Chapter Text
Chapter 1
Warm chatter filled the air around her as she gazed out the window. Her friends were going off about the usual subjects; the start of the quidditch season, class schedules and the dreaded N.E.W.T exams that awaited them at the end of the year. It would appear that everything was going back to the way it used to be.
Hermione, however, was silent. As she stared out the window her mind was elsewhere. The company in the box car was different. Ginny, Luna and Neville joined her rather than Harry and Ron. The boys had chosen to enter the Auror Academy instead of pursuing the optional eighth year and N.E.W.T levels at Hogwarts. It made sense, she supposed. Becoming Aurors was the obvious next step and they had plenty of experience and notoriety to make an early transition to their careers. She told herself she didn’t care but it didn’t feel the same without them here.
As the train barreled through the final tunnels towards Hogsmeade, the very top of the castle came into view. For the first time since first year her heart didn’t leap with excitement. Instead, it felt like an enormous weight had been slammed on her chest. Her heart pounded so hard she could feel it in her ears. Hermione focused on her breath, counting to five on each inhale and exhale until she regained a sense of control.
“Hermione?” Ginny asked again, shaking Hermione from her own head. They were all looking at her expectantly.
“Sorry, what?”
“Head boy? Do you know who it is?” Ginny repeated, narrowing her eyes, reading her face.
“Oh, no. I don’t. The letter didn’t say. I was honestly expecting it to be Neville.” Neville’s cheeks flushed pink at the praise.
“Oh, that’s really kind of you to say Hermione, but I do think they try to pick from different houses most years,” Neville replied.
“I just hope it’s not someone from Slytherin. I really don’t want to deal with any drama and focus on my studies.” She watched as Ginny and Neville averted their gaze.
“Well, you know Draco was second in your year after you.” Luna chimed. Hermione scoffed and turned back to the window.
“I hardly think Head Boy would go to a student who let Death Eaters into the castle, resulting in the murder of Dumbledore.” They nodded but didn’t push the subject further. A few minutes later the train slowed to a stop as they pulled into Hogsmeade. With one more deep breath Hermione left the train with her friends to face the reality ahead of her.
As they made their way up to the carriages a sudden hush fell over many of the students. Some were staring wide eyed at the carriages, others wandered closer to the front, whispering to each other. The thestrals, Hermione realized. So many students had never been able to see them before. Hermione couldn’t until sixth year, after the fight in the Hall of Mysteries.
At least half of the students had been present during the Battle of Hogwarts. It’s no surprise that so many more students could see the thestrals after witnessing so much death before their eyes. It was a heartbreaking reality. Ginny was there in an instant, as if she could sense Hermione’s unease. She took her hand in her own.
“You’re okay Hermione. This is hard for me too. I promise you're not alone.” Hermione didn’t respond, eyes still glued on her classmates as she watched the grief on their faces. “Hermione? Hermione, look at me, look! Good, okay are you breathing?”
She hadn’t been. Hermione took a breath and exhaled deeply.
“Yeah, I am, sorry. I just didn’t think about it... didn’t prepare for this.”
“Neither did I and neither did anyone else most likely. Come on, let's get up in the cart.” Hermione nodded and followed after Ginny and the moment passed.
The carts began their assent up to the castle and Hermione couldn’t help but draw even further into herself. The bridge that Neville had blown up was rebuilt, outer walls smashed by giants were repaired, blood stained floors wiped clean; almost like it never happened.
But it did.
Hermione squeezed her eyes shut and tried to block out the visuals of that night. Ginny squeezed her hand. She continued to breathe.
****
The Great Hall was warm and bright with food piled high with mouthwatering delights. The sorting resulted in five new girls and four new boys for the Gryffindor house. Hermione did her best to send them warm smiles as they sat down at the table. It didn’t take long for conversations and laughter to fill the hall. Hermione did her best to socialize. Everyone wanted to know how Harry and Ron were doing at the Auror Academy. She preferred those questions to any others about her life over the last few months. While in the middle of a conversation with Dean Thomas, Ginny lightly elbowed her side and pointed her chin across the hall.
“I found your Head Boy.” Ginny said. Hermione’s eyes followed and sure enough she spotted her badge’s twin.
“Theo Nott,” Hermione said. The Slytherin boy sat right in the middle of Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini. The latter had his arm lazily around Pansy Parkinson’s shoulders. “At least it's not Malfoy,” she said. Ginny nodded in agreement.
Nott, in fact, was nothing like Malfoy. He had always been a quiet and well-mannered kid throughout the years. She knew he got good marks and he was in the library nearly as much as Hermione was. From what she saw, he never bullied anyone; never walked around like the world owed him anything due to his lineage. Over the years he grew into himself. She remembered in sixth year when his name started to come up in the common room as girls gossiped about boys. She understood why. He was tall with olive tanned skin and had a head full of chocolate brown curls. He, unlike Hermione, had figured out how to tame them into soft waves that hung around his face in a tantalizing way. His round face had narrowed out revealing sharp cheekbones and full lips. Most distracting of all were his eyes. It was like looking out into the ocean. He had irises of deep blues, indigos and flecks of green framed with dark, thick eyelashes that made eye contact with him feel heavy and lustful, even if it wasn’t.
The only other things she knew about Theo Nott was about his family. The Notts were a pureblood family, part of the sacred twenty-eight. Nott Sr. had been a Death Eater, high among Voldemort’s ranks. He now resides in a permanent Azkaban cell for his crimes during the war. She wondered how that affected Theo. She couldn’t imagine him taking the mark but with a father that cruel, he may have been forced to. Is that why he was sitting with Malfoy? Come to think of it, she never knew they were even friends. Malfoy had hung around with Crabbe and Goyle throughout the years. The pair were also sons of Death Eaters. Crabbe was now dead due to his clumsy use of Fiendfyre in the room of requirement during the battle of Hogwarts and Goyle didn’t appear to be at the Slytherin table at all. She wondered if he also landed himself in a cell in Azkaban alongside his father.
Hermione didn’t realize she had been staring, but suddenly Nott’s eyes met hers, quickly pulling her back to the present. She expected a sneer or a scoff but Nott smiled and nodded his head at her in greeting. Hermione quickly returned the smile and turned back towards Ginny, pretending to be involved in the conversation and trying to keep the embarrassed blush that now warmed her face from spreading.
A few moments later McGonagall was calling everyone’s attention to the final round of announcements. There was an extensive introduction of new staff due to the war leaving many vacant positions. The new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor was a witch named Brindlemore and Transfiguration was to be taught by a witch named Havershim, who also would be heading Gryffindor in McGonagall’s place. Trelawney had been reinstated to Divination, with Firenze to guest lecture from time to time. Hermione beamed at Hagrid when it was announced he would be back to teach Magical Creatures. McGonagall continued on with the usual ‘the forest beyond the castle is off limits’ and ‘quidditch tryouts will begin over the next two weeks.’ Hermione was beginning to zone out when McGonagall came to her final point.
“It’s been only three months since the war came to our front steps at Hogwarts. Many of us are still in deep mourning for those we lost that day. While the holes they left in our lives will never be truly filled, we can work to make the Wizarding World a better place in their memories. While the threat of Lord Voldemort has been laid to rest, we find ourselves in a world still divided in many ways. Many of those sentiments, to my chagrin, are allowed to continue here at Hogwarts simply due to the housing system we have. To bring about change in our world we must start here.
In fact, as of this morning the Minister of Magic has proposed a new holiday, deemed Wizarding World Equality day to be observed on November 13. Hogwarts will recognize this holiday by suspending classes from Thursday the 12th through Monday the 15th. I encourage those who wish to spend the new holiday with their families to do so. The school will remain open for those who wish to stay with a feast scheduled for the 13th to celebrate.”
Whispers filled the hall. A new wizarding holiday hadn’t been added for centuries.
“In this spirit,” McGonagall continued, “I am encouraging that students expand their circles to include other house members. House points will be awarded to students who model this behavior. You could sit with another house for a meal or a quidditch match, form study groups with your classmates in other houses or form friendships outside of your usual circles. I hope you see this as an opportunity to grow and welcome students and friends not only from your own house but all your peers equally.”
More whispers filled the hall as McGonagall spoke. She wasn’t wrong, house division did continue to instill that we are inherently different from one another. It wasn’t a bad idea to try and encourage more interhouse mingling. It wouldn’t be all that hard as most people had a few friends in other houses. However, the idea of a group of Slytherins joining the Gryffindor table for dinner, or vice versa, was laughable at best. Even worse, with Hermione being head girl, she would clearly be expected to lead the way in this venture and be a good example for her peers. She groaned inwardly.
“That concludes this year’s welcome feast. Please begin making your way to your houses, prefects leading the way. The school year begins bright and early tomorrow.” McGonagall finished with a clap.
The noisy chatter about the new expectations for this year continued as students began to get up from the tables. Prefects began leading the first years out of the hall with the older students staggering behind. As head girl Hermione would be the last to leave, along with Nott, to make sure no students fell behind or got lost.
“Granger.” A smooth voice came from behind her. Theo Nott was casually striding over to her.
“Oh. Hi Nott, congrats on the appointment.” Hermione said, trying to keep a warmth in her tone.
“You as well.” Nott replied, extending out his hand. “I don’t think we’ve ever really been properly introduced. Please call me Theo.”
“Theo it is then,” Hermione replied, shaking his outstretched hand, “and you can call me Hermione if you’d like.” He was much taller than she originally thought. At least 6’2. His eyes felt even more intense this close, as he looked down at her through those dark lashes.
“Well Hermione,” He gestured to the entrance of the hall as the last of the students filled out. “I think we're going to make a great team this year.”
“I don’t see why not,” she replied. They walked together as the students found their way through the corridors to their houses. When they approached the moving stairwell Hermione turned to go left towards Gryffindor.
“The Head rooms are this way.” He was leaning against the railing and watching her with a sly smile.
“Oh, right. I can’t believe I forgot about that. Strange... after years of staying in Gryffindor.”
“To be honest, I’m looking forward to spending some time out of the Dungeons. It gets awfully cold down there in the winter.”
The remainder of their walk was quick with the Head dorms being more centrally located between the houses. Quite convenient actually. The entryway to their quarters lie behind a large tapestry featuring the Hogwarts crest and the motto “Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus” in gold letters.
“Pari Passu” said Theo. The tapestry rolled itself up and a stone door flung open to allow them entry. ‘Pari Passu’ was a fitting password, Hermione thought. It roughly translates to ‘together’ or ‘equal step’ in Latin.
“Clever, McGonagall with that one. She really is trying to instill the idea of school unity.” Theo remarked.
“You know Latin?”
“Latin, French, Italian and bits of Hebrew and Greek. It's pretty standard for— ” he paused, “pureblood education.” Theo looked uncomfortable by that statement and Hermione could see him grimace slightly. She ignored it.
“I’ve been trying to learn in my free time. Figured it would help with Ancient Runes and History of Magic studies. It would be nice to be fluent.”
“That’s basically why we learn it. Reading ancient texts was a big part of my childhood. I hated it back then but I appreciate it now.” Theo replied.
“Don’t tease me with the idea of Ancient Texts. I’ve only been able to get my hands on the few from the restricted sections.” He looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
“Those books are long, convoluted and dull.”
“Stop, I can’t handle the excitement.” She said with a small laugh.
The two entered into the common area and Hermione couldn’t help but gasp. Calling it stunning would be an enormous understatement. Breathtaking, intricate, luxurious, ornate, and lush were all appropriate adjectives to describe the space. The living space consisted of a beautiful lounge area centered around a massive fireplace which already had a fire burning, warming the space. A large red, velvet sofa sat in front with two muted gold arm chairs on either side. In the middle sat a large, dark brown, hickory coffee table. It was clearly hand carved with golden embellishments placed throughout. Above the fireplace hung the four house banners.
Further back, was a kitchen area. Black cabinets with white marble countertops filled the room but the best part of the room was how full of life it was. Plants and flowers bloomed everywhere. Bright yellow daisies sat on top of the cabinets, vines crawled along the walls and weaved into any space they could grab onto. Sunflowers sat in the corners in large pots and daffodils bloomed in long boxes along the window sill. A large yellow-gold, candle lit chandelier hung in the middle of the ceiling, filling the room with a soft light. There was a platter sitting on the middle counter with a small hand written note next to it.
“Tap your wand and ask. If it's in the kitchens, it will appear.” -M.M
“Well that's convenient,” mumbled Hermione, mostly to herself.
To the left of the living space was a dining area with a table large enough to seat twelve people. The table itself was made from the same hickory as the coffee table but with silver embellishments instead of gold. Around the table were plush green velvet chairs and a matching rug pulled it all together. A vintage gramophone was set in the corner and Hermione wondered if it still worked. The table was set with elegant silverware; forks, spoons, knives, plates, cups and large goblets. It was probably more expensive than everything Hermione owned all together.
Behind the dining room was a smaller room. On either side was a built-in desk and floor-to-ceiling royal blue bookcases, partially filled with various texts both educational and fictional alike. The desks were made with the same hickory wood but with bronze embellishments and were paired with large leather chairs charmed to be the same blue as a bookcases. The desk was supplied with plenty of parchment, quills, ink and even a little stack of notecards with the Hogwarts crest stamped on them for official notes and letters. The back wall was a large window and sported a breathtaking view. You could just barely make out the twinkling lights of Hogsmeade. Thick blue curtains tied up with bronze ropes hung on either side and a bench had been built in front of the window. It would be a perfect reading spot.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to leave.” Hermione whispered.
“If I had it my way I wouldn’t,” he mused, “well, except for Quidditch games perhaps.” Hermione leaned her head against the window, staring out at Hogsmeade.
“Tired?” Theo asked a few minutes later as he lazily eyed through the books on the shelves. Hermione was silent for another moment as she took in the view and took another few stabilizing breaths. How strange it was to be in this beautiful space, with a Slytherin no less.
“I think I’ve been tired for years now.” she said quietly. He joined her at the window.
“Well at least we know we have that in common,” were the words he finally settled on. Hermione looked over to him and gave him a small smile.
“Well I suppose I should be headed to bed. It’s nearly midnight and I have Arithmancy at 8am.”
“I do as well.” Theo replied. They walked back out into the living area. Hermione’s room was off to the right and Theo’s to the left. “We need to call a prefect’s meeting tomorrow. The hour before dinner is usually free for everyone.”
“Oh, right, I’ll notify Gryffindor and Hufflepuff if you can do Slytherin and Ravenclaw?” Hermione asked.
“Will do.” Theo said. They stood there for another moment. Taking in the space around them.
“Alright, well good night Nott, I mean, Theo.” Hermione said, correcting herself from the usual formality. She turned down her hallway and quickly walked to her room.