Chapter 1

Greek

Hermione Granger shook out her bronze locks and took a deep breath. As she exhaled her breath, she slowly closed her eyes. She kept her ears open and counted to twenty. She took another deep breath and exhaled into the cool evening air. She felt a tiny jolt as the Threstal carriage stumbled over the rocks in the path leading through the gates of Hogwarts. Hermione had chosen to not take the train to Hogwarts, instead she had apperated to Hogsmeade with Ron and Harry. They had walked but been picked up by a Threstal carriage on the way so they had climbed in. In the carriage sat Susan Bones and Terry Boot, Hermione smiled at them and sat down quickly, scooting over for the boys to sit down. She pulled her cat carrier up with her beaded bag. Ron and Harry both had brought trunks with them and Ron had gotten a new kitten he had named Fred. Hermione had rushed the boys out of the house and hoped they didn't forget anything at home. She had made sure that the Trio had left with time to spare before Headmistress McGonagall sorted the Firsties.

As she opened her eyes, she saw the school looming in the distance. It looked like the castle was still being rebuilt after the Battle in May.

As Hermione blew out the final breath she had been holding, she opened her cinnamon honey eyes. She hadn't been back to Hogwarts since May when she had gotten out of the Hospital Wing. She had sustained a broken arm and a crack pelvis from the Final Battle. It had taken a lot of convincing on Harry's part to even take her to Hospital Wing. They had all been a very bad place emotionally and Hermione didn't want to stay where she might get trapped. Harry had stayed every night with her, Ron and Ginny stayed a few times as well. Once she was released, she left the school, went to Hogsmeade and apperated to London. She had taken a plane from England to Australia and not turned back. She went all the way to Australia to her parents before she looked back. Ron had stayed at the Burrow with his Mom and Dad and family and Harry had come with her. He had his own demons that he needed to face. He had died and come back to life. He had taken down one of the Darkest wizards and he was only 17.

Hermione and Harry hadn't been sure if the Board of Governors would be opening up the school again. Harry had been surprised when they received their Hogwarts letters with a special note to each of them, stating that she expected to see them back at school in September. Hermione knew that the school had sustained some damage and needed to be rebuilt, she wondered how the work had gotten down so quickly. The Giants had made a mess of quite a bit. There was pieces of towers laying in the courtyard. Hermione felt a single tear run down her face. The beauty of Hogwarts had been ruined by Voldemort. It would never be the same. He would always be a part of history. Hermione shook her head and turned to the Harry and Ron. She smiled, she was so glad that she had these two wonderful men in her life. Fighting by her side. Showing her how to be brave. Hermione felt tremendous feelings welling up behind her eyes and she didn't want her tears to fall in front of anyone She was so thankful that she had a home to return to. Her parents were still out of the country, they couldn't come back. They thought it seemed weird enough that they'd left with no word to anyone and it was easier just to stay gone. Hermione had been heart broken but she understood. Harry had to drag her away and back to England for school. They had spent a week at the Burrow and a week cleaning out her childhood home.

Hermione had spent that time erasing her own history. She was literally erasing herself from her Muggle life and then her parents. She had gone through the entire house and painted all the rooms different colors. She had switched up the carpets and wood floors. She had modernized a few things and added another garage. She wanted the house to sell quickly so she never had to see it again. It was no longer her home. It was no longer a place to go back to when the whole world felt like it was going to get her. She had sorted things into boxes and crates to bring to Mom and Dad. Others full of things to give to other members of the family. The biggest pile of crates was actually things that she wanted to bring to the magical world where she'd be living and lots of half empty boxes of things to get rid of. She even made a box for Mr. Weasley with a rubber duck and a toaster to take apart. Ron and Harry had helped her move all the stuff. They took a quick trip with her to Australia to give the stuff to Mom and Dad and then the rest went to the shed outside the Burrow until Hermione found a place to live after graduation. Mr. Weasley had even moved out his motorbike, trying to make Hermione feel like part of the family.

Hermione had taken the time to hire a lawyer and a PR person, to help with any charges after the War and to manage her publicity. Both Anderson and Marcus could work in the magical world as well as the Muggle one. She had found Anderson Marshall, he was a muggleborn wizard living in Darby. He had went to the London School of Economics to become a barrister after he graduated from Hogwarts. He had been a Hufflepuff during his time. Marcus was a god send. He took care of all her mail and all her events. He helped her write her speech for the few galas that she had been ordered to attend. Hermione could already feel the Ministry of Magic breathing down the back of her neck. Hermione was thankful Marcus seemed to have all her affairs in order and was so grateful he hadn't attended school in Europe. In America, he had learned a lot of different tricks to managing her image.

Hermione had gone to see Anderson Marshall at the recommendation of Professor Vector, who had corresponded with Hermione over the summer. Hermione had chosen him from the list of five lawyers and he had helped set her up with a Realtor to sell the house and then dealt with investments and her parents dental practice. He sold their practice and their machines and deposited that money into a special bank account, one connected to her Gringotts account. Hermione felt safe enough for him to do the work for her while she was in school. Hermione had spent the summer yearning for a school year free of danger. One to use to study her NEWTS and make up the missing assignments from the year on the run. She knew there was a lot that she was missing and everyone else was too. Hermione reminded the boys many times over the summer that it was going to be hard to be back at school. With rules and curfews. The three of them had spent a year on their own, living on the run. Hiding and learning new things every day. Each night they had nightmares of the vicious acts that had been required of them. Hermione was terrified of having to share a dorm. Her nightmares woke up the boys at least a couple times a week.

Draco apperated to the gates of Hogwarts and walked through and up the hill to the Castle. He hadn't been back since he had been in the Battle. It was quite an interesting feeling to be back here, that was for sure. He felt sick to his stomach. Draco was here because it was part of his not being up into prison for being a Death Eater. He had been marked before he was 17. Ron and Harry had stood up for him in court. They had followed his around one school year, keeping close tabs on him. They told them that he hadn't hurt anyone and during the Battle, he had been looking for his parents and not fighting. He had gotten home arrest and to go to Hogwarts. He had gotten off easy. Theo had been given the same deal but Blaise had been smart enough to keep his nose out of it and had went to Italy until he had been given the all clear. Draco marched through the Front Doors of Hogwarts and waited for his trunk to arrive. He turned around in the foyer and noticed Headmistress McGonagall standing there. She waved him over and said "Mr. Malfoy, good to see you. This house elf will take your trunk to your room. Please also give Tubby your traveling cloak. Please go into the Great Hall and sit at your house table. We will commence with the Sorting and Dinner promptly at 6. Thank you." She turned back to waiting by the doors and Draco walked to his house table. Draco followed directions and walked over to the table and sat down. He put his head into his arms and pretended he was anywhere else other than Hogwarts. He lifted his head when he heard Theo and Blaise walking into the Great Hall. They sat on either side of him. They all knew slience was the best way to learn about a new situation. People will give away social cues to follow. Draco took a deep breath and poured a glass of pumpkin juice and waited for the other students to file into the Great Hall and to their seats.

McGonagall stood tall in front of the door to the Great Hall, a few teachers stood further into the room, directing students to the new seating installed in the Great Hall. She nodded at each student that passed and waited until the last carriage had brought students before turning and heading into the Hall. She walked up to Dumbledore's podium and stood just watching all the students talk to each other and wave to one another. Her wrinkles a little deeper, wrinkled a little more when she smiled. Headmistress McGonagall waited until the last student entered the building before speaking. Last year had been an extremely hard year for every one, so she had waited for the Third Year and the couple of Sixth Years that had been dallying outside the door. Once everyone was in the Great Hall, McGonagall cast a Soresus "Good Evening Children. I want you to look to the person on your left and then on your right. These are the people who've come through to the other side of a War. These are people who survived like yourself. These are the warriors that keep moving forward. Don't assume you know each other, because even if you think you do. You don't. In the last couple of years, every single one of you has changed. You become something more. Everyone of us has been into the darkness and come into the light and with that light we will move forward this year. We have a few changes to how things are run here at Hogwarts. There is a class to be called the 8th years. This will be an addition for this year only to help clean up the mess brought on my predecessor. These 8th years students will take a special test to find out their strengths and weaknesses. We want to make sure they have the best material for getting their NEWTS. Children, as you know there are four houses within Hogwarts. We have awarded and taken house points, this year will be different. We will not be doing this. Now don't misunderstand, there will still be punishments for misdeeds. The four houses are meant to be together, not separated. House Unity. Now let us sort the First Years. George, Andrews. After a few moments, he was announced as a Raven claw. And this continued for half hour when the last student Brock Zimmerman was placed in Hufflepuff. Hermione stood up with the other Gryiffendors and waited to follow the first years back to the Common Room. Headmistress McGonagall announced she was waiting for the 8th years as they would have special accommodations this year. All the 8th Years gathered around the Headmistress waiting instructions.

"You will all be sharing a common room as well as a tower which each of you has your own room. The rooms are small because we expect you to spend most of your time in the library or in the study groups that we will be setting up for you. I know the last few years had been hard and now it will get even harder. I know some of you have issues with others, but as the oldest students and the warriors that won the war, we need you to be strong for the rest of the students and the Wizarding World. Please follow me."

The 8th Years followed the Headmistress out of the doors of the Great Hall and immediately to the left was a new stairway. Hermione had never seen it before and was already interested in learning all the secrets of rebuilding the castle. Hermione noticed that the 8th years following her all looked around and then back as at the ground as they walked. They all felt as uncomfortable as she did. McGonagall stopped in front of a statue of a fish and said "Pantheon" The fish moved and a door appeared. The students followed the Headmistress into the common room. It was a beautiful room with beige walls and light brown carpet. It had green leather couches and red comfy chairs. It had bookshelves with hundreds of books. Hermione noticed there were what appeared to be 6 study rooms off to the side, each with with own bookshelves. Hermione noticed a symbol above each door. She wondered what they meant.

Draco followed the other 8th Years at a distance. He walked in between Theo and Blaise. Draco followed McGonagall up the staircase that hadn't been there when he had come in. He wondered if it was glamoured? Draco took the steps one at a time and waited with everyone else in the hallway for her to tell them the password. "Pantheon, huh?" Draco would need to look it up to see what it meant, in the mean time he followed his classmates through the door and looked around the common room. He immediately noticed that the house colors were broken up among everything. The Green was with the Yellow. The Red with the Blue and every combination in between. There was a lot of books and he couldn't wait to get his hands on them. Something to read while he pretended he could sleep. He edged his way closer to the bookshelves and that's when he noticed Granger. She had been skinny in May during the battle but that was following months on the run, but she was still skinny. He had been rather skinny himself though. He was glad he had been able to put weight back on, her apparently as well. He walked along the shelf and grabbed the first book about Greece that he saw. Once he had located a book, he grabbed it and walked back to the green chairs. He threw himself into one and waited for his classmates to join him. Once everyone was here, he stood and went to his room. He walked into the tiny room and scoffed "She meant it when she said they were tiny. This isn't any bigger than the loo." Draco closed his eyes and waved his wand. He changed the bed cover to the deepest black, he added silver pillows and a green blanket on the end. He choose to do a green rug on the floor, but a different shade than the bedding. He waved his wand again and changed the walls to a slight gray color. He thought it looked almost silver. He hung a Quidditch Poster and waved his wand to set up his familiars perch and other accessories. Set a photograph of his family on his desk. He then set to setting up wards and other things such as a silencing charm and keep the floor warm charm. He walked into the bathroom and swished his wand changing it into the bathrooms in Slytherin. He knew Theo wouldn't mind. Once he finished in his room, he went back out to his chair in the common room and listened to his friend talk. He had actually missed Pansy and her stories. She had an interesting summer that was for sure.

She smiled as she saw her name on a door leading to a small room. Hermione walked into her tiny room and sat down on the bed. She took a deep breath and set her beaded bag down and smiled to see her cat snuggled among the pillows on the bed. She laid back on the comfortable bed and closed her eyes. A couple of minutes later, Harry and Ron knocked on the door. Hermione got up off the bed and answered the door. She was surprised that the boys could come to her room and come in. She motioned them to follow her and they all sat down. "I am so glad that we have our own rooms. I won't have to explain my nightmares to my roommates. I will put up a really good silencing charm and won't bug anyone. Harry, Don't give me that look. I will use my DA galleon if I need you. I know you're always there. So many things have changed this year. Did you see who followed us into the common room. Draco and the rest of the Snakes. I don't know how I am going to share a common room with them and behave. He just is so cruel to me and I wont stand for it anymore. "Hermione stood up from the bed and motioned for the boys to follow.

Out in the common room, it looked like the students had separated into their house groups. The Snakes all sat together and all the Badgers looked to be playing games with one another. Hermione was surprised to see the Ravenclaws spread out among everyone. The Red was all concentrated in one corner. Hermione knew the boys would head in that direction, but she wanted to investigate the common room. She saw Neville and Luna sitting at a table and sat down. The boys continued onward toward the rest of their classmates. Luna and Neville were holding hands and Hermione didn't know what to think of it so she ignored it. Hermione waited a few minutes for their conversation to switch to something she understood. "Luna and Nev, would you like to wander around with me. Investigate this new place to live." Luna shook out her blonde hair and stood "Sure, Hermione. I'll go with you." Neville stood at the same time and said "Hermione, you were my first friend at Hogwarts and I would follow you anywhere. Lead on my lady." Hermione giggled and stood up and walked over to the first study room.

Across the common room, Draco Malfoy could see Hermione Granger investigating the new study rooms. "Hey Granger, can't wait to study or what?" Granger wiped her head around so quick that he thought it might fall off. "And Malfoy, how is that any concern of yours?" Draco ignored her and went back to his conversation with Blaise about what he did this summer. Draco had spent a lot of time talking to the lawyer and setting things up for management since his Father was incarcerated. Draco was glad to be back at Hogwarts and at the same time, he dreaded it. He let the Death Eaters into the castle. He had been a Death Eater. He was guilty, just not as guilty as other Death Eaters. He hadn't killed anymore but he had cursed a lot of them. He just didn't have the stomach for killing. He hated blood. Draco stood up from the chair and walked back to his new room. He had changed the colors when he had dropped off his trunk. The walls were no a slight gray color and the stone floor had a nice green rug on it. He had a bathroom he shared with Theo. Draco sat down at his desk and began a letter to his Mother. She was on house arrest at the Manor and had been redecorating every room in the Manor. Too much Dark Magic. "Dear Mother, I am sitting alone in my room writing this to you tonight. Things have changed here at Hogwarts, more than even I thought they would. We do not have a common room with the other Slytherins, we have one with the other 8th years. That is what McGonagall is calling us. We each have our own room, they are quite small. As small as the Bathroom in my bedroom at home. I don't need much space, so it should be fine. It is better than a prison cells I suppose. I am glad that I will have my own room, as the nightmares that I have would wake anyone else in the vicinity. I can't take Dreamless sleep every night so that my roommate can sleep. It will work out well. We will have special classes as well. The common room for us is quite different than the other common rooms. We all share the same room and there are six study rooms off to the sides. These are for studying a specific subject. It will help us to be more well rounded for NEWTS and graduation. It is meant to fill in the gaps in our education. I hope that you are keeping yourself busy and are not missing me too much. Good Night, Your Dragon. Draco tied the letter to his harpy eagles leg and sent him off into the night. Draco knew that he wouldn't be able to do anything else this evening and chose to go to bed and wake early.

Hermione couldn't take Luna and her imaginary creatures anymore. "Listen guys, I am going to go say goodnight to the boys and then I am going to bed. I will see you in the morning and we can go to breakfast." Luna shook her head and Neville nodded as Hermione walked off in the direction of Harry and Ron. Both boys stood up when she came over. She motioned them to sit down. "guys, you don't need to stand when I come over. I am going to bed and I will see you in the morning. Wait in the common room and we will go down with Neville and Luna." Hermione walked to her room and closed the door. She pulled out the novel she had grabbed from the bookshelves in the common room and walked into her bathroom. She locked both doors and climbed into the shower. She set the water to steaming and felt all the tension leave her body. She washed her hair and body, climbed out of the shower to towel dry her hair. She used her wand clean up the bathroom and walked back to her room and locked the bathroom door. She walked through her room, casting spells as she went. Silencing Spells, humidity charm, wards and then some more wards. She laid out her crystals and set up her desk. She closed the closet in the corner and climbed into her bed. She knew she wouldn't sleep any tonight if she didn't take the Dreamless Sleep potion. She put some in her mouth and laid back on her pillow. The last thing she saw before she fell asleep was Draco Malfoy, stealing a book. Hermione wondered what he was reading that he wanted it to be a secret.