Chapter 4, Book 1, After a War

Hermione took her place on the train, crossing one leg over the other. Ron sat next to her, Harry across from her and Malfoy diagonally from her. They had spoken to a few of their friends from previous years and several of them were going to be arriving later, something about not having finished all their shopping in time.

The train ride was silent. Everyone was too nervous to talk. Changing their houses was changing their entire lives. Maybe McGonagall would make an exception for the trio- she figured Malfoy would be fine getting sorted. When they finally did arrive, they were met with Hagrid as always, the trio greeted him warmly and Malfoy kind of just awkwardly said hello.

The carriage ride was different. Nearly everyone could see the thestrals now. Only the first years seemed unfazed by the undead looking horses leading them to the castle. There were a few that she noticed that looked at the thestrals in awe, not knowing what they meant or what they reminded people of. Hermione held her breath the whole ride.

As students gathered in the great hall and McGonagall made her announcements, everyone's hearts began to pound out of their chests. This was happening. They were really about to get sorted again.

"Bloody hell its like being a first year again." Ron broke the silence. Harry and Hermione nodded nervously. Harry was called up first.

"Huh, a tricky one once again, I have always thought you'd be good in Slytherin Potter, even more now then I did then, but I sense that there is still a better option for you. Gryffindor!" The hat shouted. Harry had never looked so relieved in his entire life. He moved over and took the first seat at the Gryffindor table.

A few people Hermione didn't know where called up and then Ronald was called. She pecked his cheek for good luck and watched him walk up to the hat.

"Gryffindor!" The hat called once again. Ron smiled brightly and gave Hermione a thumbs up before going to sit next to Harry.

Pansy was called next, she got Slytherin again, a boy named jack, he got Slytherin, Blaise went up, Hermione figured McGonagall had organized the list by who had been in what house before. Wait- well then why hadn't Hermione gone up when all the other Gryffindors had? She brushed the thought off as the hat shouted Gryffindor. Blaise!? In Gryffindor!? She glanced at Malfoy beside her, he looked just as confused as she did, but there was a glimmer of hope in his eyes, if someone else could move from Slytherin to Gryffindor, then maybe he could too.

Theodore got Slytherin, Dean and Seamus got Gryffindor again, and then Malfoy was called up.

"Good luck." She whispered to him, he glanced at her, probably confused as to why she said that. She shrugged a bit and he walked up to the stand. The hat was silent for a moment.

"You don't want Slytherin again? But Slytherin is the best house for you. Slytherin!" The hat called, Malfoy didn't show his disappointment much, but Hermione could see it in his eyes as he sat at the Slytherin table between Pansy and Theo that he was upset.

Hermione was called up. She could have thrown up. All her friends had returned to where they belonged. Maybe she would too. She stepped up to the sorting hat and gave McGonagall a nervous smile in greeting. She sat down and took a deep breath as the hat was placed on her head.

"Ah, Granger. The girl that could be in every house without a problem. I sense something different about you though.." The hat paused and Hermione's heart hit the floor. She made one last nervous glance at her friends. Hearing the Hats words made them nervous too. Then the hat shouted and that was it. "Slytherin!" It yelled. Harry and Ron stood up suddenly as though to protest. McGonagall was surprised too. Nobody moved. She looked at Malfoy, his eyes were wide. A mudblood was in Slytherin. Oh she was going to be eaten alive.

She stood up slowly. She looked at her friends and they took their seats hesitantly. She walked over to the slytherin table and sat down. The rest of the sorting was a blur to her. The hats voice was ringing in her mind.

She was a Slytherin.

Malfoy came and sat next to her a little while later. He must have felt bad for her. "Look, if the other Slytherins start messing with you then just come find me ok?" He told her. He had never once cared for her in any way. This was the first time he had ever shown any sign of wanting to make sure she was safe.

"Ok," she replied simply, not exactly knowing what else to say to that. Now that she had tuned back into realty she could see that most of the Slytherins had returned back to their house. It felt like the houses had definitely changed allot. She could see familiar faces all around that had been moved. It was crazy, but maybe it would be so bad.
She listened as the food appeared and the sorting was officially over.

People were talking. And not very nicely.

"There's a mudblood in Slytherin."

"Not only is it a mudblood, it's potters mudblood."

"Not so sweet and innocent now is she?"

"Feeling dead inside granger? We can make you dead outside too."

Ok that last comment was just dumb. It was a wonder any of the slytherin house made good grades. She glanced at Malfoy, for the first time he seemed to realize that the people in Slytherin weren't exactly the nicest.

"Just leave her alone. Come on, you know how many of us ended up in Gryffindor? The people we made fun of less then three years ago? You gonna go make fun of your friends that switched houses when you know it's not even their fault? Exactly. So stop being pricks and shove off. And don't call her that." Malfoy told them. Hermione felt like crawling under the table.

"Oh, I see now, looks like Draco has a crush on Granger."

"Looks like Azkaban scared the slytherin right out of him."

"You sure you aren't supposed to be at the Hufflepuff table?"

Malfoy sighed. Hermione glared at the people being jerks. He had just defended her. After seven years of being bullied by him and fighting, he had defended her. And then he got bullied in return for it. And he most certainly didn't have a crush on her. The only reason he was sitting next to her was because pansy had been all handsy with him when he sat with her. And yes Hermione had noticed that.

"Thank you." Hermione whispered to him as the food disappeared and everyone got up. He nodded a bit before fading into the crowd, walking to the common room. Hermione went to find Ronald and Harry.

"What happened!? Are you alright!? They better not be speaking to you over there. We're going to talk to McGonagall and get this all sorted out." Ronald told her in a rush. She shook her head in kissed his cheek.

"It's fine Ron, calm down. I have to live with this. I'll be fine. Besides, there's Malfoy, and he isn't a total twit anymore. He just stopped a group of Slytherins from talking bad about me." She said. Harry relaxed more, glad that someone was there. Ron only tensed more.

"But 'Mione, Malfoy is Malfoy, he's probably tricking you. Making you trust him so he can get to you." Ronald argued.

"That might be true, but I can handle myself Ronald, if I need you, I'll come find you ok?" She promised. He nodded.

"Alright... I'll see you tomorrow." He told her, visibly calming down. He pecked her lips and then walked off. She hugged Harry, telling him goodnight before watching him walk off. Now she just had to get to the common rooms without getting herself killed. Easy.