn't normally done, she had hoped that Harry and Draco would be allowed to return home with Beth, Severus and Lucius, rather than on the train which would take them all day. However, it wasn't to be and Beth had informed Hermione that Harry and Draco would be returning home with the rest of the students on the train.

"Can I at least go with you to meet them off the train?" Hermione asked her mother.

"Of course," Beth replied.

Excited by the thought of seeing her nephew and boyfriend, combined with her happiness over finally going outside for the first time in weeks, Hermione found she couldn't settle to anything for the rest of the day. All too slowly time ticked past, until it was finally time to go to meet the train at King's Cross Station. Hermione was still bubbling with excitement as she and Beth headed off to London, where they met Narcissa on Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

"You're looking bright, Hermione," Narcissa said with a chuckle as the young, brunette witch was practically bouncing up and down with excitement.

"It's nice to be out getting some fresh air," Hermione replied.

"I know that feeling," Narcissa remarked. Like Hermione she'd been stuck indoors following her hospital stay and thankfully she was now completely fine, albeit with some major scarring on her arm and side, which was expertly hidden under her long sleeved dress.

As they waited for the train to arrive, Beth and Narcissa stood chatting while Hermione glanced around the station. She noticed a few people glancing at her curiously, but she didn't react to their stares as she had no idea if they were hostile looks or if they were just curious about her given what her happened and who her family was. She also suspected some of them would be thinking about Ron and Madam Pomfrey, and how they'd both ended up dead following her admittance to hospital. Of course, none of the papers had come out and accused her father of being behind the two deaths, but a couple had implied it and she knew there would be gossip. They would just have to wait and see if the gossip turned into some sort of rebellion, or if in time people would just forget all about Ron and Madam Pomfrey.

Thinking of Ron got Hermione wondering about the Weasleys and she looked around the platform for any sign of Molly. After a few minutes she decided that Molly wasn't on the platform, and she wondered if Ron's death had left her so fragile that she wasn't up to facing the world. Hermione smirked at the idea of Molly being too distraught to leave the house, just as she spotted a flash of red hair further along the platform. Wondering if Molly had finally arrived, and what her response would be when she saw Hermione herself, she stepped back a few paces to get a good look at whichever Weasley had just made an appearance. As it turned out, it wasn't Molly who had just arrived, it was Bill and Charlie. Both wizards noticed Hermione fairly quickly, but aside from giving her a dirty look, they turned away from her as they waited for the train to arrive with their sister on board.

Shortly after the two eldest Weasley children had arrived, The Hogwarts Express pulled into the station. Hermione spotted Harry and Draco almost immediately as they disembarked with their friends. It took a few minutes for either boy to notice her, but when they did their faces broke into identical grins.

"Hermione," Harry cried, rushing over to his aunt and giving her a tight hug. "What are you doing here?"

"Surprising you," Hermione replied with a grin.

"You've done that," Harry answered, grinning back at his aunt. Even though he'd seen Hermione regularly since she'd left hospital, it was the first time he'd seen her looking like her old, bubbly self.

Turning to Draco, Hermione took one look at her boyfriend before launching herself into his arms and slanting her lips over his. Draco didn't even blink as he wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist and heatedly returned her kiss. Even the fact their mothers were standing inches away couldn't stop the affection between the two teenagers.

"Whew," Blaise declared with a low whistle. "Talk about a hot show."

"Indeed," Beth remarked in an amused voice. "Perhaps the pair of you should remember you're in public."

"Sorry," Hermione apologised, not looking the least bit sorry as she stepped out of Draco's arms.

The second Hermione was out of Draco's embrace, she turned to the Slytherins and Luna, whom she hadn't seen since before she'd been taken to hospital. Daphne was the first one to greet her and the two witches hugged each other as her friend checked how she was doing.

"I can't wait to get back to school after the holidays," Hermione said as she said hello to the boys and Luna.

"Only you would look forward to returning to school," Theo snorted. "Most people would be glad of the break."

"But I miss you lot," Hermione said with a pout. "It's boring at home on my own, I'm missing all the fun."

"It's actually been fairly quiet at school," Blaise said.

"Really?" Hermione asked in disbelief. "After what happened with Ron, I thought Ginny would be stirring up trouble."

"She's been surprisingly quiet since her return," Harry told his aunt, glancing across the station where he saw the redheaded witch disappearing with her two oldest brothers.

"You think she's up to something?" Hermione asked.

"Probably," Harry replied with a nod. "But let's not worry about her just yet. Let's celebrate the fact you're back up on your feet."

"I thought we could do that over the weekend," Beth said. "Everyone's invited over for a small party."

"Excellent," Blaise said with a grin. "We'll be there."

"I hope you're all there," Hermione said, looking around at the group. The only Slytherin she couldn't see was Pansy, not that she was bothered if the other witch didn't want to hang around with them.

"We will be," Daphne promised before she said goodbye to Harry and headed off to where her mother and sister were waiting.

Taking their cue from Daphne, the others also said their goodbyes and headed off home. With their friends all gone, Hermione, Harry and Draco turned to Beth and Narcissa and the five of them headed home. Narcissa and Draco headed back to the manor, although Beth made sure they were coming to dinner later that evening. Harry returned home with Beth and Hermione, and he just hung out with his aunt until dinner time and only returned to his own house after dinner when Severus and Rosmerta went home.


C.O.T.D.


The Easter holidays flew past in a blur of activity for Hermione. Harry and Draco were at her house constantly over the holidays, and most days they were joined by Daphne, Blaise, Theo and Luna. Over the course of the holidays, Hermione really bonded with Luna, and she really seemed to easily fit into the friendship Hermione and Daphne had already formed. The result meant that for the first time in her life, Hermione had some really good friends who were girls. Of course, she'd always had Harry and Draco and she knew she'd never lose either of them, but it was good to have some female friends.

On the last day of the holidays, Hermione spent the day alone with Draco. Harry and Daphne were having a romantic day of their own, leaving Hermione and Draco to enjoy their first real private time since she'd been taken ill and admitted to hospital. Lying on a picnic blanket in the back garden, Hermione was content to soak up the sun as she lay with her head resting on Draco's shoulder.

"I can't believe it's back to school tomorrow," Draco sighed as he toyed with Hermione's curls.

"I know, it's great, isn't it?" Hermione enthused.

"Have you really missed it that much?" Draco asked his girlfriend.

"No, I've really missed seeing you every day," Hermione confessed with a small smile. "I know you and Harry have been visiting me, but it just hasn't been the same. Besides, it would be nice for us to have some time alone."

"You mean like now?" Draco laughed.

"I meant private time, where we're both wearing distinctly less clothing," Hermione purred as she rolled over and softly brushed her lips against Draco's.

"As long as we're careful," Draco muttered.

"Careful?" Hermione frowned down at her boyfriend. "I hope you're not going to start treating me like an invalid because of what happened. Honestly, I can live a perfectly normal life and that includes having passionate sex with my boyfriend."

"I didn't mean careful like that," Draco chuckled. "I meant careful as in making sure you don't end up pregnant."

"Ah, I get it, you don't want to have children with me," Hermione said with a mock pout.

"Not this young I don't," Draco retorted. "But I was more thinking about how I would end up if you got pregnant. It would certainly be the only chance I'd ever have of having kids, as once your father had finished with me, I don't think I would be able to even have sex again."

"Just what does my father have to do with anything?" Hermione questioned.

"I didn't tell you, did I?" Draco said, suddenly remembering that Hermione had still been seriously ill when he'd had his chat with Voldemort.

"Tell me what?" Hermione asked warily as she sat up. Her boyfriend had already mentioned her parents knowing they were sleeping together, but he'd failed to mention a further conversation in regards to their sleeping arrangements. "Please say, Father didn't threaten you."

"Just a little bit," Draco replied. "First, he thanked me for saving your life then he warned me that there would be trouble if I got your pregnant. I don't think he's ready for his little princess to have children."

"I don't think his little princess is ready for children either," Hermione retorted. "Don't worry Draco, I'm always careful. I have no intention of becoming a mother just yet. I have plans you know, and they don't involve children for several more years."

"And just what are these plans of yours?" Draco asked. "I hope they include me."

"They do," Hermione confirmed. "I'm not letting you go, Draco. You're mine."

"I always have been," Draco replied, pulling Hermione back down onto the blanket as he reconnected their lips in a heated kiss.

The couple fooled around for fifteen minutes or so before they settled back down and Hermione filled Draco in on her plans for the future. She hadn't exactly been idle while she was ill, and over the last few weeks she'd given a lot of thought to her future. Even though she still had one more year to go at Hogwarts, she knew just what she wanted to do once school was over with.

"What do you think?" Hermione asked when she finished telling Draco her plans for the future, which pretty much involved her totally overhauling and resorting the school system in the wizarding world and running Hogwarts in her own vision.

"Honestly, I'm shocked," Draco admitted.

"In a bad way?" Hermione questioned with a small frown.

"No, I think your plans are brilliant, they're just not what I expected," Draco replied. "But as long as you're happy, I say go for it."

"You know me, I always like to do the unexpected and surprise people," Hermione said with a grin. "I'm sure most people will think I want nothing more to be Minister of Magic and rule the wizarding world."

"I admit, the thought had crossed my mind," Draco said. "I could picture you and Harry fighting over who was going to take over and ensure all The Dark Lord's hard work wasn't in vain."

"I'll still be doing that, just in another way," Hermione replied. "This way, I can focus on the future of our world and ensure that the children of the future are all children of the dark."

"If anyone can do it, you can," Draco assured his girlfriend with a smile.

Smiling back at Draco, Hermione leant over and connected their lips yet again. This time it was the end of the conversation, and the pair spent the remainder of the afternoon getting physically reacquainted with one another.