cream & sugar | dramione

i

It had been a year, and she still had nightmares.

She felt like she hadn't slept since that day- the day that Bellatrix had pierced the word had taunted her ever since she was a child into her skin. The word that still remained, even though she had tried every magical remedy possible.
She still had nightmares.
It was like she had not slept in a year. She was tired.

But it was the first day of school, and it was time to pretend.
~
"Hey, Mione," Ron said, pulling her close and kissing the top of her head. She smiled up at him, grateful for the grounding touch. Hermione was always a little out of sorts in the mornings, her own screams echoing in her ears as she woke. Harry had confessed that he had the same nightmares.

"Good morning," she said to him. "I'm a little nervous."

"You'll be fine, love," Ron assured her. "I made you coffee."

He pushed it across the table to her, and she smiled again. He was taking care to be gentle with her- they had all felt the effects of the war, and Ron's way of coping was taking care of others. After they had gotten their first home, Ron would often do little things for Hermione and Harry, even when he had little time for himself. Hermione suspected it helped him cope with the fact that he couldn't save Fred.

Harry was still asleep, his door closed. Hermione was pretty sure that Ginny was with him, but she didn't mention that to Ron. He wasn't a fan of remembering that his friend and his sister shagged in the room across from theirs.

"I wonder who the Head Boy is going to be," Hermione said.

"Probably Terry Boot, or something." Ron snorted. "Imagine if it was Seamus."

"He wouldn't accept the position," Hermione said. "He wouldn't be able to drink every night."

Ron laughed. "Probably. He's got good stuff, though."

"Oh, Ron," Hermione rolled her eyes and grinning a little.

"You'll be great today," Ron said. "And the Head Boy's gonna be someone you get along with. It'll be perfect."

"I hope so," Hermione sighed. "I have to share a dorm with them, after all."

Ron shrugged. "Well, you'll have separate rooms. You can always avoid him if you don't like him."

"True."

~

Harry and Ron saw Hermione and Ginny off at the platform. They, themselves, were staying behind for Auror training. They were recruited after the war and they had readily agreed. They left for training shortly after Hogwarts started.

"We've got to sit in the Prefect's compartment," Ginny said. Despite the nerves in Hermione's stomach, Ginny gave an excited little shake. "I feel so important."

Hermione giggled a little at this. "Come on. I bet I'll have to coordinate with the Head Boy."

They walked along the train, and Hermione felt a pang of sadness at the sparseness of the compartments. No longer was the bustling atmosphere of the previous years. Hushed voices followed them, and nervous eyes of the younger students looked hurriedly away as they passed.

"Merlin, this is so depressing," Ginny whispered.

"I know," Hermione said.

They reached the Prefect's compartment, and even then, the list of students filing in had dwindled. Ginny and Dean from Gryffindor, Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson from Slytherin, Hannah Abott from Hufflepuff, and a little boy from Ravenclaw that Hermione didn't remember. Ginny whispered, "His name is Nigel. He's a fifth year- his mum died in the war."