Hermione sat in front of the fire in the Gryffindor common room. She was working on the screening plan for the muggle protection department but could not finish it because she kept thinking about last night when she took some time to help Malfoy with his homework.

It was the first time they had a conversation which did not end with him calling her a mudblood. In fact when he thanked her he called her 'Hermione' and not 'Granger'. Malfoy has really changed. she hoped the rest of the school would see it too.

At first she was skeptical about the idea of Malfoy turning over to a new leaf so quickly, but when she saw how he had changed, she was impressed. The rest of the school was giving him a hard time not realizing they were on the same side now.

Harry and Ron came down from the boy's dormitory, brooms on their shoulders. They seemed to be irritated about something.

"- Dumbledore would not have let this happen." Ron said.

"We need to find out who the new captain is. They have to let us back on the team." Harry said.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, coming out of her train of thought.

"Apparently the whole team needs to try out again. They say it's only fair since we have so many new students." Harry said frowning.

"You won't have a problem, Famous Harry Potter and all that." Ron grumbled.

"Ron!" Hermione said frowning at him.

"And he is the best seeker we have had in a long time." Ron added hastily.

"You will get in too!" Harry assured him. "Come on, let's go practice for tryouts. Are you coming Hermione?" Harry added, turning to Hermione.

"I'll join you later. I'm finishing up the screening plan for the muggle protection department." Hermione said.

"Good, let's go over it this evening." Ron said waving at Hermione as he and Harry climbed out of the Gryffindor portrait hole.

*******

Draco made his way to the library, checking every corridor before he went through. He was not in the mood to run into Terrence Conner or Pansy Parkinson. Both were irritating in different ways.

Finally at the library, he unrolled his parchment to start his homework. Across his already completed notes was the word 'Traitor" written in red.

Draco felt his stomach drop. People were not going to leave him alone and he still had no idea if they were from the dark side or not.

His parents tried to stop him from going back to Hogwarts. He partly did not want to go. But he needed to set his life on the right course and it had to start with Hogwarts. They had told him never to declare which side he was on because there were still dark lord supporters who could hurt him for walking out of the war.

There was also a chance the non supporters of the dark side would try and hurt him as revenge for becoming a death eater and letting death eaters into Hogwarts during his sixth year.

Draco carefully tried to erase the red markings from his homework with his wand when he heard something that made him jump.

"So it's true! Whenever you disappear you come to the library." Pansy said.

"Yes, I like to be left alone." Draco sighed, rolling up his parchment after unsuccessfully removing the red marking.

"You should have told me, we could be alone together in a more romantic spot." Pansy said, sitting next to him and putting her arms around him.

"Pansy." Draco began, gritting his teeth and then froze. Hermione was standing across the table with a fat scroll in her hand. She was staring at them dumbstruck.

"Hermione!" gasped Draco.

"What are you staring at mud- I mean Granger." Pansy said coldly, she was about to call Hermione a mud blood but she caught herself in time. There were people watching and waiting to pounce if she shows any signs of being anti-muggle.

Hermione did not say anything. She just gave Draco a blank look and turned around and walked out of the library.

Draco watched her go, wanting to stop her desperately but he could not do anything because of Pansy. He contended himself with angrily grabbing his things and storming out of the library too, leaving behind a confused Pansy.

*******

Harry and Ron made their way down to the quidditch pitch. Harry could not wait to get back on his broom. But they weren't the only ones on the pitch. There was a huge number of Gryffindors on the stands and around the pitch.

"What's going on?" Ron asked in surprise.

"I have no idea." Harry said blankly, his eyes scanned the pitch for someone who looked in charge so that he could get some answers. His eyes fell on Richard Carter, a well built fifth year who looked like he was in charge. Tapping his clipboard and calling our names.

"Carter, are you holding quidditch tryouts?" Harry asked, walking up to him.

"Yes." He said turning his attention back to the clipboard. "Olly Kent !" He called out and a first year boy came forward before jumping on to his broom and taking off.

"Why weren't we informed about this?" Harry said, feeling his anger rise.

"There were a lot of Gryffindors on the pitch so I decided to hold tryouts now. Problem?" Carter said coldly.

"Yes 'Problem!'" Ron busted out. "How about the other Gryffindors who wanted to try out and had no idea about this."

"As long as I build a better team, what's the problem?" Carter said.

"Problem is that it's not the way things are done." Harry said.

"I know you were captain in your sixth year. Famous Harry Potter and all that, but this year the team is going to be built with real talent. So I'm changing things. If you want in, you have got to earn it." Carter said and Harry clenched his fists in his pocket.

"Harry has real talent as a seeker!" Ron protested. "You would know that if you had ever watched him play."

"I have watched you all play, Weasley, especially you. How you ever got to be in the team is a surprise to me." Carter said smirking. Ron's ears went red. "I suppose potter being captain make your position on the team stronger than ever."

At this Ron launched at Carter but Harry caught hold of the back of his robes. "Not like this." He hissed at Ron before turning to Carter.

"Fine, we will try out for the team." Harry said to Carter. "If you truly choose the team members based on talent, we both will make the team."

"Fine, I'll add your name to the list. You will just have to wait your turn." Carter said in a bored voice, tapping his clipboard.

Harry and Ron took a seat in the stands, furious at this new captain. Even if the made the team, the idea of playing with Carter was not at all welcoming.

*******

Will Harry and Carter every be able to get along?

Will Harry every be able to play for the house team again?

Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Vote.comment.follow.
<3<3