A/N - Written for the 8th Year Itch Challenge over at Granger Enchanted. The requirements are...

The Eighth Year Itch Challenge!

Forced back to Hogwarts to complete their NEWTS we welcome the 8th years! Five months after the war has ended all witches and wizards that missed their seventh year are forced back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, even our golden trio is not exempt, with Kingsley Shacklebolt unwilling to show favouritism, even to their world's saviour!

Join us as we take a journey through the 8th year, with their own tower, barely any rules and house loyalties skewed...we're about to have a bumpy ride!

THE RULES!

Canon Facts that MUST be included!

Voldemort's death

The Trio's Horcrux Quest

Malfoy Manor Capture

Ron/Hermione's kiss

Harry/Ginny relationship (you can have them break up or keep them together it's up to you!)

Non Canon Facts that MUST be included.

Ginny Weasley is Headgirl

The 8th years have no delegated houses

They all live together in one tower, sharing a common room, kitchen, bathroom (which should resemble the Prefect bathroom)

They are required to attend at least two meals per day in the Great Hall where they have their own designated 8th year table

One illicit teacher/student Student/Older male not at Hogwarts relationship(this student must be in the 8th year class and can be Hermione or a minor pairing)

One slash pairing

Hogsmeade/Diagon Alley visits whenever they like, not limited to weekends (again this can just be mentioned to set the scene)

Tension between Hermione/Ginny Weasley (eg: Ginny thinks she can waltz about the 8th year dorm when no one wants her there)

A voyeur

A couple caught in flagrante delicto

Hermione defending someone (can be anyone you choose)

Whoever is dead can be alive again (WITH valid explanation)

Right...This should be fun :D

September

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Hermione Granger leaned forward on her toes, the grip on the wall she held tightening just as she peeked around the corner to make sure that there was no one else around. Listening carefully for the familiar growl of distaste and the tiny 'meow' of haughtiness, she deduced that Filch was probably in another, more remote section of the Hogwarts castle with his tattle-tale cat, Mrs Norris. After waiting for a moment longer to ensure that she was alone, she took slow, cautious steps as she made her way to the one place in the castle that could be called her haven: the library.

The first day of her return to Hogwarts had gone as Hermione had expected. Even though it was obvious that he was happy to be back, Ron spoke her ear off about how useless it was to attend their seventh year when they should be exempt. They should just let us pass the bloody exams without sitting it. We deserve it. Who else got rid of the fucking Horcruxes?

That conversation was promptly followed by her chastising him for several minutes on his use of language, which was then followed by an underhanded remark that she was similar to a certain older female in the Weasley family. Hermione had huffed in displeasure. She hardly nagged the way Molly did with Arthur. She was more logical in what she usually said.

Harry, on the other hand, didn't take the requirement to attend Hogwarts all that well either. There are Death Eaters out there, Voldemort-supporters. How can they expect us to study when there might be wizards trying to kill Muggles or even trying to take over the Ministry again? We could help.

That conversation was followed by Hermione using her soothing, logical tone of voice to reassure Harry that the Ministry of Magic obviously had everything under control and Kingsley wouldn't have insisted that they all return with their batch mates to finish their final year at Hogwarts if they didn't. After all, McGonagall had done her best to restore the school back to its former glory; teachers were willing to teach again, parents were willing to send their children to school again, and students were willing to come back to live out the last year of their childhood properly without the fear of the Carrows looming over their heads. Personally, she was looking forward to finishing her NEWTs. It would be nice to go back to the days where an evil Dark Lord wasn't trying to destroy everyone who shared her same blood type and planning to kill her best friend and all those around him. She had too much of an extraordinary life thus far; what she needed now was an ordinary one.

Biting her lower lip in concentration, Hermione tiptoed silently until she finally came to the entrance to the Hogwarts library, her happiness increasing with each step. She really needed the peace and quiet this room could offer. It had been nearly fifteen minutes ago that a fight had occurred in the common room that was to be shared by the eighth years for the coming year. They had all been surprised when they had entered the Great Hall to find five tables instead of four. They were even more surprised when McGonagall had stated in no uncertain terms that all eighth years, which were incidentally all those who didn't sit their NEWTs their previous year, were to have their own tower. The uproar had been massive. The Gryffindors got along fairly well with the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, especially since a good lot of them fought by their side when they faced Voldemort all those months ago. It was the Slytherins that were the problem. Particularly one Draco Malfoy and one Pansy Parkinson. She witnessed the yelling, the threats and the wands being drawn while a grim-faced McGonagall had tried her best to bring about order within the group of reluctant students. After the new Headmistress of Hogwarts had left, Hermione was then forced to witness the glares and silent sneers between all parties before she realized that she needed to get away. For her, their return to Hogwarts signified the chance to do something that she had put on hold for the greater good; she would rather focus on that.

Looking down both hallways on either side to check once again that she was alone, Hermione quickly entered the room full of books, a relieved breath leaving her body when she realized that she was all alone in a place that was quiet and far from the hostile environment their new common room was. She silently moved around the empty tables and chairs towards the closest bookcase, the moonlight streaming through the large windows helping her eyesight to adjust easily to the dimly lit room. Hermione inhaled the familiar smell of the old parchment as she found herself immediately drawn to the stack of books that boasted historical significance in the wizarding world. Her eyes roamed across the titles slowly before her gaze fell on a leather-bound book, the familiarity of which made her smile. With nimble fingers, she pulled out Hogwarts: A History, the first magical book she had ever read and therefore the one piece of literature that would always hold an important place in her heart. Hugging the leather bound book to her chest, she searched out her most favourite part of the library where she usually worked: a seat that kept her back to the window so she wouldn't get distracted, but one that she usually used to keep an eye on the entrance to the library for when Harry and Ron used to barge in to tell her of their latest discovery pertaining to whatever mystery they had unwittingly gotten themselves into. It took a while for her to actually open the book, pull out her wand and whisper 'lumos' so she could read, choosing first to sit still in the silent, dark library while enjoying the moment of peace and calm that enveloped her.

The instant her wand was lit by the familiar bright light she was planning to read under, Hermione looked up, an eerie feeling of someone watching her causing the short hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end. She gasped softly when her eyes landed on a shadow, someone who was sitting silently in the library, hidden in the dark, his eyes watching her. Her grip tightened on her wand, her breathing becoming infinitely shakier as a sense of fear wracked her body.

Silently, the figure pulled out his own wand and after a soft 'lumos', his pale blond hair and grey eyes were lit by the bright light of his wand. Hermione stared at Draco Malfoy in surprise, her fear turning to panic within a few seconds. But Malfoy simply glanced at her coolly as he stood up and made his way over to the Potions section of the library. Hermione watched him with bated breath as he picked up a book and made his way to a table at the other end of the large room. He sat down and without another glance towards her, whispered the incantation to suspend the ball of light above him so he could read easily, his actions or expressions showing no indication that he was even affected by her presence.

Hermione continued to watch his impassive features as he continued to ignore her, her confusion increasing with each passing second. Deciding to ignore the younger Malfoy to the best of her ability, she went back to reading the book in front of her, her concentration wavering every few seconds. Maybe he wanted to get away just like her. Maybe he wasn't up to anything, choosing to sneak into the library in the dead of night to read. Maybe he found solace in the knowledge that books could give him. But whatever the reason Malfoy had to be in the library, it was obvious that he wasn't as fascinated by her presence as she was by his. With a sigh, Hermione tried her best to concentrate on the wording in her own book. In the back of her mind she wondered who would leave first, she or Malfoy.

When Hermione left an hour later, her back stiff and her eyelids drooping from exhaustion, Malfoy was still studiously ignoring her, his eyes fixed in earnest at the Potions text he was reading.

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TBC