Chapter 1- Need

Seventh year was going to be the hardest and the best according to Hermione Granger. She knew without a doubt that she would study harder than ever, pass her newts with Outstandings and graduate top of the class.

Nothing else would happen and nothing else mattered to her. She was still slightly put out that Harry and Ron ignored her pleas for them to return to school.

"Why do that Mione, when we've already been accepted into the Auror Program?" Ron kept saying. Harry said he'd had enough studying and homework and thought he knew enough to get through the training. Only he didn't know how rigorous it was. Ten hour days and spells he hadn't even heard of being learnt. He was in over his head, they both were. Hermione decided she would be returning to school alone for her seventh year, aside from a few year mates that had chosen to come back as well.

She opened her trunk and picked her wand up from the nightstand next to her bed. Her parents had only been brought home two weeks ago, much to their dismay. Hermione had needed time though, to mourn her lost friends, and think of what to tell them. Surely the truth would be too much? She decided to tell them that she'd had a burst of accidently magic and their memories would be hazy for a while.

It seemed like a good idea at first, until her parents looked at her with fear. She knew her parents loved her, but there was no denying the fear and nervousness they had around her now. Perhaps the truth would have been better.

She spelled her things into her trunk, thanking herself that she was going to be nineteen in as many days. Being older had its advantages. Ginny would be there with her, though Hermione cringed at the thought of the younger girl. The younger engaged girl. Harry popped the question a month ago, much to the dismay of Arthur and her. Ginny had just turned seventeen and still had a year of school left. Hermione secretly thought that Ginny just wanted to show off her claim to Harry, the living legend. Not that she would ever say it.

Her trunk was packed and Hermione dreaded going down stairs to finally tell her parents that she was going back to school. This new relationship she had with them wasn't something she liked and knew how to deal with. It would take some getting used to.

She levitated her trunk down the stairs in front of her, nerves settling in her stomach. She took a deep breath before joining her parents in the kitchen.

They stopped talking when she entered, looking up at her with angry expressions.

"You're going aren't you?" Her mother asked, sipping her orange juice. Hermione winced, "Yes, but-

"No buts, you never used to keep things from us." Her father interrupted in a firm voice. Hermione stiffened defensively.

"Well I wouldn't keep things from you if you wouldn't stare at me as if I'm about to kill you! You're afraid of me for no reason. What happened was an accident!" Hermione burst, tears stinging her eyes. Her parents looked shocked at her outburst and her father came to stand by her shoulder.

"Not afraid for us Hermione. For you." He told her softly giving his wife a long look.

"Hermione we're sorry things haven't been the same since we got better, but we're trying. It's really confusing, you know." Her mother said putting her plate and glass in the sink.

"Well, I know that. I hope it'll work itself out, because I'm not in any danger." anymore.

Hermione's mother smiled feebly, "I realize that now. You'll write?" She asked hopefully. Hermione pulled her mother into a fierce hug.

"Every week." She promised.

Hermione felt strange boarding the train alone. Her parents didn't go to see her off and Hermione didn't bother asking. She had a feeling they would be too frightened to come. She was head girl this year, to her delight. At first she thought it was unfair, consider the other seventh years, but she wasn't about to give it up. She'd wanted this for a long time, her whole seven years at Hogwarts.

She stowed her trunk in the luggage rack above her head. The compartment for the Heads was just a little bigger than the others. She didn't know who the Head Boy was but she wasn't worried. Sharing a common room with a guy didn't bother her. She had her own room and loo. She just hoped he wasn't a jerk that was noisy all night long.

She changed into her robes, before the train even started moving, not wanting to change while the head boy was in the compartment. Too awkward.

The train moved into motion, startling her. Hermione made herself comfortable and rested her head against the window.

Hermione jerked awake when the train sputtered to a stop. Her cheek was cold from resting against the window, so she rubbed it trying to warm up. She hated falling asleep without noticing she was tired in the first place.

She stretched her arms above her head and let out a yawn. The compartment door opened and a disheveled Ernie Macmillan sat down across from her. Hermione blinked, ready to tell him this was the heads compartment, when she spotted the gleaming badge on his school robed. She smiled weakly.

"Oh, it's the mysterious Headboy." She said at last and he seemed to only notice her then.

"Granger? You're Headgirl? Well I guess it was a given…"

Hermione didn't miss the dejected edge his tone took or the look of disappointment. Hermione decided to let it pass, "Well we were supposed to make up a schedule on the way to school, but I don't think we have time-

"Could you do that for me? I've had a really rough summer." He interrupted looking pleading. Hermione opened her mouth then closed it. A nasty and mean part of her wanted to yell at him and say she'd had a rough summer, but she was more polite than that.

"Well, I suppose, but I need to know what nights you're free to patrol. I remember you were on the chess team with Ron, but I don't know-

"Oh yea, I am on the team so I can't patrol on Tuesdays, Thursdays or Fridays." He said pushing his trunk up on the luggage rack with a grunt.

Hermione thought that was a lot of nights just to practice chess, but she held her tongue.

"Okay, so you'll patrol from nine to ten thirty on Mondays and Wednesdays. There's also something I would like to ask-

"Hey, Granger we share a common room right?" He cut her off, not seeming to realize she'd been speaking. Hermione nodded curtly, "Yes, that's what I was-

"Well my girlfriend, you might now her, Romilda Vane? Well she comes over on Mondays because every other day either I have chess or she has some girly thing with Cho Change and Lavender Brown. Girls right?"

Hermione stiffened and glared at the floor. "You patrol on Mondays and she cant go with you. So she'll have to be gone by curfew."

Ernie stared at Hermione for a long moment, "You would let Weasely or Potter go with you."

"No, I wouldn't not! I don't break the rules unless it's necessary. Which in your case it's not. I'm not seeing anyone at the moment so you'll not need to worry about people coming to the common room. I'll see my friends in their common rooms. Alright? It seems were here."

Hermione levitated her trunk down and left him sitting the compartment. She was furious! How could he just demand and ask such rude things? She would talk with Minerva if it got to be too much.

Hermione lowered her trunk onto the carriage, which was empty. The thestrals were pulling it, she knew. She couldn't bring herself to look at them; surely it would only disturb her. A familiar face came into view and hopped into the carriage with her.

"Neville!" She engulfed him in a huge embrace, knocking his over onto his seat.

"Hermione! I need to breathe!" He gasped and Hermione pulled away, rocking on the heels of her feet. A grin threatened to split her face. Neville smiled at her as well and sat down next to her.

"It's good to see you." He whispered and Hermione felt tears rise up in her eyes.

"Same here." Neville turned to the front of the carriage, his eyes lighting up.

"Thestrals." He exclaimed and reached up the pet the skeletal back of the creature. Hermione turned to watch him with wide eyes. How could he stand to touch them, knowing why he could see them? Hermione couldn't help but wonder who is was he saw die during the war, or maybe it was before that.

"Fred and My mum. Mum died a few weeks ago."

"Oh, that's horrible. I'm sorry Neville." Hermione didn't want to talk about Fred, not then not ever.

Neville turned back to her, smiling sadly. "Yea me too. I always hoped somehow she'd get better. That was silly though, you don't come back from that."

"Not silly at all. You know my parents survived because I sent them to Australia under a memory charm." Neville nodded looking more serious than she could remember. "Well, I brought them home. I reversed it and told them that I had an accidental magical outburst. And they believed me."

Neville frowned," They didn't know-

"No. Not a thing. I never said the name Voldemort in our house. They're afraid of me now. They jump when I walk into a room and when I start to speak." Frustration was clear in her voice and Neville patted her knee comfortingly.

"It'll work out, but maybe it would be better to start with truth and not a lie."

"And let them realize that they almost got me killed just for being muggles. They don't know what a mudblood is. What I am. They don't know anything, so I think a lie is better. It's easier."

Hermione closed her eyes and steeled herself. She'd done enough grieving and feeling sorry for herself.

"Hermione-

"Thanks for listening Neville. I needed that. I'll see you in class, but don't let me catch out after curfew, or I'll put you in detention."

She grinned and hopped out of the carriage, wincing when it pulled on the injury on her thigh. Still not healed completely, then. Just like the rest of her.

A/N: My newest idea! I hope you like it and updating will be very irregular until Oath is finished. Shouldnt be too long though. Reviews are loved.