Brews and Braids

Chapter 1

Hermione Granger was ready to go back to Hogwarts. Ready to bury herself in her studies without having to pull her best friends out of danger every other day, although she'd grown to love her adventures with Harry and Ron. It wouldn't be the same this year, she knew; Ron wasn't returning to Hogwarts, instead choosing to work at the joke shop with George. Their trio would be missing one.

"Hey, 'Mione," Harry said, poking his head through the doorway, "Do you have your stuff? The Weasleys want to say goodbye before we apparate to the station. Molly's emotional over Ginny's last year, so expect tears."

Hermione rolled her eyes fondly. "Can you blame her? She's had kids at Hogwarts for a decade and a half, and next year she won't anymore." She rose from her contemplative perch by the windowsill, following Harry to the yard. They bid goodbye to Ron and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley — Ginny's taking a bit longer than Harry's and Hermione's, despite her protests — before apparating Kings Cross with their luggage shrunken and stuck in their pockets.

They arrived in the bustle of students and parents pushing their belongings through the crowded platform, voices and owl hoots filling the air.

"Come on," Hermione called, heading straight for the nearest train doors, "Let's go ahead and find a compartment before the train gets crowded with all these students."

Harry pushed her playfully. "Always the smart one."

Ginny stayed with the two until the reached the train hallway, leaving to find Luna. They'd started dating over the summer and hadn't seen each other in a few weeks.

The first few compartments were already full of chattering fourth and fifth years, so Hermione was hopeful when she opened the door to a much quieter compartment — she couldn't stand looking through dozens of doors until she found and empty room.

Pansy, Draco, and Blaise were already seated on the benches. Draco was reading a book — at first glance, it looked like a muggle book she liked. Pansy was curled up against the window, her forehead to the glass. She thought Blaise might be asleep, a Quidditch magazine open and resting on his upturned face.

Draco looked up from his novel, raising an eyebrow. "Hello, Potter, Granger. Can we help you?" he drawled. 

In that moment, Hermione made a decision and silently hoped that Harry would follow her lead. "May we sit here?" she asked, ignoring the groan she heard behind her, "I know we don't have the best history, but I don't see a reason why we can't get along, or even be friends. The war is over, after all, and we're all adults. We can set an example for–"

"Yes, we get it, Granger," Pansy interrupted, not moving from her position looking out the window, "You can sit here. Friends, and all that. But don't expect us to invite all of your other noisy Gryffindor friends to join us. I have a headache. And no, I don't want a potion for it."

Hermione was frozen in shock, not sure how to respond.

"You heard the witch. Shut the door and sit down," Draco said, his eyes already on his book. 

Harry nudged her from behind, spurring her into action. She sat primly on the seat next to Pansy while Harry sprawled out next to Blaise, clearly planning on joining him in sleep. Hermione sat awkwardly, not sure what to do, before pulling out a book a few minutes later. 

After a few hours, when all three boys were napping, Pansy sighed and turned to face Hermione. "Granger, I did mean what I said before, about us being friends," she said quietly, "I'm sorry for all of the harm Draco, Blaise and I caused you over the years. We were blindly following our parents' beliefs, but since the war, and even during it, we've started thinking for ourselves. We were wrong. I hope you'll let us — let me — prove that to you."