DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter DUH!

I stared out the window of the Hogwarts Express. The rolling hills and bundles of trees seemed to stretch on endlessly no matter which way you looked. It was comforting. I knew I was close to home.

It was nice to be going back. Hogwarts had allowed all the previous years students to return. Since last year Voldemort's regime had taken over the cirriculum had been interupted. So it was only fair. Harry, Ron and I saw no reason not to go back. We could go back for a normal seventh year.

"Right Hermione?" Ron said my name, pulling me out of my daze. I looked over. He and Harry had been having a rousing debate on who was going to win the Quidditch world cup this year. As usual I wasn't going to take sides, since I knew it only feed wood to the fire.

"Are you all right?" Harry asked, noticing the distant feeling.

"Yes I'm fine," I smiled, "…did you realize that this will be our first normal year at Hogwarts?"

"Normal year?" Ron echoed with a frown.

"Yes normal," I laughed, "Think about it, every other year was filled with the war and talk of Voldemort. This will be our first year where we can only worry about school, and friends." We all let that sink in for a moment. I was right though. This was the first time where Ron, Harry and I had been alone all together since the war. It was also the first time we were in a carriage, just the three of us, heading to school with high hopes of a great year.

"Harry," Someone slid the door open and interrupted the silence. It was Ginny. She smiled at him, an expectant look crossing her face. Harry stood up, "I'll be back."

Ron scowled as his best friend and his sister left the compartment and headed out of sight.

"Ron," I smiled.

"What?" he objected, "it's my best mate and my little sister. How do you want me to act."

"Think about what it's like though, for Harry I mean. His two best friends…" I squeezed his hand, which had held mine the whole train ride so far. That seemed to get rid of everything else for him, since he leaned over and pressed his lips softly against mine. Yes, I definently had hopes for this year, it was going to be normal and finally I could focus on school and just school. It was the first time I didn't have to worry about my two best friends dying, and I could focus on making sure one of them wasn't just my best friend anymore.

The rest of the ride wasn't anything special, nor was the carriage ride up to the castle, considering almost everyone except for the first years could now see the thestrals that pulled them. Dinner was more mindless chatter. There really wasn't any news I needed to hear. Almost everyone just talked about how they celebrated the end of the dark age.

It wasn't until halfway through dinner something interesting happened. Neville handed me a note, saying that I was expected in the Headmaster's office right after dinner. I excused myself early. Why would she want to speak with me before start of term.

As I entered the Headmaster's study I realized this was the first time I couldn't expect Dumbledore to be waiting for me. It was odd. As I entered my eyes immediately fell on the emerald cloaked woman who sat at the old desk.

"Good evening Hermione. Good to see you,"

"Evening Professor McGonigall," I said with a smile. She looked up from her writing and put down her quill.

"Come take a seat," she motioned to the chair across from her. I cautiously moved forwards when I heard another voice that made me freeze.

"…and I don't see why I have to be here in the first place…" Draco entered muttering furiously under his breath. I stopped in my tracks. Why were we both called?

"Mr. Malfoy," the Headmaster sighed disapprovingly. He looked over at me and his eyes widened, "What is she doing here?"

"I assume you remember the conversation we had earlier this year ." she said patiently. I frowned, confused. He seemed to understand though, since his eyes widened even more and he began to protest. His words were all lost as they began to argue.

"Excuse me…" I tried to interrupt.

"Excuse me Professor!" I said a little louder. They stopped and looked back at me.

"Miss Granger. I am sorry. I have called you here tonight to discuss a predicament that has come up." She said with a sorry look in her eyes. I looked over at Draco who was studying me like he had never seen me before, disgust written across his face.

"What?"

"It appears you are all in honors classes. You are rightfully so as well." She said, "However as you may know we require all honors students to have a minimum of sixty hours of tutoring another student."

I was aware of the rule in fact. I had always thought that I had been exempt though, seeing as how the whole Voldemort, finding horcruxes thing seemed paramount.

"What are you saying?" I asked. I suddenly realized what she was saying.

"You expect me to tutor Draco Malfoy?" I demanded angrily. It was bad enough that he even dared to come back to Hogwarts this year, let alone expect one of his worst enemies to teach him advanced magic.

"I will not be taught by that… that…"

"Watch it!" The Headmaster said slightly annoyed. She got up from her desk and came around to the front. It was weird seeing her without Dumbledore in the study as well.

"You two will both just have to deal with each other. Draco if you don't learn this you will be expelled and Hermione if you don't teach him I will not permit you to take your honors classes. You have to be a tutor and Draco is the only one who needs it." She tried to reason. I crossed my arms as I looked over at Draco. We didn't have a choice.

"All right, please head to your dormitories. Your first session will be tomorrow in the library at two. If you are not there I will know." She said as she took her seat once more. That seemed to be the end of it though. She turned away and headed back to her desk.

I hurried out of the room, Draco followed quickly.

"I really hate you," he spat from behind me.

"You know you're the most vile…"

"Draco Malfoy!" I whipped my wand out of my pocket and pointed it right at his nose.

"You better shut your mouth before I decide I don't need this," I said angrily. That seemed to shut him up. I was obviously better at spells than him. Slowly he relaxed. He pushed his blonde hair out of his face and crossed his arms as he waited for me to go on.

"We aren't going to get out of this," I said, "So please just be there. We'll keep it short."

"Fine. But I will not associate with you anywhere else," with that he pulled out his wand and stormed off towards the dungeons. I waited until he was completely out of sight before heading up to the Gryffindor tower. I already felt drained and it was only the first day.

The common room was full of people as usual. Most of them still talking about their summer and what they did to celebrate the end of the war. Harry and Ron sat on the couch with a few others talking about the new Weird Sisters album that had come out in honor of Voldemort's death.

"Hermione!" Ron called me over. I smiled as he pulled me onto his lap and kissed my cheek.

"Aww!" The others cheered. I blushed but laughed.

"What did McGonagall want to talk to you about?" Harry asked immediately.

"Just some courses." I lied. I decided it was best not to tell them that I had to tutor Draco. Harry would get annoyed and I knew Ron would go to beat him up personally. I really needed the credit and without tutoring I couldn't be in all the classes I wanted. Draco was my only ticket and I had to take it no matter how horrible a person he was.

Author's Note: Hi, I really needed to ship Dramione so it would be cool if you guys could review to tell me what you think and tell me how I could make this better. Thank you!