The Chosen Ones

by A. Skellington

Something unexpected creeps into Hermione's new nightlife... Draco Malfoy is here for a brisk visit. Or is it really going to be that quick?

Climbing out of a window on the peak of Gryffindor tower was hard enough by itself. Doing it in the depth of night, whilst the climate frozen solid, was even worse. Hermione Granger had never once laid a light handed touch on the thought of sneaking out of Hogwarts- nevermind the middle of the night! For a ninteen-year-old returning for her seventh year of education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,she hadn't changed the least since her first year. Sure, she'd matured phsysically and grown out of the "annoying know-it-all" stage, but she was still loyal to her never-fail self. Sneaking out was way out of league for Hermione. The only reason she could actually sneak out now was because of her past experiences with Harry and Ron- they broke rules almost daily; her alongside in the vast majority of cases.

Over the past year, not a single student at Hogwarts was educated properly- as a matter of fact, each student's body, brain and family was abused terribly. The second Wizarding war had taken place- and the final battle in the halls of Hogwarts itself. Yet once the Ministry had recovered itself, it would not let such traumatic events excuse Hogwarts pupils from moving on in the Wizarding world without a proper year of education. N.E.W.T.'s and O.W.L.'s were required to be taken, and every lesson was to be taught! Thus Hermione and the rest of her year were to return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to fully complete their seventh year.

Feeling exceedingly anxious, Hermione pushed her eight-paned Gryffindor dormitory window open fully. She planned for this to be her first and last time she would perform such an act. However, she had no choice- it was crucial that she retrieve her time turner from the Library, otherwise she would be very seriously scolded, something which was around the category of "worst nightmare" for Hermione Granger.

As Hermione slipped her right foot out the window, she could hear footsteps coming rythmically up the spiral staircase just outside her dormitory. Giggles filled the area just outside the door, and Hermione quickened her pace and hurried out the window as to avoid Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil from tattling on her. The constant heavy beat from the deafening party down in the common room was drilling itself into Hermione's mind. Her wish to escape became more desperate than it had ever been.

This would have been a heck of a lot easier if Ron hadn't exploded a "celebratory" breakout down there... Hermione mumbled to herself whilst dangling out the window. She didn't dare look down, and wished so much more that she didn't have to hang- but if Ginny was going to pick her up outside the window, on a broomstick, while not being seen by anyone in the dormitory, this was going to be their number one option.

Where the hell are you, Ginny?! Hermione mentally yelled into the night. Her fingers were slipping as sweat built up- what if Ginny never came? What if she was still down in the common room, and had completely forgotten about Hermione? This was not her night- Lavender and Parvati would come giggling in any moment, probably slam the window shut on Hermione's fingers... she'd abandoned the whole of Gryffindor house just to "go up to bed" after they'd thrown an abnormally large party just to celebrate the return of Hogwarts (something they all thought Hermione might be most intrigued in), and now she was dangling out a window more than a mile up from the ground. What was wrong with her tonight?!

Hermione couldn't bare to look down, but she was too anxious for Ginny. Very cautiously, she tilted her head just the least bit to the left- the direction which Ginny should be arriving from- and let out an exasperated groan seeing as there wasn't a single sign of the blazing red hair flying towards her.

Hermione was just beginning to plan out an excuse for Lavender and Parvati accompanying her arrival from the window when she nearly slipped off the window and fell a mile down to her death due to a sudden but friendly voice behind her.

"If I hadn't been in on this, and I flew by and noticed a Hermione Granger just dangling out of that window like that, I would've been absolutely positive that you'd gone mental." Ginny Weasley stated plainly.

Hermione whipped around and threw herself onto Ginny's firebolt (a present from Harry). She rubbed her arms sourly and then gave Ginny a good scolding for arriving late, as the two dived down into the lower levels of Hogwarts, then glided a bit around to the Eastern side.

"Well, really, Hermione," Ginny said, without a single change of expression after Hermione's scoldings, "It was absolutely impossible to get out of that party. I had to set off three of Fred and George's works before I could make a good enough diversion-"

"My bed excuse was really that bad? You didn't even think to use it yourself?!" Hermione said, a bit bewildered.

"Hermione, what do you think everyone would think if I used the same thing as you- and really, it's not fit for me at all anyway. No one would believe me, especially with the way I was dancing tonight." Hermione laughed at this last bit.

"I suppose you're right. But you know..." Hermione began, "Ron really did look quite insulted when I left. Was he alright?"

Ginny was quiet for a few moments, then replied, "He actually spent a really long time planning this for you. Wanted to really take you out for a time. I guess he just wished it would boost your mood... he was really upset by the way you were acting at the Burrow this summer, you know. But hey- I don't blame you. He can get really hard on people sometimes, and I wouldn't be the only one wanting time away from him." Hermione cradled her bottom lip between her teeth for a bit, then let out a quiet, "hmm." Ginny and Hermione flew the rest of the way to the Library window in silence.

"Alright hun, we're here." Ginny said quietly, pulling up the window. "I've snuck in and opened it earlier so we've nothing to worry about." Ginny consoled, seeing Hermione's worried face. It cleared a bit at this news. "I'll stay here as long as you're quick..." Ginny finished, and Hermione nodded and dropped in through the window.

Inside the library was dead silence. Luck was with Hermione as she blew off more worry at the thought of Peeves' absence.

"Lumos," Hermione whispered to her wand, and the tip basked white light all through the narrow gap between bookshelves where Hermione stood. Sprinting through seventeen aisles of bookcases, Hermione finally reached one large clearing with six tables filling it. Crouching low, she squeezed between two chairs pushed into the first table and examined the area carefully. No time turner was seen, and thus she hastily moved on to the second table. Hermione moved quickly through the tables until she reached the sixth table. There was no time turner to be seen, although...

"GRANGER! GRANGER! GRANGER STEALING THINGS FROM THE LIBRAR-" Hermione clocked Peeves directly over the head with a rather large volume taken from a nearby shelf. He spun at her and screamed louder, "GRANGER ABUSING PEOPLE! GRANGER IN THE LIBRARY, GRANGER IN THE LIBRARY STEALING AND ABUSING PEOPLE! PROFESSOR, PROFESSOR!" Peeves screamed. a lantern was immediately lit only five bookcases away.

"PEEVES!" Hermione whispered with a bitter tone, "If you DARE get me in a situation worse than this, I'll call the Bloody Baron in straight away to deal with you!" Peeves looked utterly bewildered.

"N-N-Not the B-Bloody B-Baron! My dear M-Miss G-Granger...I-" Peeves stuttered, but Hermione caught him before he could get any farther.

"Oh SHUT UP! Where is my time turner, Peeves? It's not under any of these tables where I can honestly swear I left it-" Peeves turned and disappeared behind a bookshelf seven aisles away. He was back within seconds, carrying Hermione's beloved time turner.

"Oh thank the lord... Now, you make sure Madam Pince doesn't catch me sneaking around on my way out or else you know what's gonna happen!" Hermione warned. Peeves nodded vigorously, and glided as fast as he could over to the lantern, where a crash and a yell could be heard. A horrific scent of dung filled Hermione's nose, and she smirked while waddling towards the window. Ginny was waiting while laughing rather sinisterly.

Hermione clambered onto Ginny's broom as fast as she could pull herself on, and the two girls took off at lightning speed up to Gryffindor tower. Ginny poked her head in the window for a few seconds, making sure there were no spectators, and then let Hermione go. The two hugged through the window and then Ginny was off to return her broom.

Glancing at her clock and noticing it was merely ten, Hermione skipped down the staircase and peeked into the common room. The party was still raging, but Ron was no where to be seen. Hermione's complexion turned to confused, and she slowly walked back up the stairs and knocked on the seventh year boy's dorm. Neville answered.

"Oh...Hermione! Hi!" Neville smiled so big that it almost reached his ears. Hermione returned the smile, and then gently asked for entrance.
Neville gave her his permission and stepped aside.

Merely one one other boy was sitting in the room, perched on his bed, reading- Ron Weasley. Hermione blushed and smiled a little upon seeing him, and rushed over to his four-poster. He didn't look up at her entrance, not until she sat down on his legs.

"Ow." He complained, pulling them in to his chest and sitting up. Hermione took a little gasp."What're you doing here? I thought you were...sleeping." He asked in a solid tone.

"Well... I was, but... I couldn't help thinking I'd hurt you or something. You know, with leaving the party like that." Ron looked down at his toes at this.

"Hm."

"...hm?" Hermione mimicked. "What's that supposed to mean? You don't believe me?" Ron snapped up.

"Of course I do. I just- I just- want to spend more time with you, I guess. You've been with Ginny more than ever lately." Ron admitted.

"Oh." Hermione said. There was a rather awkward silence for a while between the two. "Well, I suppose we could always... erm..." More silence followed, broken after about ten seconds by a mere cough from Neville.

"Hermione, it's alright. Don't worry about it. I guess we just have to get used to this whole dating thing." Ron consoled. Hermione swallowed, looking at the ground.

"I suppose I should just be off to bed, then. Goodnight, Ron." Hermione smiled at him as she got up to leave. Ron leaned in a bit, apparently expecting a kiss, but ended up pecking her just to the left of her lips.

"er- 'Night, Mione." Ron waved her off and she exited, shortly after waving to Neville.

---

In the morning that followed, Hermione and Ginny walked together down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Harry and Ron were waiting for them at the Gryffindor table, Ron munching away at some waffles slathered in syrup and butter.

"Morning, Mione!" He greeted her, reaching across the table to hug her. Hermione leaned in a bit, and Ron held on to her for about a minute before Hermione slipped out. Ron dove immediately back to his food, while Harry crawled under the table to kiss Ginny good morning and give Hermione a welcoming hug.

"Ron, you've got some syrup on your cheek." Hermione told Ron. He looked up and expectantly leaned in to her.

"er- wip it of for me peas?" He asked with a full mouth. She hesitated, but wiped it off anyway. "Thanks." He said, sitting back down. Several minutes followed in silence between Ron and Hermione, while Ginny talked up a storm with Harry. The two were laughing so hard that Harry almost choked on his pumpkin juice when Parvati Patil swept by with her twin sister, Padma, and threw a "Good Morning," at Ron. His ears transformed into a scarlet colour and he gave them a small wave.

"You know, there's another party tonight. Seamus and Dean are throwing it down at the Hog's Head. Will you two come with me and Ginny?" Harry asked polietely, gesturing to Ron and Hermione.

"Absolutely! Mione- do you mind bringing some money? I haven't really got any at the moment, so I won't be able to buy us any drinks, but if you brought some...?" Ron looked up at Hermione.

"Well, I suppose so! But what happened to the ten galleons I gave you at the start of term?" Hermione asked. Ron's entire head turned the colour of turnip.

"I...er...sort of seemed to...misplace them..." He coughed out. Hermione didn't say anything. The rest of breakfast passed in silence, with the occasional Prophet-headline-shout-out from Ginny. Finally Hermione excused herself, and Ginny followed in pursuit, tagging along Harry, who brought Ron. The four of them set off together up the grand staircase, until Hermione cut herself off from everyone as to go along to the Library herself.

"I'll see you all later, then," She said to them, and was off. Neither she nor Ron took a backward glance.

Upon arriving at the Library, it was just about empty apart from five fourth year Hufflepuffs huddled in a corner studying. Hermione made her way to the very back corner of the Library, where there were two large black armchairs sitting across from each other in front of a small window perched above a fireplace. Hermione slid a copy of Advanced Rune Translation out of its space in a nearby bookshelf, and then settled down in the right-handed chair. She had gotten about fifty pages in by the time a tall, lean and handsome figure approached her from behind. He studied her posture and her beauty for a minute, taking in the loveliness of the way she lounged in the red armchair. Her golden hair, no longer frizzy but with a sweet curl, hung over the back and mesmorized him for a bit as he took in the way the flames' light from the fire shimmered across it. Observing her more carefully, He noticed that she was cradling a book between her hands.

"Ahh, memorizing every word so you can go on and cheat again? What a pathetic excuse for intelligence." A very arrogant voice sneered. Hermione spun around to see Draco Malfoy towering over her, observing her posture in a rather strange way; his nose screwed up as if he were smelling a rather horrific scent.

"Malfoy! Why don't you shut your mouth before I can lay my fist on it again?" Hermione spat at him. Malfoy looked rather embarassed as he recollected the memory of her punch six years ago.

"You filthy mudblood! You don't think I've collected any more skill over the past years? You will never be able to even touch this face before I crack your arm in two!" He threw at Hermione. She looked hurt, but only a bit.

"What a twit you are!" She shouted, slamming her book shut and rising from her chair. She didn't dare leave her area; this was her territory and she wasn't going to let Malfoy kick her out. "Get out of here!" She screamed. Malfoy snatched her book and ran. Hermione crossed her arms and marched off in the opposite direction.

Reaching the staircase, Hermione sprinted up until she reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, whom was sharing a goblet of grapes with her friend Violet. "Log moss!" She yelled at the Fat Lady hurridely, and then threw herself through the portrait hole. Ron and Seamus were playing a rather intense game of wizard chess, Lavender and Parvati were gossiping with Romilda Vane in a corner, and Dean was playing a game of exploding snap with Dennis Creevey while Neville read The Encyclopedia of Toadstools. A group of second year girls were spying on another quartet of third year boys, and Harry and Ginny were sitting together affectionately by the calm fire. Hermione huffed upstairs and collapsed onto her bed, staring blankly at the cieling for a half an hour until Ginny came running up to check on her.

"Mione, what's wrong? You and Ron seem... weird." Ginny said right as she sat down on the bed to the right of Hermione's.

"We're fine, Gin. Don't worry about us... I think we just have to get used to, you know, the whole dating thing." Hermione gave Ginny a smile. Ginny sighed and then went on,

"Alright, but remember, if ANYTHING is bothering you, you MUST tell me! Right away! Now, we'd better get ready for that party... you are coming, right?" Ginny got up from the bed and began to search Hermione's wardrobe, pulling every possible dress out of every drawer ad throwing it over to Hermione.

"Of course I'm coming. Ron wants me to spend more time with him anyway, this'll be the perfect opportunity, I'm sure!" Hermione exclaimed excitedley, suddenly becoming alive at the thought of the party and grabbing dresses.

Ginny turned around and held up a medium-sized pink frilly one to Hermione's body. It had a puffy skirt and a bodice top. Hermione stuck out her tongue and Ginny threw the dress over her shoulder, picking up a powder blue one instead. This dress was longer, with frills over the top as well lining the bottom. "Way too plain," mentioned Ginny, and she threw this one away, grasping for another dress fast. Hermione and Ginny continued through this process until-

"YES!" They yelled in unison. Ginny squealed, and Hermione spun around with the dress. It was perfect- scarlet, with a gold trimming on the bottom, gold frill lining the top, and a gold sparkle gleaming on every inch. It was just a tad puffy in the skirt, and was strapless!
"You'll look STUNNING, Hermione." Ginny complimented. Hermione blushed strongly, and then ran over to her wardrobe again, easily knowing Ginny wouldn't have many dresses. She grabbed a gold one that had a plum lace. Ginny gave another excited squeal and ran out to try it on. Hermione followed in quick pursuit.

---

Before long, Hermione was skipping down to Hogsmeade, arm-in-arm with Ron, Ginny and Harry by their side. Ron was ecstatic, and together he and Hermione glowed as they approached the Hog's Head, laughing loudly along with Harry and Ginny.

Inside the pub was a ridiculous amount of people. It wasn't just Gryffindor house who'd been in on the party- it had been the whole school. Everyone was jumping along to the pumping beat of the Weird Sisters, which was thumping at a crazy-loud volume. Everyone, no matter what the age, was drinking enormous amounts of Butterbeer and firewhiskey. Harry and Ginny immediately sprinted out to the dance floor, while Ron took Hermione over to a table in the corner. Grabbing some firewhiskey, the two sat down and sipped.

"So... this is nice!" Ron smiled. Hermione returned it reluctantly.

"It is indeed!" She yelled over the blasting music. "But, don't you want to go and take a spin?" Ron looked surprised.

"Oh! Right! Er- let's go!" He took her hand and led her on to the dance floor, which was clogged with people all jumping excitedely to the same beat, screaming. Hermione and Ron spun around together, joining in with the dance. After the song had ended (within 30 seconds of the couple's arrival to the dance floor), Ron abandoned Hermione for some more firewhiskey. She had no choice but to quickly run back to their table, where she found Ron sipping from her firewhiskey, his own cup drained.

"Come with me to buy some more!" Ron yelled, and dragged her off to the bar, where he purchased three more glasses of firewhiskey. Hermione sat uncomfortably next to him, not accepting any more drinks.

"Oi, Ron!" A dark brown haired girl with light blue eyes bounced up to Ron, holding a halfway-filled bottle of Butterbeer. "Demelza Robins- You remember me, don't you? I'm chaser on Gryffindor's quidditch team." She smiled cheekily at Ron.

"Ahh- right- Demelza- how you doing? Been dancing hard, eh?" Ron commented.

"Oh yeah! Came here with Dean...but..." Demelza blushed and looked at her feet. Hermione didn't notice Demelza's arrival, though, as she had slipped away as to have a talk with Ginny.

"Hermione, I'm so, so sorry- but the dress..." Ginny apologized. Hermione gasped, looking down at the plum lining on the bottom of the skirt. It was torn.

"Oh Gin, it's perfectly okay. We can fix that in a wink, promise. Hey, as long as you did it while dancing..." Hermione and Ginny chuckled, until Ginny's face was wiped clean into worry.

"Mione- look- isn't that Demelza? You know, the girl who played chaser with me? Really sweet, good at dodging bludgers?" Ginny nodded to the bubbly seventeen year old.

"What's she..." Hermione squinted her eyes, gasped, and ran over to Ron. "Ron, what's happened he-" Hermione stopped midsentence due to the fact that Demelza and Ron were fully intertwined with each other, their lips battling fiercly. Ron's left hand had dropped down to below Demelza's waistline, and his right was smooshed against her right cheek. Demelza broke out of their kiss and blushed strongly, while Ron whipped around to Hermione- "Oi! Didn't see you there, Mione! Would you like another firewhis-" Hermione smacked Ron harshly across the face. Demelza gasped and ran, while Hermione continued to round on Ron.

"RONALD WEASLEY! You sick, cheating little git! You horrifyingly bad-arsed jerk- you-you- ARRGH!" Hermione gave Ron one last, hard slap on the face and then sprinted off up the stairs, dove into an empty booth and sobbed. Ron was left without a final word, rubbing his sore face, getting up from his seat with a firewhiskey in hand and hunting Demelza. Ginny looked overly disgusted, but Harry found her and took her away to dance again.

Meanwhile, Hermione sat leaning back on the seat, a bit drowsy from crying so much but feeling calmed from a warm butterbeer. She was jerked out of her dreamy state and abruptly returned to reality when a slim, handsome figure slid into the booth on the opposite side of the table.

"Granger," Malfoy spoke her name in a much softer tone than usual- and completely lacking the sneer. He was looking her over and noting her changes- a much more elegant face, beautifully curled hair like he'd never seen it, and a stunning figure. Her frame was thin, but curved in all the right places. She had fairy fingers, and the slimest, sexiest legs imaginable. Her waistline was perfect, and her eyes were a light honey brown, with a sparkle. Malfoy was intrigued.

Likewise, Hermione examined Malfoy with great curiousity. He was dressed in straight black- a tux with tails, and an unbuttoned white collared shirt underneath. His hair had been run-through enough times so that it stuck out at random angles, but with darkened highlights to make the bleach-blond beam. His shoulders were stiff and broad, and his eyes were a very pale grey, with a tint of blue. His lashes overlooked the lids and his lips were parted perfectly. Hermione couldn't help but wish to reach out and brush his face with the back of her hand- just to feel if this young man was real.

What were they thinking?! These were the arch-enemies- the people they'd hated most- for almost 10 years! The mudblood and the pureblood- the Slytherin and the Gryffindor- how could they possibly be attracted to one another?!

But Malfoy couldn't help to think deeper. He wanted to try her out. He wanted to bring her back to his dormitory and test her. See her focuses and her rules. See what she'd really turned into.

"Evening, Malfoy." Hermione pushed her past thoughts about him quickly away and greeted him as cold as possible. Malfoy smirked.

"You up for a Butterbeer?" He offered. Hermione looked confused.

"Not unless you resist the urge to poision mine," She scoffed. Malfoy chuckled and then reached under the table to pull at her dress. Hermione reacted within seconds, smacking him. Neither one of them removed eye contact.

"What're you playing at?" Hermione asked curiously, without removing the cold tone. Malfoy raised one eyebrow.

"Nothing." He said innocently. Hermione rolled her eyes and attempted to get up from the booth. Malfoy grabbed her arm before she could get any farther and set her back down. Hermione wrestled herself out of his grip and jerked it back to safety.

"Granger, tell me what just happened between you and Weasel." Malfoy demanded. Hermione made for a bitter, sarcastic laugh.

"Never! Why are you so interested anyway? Why don't you just tell me what happened to Pansy?" Hermione forced on him, knowing the two had been dating for three years.

"She's downstairs, drunk, snogging Blaise. But I don't care about her." Malfoy leaned into Hermione, and she leaned as far back as possible.

"Malfoy, get away from me," Hermione spat, and rushed out of the booth, down the stairs, through the door of the Hog's Head and out of Hogsmeade without a second glance.

Lying in her messy four-poster bed staring blankly at the cieling, Hermione fingered with her time turner idly. It was very possible for her to go back in time and be together with Ron once more... to keep them both from going to the party and splitting. Yet Hermione knew that what had happened happened for a reason- even if Ron had been drunk. These were problems that happened all the time in life- things that you just needed to push through and move on from. Anyway, it hadn't been a right relationship with Ron. Everything seemed to have an awkward feel to it, whether they were snogging or just plain chatting about Quidditch. With a sniffle, Hermione rolled over onto her face and moved onto analyzing her encounter with Malfoy at the Hog's Head.

The very first word that ran into her head upon thinking of the situation was, "Creep." Hermione felt highly assaulted by him that night- the tugging on her dress, leaning into her, the way he talked... just the thought made her shiver! But of all people, why Malfoy?! How is it that he became interested so suddenly?

Ginny broke into the dormitory soon after finishing this thought, panting like a dog. She froze upon seeing Hermione, then rounded on her.

"WHERE have you BEEN?! I've just searched the whole of Hogsmeade and half the castle looking for you!" Ginny collapsed on Lavender Brown's bed and let out a voluminous sigh.

"I've had a rough night, Ginny, and requested some alone time." Hermione stated very plainly, her arms crossed. Ginny looked startled.

" then, I suppose I'll just...go..." She said, getting up as slow as a sloth and exiting straight-backed. But Hermione didn't let her go that easily-

"GINNY!" She called suddenly, sitting up in bed. Ginny whirled around.

"What?!"

"Stay. Please. I have some things I want your opinion on."

Ginny raised one eyebrow and then lazily lumbered over to Lavender's bed again. Sitting down politely with her hands folded neatly in her lap, she waited a minute before Hermione began.

"So of course you know about Ron and I..." Hermione began, and Ginny nodded sadly. "And in case you aren't aware of the details, I gave him several good smackings before I ran. So don't be alarmed if he rubs his cheeks for the next few days." Ginny giggled a bit before letting Hermione smirk and go on. "As you know I sort of disappeared for a while after... sprinted to the upstairs with a Butterbeer to calm myself, and took some thinking time. But then..." Hermione paused to put some pressure on her bottom lip for a few seconds before continuing. "Malfoy slid in." Hermione didn't need to look up to know what Ginny's face had trasformed into.

"Git," Hermione heard Ginny mumble low under her breath. Grinning, Hermione vented every single detail about Malfoy to Ginny- how he'd played around with her, what Pansy ended up doing, how he had been talking to her. Ginny was quiet for a few minutes, taking in everything and analyzing it in her mind very carefully.

"It's probably just an act, Mione," She finalized. "Probably just a dare from his friends. I wouldn't worry too much about it if I were you; Malfoy isn't worth anybody's time. Don't let him slip into your mind too much!" Hermione nodded in agreement, but not fully believing.

After a while of additional chatting, Ginny walked sleepily out of Hermione's dorm and headed straight for the sixth year's dorms. Hermione wandered to her wandrobe and pulled out a pair of burnt orange and maroon plaid pajama pants along with a plain orange tank top. Slipping out of her tear-stained party dress and into the pajamas, Hermione did a faceplant onto her four poster and then scrambled under the covers.

Merely ten minutes following her return to bed, Hermione's ears perked up to the sound of two young girls and a young man excitedly bounding up the staircase just outside. Hermione was startled to see Parvati and Demelza twinkle into the dormitory, their hair a rat's nest and their bodies wobbling around uncontrollbly.

"Oh, evening, Hermione!" Parvati greeted her. Demelza looked shocked to find her there. Hermione smiled and waved politely in at the both of them.

"Had a nice night, I see." She said. Both girls giggled.

Very suddenly, the young man who had been heard climbing the stairs with Parvati and Demelza came bursting into the dorm.

"Dem!" Ronald Weasley ran to Demelza, picked her up, and gave her a large lick.

"Oh Ronald, don't be a dog!" Demelza squealed. Both of them laughed, and Parvati rolled her eyes and headed to her wardrobe. Hermione turned the colour of her bed curtains (which mind you, are an incredibly deep red), as to submit to her already simmering anger.

"Now Dem... what're you doing in here, this is the seventh year's dorm, not the sixth ye-" Ron halted immediately upon seeing Hermione steaming in the bed nearest himself.

"Oh- er- there's plenty more room in my bed, Dem, let's be off now..." Ron grabbed Demelza by the wrist and dragged her out of the dorm. Parvati tagged along as if she were the loyal pet dog.

Tears began to well up in Hermione's eyes again, and fell over the brim rather quickly. She didn't bother wiping them away this time, instead she subsided with rolling into her pillow and sobbing silently until sleep came for a visit.

---

For a while on after the party incident, Hermione spent almost all of her time with both Harry and Ginny. She didn't want to be left alone- she knew she'd feel much too vulnerable if so, especially with Malfoy. Therefore, Hermione spent the rest of September either dragging Harry and Ginny along to the Library, or being dragged into the Quidditch pitch for practice. The only times Hermione permitted herself to be left alone were the times she was in bed, in the bathroom, or simply studying in the Gryffindor common room.

"Hermione, can I have a word?" Harry asked courteously after dinner one night. Hermione nodded and followed Harry to a corner of the common room.

"Don't you think you might be taking this whole 'never-be-alone' thing a bit over the top? I mean to say, Ginny and I never get date time anymore. No private time. Not to lay it on harsh, but everyone else around here wants some time away." Harry explained polietely.

"oh..." Was all Hermione managed to say for a few minutes. "Well- er- sure, I'll lay off... you and Ginny should go down to Hogsmeade tonight for a treat. I'll stay here and study, it'll be fine." Hermione gave Harry a comforting smile, and the two split to opposite sides of the common room.

For the next two hours, Hermione spent her time composing a Transfiguration essay (that wasn't even assigned), studying her Charms textbook, and charting several constillations and explaining each one into depth for Astronomy. In this time not a single witch or wizard disturbed her- as a matter of fact, everyone seemed to want to stay as far away as possible.

It seemed an endless wait for Harry and Ginny to finish their date, and by the end Hermione began to wonder if they'd been killed ordering from Madame Rosmerda. Yet finally they stumbled into the common room, hanging on to each other and slicing the midnight silence sharp down the middle with their laughter.

"Oh you stupid boy!" Ginny teased. Harry was sucking on a cherry while Ginny tickled him silly.

"Oh- Hermione- hi-" Harry stuttered, apparently shocked to see her sitting lounged in the huge red armchair in front of the fire.

"Hello Harry, Ginny. I see you've had a wonderful time." Hermione stated rather sadly.

"Er- yeah-" Harry stuttered, apparently dazed.

"Mione, we're retiring for the night. See you at breakfast." Ginny smiled warmly at Hermione and skipped off, trailing a drowsy Harry behind her.

So that was it. Hermione had stayed up all night for nothing. It was nice she got some studying in, but it wasn't worth much just seeing as she wasn't able to properly concentrate on the requirments of a Draught of Living Death while wondering if Harry and Ginny had been thrown under 2-month-early misletoe or not.

Sighing, Hermione slammed her Potions textbook shut and stared at her reflection gleaming at her from the plaque displaying Asiatic Anti-Venoms boldly on the it over solidly, she reviewed her obnoxious past behaviour and proved herself guilty- Harry was right after all. Putting herself in Ginny's shoes, she noticed what a pest she'd been- like a mosquito, buzzing around constantly trying to grab onto you tightly and then go ahead and perform some intense bothering.

Hermione stood up from the comfy red chair and stiffly marched out of the common room. She cringed on the way; walking away from the fire was hard seeing as she'd been there for the past four hours and it had almost seemed to become custom.

Tiptoing into her dorm, Hermione threw the Potions book onto her bedside table and jumped into bed, not caring about pajamas. She felt as if she didn't even deserve the comfort. After all, it's not like mosquiotos have a change of clothes for bed.

---

October first arrived with a rather likeable chill- the kind that gets you prepared and pumped for Autumn. The grounds were clothed in bronze, burnt orange, and honey-mustard yellow leaves that added a pleasant feel to wandering aimlessly around the outdoors. Hermione more and more often seemed to walk wondrously around and around the black lake, the Quidditch Pitch, the Greenhouses- over and over and over again- alone.

It seemed she had entered a stage of loneliness. Abandoning her friends, Hermione only spent mealtimes and occasional common room chats with Ginny and Harry. Ron had moved on and was now snogging Demelza seriously almost every night in any location available. In class, Hermione was all about the work- while this was appropriate accompanying the nearing N.E.W.T.s, a rather uncomfortable silence would dangle in the air bewteen Hermione and Harry during work times when chatting was permitted in class.

Finally, Harry threw some kindle at Hermione during one particularly boring Charms lesson.

"Hermione, are you feeling alright?" He said innocently. Slightly shocked to hear sympathy, Hermione snapped her attention to his face.

"Oh yes, I'm prefectly fine. Why do you ask?"

"Well... Ginny's been so worried about you ever since that Hog's Head bash a month ago. And now, I'm afraid to admit that I am too." Harry stared hard at his textbook.

"It's my absence in conversation and involvement with you two, isn't it." Hermione seemed to say to herself. Harry bit his cheek and gave a small nod.

"Is it Ron?" Harry asked very quietly, as if fearing her reaction.

"No," Hermione said this in reply with a very bitter tone on the surface, and Harry knew that she was lying slightly. Both were quiet for several minutes, while they attempted to cast bubble-head charms on each themselves and then dunk their heads in water to see if they would last long enough (Professor Flitwick set a rule of at least six minutes and forty-seven seconds to pass).

The rest of the lesson passed in utter silence between Harry and Hermione. Professor Flitwick wrapped up the dragged-out lesson with a hint of tomorrow's lesson (Fidelius Charm studies), and the class made for a wild exit as everyone sprinted towards the door at once. Hermione lingered behind, as to avoid getting trampled. Harry did the same.

"You know, there's another trip to Hogsmeade this weekend." Harry suggested before he and Hermione left the Charms classroom. "The sixth. I thought perhaps we could grab a Butterbeer or something."

"I'm not going." Hermione stated stubbornly.

"There won't be any parties, I promise!" Harry laughed a bit at his own words.

"I'm still not going, Harry!" Hermione smirked but refused to give in to his wish.

"Ohh, why not? You need a pick-me-up, if anything, and this is exactly that." Harry tried to pursue.

"Harry, I don't want to go. I'm telling you, that's the last thing I'd like to do. I don't feel like running into..." Hermione trailed off, stopping herself before she admitted about Malfoy's interaction with her at the Hog's Head.

"I'm still taking you."

"Never."

"I don't care what you say. We're going. Whatever is keeping you from coming along and having a good time... I hope it dies, because this is ridiculous. Hermione, you've got to get over it. Square Bologne." Harry finished up his mini-lecture by giving the password to the Fat Lady in a rather strong way, and she blushed.

"He's got ambition today; hasn't he?" She giggled at Hermione, who rolled her eyes and skipped along after Harry.

---

It turns out that listening to your best friend really does have its true ups. Going to Hogsmeade in Mid-October alone with Harry was a purely witty decision.

Harry had promised Hermione that they would leave whenever she liked, and the two ended up staying from noon to six. It started out in The Three Broomsticks, picking up just two Butterbeers but then chatting with Madame Rosmerda. Hermione did most of the talking, until Harry suggested they ship off after half an hour.

"You two sweeties come back soon, now... and Hermione, darling," Madame Rosmerda called after Hermione while Harry pulled her out of the pub, "Throw on something with a lower neck tomorrow. You really need to get a move on with romance!" Hermione's entire face turned the brightest shade of red possible as Harry rolled his eyes and walked out into the autumn sun.

Most of the walk through Hogsmeade was filled with Harry's vents about Ginny. However, it was just about perfect seeing as Hermione was perfectly understanding, compatible and eager on the subject.

"It was only last night that we were sitting by the fire and I noticed Dean had brought Zacharias Smith into the common room. That boy gave me one heck of a cold stare, you wouldn't believe it. And he was all smirking at Ginny, sort of dropping little hints here and there. Ginny turned around to see what I was glowering at and ended up sending a beautiful Bat-Bogey Hex straight at his face! Man, I love her..." Harry wandered into a dreamy state for a minute until Hermione piped up.

"You two couldn't be more fit for each other, I'll say. But hey... want to visit Zonko's quick? I thought I'd pick up a treat for Malfoy." Harry stopped dead in his tracks at this. The fact that Hermione said it so casually, and her tone of voice was just... weird.

Noticing what she'd done, Hermione began to blush furiously while dragging Harry into the semi-crowded joke shop.

"Hermione..." Harry began, slyly sneaking in a question he'd been dying to ask her for so long. "What really happened that night at the Hogsmeade party? I know the whole story with Ron, but... the way you were, I knew there was more." Hermione was quiet, just standing in one corner of the shop and staring at her shoes for several seconds while Harry glared at her, demanding an answer.

"You need to promise not to tell a soul. I hesistated telling even Ginny this." Harry nodded, but Hermione didn't dare take her eyes off her feet. "Malfoy... dropped some stuff that night." Harry looked confused.

"What do you mean?" He asked, his complexion scrunched into puzzlement.

"I mean," Hermione looked up, straight into Harry's soft green eyes. They were overflowing with trust and aniexty. "He wants me. He pulled at my dress, and he spoke to me in this way that touched. He leaned into me, and he just... just stared at me with this weird glint in his eyes that I couldn't read." Harry seemed to be holding his breath while she finished.

"That- stupid- git-" Harry choked out in anger. "What a bloody creep!" Hermione nodded in full understandment.

"I know! I don't know what the devil he's turned into." She said. Harry raised a left eyebrow and then, in a low tone, continued,

"It seems a little fishy, though, don't you think?"

"That's what Ginny thinks. She told me last night that it's probably an act of some sort... but I'm not really sure I believe her. The way he did and said everything seemed like it was the truth." Hermione stated plainly. Harry thought about this for a few seconds, and then said,

"What Ginny said to you makes sense. But then again, we weren't there when it happened, so we can't clarify any of the details. I'm believing both of you, but... just remember that this is Malfoy we're talking about."

Hermoine nodded once again, and then reached up to the shelf above her and picked out seven large dungbombs. Smirking, she and Harry ran through the store picking out all sorts of tricks and "revenge treats", most of which were imported Fred and George products.

In the end, Hermione ended up dumping six galleons and Harry nineteen sickles onto the counter. Walking out of the store, their pockets were stuffed with puking pastilles, fainting fancies, canary creams, and of course dungbombs. Both were laughing hysterically at the thought of Malfoy crossing the paths of their new purchases.

The two walked around the streets of Hogsmeade for three more hours, stopping in shops occasionally but otherwise simply enjoying the crisp Autumn breeze. It felt astoundingly wonderful to plainly talk- Harry and Hermione hadn't had alone time with each other for a while. They had always been flanked by Ginny or Ron, whom usually separated the two from having any even relatively private conversations.

"You know, I was thinking about taking a part time job at Fred and George's," Harry began telling Hermione as they sat on a small wooden bench fit perfectly for two people. Hermione scowled and immediately interjected,

"WHAT?! But- but you'd be the best Auror the department's ever had! I thought you wanted to be one anyway! You wouldn't make half as much working at Fred and George's rather than the Ministry anyway!" She said.

"Oh for god's sake, Hermione. I only meant to start. It's better to begin slow and take it easy rather than jump right into the Auror department. All I want is a career experience-" He began to explain, and Hermione's face softened... until Harry halted his sentence as to narrow his eyebrows in full anger and direct a madly dirty glare behind Hermione. Predicting whom this must be, she grumbled several unnessecary words under her breath and began to study her palms as if there was a leprachaun doing the salsa in the center.

"So it appears Granger's working her way through the golden trio now? Ahh, how sweet. I think Scarhead and Mudblood are the best match so far." Malfoy stood towering above Harry and Hermione, arms crossed, looking them over curiously. Harry sprang up from his seat and rounded on Malfoy.

"Get away from us, Malfoy. What's it to you if we have the freedom to sit on a bench together?"

Malfoy sneered at Harry and then turned to Hermione.

"I see your new pick is already highly interested, Granger. I suggest that you two try out something called lip-lock sometime soon... or is that too advanced for you?" He raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Lay off, Malfoy." Hermione said in a low and dangerous tone, rising from her place from the bench. Her hair caught the late afternoon sunlight and gleamed brilliantly- Malfoy couldn't help but stare for several seconds.

"Something caught your eye, Malfoy?" Harry asked.

"Never." He spat into Harry's face, then turned on his heel and marched out of Hogsmeade.

Harry gave an angered groan, kicked the bench leg and then sat down again. He sent one of the ugliest glares Hermione had ever witnessed to the back of Malfoy's retreating head, and then let out an extra-large sigh. Hermione sat down neatly next to him.

"We should probably be going up soon." She said quietly, after one minute of silence. Harry cleared his throat, nodded, and the two were off, sulking back to the fully-lit castle.

---

Harry and Hermione were disturbingly greeted at the portrait hole by Ron and Demelza, of whom were both snogging rather dramatically. The Fat Lady was looking rather uncomfortable, and Harry and Hermione stood awkwardly for several minutes before the Fat Lady cleared her throat harshly. At this Ron dug into the kiss even deeper, and Hermione rolled her eyes and began to turn away. Harry stepped forward, clinging to her wrist, and said,

"Ohh, SQUARE BOLOGNE!" The Fat Lady took a determined swing open, and Ron and Demelza (whom had been leaning against the portrait) fell one on top of the other into the common room. Hermione snorted at this, and Harry began to drag her through the portrait hole- yet Hermione held back, glaring at Ron and Demelza with great distaste (they had immediately scrambled up and walked dazedly over to an open couch and begun to snog again).

"You know what, I'm going to the Library." She said boldly. Harry shurgged, gave her a comforting smile, and then let go of her hand. She returned the smile in a rushed manner and then began to huff down the grand staircase.

Upon reaching the Library, Hermione grabbed the first book she could find off the shelf and tore over to an open seat set at one of the six tables. The Library was only a bit crowded- just a sextet of Hufflepuffs taking up the first table, several Ravenclaws in a SouthEastern corner, and a lone Neville Longbottom in the NorthWestern corner. Hermione smiled to herself as she settled into her book (An Anthology of Eighteenth Century Charms).

Hermione spent quite a while in the Library- it gave her so much comfort to simply lounge there amongst the warmth of all the books. She probably would have missed dinner, if Neville hadn't snapped her out of her reading trance in time.

"Hermione? I think it's time you head down for dinner." He said cheerily.

"Oh! Right!" She said, jumping up from her book and blushing. Neville smiled and headed out of the Library. Hermione quickly threw her book back on its shelf and headed straight for the Great Hall, her mood vastly improved.

Hermione skipped into the Great Hall and took her place next to Ginny and Harry. Ron sat across from them, eating a mile a minute.

"So... how was Hogsmeade?" Ginny stirred up a conversation with Hermione.

"Pretty good, actually! Harry and I got some good treats for Malfoy." Ginny giggled a bit at this before letting Hermione continue. "The only negative was our run-in at the end..." Harry groaned, and Ginny looked up from her plate.

"Oh dear, what happened?" She asked, all ears. Hermione fed Ginny every detail, and by the end Ron had put down his fork and knife and was in on the conversation.

"What a bloody git! I can't wait for you to set those dungbombs on him, Hermione." Ron said. Hermione nodded vaguely, as she was now staring at the Slytherin table watching Pansy Parkinson stroke Malfoy's hair while he devoured a chicken leg. Harry and Ron had soon launched into conversation over their loathing for Malfoy, while Ginny joined Hermione.

"He's still bothering you, isn't he." She said, following Hermione's stare. Hermione blushed as if to answer yes. "Hermione, I told you, you can't let him slip into your mind! You just need to forget about him and move on, for heaven's sake." Ginny coaxed.

"I know, Ginny. But the way he looks at me is too strange!" Ginny rolled her eyes, and said,

"I don't know, Hermione. I just don't know." Then, she returned to devouring her spaghetti. Hermione poked through her own idly, not able to force Malfoy out of her mind. Why would he not leave?!

After filling herself up with a delicious banana cream pie for dessert, Hermione joined Harry, Ginny, and (rather reluctantly) Ron on her way out of the Great Hall. Ginny chatted up a storm with her about the Holyhead Harpies (although Hermione mainly smiled and nodded along) while Harry and Ron went on about the Chudley Cannons. Halfway through the Entrance Hall, Professor McGonagall called Hermione over to an open corner.

"Miss Granger, I would like for you to meet me in my office in precisely ten minutes, please. We have some important matters to discuss." She stated plainly, and then waved Hermione off to join the crowd once again.

Hermione didn't bother rejoining Harry, Ron and Ginny again, seeing as they were already a good way up the grand staircase, and therefore she decided on taking a detour through the third floor corridor, a longer route to McGonagall's office. She didn't run into any other wandering students along the way, and for the most part her walk was silent apart from the few paintings she passed, the majority of whom were chatting away with their neighbours about who-knows-what. It was nice to simply be able to admire the castle's inner beauty- to actually take a good look at the history that was left in every single wall, every window and door. Crossing over the suspension bridge, Hermione stopped to lean up against the side rail and look out at the black lake, a golden sunset painted on its surface. The cool autumn breeze brought comfort to her senses, and she closed her eyes for a minute, enjoying the fresh scent of early October.

The moment was ruined no more than a minute in by Malfoy, who decided to announce his precense by placing a dungbomb under Hermione's feet. Her eyes flicked open as the horrible smell traveled farther up her nostrils, giving her senses a start, and she jumped in even more surprise at Malfoy's figure awaiting her as she turned around to see where the dungbomb had come from.

"You nasty and immature FERRET!" Hermione screeched at him, although her response had barely an effect on Malfoy as all he did was smirk and narrow an eyebrow. "This'll leave a good impression of me on McGonnagall, this will," Hermione said bitterly in a low tone. Malfoy's expression wound itself around.

"What- you're going to see McGonnagall too?" He asked, almost frightened of her answer.

"Of course I am, why else would I be- hold on... why does she want to see you?" Hermione asked with a nasty expression.

"Don't ask me. I'd think you'd know better than myself seeing as she is your head of house." Malfoy said casually.

Hermione shrugged and began to walk away, with a faster pace than usual. Malfoy matched it easily with his long and arrogant strides. The two sped through the corridors, Hermione looking straight forward with a hard face while Malfoy threw a few twisted grins at her every now and then. They finally arrived at McGonnagall's office, ten minutes from supper dismissal exactly. Malfoy ran to get the doorhandle first and gestured for Hermione to go in first. Rolling her eyes, she sauntered in and sat in the right-handed chair. McGonnagall was ready and waiting for them, perched in a large, straight-backed scarlet armchair behind her desk, which was organized perfectly. Upon taking in a deep breath McGonnagall made a wretched face and directed the most of it at Hermione, who blushed strongly. Malfoy took his seat beside Hermione, and McGonnagall cleared her throat.

"Good Evening Malfoy, Granger. I am happy you two were able to arrive on time." McGonnagall gave both of them a warm smile. Hermione and Malfoy returned it briskly before letting McGonnagall continue. "Now, as you may have realized by now, we have not appointed any Prefects nor Heads due to the war's toll. I have called both of you here to discuss such buisness." Hermione's face revealed some of the pain she was now feeling inside- she knew what was coming. "Over the years, every member of the staff has observed your behaviours. And now that your Seventh year has arrived, it is time for both of you to recieve your final duty.
"Dumbledore and I have discussed this thoroughly and apologize once again for the delay of notification. But it is now that we hope you will both be able to accept the task of becoming Head Boy and Head Girl of the school. Once agreeing to taking this on you are also saying that you will be able to triumph over your past rivalries and take on a newfound relationship. You will be housing many new responsibilities, some which may come as familiar to you from your past Prefect duties and some that will be much larger and more critical than before. I would just like you both to know that being Heads is a big responsibility and should be taken into hand with knowledge and understandment. Do you two understand what must be done?" Hermione and Malfoy nodded. "Wonderful! Here are your badges-" (McGonnagall handed Hermione and Malfoy each a gleaming bade; Malfoy's boasting "Head Boy" with hints of emerald here and there and Hermione's roaring "Head Girl" with tints of scarlet) "And I am proud to appoint you officially as Head Boy and Girl! May you leave with the thought that you will need to hold several meetings now and then, I should think to check up on how the school is doing from your view. If any problems are detected, please report them to your partner and if it continues, you may notify me as well as the Headmaster. Good luck!" McGonnagall dismissed both of them with a brisk smile and wave. Hermione and Malfoy thanked her and walked slowly out of her office.

Hermione practically sprinted up to Gryffindor tower. Malfoy didn't even think to stop her, he was too annoyed at the thought of having to share Head duties with that dispicable mudblood- and worse, to have her taunting him with those looks and that attitude all the time.

Hermione rushed through the portrait hole after blurting out the password hurridley to a rather drowsy Fat Lady, and then ran like a bullet up into her only Lavender Brown was there, in an incredibly deep sleep, and Hermione buried her face in her pillow and sobbed quietly.

---

Hermione awoke at precisely seven thirty the next morning, slipped into some old jeans and a scarlet jumper, and grappled for a few Puking Pastilles before anything else. She wanted to be prepared as she set out for breakfast with Ginny.

"You're kidding," Ginny choked out as they ambled down the Grand Staircase. "Malfoy?! What were McGonagall and Dumbledore thinking!" Ginny sounded outraged.

"I know! As soon as I knew we were heading for the same destination I knew it couldn't be good... and I was right. That sick and twisted prick." Hermione said, with a heavy amount of dislike in her voice. Ginny nodded along the to the whole sentence.

The two of them sat down together at the Gryffindor table, and picked out the fluffiest pancakes. Harry and Ron were absent (seeing as it was only seven thirty and they usually oversleep on Sundays), which made for a bit of an empty but nevertheless relieving feel. It was nice to just have some girl time at the breakfast table.

"Hi guys! Can I join you?" Neville asked cheerily as he approached the table. So much for girl time.

"Of course, Neville!" Hermione gave him a warm smile and he sat down opposite them.

"So... have you heard about that dementor attack in Ottery St. Catchpole? From what I heard, it sounds like a real heck of a time for whoever the victim was..." Neville said with great sympathy. Both Ginny and Hermione had perked up immediately.

"Neville, what exactly happened?" Hermione asked gently.

"It was in a Prophet article just yesterday!" Neville began, eager to tell his story. "It sickens me, those dementors. Apparently six of them got loose from Azkaban and two of them ended up there. We don't know where the other four are, but- anyway- the victim was out gardening, and we haven't got the full story yet because she's locked up in St. Mungo's for a bit, the attack was so intense, but it sounds like they fed off of the gardner for hours. By the time her husband came home from work, the dementors were just fleeing, and the woman was just lying in the flowerbed apparently unconcious. I can't imagine what that must have felt like!" Neville looked depressed just thinking about it. Ginny, on the other hand, had an extremely dazed look and had collapsed onto Hermione's shoulder.

"Wow." Was all Hermione could say, and then she quickly forced some food down her throat and excused both she and Ginny from the table.

After dragging Ginny into the Gryffindor common room, she began to search for yesterday's prophet. Ginny was lounged on the couch, completely out of it, like a drunken sailor. Hermione, on the other hand, was rushing through every single Prophet that could be found in the common room. Finally, after about five minutes, Hermione pulled out a fresh-looking newspaper with a large picture of a distressed-looking man on the front.

"Here it is, Ginny." Hermione began skimming through the article, Ginny roused from her reverie and looking on with her, a sick look etched upon her face. After about three minutes Hermione leaned back on the couch and let out a deep breath. Tears began to run down Ginny's soft cheeks as she imagined her Mother's current state. After a while, Hermione began to speak.

"Your Mum is the strongest woman I know, Ginny. We have barely a reason to worry. As a matter of fact, we're lucky she didn't get kissed." Hermione said boldly. At the thought of these last words, Ginny nearly burst out sobbing but caught herself as Harry and Ron sauntered into the common room. They halted immediately at the image of the girls in such distress.

Grabbing the article, Harry and Ron read it over and recieved identical reactions to Hermione and Ginny. The four of them sat on the couch, trying to stay calm and collected. Ron and Ginny sat together, tightly wrapped in a hug, while Harry and hermione leaned up against each other. After a while, Hermione stood up.

"Well... we can't just stay here all day. Harry, if you don't mind me borrowing Hedwig, I'll send off an owl to the Weasley's and check in." Harry nodded and stood up with Hermione. Ginny and Ron followed in pursuit.

---

The depressing mood ceased to fade only until Harry, Ron and Ginny decided to play Quidditch (Hermione watched from the stands). Their game was dull at first, yet heated up by a bit once Ginny started bumping into Harry more frequently during chaser practice. Their game went on successfully, until a dark shadow strolled onto the stands and stopped right behind where Hermione sat.

"Granger," Malfoy addressed Hermione in a flat tone. She jumped a bit at his arrival and turned around to face him.

"Yes, Malfoy?" She said in a bit of a forced-warm tone- after all, they were both heads now- they needed to get along.

"I thought we'd try our first Head's meeting." He suggested. Hermione couldn't help but flash a grin.

"Er- but we haven't even been Heads for 24 hours yet!" She almost laughed.

"I know! But- I meant we could sort things out. I mean... how's all this going to work?"

Hermione nodded, and the two exited the stadium. Luckily, Harry, Ron and Ginny had gotten deeply into their game and didn't notice Hermione and Malfoy's exit. As they walked out, Hermione couldn't help but wonder of Malfoy's sudden lack of relish to her. Ginny's act theory was fading faster and faster from Hermione's mind, and pure puzzlement was taking its place.

Malfoy led Hermione to a portrait of Ardvark the Astonishing, and stretched out a finger to comb his mustache. Ardvark chuckled and swung open cheerily. Hermione's eyes grew as wide as saucers, making Malfoy smirk as he walked through the portrait hole.

"Who told you about that?" Hermione asked, impressed.

"Found it myself, actually. Sixth year, I was wandering the corridors, and Ardvark sort of... called out to me, I guess. Said his mustache needed a good stroke. So I went ahead and gave him one, and in return he gave me...this." The narrow corridor they had been traveling down opened up into a huge, open room- it was set with the most interesting hangings, ones with scarlet-embroidered lions set next to an emerlad-shining snake. And that was plainly all to be seen amongst the room- scarlet and emerald, a bit of silver and gold mixed in. There was a fire roaring in the very middle of the room, and two small loveseats sat opposite each other with a small glass coffee table in the middle. The rug that sat under the table was wool and had a lion's head attached to a snake's body woven in. Hermione cringed looking at all of it, but then smiled as Malfoy explained.

"At first I thought it was the most disgusting thing, the whole cross-house and such. The weird thing to me was that all I could see was Slytherin mixed with Gryffindor... which was the most unlikable thing, you know?" Hermione nodded. "I ran out of here, and Ardvark called after me. He explained that this-" Malfoy gestured to the room- "Was the official meeting place for Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor back when they were close friends. In sixth year, I spent more than enough time in this room... it's the most interesting place I've found so far in Hogwarts." Malfoy finished. Hermione was astounded.

"It is quite amazing, really." She said, sitting down on the scarlet-and-gold loveseat. Malfoy took his place across from her, on the emerlad-and-silver one.

"I thought it might be a nice place for our Head meetings." He offered.

"Definitely!" Hermione gave him a small smile, and Malfoy returned it in a flash. Rethinking Malfoy, he just might not be as bad as she thought.

---

It seemed as though October had grown wings and flown by time in a wink. Before they knew it, there was only one week left of October to live upon the students of Hogwarts. The mood over all of October had been quite gloomy, as the news of Mrs. Weasley's dementor attack brought everyone down.

In the late afternoon of October 24th, Hedwig arrived tapping loudly on the Gryffindor common room window, clutching a single sheet of parchment. Harry sprinted over to the window, pushed it open and grabbed Hedwig, undoing the letter from her talons in a rather rushed manner. Hedwig screeched at him as he turned away, and he quickly turned around and gave her several strokes before she took off for the Owlery.

Ron, Ginny and Hermione all crowded around Harry as he unraveled the letter and read it aloud.

Hermione, Harry, Ginny and Ron,
I am so sorry to worry you with the news of Molly's attack. I apologize for the short reply, but I am very low on time at the moment- I would just like to notify you all that Molly is currently in her last few days of recuperating at St. Mungo's before heading home. She is doing very well and I am happy to say she wasn't injured majorly at all. We've had so many visitors stop by and she is grateful for your care and sympathy.
Hope you are well,
Arthur

Everbody let out deep sighs at the news of Mrs. Weasley's quick recuperation. Ginny and Ron gave a big hug once again, and everyone's mood seemed to be officially returned to normal.

As Harry, Hermione and Ginny headed down to the Great Hall for supper (Ron was in the common room with Demelza), Harry and Ginny began to talk of Halloween excitement.

"I wonder if anybody will release a troll again this year?" Harry laughed.

"I certainly hope not!" Ginny said rather seriously. Hermione laughed along.

The three of them skipped through the fourth floor (the staircase had changed on their way down) happily chattering on about the monsters they'd least like to run into on Halloween.

"I'd dread running into a Potter!" Ginny joked, punching Harry playfully.

"ROAR!" Harry yelled menacingly at Ginny, and the two began to chase each other down the corridor. Hermione smiled after them, laughing while she kept her pace. It was so suddenly that Hermione was whisked behind a tapestry that she let out a long scream, which was very quickly muffled by a brilliantly glowing hand.

"Oh SHUT UP, Granger!" Malfoy whispered sharply. Hermione stopped upon seeing Malfoy's face, and for a few seconds their eyes bore into each other's, until Malfoy turned away, biting his lip hard.

"Honestly, Malfoy, you don't expect me not to scream after being stolen like that!" Hermione protested. "Now what do you want from me?" She demanded.

"I figured this was the only way I'd get you. You're always with the ginger, or Weasel, or Potter. I just thought maybe we should try a meeting." Malfoy suggested quietly.

"Oh," Hermione said softly, "Well, then... to Ardvark?"

"To Ardvark." Malfoy grinned and they ran off to the third floor.

Once they had arrived at the portrait, Malfoy reached out to stroke Ardvark's curled mustache, only to be stopped by Hermione. She pushed his hand away and instead tickled his mustache. Ardvark bellowed a hearty laugh.

"Ooh, she's even better than you!" He said lightly. Malfoy rolled his eyes, pushed past Hermione and headed into the meeting room.

The two of them took their places on the loveseats and stared at the floor for a bit. Finally, Hermione broke the silence.

"So... have you, erm, discovered any issues?" She asked.

"Well, not really. Not unless you count the fact that Nott gave GreenGrass four bloody noses last week, or that Tracey Davis had to go to the Hospital Wing seven times this months because Millicent Bulstrode hexed her so much. But you know, that's just normal Slytherin behaviour." Malfoy said.

"I classify those as problems!" Hermione said matter-of-factly. "I say that if it continues through November, we report it. Agreed?"

"Sure." Malfoy said before continuing. "So? Those Gryffindors behaving themselves?"

"Yes, actually, we haven't had any problems so far." Hermione immediately began to think of Ron and herself.

"Oh really?" Malfoy questioned. Hermione nodded. "Any observations on the rest of the school, then?" Malfoy leaned back on the loveseat, crossing his legs and spreading out his arms. Hermione couldn't help but gaze a bit before going on.

"Just some Ravenclaws I want to tell you about. No physical stuff right now, but... this third year, Stewart Ackerly... I think he's being verbally abused. I caught him on the fourth floor the other day with Orla Quirke and her gang." Hermione reported.

"...And?" Malfoy looked for more.

"And, she was shouting some pretty harsh words at the kid. He wasn't having the best time of his life, that's for sure."

Malfoy and Hermione thought for a bit before deciding on the same verdict as the previous Slytherin case. Malfoy reported a few Hufflepuffs, and then Hermione rose from her seat.

"Well... I suppose we're off to a good start. Now if you don't mind, I am starving." And she turned on her heel to leave.

Just as he had done in the Hog's Head, Malfoy grasped her arm tightly and gave her a bit of a pleading look.

"No," He said, and Hermione looked confused beyond anything.

"...What?" She asked.

"No. You can't leave yet."

"Why?!" Hermione tryed to wriggle out of Malfoy's grip and run, but he wouldn't let her.

"Haven't you noticed? Dinner's done! We've missed it!" Hermione stopped squirming, and a look of annoyance washed upon her face.

"You took me now so that you could keep me later, didn't you? You wanted to have dinner with me and- and- ohh, LET GO OF ME!" Hermione took all her angst and ripped free of Malfoy's grip. She sprinted down the narrow hallway, burst through the portrait hole, and ran for Gryffindor tower.

Malfoy sat, feeling rather defeated, in his emerald loveseat. He stared at the now empty hallway as if it was the cause of what had just happened. Why did he have to ruin everything?

---

Hermione would not let her stomach go by the night abusing her as it was. After sulking in the common room for about an hour whilst watching Dean and Seamus battle in a rather intense chess match, she decided to sneak down to the kitchens.

Upon tickling the pear and entering, Hermione found a seemingly unpleasant surprise. Instead of having every single working house-elf run towards her and tackle her as if she was the most amazing thing that had ever happened to this world, Hermione was greeted by no one. All the house-elves were flocked around another body in the kitchen- Draco Malfoy.

As if she hadn't already gotten her fill of him. With a disgusted look, Hermione flicked off Malfoy's smile and isolated one of the house-elves. She requested a simple chicken sandwhich and some tea. The house-elf gave Hermione an extra-large smile, bowed, and then ran off to prepare her meal.

Malfoy finished his own meal, and then walked over to Hermione.

"Granger, I suggest that you play nicely tomorrow. It's Slytherin vs. Gryffindor, and you never know what might happen." Malfoy made for an evil grin.

"Shove off, Malfoy." Hermione spat.

Malfoy opened his mouth to say something, but he never got to- Hermione had shoved the puking pastille into Malfoy's mouth, and he, shocked, had bitten down and swallowed. Immediately his face swelled up into a swamp-green, and Malfoy's cheeks filled. His expression was foul, and he gave Hermione an incredibly dirty look as he ran out of the kitchens. Hermione was proud- if only Harry had seen!

The house-elf Hermione had ordered from came bustling in, completely oblivious to the fact that all of the other house-elves were staying well away from Hermione. He bowed, smiled, and bade Hermione a good night. She thanked him happily, and, her mood vastly improved, skipped out of the portrait hole.

For the next few weeks Draco Malfoy did not go near Hermione Granger. He had moved himself up to the first seat in the Potions classroom while Hermione stayed in the back next to Harry. Draco did not seek her out on the nights students went to Hogsmeade, nor did he look for her in the corridors. As a matter of fact, Hermione was beginning to feel that her beautifully perpetrated pastille trick had shut up Malfoy for good. Perhaps he'd never come back again.

And in a way, he didn't. The next time Hermione uttered a word with Draco was when she went to speak to him herself.

It had been a long night, a chilly one at that, and the end of November. A light snow graced the grounds of Hogwarts as the Hufflepuff quidditch team filed back into the castle after a late night's grueling practice. Yet none of these players heard the desperate screams of a first year from just a floor below the entrance hallway.
"That muffling jinx should shut him up pretty well," a young Slytherin boy said to his companion while brushing off his hands. "I'd say that was a job well done. Nicely carried out on your part, as well, Horton," the boy walking alongside him smiled for a moment. "…I didn't expect your bat-bogey hex to be that dreadful." The smug grin left the companion's face quickly, and the boy remained silent. "Anyway," the taller Ravenclaw continued, picking up his pace as he walked, "I think we'll have just enough time to take his belongings. Horton, your job is to tie up all his house clothes- and that includes ties and underwear, mind you- in a bundle. Then you'll need to take them out and throw them in the lake. While you're in the Hufflepuff common room, paint our slogan on the head banner in green paint. Just so they know…"
"…not to mess with purebloods. Yeah, I got it." Horton grumbled, averting his eyes from the taller boy's dominating gaze.
"Good," The tall Slytherin said. "And you know exactly where to find me when you're done."
"Yes, Sir." Horton replied in a gloomy tone. The taller boy gave him a very hard pat on the back and the pair separated ways.

Hermione found Draco lounging in his char at the front of Potions class just the next morning, his feet relaxed on top of the desk. She ran into the classroom with her hair bushier than ever, and clutching in her hands a bundled Hufflepuff banner and a sobbing first-year student. Hermione's gaze was wide-eyed and fierce; it was serious in all manners but also demanding of Draco's utmost attention.
"This is ridiculous! The third one in a week, and I finally have come to confronting you in class! You leave me with no other option, Malfoy. You know, I can't run this circus on my own. There are two bloody Heads for a reason. And if you don't mind, I'd like you help on this scenario. Now poor young Jimmy here wa-"
"Miss Granger." The deep, rumbling voice of Professor Vulkrop cut into Hermione's words with great defiance. She tensed her grip on the banner and students and glared even harder at Malfoy.
"Yes, Professor?"
"May I request that you transfer this civil discussion outside the classroom premises? I'm sure Mr. Malfoy would enjoy this conversation much more if it were under more private circumstances."
"Of course, sir." Hermione shoved the banner into Jimmy's trembling hands and, with her free arm, grabbed Malfoy by the crook of his elbow and dragged him out the door.
"Granger, we really don't have to do this," Malfoy began, trying to look as innocent as possible.
"Oh, but we do," Hermione responded with a hint of anger on her tongue. "Now I have a lot of responsibilities as a Head in this school, but taking care of the entire clown act myself is not listed under those terms and conditions. If we're going to do this, we're going to do it together. I don't care if you have grown yet another goddamn grudge against me, because I'm used to putting up with that crap. But this time you are taking it too far, and I need you to bloody help me out once in a while. Got that?"
Malfoy looked shaken. "As you wish, Granger," he replied sarcastically, yet in an incredibly unstable voice.
"Oh, you can barely hold yourself together. Get over it, Draco! Just get over it! This isn't a personal job, this is your responsibility as a student. Now take Jimmie's other shoulder for me and let's get him to the hospital wing."
The two of them got Jimmie to limp halfway down the corridor before he collapsed in a cold sweat. The first-year started trembling worse than ever, and without hesitation Draco scooped him up and threw him over his shoulder like a potato sack. Hermione marched alongside with the banner as they climbed staircase after staircase, all silent but for the occasional moans and groans coming from Jimmie. Upon reaching the hospital wing, Draco dumped the first-year onto the last empty hospital bed, and then exited alone, leaving Hermione to watch over Jimmie herself while Madame Pomfrey gave him an anti-shock drug.
"I can't believe him," Hermione muttered under her breath, frustrated. Madame Pomfrey looked up at her, cocking a grin.
"Isn't he supposed to be helping you?" she inquired pleasantly, tucking Jimmy's bedsheets in tighter at the sides.
"Yes, he's my partner as Head Boy. Yet lately I can never seem to get him to stick around for longer than a few seconds. But here's my question; how on earth am I supposed to manage all of the schools problems on my own? There's two Heads for a reason! He can't just keep running away all the time, I'm starting to get so sick of it!"
Madame Pomfrey's grin was gone, and she had returned to staring intently at Jimmy's sheets. Hermione gave a huff before leaning forward to rest her chin on her hands. Just as she got up to leave, however, Madame Pomfrey added one last comment.
"I think he likes you, that boy," she said to Hermione with her back turned. "You'll never believe me, I know it sounds as truthful as me telling you that Azkaban is a great place to live. But I just look at his eyes every time he takes a glance at you, girl, and that's a look I've seen very rarely in people your age. You might want to look into it."
But that was the last thing that Hermione ever thought she would want to look into… Draco Malfoy as her lover. Yeah, maybe when hell froze over.

The first snowflake that fell on Hogwarts grounds that year was greeted with innumerable cheers from the students that were cooped up indoors. One, two, three, then thousands of snowflakes cascading down from the sky all at once. Millions, after that trillions spiraling down in an incredible snowstorm that shocked Hogwarts school at the end of November. Yes, a wizard sees many strange things, but the change of weather from simplistic to severe in less than two seconds is something that anyone would be amazed at.

Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione all sat together in the Gryffindor Common Room crowding around the fireplace that roared with dancing flames. Outside of their circle at least one hundred Gryffindors of all years pressed themselves against the windows, watching as they looked out on what was nothing more than a straight whiteout. Noses were smooshed against the glass, turning bright red from the cool surface, while others pressed hands desperately against the container. It was as if the students had never even seen a snowstorm before.
"I absolutely will not have this," Harry groaned, glaring into the fire that snapped in front of him. "It was going to be the biggest game of the midseason, you know. Gryffindor versus Slytherin. We've been doing only the most harsh training regime, you know, and then… it's all blown off. 'Rescheduled,' well that's bullshit, we're never going to be as good as we are today. Today was the peak of our training, all for this match, and now they've canceled it because of weather complications! I mean, honestly! There have been games held in the past where storms were so bad, half the spectators died just trying to watch from the stands! I mean, honestly!" He threw his hands down in rage. Ginny began to stroke his hair, pulling him into her arms and kissing the top of his ear.
"Baby, they wouldn't even be able to see you. The game would be pointless, I swear, and you'd have to have all your body parts thawed because of severe frostbite. You'd be in the hospital wing for weeks, we'd never get to see you." She started to kiss his neck, then going back up and laying tiny smooches all across his jawline. Harry smiled, and Ginny began to grin when she noticed the bump in his pants. "Come on sweetie, upstairs you're going. I have just the right medicine for you."
Ron rolled his eyes as he watched his little sister rendezvous up the staircase along with her boyfriend, scrambling into the boy's dormitories and slamming the door behind them.
"I'm out," Ron grumbled, getting up from his chair and moseying on over the window, standing with his arms crossed behind at least 150 other students gazing out at the snowfall. Hermione sat still in her chair, looking into the flames as if they contained all the answers for her every question. But no, there was nothing like that. Nothing at all… but wait, what was that? She could swear it was a face… forming amongst the flames, and the sparks and logs…. No, it wasn't floo powder… who would even want to be talking to her right now anyway? And yet there she could see it, something deep within those flames. Hermione got out of her chair and knelt right in front of the fire. She could feel the heat burning into her forehead, making her cheeks and her chin start to sweat. Yet Hermione didn't even raise a hand to wipe it off. She just kept staring, looking for that face that she knew she had just seen. And then, she caught it. There it was, hidden amongst the sparks and the crackling flames that kept dancing in the same pattern. A pattern that formed every feature of that ever so familiar and taunting face… the sharply defined jawline, the eyes as cold as ice. Draco Malfoy was sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room's fireplace.

"DRACO!" The name slipped out of Hermione in a very harsh whisper. A grin took shape on the face in the flames.
"Hermione… I needed to talk to you." He began. Hermione's face became beyond one of confusion.
"What the hell do you want to talk to me about? Because it's obviously nothing to do with our job as Heads, I know you've already opted out of that one, so what in Merlin's name do you want-"
"I want to talk to you about relationships," Draco cut in, silencing Hermione's rant.
"…What?!"
"No, you heard me. Relationships. Do I need to spell it out, or-"
"I am perfectly wonderful at grammar, but thank you for your kind offer, Mr. Malfoy. Now if you don't mind, I think I'll need to be leaving n-" Hermione was cut off yet again.
"I need your input, Granger!" Draco's voice was stern, and with forcefulness. Hermione hesitated, but sat herself back down in front of the fire.
"I just don't want to talk about this with you right here, right now. This is my common room, Malfoy, not my private space."
"Fine. Prefect's bathroom, then. And right away, too, Granger." Draco's face disappeared without a last thought. Hermione sat in front of the fire, too anxious to move. It wasn't until Ron stumbled over that she was snapped out of her reverie to respond.
"What the fuck was that, Hermione?" Ron asked her, put with an expression of hurt and distrust.
"You have no reason to be upset, Ronald, Draco is a friend of mine now. And I am no longer yours, clearly," Hermione threw in the last word with a sharp tongue, making Ron jerk back in shock. Without another word, she leapt up from her stance on the ground and then hurried out through the portrait hole.

The Prefect's Bathroom was quite possibly one of the most secluded and quiet places in the whole of Hogwarts' school. While it was built specially for Prefects, and was beyond that of star quality, hardly any of the qualified students ever used it. It was simply for the preference of easy access bathrooms that many of the Prefects often forgot about the place. And it was, simply, the reason why the portrait woman was snoozing fast asleep by the time Hermione arrived.
"Nutmeg Nougats," Hermione pronounced in a quiet voice, which echoed throughout the hallowed halls. A chill was creeping through the deserted corridor, and the eeriness of the moment made Hermione want to get inside the bathroom sooner than she had originally wanted to. However, the portrait continued to snooze, each one getting louder and more obnoxious as it continued. Realizing her situation, Hermione stood up taller and yelled at the top of her voice, "NUTMEG NOUGATS," letting it echo through the entire school five times. This woke the lazy portrait, and the woman jumped out of her chair with all the energy of ten cats getting electrocuted at once.
"Good Golly, my dear, don't be too loud now, you'll wake the other paintings! Honestly, have a little respect…" Hermione rolled her eyes at this comment before stepping through the hole that the woman had just swung aside to reveal. She slammed herself back over it with attitude in response to Hermione's mean expression.
Inside the bathroom it was even colder than the corridor. A second chill crept up Hermione's spine as she searched the dim and even misty room for any sign of Draco. Five toilet stalls lined the western wall, and straight ahead a row of sinks were perched directly underneath a colossal, ornate mirror. Behind her Hermione spotted quite a few portraits, all fast asleep under the moonlight that crept in through the tall stained glass windows that overwhelmed the eastern side. Her gaze dropped down from the ceiling, Hermione's eyes fell on the bath, which took up little more than 50% of the entire room and was placed directly underneath the wide dome canopy. 500 faucets hung over the center of the pool, where even more bubbles than snowflakes outside had congregated. Hermione was intrigued, creeping up to the side of the bath where candles had been lit. Perhaps the house-elves had already visited this place, she thought. Yes, they did every night, always readying the room just in case a visitor did happen to stop in for a midnight bath.
A desperate gasp for air and a body splashing through the surface of the water made Hermione jump about five feet back from the pool. Draco had emerged from its depths, his hair plastered back over his pale head and his eyes boring into hers as he started to lift his trunk out of the water.
"Stop," Hermione said, warning him off. Draco froze, holding all his body weight up with his arms. His pale white torso was dripping with water, his arms flexed and the veins prominent through the skin. The way the droplets of bathwater fell off his skin and left a gloss over his abdomen made him look like he was partially Veela. Draco held an impatient expression, waiting for Hermione's cue so that he might be able to move out of discomfort.
"Well? Are you gonna keep me sitting here forever?" Draco was starting to groan from exhaustion. Yet Hermione's eyes were locked on his sculpted body, and the tension in the room rose when Draco noticed this.
"Listen, Granger…" the use of Hermione's last name jerked her out of her daydream. It was like being stung, the fact that he was on a last-name basis once again. "I don't mean to alarm you. But I need to ask a favor."
Hermione, now giving him a little more attention, threw a freshly dried towel at Draco's wet body. He snatched it out of the air and Hermione turned her head to the side so as to let Draco drag his naked body out of the water in private.
"All wrapped up," he told her, and she looked up to find that not only was Draco's waist toweled, but he had also moved several paces towards her.
"Good," Hermione spoke the single word with the rest of her mind hooked on something else. Never in her life had she seen- even imagined- a body this sculpted, this beautifully shaped, this… sexy. She knew that it was the last thing that she ever wanted to let run through her head, but nevertheless it began to take her over as Draco continued to advance on her innocent frame and his scent beckoned her closer….
An aroma of musky rosewood and cinnamon filled Hermione's nostrils, weighing her down with attraction as the heavy scent overtook her senses. The bubbles had worked their magic, alright; Draco sure did smell clean, but it was more than that. The fresh towel lifted the heavy scent that had always naturally come off of Draco. It was one of his main hooks on getting the girls into his bed; they simply sniffed the air around him and their brains melted into lust-driven control centers. But this time was different. Perhaps it was Dracos' half-naked body, or perhaps it was his sudden intimacy that was beginning to drive Hermione nuts… either way, the musk was taking a strong hold on her original thought process.
"So I wanted us to have a little talk," Draco began, his voice slow and soothing. His fingers grazed Hermione's jawline as he reached up slowly to tuck a lock of golden hair behind her ear. "It's not a big deal, it's just a little thing on the subject of…" his lips parted as he leaned forward to whisper the last words into her ear, "casual relationships."
Hermione jerked back a little, but Draco grasped her ear with his thumb and forefinger to keep her close. Their eyes connected, Hermione's brown eyes looking as innocent as ever and Draco's icy grey ones steering her down.
"What do you mean by 'casual' relationships?" Hermione questioned, the words all slipping out at once in one quick sentence.
"I mean…" Draco snaked his arm around her waist, pulling her in close to him again. "sex."
His lips were crashing down on hers before she could utter another word; Hermione's arms began to grope at Draco's back whist he rammed her into the cold stone wall behind them and slid his tongue into her sweet-tasting mouth. Their lips locked and their figures intertwined, Draco leading her every movement and dominating her smaller sized body. His lips grazed her cheek and then moved across to just below her earlobe, where his breath washed over her senses once more and gave her body a tingling chill down her neck. Draco's hands began to make their way down Hermione's body, across her busty chest and slowly massaging her aroused breasts. With care he continued, tickling his fingers down her stomach and over the front of her skirt before lifting the silky material and slithering his way up through the side of her undies. Hermione let out a moan as his fingers began to gently rub her clit, moving slowly in circles before taking the pad of his thumb and rubbing it up and down on the most sensitive peak of the vulva. Another much louder and sensual groan escaped Hermione's throat, and her hips began to twist as Draco rubbed her harder. Slowly he slipped in one finger, moving it in time with his thumb, and thrusting deeply inside of her. Hermione's breath grew shallow as he inserted a second and then third finger, using a beckoning motion while deep inside her to activate her most orgasmic spot. A scream slipped out of Hermione, echoing across the wide stone room. Draco muffled her moans with his hand and she continued to squirm, completely held at the mercy of Draco Malfoy. But just as she was about to peak, Draco slid his fingers out of her.
"No," she cried, desperate for more. But Draco only laughed.
"Oh, you'll get more, my darling," he began, a smirk etched onto his pale face, "but only on the conditions that I had previously brought up. You have to agree to being my fuck buddy. The girl who can and will be in my bed at 2 in the morning if I need her to. The girl who will allow me to fuck her brains out during N.E.W.T.s , and also the girl who can bring me to my most vulnerable and merciful moments all with a few tricks of her mouth. Can you do that for me, Hermione?" Draco's lips were centimeters away from hers, and her breath was still quick-paced.
"Y- yes, Draco." Hermione complied, and a smile cracked across Draco's face.
"That's what I wanna hear, you dirty little muggle born," Draco murmured into her skin, kissing her neck and then meeting her pouted red lips with his once again.