SKELETONS

T W O - Q U E S T I O N S

As the great red train pulled out of the station, Hermione couldn't help but smile to herself. Here she was, going back to Hogwarts, surrounded by her friends. Harry, Ginny, Neville and Luna sat around her, and she could hear Seamus blowing something up in the compartment next to them, Dean and Parvati laughing wildly.

The sounds of mirth filled her heart with joy. The last few years had been filled with less and less happiness; whispers and frightened glares had taken its place. Things finally felt normal again, or as close to normal as they could expect.

Since arriving at the station, people had been staring at Hermione, Ginny and Harry as they walked side by side. Parents and children alike pointed and whispered, smiling. Now, many younger years were not so discreetly peering into their compartment.

One of them actually knocked, and slid open the door slowly, almost as if he was scared of them.

A boy no older than 12 stood in the doorway. His black hair covering half his eyes. Hermione smiled at the small boy, which gave him enough confidence to speak.

"I was just wondering if you all could sign this? My family admires you all so much!" He hesitated for a moment before bowing his head. "Thank you for your service."

The boy pulled out an old looking newspaper. The big black letters on the front read:

HARRY POTTER AND THE STUDENTS WHO SAVED THE WORLD

Below the headline was a photo of Dumbledore's Army, with Harry, Hermione and Ron front and centre. She felt a pang of guilt as she saw Ron's arm around her, his mouth spreading repeatedly into a wide grin as the photo looped.

Luna, however, lit up when the boy held the newspaper in her direction first, not expecting him to want her signature too. As they passed round the paper to sign, Harry shot Hermione a suspicious look.

She didn't know quite what he was thinking but he hadn't had that look on his face since before Voldemort died.

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As they were making their way to the carriages, Harry nudged Hermione in the arm.

"Look who it is." Hermione turned her head to where Harry was pointing.

"That- it cant be! Surely he wouldn't come back?" But the platinum blonde hair was unmistakeable, it could be no one else. Why would McGonagall invite him back? And why would he accept?

A lot of older Slytherin students had not been invited back; they had committed crimes during the war for which they were now being held accountable. Of those who had been invited back, most had declined.

So, why was Malfoy back? He had gone to Voldemort's side when Harry was thought to be dead- and then ran away from the scene when it turned out otherwise.

Hermione felt as though the sight of him should enrage her, and at first it did. Yet as she watched him with his shoulders forward and head down, she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. What was his life like now?  She couldn't imagine it was full of love and friendship as hers was. She reminded herself that it was simply karma and he deserved it, pushing the sympathy away.

"Well, Lucius is gone, hopefully with just his mother's influence he won't be so... Malfoy. I hope him being here means she is still okay." Harry spoke in hushed tones and pulled on Hermione's arm to keep them a few feet behind their group.