Chapter 3
As everyone made to sit down in the large room, McGonagall held out her hand and called out to the class of 7th years.
“Before the start of term Myself and the other teachers decided that something need to be done to help build house unity between the four houses, we saw the easiest was to do this was to put everyone in seating plans in classes, at least up until Christmas, you may have noticed that this year all four houses have been mixed together, we have decided that the biggest rivalries are between Gryffindor and Slytherin and Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. I will read out your name and your partners and show you to your seat, I want no complaining, this is a final decision and no changes shall be made.” A few groans were heard as the professor shooed them all to the back of the room, Hermione already seemed to know what would happen the professor started to call out names, starting from the front of the room and filling up to the back, around the middle Ginny’s name was called.
“Can I have Ginny Weasley and Blaise Zabini at this desk please.” McGonagall gestured to their place, Hermione heard Ginny groan quietly beside her but she walked to sit in the seat next to the Slytherin boy. A few more names were called and then there were just the last two desks right at the back of the room.
“Luna Lovegood and Susan Bones at the back left Table” Luna skipped to her seat, smiling at Susan who smiled tentatively back at the blonde girl. Hermione knew what was coming.
“Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger at the back right table.” Hermione just calmly walked to her seat, her face expressionless, most of the class looked on with open mouths apart from the Slytherins, and they just sat smirking, obviously amused.

Professor McGonagall started her lesson, it was the same as every year, and the first lesson of each subject was the teacher talking about what they would be doing this year, and about the importance of their exams, after about thirty minutes of the lesson had passed a someone knocked on the door then the a small third year boy appeared from around the door.
“Professor, You’re needed in your office.” The Professor nodded at the boy.
“Thank you Mr Fletcher, you may go back to your lesson.” The boy turned and the sound of his footsteps could be heard as they echoed off the stone walls.
“I will be back as soon as possible, I leave Miss Granger and Mr Malfoy in charge, you may talk quietly to the person you are sat next to.” With those last words she swept out the room, her emerald green cloak trailing after her. A sound of low murmuring was cast around the room Hermione sat facing the front, not having any intention of talking to Malfoy but when he turned to face her, she had no choice.
“What happened with Weasley at Breakfast this morning? I didn’t think she would be capable or making such noise.” Draco wasn’t mocking, he generally seemed concerned.
“That’s none of your business Malfoy.” Hermione’s eyes flickered over to where Ginny was sitting with Blaise, she was obviously trying not to laugh at something he had said but the corners of her lips were twitching up.
“Is it something to do with Potter? She’s going out with him isn’t she? Or is that it, did Potter break up with her?” He wouldn’t give up; he just kept pushing for answers.
“Like I said Malfoy, That’s none of your business.” Hermione caught sight of his smirk as she was turning away from him.
“So they have broken up? Well at least Blaise will be happy.” Hermione whipped her head back around to face Draco.
“What do you mean? Why would Zabini care if Ginny didn’t have a boyfriend?” Malfoy nodded towards where the two people in question were sat and Hermione turned to look at them.
“Blaise for some reason seems to have a thing for your little Ginger friend, for the life of me I don’t know why, I mean, she’s a Weasley, she’s Ginger, and to make things worse she’s a Gryffindor.” Hermione was getting angrier, why Malfoy felt the need to insult her friends, her Family she had no idea.
“Malfoy, remember back in third year, When you decided you were going to watch the execution of Buckbeak, the Hippogriff? Can you still remember me punching you? Well if you keep insulting my friends, I will not be afraid to do that again, and I promise you now, I am a lot stronger then I was when I was 14, and I guarantee that you will go away with nothing less than a broken nose!” Hermione said this so softly, so sweetly, it made it all the more threatening, Draco looked momentarily scared and turned to face the front.

McGonagall returned only five minutes before the end of the lesson and dismissed them early, giving her class no homework reminding Hermione and Draco to come to her office after dinner at around 7. Hermione met Ginny outside the door and they started to walk towards Charlie’s classroom together. Ginny seemed to have brightened up considerably. Hermione suspected it was something to do with a certain dark skinned Slytherin Boy.
“So, you and Zabini seemed to be getting on well.” Hermione said, nudging her slightly. Ginny Looked at her friend and rolled her eyes.
“He’s not that bad. You know, for a Slytherin, he’s funny, and Clever to, he was actually nice to me, no comments about my family or anything.” Hermione just smirked and the girls walked the rest of the way to Defence against the dark arts in a comfortable silence.

You were given fifteen minutes to get from class to class but because they were early Charlie’s class of second years hadn’t left yet. Their small class all claimed a part of the walls on either side of the corridor; Ginny dragged Hermione over to a space where they were only about a meter away from Blaise and Draco, The former seemed to be talking about one hundred words a minute, the latter smirked smugly, leaning one shoulder against the wall, facing towards the girls, Hermione glared at him but turned to Ginny and they began to talk mindlessly, Ginny was complaining over the lack of good Quidditch players in Gryffindor this year, While Hermione’s dream had been becoming Head Girl, Ginny’s was always of becoming Quidditch Captain so when her badge had fallen out of her Envelope that warm August morning she couldn’t have been more excited. Her family were all so proud of her, Especially Charlie, with him being Captain himself when he was at school.

The Weasley’s had been just as proud of Hermione over her achievement, they had been like a second family to her for years but now more than ever, after the war Hermione had gone on her own- to the disapproval of Harry and the Weasley’s- to find her parents in Australia, she had found them and removed the memory charm but what happened after had hit Hermione so hard she wouldn’t talk for about a week, after telling her parents what had happened and where she had been, Jean and Hugo Granger had come to a decision, even though Voldemort was gone they found her world to dangerous, they had told her either she left the wizarding world and stayed in the muggle one with them or she had to leave. And not come back. Hermione had chosen the latter and to make thing easier, she had re-cast the obliviate spell and left Australia. Her parents once again didn’t even know she existed.

Hermione began to tear-up at her thoughts but she tried to hold the tears in, it wouldn’t do for her to burst into tears for no apparent reason, besides, she had the Weasley’s, Harry, Luna and multiple other friends around her who she wouldn’t trade for anything. Soon about thirty 1st years came trailing out of the large Classroom, The 7th years class of around twenty students shuffling into the now empty room. Charlie was perched casually on the corner of his desk.
“Okay, as this class has the same students as your previous class you must sit with the person you were put with in Professor McGonagall’s lesson, you may sit at any desk as long as you are with your assigned partner. The class grumbled but did as they were told, Ginny grabbed Hermione and walked to the back of the room, the two desks their had an aisle in between but both girls sat either side of that so they were still close, the boys had followed them and had silently sat in their seats, without arguing, surprisingly.

Charlie waited until everyone was seated before speaking.
“As you may know I’m Professor Weasley, I’ve come to realise that this class is going to be the hardest to teach, you have had to be at this school through some of the hardest years it’s had, your defence against the dark arts teachers have all been terrible other than one, your only decent teacher was Remus Lupin who most of you know was sadly killed fighting here in the battle of Hogwarts. So you hand someone who had Voldemort on the back of his head, a fraud, then Remus, a Death Eater in disguise, a ministry official who liked to torture people, Severus Snape- I suppose he was actually a good teacher-, and then it was just Dark arts from another Death Eater.” The class nodded, not talking, they seemed to have respect for their new fairly laid back teacher with a hint of humour.
“I know I need to teach you things for your N.E.W.T’s but I’m not sure what you actually know, your education has been patchy so in order for me to understand what exactly you need teaching I have created a test that should last the remainder of the lesson, this test is not about what mark you get, it isn’t going to be recorded I just need to know whether you know what you should or not.” There was a small groan from the class but other than that there was no real reaction.

A small booklet of parchment landed at each desk, quills were brought out of bags and the only sound that could be heard was the scratching on the Parchment as people wrote quickly. Hermione’s Quill was flashing across the page, leaving small and neat letters trailing into answers behind it. She was finding it easy, she always did, and she had spent a lot of time studying over summer plus after the D.A in 5th year, she, and all the other members were highly advanced in certain things. She was about half way through the questions when she peered out of the corner of her eye at Draco, the tip of his quill rested in his mouth for a moment before quickly writing down an answer, Hermione noticed that he was on the same page of questions as she was, she immediately began to write again. At the end of the lesson a bell chimed throughout the castle signalling lunch, Chairs scrapped back and in a rush to leave to Classroom people were crushed against the door, shrieks of pain were heard but eventually the doorway was cleared. Ginny had hung back so Hermione stayed with her. Charlie looked up from the papers he had just placed on his desk.
“So, how do I compare to your previous teachers Girls?” Ginny hugged her brother tightly, Hermione was stood close to but she just smiled.
“You did great Sir” Hermione smirked slightly at Charlie, putting emphasis on the ‘Sir’. Charlie let go of Ginny and Surprised Hermione by pulling her into a one armed hug. Ginny was laughing at Hermione’s wide eyes. As Charlie’s strong arm removed itself from around Hermione’s shoulders she stumbled back a few steps. Charlie shaking his head in amusement, started to shoo them from the room.
“Go, go and get some lunch before everything disappears and you have to go to lessons.” Ginny grabbed Hermione’s hand and began to skip form the room, only after being out of the room for a moment did she double back on herself and pop her head back through the doorway.
“Charlie, do Mum and Dad know about you teaching?” Charlie turned back towards the door, nodding.
“Told them just after you got on the train, she started crying.” Ginny and Hermione laughed as Charlie rolled his eyes. Both girls then proceeded to the great hall, filled with students eating and talking loudly. Lunch passed in a blur, Hermione teased Ginny about Getting on with Blaise Zabini and Ginny just blushed and smacked Hermione rather hard on the arm. After filling their stomachs up with the fabulous Hogwarts food, The Hogwarts food was one of her favourites, only second to Mrs Weasleys baking. Ginny and Hermione had waltzed into Arithmancy, this was one of Hermione’s favourite classes, and although she knew it all already she found the subject fascinating. The old and sometimes forgetful professor had forgotten about the seating plans so Hermione and Ginny sat together, Hermione noticed with a glance around the room that Draco Malfoy wasn’t in this class, Blaise Zabini was though and he was sat near the front with a light haired Slytherin boy called Theodor Nott.

Arithmancy passed in a blur, the lesson boring as it only could be on the first day of term, Hermione spent the final half of the lesson mindlessly scratching shapes into a spare piece of parchment that she had found on her desk, only as she picked the paper up she realised what she had drawn, A lions head with a Eagles beak, with a Badgers body and a serpents tongue, nobody really knew of Hermione’s artistic talent, it’s something she normally kept to herself, much like the fact that she could play the piano, she had begun lessons when she was five years old. So instead of crumpling the parchment up in to a small ball, she folded it carefully and placed it in her bag. Leaving Ginny who now had a free period behind she wandered towards her muggle studies classroom, with her being muggle born nobody really understood why she took the subject, but she enjoyed to view it from a magical perspective. Although the whole class was shocked as one certain student waltzed into the room. None were more surprised than Miss Hermione Granger herself.