Chapter 2
The Great Hall looked as grandiose as Hermione remembered. Even after the War, they didn't manage to revert it to its former glory. It lacked the safety and magic that had died along with Dumbledore. It was ever shadowed by the dead they had continued to mourn, never to be lit by its wondrous innocence.
After the battle was over and Voldemort was defeated, Hermione went back to Hogwarts to finish her final year and take her NEWTs but things were never the same. The halls were emptier, the professors grim and she had navigated the entire school year alone, as Harry and Ron had enrolled to become Aurors immediately after the war. She had to experience Hogwarts on her own and for a change, see how desolate and solitary she truly was. Harry and Ron were her only close friends and apart for them, she hadn't really made ties as strong as the ones in her trio. That was the moment when Hermione realized how much her worth was influenced by the fact that she was friends with Harry Potter. It was as if she had no idea who she was unless she was attached to his and Ron's hip. Everything she had battled for had been dictated by Harry, albeit not on purpose but by circumstance. If Harry and Ron hadn't existed, what would she have wanted? What would she have done?
The same thoughts continued to plague Hermione even in current moments, surrounded by all her former classmates. She had missed their laughs, their courage and their noisiness. She had even missed the food and drinks, not to mention the ghosts. All four houses celebrated at their assigned tables, their members unaware of what was due soon. The ceiling sparkled with enchanted candlelight, a blanket of comfort floating in the air.
At her right, Ron was stuffing his face with a recently apparated bowl of something, fairly oblivious to what was going on around him. Around this time, she would have hit him with her book, berating him for not being worried enough about Harry's absence. She recalled it was also her cute, not-so-obvious way of asking for Ron's attention but she couldn't bring herself to do it anymore. He was supposed to be her husband in the future but not just yet. She could delay it for a while, couldn't she? It was not as if Ron was going anywhere, at least no further than Lavender Brown's obsession would momentarily allow.
"Where on earth is Harry?" Ginny asked, taking over Hermione's role.
"There he is," Hermione replied, having spotted Harry and Luna enter the Hall from the corner of her eye.
"He's bleeding. Why is he always bleeding?" Ginny asked both worried and annoyed at him.
Harry took a seat at the table, Ginny fussing over him and Ron shaking his head in disapproval. He took the offered handkerchief from Ginny and started talking but Hermione was no longer listening; Dumbledore had approached the stand. It had been years since his death and never again did Hermione think she would see Dumbledore alive and well. He truly was the greatest wizard. His presence was commanding enough to engulf the entire hall and the way he peered at everyone from behind his half-moon glasses testified to his wise nature. He could read you like a book, uncovering the pages you had ripped yourself and hidden away in the darkest corners of your heart. She had missed seeing him, hearing his reassuring voice, his logical words and his shrewd remarks. Now that she was back here, Hermione would do everything in her power to prevent his death. With Dumbledore alive, the war would have far fewer casualties. Perhaps there would be no war anymore…
From her seat, she had the best vantage point to look at him. While everyone was paying attention to Dumbledore's sixth-year speech, Hermione glanced across, over Harry's shoulder, to Draco Malfoy. He held his chin in his hand, playing around with his food, eyes downcast. Clearly, he wasn't paying attention either. If anything, he was distraught, lost in deep thoughts, and with good reason too. His father had gone through that horrible trial and was sent to Azkaban, his family had been divided, the Dark Lord was looming over him and over all that he held dear and as she now knew for certain, he had also been chosen to become a Death Eater. Above everything, this year was going to be catastrophic and the things he was expected to do were indeed sufficient enough to make anyone lose their mind.
Hermione stopped herself in her thoughts. Was she…pitying him? Him, of all people? Well, it made partial sense, she was biased toward future Draco and how in the end, he had chosen to switch sides and change the course of the war. Present Draco and future Draco had nothing in common, that transformation took years and it had been necessary for him to experience all the horrors to change for the better. Right now, he was still a despicable brat, set on helping the Dark Lord. It was him and only him that mended that vanishing cabinet, allowing direct passage into Hogwarts. No matter the reason, he had no excuse, Hermione tried to convince herself. If it hadn't been for him, that fateful night wouldn't have happened; the Death Eaters wouldn't have infiltrated Hogwarts and Dumbledore would have remained alive. If Draco hadn't fixed that cabinet, things would have been different. If he…
There it was…her answer. The reason why she was back in time. The way or better said, the person who could help stop everything was right there in front of her. She didn't quite like the deduction but the sooner she came to terms with it, the better. Unfortunately, Draco was the key to changing their dreadful future.
"...in the end, that greatest weapon…is you. Just something to think about. Now off to bed, bip bip," Dumbledore finished his speech on a rather bleak note, spreading uneasiness throughout the entire hall.
"That was cheerful," Harry remarked, raising to his feet along with the rest of the Gryffindors.
"Hermione? You coming along?" Ron turned to Hermione, waking her up from her reverie.
She took a moment to respond but eventually decided to nod and accompanied them out of the hall, toward their Common Rooms. On their way out, she couldn't help but follow Draco with her gaze until she lost him in a sea of green. How was she supposed to convince him to stop mending that cabinet? Hermione couldn't exactly approach him and tell him she knew what he was planning. Destroying the cabinet would also raise suspicions or worse, force him to find other solutions that would interfere with Hermione's plan. She could prepare better for what she knew for certain was coming and deviations from the future were not welcome yet. One way or the other, Hermione had to earn Draco's trust.