Love is Hope: Life after fifth year

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Today being September the first brought the usual amount of chaos in the morning, trying to get ready to catch the train in time. They were again separated from Harry, for security reasons, but the amount of wizards guarding Ron, Ginny and herself had increased since last year.

Hermione felt a little awkward at being the one left behind by the lot of them in favour of the prefect meeting. She walked the train searching for an empty compartment. Aside from the fact that it was good to be back, she felt slightly lost. She crossed a couple of gossiping Ravenclaws. Belatedly she realised Cho Chang was among them.

It wasn’t that she really cared for Cho, but she had been in the DA last year, so Hermione didn’t plan to ignore she knew the girl. Cho had always been one of the girls she rather... disliked. Apart from being a Ravenclaw and thus not really unintelligent, she was a popular girl, with her group of girlfriends backing her. When she wasn’t around a male she wanted to dazzle with her ‘innocent’ charms, she had a tendency to snob other girls.

That in itself wasn’t so bad to Hermione, after all she had been known to be a snob also. But it was the way Cho divided people in ‘worth-knowing’ and ‘not-worth-knowing’ and acted upon that belief. Like the way she looked at Ron like he was just beneath her, like a Flobberworm. Like the way she laughed behind Neville’s back, and the way she had snatched up Michael, literally minutes after Ginny ditched him, and dumped him herself not two months later.

Because of all her musings she hadn’t noticed Cho had backtracked her steps and was startled when she heard "Hermione Granger, bookworm extraordinaire!" followed by giggles.

Hermione turned and saw the sneering face of Cho looking back. The look changed in a false friendly one, when she added: "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you or anything, it's just, with being the smartest person of this *century* and all... I feel I ought to congratulate you"

The intonation spoke volumes of the hypocrisy of the girl, and Hermione fought not to lower to her level: "Thank you, Cho. I did work hard to get those OWLs. Did you hear the DA is now an official duelling club? I do hope you'll continue your membership"

Apparently that was the wrong thing to say, because Cho's face contorted in anger, before she put up her mask again.

"Oh, and I presume *you're* the president of the club? Is that why you gave up your prefect's badge?"

Hermione had no wish to explain to this girl why she wasn't prefect anymore: "No, of course not, Harry's always been the leader of DA. Why would you think I/"

But she didn't dare ask further on the subject. Cho's expression on hearing Harry's name was one she couldn't read. "Yeah, how's it going with Potter anyway?"

One of Cho’s friends was making a great show of getting out a magazine from her bag. She recognized it as Witch Weekly. Though she had no subscription on it, Ginny had, and the younger witch kept her informed about what it published.

To Hermione's knowledge, Ginny hadn't read, nor received, even,the latest volume yet, so she had no clue as to what to expect. The girl, who started to read some part aloud, she recognized being a Slytherin, not a Ravenclaw. Starting to get a bit nervous, she'd rather have slipped away in some random compartment, but she was a Gryffindor. The train had started to move, and the corridor was desolated.

/It has come to our attention, thatHermione Granger, who has won so many OWLs for her gender, must have been dumped by her boyfriend, Viktor Krum. This information almost didn't make it in this edition, since it was only the evening before the printing that Quidditch player extraordinaire, Seeker Krum for Bulgaria,had announced his engagement to the Bulgarian belle, Violette Viper.

The beautiful Miss Viper, soon to be Mrs. Krum, only laughed at the question on how she'd been able to steal Granger's boyfriend. It is of course sad to say, that Miss Granger holds her charms in her intellect, and didn't stand a chance incompeting with the belle. Our redaction how-ever has been investigating why they hadn't heard a rumour of this break-up before, and came to a startling conclusion.

Miss Granger has been known in the past to play two wizards at once, and it seems old habits die hard. In a hearing of little importance with the Wizengamot, Miss Granger had been called to answer some questions. Upon defending her friendship with Mr. Harry Potter before the court, she was very emotional to reply that she'd rather die than leave his side. A very noble sentiment indeed, but in this admittance laid also her confession...

No doubt this news has to havereached poor Viktor Krum, and broken the spell she had him under. All we can say now, is, poor Mr. Potter, may he find out what this girl really is.../

Hermione had been stoic during the reading of the letter. She had forgotten how hard it was to deal with the lies of the press, and it didn't get any easier. Especially the part of Viktor's engagement. While she repeated to herself that *she* hadn't want him as anything more then a friend, she felt betrayed nonetheless by hearing this news from the press, and not from Victor. As for the accusations about Harry, well, she supposed she had to get used to have them keep coming up.

Since last night she'd been thinking seriously about why people would always believe her and Harry to bea couple. Admittedly, if anyone had seen her gawking at him last night, she would think that too, but that had just been the outfit, and the motorcycle... Otherwise there was just as much reason to believe her and Ron to be a couple... She couldn't wrap her mind around it.

Cho shook her out of the seclusion of her mind: "Well, is it true? You’re finally admitting on putting your claws in Harry?"

Hermione almost burst into laughter, before she saw the expression on the girls’ faces were very serious. "What? Cho, you know as well as I do Harry doesn't see me as anything than a best friend?"

Hermione knew Cho had accused Harry of just the opposite, but she had believed it had been said in a moment of pain and anger, not a rational belief of this being true...

"Really?/"

Hermione was getting sick of this: "Honestly! Look, Chang, believe what you want, but I would like to put my things down and go greet friends I haven't seen all summer. So if you'll excuse me"

With that Hermione turned and walked away. She heard one of the girls yelling after her: “What friends?” but didn’t pay any attention to it. Hermione had never believed Cho would really go this far, she knew the older girl didn’t like her, but this?

She got to the compartment Neville, Dean and Seamus were in. Greeting them she asked if she could join them. Pleasantries ensued, but she couldn’t fully ignore the hurt feeling she had retained from the conversation in the corridor. Dean and Seamus were asking about Ginny, and she reminded them that she was a prefect now. Apparently others already informed them about her choice of schedule for this year; she suspected Ginny.

Neville had a new wand and was anxious to use it. Under encouragement of the others he tried, but in his nervousness, he broke the glass of the compartment door with the inkbottle he was trying to levitate. Luckily nobody was harmed, and Hermione repaired everything in no time. But with a little bit more control, he had better results with this wand then with his old one.

The subject turned to DA, and to Hermione’s astonishment, they hadn’t heard about it being an official duelling club yet. The mysteries of gossip: some know this truth, others that one... The topic of conversation continued likewise between the boys, while Hermione settled herself more comfortable in her seat with her book on Magical Creatures. She was lost between the pages when she heard taunting voices from just outside the door. Mentally rolling her eyes, she got up to investigate.

“... your daddy. You know you’ll never get your Weasel to even look your way, so why don’t you give it a rest, Lunatic?”

Pansy Parkinson, with her back to Hermione, was holding the Quibbler away from Luna Lovegood. Luna didn’t particularly seem upset or affected, but then again, she never did.

“Jealous, Parkinson? Do you want our Quidditch captain all to yourself?” Pansy swivelled back, surprised, but her expression quickly showed a cruel glint.

“Captain, hé? Does he think by being captain, you’ll finally give him the time of the day?”

“When you’ll start talking sense, you’ll let me know, won’t you? Come on Luna, we’re sitting here” Hermione made to turn around.

“Just know, little Mudblood, I’m still a prefect, watch your back this year!”

Hermione felt almost murderous, Pansy had always brought out the worst in her, much like Malfoy: “I happen to know *you’re* on probation, one mention of abuse of power, or inappropriate language, and you’re out of the game, *Parkinson*”

With that Hermione furiously dragged Luna into the compartment and shut the door with a loud snap. Luna faced her and said unblinkingly: “She was talking about Ronald drooling all over you. She told me the only chance I’d ever have with Ronald is if his Mudblood died”

Uncomfortably Hermione looked shocked at the younger girl. “Luna, you do know Pansy’s full of it, don’t you? She’d say anything if she thought it would hurt you”

“Of course, and I do not wish you to die”

“Thanks,” ‘I guess’. Hermione sat down again and though she saw the boys sharing glances, she didn’t make note of it. Luna sat down next to her and showed her the copy she had retrieved back from Pansy.

“Hermione did you see the article? It really is fabulous, the world is going to know the truth behind the Crumple-Horned Snorkack, now. Of course you saw the pictures already, but/”

Hermione was glad she was interrupted when the door slid open and her boys and Ginny came through. Greetings were exchanged, bags and trunks pushed in, and pets were protesting. When finally everyone had squeezed in, Hermione was about to ask who’d been made Head Boy and Girl, and how the meeting had been. But their yearly visit from Malfoy with his cronies was upon them...

“Well, well, well. ’See the Mudblood’s been degraded. They finally saw the light and took away her badge...”

Before anyone else could start shouting or cursing, wand-wise or otherwise, Hermione snapped back: “Malfoy, I suggest you keep a tighter leash on your bitch. She was torturing students moments ago without your supervision. You should go fetch her and remind her you’re all on probation...”

Stunned silent followed Hermione’s statement. At length Malfoy spoke: “Whatever, Granger, I just came to warn you all to watch your backs from now on!”

Without giving anyone the pleasure of returning a witty answer on that threat, he stomped out of there. Everyone, except for Luna, who hadn’t been interested in the event from the start, re-reading the article on Crumple-Horned Snorkacks, was looking at Hermione in shock.

“What?! Look, I have it up to here with smart asses trying to get a rise out of me by insinuating my badge has been taken from me because of some thing or another. And if they’re going to be idiots about it... Ok, so the ‘bitch’ thing was a bit much, but Parkinson really does follow him around like a female dog...”

Ginny was the first to crack a smile: “I’m very proud of you. Fred and George are going to eat their shorts when they heard they missed your little speech”

Seamus and Dean just chuckled, while Neville looked at her in... well, she couldn’t read, really...

Fingering his badge Harry smiled: “Does this means *I’m* supposed to *lecture* THE Hermione Granger...”

Ron was the last to come over his shock and said theatricly: “Perish the thought. It must have been a fluke, we have to savour this while it’s fresh in our memories, who knows when the next time will be Hermione Granger let’s an inappropriate word escape her mouth!”

The mood had quickly changed in joviality. The rest of the trip was rather uneventful. Hermione didn’t see the need to relate the story of Cho and the Witch Weekly article, though she had no doubt in her mind, that by tomorrow no student in Hogwarts was going to be ignorant about the latter. Oh well.

Ginny left the compartment to greet some friends, with on each arm Dean and Seamus. It was a good thing Harry and Neville were holding Ron’s sleeves, because his little sister was just using his two roommates to get a rise out of her brother...

***

They changed into school robes and were at Hogsmead station before they knew it. Hermione was glad to hear Hagrid’s booming voice over all the voices. Following the prefects, resisting the urge to help them in their duties she went to say hello to the half-giant. It was then that she saw. Dimly she recognized what it must have been for Harry the previous year to see the creatures, without knowing what it meant.

Thoughts were reeling in her mind, the most prominent being ‘I didn’t see death, this can’t be happening’ Ginny was shaking her, concerned, until she looked in the same direction, and her whole body stiffened. Then she heard Ron yell: “Bloody Hell!”

Hermione, momentarily forgot the frightening sight, turned and reprimanded Ron for using that language in front of first years.

Hagrid and Harry looked at them funnily, and then Ron said out loud: “But we didn’t see anybody die, did we?”

Understanding downed on Harry’s face, soon to be replaced by worry. Luna came standing next to them: “No... But you did see *death*...”

Hermione was trying to get her mind around it, when suddenly it clicked: “The veil, it was Death?”

Luna nodded solemnly. “But we would’ve seen them at the end of last year, when we were brought to the station?”

Hagrid answered: “I dunno wha’ ye kids are talkin’ ‘bout, (an: I’m sorry, but I can’t write ‘hagrid’, forgive me) but the Thestrals gave me some trouble for the carriages then, they weren’t happy with me abandoning them. Anyway, since there weren’t enough tame ones at the time, the carriages were pulled by magic from the castle to Hogsmead station. All right, if it’s the same to you, I’m going to escort these across the water. On you go! First years, over here!”

On the way to the castle Hermione had lots to think about. She wasn’t regretting taking on all these courses, she would need them to occupy her mind away from distractions. In the span of 24 hours, a lot of little things had happened, that had made her thoroughly confused. Barely paying attention to the Sorting, which was very unusual for her, and almost missing the announcement for new Defence against Dark Arts teacher, she was milling events over in her mind.

First she’d learned Ron and Harry had concealed a secret space in the Grimmauld Place from her. Then she’d learned Harry had a flying motorcycle, and though she didn’t know how he’d gotten it, she placed all her bets on Sirius. Harry, her best friend, scrawny and mostly shy about his looks, could be quite sexy. Viktor had gotten engaged, without even the shortest owl to inform her. Cho practically accused her of stealing Harry, and articles were again being printed on her alleged relationship with him. Parkinson had insinuated Ron, of all people!, had a crush on her. She had used foul language, speaking to Malfoy. To top everything else, she’d seen *Death* and consequently could now see Thestrals...

But the announcement of the Dark Arts teacher, or should she say teachers, did recapture her attention. So that was why they were both ‘missing’ at Grimmauld Place during the daytime yesterday; Hermione half believed they had snuck out together for some privacy, but they must have been preparing their stay at Hogwarts.

In a clear voice Dumbledore announced: “I have the pleasure to reintroduce to you all, Professor Lupin, and introduce to you an excellent Auror, Professor Tonks. They will be your Defence against the Dark Arts teachers this year. Professor Tonks is also here on the authority of the Ministry to ensure our safety. As you all know, Voldemort has been back for some time now, and we must prepare for dark times, indeed. We must bear in mind that by uniting our efforts against the dark we will stand strong. May you all have the wisdom and courage to do what is right...”

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