A/N: Hey everyone, my first fanfic, please R & R etc. post DH, ignores the epilogue. it's been done before, but i felt like it.

thanks to everyone who finally forced me to put this up, all my 'proofreaders' who asssured me it wasn't as bad as I thought!

I'll put the next chapter up probably tomorrow, it's already written. I'll try to update as frequently as i can. Sorry for any spelling errors etc.

Disclaimer: unfortunately, i'm not J. , or anywhere near her level of awesomeness. so, i don't own harry potter. or the characters (it's a shame, i know). i also don't own the inheritance cycle (no, i'm not christopher paulini either). i also probably don't own anything you recogise. though i'd love to own Draco Malfoy...

Now that's out of the way, enjoy!

Charimer x

Hermione Granger slid through the open door of the carriage of the Hogwarts express and sat down on the seat, in the corner. None of her friends even acknowledged her presence, but she was used to it. Harry and Ginny were talking about everything the other had missed in the year they had been apart again, whilst occasionally kissing each other sweetly. It was really quite cute, Hermione thought. Ron and Padma Patil were just sitting by the window snogging each other unashamedly. Honestly, was there no sense of dignity?

Sighing, Hermione mentally resigned herself to a lot of time alone this year. She reached into her bag and pulled out her favourite book, 'Eragon'. The binding was worn from all the times she had read it, but she still loved to get lost in the pages. She opened the book and began to read.

She had reached page 152 when the noise of someone walking past outside made her look up. She saw a flash of blond hair and a tall boy, and she frowned, wondering what Malfoy was doing back at Hogwarts. She would have thought he would be one of the many who had chosen not to return for an optional '8th year' (offered because of the disturbance of the war in their last year). She shook her head and was about to return to her book when she glanced out the window and suddenly remembered she had to get to the head's carriage.

The letter offering her the post of head girl had come in the second week of her holidays, and she had been so overjoyed when she received the letter. She had wondered who was head boy, and had sent an owl to Harry to ask him. Harry wrote back the next day saying he had been offered the post because, as he put it, 'I don't need any more attention'.

She slid her book back into her small backpack, and snuck out of the carriage, once again without anyone noticing her. Walking down the train corridor, she began to think back to her breakup with Ron after the battle. It hadn't exactly been friendly.

Still engrossed in her thoughts, she entered the head's carriage without even looking. Sitting down on one of the benches, she pulled out 'Eragon' again, planning to read it until the headmistress and head boy showed up.

She jumped when a drawling voice issued from one of the corners of the carriage.

"Really Granger, do you ever stop reading?" Malfoy lazily asked. She looked up to see him smirking at her reaction. 'Oh merlin' she thought. 'Not him!' before adding out loud

"Shut up Malfoy."

She returned to her book but had only read to the end of her page when the book was snatched from her hands.

"Malfoy! I'm warning you…" she threatened, standing up.

"Blimey Granger, don't get your knickers in a twist. I'm just looking!" he taunted her

He read the title on the front, and turned the book over to read the blurb before throwing it back to her, smirking smugly.

She caught it easily, to his surprise, and slid it back into her bag. He noticed, and looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"Well, now I have to wash Malfoy germs off it" she said seriously. He rolled his eyes, and she sweetly smiled.

"I'm surprised you're not going to wash your hands. After all, they have mudblood germs on them now." She raised an eyebrow at him, and he winced slightly.

"Please don't use that word" he almost whispered, his jaw set.

"Why not? It's what I am, Isn't it?"

"Just, just don't." his eyes were dark and unreadable and he ran his fingers through his (no longer gelled and slicked back) hair in obvious frustration.

It was just at that moment that the carriage door slid open and professor McGonagall walked in.

"Mr Malfoy, Miss Granger" she acknowledged. Malfoy slid off the seat opposite Hermione and moved next to her (whilst still keeping his distance) to give McGonagall the opposite side of the compartment to herself.

"Well, I assume the two of you know why you were chosen." McGonagall stated. It wasn't really a question, but both Malfoy and Hermione responded.

"Yes" Hermione said, and at the exact moment Malfoy said "No".

Both witches looked right at him, and he seemed to feel the need to defend himself.

"What! Why me! I'm the ex-death eater coward who has persecuted most of the students here for six years, and who enabled the death eaters to enter the castle and kill Dumbledore! Why not precious Potter!" he was standing now, and fell silent, wishing he hadn't shouted quite so loudly. He was breathing heavily, and looked like he was either about to storm out or throw himself off the train. Or both.

Hermione shook those thoughts from her head, and ordered

"Malfoy, sit down." Her quiet authoritative tone seemed to get through to him, and he sat before even realising what he was doing.

"To put it simply, Mr Malfoy" McGonagall bluntly told him, "I, and also Dumbledore's portrait, believe in second chances. And in answer to your last question, Mr Potter refused the position."

Malfoy seemed completely speechless, and McGonagall took this as an opportunity to inform them of all their duties as the heads. After a long lecture which Hermione drank up and Malfoy obviously didn't hear a word of, she dropped the final bombshell.

"Oh, and the two of you will have your own dorm this year, the head's dorm."

Hermione's jaw dropped. She was expected to live with the ferret! The ferret in question had obviously been paying more attention than she'd thought, because he had heard this and looked completely dumbstruck.

McGonagall swept out of the carriage, leaving two very shocked 7th years behind.

After a few minutes Hermione reached back into her bag and pulled out her book again. She began to read hungrily, but suddenly realised she could feel Malfoy's eyes on her from the opposite seat that he had returned to.

Glancing up, she saw Malfoy staring at her while she read. When he realised she'd noticed he looked away pointedly. Hermione narrowed her eyes.

"Don't you have a carriage to get back to?" she asked, somewhat rhetorically. Malfoy was giving her the creeps.

"No" he simply told her.

Hermione blinked, she hadn't realised this. This explained why he had all his luggage with him already.

"Don't you?" he fired back, with a sneer. "Or do you just enjoy my company so much." He drawled, making fun of her.

"No" she stated. Now it was his turn to look startled. He opened his mouth, probably to issue another smartass remark, but she cut him off.

"Shut up ferret."

They were both silent for almost an hour, as she read and he stared out of the window. Hermione had just reached page 289 when Malfoy broke the silence.

"Why is there a ring around your neck Granger?"

She wasn't going to answer this, when she suddenly thought, who gives a damn? I might as well tell someone who won't understand or care.

"It's my parent's wedding ring." She said, refusing to let the tears well up again in her eyes.

He just looked at her with stormy grey eyes empty of any emotion, and then looked back out the window.

"Is there a reason why you're wearing your parent's wedding ring on a chain as a necklace?" he asked, sounding honestly curious.

"It's not just a fashion accessory Malfoy," she told him sharply. "And it's really none of your business."

"No, I suppose it isn't." he said quietly enough that she almost didn't catch it.

Hermione was pretty startled by this; she had been expecting him to push the subject further, if only for more material to antagonise her with. Then again, maybe he just wasn't at all interested.

2 hours later, Hermione stored her book away, having just finished the tale of the boy and his dragon. She looked out the window, and was shocked to see that they were practically at Hogwarts already! Looking across the carriage, she saw the pale blond boy, and had to stifle a laugh when she saw he was actually asleep! She'd just assumed he was being quiet and ignoring her presence.

She stifled another laugh and leaned over him. She shook him and said

"Time to wake up Malfoy." He opened his eyes to see her smirking down at him, and scowled.

"You're wearing my smirk Granger."

"What, is it copyrighted now?" she joked, and then informed him that they were practically at the castle, and when the train stopped and everyone was off they would have to check it for anything anyone had left behind. She gave him the job of checking the front end of the train, and picked up her bag before leaving the carriage and a rather annoyed Draco Malfoy behind her.

She returned to her carriage, and upon entering she was pleasantly surprised that everyone had actually acknowledged her presence (apart from Ron) and was involving her in conversation. Slightly confused she leaned over and asked Neville about it. She grinned at her, and reported

"Well, me and Luna came in and realised what must have happened, and Luna told everyone off quite badly! It was brilliant!" he laughed out loud at this.

"Anyway, we're here, so you'd better go", she said once the train had stopped in the station. "I have to go check the train."

Everyone looked at each other, then all picked up their own luggage, and a piece of Hermione's. She blushed and tried to protest, but was cut off immediately when she opened her mouth. In the end she gave in, grateful to have such good friends.

When everyone was off the train she exited her carriage and began to check her end of the train. She found nothing but a bracelet (which she quickly returned to its owner with a small reprimanding note using a quick charm) and several opened sweet boxes. She cleared up with a flick of her wand in the offending carriage, and then got off the train. Malfoy was already finished and waiting for her with the last carriage. She was slightly surprised; she thought he'd have left without her. Getting into the carriage, they resolutely ignored each other, but she couldn't help noticing sadly that he still had his entire luggage. He didn't have friends like hers to take it. But then again, he didn't really deserve them.

They entered the great hall (obviously last) and separated. Hermione slipped into place next to Harry who was next to Ginny, and deliberately ignored Ron on her other side. After the sorting, and a small speech, the feast began. The sorting and feast were both as spectacular as usual, with the only noticeable differences being the sad lack of Dumbledore at the head table, and several empty seats at three of the house tables. People were honouring their lost friends silently, and she admired it.

After the feast, she left the great hall, entirely exhausted, and as she passed the door Professor Flitwick pressed a small note into her hand. Once she was out of sight, she opened it. It read,

The head's dormitory is on the 7th floor corridor; look for the painting of the four founders. The password is the Latin to the English phrase above the door.

She had barely read the note when, with a beautiful piece of spellwork, it transfigured into several small butterflies which flew out of the nearest window. Smiling, she made her way to the corridor. She reached the painting, and three of the founders beamed up at her. No need to guess the identity of the fourth (scowling) one. Looking up, she saw an English phrase inscribed over the door; she smiled at the simplicity and uttered the three Latin words that would let her in.

She immediately headed for what was name-plated as her room, too tired to even have a look around. She waved her wand to transfigure her robes into some pyjamas, and simply fell down onto the bed, and was asleep almost instantly.