Chapter 1

Takes place after the final battle at the beginning of the school year. All those who had missed their seventh because of the war were invited back to Hogwarts, though it was not compulsory.

Hermione's POV

I made my way back towards the compartment Harry, Ginny, Neville, Luna and I were sharing, with a bag of cauldron cakes in my hand. I tried not to think about the fact that this was the first time that Ron wasn't riding the Hogwarts Express with us, apart from when he and Harry stupidly took the Weasley's flying car and I spent the trip with Ginny. I didn't like thinking about Ron much at all since we broke up last month, but it was hard to avoid when I was alone. Things hadn't ended particularly badly, we'd certainly had worst fights when we were just friends, but it still hurt. I was so caught up in trying to not think about what I was thinking about that I bumped into someone and the bag of cauldron cakes fell to the ground.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" I said regaining my balance then I looked into the pale, pointed face and grey eyes of Draco Malfoy. Startled I braced myself for whatever insult he chose to throw at me and was therefore surprised when said, "No, uh, my fault." He looked very uncomfortable and when I looked more closely I realised that his eyes, which usually looked cold and malicious, were now haunted and sad. I immediately felt a huge rush of sympathy towards the boy who had tormented me for six years. I had never really given him much thought during the previous year, I was too busy trying to make sure Harry, Ron and I survived. But whenever I did I was never angry at him. I pitied him. I had hoped that all the events of the previous year would change him but I had expected him to continue his hostile behaviour towards me and Harry. We stood there for a second not quite knowing what to say. Then surprising me further Draco bent down and handed me my bag of cauldron cakes.

"Oh, thank you," I said smiling.

"No problem," he replied giving me a small smile.

There was another pause that was slightly less awkward but still not comfortable.

"Well it's nice to see you again," I said, desperate to break the silence.

He gave a nervous laugh before saying, "You don't have to say that."

"No it's true," I insisted. It was stretching the truth a bit but I wasn't unhappy to see him.

"Oh," he looked slightly pleased, "It's nice to see you too."

"I didn't think you'd be coming back," I said trying to keep up the conversation.

"Well, my mum wanted me to finish my education." He sounded slightly bitter about having to come back.

"You don't seem, uh, happy about that," I noted.

"I don't want to see the looks people give me or hear what they say about me." He admitted looking down.

"Draco it wasn't your fault," I told him. I reached out to touch his arm supportively but decided against it; I wasn't sure how he'd react to me touching him. My arm fell back to my side but I think he noticed it. "And when does Draco Malfoy care about what anyone else thinks of him?" I asked with a smile trying to ease the tension. Draco smiled but his eyes were still sad. "Well I better get back, people will be wondering where I am." I said, moving past him but not yet turning my back to him.

"Yeah, I should too," he said taking a step backwards. He glanced at the bag before saying, "Weas- uh, Ron's probably hungry."

My face fell at the mention of Ron, "He's uh, not coming back this year."

"Oh," Draco said, looking confused, "I thought you and him were-"

"No," I said cutting him off, "Not anymore."

"Oh," He said again, "Sorry," he mumbled.

"Not your fault," I said quietly. There was another pause and I took another step back, "Well, uh, bye."

"Bye."

I turned around and started to walk away but Draco called me back.

"Oh, and Hermione, by the way," he said and I turned back around, "You look great." He said smiling before turning and walking back down the corridor.

I smiled before heading back to my own compartment. I had changed my appearance slightly since the war and breaking up with Ron. My hair was no longer quite so bushy, but rather straight. I had also stopped just wearing jeans and plain shirts or jumpers. I still wore them sometimes but now wore skirts, shorts, dresses and more interesting tops. Ginny had helped me with some of these changes. Today I had on a blue halter neck summer dress that was mid-thigh length. It was cute but also comfortable considering I'd be spending the whole day on the train. I finally reached my compartment and slipped back inside. Neville and Luna were sitting on one side sitting rather close together, holding each other's hand. Ginny was lying down on the other side with her head in Harry's lap. Harry was playing with her hair absentmindedly while talking to Neville. They all looked up when I entered and passed around the bag of cauldron cakes. Ginny sat up when the bag reached her and Harry scooted over and put an arm around her. I sat down next to Harry and rested my head against the wall.

"You've been gone a while, what happened?" Ginny asked, playing with her cauldron cake.

"I, um ran into Draco Malfoy," I said cautiously, I wasn't sure how they were going to react. Luna looked up with a curious expression, Ginny looked slightly shocked and Harry looked up from his cake his expression hard to read. Neville was the quickest to speak, he sounded surprised, "I didn't think he'd come back."

"Me neither," I replied, glad someone had spoken, "he said his mum wanted him to finish school."

"What was he like?" Harry asked curiously.

"Pretty good actually," I said smiling. "He was nice, sad though."

"Well, what'd you expect?" Ginny asked, "He spent a year as practically Voldemort's servant, he went through the terror we all did in the battle and his father's in Azkaban!"

"Well I never really thought about it," I admitted, "But I didn't expect him to be nice."

"Well you, Harry and Ron saved his life," Luna said seriously, "He wouldn't treat you badly after that. Although he could've felt awkward and in debt and dealt with it by lashing out at you."

"Well I'm glad he doesn't," I said, "It was nice to have a civil conversation with him. So what were you all talking about before I came back?"

"Hogwarts" Harry replied, "We were wondering who the new defence against the dark arts professor and head of Gryffindor house would be."

"Kingsley would've been brilliant if he hadn't become Minister for Magic," Neville sighed.

"Nah, he'll be a great minister and it's about time we had a good one," Harry said sourly.

"McGonagall will probably continue looking after Gryffindor until she finds someone else," I said.