Saving Each Other - Dramione

Returning

Disclaimer - I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, places, ideas etc. they belong to J.K.Rowling. this is simply a work of fiction I have produced using her characters and ideas.

I stand with my trolley which is carrying my trunk and new owl. I am facing the barrier between platforms nine and ten. The war is over, but nothing will ever be the same again. We can try to forget but no matter how hard we try, everything will be different now.

I look sideways towards my mum who gives me a small smile. Then I give my trolley a push and run right through the brick wall and onto platform nine and three quarters.

The gleaming scarlet engine is there as always. Other students are milling around talking, but there is less laughter than usual. So many people have lost friends and family in the war.

I start to push my trolley down the platform but as I do some people start to look up.

'That's Hermione Granger,' I hear someone whisper. Then someone starts clapping and everyone else joins in. It isn't like a loud, out of control clap it is more of a polite, respectful clap. A thank you clap.

I begin to feel my cheeks heat up. I am not used to this sort of attention like Harry is. I spent the summer with my parents in the muggle world after travelling to Australia to bring back their memories. It had been nice not to be recognised everywhere I went.

I reach one of the doors to the train and my Dad helps me lift my trunk onto the train and into one of the compartments. My mum follows behind with Iris, my new owl who I named after the Greek messenger Goddess.

I hug both my parents. Mum tells me to be safe and Dad says he loves me. After that, I tell them that I needed to change so they leave the train to go and stand on the platform. My parents had tried to understand what I had been through but they will never completely understand. There are only a few people in this world who will ever understand.

After drawing the blinds on the windows and locking the compartment door I open my trunk. I take out my Hogwarts robes and pull them over my head. Then I find my shiny new head girl badge and pin it to my chest.

When I received the letter from Professor McGonagall asking me if I would like to return to Hogwarts in order to complete my seventh year - which I had completely missed out on because I had spent the year hunting horcruxes with Harry and Ron - I hadn't hesitated to accept. The letter also told me that I had made head girl if I would accept which of course - even considering the circumstances - I did because it had been my dream since I first started at Hogwarts.

From outside the train, on the platform, I hear applause again. When I raise the blind on the window I see that Harry and the Weasleys have just come through the barrier and are standing at the end of the platform.

Harry smiles at the crowd but waves away the people asking for his autograph, each one reminding him of little Collin Creevey.

Ron stands just behind Harry. A year ago he would have been revelling in all this attention but the events of last year changed him, as they did most people.

Ginny holds Harry's hand. The two of them now savour every moment with each other like it will be their last. After what they've both been through, I don't blame them.

George, with his one ear, has come to see his siblings off. He has a brave smile on his face but I know he doesn't mean it. He will never be the same again. None of us will really

Mr and Mrs Weasley are there as well. Grateful that they and most of their family are still alive. Despite all their hardship, they are still the loving, caring parents they always were.

The group makes its way towards the train and I see Harry, Ron and Ginny get on from where I am at the window.

I leave my compartment and run down the train to meet them. I did see them a few times over the holidays but I still missed them.

'Harry, Ron, Ginny,' I call as soon as I can see them.

All three of them turn towards me and their faces break into smiles. Not the brave-faced, forced smiles that they put on for the people outside but real smiles.

'Hermione' they shout, almost in unison as they start towards me.

I hug each of them and for a moment, I forget everything. For a moment I am happy. But as I pull my arms from around Ginny's shoulders and take a step back, everything comes back to me and the feeling is just so heartbreaking that I have to blink a few times before I can do anything else. I stand up a little straighter and push the feeling from my mind. I have to be stronger than this.

'Come on,' I say grabbing Ron's and Ginny's owls from them. 'I've already got a compartment,' and I lead them back down the train.

***

The train leaves at 11:00, just like it does every year, to take me back to Hogwarts. I can't help but think that things might be different this year. I will be head girl and not only that but I am also part of "The Golden Trio". I know that I will definitely get a lot more attention this year and hopefully some respect.

Harry and Ginny sit opposite me, their hands intertwined, whispering to each other. It's starting to make me feel a bit uncomfortable sitting next to Ron. About a week after the battle of Hogwarts ended, so did our relationship. We both decided that we were better off as friends but something about him keeps telling me that he doesn't completely believe that. I pull my book out of my bag and begin to read to fill the silence.

***

I spend the train journey reading and talking with the others. Neville and Luna come to see us at one point as well as some of the other old members of the DA. We play a couple of games of exploding snap and eat lunch when the food trolley comes.

We are almost happy, but not completely. Returning to school brings back so many memories and I have found that you can never truly be happy in the present when you are drowning in the past.