In Love and War

It was all her fault. It was her fault he was sneaking into muggle studies and learning what calculators and pencils were. It was her fault he was missing divination and shooting what he learned to be rubber bands at the back of her head. Once again, it was all her fault. She had started this war, and Draco Malfoy was never one to back away from a challenge.

It had started at the beginning of 7th year, the day of house sorting and room assignment. Naturally, he was Head Boy and unfortunately had to lower his standards and share a common room with the Head Girl. His soon to be counterpart was none other than Hermione Granger. That was the day his life became consumed with the prospect of winning.

He had interrupted her precious 'study time' by playing pin the tail on the mudblood's ugly cat. Of course this proved to be adding fuel to the fire and Hermione was more than livid. Her retaliation had been in the form of a blue sticky substance, clumping up in his blonde locks. Of all the possible places on his body, she had to ruin his hair. That had done it, payback was in order.

After turning her fat feline into a squealing swine, he made a hasty exit for the dungeons. Scourgifying most of the goop out of his hair with a wave of his wand, Draco moved quickly through the halls. Ignoring the odd looks and questions from fellow Slitherin, he immediately sought out the one person who could help with his 'situation'.

"Zabini." Draco shot the two girls next to him looks, sending them jumping off the couch and scampering away. His coat tails swirled behind him as he took a seat next to Blaise. "You see what she did to me? The impetuous wench!"

Smiling faintly in amusement, Blaise took care of the rest of the goop in his friend's hair. "I assume you're speaking of the Head Girl."

"Who else would I display such loathing for besides Pothead and Weasel?" The ever present scowl graced Draco's lips as his comrade listened quietly. "I have to destroy her; I have to win."

"Such a shame, she's quite talented." Ignoring the look Draco was shooting him, he continued. "She incorporated a muggle item in her hex. Did you not notice what was in your hair? It's sticky tack."

"That foul mudblood, destroying my hair with muggle objects!" Anger boiling, the atmosphere around the blonde seemed to increase in temperature considerably.

A slick smirk came to Blaise's face as he hatched a circuitous plan. If this worked, as he was sure it would, there was no doubt that the new school year would be loads more interesting. "You know, if you really want to win, you have to play her game. You have to fight fire with fire…or rather, muggle with muggle."

At first he had refused to stoop down to her level, he was a Malfoy after all. Unfortunately for him, Blaise had asked him a silly question before leaving the dungeons, "Do you want to lose?"

Lose? Lose was not in his vocabulary. In conclusion, Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger were now at war and it was his turn to play offense.

This was why he stood with his back pressed against the wall of Honeydukes, waiting for the Golden Trio to pass by. It was the first weekend they were allowed to go to Hogsmeade, and he highly doubted the group of idiots would pass up such a chance. Just as he suspected, Hermione appeared with who he deemed her 'good for nothing' friends, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a satchel of small, round, brightly colored, orbs.

An almost unnoticeable rolling ball caught Hermione's attention. She reached down to capture it before it rolled past her. Chocolate eyes scanning the surface eagerly, she recognized it to be a marble. "Harry look, it's a marble!" Ignoring Ron's inquiry as to what a marble was, she wondered where it came from. Eyes locking onto a small printed 'D.M.' on the ball, she was alarmed as the small object popped and spark in her hand. Letting out a strangled scream, she fell back onto the cold, hard pavement.

Draco couldn't help but laugh as he began to chuck the exploding marbles at his rival. Perhaps he would enjoy this after all.

Knowing fully well that Draco was the one who decided to make her trip to Hogsmeade a living hell, Hermione accepted his challenge. She was the queen in this chess game, and would risk letting go of her pawns as long as she could capture his king in the end.

She had to admit that using a muggle object such as marbles made her appreciate the effort. It also meant she had a lot more tools at her disposal than he would ever get a hold of. This fact alone caused her mouth to twitch up in an uncharacteristic smirk, perhaps she was already spending too much time with him.

After the wonderful execution of his scheme in Hogsmeade, Draco had slept extremely well. He woke up to soft rays of sunlight and a cool breeze. Rolling hesitantly out from under cotton sheets, he was thankful it was only Sunday. Peeking out through his doorway and seeing no trace of the Hermione, he strolled downstairs in nothing but his black, silk boxers.

Deciding to eat breakfast in, he called out for their assigned house elf. "Pipp!"

Popping in to view, a round faced and knobby nosed elf appeared. Pipp gave the master a curt bow before addressing him. His face scrunched up and he contained a giggle as his cheeks grew rosy. "What can Pipp do for the master…er- mistress."

Sending a heated glare in the small house elf's direction, Draco placed his hands on his hips. "Do I look like a bloody girl to you?"

Before Pipp had a chance to reply, the blonde cut him off, "Bring me a blueberry scone, and some tea. Hurry up, I don't have all day!"

With a curt nod of his head, Pipp snapped his fingers and vanished.

"Don't be so cruel to him, you have no right!" Hermione's voice echoed loudly throughout the common room, her arms crossed and eyes focused on Draco.

The scantily clad boy turned and rolled his eyes, his thoughts changing to yesterday afternoon. A smirk plastered itself proudly across his face, "Did you enjoy our little game of marbles yesterday?"

Scoffing loudly and moving out from her doorway, it was her turn to smirk. "That was hardly a game, but I am definitely enjoying myself now. She strode confidently down the stairs, until she was standing face to face with him. She could hardly contain the glee that was dancing so brilliantly in her chocolate eyes.

Glancing himself over as if he was a god, Draco licked his lips. "You would like that, wouldn't you?"

Brushing the light, brunette hair out of her face, Hermione feigned a look of pure innocence. "Oh, that? No, no, no, Malfoy. I'm much more interested in the way you've done your hair and makeup. Perhaps you should do it more often, I'm sure Pipp was enjoying the view as much as I was."

Grin sliding into a sneer, Draco crossed his arms. "The bloody hell are you going on about, Granger?"

Shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly, Hermione pulled almost teasingly on his hair. "Well Malfoy, why don't you go see for yourself?"

Deciding that for the first time in his life he would agree with his nemesis, Draco took off for the stairs. Jogging up them quickly, Hermione's loud giggles only provided incentive to get to a mirror faster. As soon as he entered the bathroom, his mouth hung open and gray eyes glazed over in shock.

His hair was done up in twisted rubber bands and clumped, brightly colored make up adorned his sculpted features. "GRANGER!"

Scribbling down ideas for future pranks, Hermione was jolted out of focus by the weight shifting next to her on the couch. Brushing the mess of hair out of her face, she looked into the eyes of none other than Draco. "What do you want, Malfoy?"

Attempting to look innocent, Draco leaned back against the arm of the couch. "I just came to see how you were doing, and perhaps if you liked my little present. You look a little red, have you been scratching?"

Gritting her teeth, the sharp quill in Hermione's hand almost punched through the piece of parchment. "Thanks to you, I look like a bloody tomato!"

Recalling when he had changed her lotion with itching cream, a slow smile appeared on his face. She indeed looked like a giant tomato, but he reluctantly admitted she was quite a cute tomato at that; for a mudblood of course.

Their war continued up until the Yule Ball, each devising sneakier and more devious plans. They had agreed the Yule Ball and Prefects planning for the event were off limits to prank. There was too much work to put in, too much at stake if they screwed it up. Over the weeks, they had reached an understanding and a need to taunt each other. It was almost sick in a way how each of them woke up in the morning with thoughts of how to irk the other. Naturally when the Yule Ball finally rolled around, they weren't very excited about the no distraction rule.

Sitting in on the last Prefects meeting before the ball, the two discovered some startling news.

"You can't be serious." Draco stared gaping at McGonagall as if she had gone completely bonkers.

Hermione sat bristled on the edge of her seat next to the Slitherin, she too staring slack jawed at her Head of House. "Well what if arrangements have already been made, Professor?"

"Then I assure you they can be changed Miss Granger." Pinching the bridge of her nose, Minerva nodded between the two. "You are expected to be exemplary role models, I have no doubt you will be."

Draco couldn't help but look at his counterpart in disgust, noticing how easily her face mirrored his. They both knew it was more principle that upset them more than the actual act in itself. Disturbingly enough, there was nothing either of them could do about their disposition. Draco would be escorting Hermione to the Yule Ball.

Waiting at the bottom of the staircase just as he had assumed he would be, Draco Malfoy refused to be late. He had called only ten minutes ago for his 'date' to hurry up and come down. He knew fully well that women had a remarkable sense of time only when it didn't involve getting ready to go out. Of course, that still didn't make him in the least bit sympathetic. Contemplating whether or not to call her name once again, he was jolted out of his thoughts by the clicking sound of the door opening.

Steel gray eyes focused on pools of cornflower blue satin draped delicately across fair skin. They trailed slightly downward to notice the matching and no doubt painful heels, and then back upward toward the almost dangerous neckline adorned with a small diamond pendant. He sucked in a quiet breath when he came to the pulled up ringlets of hair and the light make up around her bright eyes. She had noticed he was staring. "Well it's about time, Granger."

Hiding a small smile with an annoyed glance, Hermione swayed down the steps almost pretentiously. She stopped before him, noticing his obvious choice of black and forest green. She immediately looked for something to remark upon, but there was nothing out of place on him. Each hair on his head lie perfectly still, his blazer was pristine and his mouth was upturned in its usual first year scaring scowl. But alas she found something, his eyes. They held none of the usual malice or spite, but rather the curiosity she was sure to be donning as well. "It's only for one night, and we're both mature and responsible…albeit some more than others."

He contained the urge to reply with 'I know you are, but what am I?' not wanting to further prove her point. Draco reluctantly extended his arm to her, and she followed by connecting hers with his.

Draco was pleased their trip through the castle and to the Great Hall was without any unexpected encounters with Pothead and The Weasel. Upon entering, they immediately headed toward the Head table and took seats next to their professors. Dumbledore was to the point as always, knowing the student's anxiousness was almost oozing out of the Great Hall. He spoke of house unity and that in turn lead up to the first dance. "As it's tradition at Hogwarts, the Head Boy and Head Girl will give the first dance. I am delighted to introduce to the floor, Mr. Draco Malfoy and Miss Hermione Granger."

They had already been in place when the headmaster had announced their arrival, and they waited for the lights to dim. The music started and Draco's instinct was to lead, to have all eyes on him. But even as they began their waltz, he found it slightly difficult to take his eyes off his partner. This had to have been the worst prank of all.

"Are you sorry yet?" Hermione's voice was quiet, but unmistakable, catching him off guard. She noted his questioning gaze and was quick to elaborate. "For the marbles, the itch cream, the gum in my hair, or the pen in place of my quill? For all the other jokes in between?"

Instead of answering, Draco prodded eagerly with his own questions. "Are you sorry yet? For the sticky tack, the rubber bands, the make up, or the sticky notes saying 'hex me' stuck to my back? For everything in between?"

There was silence for a moment, each continuing to spin and dip the other. It was a reflection of all the battles fought and the war yet to be won.

They stopped moving as soon as the song ended, each still entranced in the heavy tension. There was applause and then movement around them, but neither seemed to notice. Hermione was the first to finally respond even though she had posed the question first. "No."

A small smirk played on Draco's lips as he ran a hand through his hair indignantly. "Me neither."

He had always been certain he would win their miniature war; he was a Malfoy after all. It was in his blood, in his very being to always be victorious no matter what the circumstances. Perhaps this was what was so alarming, so troubling, and so new. He was hot, flustered, shocked and unprepared for such an outcome. He had finally succumbed to his enemy, undoubtedly caught off guard. Draco now knew that a prank, a gag or trick could not have won this war.

Hermione Granger had kissed him, and she had won.