*JK Rowling owns Harry Potter*

A/N: This is my first fanfic so please bear with me :D Anyway, do tell me how the story is and suggestions, critical reviews, and motivations are all welcome. So yeah, let us move on with the story.

IMPORTANT NOTE: I had actually posted a few chapters of this fanfiction a few years back (2020 I believe) but I deleted it later on lmao. Don't remember why. The A/N at the beginning and at the end of the chapter is from back then too haha. But the message remains the same. Lmk about how I can improve this.

Chapter 1

Hermione looked outside the window to see the fields rush by. She had just finished reading a book she had pulled out of her bag to read at the beginning of the train journey to Hogwarts because she found Harry and Ron's 'Quidditch talk' quite boring. Later even Ginny had joined them in their 'talk'.

She listened to them talking for a while but got bored, again so she got up and announced, "I am going to change into my robes because we will be reaching Hogwarts in some time."

Harry nodded and when she looked expectantly at Ron, he just waved in dismissal.

She waved and stepped out of the compartment and almost immediately met Luna and they talked about Nargles for a while.

Then she walked for a few seconds when, "Oomph," she bumped into someone and fell.

"Sorry" someone apologized and gave her a hand to get her up. It was after she got up that she recognized who it was.

"Malfoy," she said calmly.

"Granger" he replied smirking.

Why can't he wipe that stupid smirk off his face? she thought and said, "Well it's a surprise to see you going back to Hogwarts. I read in the Daily Prophet that you own the Malfoy business. I was assuming you would have a lot of work to finish your seventh year," and smirked when she saw a look of uncertainty on his face.

Then his uncertainty vanished. "Yeah, that's true, but there is still a lot for me to learn," he replied and then he again smirked, "Also I cannot really leave Hogwarts without showing you that I can be the first in class, right Granger?"

She fumed and said, "We'll see about that," and stalked off.

The Great Hall was filled with loud chatter and Harry looked around noticing some empty chairs in almost every house. However, the most were in Slytherin because many of them were still waiting for the trial to be held in Wizengamot and a lot of them had already been sentenced to house arrest since Azkaban would be a bit too much of a punishment. They were after all forced by their parents to get the dark mark and become one of Voldemort's followers. This fact was told by many of the students and all of their parents had admitted it when they were given Veritaserum.

McGonagall broke Harry out of his reverie as she came as always and handed out the timetables to Harry, Ron, and Hermione and as always Ron shouted, "Potions! What a great class to start with at the beginning of our school." Apparently, Ron still hadn't got over his dislike for potions and didn't like the fact that Snape was teaching Potions again.

The trio made their way to the Potions class after breakfast. "With Slytherins! To hell with Potions!" Ron cursed as he saw Slytherins also making their way to the Potions classroom.

Something bad always happens when Ron is in an extra bad mood, a small voice in Hermione's head warned her.

She shared a look with Harry that said, "Be careful today during Potions and be extra patient with Ron or you may never know if he hexes someone because we all know the Weasley temper and had to learn about it the hard way."

Ron was fuming as he entered the classroom when Daphne Greengrass made their way over to them along with Pansy Parkinson. Harry sighed and braced himself for a series of insults but looked shocked as they looked at the three of them with guilt.

Hermione, apparently had been thinking the same, and when they were looking like that, she slowly asked, "Do you want to say something or want something from us?"

Pansy immediately turned to look at her and said just as slowly, "I do not know how to put this Granger, but all I want to let you know is that I am sorry for being some stupid Pureblood supremacist and calling you a… a mudblood," she winced as she said the word but continued, "which I now think is absolutely disgusting to call someone that. And the fact that you are always better than us is… I don't know, amazing and something to be proud of? I know I made your life here hell but please… please accept my apology. You don't know how much I have wanted to tell you this. I have wanted to tell you this since the 5th year. But every time I planned on telling you this I used to get my parent's face in my head that I would get scared and continue insulting you."

Daphne by this time had hung her head in shame but was nodding at every word Pansy was saying while Ron looked calmer now and Harry was looking at them in shock and disbelief like the rest of the Gryffindors and some Slytherins while Hermione was looking at them sympathetically and said, "Pansy, Daphne, I accept your apology and I assure you I hold no grudges against you," she said and Pansy and Daphne smiled at her in relief, then continued, "however, I want to ask you, have you been rehearsing this speech?"

Daphne looked at her and started laughing, "Heavens Granger, absolutely no! We have been planning to tell you this but we didn't rehearse it or anything!" Pansy smiled and said, "Let's just get over with Potions!"

During the rest of the class, Snape looked slightly pleased when he saw Pansy, Daphne, Hermione, and Ginny (who had joined them a little late since she was the head girl and had to meet the head boy) working together and talking with each other without any insults. He had thought of deducting some house points but thought that inter-house unity was more important and refrained from doing so.

The trio went to Hagrid's and knocked on the door. Hagrid opened the door looking a little shabby. " 'Ello 'Arry, 'Ermione and Ron, come on in." They smiled at him and went in. They sat and waited for Hagrid to come. He soon came and was seated along with them.

Then Harry started, " How are you Hagrid? After the war and all?" he started a little apprehensively.

"Am fine 'Arry. What about you three? The Golden Trio?"

Ron laughed and said, " We are doing great Hagrid. You won't believe what happened in Potions today, Parkinson and Greengrass came and apologized to us for being such jerks all these years," he continued, "It seems that they have wanted to apologize since 5th year but never got a chance."

"Looks like the war did some good to those pureblood supremacists," Hermione said thoughtfully.

Ron gave her a look and scoffed, "Not a chance. They just want to bask in our reflected glory if they become friends with us." Hermione got annoyed.

"Ronald, you honestly don't think that. You must give everyone a chance. They must have had to swallow their pride to apologize to us." she retorted.

Harry sensed an argument and immediately said, "Well, time will say. For now, why don't we just enjoy our time with Hagrid?"

Hermione nodded and Ron said, "For now. But this discussion will not end here. We must stay on guard." Hermione rolled her eyes and joined Hagrid and Harry along with Ron for a funny and relaxing evening.

A/N: So, what do you think? Good? Fine? Average? Bad? REVIEWS, please! And of course, I will try to upload once a week... Hope that's enough for the time being because my classes are going on right now and I am busy. But anyway, my vacations start soon so I can always upload more then. So until the next chapter, Adios!