Author's Notes: Thank you guys for the alerts and everything on this story so far. I'm glad you like it! I added some things to the last chapter since the very first posting, just subtle details. I do not own the world of Harry Potter! RR Please and thank you Loves. Mwah Mwah!

Chapter Two

Blaise Zabini's answer left everyone in the compartment in a state of shock, Hermione and Malfoy had no idea how he'd recognized her, they hadn't ever been close or conversed very often in their previous years. Nott and Dolohov just sat staring, their gazes shifting between the three, waiting for the female to confirm or deny the claim. The female cleared her head and she turned her mocha gaze to look at Blaise full on, a soft smile on her rosy lips, her eyes burning with too many emotions for him to decipher just one. She nodded her head, her ebony waves bouncing slightly with the movement.

"No way," the two confused boys whispered, and Hermione turned to them, an almost impish grin on her features.

"Ask me anything, I'll prove it." She leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest, waiting for the storm of questions that she could see the four of them piling together in their minds.

"What portrait guards the Gryffindor Common Room?" Dolohov.

"What portrait took it's place for a part of a term a few yeas ago and why?" Zabini.

"Where does the Weasel clan live?" Nott.

"Where's the dungeon in Malfoy Manor?" Malfoy's question caused her to grimace slightly, she pushed a flood of painful memories back and started to answer the questions, her voice certain.

"The Fat Lady. The portrait of Sir Cadogan took her place for a while during our third year because Sirius Black broke in and slashed her portrait trying to get to Peter Pettigrew who was also known as Scabbers, Ronald's rat. The Weasley family lives in The Burrow, a few miles from the Diggory family's home. As for the dungeons in Malfoy Manor, the entrance is in the drawing room, you go straight through the front door, the third door on the right, there's huge portrait of the manor that slides to the side and a staircase appears behind a door made out of bars, and those stairs lead down into the dungeons." She clenched her jaw tightly, fighting back the memories still. The boys' expressions were wary, they didn't know why she was here, they knew that if she wanted to she could easily take on all of them, and she'd hardly break a sweat.

"What do you want with us?" Malfoy's voice shook slightly at the beginning but he quickly masked it to sound certain and strong, Hermione raised her eyebrows slightly, and she shook her head.

"Are you serious? If I wanted to hex you or kill you I would have done so before you figured out who I am," she chuckled, her expression one of amusement and all of the boys stiffened further, Zabini on the other hand leaned forward slightly, his indigo eyes bright.

"Why didn't you?" His voice was a husky whisper and it nearly made Hermione shiver as chills ran up and down her spine, she straightened up her posture and raised her eyebrows.

"Why? Because you were not the ones who tortured me, you are not the ones who starved me, not the ones who nearly killed me, not the ones who almost drove me insane. I will not hold you accountable for the actions of your fathers. Sure, you all taunted me and teased me through out previous years but we are grown up now. Malfoy here, even risked his life to bring me food and water whenever he could get away with it while I was help captive in his home. I have learned to put childish and petty arguments behind me and I'm sure you have too. The war is over! Why should we continue to let it dictate our lives and ruin potential friendships when it's destroyed so many already? We shouldn't. None of you actually believed in the things that your fathers shoved down your throats from the moment you were born, none of you willingly wanted to become DeathEaters, none of you are murderers. I forgive you for the hell you put me through when we were younger, it doesn't matter anymore, what matters is the future of our world." Hermione finished, the four boys' eyes were locked on her, shock and awe written in their features. They would never get used to this fiery girl before them, she had so much passion and she willingly let it show, even for a Gryffindor it was a brave move.

"I really am sorry Granger," Malfoy looked at her former brunette and she tilted her head to the side, her mocha gaze locking with his silver one and she flashed him a quick smile.

"I know Malfoy, if you weren't then you wouldn't have risked your life so many times just to bring me food," she shrugged her small shoulders.

"So, are you HeadGirl?" Nott asked, everyone knew that Hermione Granger was at the top of their class and had been aspiring to be HeadGirl, she was one for rules, none of them knew who else it would be if not Granger, especially seeing as she was alive and well.

"Yes, I am. I had thought the entire population to believe me long gone until my letter came, I suppose I should have known better, in Hogwarts: A History it says that one cannot fool the system by merely changing appearance or location, Harry's uncle tried to run away only to be bombarded with more and more letters…" Hermione stopped talking, realizing she was rambling, the four boys were staring at her with amused expressions, each of them had an eyebrow raised and a smirk pulling their lips up. Her cheeks flooded with color but she held her head high and her tone turned haughty, "Shut up!"

"We didn't say anything!" Nott protested, holding his hands up with an innocent expression adorning his features and the rest of them laughed, Hermione and Nott joining in, before long the five of them were leaned over clutching their sides and gasping for breath, Merlin it felt good to laugh. The rest of the train ride passed with relative ease, the five of them conversing about what they've done since the war ended.

Harry was the first to recover from Luna's outburst and hasty exit, he ran a hand through his dark, untidy hair, his emerald eyes still swimming with unshed tears, he turned to look at the other three, and they just stared back, their expressions solemn. Ginny's bottom lip was quivering and Ron was patting her back gently, trying to console his little sister, Neville was slumped back in his seat, a look of near defeat on his face.

"Do you think that, that girl was her…?" Ginny asked quietly, looking from Harry to Ron, her tears over flowing and running silently down her freckled cheeks, she bit her lip to stop it's quivering.

"No way Gin, did you see that girl? She was hot, there's no way that was 'Mione," Ron scoffed, blowing off his little sister's idea and drawing his hand from her back. Ginny scowled at the red head before turning to Harry, he just shrugged his shoulders, and stayed quiet, his emerald gaze locked on hers saying everything he needed to, that he very well thought the mysterious girl might just be their missing best friend.

"What girl?"

"That one girl, she's got black hair, she's wearing heels and a short skirt, red shirt," Ron answered Neville's inquiry, his face taking on a dreamy expression as he remembered the girl they'd encountered at the station. Seeing that Ron wasn't going to say any more Neville turned to look at Harry and Ginny his eyebrows raised slightly and the two of them shrugged their shoulders and sniggered at the red headed male, Harry's arm making it's way back around Ginny's shoulders and stroking her arm in a comforting way.

"You guys think it is?" he whispered, leaning forward in his seat so he was closer to the two, he cast a glance over at Ron who was now staring out the window with his forehead pressed against it, a dazed look and a goofy grin on his face, the other two followed his gaze and sniggered again before replying.

"I don't know, she did seem familiar but we can't jump to conclusions.. If Hermione is at school McGonagall will address it at the feast, she knows how much she meant to everyone.. There's no way she'd keep it a secret," Harry spoke quickly and quietly, periodically glancing at the red headed male through out his whispers to assure that he wasn't paying attention, Neville nodded and leaned back and asked Harry if he'd made Quidditch Captain and quickly jumping into the conversation of Quidditch tryouts with him and Ginny upon finding out he'd made it. Though he, himself wouldn't be trying out he wanted to attend the try outs. The rest of the train ride passed by in upbeat conversation and Ron didn't say a word until the train pulled to a stop at the Hogwarts Station and Harry grabbed his shoulder to get his attention.

"Oi!"

"Shut up Ron! We're here!" Ginny yelled at her brother and the red head scowled at his younger sister. The three of them and Neville fought their way through the masses and onto the platform, immediately spotting their Care of Magical Creatures professor and long time friend, not to mention half giant, Hagrid. Surely, as a teacher he'd know if the girl they'd seen was Hermione, and if she was indeed alive and attending Hogwarts. They moved through the crowd, pushing until they stood before the man, all grinning up at him.

" 'Ey you lot! What ye' been up ter? It's good ter see ye! Only it's sad ter see ye without 'Ermione.." His booming voice cracked slightly, and the others winced, clearly Hagrid had no idea either, they shuffled slightly, their expressions once again downcast. Maybe, the girl wasn't their Hermione.

"We miss her too Hagrid," Harry spoke first, patting the giant man on the arm. "We'd best be off to catch the carriages, we'll see you inside, yeah?" The four, quickly made their way through the crowd and toward the carriages in silence, not wanting to be the first one to say what every one of them was thinking. Ron was glancing around, in hopes to catch sight of the girl from the station and almost immediately spotted her, and he tugged hard on Harry's sleeve, almost causing the raven haired boy to fall sideways.

"Look Harry! She's HeadGirl!" Harry turned to look at where his best mate was pointing and sure enough there was the girl and pinned to her shirt was the shiny HeadGirl bade, it seemed to mock them as the light caught it. Harry's heart almost broke, Hermione would have been HeadGirl and now here this girl whom none of them know is wearing that badge and to top matters off she's with Malfoy and his stupid cronies, and Malfoy's wearing the HeadBoy badge. He groaned and turned to Ron who from the look on his face, had just spotted the Slytherins and the badge pinned to Malfoy's chest.

"Could this year get any worse? We don't need Malfoy as HeadBoy.." Neville groaned softly, closing his eyes after they settled into one of the carriages, the others nodded in agreement and rode up to school in silence, leaving each other to their own thoughts.

Hermione walked with the four Slytherin boys as they made their way through the train and toward the exit. People stopped and stared, some jeered while others quickly ducked back into compartments, avoiding the boys as though they were a plague. Hermione's heart ached for them, she knew what they were going through, she was used to this stuff being a muggleborn, best friends with Harry Potter, and during her fourth year with the rumors that Rita Skeeter spread like wildfire about her through the papers, a small shiver ran up her spine, she shook her head slightly. She had to fix this somehow, she had to get people to see that they weren't their fathers, that the choices these boys once made wasn't because they wanted to do anything, it was because they were forced to or be killed. Hermione's brows knitted together in thought as she absentmindedly climbed into a carriage with the four of them, squeezing herself between the wall and Nott. There had to be something she could do.

The boys muttered amongst themselves while the carriage made its way up the winding path to the school. It didn't surprise her one bit that nearly everyone amongst the older students could now see the Thestrals and many of the younger students and she knew that no matter how hard she wished it, she couldn't undo the past, she couldn't make the ones around her unsee the death and pain they'd witnessed. A soft, nearly inaudible sigh left her lips, and Nott glanced over at the normally fiery girl, wondering what could be troubling her so, concluding that it was probably her nerves about facing her friends, he gently patted her shoulder, and gave her a reassuring grin.

"It'll be all right, you know. They'll be happy to have you back and alive," he told her, and she smiled in return, grateful he didn't know the real worries plaguing her mind. The thoughts of her friends rejecting her hadn't crossed her mind since they left their compartment, though it certainly was something to worry about, she began to chew on her bottom lip, butterflies filling her stomach as the carriage drew closer and closer to the school. The thoughts running through her mind now solely on her friends, wondering if they'd be angry with her for not returning to them immediately, or if they, like Nott said would be happy enough just to see her and be with her that they would let it go. Her shoulders slumped as the carriage came to a halt and the Malfoy and Zabini heirs exited first, the rest of them hopping out close behind. They trudged up the stairs and through the entrance hall in silence, but before departing to their designated tables they each bid the girl good luck and promised to visit her and Malfoy soon, she only nodded mutely in response with small smiles before making her way to the furthest table to the right, thanking the skies that her closest friends were not seated yet.

Harry, Ron, Ginny and, Neville all filed into the Great Hall, now joined by Seamus Finnagin, Dean Thomas, Lavender Brown and Parvarti Patil and turned to make their way to the Gryffindor table but Ron halted immediately, his eyes locking on the female that sat in the seat that Hermione Granger usually occupied. The red head grabbed Harry and Ginny and motioned, both of them just shrugged.

"We might as well introduce ourselves.." Neville piped up, his eyes not leaving the dark haired female, Seamus and Dean agreed, nodding vigorously. Lavender and Parvarti sent the girl glares, who did she think she was looking like that?

"She already knew our names.." Ginny replied, her tone mildly annoyed at the males' responses to this new comer, yet she maintained a level head, and a small hope harbored in her that this girl might be Hermione, though logically, the chances were slim. The eight of them made their way over to the table and sat down in their normal spots. Ginny on one side of the female, Parvarti and Lavender on the other, and the boys directly across from them.

"Hello, I'm Dean Thomas" he said reaching diagonally across the table to shake hands with the female, she took his hand and shook it, smiling up at the boy she'd know since she was 11, after that everyone took turns introducing themselves and Hermione just nodded, but when introductions came to her, McGonagall led in the first years and began the sorting, a small sigh of relief left her, she'd get to put it off just a little while longer. The sorting went by quickly, and fairly uneventfully, each house gaining around the same number of students. Though, she did notice that whenever a new Slytherin came into being, the other three tables fell silent and the only cheers came from their table. The cheers themselves were enthusiastic enough, but the expressions on the Slytherins' faces worried her, each and every one was something akin to pity, and apologetic, causing her own lips to turn down into a frown, McGonagall's expression mirroring her own as the silence once again took the room.

"Now that we've been sorted, I have a few announcements. The Forbidden Forest is of course forbidden, EXCEPT to sixth and seventh years. The mandatory uniforms are to be worn by fourth years and under, fifth, sixth and seventh you may choose whatever you wish to wear but do keep in mind, it must be appropriate. Our HeadBoy and HeadGirl this year are seventh year Slytherin, Draco Malfoy and seventh year Gryffindor, Hermione Granger. Thank you. Tuck in!" McGonagall's announcements finished and while the food appeared, no one spoke or moved, their eyes all staring at the Head Mistress like she'd lost her marbles, Hermione was dead, how could she be HeadGirl? The only people who started to pile their plates were the four Slytherin boys she'd sat with on the train. McGonagall just smiled a twinkle in her eyes that resembled the one their former Head Master got when he was up to something, and began filling her own plate with food.

"Excuse me, Professor McGonagall, how is she going to be HeadGirl if she's uhm… Dead?" Hannah Abbott's voice carried from the Hufflepuff table, her tone clearly etched with disappointment, she'd wanted the position, causing the four Slytherins to snigger quietly and McGonagall's smile grew.

"My Dear, look over at the Gryffindor table and tell me whether or not you see Miss Granger," Hannah and everyone else in the Great Hall did as the Head Mistress said, and their gazes fell onto an ebony haired female with the HeadGirl badge pinned to her chest, and she in response flushed a dark red and raised her hand, wiggling her fingers at everyone.

"Hey guys," her voice, though barely above a squeak carried through the hall as if she'd yelled it. Loud noise erupted and filled the once silent hall, people getting up from their tables and rushing over to the Gryffindor table.