Disclaimer: not mine…not mine…not not mine…not not mine…

First Day

Hermione was utterly baffled, but able to hide it until she was in her dorm. She flopped down on her bed, so many thoughts swimming through her head. Well, just one thought, really: Why is Draco being so nice to me?

She was able to sink into an uneasy sleep, Draco Malfoy not only in her thoughts and dreams as well.

She woke up the next morning, feeling refreshed. She got dressed, and was able to tame her hair into nice, curly tresses. Hermione smiled. She put on a bit of make-up and checked the clock. Good, she still had plenty of time to get a nice breakfast. It had only started a half hour ago. It was, after all, the most important meal of the day. She checked herself out in the mirror one last time before grabbing her books and leaving towards the Great Hall.

XOxoXOxo

Draco awoke very suddenly, jumping from his bed in a cold sweat. After realising where he was, he sunk back into his bed, his hand wiping the sweat from his forehead and covering his eyes. He'd been having the same dream since the end of the summer, and it always ended with Bellatrix torturing and killing Hermione. He would never forget those eyes, pleading silently with him to help her, to save her. He hated those nightmares.

He checked the clock. Breakfast had barely started, but food was one thing that would get his mind off the dream. He got dressed and left towards the Great Hall.

XOxoXOxo

"Morning, Ginny," said Hermione cheerily, tucking in next to her.

"Urg," she replied.

"Ginny, were you trying to do an impression of an troll, because if you were, it was very good."

"Shut it."

"Not a morning person, eh?"

"Mione, you know I'm not a morning person, you just like teasing me about it. Now, where's my coffee…"

Hermione laughed.

Professor McGonagall handed out the schedules just as Ron and Harry were entering the Great Hall. Turns out, they only had almost every class together. Hermione wanted to be something in the Ministry while Ron and Harry wanted to be Aurors.

XOxoXOxo

"Draco, what are you doing up so early?" asked Blaise as he walked into a half full Great Hall. "Usually, you're up last."

"Couldn't sleep," Draco muttered, helping himself to some more porridge and coffee.

"That same bloody nightmare? Mate, maybe you should go see Pomfrey and get a Dreamless Sleep Potion. Waking up at seven in the morning and going to sleep at one in the morning is not healthy."

"I'll be fine."

"Somehow, I doubt that."

"Whoa, Draco's up? Is it the apocalypse?" joked Ted as he sat down on Draco's other side.

"He's had the nightmare again," said Blaise.

"Not again! Bloody hell, mate, you should get a potion for that."

"I'll be fine," repeated Draco, before chugging some more coffee.

Teddy was about to say something, but Slughorn showed up and handed out their schedules.

"I want to be in a Ministry department. What about you guys?" asked Draco.

"Same," said Theo and Blaise in union.

"Sweet, we have the same classes," said Draco, glancing at their schedules.

Draco glanced up at the Gryffindor table to see Hermione's eyes running over a letter. She got up, made an excuse and walked swiftly out of the Great Hall. Draco got up too.

"Have to get my books, left them in my dorm," he said, before rushing out as well.

XOxoXOxo

No, Hermione thought. They were getting along just fine when I was there. A divorce?! No, mum and dad can't be doing this.

She made an excuse; something about needing to look up one last thing before Transfiguration. Ginny looked at her sideways, but Hermione didn't care. She just needed to be somewhere quiet. Like the Astronomy tower. And that's where she headed.

She took one of the secret passage ways up to the Astronomy tower; it was faster. She put her bag down and sunk to the floor. She didn't cry, she just thought. She didn't know how long she had been there before she heard footsteps. She looked up to see a pair of steely gray eyes.

"Are you okay?" asked Draco, sitting down next to her and touching her arm gently.

"Yes, I was...just...thinking."

"About what? What made you run out of the Great Hall?"

"I...my parents...they're getting a divorce."

Draco said nothing. Though he didn't show it, he was shocked. He had met her parents so many years ago, and they seemed happy and very much in love.

"Mia, I'm so sorry."

"Thanks. I'll be okay. I just hope they won't fight to get custody over me. That's what I'm really worried about."

"Well, you're almost of age."

"In the wizarding world. In the muggle world, we turn of age at 18."

Draco said nothing. He could think of what to say.

"Draco, why are you being so nice to me after six years of pushing me away?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Well, my father's dead, my mother won't care, so I'm finally free to do as I please. I don't want to rush back into our friendship, I just want to ease back into it, so you can let me earn your trust again."

Hermione smiled. "I missed you."

"Oh, Merlin, you have no idea how much I missed you."

Hermione's smile faltered. "What about your friends? Will they care?"

"What, Blaise and Ted? No, they don't care. They were like me in the war."

Hermione smiled again. She glanced at her watch. "Bugger, we're going to be late if we don't get a move on! What do you have now?"

"Transfiguration. You?"

"Same. Sit with me?"

"Sure. Come on, let's go."

Draco summoned his books and smiled. They were friends again: that was all he could ever ask for.

I'm so sorry it's so bloody short, but I have so much school work right now. I dunno when I'll update next, but I'll try and make it soon. Holiday vacation is coming up: YAY!!