A/N: Hi everyone!
This is a Dramione story, obviously. It is after the war and Hermione, Ron, Draco and Harry have returned to school to finish their seventh year. It may seem like they don't hate Draco enough, I did this because I think they saved his life, they knew he wasn't a Death Eater by choice and they just want to get on with it. Ginny and Hermione hate him less because if Hermione is Head Girl she will have to get on with him.
Enjoy!
Hermione Granger was a highly intelligent girl. She liked studying and doing required and non-required schoolwork, she liked reading thick dusty novels from the library, she liked learning advanced and highly complex magic and she liked to keep her mind sharp with, shocker, reading. In saying that she was highly intelligent, it didn't take too much to make her happy, though it didn't take too much to make her upset either.
She was happy with a simple but fulfilling lifestyle. She read four books a week, plus all the 'light' reading she did for school. She was happy with the comfortable pattern her life had settled into. Except for, you know, fighting off Voldemort and Death Eaters once a year. But she could even count on that to happen at least once a year.
In essence, Hermione Granger wasn't too familiar with and wasn't particularly fond of change.
So, in the holidays before her seventh year at Hogwarts, she was doing what she always did before school started for the year. That is, organising her school notebooks and going over textbook material, writing sparse notes that only she could understand.
Her mother called up the stairs, "Hermione! An owl just dropped a letter on the porch! Come and get it to go away!"
This in itself wasn't odd, her best friends were wizards to her witch and she had been receiving letters from them all holidays. Her mother sounding slightly frightened was also not odd, she accepted Hermione's magical ability but strangely, had trouble coping with letter carrying owls. As if that was the weirdest part of Hermione being a witch.
Taking her own sweet time she rose out of her desk chair opposite her desk, which was covered in highlighted dog-eared sheets of notes, stretched out her cramped back from sitting too long and started to descend the stairs.
"C'mon!" Her father shouted impatiently. "Get down here and open this thing!"
Hermione, the usually lovely pleasant daughter had been at the books all day and was slightly crabby. "Open it your freaking self." She mumbled, clutching the banister as she limped down the stairs. Studying was not as much a leisure activity as some might think.
"Pardon?" Her mother asked pleasantly, rounding the corner between the sitting area and the stairs and giving her the smile that only mothers seem to have. The one that says, 'I see all and know all.'
"Huh?" Hermione said innocently, brushing back a stray hair from her no nonsense bun at the back of her head. "What?"
"Here," Her mother smiled knowingly and handed Hermione a thick envelope that was full to bursting. It was from Hogwarts.
Hermione made a noise of thanks before flopping down on the floral print couch her mother had chosen and tearing open the envelope. The only thought that were running through her head were, please don't let them have screwed up my subjects, I've started studying already!
Her hands were shaking as she unfolded the paper and saw that it was not what she thought it was.
Miss Granger,
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry are pleased to inform you that you have been chosen as our female candidate for a leadership position.
We have been very pleased with your academic efforts, your ability to concentrate on three things at once and your displays of practical Defence Against the Dark Arts. We are amazed and shocked by your ability to keep your head in a crisis and we would be delighted if you accept this position.
Your part in the war against He Who Must Not Be Named only seemed to further and indicate we had made the right decision.
Enclosed are leaflets and information about your position.
Yours Truly,
Professor McGonagall.
Headmistress.
Hermione had a quick flick through the other pages of information and looked dazedly up at her mother and father. "I got Head Girl,"
Her mother gave a squeal and hugged her only daughter. Her father smiled from his armchair and said, "You'll do great, sweetheart."
"Thanks Dad," Hermione said warmly. She tried to concentrate but the only thing going through her head was, who would the other Head be?
It was then that she noticed the tiny postscript. And she almost died.
P.S. The Head Boy we have chosen to fulfil the position is Draco Malfoy.
That had been three weeks ago now. Hermione sighed noisily as she read the Daily Prophet and Ron and Harry looked up from their game of portable chess, the pieces rattling noisily, rocking with the movement of the train.
Hermione was dreading her arrival at school. She would have to stay in a whole separate dorm to her friends and her only company would be Malfoy. What if she got murdered in her sleep? Did no one care?
"'Mione," Ron said, resting his hand on her knee and making slow circles with his palm. "Are you okay?" he smiled warmly and Hermione knew she was lucky to have a boyfriend like Ron.
Hermione knew that, and she knew that while Ron was kind of like one of the lesser developed primates, he was a very sweet lesser primate, but she just wasn't excited about their relationship. Last year it had been okay, a snog here and there, it was exciting; the sort of thing that grown ups did, the sort of thing she had thought she wanted. This year, Hermione yearned for something more. She didn't want to marry Harry Potter's best friend, have a husband with a respectable job, and be a loving housewife and mother. She used to think that was what life was all about. That and schoolwork, obviously.
However, in the past year Hermione had discovered romance. She wanted dashing boys, white horses, castles, knights in shining armour, excitement, travel and love. She didn't want to settle for Ron because he was the last thing available. She wanted the very best. With Ron it was a comfortable relationship, when she went to Hogsmeade they held hands, kissed and maybe a little more if Ron was lucky. Hermione didn't want the highlight of her school career to have been outstanding O.W.L's and Ron's hand up her shirt. She wanted passion, drama, romance and emotions. The bookworm wanted a storybook romance.
"I'm fine," Hermione said vaguely. She gently moved his hand off her leg under the pretence of entwining her fingers with his. Then she cast about for a distraction, any distraction. "Do you know that there are three articles on Harry going back to school after the war? And I'm only on page five." Harry shrugged modestly, ducking his head. He still wasn't comfortable with the whole fame thing.
Ron sighed; he knew that this wasn't going to be the same as last year. Ron was a sweet guy and he really wanted to make Hermione happy. It just seemed that he couldn't this year.
Hermione stood, "Bathroom," She said by way of explanation. Getting out of that train compartment was a relief. She was pretty sure she would have suffocated hd she stayed there any longer. She moved along the corridor lost in her own world.
"Watch it," Draco Malfoy said, knocking Hermione to the ground by accident, or on purpose; you could never really tell with Draco Malfoy. Everything he did had an ulterior motive behind it. He smirked, "Why hello, Granger!"
"Malfoy," She said, grudgingly taking the proffered hand and heaving herself up, dusting off the back of her robes with her free hand.
They were now standing centimetres apart and Hermione's nose was almost touching his toned chest.
"Good summer?" He asked quietly, looking down at her, his breath fanning the tendrils of hair escaping her bun.
"Uh…" Hermione pushed past him and ran down the corridor.
"See you, roomie!" He shouted, smirking. He had already found the perfect way to ruffle Hermione Granger's feathers.
This year was going to be fun.
"Hermione!" Harry near shouted at Hermione from three feet away. It was the fifth time he had tried to get her attention since the train had stopped at Hogsmeade ten minutes before.
"Hm?" She looked up, staring straight through Harry.
"Come on," he said as Hermione realised the train had ground to a halt outside Hogsmeade station.
"Oh," She rose and followed them out; she had been ever so slightly distracted since her encounter with Draco Malfoy.
Sitting in the Great Hall Hermione watched the tiny first years get Sorted into different houses, listening to Lavender and Parvati coo over the small children. She sighed tiredly and wished the feast would finish.
"Hermione!" Ron said loudly, banging his fist on the table. "You have to help the first years."
"Oh right," she said vaguely, standing up and looking for the first years that were standing in a huddle waiting for her.
"Hey, you still haven't told us who Head Boy is," Harry said. "Who is Head Boy?"
"Um," Hermione said awkwardly. "Well-"
"Granger!" Draco called from across the room. "See you in bed, sweetheart!"
Hermione blushed and put her head in his hands. "Aagh," She wailed into her hands.
"What?!" Ron said. His face turned as red as his hair, right up to his hairline.
"Ron," she said. "You knew there was going to be a Head Boy. You knew I would have to stay with a boy all year! I hoped it would be you but it isn't! You just have to deal!"
"I could deal if it wasn't Draco Malfoy!" Ron's face was turning kind of purple by now. He chose to ignore the jibe about him not getting Head Boy, instead choosing to go for the, 'as if it is Draco Malfoy' angle.
"Well it is!" Hermione shouted angrily, her face reddening. "It's not like I chose the Head Boy! I'm as annoyed by this as you are, but you could make it a little easier for me by accepting it!"
Draco Malfoy strutted over with his hands in the air. "I'm sorry, did I start something here?"
Ron bunched his fist up. "Malfoy, get out of here before I bop you one!"
Harry grabbed Ron's arms and sneered at Draco, "get out of here."
Draco winked at Hermione as he stepped backwards, "see you later,"
Ron ripped his arms out of Harry's and glared at Hermione, "I can't believe you!" He yelled.
"Whatever, Ron," She said quietly. "I have to go look after the first years."
"Fine." He said. "Whatever, I don't care!"
Harry shrugged as Ron stormed off and he followed him reluctantly. Hermione put her face in her hands and wailed again.
One of the first years raised a hand and started to say something. "Alright, I'm coming," Hermione snapped. This year was going to be great. Not.
Ron was so annoying. Two hours ago she had been giving him credit for being the sweetest boyfriend ever and now she wanted to slap him on both cheeks and give him a kick up the backside. "Come on," She grumbled, leading them up the stairs to the Gryffindor common room. When they arrived she pointed to girls and boys dormitories. "Have a good night," she said dully, slipping into an armchair by the fire, her head in her hands, her knees together. She knew this wasn't her common room anymore but it held some fond memories for her and she just wanted to say goodbye.
Suddenly Hermione remembered that she had to go and see Professor McGonagall about beginning her duties as Head Girl. Even in the midst of her chaotic and disastrous life she managed to feel excited about that.
"Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall said almost cheerfully as she let Hermione in. Hermione saw that Draco was already seated and he gave her a jaunty wink as she took a seat.
"Professor," She greeted, trying to act cheerful, if only for the new Headmistress's sake.
"Now, as leaders of our school you have your own dormitory to yourselves." Hermione sighed, she had known it was coming but she was still annoyed. "Now, as Head Boy and Girl we trust you enough to hope that there wont be any funny business going on between you two."
"Yes, Professor," they agreed in unison. Draco nudged Hermione under the table and she blushed furiously.
"The password is Unity," She continued. "Now, I suggest you rest up. Your official duties start early tomorrow."
"Yes, Professor, Goodnight, Professor," they said, standing and leaving for their dorm.
Unity. How ironic.
"Wow!" Hermione said, but a few measly minutes after they had uttered the password, 'Unity.'
The common room they were to share was amazing. It was tastefully decorated in creams, beiges and browns, neither green nor red and was full of velvety plush armchairs, thick drapes, and a warm comforting fireplace.
The large circular room excited even Draco Malfoy, unruffled snob that he is. He bounded forth into a huge bedroom, however seeing the room decorated in red and gold he sneered and came back out, "I think that one's yours."
Looking through the bathroom and seeing another door leading through to another bedroom Hermione wondered what to say. "Um, Malfoy?"
"Granger?" He asked.
"There's only one bathroom," she sighed.
"There can't be," He said, his voice getting a high-pitched kind of whine to it. Running through the dorm again he came running back. "There's only one bathroom." He agreed, desolate.
"Whatever," Hermione looked at her watch and sighed, moving towards her room. "We can deal with that in the morning. I'm going to bed."
"Wanna share?" Draco waggled his eyebrows suggestively, gesturing towards his bedroom.
"You wish, Malfoy." She rolled her eyes and walked away.
"You'll succumb to my incomparable wit and charm one day," He shouted from the other room.
The next morning Hermione stumbled into the bathroom in a lacy nightgown that left little to the imagination. She pushed the door open and there was no one other than Draco Malfoy standing at the bathroom bench completely naked. Nude. As in no clothes on. "Draco!" Hermione gasped, using his first name in a situation that suggested some intimacy and shielding her eyes while trying to cover up her own…assets.
"Hermione!" He shouted, pulling his emerald green boxers up and tripping over his own feet in his haste to scramble backward towards his door.
"Didn't you think to lock the bloody door?!" she said loudly.
"I've never had to share a bathroom before!"
"Well, remember that next time you decide to strip down," she said firmly, pulling a two bathrobes out of a cupboard, throwing one at him and wrapping one tightly around herself. He smirked and let it drop to the floor, continuing to get ready shirtless and in his underwear.
After standing awkwardly for a few minutes, trying not to look at Draco in his boxers, she said. "Um, I need to shower,"
Draco nodded at the shower as if to say 'so, go ahead.'
"Um, get out?"
"We can share," he grinned. "To…you know…save water. I wash your back, you wash mine."
"Enough with the sexual innuendos!" She snapped, getting straight to the point. "OUT!!"
"Okay," he said, laughing as he made to leave. Under his breath he said, "Sounds like someone needs to relieve tension."
"I swear to God, Malfoy!" Hermione screamed, not even bothering to finish her threatening sentence.
"I'm going!" He raised his hands in surrender and tripped over himself on the way out.
Hermione swept her hands over the extravagant marble bathroom bench, admiring the colour and texture and then stepped into the luxurious shower cubicle that was indeed big enough for two. No, stop thinking about that now.
She closed her eyes and let the warm water run over her body, relaxing her muscles that tensed every time Malfoy came up with a remark that could be vaguely construed as sexual harassment.
She jerked her eyes open as quickly as they had closed. Okay. So she hadn't meant to conjure up the images of Draco naked, then shirtless in her mind. It had just kind of happened, she had no control over it.
Think of something else, she told herself. Potions, bezoar stones, newt eyes, Snape…Ugh! Snape naked, sometimes Hermione hated her all too vivid imagination. She kept her eyes open, trying to remember what had caused the Goblin Rebellion. She towelled off and wrapped the huge ice blue robe around herself, before walking out to their common room.
"You're done then?" Draco said, smirking.
"Yes," She said, grudgingly talking to him.
Walking into her room she found a pile of black male clothing that was definitely not her's. "What is this?" She yelled waving it out the door.
Draco walked in, in the middle of gelling his hair down and back. "Oh yeah," he said pointing at the pile. "Can you wash that?"
Hermione picked up the clothes and chucked them at him. "Wash your own clothes, Malfoy! I'm not your nursemaid!"
"Aw, man!" He whined. "You got gel on my favourite shirt!"
"Aw, diddums," Hermione said, pushing him back and shutting the door on him.
Ugh. It was going to be a looooooong year.
At breakfast Ron looked at his girlfriend's straggly wet hair that made her look like a half-drowned cat, the bags under her eyes, and the expression on her face and did a double take.
"What happened?" Harry asked, astonished at how bad Hermione looked.
Hermione sat down like a zombie, pulling a plate towards her and looked at the breakfast platters as if she hadn't encountered food before. Ron shovelled some eggs on her plate as she said glumly, "I don't want to talk about it."
Ron opened his mouth, looking contrite as Hermione cut him off. "Whatever, Ron. Just forget about it." Hermione didn't want to deal with school, leadership duties, Malfoy and the everyday dramas of her and Ron's relationship.
Ron smiled, relieved. He leant in towards Hermione for a kiss. Hermione saw he was coming in to kiss her on the lips, at the last minute turning her head so, anti-climactically, it landed on her cheek and Harry averted his eyes, pretending not to notice.
"So, first day of classes?" Ginny sat down and placed a hand on Harry's leg, leaning in to help herself to some yoghurt.
All three made non-committal noises and continued to eat. Hermione didn't even taste the food. Shovelling more into her mouth appeared to be a reflex reaction, so she wouldn't have to talk about her miserable life.
"Did I interrupt something?" Ginny asked confusedly, looking from Ron to Hermione.
"No," Hermione started to say something as Ron interrupted.
"Uh, yeah, you did." He said loudly. "But, hey! Why not let everyone know?"
"Um," Ginny said in a low voice, what was she supposed to say when her older brother started to have a meltdown?
"My girlfriend won't kiss me 'cause she's too busy screwing Draco Malfoy!" Ron shouted. The entire hall of people looked up from their breakfast to gape at the new Head Girl and her psychotic boyfriend.
"Ron!" Hermione gasped, straddling the bench seat to face him full on. "That isn't true! You know that isn't true!"
"How? How do I know that?" He yelled belligerently.
Hermione reached out and slapped Ron across the face. A loud crack reverberated around the room and everything fell silent. Ron lifted a hand to his cheek, covering the red mark, an astounded expression on his face.
"Hermione, you-" Harry gasped and held out a hand.
"Don't," She advised him, her voice was strong and to her pleasant surprise she sounded very casual.
"Go, girl!" Ginny cheered as she punched the air and Hermione snorted.
"Thanks," she said dryly just as Ron and Harry turned to Ginny, "Don't encourage her!"
"Pigs!" Ginny said disgustedly. She grabbed Hermione by the wrist and tugged her out of the hall.
"Don't listen to them, Hermione! They're stupid gits and I swear to God if Harry comes grovelling…!" Well, Ginny didn't even need to finish that sentence.
"Don't fight with Harry because of me, Ginny,"
"No problem," Ginny said. "The sex is always better afterwards." She added in sotto voce.
"Ginny!" Hermione gasped; despite her advanced age she was still a virgin.
"What?" She said laughing, slinging her book bag over one shoulder as she walked. "You're screwing Draco Malfoy."
"No, I'm not!" Hermione protested shrilly, looking around to see only Michael Corner hurrying away.
"Kidding, Hermione!" she laughed again. "Didn't you and Ron ever…?"
"No," Hermione said. "I don't really…and…um…he doesn't really…"
"Ew." Ginny said, I thought I could handle talking about my brother's apparently non-existent sex life, but I can't." she shudders and then composes herself. "Anyway, what's so wrong with that? Malfoy's a tasty treat."
"Stop talking like that!" Hermione says. "And I know."
"You know?" Ginny asks, leaning forward for juicy details. "Intrigue. Do tell."
"Um, well, I saw him naked, not because we're shagging, because there's only one bathroom and itty bitty Slytherin Prince has never had to share a bathroom before, so he didn't lock the door."
Ginny squealed, "Was he gorgeous?"
"A Greek God," Hermione sighed in spite of herself.
Draco just happened to hear that last sentence and draped an arm about each girl's shoulders. "Are you ladies talking about me?" He said in an 'aw, shucks' kind of way.
"No!" Hermione looked down at his super shiny black shoes as to avoid looking at him. Her face was as red as a beet already.
Draco put two fingers under her chin and lifted her face to meet his eyes. "Embarrassed?" He breathed gently. "Don't be."
He walked away and Ginny clutched her arm, her face next to hers as she whispered loudly, "Sexual tension much?"
Harry and Ron were standing in the doors of the Great Hall, Ginny and Hermione were standing at the stairs and Draco was standing between the two groups. "I really liked your nightgown too!" he yelled.
Ron, not to mention the rest of the corridor turned to look at Hermione who was banging her head against the wall. Ron groaned and stormed off with Harry.
Ginny waited until she was done, standing there patiently and asked, "I'm going to guess the nightgown wasn't exactly modest?"
Hermione recalled the black skimpy thing she had been wearing last night and cringed visibly. "Uh, no. Not really."
"Details?" Ginny asked, clutching her arm as they walked off to classes.
"It was black, lacy and came to about here," Hermione gestured to the top of her thigh.
"Who knew Hermione was a skimpy lingerie girl," Ginny said, perhaps a bit too loudly.
"What do we have?" Hermione asked miserably, ignoring the stares she was getting. It wasn't like her life could get any worse.
"Potions," Ginny waggled her eyebrows. "With the Slytherins."
Hermione groaned. Apparently her life could get worse.
Ginny led the way into the Potions dungeon, snagging a table for four and dumping her stuff on a bench.
Malfoy walked in two minutes later, a grin on his face. "Girls!" he said loudly, his arms sweeping to encompass Ginny as well. "You saved a seat for me! That's sweet."
Hermione flicked her now frizzy hair from all the stress over her shoulder and sighed as Draco sat down next to her.
Slughorn walked in and set his things down, standing in front of the class. "Welcome back!" he boomed. "I am glad to see a few of you here whose educations were interrupted last year due to circumstances out of our control. We are glad to have you here." He said gesturing at Ron, Hermione and Draco. "And Harry of course! Man of the hour!"
Ginny rolled her eyes as Slughorn pulled Harry forwards, Harry blushing like a beetroot all the while.
"Now," Slughorn said. "Down to business! Brew me as accurate a representation as you can get a…Cure-All Elixir."
Hermione opened her textbook and began gathering ingredients, setting her cauldron on the fire and settling into a familiar routine, practically forgetting Draco was even there.
Except for when he said; "You're so cute when you're concentrating."
"Excuse me?" Hermione looked askance at him for two seconds before she had to go back to stirring her potion.
Draco sprinkled a few sprigs of mint into his cauldron and elaborated. "When you're concentrating. Your brow is all furrowed and your eyes are pure determination. It's slightly adorable."
Hermione blushed and turned away, not sure of what she should say. Why did he resemble something that could be classified as nice? That wasn't Draco Malfoy, that was some clone who had invaded his body! Better the devil you know…
Hi again!
So, not much mention of the war. They have let it all go, I think and people such as Draco, who were basically forced to be Death Eaters, get a second chance.
Do you like? Review and tell me if you hate it or love it!