Grangerous and Cous-cous

One: head

The train to Hogwarts rattled. Hermione would never get used to the excitement of going back again. She didn't get to finish the school year the year before, so she had been invited back. They had all been through enough, and were hoping for a quiet year.

Hermione, Harry, Ginny, and Ron shared a compartment. Even though she and Ron had drifted over the summer, and called things off, it wasn't as painfully awkward as she expected things to be. They commemorated about things they had done, laughed, and waltzed around uncomfortable topics. There were a few they did not address. Ginny and Harry nestled happily against each other, watching the scenery, while Hermione and Ron chatted quietly about Quidditch. More so Ron talked, and Hermione remembered when to nod.

Approaching Hogwarts, they changed into their robes, and helped the younger years off. They chuckled at their wide eyes, and found it hard to believe that at one time they themselves were that little.

Coming in to the Great Hall, Hermione drew in a breath, and slowly grinned. She was home. Hogwarts was the only place she felt welcome, after not being able to locate her parent all summer. She even felt as though she had extended her stay at the Weasley's, even though they had been nothing but kind.

Eyeing the Slytherins, a pang in her chest made her realize that she was ready to move on. She felt sorry for the pathetically small group, and even though she wished to never see some faces again, she had come to understand that not all were at fault. Ron held a grudge, that was for sure, but Harry was just tired, and wanted nothing to do with any past grudges or memories from the previous years. Partially forgiven, but not forgotten.

After the meal, Mcgonagoll called for the Prefects to stay. Of the six Slytherins was a solemn Malfoy, smug Zambini, and four others that she did not know as well.

"They've got some nerve to show up here," Ron spat through gritted teeth.

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Calm down, Ron, they're only doing as Professor Mcgonagoll asked."

Due to students leaving the school, a few of the other seventh years had been asked to fill in as Prefects. Hermione leaned back, and listened intently as the professor went over the simple rules. It was her 4th time hearing it. Trying to stay awake, she finished the lecture, then rounds with Ginny, and finally sank into a restful sleep, deeper than anything she had for over 9 months.

* * *

Draco sauntered down the hall next to Blaise, finishing their nightly rounds. As they came around the corner, a soft whimper cut them off, coming from one of the alcoves. Blaise eyed the trembling little girl. "You're on your own there, mate, I'm off to bed," he bumped shoulders with Malfoy, then kept walking.

Draco groaned, and eyed the figure. Her knees were pulled up to her chest, and her head was burrowed in her arms.

"You need to go to your room," he sternly told her.

She didn't move.

"Come on, off to bed," he tried again, leaning against the pillar. Disgruntled by being ignored, he eyed her colors. "A Slytherin crying? Pathetic," he sneered.

"Crying is not a weakness, since the day we were born it has been a sign of survival," she choked out, still not lifting her head.

"She speaks," he muttered, unimpressed. "Come, go to bed... I don't know you're name."

"Athena," she sniffled.

"I don't really care," he shrugged.

"I want to go home," she whispered.

Draco's facial features softened just a little. "It gets easier after the first week," he said, hesitantly.

She wiped her nose with her sleeve, and shakily stood up. Taking a shuddering breath, she followed Draco back to the corridors.

*     *     *

Hermione was 15 minutes early to class. Harry had slept in, Ron was a bore, and Ginny was finishing her "self care," which meant writing out very specific ways she would torture her enemies, ranging from placing a singular plastic frog on their pillow every night or taking all the marshmallows from the cereal, to feeding their jugular to her pet goose. It set her in the right mood for the morning.

Hermione preferred journaling things she was grateful for, but found Ginny's method stress-relieving too.

The first day tended to be just syllabuses and such, so she had come readily prepared with a phycology book. She read until students started trickling in, and Ginny took a seat next to her, practically glowing.

"I'm going to fill every chocolate with raw chicken instead of  hazelnuts, and then repackage them," she explained gleefully.

Hermione shook her head slowly.

*     *     *

Hermione was almost suspicious when the day went well. There were no ambushes from a certain blond or bald, no death threats, or deaths in general. The worst that happened was that she bickered with Ron for a few minutes about if Slytherins should be allowed back in school, and she lost her favorite quill. She won the fight with Ron though, so it wasn't even that bad.

Harry and Ginny were still attached at the hip, but Ginny spent lots of time just with Hermione too. She had gotten quite a few questions about her and Ron's relationship, which she tried to answer as politely as possible, even though it was none of their business.

Once, in the hall, they watched a second year Slytherin bump into a Gryffindor, sending her books flying. Dropping to the floor, the Slytherin immediately started apologizing, scooping up her papers and giving them back.

"I'm so sorry, that was really my fault, I wasn't even watching where I was going," she explained, stacking the books. "I really like how you did your hair," she complimented the other girl, giving her the load.

"See, Ron, not all Slytherins are evil snakes who eat puppies," Hermione said, poking him.

Ron muttered something incoherent.

They watched as a group of Slytherins surrounded the girl, and started chanting, "Wrong house, Hufflepuff."

Hermione winced as she watched, people from her own house had done that, calling her a Ravenclaw.

Out of nowhere, one of the boys lay sprawled out on the floor, blood trickling from his nose.
Malfoy stood in front of him, rubbing his knuckles.

"Do not," he seethed at the crowd, "tease her. The last thing this house needs is attention, and the lot of you are being ignorant." Straightening a crease in the girl's robe, he frowned at her. "And for the sake of Merlin, Athena, learn how to stand up for yourself."

Strolling away, the crowd parted for him, like he carried a disease. The girl, Athena, however, dusted herself off and rolled her eyes. "Learn how to stand up for yourself," she imitated him, making her voice nasally, before huffing, and starting off to her next class.

The four watched in amusement, before Harry admitted, "I can't tell if Malfoy was being nice or mean."

"Is that his sister? Maybe cousin?" Ron mused.

Hermione shook her head. "He doesn't have a sister, and I think we'd know about a cousin. Besides, they don't really look a like."

She was right, Athena's hair was a few shades darker than Draco's, more of a golden blonde, and her eyes were hazel. Her skin wasn't as pale, and her facial features, though tired and carried more sadness than a girl her age should, was softer.

Ron shook his head, muttering how a person couldn't just change that quickly.