Chapter 1

'Good morning mum.' Hermione smiled, walking into the kitchen. 'Good morning.' her mother said, looking up from her newspaper and giving her daughter a smile. 'Do you want tea?' 'That'd be nice.' Hermione nodded. Her mother got up from her seat and filled the kettle with water. She waited for the water to boil before pouring the hot water into two mugs and placing both mugs on the dining table before sitting back down. 'Morning.' Hermione's dad said, rubbing his eye with the back of his hand. 'Morning.' Hermione's dad gave the two of them a kiss on the cheek before making himself some coffee. After breakfast Hermione hurried back upstairs to get some reading done. She grabbed her copy of Romeo and Juliet from her nightstand and opened it, but the moment she just wanted to start reading something ticked on her window. Hermione looked up and saw an owl outside, letters in its beak. Hermione quickly got up and let the owl in, taking the letters from him and giving him a treat. 'Thanks.' Hermione grinned at the owl before sitting herself down on her bed and eagerly opening the envelope with the Hogwarts crest on it.

A broad smile appeared on her face when she finished reading the letter. She had hoped to receive a letter from Hogwarts, but the last thing she had read in the Daily Prophet was that Hogwarts was still undergoing major renovations, so she didn't know whether there was going to be a new schoolyear at Hogwarts this year. Hermione ran downstairs and waved the letter in the air as she made her way into the kitchen where her parents were still sitting. 'Guess who got accepted at Hogwarts to do her last year?' Hermione cheered. 'Really? That's great, Hermione.' her mother smiled. 'So you're going back?' her father asked. 'Yes?' 'Are you sure about this? Wouldn't you rather finish your last year at a normal high school? Somewhere without dark lords you have to hunt down to save the world?' her father asked. 'The dark lord is gone dad, he won't be able to cause any more trouble.' Hermione said matter-of-factly. 'I just want to make sure you're going to be safe this year and you won't find it necessary to remove our memories because there's someone trying to kill you.' her father remarked skeptically. Hermione sighed. 'No dad, there's no one who's got their mind set on killing me.... as far as I know.' she muttered. 'Alright then, but the moment you're in any kind of danger, I will personally come to get you.' her father said sternly. Hermione nodded, crossing her fingers, hoping no one would try to kill her that year because she really wanted to graduate and finish a year without any kind of danger, threat or problems for once. 'Would you like me to help you packing?' her mother asked. Hermione nodded once again, giving her mother a smile. She was happy she could finish her last year with her best friends.... at least, if her best friends were allowed back as well. Hermione remembered the other three letters the owl had brought with him. Hermione made her way back upstairs and dropped herself on her bed, taking the other three letters before opening the top one.

Hermione sighed as she reread the short letter. It must be really hard on the Weasley family to have lost one member. She missed Fred and she couldn't imagine how it must be for his family. The people he grew up with, the people who raised him, the people he belonged with. Hermione grabbed the next letter and opened it. This one appeared to be from Ginny. She wrote almost the same as Harry, apart from the fact that Fred's death had been more prominent in her letter. She had written about how empty the house felt, that George hadn't returned to the shop yet, Ginny thought he might be scared, that the empty shop would make it too real. Hermione closed her eyes for a moment, biting down on her lip, trying to keep herself from crying. She had been to Fred's funeral. It had been a beautiful funeral, with a closed casket. She hadn't asked why the casket had been closed, but she assumed Fred's injuries had been too bad to cover up. Many students of the year Fred and George had been in came to pay their last respects for Fred and obviously to give the Weasley family support with their loss. Grief had been the only thing that had been clear on everyone's faces. Hermione took in a deep breath and opened the last letter.

Hermione sucked in her bottom lip, nibbling on it as she read the letter twice more. She sighed and placed the letters on her nightstand before grabbing her book from the duvet and starting to read again. She tried to concentrate on the words on the page, but one thing kept buzzing through her head ever since she had processed the good news she would be attending Hogwarts for her last year at school this September. Would Malfoy be attending Hogwarts this year as well? She sincerely hoped he wasn't. She wanted a peaceful and drama-free year. And what was this surprise McGonagall had talked about in the letter?

Draco paced through the house, running his hand through his hair. He had received a letter from McGonagall, telling him he was accepted back at Hogwarts for the upcoming schoolyear. His mother wanted him to go to finish his last year there and graduate, at least that would give him a chance for a better future. Draco was the opposite of joyful with the thought of going back there. He knew what he had done was wrong, but he wasn't planning on changing his attitude, not for anyone. Draco slowly made his way back upstairs and over to his room. He laid himself down on his bed, grabbed his book from the nightstand before reading on. Something he had been doing a lot ever since his mother and himself got released by the Ministry for Magic, with only house arrest until further notice, was reading. He had somewhat enjoyed reading when he was younger, but never once was he allowed to get a book from his father's library. Draco had figured, now that his father wasn't here, it wouldn't really matter anymore whether he went in and got himself a book to read. His father's library appeared to be a lot of dark magic books, but there was a small section with a few "normal" books with tales of several adventures. When his mother had caught him looking through that section of the bookcases she had told him that was her section and that he was allowed to take any book he wanted. Draco sighed and tightly closed his eyes when his eyes stopped focusing on the letters on the page and his mind started to drift off someplace else. Will they be going back to school? ? He was desperately hoping not. This year was going to be hell enough without them, he didn't need the three wannabe "heroes" to make it even worse. He was also silently hoping Pansy Parkinson wouldn't return. She had been nothing but annoying through the years he knew her, always trying to show off and she never left him alone. He knew his friends Blaise Zabini and Gregory Goyle would be attending Hogwarts again this year, after having received the two letters from them. 'Draco?' Narcissa said knocking on his door. Draco opened his eyes and looked up at his mother who had just opened the door. Narcissa entered his room and looked at him, giving him a small smile. 'Would you like me to help you pack your things?' she asked. She had never asked if she could help him pack his stuff for school, which might have been partly caused through the fact they had house-elves who did all their dirty work for the Malfoys, making life as easy as possible for them. 'Uh no, I already packed everything.' Draco told her. Slight disappointment flashed over her face, but she recovered quickly, giving him a nod. 'Okay.' she answered. 'Are you looking forward to going back to Hogwarts?' Draco nodded as he turned back to his book. Narcissa left his room again and closed the door behind her. Naturally Draco wasn't looking forward to go back to school. He never really liked it there. What was that surprise that McGonagall wrote about? Would it be a surprise he'd enjoy? Or a surprise he didn't want to have? What if she put the Slytherins and Gryffindors together to make a point?  No, that's not possible, she wouldn't. Draco took in a deep breath before letting it out again and turning his attention back to his book.