Chapter 1
Draco and Hermione walked into the headmasters office, their despise for each other clearly evident on their faces. They each sat down on an overstuffed couch, each on an opposite end from each other. Dumbledore sat behind his desk, with his normal cheery glint smiling at the two seventh years.
"You wanted to see us, headmaster." Hermione said, trying to be as pleasant as possible.
"Yes." Dumbledore leaned back, still smiling. "You two, as head boy and head girl, need to be a team. The duties assigned to you are to be preformed together."
"Why does it mater that our duties are preformed by the two of us? Just as long as it gets done." Draco asked.
"This meeting isn't about things not getting done, or how. It's about you two. You both are suppose to be a role model to the younger students, an example that two different houses can get along." Dumbledore looked between each student. "You two will remain here during winter holiday." There was no reaction from either of the students. "There is a small room at the top of the east tower. You will both share it for two weeks. Your trunks have been moved, along with any other personal items."
"We have to live together?" Hermione asked, stunned.
"Yes." Dumbledore stood up and walked around his desk. "Now, if you'll come with me I'll take you to your room." The students got up and followed the headmaster.
It took about ten minutes to get to the room and as soon as the teens walked into the room, Dumbledore left.
The room was small, yet warm. One four poster bed was made up with green sheets, the other four poster bed had red sheets. There was a small fireplace, but nothing else.
"Lets lay down some rules." Draco said, watching the girl.
"Oh, bite me." Hermione snapped back.
"Well, my, my, someone is moody." Draco sneered. Hermione shook her head and laid down on the red covered bed. "What no snapping, no angry out-burst?" Draco narrowed his eyes, watching the girl.
"I'm not in the mood to trade insults." Hermione sighed, turning her back to the boy.
"What, Weasley didn't get you what you wanted for Christmas?" Draco taunted the girl, the sound of students exiting the school echoing from outside.
"No, I saw him cheating on me this morning. Happy, now go snicker with your friends, tell them that the stupid mudblood can't even keep a boy happy. Merlin, you are a bloody twit." Hermione got off the bed while yelling at the boy, unshed tears making her eyes glisten.
"I." Draco started. He pursed his lips and stormed out of the room.
Hermione groaned and laid down on her bed, crawling under the sheets. She had been dating Ron since the end of her sixth year. She thought everything was going well until she found him on top of a forth year. It had been that morning, after which she hid in her room until she got an owl from Dumbledore.
Hermione was going to stay at the school over the winter holiday whether she wanted to or not. Her parents were moving to France, telling Hermione that she'd need to find her own place after the year ended.
Her life seemed to be in shambles now and she didn't need Draco shoved in her face. She had always found the boy attractive, even through his taunting, Hermione felt attracted to the man.
After a few hours Draco walked back into the room, finding the fire dwindling and Hermione fast asleep. Draco threw a log on the fire and changed for bed. He laid in bed and stared at the fire. His friends had all left, but he didn't care, he hated them, he hated his family. He went along with everyone until the winter of sixth year. He went home and thought everything was normal until Christmas Eve. He heard his mother screaming and ran towards her. He found his father and Voldemort standing above the limp and lifeless form that was Narcissa Malfoy.
Draco refused to come home for the holidays, and avoided other Slytherins. Most nights he wondered the halls, or read in the library. Earlier in the year he was wandering the halls when he saw Hermione and Ron. Ron had the girl pinned against the wall, kissing her neck, but Hermione was trying to push the boy away, he didn't stop. He saw tears forming in the girl's eyes and wanted to help her. After a few more protests Ron broke away and stormed off, leaving the girl crying in the hall. From that day forward Draco held a new respect for the girl, and a new hatred for the Weasley.
Draco looked across the room at the girl and gulped. He knew she was hurting, he knew he had gone to far before, and he wanted to take it all back. He contemplated crawling in bed with the girl, holding her, telling her he didn't mean to make her cry.
Draco soon slipped off to sleep, dreaming of holding the girl just across the room from him. Hermione had been asleep for a little over an hour, clutching her sheets close, wishing they were the arms of her male roommate.