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Struggling Through New Beginnings	By : HarryGinny4eva Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 31233 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: Spoilers - I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 2
- 3
- 4
*** Short Author�s Notes at the end ***

Chapter 3

Harry and Ginny after having waved goodbye to Ron and Hermione had continued on
to find their compartment. They laughed softly with one another as they moved
from locked car to locked car. With a relieved cry of joy, Harry finally found
one that didn�t push him away. Being the gentleman he was, he motioned for
Ginny to go in first.

�Beautiful, wonderful ladies first,� he smiled down at her.

�Such a charmer,� she giggled and moved past him, her things levitated in front
of her.

�Only for you, love. I just hope we can find a oomph,�
he said as he slammed into the invisible barrier and realized he couldn�t enter
the car with her.

Ginny turned to look back at him, �Harry, you coming?�

She saw the look of confusion and sadness on his face as he hovered outside of
the doorway and quickly glanced around to count the people in the car with her.
With a dawning look of anger she looked back at Harry.

�No, dammit!� she wailed and tried to step back out
to him only to find herself blocked.

�It�s okay,� he smiled down at her frustrated face. �I�ll just��

He was once again cut off as the door slid solidly shut in his face.

Ginny stepped up and banged on the window of the door. He shook his head at her
and sent her a smile as he shrugged. He saw her slump against the door and
mimed �chin up� as he stepped back. A flurry of movement over her shoulder
caught his eye and he watched Luna greet Ginny. The two girls hugged and then
Luna turned to look out at him and wave. He smiled, waved back and then blew a
small kiss at Ginny before he turned to continue looking for a car for himself.
He didn�t have to go far as the very next car allowed him in, for which he was
very glad. But, his presence caused an uncomfortable silence to fall over the
people in the car. He knew it would not be long before he was asked to tell his
story for the millionth time and tried to avoid it by turning away quickly. He
immediately saw an empty row in the back and started for it as he lowered his
eyes and head to indicate he wasn�t in a chatting mood. He didn�t lift his eyes
again until he reached the seat, and only then to toss his bags up over his
head and glance across the row at the person huddled against the window of the
other seat.

Blue-grey eyes met bright green for a moment before they both looked away.
Harry almost reached back up to get his bags and move to somewhere else in the
car, but when he turned he saw thirty-eight pairs of eyes staring at him, just
waiting to ask him questions.

�Perfect. Just bloody perfect,� he muttered sarcastically to himself as he
plopped down in his seat and crossed his arms moodily on his chest.

�My thoughts exactly, Potter,� Draco mumbled tiredly from his seat.

The students saw the two famous enemies mimicking each other�s stances and
wondered what to do. As much as most wanted to approach Harry Potter, they
feared getting closer to Draco Malfoy. And, honestly, neither man really
radiated warmth. Finally, a fourth year Slytherin braved the quiet, his voice
squeaky and nervous, but his chin high and proud as he stood next to a pretty
third year Ravenclaw girl.

�Well, uh, that makes forty. Maybe the train will get moving now.�

She nodded with her eyes still swinging back and forth between Harry and Draco,
�Yes. I hope so. I am getting a bit hungry and the Trolley Lady won�t come
until we get going.�

A second year with her blonde hair in pigtails looked over at them, �Do you
think she�ll be able to get into the car if we can�t get out?�

And, just like that, the children moved away and resumed their games and
discussions; the two brooding men, one light, the other dark, were ignored.
Harry turned his head slightly and looked across the train as it began to move.
He saw the other man and wondered where their relationship stood. For what felt
like his entire life, he and Draco had been at odds. First, over whom they
should be friends with, then because of their separate house rivalries, and
later because of their chosen sides in the war. Now, with the war and its many
ramifications behind them, with many deaths behind and between them, and with
the start of so many new opportunities for each of them ahead, Harry wondered
what the future held.

He took a breath and whispered a silencing charm around them as he turned fully
to face Draco.

Draco�s head whipped around and his hand went for his wand immediately, as his
eyes met Harry�s once more.

�Relax,� Harry said unconcernedly. �I just have something to say to you, and I
don�t fancy it becoming gossip for the masses.�

Draco nodded shortly and let his hand fall away from his wand. He knew Harry
wouldn�t start a fight with all their young witnesses, and he was slightly
curious as to what the �boy-wonder� had to say to him.

�Get to it,� he said shortly.

Harry opened his mouth and then closed it once again, unsure of how to start.
Then with a nod more to himself than to Draco, he spoke.

�Listen, Malfoy. I�well, I don�t know really. I guess I just wanted to say I
want some peace this year. I�m tired of all the stupid fighting for no good
reason, the backbiting and sniping. I�m sick to death of the stares and
questions. I just want one normal year at school and I�m quite simply through
fighting with you. If nothing else this past year, I have learned that life is far
too short for petty, childish gripes. Professor Dumbledore would have wanted me
to forgive you, to put the past behind us. Even Sna�I
mean Professor Snape in the end would have wanted it. I apologize for the role
I played in your family�s, um, losses and I don�t
expect that we will ever be friends or anything like that. But, I do hope we
can find some middle ground and learn to co-exist. I think life would be less
stressful for all concerned if we can do our best to learn to be at least
civil. I�m sure Professor McGonagall is hoping to promote house unity with this
little stunt, and it looks to be working, on them at least. Look, it�s a long
year, we�re adults, we can do this. What do you say?�

Draco stared blankly at Harry for a moment and then asked, �What exactly are
you asking me Potter?�

�Well, I guess I�m asking if we can call a truce of sorts. What with Ginny and
Zabini as Heads, we�ll be seeing a lot of each other, I would guess. It would
just make it easier for all concerned if we weren�t constantly at each other�s
throats. Deal?�

Draco stared at Harry for a long moment before he answered. A part of him
immediately rebelled against agreeing with Harry in anything, but apparently
some of the re-education he had been through all summer had taken.

�I can be civil, if you and your lot can,� he said and looked wearily away.
�Besides, it�s not as if I have much ammunition to fight with this year, is
there?�

Harry looked away when he heard the resentment, anger, and resigned acceptance
in Draco�s voice and sighed, �Well, I don�t want to fight anyone anyway.�

Both looked out of their respective windows and watched the landscape go by.
Neither spoke again for the remainder of the trip.

In an effort to promote more unity among the houses, the Headmistress had made
Ginny Weasley of Gryffindor and Blaise Zabini of Slytherin Head Girl and Boy.
Both had good grades and would represent their houses well, but more than that,
it would force two groups of people who had previously been against one another
to interact on a regular basis. The hope of the teachers and Headmistress was
that these opposing groups would have grown up enough to at least show civility
and thereby show the rest of the school how to unite. It was understood that
there would be tension at first, but they hoped the forced close proximity
would help this group, who they felt needed it most, start to heal.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When they arrived at
Hogwarts the students scrambled off the train and ran to the
carriages, anxious to meet up with friends they�d been separated from on the
long journey. Once they reached the school they hurried up the stairs to enter
the lobby outside of the Great Hall, only to find the doors locked. Many of the
younger students immediately began to panic, whimper and hide behind those
taller than them, while the older ones drew their wands and glanced around
nervously, as they tried to push the smaller children behind them. The Dark
Lord was indeed dead, but some of his followers still lived and wanted nothing
more than to punish those who had played a part in their leader�s death.

Pansy found herself forced behind both Blaise and Draco, their broad shoulders
fully blocking her view. She glanced around nervously to figure out what was
happening. Like a tracking beam her eyes once again found The Trio and she saw
them fanned out across the back of the crowd, wands drawn, eyes alert, as they
and their friends pushed the younger children behind them. She felt a sadness
ripple through her at the realization that people her age could be that
mentally battle ready.

Just as the mass of students began to keen with fear, candles exploded with
light and the doors to the Great Hall burst open. The teachers all stood at the
head table their wands crossed in solidarity, their faces wreathed with
welcoming smiles. And, on the dais in front of the head table stood Professors
Snape and Dumbledore. In the silence that fell, the former Headmaster stepped
forward.

�I know it is a shock for most of you to see Severus and me here, but I assure
you, you are not seeing things, nor are we ghosts of our former selves. We are
happily, very much alive and have quite the story to tell. But, it is a tale
for after our newest are sorted and our bellies are full. With great pride, and
I confess, a great deal of relief and joy, I, Albus Dumbledore, along with the
professors and your Head Mistress, Minerva McGonagall, welcome new students and
old back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!�

The students pushed into the Great Hall in shocked silence as they stared at
the men before them. Down to the youngest, they had heard the stories of both
men�s deaths and it was with disbelieving eyes they looked at them.

Pansy was coherent enough to glance around to see the Trio�s reaction and noted
the flushed faces and unchecked tears. Even Harry appeared floored by what he
was seeing. She then looked worriedly to the man on her right and noticed the
fear, shame, and awe on Draco�s face. In support, she took his hand, and felt
his light squeeze back. She wasn�t sure if he did it out of acknowledgement or
more to assure himself that what was happening was
real.

�Now, as some of you are now noticing, there are no tables or chairs. We are
declaring this the year of new beginnings, and as such will be making some
changes. I will let your Headmistress explain further.�

The students shifted from one foot to the other as the Headmistress made her
way around the table to stand next to the two men. Many winced as they noticed
for the first time her cane and pronounced limp, a forever-reminder of the war.
She smiled benignly down over the group, and everyone noticed that her smile
grow more full as her eyes fell on Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

Lifting her chin in pride she nodded once and began her explanation. �I, too,
welcome you all back to our newly restored halls. It is with great pride and
pleasure I announce the start of a new year at Hogwarts. It is also with
surprise, admiration, joy, and the love of true friendship that I welcome back to
our midst Professors Dumbledore and Snape. I, as much as you, look forward to
their tale. But first, let�s get you all seated properly. In keeping with
tradition the first years were brought over by boat, but as you can see over
there, have been brought in to hear this information before their sorting. Now,
I ask all of you to step back or to the sides for a moment, and please clear
the floor as much as possible.�

There was a lot of shuffling, and only a minor amount of grumbling, as the
students quickly moved to the outskirts of the large room. It was then that
Pansy noticed for the first time, the beauty of the room; the symmetry of the
stone work, and the aching, haunting beauty of the enchanted ceiling.

The students watched as the Headmistress murmured a chant and small tables with
chairs at them began to pop up all over the room. It escaped no ones notice
that the tables only held twelve people in total. In confusion they didn�t move
as they looked back at her.

�Now, as you saw on the train, this year will be dedicated not only to your
studies, but also to allowing you to figure out who you are, who you want to
be, and what you want. New beginnings will not be a mere statement,
it will be our new way of life. That is not to say we will not have houses, or
that you will not be allowed to show your house pride. The four great houses of
our founders will forever be a part of Hogwarts and our lives. But, we will not
allow that separation to ever again be a cause for the pain and prejudices of
the past.�

She paused and allowed her eyes to roam their faces as she waited for her words
to sink in to them. Once she was sure they understood, she continued.

�Now, each of you has a pre-assigned table. Each month until Christmas break
this will change to put you with new people from every year. It is our hope
that in doing this, you will not only make new friends, but give yourselves the
chance to learn about others who may be different from you. We, of course, do
not expect that all of you will get along with everyone; that is not the nature
of people, adolescence especially. But, we do expect you to be civil, even
cordial and open to the new possibilities this will present. First years,
please stay where you are. The rest of you may go seek your seats. When you reach
the table assigned to you, the centerpiece will glow with your name. You may
sit anywhere at that table. Proceed.�

For the next few minutes the students moved around the room looking for their
tables. Some found it fun to see who was sat where and enjoyed the search.
Others were disconcerted and disgruntled to see the people they were sat with,
and who they weren�t.

Hermione found her table rather quickly and took the seat farthest to the back.
She wanted to be able to see and hear as much as possible. After greeting the
two younger students that joined her, she turned to see where her friends were
placed. She watched Harry sit at one table, while Ginny was placed at another
next to it. They smiled happily at one another and then turned to seek out others
they knew. Ron was placed at the table in the opposite corner from where
Hermione sat and they shared a short wave before her view of him was blocked.

When the body didn�t move she glanced up into the face of Blaise Zabini. She
flicked a glance over him before returning to his eyes, which she noticed
stared rather hard at her.

�Um, hello again, Zabini,� she said more cordially than she felt.

�Granger,� he nodded. Then he bit out, �Did you know about all of this?�

�What? No!� she shook her head. She watched as he seemed to weigh her answer
before he sat down in a huff, crossed his arms and looked away from her.

�Great new beginning,� she murmured. But, when he turned once again and pinned
her with his dark stare, and she heard the giggles from the younger students at
the table, she wished she had kept her lips shut. With a sigh she turned her
head to the front of the hall as the remaining students found their tables and
everyone looked up at Headmistress McGonagall expectantly.

�Thank you all. I am sure supper will give you ample time to complete your
introductions and begin to get to know your new meal partners. But, now we will
begin the sorting.�

A chair and the Sorting Hat were levitated to the center of the floor by
Professor Flitwick. Everyone looked to the hat as the
brim slid open, expecting one of its thought-provoking speeches. But, even the
teachers were surprised when it simply said, �Unity. Where hard work, cunning,
bravery, and intelligence merge.�

After a bit of a shocked pause, Headmistress McGonagall stepped forward and
called, �Aaron, Jessica,� and the long sorting process began.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ron sat at his corner table and looked around the room. He still reeled from
the shock of seeing the former headmaster alive and well,
and as yet had not really processed the changes around him. A quick scan after
he�d found his table had let him see Hermione five tables over, and Harry and
Ginny a few tables away in front of him. He didn�t know anyone at his table,
except for Draco Malfoy, and he wasn�t about to �get to know� him any better.
He knew what had happened to the Malfoy family, and he wasn�t such a
self-absorbed prat that he didn�t feel a bit for
them, but he also couldn�t forget how that same family had treated his for more
years than he�d been alive. Change or no change, he could never foresee a
future where a Malfoy and a Weasley were friends.

Ron snorted a laugh at his own thoughts and went back to looking at the other
occupants of the table. He smiled as Luna joined him and sat on his right, and
nodded in recognition at the couple of Gryffindors who sat opposite him. Malfoy
sat a few seats over, no one yet on either side of him. Ron almost felt pity
for the two people who would be forced to take those empty seats. He didn�t
know the Hufflepuffs or Ravenclaws that joined their table and for the first
time realized how segregated their lives had been. He vowed then and there to
give true unity a chance and wondered what Hermione would do.

He cleared his throat softly, smiled at the people at his table, and announced,
�Hello everyone. I�m Ron Weasley, 7^th year Gryffindor, and I�m on
our house Quidditch team. And, who are you?�

Most everyone introduced themselves as the other students continued to mill
around looking for their tables. Draco stayed silent, his gaze fixed on the
front dais.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Draco�s shock that Professors Dumbledore and Snape were alive was complete. He
couldn�t think. He could barely breathe. He hadn�t found his seat. He�d gotten
lucky, as he�d simply fallen into the chair closest to him. He didn�t notice
Ron at his table, or anyone else. He wasn�t seeing the room or the people. He
was replaying his last moments in the Tower with Dumbledore in his head as he
stared fixedly at the men before him.

He had suffered, his parents had suffered, and he had lost everything. And, it
had all started with the death of the man before him; done by the man beside
him. As much of a mess as his life had been prior to his sixth year, Draco�s
entire world had changed for the worse with the death of Albus Dumbledore. No
one really knew how much he had suffered for that one night. In one act, one
moment, his pride had been crushed, his hopes, so suddenly clear, crushed, his
terror absolute, his future sealed. The �death� of Professor Dumbledore had
been the beginning of the end for him. He had seen the look of pride in the
Headmaster�s eyes right before it happened and for a moment thought he stood a
chance. Then, Snape had killed for him.

It was only a matter of moments, but Draco saw it again and again in slow
motion as his thoughts swirled. The only person who
had ever shown real faith in Draco, had condemned himself for him. It was in
that moment that Draco knew all was lost. He would become like his father. He
would kill innocent people for a madman. He would never have the redemption he
so badly craved. He would never know peace. And, he would forever be blamed. In
the end he had suffered, his mother had suffered, and his father had died.

And, now, it had all been for nothing.

Zugose, James�Slytherin!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Pansy straightened at her table as the last child was sorted into her house.
For the past hour they had seen children sit nervously under the hat, be
sorted, and then run to the chair that lit up for them. The normal explosion of
applause when a house was announced had not occurred, although a smattering of cheers were heard here and there around the
room, when siblings or friends were sorted together. As always everyone waited,
but unlike years before, not for the feast; this time it was for the
explanation.

Pansy turned her head once again to look at the faces of the students at her
table. The only person she really knew was Ginny Weasley and it wasn�t like
they were friends, or even passing acquaintances; as much as she thought they
could have been if things had been different. She sighed and wondered for the
millionth time why her life had led her to this point. Why couldn�t she have
been sorted into Ravenclaw instead of Slytherin? She was smart, more of a
bookworm than most knew, loyal to those she believed in, and had a sharp, fast
mind that she knew was seen as cunning. But, as a child, all she�d been told by
her parents was that her house would be Slytherin. It was the only good house.
It was the only place where she would be with the �right� people. It was where
her future husband would be placed. It was her destiny. She hadn�t had a
choice. No one had given her a chance to decide freely. Just as she�d heard
Potter had requested to be in Gryffindor, she had begged the hat to put her in
Slytherin. It was all she�d known. And, all she�d come to loathe.

Pansy�s thoughts scattered as Professor McGonagall retook her position at the
head table and said to the students, �Welcome to all of you once again. Now
that you have been sorted and know your houses, I hope you will allow another
small delay to your meals. I think it is time we all heard the truth from our
esteemed professors. Which of you would like to begin?�

Author�s Notes

(1) I am going to borrow an idea from another author I saw on this site (I
don�t remember who, and if it is you, I sincerely apologize and thank you!) and
answer my reviews in the reviews area! Uh�duh! I used to be a smart person. Lol
So, feel free to go there to see my answers to your
reviews. :-) Thank you!

(2) Thank each and every one of you who have given this story a chance. I will
say this story is them as normal teenagers finding their way. But, the sequel
(already in the writing progress) is them as adults. So, this one is the story
of substance only, and the next has both substance and sex.

(3) For every review, I thank you!
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Struggling Through New Beginnings