Chapter 1: School's In

Hermione said her final farewells to her parents as she got ready to go through the barrier between platforms nine and ten to Platform nine and three quarters.

"Goodbye, I love you both and I'll be back for Christmas," Hermione said as she hugged her parents.

Hermione took her cart and ran through the barrier to Platform nine and three quarters to the Hogwarts Express.

She spotted a bunch of redheads in the crowd along with a black haired boy. "Harry! Ron! Ginny!"

"Hermione," the three said in unison as they started to run to her.

"How have you all been?

"It's been good, same old same old," Harry answered.

"We got to go to a few Quidditch matches," Ron said eagerly.

"I'm sorry I couldn't come to the Burrow this year but you know how parents can be about 'Family Time.'"

"Oh! I know all to well," said Ron. Ginny then elbowed him in the ribs.

"I hear that you're Head Girl this year, is that true?" Ginny questioned. "I wonder who Head Boy is though."

"Yes, and I'm so happy, I've worked so hard for it. I wonder who it is too. Dumbledore didn't say in my letter." Hermione said.

"Well, well, well if it isn't Scarhead and his pathetic little followers," Malfoy said as he sauntered to them.

"Shut it Malfoy," said Hermione.

"How dare you tell me what to do, Mudblood!" Malfoy spat.

"Sod off Malfoy," Ron said angrily. The four of them just walked away from the boy who they had all hated since the first day in first year.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny got their trunks and boarded the train forgetting the confrontation with Malfoy.

"Sorry guys, but I've got to go sit in the Head compartment for the ride, see you once we get there," Hermione said apologetically.

Hermione left her friends and went to sit in the Head compartment waiting to see who the Head boy would be. While she waited she took out her DADA books and starting reading them for the second time.

"Oh, great I get stuck with the Mudblood as Head Girl," Malfoy said as he walked into the compartment.

Oh no, Hermione thought. "Malfoy get over it, because we're going to have to work together," she said.

"I don't have to get over it."

"Well now that you're here, we should call the prefects up for a meeting."

"Yeah ,fine, whatever."

All in all, the meeting with the prefects went fine, except for Malfoy's occasional rude comments. Once the meeting was done they both had to remain in the compartment to talk with Professor McGonagall about their additional duties and privileges. One of which was the ability to plan parties thrown throughout the year such as balls, special feasts and what-not. They finally arrived at Hogwarts after the long train ride on the Hogwarts Express. It was raining.

"Oh great, this is just what I need," Hermione said in an annoyed tone.

"Are you afraid that your hair will get all frizzy? Oh, wait I don't think that's possible since it's already a big frizz ball," Malfoy said.

"Don't you have anything better to do than insult me, Malfoy?"

"I have plenty to do, I just enjoy tormenting you."

"Oh my god, you actually admit to that," Hermione gasped as she put her hand on her chest acting like she was going to faint. They headed off toward Hogwarts in a stony silence.

The feast was just as grand as ever, thought not everyone was enjoying themselves. Hermione was still upset from the confrontation with Malfoy earlier. She didn't know why it bothered her so much this time but it just did. I thought that this year would be different. I hoped Malfoy would have grown up a bit and have found someone else to bother, (not that I would wish that on anyone) but I guess I was wrong. Hermione thought. Something bad is going to happen if I continue to let him get to me.

As for Malfoy he was still extremely angered that he had to come back to this dreadful place and to make matters even worse would have to share Head duties with "that filthy Mudblood" as he so fondly called her. Why did that crazy old man have to choose her as head girl? I rather work with Parkinson. Wait, no I'd wouldn't but it just shows how bad it is if I'm willing to even think of working with Parkinson. He probably wanted to have his so called "Interhouse Unity." Ha! Like that'll ever happen, especially with the two of us.

Their thoughts were interrupted by Dumbledore starting his yearly welcoming speech.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. I'll keep it short this year. This year's theme is Interhouse Unity and to help put that into action are out Head girl and boy, Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy." Everyone clapped once he was finished. "Let the feast begin."

After the Sorting Ceremony and the feast, Dumbledore asked Hermione and Malfoy to stay after so he could talk to them about their new living arrangements.

"Since you are Head girl and boy you will be required to share living quarters," Dumbledore stated. Noticing the look of disgust on both of their faces he added, "Don't worry you have separate bedrooms."

Both students were able to breathe easier after hearing this.

"Without further ado let's head to your quarters," the headmaster said.

The three walked down the corridor from the Great Hall and went up the staircase. They kept going up more and more staircases. Neither of the two students even knew what floor they were on anymore, and it seemed that they would never get there. Hermione asked, "Sir, where exactly are our quarters?"

"That, young lady you will find out once we get there," Dumbledore said.

Great, just great we're being brought on a wild goose chase by this crazy old coot, thought Malfoy.

After a few more long corridors and stairs, Dumbledore finally stopped in front of a large painting of faeries circling around a fire. "Now the password is entirely up to you," the old man said.

Hermione asked, "What floor are we on, and is there any easier way to get here then the way you brought us?"

"We are on the 6th floor, and there are a few secret passage somewhere around, but you're going to have to find them yourselves," Dumbledore answered.

God why can't the old coot just tell us…no we have to 'fine them ourselves, Draco thought.

"I'll leave you two to think up a password," Dumbledore said as he left.

Hmm, what would be a good embarrassing password? She thought evilly. I've got it, Pixie.

"How about Pixie," she said devilishly. "It would fit with the painting anyways."

"No way. Too girly," he spat.

"Well can you think of anything better," Hermione retorted.

Malfoy, knowing that he was stuck, said, "Fine we'll use that for now," in a proud yet somewhat defeated tone.

"The password is Pixie," she said to the painting. The faeries started to flutter faster and faster until the painting swung in that to lead to the Heads common room.

The common room was a mixture of green and red blended together perfectly. On the right there was a huge lite fireplace which casts an orange glow over the room. In front of the fireplace were a couch and two big chairs. In the center was a large bookcase with different magical books including each of their school books. On the other side of the room was a large circular table with bottles of ink and extra quills for them to use.

"Oh my god, it's beautiful," Hermione squealed as she ran over to the bookcase.

"Stupid Mudblood," Malfoy muttered to himself. "It's too bright in here," he said loudly.

"Oh please, it is not, you're just mad because it's not complete darkness and you're stuck here with me. News flash Malfoy, it's not like it's a pleasure cruise for me either," she retorted.

"You know what, I don't want to listen to you," he said as he headed up to his room.

"Chicken," Hermione said with a bit of laughter in her voice.

"How dare you speak to me that way, you filthy little Mudblood."

"Was that supposed to scare me? Because it certainly didn't"

"Well you should be scared you don't know how much I can hurt you," he said. Not that I ever would, I'm not like my father, he thought to himself.

"What? Are you gonna get your little 'Death Eater' buddies to come after me?"

"I am nota Death Eater," Malfoy said angered at such an accusation.

"Right like I'm supposed to believe that you son of Lucius Malfoy, most notorious Death Eater, Voldemort's right hand man, and hater of muggle-borns isn't a Death Eater?" Stepping closer to him as she said this.

"Believe it or not Granger, I'm not nor will I ever be a Death Eater," Malfoy said taking a step closer to Hermione. There was now less than a half a foot between them.

Speechless from his confession Hermione sputtered out, "Okay," and walked away. Draco Malfoy. Not going to become a Death Eater? Maybe he's not as bad as I thought he was .no that still doesn't change the fact that he hates all muggle-borns and my best friends. And we can't forget everything he's done in the past six years to make ours lives a living hell, Hermione thought on her way to her room.

"Password is pamplemousee," she said to the portrait of a young woman hanging in front of her bedroom entrance.

"Wow," she gasped as she saw the amazing colors of her canopy bed. The walls were a deep red. The drapes on the windows were red and gold. The rest of the furniture was gold. Off to the left was a door Hermione assumed lead to the bathroom.

"I'll check it out tomorrow," she said to herself getting ready for bed.

Malfoy still standing in his doorway thinks, why didn't she say anything? She just walked away, did she actually believe me? Doubt it, but it doesn't matter?

"The password is Mudblood," Malfoy said to the portrait of a young man. The thought of the fight still present in his mind. "Such a horrible password," the man said snottily.

He just ignored the painting and walks into his room. His room was exactly the same as Hermione's except in Slytherin colors and much darker.

Looking around his room he walked into the adjoined bathroom half expecting to see Hermione there but she wasn't. "I guess she just went to bed," he muttered

The bathroom was about the same size as the bedrooms, yet all in black marble. There was a huge tub and shower. "Might as well," Malfoy said as he got ready to take a shower.

When Hermione awoke she went to take a shower. When she entered she was amazed at how big it was and had never seen such a large bathroom before. She thought the black marble was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen.

Hermione took her shower and got all her things ready for the day. She crossed the common room and went out the portrait to the sixth floor corridor.

She looked around and didn't recognize anything. "Great, just great," Hermione muttered.

Draco Malfoy got up early in the hope of finding those damn secret passages and to avoid Hermione. He definitely wasn't in the mood to deal with her early in the morning. Since he already took a shower, he got dressed and headed out of the portrait.

He wasn't paying attention when he walked out the portrait and ended up ramming into Hermione.

"Damn it Granger," Malfoy said angrily.

"You should have been watching where you were going," she retorted.

"Well you shouldn't have stopped right in front of the portrait." This is exactly what I was trying to avoid, I don't feel like dealing with her today.

"What are you doing up this early anyways?

"What difference does it make to you?"

"It's just a simple question."

"I was planning on looking for the secret passages that that crazy old man wouldn't show us," Malfoy said.

"Same here. We might as well look for them together since we need them to get to class anyway."

Can't hurt can it? I'll be quicker with two instead of one. He thought. "Sure why not, but I'm not looking with you. I'll go to the left."

"Fine, but you better tell me if you find any," Hermione snapped.

"And what if I don't? Are your little 'boyfriends' going to come hunt me down?"

"One, they aren't my boyfriends and two I'll be the one to hex you into oblivion."

"I'm so scared, I'm shaking in my boots, and just for your information I know curses you don't know even existed."

"Why don't we shake on it? If either of us finds any passages, we must tell the other," Hermione said as she put out her hand.

He looked at her hand in disgust but against his better judgment he shook her hand. After all he wanted to seem like he could be trusted.

"Now I'm going to have to wash my hand for days to get the all the filth off it," Malfoy said in a disgusted voice.

"Get over yourself Malfoy," Hermione snorted.

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