Hermione had undoubtedly made Head Girl this year. She was ecstatic when she made her way to the Head's Compartment on the Hogwarts Express. Her glory was short lived as soon she saw him sitting on the plush red seat next to the window.

"Malfoy?!" She shrieked.

He turned with his trademark smirk gracing his features.

"Granger, " he sneered.
"How are YOU Head Boy? Did daddy pay off someone again?" She hissed. As soon as she had said it, she regretted it.

Malfoy's eyes turned a dark shade of silver. He stood up from his seat and stalked over to her, and with each step he took towards her she took back. Soon her petite frame was pushed back into the wall as his muscular body pressed up against her.

"You would think the 'Brightest Witch Of Her Age' would be smart enough to know that dead men can't pay off someone. Granger, my marks were almost identical to yours. If you weren't such an egotistical prat, you would have realized that." He said in a deathly calm tone.

He took a few steps back after a moment and stormed out of the compartment.

Hermione stood against the wall breathing hard, with her eyes wide in shock. Her heart was beating erratically.

~LATER THAT NIGHT~

She sighed. She stood in front of the Head's Common Room portrait.
The portrait was a picture of a silver phoenix that sat on an olive branch intertwined with a golden vine.

"Hello Anastasia," Hermione greeted her.

Hermione loved Anastasia's name. She learned from her that it meant 'She will rise again' which she only found fitting since Phoenixes are born out of the ashes of themselves when they die. It was quite fascinating how after 300 to 500 years of life a phoenix is consumed by fire and reborn.

"Unitatem," She said. The portrait door swung open to reveal the beautiful room.

It was a large room with two overstuffed forest green couches that faced a stone hearth. The floor was covered in a pale cream-colored carpet. Off to one side of the room was a small kitchenette that they could use to prepare food if need be. On the other side was a wall lined with bookshelves. If you kept going straight you would come upon a corridor. Upon entering you would come across a large bathroom. It was easily two times the size of the prefect's bathroom on the third floor corridor. The bathtub was twice the size of a normal hot tub and had golden faucets lining the edges. The floor had charcoal tinted heated tiles that were wonderful for cold feet in the morning. The counter contained a double sink and had a stone back splash that was the color of the sky. The toilet was in a corner that was not small but was smaller compared to the rest of the room. In the other corner was a shower. It had light grey granite tiles, silver gilded faucets, and a frosted glass door. The only bad thing about the bathroom was that she had to share it with Malfoy. He didn't gel his hair like he used to, so that saved time in the morning but he still took forever to get ready. He was even worse that Lavender and Parvati!
On several occasions Hermione had to skip showering because she was going to be late. Thankfully, they hadn't had much interaction. Yet. It was almost Halloween; they had been in school for roughly a month already.

Just outside the bathroom was a staircase leading to the dorm rooms.
The dorm room was a deep scarlet color with gold trimming. A four-poster bed was placed in the center. In the far corner of the room was a small mahogany desk and to the right was a matching medium sized bookshelf placed against the wall. The floor was a plush cream carpet. She had a large floor to ceiling window framing the beautiful Black Lake. She could see the squid peering at a group of innocent first years.

All she wanted to do was take a long bath. She sighed and grabbed her Griffindor sweats and her toiletry bag. She bounded down the large stairs and ducked into the bathroom. She turned on the many faucets with the flick of her wand. With an additional flick of her wand she added bubbled to the hot water as the tub quickly filled with water, She sighed as she stripped off her clothing and sank into the chin deep warm and bubbly water. Luckily, Malfoy, being the Quidditch Captain, he spent most of his Saturday afternoons at the Quidditch Pitch, so she could soak as long as she liked without interruption.

Hermione must have drifted off to sleep because she awoke to the sound of a startled gasp. She sat straight up, completely forgetting the fact that she was entirely naked. A smirking Malfoy stood before her.

"Now I know why Potter and Weasel keep you around Granger. You have quite the body for a Mudblood."

"GET THE HELL OUT!" She screamed at him. He swaggered out of the bathroom and slammed the door behind him. She could hear him chuckling through the door. She was mortified. How dare he barge in here like that! She had to admit he was quite attractive but that was still not okay! Sure he had nice rippling muscles and great hair and… Mione stop it!

~THE NEXT DAY~

"You want me to what?" Hermione Granger could not believe her ears.
There she was, on a beautiful Saturday morning she could have spent in the head dorms reading, but instead she was in the Headmistress's office.

The older witch sat across from her, lips pulled into an impossibly tight line. Her green eyes shone. She stood at about 5'9 and her aura was one that said, "Do not tread on me."

"Ms. Granger, I understand the two of you don't exactly get along." she began, "But I've spoke to the other professors and they think that this is beneficial for the both of you. I am quite aware you and Mr. Malfoy have not been know to get along, but I am asking you to try."

Hermione gave an exasperated sigh. "We don't get along? Pfft. That's an understatement. We freaking loathe each other."

"Ms. Granger, Please." McGonagall pleaded.

"What if I say no?" She challenged.

"Then I will have no choice but to revoke your Head position."

Hermione gaped at the sound of her favorite Professor's threat. Lose her Head position? There was no way in the flaming depths of hell she would let that happen.

Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose. After a very pregnant pause she answered.

"Fine." She said crossly. "But only because I have to."

"Excellent! I will inform Mr. Malfoy and set up your tutoring session later today in the library. I will owl you the time. Thank you Mrs. Granger."

She exited the office and groaned loudly. Her Mary Jane's made a soft clicking sound on the marble flooring as she made her way to the Head's Common Room.

She threw herself cantankerously at the couch sighed. Just then a large eagle owl began pecking at her window. She sighed again and hoisted herself up from her position on the incredibly comfy overstuffed couch. Walking over to the window, she grabbed a small treat out of the basin next to

the window. She opened the latch of the glass window and gave the treat to the expectant bird as she untied the letter from his back leg.

Granger, I'm not happy about this either. Meet me in the library in 5 minutes. Don't be late or I'm going straight to McGonagall and saying you changed your mind. I have a very tight schedule that I don't need a Mudblood screwing up.
Malfoy

P.S. You now have 4 minutes.

That egotistical prat! How dare he blackmail her! No wonder he was a Slytherin. That conniving little bastard! She was going to find him and tear him and his pretty boy face apart. She was going to rip him limb from limb and hang his entrails from the hoops on the Quidditch Pitch. "Whoa 'Mione. You need to calm down. You tend to get a little dark when you're pissed off." She told herself.

She hurried down the corridor to the library with her book bag on her shoulder. She was still fuming from Malfoy's letter. He was a conceited prat. As she rounded the corner, she saw the blond leaning up against the stonewall outside the library. He smirked at her, knowing that she was definitely agitated at his letter.

She stormed into the library, not even bothering to look at him. She threw her bag on the nearest table and began unpacking her parchment, quills, ink, and books.

"What's wrong Granger? Did I interrupt your snog session with the Weasel?"

She spun around furiously, "Ron and I are NOT together!"

He smirked and moved closer to her so that their faces were only a few inches apart. "But you would like to be."

Hermione shook her head, knowing that her face was painted a shade of red.

"Don't deny it Granger," He said, his breath tickling her ear. "You want the ginger to pay attention to you. You want him to hold you and kiss you like he does with that slag Brown. Hmm? You know I am right."

"No!" She said. But she knew better, that was exactly what she wanted.

"Oh yes," He taunted, " but of course he is too thick to notice. And besides, why would he pay much attention to one of his friends?"

Hermione felt her eyes prickle with tears, but she refused to let Malfoy see her cry.

"You're not alone you know." He said lounging in a wooden chair with his feet propped carelessly on top of the table. "I too am in the same position."

Hermione couldn't help herself. "Really?"

"In a way yes." He chuckled. "But I on the other hand am the Weasel in this situation. You see before my father died, I was betrothed to Pansy Parkinson. But you see, she is as dumb as a rock and will not leave me alone even alter the Betrothal became void. I however, have a excellent plan that will be beneficial to both of us."

What is your plan, Ferret?"

"We date."

Hermione's jaw practically hit the ground. It was absolutely ludicrous!

"Think about it. You get back at Weasley and I get Parkinson off my back. It's a win-win situation."

It was a rather good plan. But he was a Slytherin and a Malfoy. There had to be some kind of catch.

She folded her arms across her chest.

"What's the catch Malfoy?" She said narrowing her eyes dangerously.

Malfoy spread his hands in mock surrender. "No catch. Just conditions."

Hermione huffed. Of course.

"What are they?" She asked, not thinking it through.

He circled around her like the way a hungry predator stalked an innocent little rabbit.

"First, you will act like a girlfriend. That means you won't call me Malfoy. It also means people will need to see us together, so that means going on dates and hanging around every chance we get. You need also need to not act like a frightened rabbit around me all the time. Oh and PDA of course." He said almost nonchalantly.

"No."

"What do you mean 'No'?"

"I mean no. I'm not going to play along to your little game to humiliate me Malfoy." She said venomously, jabbing a finger to his chest. "I'm not going to let you play me like a game of Wizard Chess because I'm smarter than that. I'm not going to do your bidding or be your arm candy." She began packing up her bag. "I'm not going to pretend you are something that you are not." She hefted her messenger bag over her shoulder and started or the door.

"And what would that be Granger?" He called after her.

She spun around and scowled. "A manipulative little bastard."

Malfoy watched as she strode to the door, dumbfounded.

"Oh and Malfoy?" She said looking over her shoulder as she reached the door. "I'm most certainly not going to let you kiss me."

She walked away from the library through the ancient hallways that were lit by the magical torches that lined the walls. She walked to the Head Dorms and through the portrait door. She flopped down on her bed and as soon as her head hit the pillow, she was asleep.

~THE NEXT DAY~

She woke the next day to the Saturday sunlight streaming in through her bedroom window. She groaned and threw her pillow over her head, hoping to get some more sleep. She had almost drifted back off to sleep when a loud tapping sound was coming from her window. She groaned once more and threw her pillow towards the window's general direction. The tapping only grew more impatient.

"I'm up, I'm up!" She groaned, hoisting herself from her bed.

Merlin she could already tell this was going to be a long day.

A/N:

I AM SO SO SORRY I HAVE BEEN AWOL FOR A YEAR! PLEASE LEAVE ME SOME LOVE :)