A/N: Each chapter is inspired by a song, however, this is not a songfic. Will be pretty fluffy, but hey, everyones needs fluffy sometimes. Enjoy : )

Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, or anything related, do you really think I would be writing in Fanfiction? I do own this plot though.

xXx

Chapter One - Halo

For Hermione, coming back to Hogwarts for her seventh and final year was a given. She had put the war and its losses behind her, ready to start the year afresh and with as much energy as she could possibly muster. She was essentially the same Hermione, same bookish ways and same know-it-all attitude, but she had changed, subtly. Her hair was still a bushy mess, though her teeth remained perfect since her shrinking of them. Her honey brown eyes still shone with excitement at the prospect of new parchment, new homework, and a new year. Her hand still flew to the air at each question, as if it had a life of its own. Her soul was very much the same. She was Hermione, just a little wiser.

For Draco, coming back to Hogwarts for his seventh and final year was a need. He hadn't put the war behind him; he still had nightmares, still awoke with cold sweats, still reached out for someone who could possibly be his saviour. He was drowning in his past miseries. He needed an escape. He was still the same person, but he also had changed. His demeanour was still powerful, still arrogant, yet so much more of a facade. His eyes, a past gunmetal grey, were lighter, almost silver, like a ghost of its past. His hair, which used to be slicked back, was still a striking platinum blonde but was left unrestrained. His mindset had changed, his views had been demolished and all he stood for in his life had been pulled from under his feet. He was Draco, just a little sadder.

xXx

The train was somehow empty; a lot of students opted to stay home and recuperate. Most of the Griffindor house was there, braving through their losses. The Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw houses had similar turnouts, a little less than that of Griffindor's. It was Slytherin that barely existed: a few ignored the glares enough to continue their education. On the whole, though, Hermione found the atmosphere simply quiet.

"Hermione?"

Hermione turned to Ginny, tearing her eyes off the page she was reading.

"How many times have you read that book?"

"About three times this year, why?"

"Oh, no reason."

Hermione smiled vaguely, and then turned back to her tattered book. Ginny sighed and slumped back into her seat. She missed Harry already. He and Ron had opted not to continue their study, since they had been offered jobs as Aurors straight up by the new ministry. Hermione thought that it was preposterous for them to not continue their education, however redundant. Secretly, though, she was indignant because she knew the year wouldn't be the same without them.

"Anything from the trolley, dears?"

Hermione looked up and nodded, suddenly ravenous. As she got up, she realised she still hadn't put on her robes. Telling herself that she would worry about that later, she walked over to the trolley and began to decide what she wanted. She eventually chose four Chocolate Frogs and two pumpkin pasties, and was reaching for her money to pay for them, when the opposite carriage door opened.

Blaise Zabini was how she remembered him. It was his companion that threw Hermione off completely.

Draco Malfoy was still pale, still proud, still himself. Yet something in his weary eyes and his defeated posture made Hermione pay much more attention. He was taller, more defined: a man. His hair hung over his forehead, constantly getting into his eyes. But what really struck her was that as soon as he stepped out of his compartment, the sun illuminated his golden hair, creating an aura of some sort. It was like he had his very own halo.

His eyes caught hers, and they remained locked that way until Blaise leaned over to choose a Couldron Cake. Hermione offered a slight smile, to which she received a slight nod. Stepping back into his compartment, his halo faded, but Hermione still saw it there.

xXx

Draco brushed back his hair, eyes hardening. He didn't like the stares, nor the muttered curses. He wondered how any of them would have reacted given his situation. Not one of them could have resisted Voldemort to his extent. Draco Malfoy was many things, but he wasn't stupid, nor was he ignorant. He had just been a boy, lost in the evil that had swept up his world. He was safe now, he had learned to swim against the tide, to resist the easy way out.

What really threw him was one look, one person, one girl. Granger.

xXx

"You may have noticed that there are no prefects, nor Head Boys or Girls this year," Minerva McGonagall stated. No one let her strong, haughty expression fool them: they knew she was a softie. At least, the seventh years did.

"But, I find that it will be hard without student leaders this year. Therefore, I have decided to appoint four heads, one from each house."

Ginny patted Hermione's back, congratulating her.

"We haven't even heard who it will be yet!" Exclaimed Hermione, a slight smile lifting the corners of her mouth.

Inevitably, though, McGonagall called Hermione's name. Applause rang through the hall as Hermione blushed and looked on.

Draco stared at her as she smiled. He knew, she knew – hell, everybody knew – that Hermione would get Head Girl for Griffindor. Yet, she still had the grace to be modest. Or at least act convincingly so. But, Draco mused, Hermione was too much of a genuine soul to put on a masquerade. That was his job, he realised, with a cynical smirk.

"... from Hufflepuff, Hannah Abbot. From Ravenclaw, Michael Corner."

Polite applause.

"And from Slytherin, Draco Malfoy."

No applause, save for the smattering at the much diminished Slytherin table. Instead, twitters and whispers ran through the hall, some harsh words reaching Draco's ears. He remained stone, unmoving, masked, detached, cold. After all, he was the masquerade, wasn't he?

A slight movement to his left caught his eye, and he turned to find the Granger girl staring at him. She smiled, tentatively, a little 'congratulations' from her. He, not thinking at all, let his lips twitch upwards. A second only, and that was all it took, because she beamed at him as if he were one of the Golden Trio. He forced himself to look away, and once again focused on his food.

xXx

"Wow," Hermione breathed as she walked into the Heads' common room. Michael Corner smiled and walked past her, straight to one of the staircases. Unusually, it hadn't been separated. The two staircases lead to the same landing, where they could enter their respective rooms. A bathroom stood at each end, one with the inscription 'girls', the other with 'boys'. Hannah Abbot shared a smile with Hermione, and left to inspect her room.

"Whoa!" Michael's exclamation was heard from below. His face appeared at the landing, and he grinned, giving Hermione the thumbs up. Draco Malfoy swept his eyes across the room, noting the bare essentials, then made his way to his room and stayed there. On his way, though, he caught Hermione's eye. Her soft smile scared the shit out of him. How could she be so forgiving?

Hermione glanced at the paintings that adorned the common room wall, stepping closer to one in particular. A beautiful woman, with chestnut brown hair and hazel eyes, sat side-saddle upon a beautiful unicorn. It was still young; Hermione could see that it was still growing out of its yearling gold coat. Near the woman stood a man, eyes glinting with mischievousness as he offered her an apple. His hair was like spun gold, his eyes were like chips of ice. Warm ice. The age-old temptation story, yet with the roles reversed. What the hell was that supposed to mean?

"Draco," Hermione said, knocking on his door softly. Inside his room, Draco started, realising that she had used his first name. He stood up, against his brain which told him to stay put. Opening the door, he stared out at her. Her eyes widened as he finally came to the door, she opened her mouth and shut it again.

"Um. Hannah, Michael and I are going to Hogsmeade. Would you care to – uh – join us?"

Hermione bit her lip, brow furrowing. What the hell had she been thinking? He would say no, obviously-

"Okay."

"Huh?"

"... Okay?"

"Oh. Um. Okay."

Draco resisted the temptation to roll his eyes and say 'okay' again for the sake of it, and followed Hermione down. He didn't know why he had accepted, but he was Draco Malfoy, and right now Draco Malfoy needed an escape.

Hermione grabbed a white scarf and her coat and the four Heads made their way to Hogsmeade. Three joked and laughed in the front, while one trailed behind, cursing himself for coming. The stares were unnerving him now, he hated the whispers. They all still thought he was evil. They didn't know the truth. No one would.

xXx

"Hey Malf - Draco?"

He didn't respond, just looked at her. Inside, he smiled. Malfdraco. At least she was trying.

"Um.. Ron's birthday is coming up, and I wanted to get him something from the Quidditch shop... But I haven't the faintest idea what to get."

Draco raised an eyebrow. How the hell was he supposed to know what to get the stupid weasel?

"Um. I just need to select a good brand or something?"

Draco shrugged, lifting only one shoulder, then made his way to the Quidditch shop. He let Hermione go in first, and as he watched her look closely at a pair of tail twig-clippers, he realised that she really didn't have the faintest idea about anything related to Quidditch. And he found that immensely amusing.

"Her –Granger?"

"Hmm?" She mumbled, not realising that he had nearly said her first name.

"Those would be twig clippers. And I doubt the Weasel would want that."

Hermione looked at him, then back at the twig clippers, and nodded in a somewhat vague way. Draco lead the way to the back of the shop.

"Oh, of course! The Chudley Cannons!"

Draco looked at her, bemused.

"Oh, come off it. I know a little bit about Quidditch!"

She turned around and began to eye the merchandise, not noticing his little smile. And he didn't notice hers either.

xXx

A/N: Reviewing would be lovely!

The song for this chapter was 'Halo' by Beyonce. Go listen. Good song. : )