Hi, it's Sapphire! I know I am currently working on another story called An Impossible Friendship Or Not, but this idea kept up bugging me until I wrote it down. So here is the first chapter, and I'm hoping to update regularly on both stories. Review?

A/N: I tried to keep Draco and Hermione in character as much as possible

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize!

Chapter One: Aftereffects of War

'Head Girl?' thought Hermione. It was true.

Dear Hermione Granger,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected to be Head Girl of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. All eighteen year olds who have been to Hogwarts will be automatically enrolled for their replacement seventh year due to some teaching methods last year. Please meet me and the Head Boy at the Head's compartment on the Hogwarts Express. Thank you.

Minerva McGonagall,

Headmistress

Hermione knew the 'some teaching methods last year' was referring to the so-called "teachers" who were actually death eaters. No one really learned anything that year, so all of them would repeat a grade.

"I got Head Girl!" she shrieked. Ginny burst in to her room.

"What?" Ginny asked, confused. Hermione waved the Head Girl badge in front of Ginny's face cheerfully.

"Head Girl! I'm so happy for you! And guess what?" said Ginny excitedly.

"What?"

"I'm a prefect!" Ginny waved her prefect badge in front of Hermione's face, mimicking her.

Hermione hugged the youngest Weasley. At that moment, Ron and Harry walked in.

"I thought I heard some yelling," Harry said.

"I'm Head Girl this year!" Hermione said happily.

"That's great! You deserve it!" said Harry, equally happy. Ron just snorted.

"I mean, if you don't get it, who would? You defeated Voldemort, you're the brains behind the bloody Golden Trio!" Ron said. Hermione just ignored him.

xxx

"Come on, guys, or there won't be any more empty compartments yet!" Harry said, holding Ginny's hand. They boarded the scarlet train, and went to find a compartment together. After putting her trunk away with her friends, Hermione carefully pinned on her Head Girl badge.

"I wonder who's Head Boy this year?" Hermione wondered out loud.

"Hopefully someone not obnoxious. I've heard they have to do everything together. They have to plan events, go patrolling, and even sit with each other in class!" Ginny said seriously. Hermione winked.

"It's okay. Even if he's obnoxious, I can handle him," she said, touching her wand. All three of them noticed where her hand rested, and nodded.

"Ginny, I'll meet you in the Prefect's compartment in about ten minutes. I need to get to my Head's compartment. Bye guys!" Hermione said brightly. This year was the year she'd spend with her friends not constantly looking over her shoulder for death eaters and Voldemort. Hermione vowed to have fun and relax with her friends as long as it didn't cut through her studying time.

Hermione pushed opened the door to the Heads' compartment. Who she saw in there made her heart drop down to her stomach and land with a dull thud. Draco Malfoy.

xxx

Draco looked up from his book.

"Granger," he sneered. He knew that the Gryffindor's Golden Girl would be Head Girl. Everyone knew she was exceptionally smart and responsible. And everyone knew she was to be respected. Hermione Granger was extremely popular, and couldn't get through Diagon Alley without having mobs of people coming after her begging for autographs. But Draco didn't see her that way. She was still a Mudblood, and that was that. She was someone who had extremely bushy hair and a large brain. For a Mudblood.

Draco was a smart wizard, perhaps the 'Brightest Wizard of His Age'. That was why Professor McGonagall chose him to be Head Boy. He didn't mix with his inferiors, a Mudblood. Even if that Mudblood was the 'Brightest Witch of Her Age'.

Hermione couldn't help but feel disappointed and angry… and what was it? Fear. She felt afraid of the boy who was sneering at her right now.

He watched while she was being tortured at his house mercilessly. He just watched while his aunt cursed her for information with the same cold mask on his face. He didn't care that a fellow classmate from his school was being tortured and cut and being hurt. He watched. He watched the entire scene and didn't feel the slightest remorse as he did. Hermione knew that Draco was cleared of all charges and could switch back to living with his mother (his father was in Azkaban) normally. Hermione also knew that Draco was extremely smart and that was probably the reason why Professor McGonagall chose him to be Head Boy. But Hermione was still afraid.

After the war, there were many deaths. Fred, Lupin, Tonks, Professor Snape, Lavender, Dobby, Colin, Hedwig… there were too many people that she loved dead. Hermione had travelled to Australia to find her parents and lift the memory charm, only to find her parents dead from rogue death eaters. She was devastated and had returned to London with a hollow pit in her stomach. Her friends tried to comfort her and it was only the last couple months she felt more like herself and laughed more often. She currently lived with Ginny Weasley at the Burrow.

There were nightmares plaguing her every night, and no matter what potions she took, no matter what spells she tried, the nightmares would not go away, because they weren't real nightmares. They were memories. Hermione usually woke herself up screaming as she watched her fellow peers and loved ones die over and over again in her dreams. The memories were etched into her mind, burned in to her soul; Hermione could feel the horror radiating from the core of her body. She tried not to think about it during the day, but she couldn't avoid the memories and the fear during the night. Hermione felt so afraid of what Draco might do to her. Being so close and so often with someone who could hurt her made her sway slightly on her feet and want to run away.

But Hermione stood her ground. She glared at Draco defiantly straight in the eyes and said through gritted teeth,

"It just had to be you,"