Unexpected Union

Chapter 1

Hermione sat down on her trunk in her new dormitory room and looked around. A year ago, she thought she'd never be back there again. The war had changed so much. She thought her life at Hogwarts was done, until she received a letter by owl a month ago from Professor McGonagall asking her to not only return, but to be Head Girl.

She had been incredibly shocked, but also flattered to be given the position of Head Girl. She made a vow to herself that this year was going to be great. She was going to soak up all the knowledge she could, and relish in this second chance to be there at Hogwarts. The last couple of years had been such chaos, that she had not really been able to enjoy her experience there. It had been one thing after another, all culminating in the showdown with Voldemort.

Thinking back to the train ride there, she smiles. Like every year prior, she had sat with Harry and Ron. They'd joked and shared some treats from the trolley, stuffing their faces with chocolate frogs and Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. Ron had gotten one that had made his face screw up in disgust. He had been convinced it was pickles and peanut butter.

The big change that year, was that she would not be joining them in the Gryffindor dorms. Because she was made Head Girl, she had been put in the private dormitory that was just shared with the Head Boy. She wondered who it could be. She thought for sure it would be Harry, but he assured her that he'd not been selected.

She looked around her private room and couldn't believe the size of it. It was twice the size of the room she'd shared with four other girls in the Gryffindor dorms. It was already decorated with her house colors and her things. There was very little for her to do to unpack. She felt rather terrible that the house elves had to do all that work for her, but she intended to thank them in some way.

Deciding that there was nothing left for her to explore in her room, she decided to go look around the common room. She'd passed through it on her way to her room, but she hadn't really taken the time to look. She left her room, curiously looked at the closed door across from hers that would be for whoever the Head Boy was, headed back down the curving staircase to the common room below.

The Head's common room, much like her bedroom, was large and comfortable. A lot of space for only two people, not that she was about to complain. There were large windows that had an amazing view of the Forbidden Forest far below them. There was a massive fireplace, and a large couch facing it. A couple of wing chairs on either side of the couch, as well as a beanbag chair. She could imagine spending all day cozy in that beanbag with an afghan, some tea, and a good book.

The rest of the room consisted of a large heavy table with a couple of sturdy chairs. It looked perfect for not only eating at but spreading out for a big study session. There was also a kitchenette that was already stocked with some essentials like cocoa and tea, and most importantly some delectable looking biscuits.

Hermione had just decided to put the kettle on and make herself a cup of tea, fully intending to break into those biscuits, when she heard the portrait move, and footsteps approach from behind her. She turned to see who just entered the common room, and her jaw dropped.