Seven

Summary: As Head boy and girl, Draco and Hermione must help plan and prepareactivities for thefinalnight before the seventh years leave Hogwarts at last.

Author's note: Not post-hbp. Seven chapters and an Epilogue in all. With updates every two to three days. Get it? Got it? Good.

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, 'tis not mine.


Chapter One: Day One


"And I trust that you both will make it simply spectacular! It is of course the last and final meal with the graduating class. Well, you have till next week! The last dinner will take place a little earlier than normal so the seventh years won't intermix with the other years. You can plan on the time, but make sure it takes place the night before graduation. Oh! There's a room of decorative supplies across the Transfiguration room as well as a list of suppliers from Hogsmeade. Please make it special," Dumbledore stopped to look at each of their faces sincerely, "It is the last time to instill house partnership and the last time most of you will see each other in a friendly air..."

The two nodded, keeping their mouths shut of any complaints… they could complain later, after all.

"Well, then," he smiled, "I'll leave you two to your duties." He finished, holding the door open to them.

Hermione took this as a sign to leave, Draco just immediately left, which bothered her. Didn't he listen to his words at all? Things just never change.

As soon as the door shut and they were out of Dumbledore's earshot, Draco took the chance to grunt in anger.

"I can't believe this! What more house unity do we need!"

Rolling her eyes, she sighed. She was used to his complaining the whole year. Every time they had to plan something or do rounds he would complain about everything in his goddamn perfect life.

"And this whole… last meal thing? What type of school does this shit?" He asked to no one in particular.

She was so used to his complaining she could even predict what he was going to complain about next… 'He's probably going to complain about working with me, next.' she thought.

As he walked he snapped his head towards hers, "And the worst thing is I have to work with you."

'Bingo.'

"You're observant." I point out.

"Now's not the time to be sarcastic, Mudblood!"

"Now's not the time to be complaining, you egotistical prat!"

"Well if you weren't so bitchy!"

Offended she snapped her head in his way, eyes hard and cold.

"You were the one who started this whole argument!"

"Well if you weren't so bookworm-y and gained the position of head girl we wouldn't be in this position!"

"Oh and who would you rather have be Headgirl? Pansy? Ha! You know she can't even read a sentence in the arithmancy textbook without asking someone how to pronounce this or read that…"

"At least I know she's good for something!"

"Yeah! A good fuck! As long as someone's hot and available you'd be all over them!"

"That's not entirely true! Besides, you shouldn't be talking, Gryffindor whore! Do you hear those rumors of you, Potty and the Weasel? Good girls aren't so good after all…" he smirked.

"You don't know what in Merlin's name you're talking about! At least I have friends! Your little cronies are getting old, you know. You're going to be alone, you ass!"

"You bi-"

He was cut off as Hermione rushed off and burst through the Great Hall, taking her chance to leave Malfoy and just relieve herself of the day and, well, eat.

'Ugh, I'm becoming like Ron.' She thought.

Taking a place between Ron and Harry, she sighed heavily, taking in the smells of the luscious food.

Grabbing more than usual onto her plate she started eating piece by piece of the rolls, bite after bite of the pot roast and spoonfuls of mashed potatoes.

Her odd behavior was quickly noticed by Harry who indeed had proclaimed he'd never seen her eat so much. Ron agreed but was more of approving it and cheering her on. This way she wouldn't had have to argue about how much he ate and how much the house elves worked to make it.

Harry was perturbed by it and continued to stare as she masticated every last bit on her plate. As soon as she finished, she closed her eyes in fulfillment. She could feel Harry's eyes boring into her skull and opened her eyes to find him staring back in curiosity.

"…what?" she asked.

"Hermione, are you okay? You seem… different, to say the least."

"Different? How do you mean?"

"You've been eating more than usual…" He looks around quickly and leans into her ear, whispering, "You aren't, err, Pregnant are you?"

Hermione looks offended and pushes him lightly away.

"No! Of course not, what, do I? I mean…" she looked down at her belly, "Do I look like it?" she whispered.

Harry looks ready to die in a corner, "No! Of course not! Sorry, it's just I haven't' seen you eat like this in a long time. Unless you're stressed out or just really extremely hungry."

Ron entered the conversation through mouthfuls of mashed potatoes, "Hey! I think it's wicked she's eating like us!"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "No, there is something going on…" she admitted.

Suddenly Harry and Ron sounded very interested.

"Like what?"

Hermione frowned, "I have to help plan this final meal thing with Malfoy."

"Man, that's sick!"

"Oh, gee. Thanks Ron, glad I have your support!"

Ron shrugged. "What final meal thing? Sounds lame…"

Harry glared at Ron, "That's not helping!" turning to Hermione mildly interested he asked, "So this final meal thing, is it just this huge dinner or what?"

Hermione sighed, "I honestly don't know. I'm thinking a small party with a nice meal where we can all savor our last night at Hogwarts but I'm not sure it's going to be that easy to plan. And I don't think the fact that Malfoy is still a royal arse is helping."

"What do you mean by that?" Hermione sent him a 'are you kidding me' look. "Okay, I know he's still the hugest jerk and is most likely going to be serving Voldemort soon, but he is Head Boy. He's got to be hardworking somehow, right?"

Hermione could give Harry credit for being so optimistic.

"You're right… I'll just have to put up with his crap for the rest of the year anyways, it's only a bout a week till I won't have to see his sorry arse."

Harry put his hand on her shoulder to reassure her, "Hey if he's being a prick, just tell us, okay? It's only a week till school ends, things are bound to happen which wouldn't normally happen."

Hermione smiled and took that last line into thought.

'Things that don't normally happen…'


Draco stood shocked. Did Mudblood really just dare walk out on him! It was one week till school ended, next Monday would be the last meal, and Tuesday would be graduation. He couldn't let her have the last word.

Deciding to skip dinner so he wouldn't have to answer questions from Pansy or Blaise, he just went straight to the Heads common room and start on his homework. He could always sneak out to the kitchens later and grab whatever was on the plates that night..

Entering the common room reminded him of odd memories. He couldn't place a feeling to them because he didn't know how he felt at those times. 'Most of those times it was with Granger.' He realized.

They wouldn't really be talking. Someone wouldn't call it talking. Sometimes a witty comment or a random argument here and there but somewhere between all the classes and friends they found relief in that common room, just minding their own business, in solace.

Sometimes he'd just write up assignments on the sofa as Hermione sat on the chair reading up her latest copy of Hogwarts: A History. It was indescribable, the times they spent together.

He once called her Hermione, a few times actually. All were slips, of course. He still hadn't gotten used to the name. It was on of those strange names, though. The ones other people just didn't have so you'd always remember it no matter how long ago you hear it. He hated that.

He didn't want anything to do with her after Hogwarts. Hell, he didn't want anything to do with her now.

Falling onto the empty couch, he set his books around him, papers and quills everywhere. Very few assignments were due. Just some, 'what are you going to do now that you're leaving Hogwarts?' type of things.

He managed to finish one from Professor McGonagall in half an hour.

Taking a short break, he got up to stretch and check the time.

7:00

He figured Hermione would be back soon. To usually finish up her homework. Although, he would probably bet she'd already have it finished, anyways. She usually did.

As he was just about to start on the next paper, he heard the common room door open and close. He looked up to see a head of bushy hair.

"Ohh. You." He said with obvious disappointment and disgust.

"Yeah, me." She said in return, falling onto the comfy recliner across from him.

"What do you want?" He asked, curious but did not show it.

"What else? I want you, right here, right now."

"You're just dripping with sarcasm the whole day, Granger." He smirked.

Keeping her lips in a straight line she said, "Look, can we work on that final dinner thing? I'd rather have it planned sooner than later."

"Ugh, I refuse to plan that thing."

"You said that to the Halloween party and the Valentine's Day dance!"

"Yeah, but that was when my grades were at stake. As for now, when we only have one week till school's over."

"You know, the teachers could just as easily change it right now." She said, persuading him.

"They wouldn't." He said lamely.

Hermione met his eyes, stormy grey.

"Look, just please do it! I can't do this all by myself, as much as I'd really like to." She said, looking away.

"Oh, so golden girl really isn't so golden after all?" He teased.

"Only if you won't help me!" She said rolling her eyes. "Just please? It's the end of the year, it's probably the last time I'll see you with… okay terms. If that's what you can call them."

He took this into consent.

It's true. After Hogwarts they would leave and separate their own ways. Hermione as probably a teacher at Hogwarts or some type of Ministry worker.

But he, his father had big plans for him. As did the dark lord. He hated how his life was planned out for him. But what could he do? Reject his father, reject his family? He'd love to do that, if only it wouldn't be so complicated.

He liked to think he had some type of hope. He hoped. He hoped that someday he'd finally be free.

And someday he would be.

"Fine, whatever."

Hermione smiled, he could feel the corners of his lips tugging upwards but fought to keep them down.

"Let's work on it tomorrow. I'm sleepy. You're tiring, you know that Granger?"

She pursed her lips to keep from smiling at his teasing. She pushed him towards the stairs, lightly.

"Just go!" she said with an audible laugh.

Walking up the steps, he heard her say "Goodnight!" He said in a barely audible voice, "'night." Which he didn't think Hermione would hear.

The thing is, Hermione did hear.


He fell onto his bed, head first. He realized he'd need to torture himself anyways.

Was he just civil with Granger? I mean… damn. That was the most civil he's ever been with anyone that wasn't inside his house or wasn't pureblood.

If his father found out, he'd be crucio'd again, for sure.

'Look at this, a future death eater who is working with a Gryffindor Mudblood, who not only is best friends with the Boy who won't die. It's screaming madness.' He thought.

And yet, wasn't that just what he was waiting for? Change?

Everything was so constant in his life. He had a choice.

Take the opportunity to be something different, be rebellious, and to finally take a chance to act how he wants to, how he really is.

Or,

To be just what everyone expected him to be. A deatheater, cold, lifeless, chained to the one man who could have everything at the palm of his hand and lose it just as quickly.

Glaring at the image of his father in the darkness of his shut eyes, it was finally obvious of what he'd choose.

'Here's to a new life.'


A/N: Dumbledore is still alive. I know, shut up. I need to update How Hermione blah blah! The thing is I'm just stuck on this particular part. But I'll get over it. Like I said, I don't have any plans on abandoning that fic or this one anytime whatsoever.

By the way how do you like how this one's coming?

I already have everything all planned out. I have chapter two written already, as well as a rough draft of three. I like how I'm much more responsible on this fic, haha. Well it's cool that I'm trying something different. And I hope you guys really do like it, and if you do tell me! Ohh and it's really cute, each chapter is a day up to the final dinner. And the graduation then on is the epilogue.

Well, review&I'll love you.