The Bond Of Fate - DracoxHermione

Chapter Two

The Great Hall was filled with its usual racket as the four houses settled down on their respective tables. Hermione's eyes scanned the room carefully, she could hardly notice the places where the reparations had taken place. In the entrance to the Hall, the precious stones had been magically returned to the hourglass, inside the Hall, the ceiling was back to its usual magical glory, and the tables looked untouched by fire and death.

At the far end of the hall, the staff table had a few new faces and McGonagall sat on the seat that Hermione could only remember seeing Dumbledore in.

"You all look terrible," a voice said behind her and Hermione let out a squeal as she turned to see her best friend smiling down at her, hair as black and messy as always. Harry quickly took a seat next to her and embraced her tightly before lowering his head slightly.

Even with that small exchange, the whispers seemed to have grown stronger, and some people across the hall were even standing to get a better view.

"We're a freakshow," Hermione whispered through her teeth and Harry chuckled.

"Welcome to my world."

Ron let out a laugh that had Hermione and Ginny exchanging incredulous glances. Harry's presence seemed to restore the balance in their lives, without doing much, he brought them comfort and made them feel safe.

"Did I miss much?" Harry asked, as the plates in front of them changed from dinner to dessert. Ginny quickly served some pie on Ron's plate and was glad to see him take a bite.

"Not much," Hermione replied, "I think McGonagall's going to make the usual announcements at the end of the feast.

"There was a very small group of first years though," Ginny interjected, "I thought it was a bit strange."

"I suppose some parents may have decided to homeschool this year," Hermione suggested. Looking around, she noticed the Great Hall wasn't as packed as it had been other years. There had been a lot of casualties. She felt a shiver crawl down her spine as she thought of how many Muggleborns like her had been killed during the last year.

"Good evening," McGonagall's voice suddenly echoed across the hall, hushing the students. Hermione squirmed in her seat to get a better look. "I hope you've all enjoyed your first feast back and are probably eager for a good night's sleep. I won't keep you long, but there are several things that must be addressed before this year can commence. Firstly, I would like to have a moment of silence for the fallen heroes of the war. You sit on the very stones that saw the last moments of many valuable and irreplaceable lives."

She bowed her head, and silence was absolute as everyone in the room followed suit. After a few minutes, McGonagall looked back up with a small smile and continued.

"Thank you. Now, as you all know, last year was a complicated one. After many deliberations with the Ministry, we have decided that the students that were in their seventh year will be repeating their school year in order to be fully prepared and to be able to take their examinations. This means that we shall have to reorganize certain things and it's also why you're seeing some familiar faces back this year. I can only ask you to give them the privacy they deserve. Now off you go! All the returning seventh years please remain seated for further instructions."

Once the scraping of benches against the floor and the agitated conversations had subsided, McGongall approached the Gryffindor table and signalled to the returning students to take a seat there. Hermione looked at the faces around her, people she had grown up with for the past seven years. They all sat anxiously watching each other. Her stomach tightened into a knot as she noticed that many hadn't returned and she knew that others were gone forever.

"Very well," McGonagall begun, watching her students carefully, "firstly, I want you to know that we have had special services available to you all year. They are here to help you deal with trauma and I encourage you to seek Madam Pomfrey if you would like to access one of these sessions. Secondly, since-" she paused for a second, considering her words carefully, "since your group is now smaller, and since last year's sixth years have now moved into the seventh year dorms, we have prepared alternative dormitories for you. You will all share a common room, not as houses, but as a year."

There was some whispering and shuffling at McGonagalls words but no one spoke up.

"Furthermore, certain allowances will be made for you this year. You are all of age, and you should've all graduated already, for this reason, you'll be allowed a later curfew. You will discover other allowances along the way. Now off you go, Mr. Potter will guide you to your new dormitory."

Hermione followed her friends out of the Great Hall at a distance. Ron was chatting animatedly with Harry, something that she had not expected to see given the state he'd been in when she'd first laid eyes on him. In front of her, the Patil twins walked arm in arm and Hermione was shocked to remember why Lavender wasn't at the other side of Parvati, giggling into her ear. Everywhere she looked, she saw war, pain and awful memories. After a while they reached a tapestry that Hermione had never seen before.

"The password is resilience," Harry announced, and the tapestry rolled up to reveal an opening on the wall. The seventh years followed him through the door into a large common room. Hermione was surprised to see that the windows looked over the Black Lake and gave them a beautiful view of the forest and mountains behind it.

"What is this place?" Neville asked as the students spread out around the room, inspecting the furniture in it. It was larger than the Gryffindor common room, and even had some bookshelves and study desks.

"This is our new common room," Harry announced, spreading his arms in the middle of the room "and this is the Albus tower. It was built during the reparations of the castle, specifically for us. You'll find that there are rooms all the way up the tower. For the first time in our school careers, we will have our own rooms. Each room has the owner's name engraved on the door, so you should be able to find your own way."

Hermione smiled to herself. The idea of having her own room, her own private space where she could run away to when it all became too much, was like a dream come true. Her fellow seventh years rushed over to the staircase, giggling excitedly. Unable to muster the energy to run up the stairs, Hermione followed at a slower pace. She soon realized that she hadn't been blessed with a room at the bottom of the tower and by the time she reached her room her legs were burning slightly. The top of the tower opened onto a tiny corridor and at one end of it she found her name engraved onto the door. Excited she reached for the handle and was about to open it when she heard another set of steps behind her. She turned around, expecting to see Harry or Ron, but was surprised to find herself face to face with a platinum haired boy with silver eyes. They stood in silence for a few seconds, staring at each other. Hermione couldn't help notice that he was in a better state than the last time they had crossed paths, two months ago at the Wizengamot. His eyes were still framed by deep dark circles, but his body seemed to have regained some of its thickness and his cheeks were no longer hollow like a skull's.

"Granger" he said, after a few moments of tense silence.

"I didn't think you'd come back," she blurted, blushing furiously. If Draco Malfoy was taken aback by her words, he didn't let it show. He simply shrugged, his face an impassive mask.

"Neither did I."

Hermione tried to smile at him, but instead she grimaced. Unsure what to do next, she turned the handle she had been aggressively holding for the past few minutes and slipped into her room. Through the half open door, she watched Malfoy turn the handle of the door directly across from hers and step into his room.

His bedroom. Right in front of hers. At the top of the tower.

I'm going to be murdered in my sleep.