Change

Chapter 1

It all started with a letter. Hermione Granger went to the mail box at the door and came back with the mail of the day. She skimmed through them all and let out a sigh as she saw nothing from the school of Witchcraft and Wizardry she had been attending since seven years ago. The war had taken its toll and the school rebuilt itself as quickly as the spells and wands were put into place. "Mum the mails here" Hermione placed it on the counter and walked up the steps to her room. As she opened the door a letter floated in the air and turned to the girl with the brown curls.

"Miss Granger! We have sent this letter to request you to return to your studies for your last year at Hogwarts school of-" the letter was cut off by Hermione tearing it open. "Of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" She exclaimed. "Here in a forte night, we expect you to be at platform 9 3/4 if you except the invitation back to the school!" She read aloud and looked at her owl she recently obtained. "Kandiff, we are going to school!" She screamed and ran down the stairs as her mother was about to run up them. "Hogwarts is open again! They fixed it mum, look!" Hermione was very excited and thrust the letter into her mothers face and she gladly read the words Hermione read before. "Hermione dear are you sure you would like to go back? I mean after all that has happened-" Hermione looked at her mother as though a chicken was in her place.

"Hogwarts is...." Hermione struggled for words as she racked her brain for a suitable word. "Is the equivalent of home mum. So much has happened there and that's why I need to go back" She looked at her mother and Mrs. Granger sighed. "Hermione you must write to me, okay love" and Hermione let out a shriek of joy and her father emitted from his office. "Hermione why are-" she ran and hugged him and he had a look of confusion pass his face.

"She is going back to Hogwarts dear" her mother smiled and crossed her arms as Hermione ran back upstairs and read the last line to show who the new headmaster was. Professor McGonagall. Hermione smiled and wrote to the other two of the Golden Trio.

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Draco Malfoy had his jaw clenched as he hurriedly slung his luggage in a compartment with only Blaise inside of it. "I'll be right back" he yelled and jumped down the steps of the well known train. He then ran and hugged his mother, the only other person he could trust. "Draco, I love you my dear boy" she whispered as tears striped her cheeks. "I love you too mother, you must be going before people start to ambush you with questions, okay" he said and she nodded.

Draco was now taller than his mother by two or three inches and was as much worried about her and she is for him. "Write me every week if you would like, I won't mind" he smiled and people started to come on the platform in the dozens. "Go now Draco" she smiled at her only son. He kisses her cheek once and dashed into the train to the compartment he shared with Blaise. Only Blaise.

Pansy Parkinson had opened the door to their compartment and Blaise stood. "Sorry Pansy no one else in here" and shut the door on her pug face. She gasped as Crabbe and Goyle stood behind her. "EXCUSE ME" she yelped and opened the door again. This time Draco had stood and put his figure in the door frame. "Draco" Pansy had smirked and squeezed his forearm. He felt disgust float through him. "No, I don't need you three anywhere near me this year" he growled and looked down his nose. "Draco-" Pansy had a hurt look on her face. "Miss Parkinson, I believe Mr. Malfoy has asked you not to sit with him. That goes for you two as well" McGonagall came up the aisle.

"Last year that I have to deal with you and your Transfigurations class" Pansy spit out and Goyle nodded turning. "Yes, and the first year to deal with me as your Headmaster" she smiled and inclined her chin as Draco's smirk splashed onto his face. He went into the compartment and shut the door again as the headmaster said something of detention.

Draco laid on the couch and opened a book that was about Salazar Slytherin and he actually enjoyed it. Blaise sat up. "You sure you want it to just be me and you the whole year, Draco?" He asked and looked over at the blonde. "You can be friends with them if you would really like to Blaise. I don't want to deal with them this year, I just want to finish my studies" Draco didn't look up from his book and then Blaise shrugged. "Pansy is annoying so I would rather not honestly" Blaise laid down and put his arm over his face. Then they heard Harry Potter's voice.

"Really though I want it to be a smooth year" Harry commented and the door opened. A curly haired girl smiled and looked at the two boys. "Oh I'm terribly sorry" Hermione had a blush to her cheeks and started to shut the door. "Actually you can sit in with us if you would like" Blaise commented and smirked as Draco's hot stare fell upon him. "Hermione there is a empty cart one over, Malfoy doesn't need to put us in anymore trouble" Ron ranted, his face becoming as red as his hair. Hermione fell pale. "I'm sorry Draco" she mumbled as she closed the door lightly.

Draco watched after her and their eyes connected as she had to stop for Ron. She turned away and Draco felt the heat on his cheeks. "Still go the hots for that one, do ya mate" Blaise howled in laughter as Draco burned red. "Shh Blaise I want to hear what they are saying". Blaise literally hopped to Draco's couch and they pressed their ears to the wall. Draco muttered a spell so they could eves drop. "Honestly Ron, he heard you" Hermione growled and Ron laughed. "He has been calling me a weasel for the passed 6 years Hermione, I don't care at this point if he was affiliated with the Dark lord or not" Ron said. "Ron" Harry said. "Well what we defeated Voldemort" Ron shot out. "RONALD, we didn't defeat him, Harry did. Harry, that doesn't mean we defeated him, yes we helped get the horcruxes and get Harry to that point, but at the end of it all Harry was the one to deflect the hit and kill him" Hermione was loud and angry. "So what, that doesn't mean Draco can-" "Draco was only being that way to help his parents" Harry chimed in and there was a small pause. "Draco may have been a death eater but it was not his choice, he changed Ron. Maybe we should try to be friendly with him or at least civil. He has had a lot going on and so has Harry" Hermione's voice was softer now. The pause this time was longer then Ron snapped.

"WELL WHEN HE CALLS YOU A MUD-BLOOD DON'T COME CRYING TO ME BECAUSE I TOLD YOU SO" Ron then stormed out of the compartment and scowled at Draco as he stalked further into the train.
"That was uncalled for" Blaise mumbled and the two boys got off the wall. "Should we say some thing" Blaise stood and so did Draco. "What would we say" Draco said quietly. They sat down in unison and a woman came down the aisle of the train.

"Candy trolley" she yelled and Draco stood. "Want anything" he directed at Blaise and the boy thought. "Licorice, anything but black" and Draco left as Hermione came out the door. "Hello" she smiled and he nodded with a half smile. They got to the trolley and the woman turned to them. "Four licorice whips, strawberry if you'd be so kind" Draco handed over the coins and took the whips. "Excuse Mione" and then he walked back to his compartment. Hermione stopped in her tracks. He didn't call her Granger, or Hermione for that matter. She watched as he opened the door and smiled to his friend then shut the glass door behind him. "Deary, what would you like?" The old lady had asked. Hermione asked for two lollipops and strawberry licorice whips. The coins were given and Hermione walked back to her compartment and eyed Draco reading. Her eyes widened as he turned his head to her and she hurried to open, shut the door and sit on her couch. "Hermione what was that" Harry laughed at her hysterical behavior and she joined in. "Something weird happened, it's nothing" she admitted and handed him his lolli and whips. He really has changed she thought as the train came closer to Hogwarts.