Hermione Granger was currently sitting between her two best friends while she reread her favorite book, Hogwarts: A History. Harry was trying to plan a date for himself and Ginny. Ron was shoving food in his mouth. Just a regular morning at Hogwarts. Hermione was glad that for once she could start her day without-
"Morning, Mudblood," She has thought to soon.
"Shove off, Malfoy. I'm having a wonderful morning and your presence is slowly diminishing it." She really couldn't be bothered with him today. Maybe if she had been a little more irritated she would have provoked him further, but Hermione was very content at the moment.
"All the more reason for me to stay!"
"Oh, just leave her alone Malfoy! Plus it looks like your snakes are waiting for you." Harry was referring to the fact that Pansy and Blaise had both been trying to get his attention ever since he had walked into the Great Hall.
"Alright I'll leave, but let me know when Granger's ready to fight her own battles." Draco stated as he sauntered off to the Slytherin table.
"Ugh! He is so infuriating! I can't believe he has the nerve to come over every morning just to torment you." Ginny spoke up from her seat next to Harry. You could tell the minute the words left her mouth that the wheels had started to spin in her head. "Why do you think he isalways tormenting you?"
"Because we've alwayshated each other." Hermione said as if it were a well known fact, which it kind of was. Even the first years knew that when they started a quarrel in the halls everyone should give them their space. Heaven forbid that one of their charms miss it's target and hit an innocent bystander. Not that it would. Hermione was the smartest witch of her age, and Draco was close second. They both had pretty spot on aim.
"I will never understand how you live with that ferret." Ron said around a mouth full of food. Yes, it was extremely sad but true. Hermione was, no surprise, one of the Heads for their seventh year. The other however, was Draco Malfoy. Being the two Heads meant that they were to live together and patrol along side each other.
"Ronald, please. Table manners would be nice. And as for living together, it's almost as if we don't. I mean I stay out of his way, and he mine. The only time we ever see each other is when we have to leave in the morning. And then there's patrolling, but we can also go with prefects so it's not that bad."
Hermione was sure that Ron would have countered her argument with something, but just then Dumbledore stood up. This simple motion was enough to make everyone in the Great Hall shut up.
"Students, I have noticed recently that there is still some tension between houses that was heighten by the war. I'm sure all of you are aware that Hogwarts has been promoting house unity, but I don't feel we've done an adequate job of applying it. That is why, starting today, we will be having a WeekofUnity. This week you will all participate in games and exercises that will ultimately allow you to get to know each other more. Hopefully you will all have a new found respect for another house. Oh, and you will hardly, if ever, be pared with someone from your house, so to start off the week I will be assigning you partners. In your free time you will be gathering information on them, and at the end of the week you will preform,share, or do something together for the school. Only seventh years will have to take part in this activity. The rest of you will be writing papers on the other houses. The list of pairings will be posted outside the Great Hall after lunch today. Have fun!" And with that Dumbledore strode out of the Great Hall leaving a heavy silence. Of course it only took a second for that silence to shatter. Everyone was now in a tizzy over who they would be pared with, what they would show the school, what activities would they be doing, the list went on and on. Even Hermione was worried.
"A whole week? That's a whole week of classes and study right down the drain! I can't believe Dumbledore would do something like this so close to the OWLS." Hermione was on the verge of a migraine. She sat with her head between her hands, and her elbows resting on the page she had been reading.
"Leave it to Hermione to stress over school when have bigger problems to deal with. Plus the OWLS aren't for another three months." Harry said in an attempt to console his friend.
"Oh really? And what other pressing matter did you have in mind that takes priority over your education?" The brunette snapped.
"Jeez, 'Mione. Calm down, all Harry's trying to say is that we have to try and figure out which one of us gets stuck with the ferret." Ron chimed in.
"And what makes you so curtain that one of you gets stuck with him?" Ginny, who hadn't been around for most of Malfoy's pranks and all around awfulness, asked.
"Only the small fact that he hates us and we despise him." Hermione informed Ginny.
"You know... The only one Malfoy really seems to have a problem with is you 'Mione. I mean sure the guy hates us," Ron gestured to himself and Harry, "But he always goes right for you with the jabs and insults."
"Well, there are a few reasons that could happen." Ginny may not have been an expert on ferrets but she was an expert on boys, "One reason may be that he simply sees you as weaker because your the only female part of the Golden Trio. Another may be that he, and I personally hate this reason, just despises muggle-born people. And last, which I can tell is going to be your least favorite, is that he probably has a crush on you."
The trio was silent for a moment before they all broke out trying to deny or prove with the last one.
"Well I can definitely see the sexual tension-"
"I mean really think about it Hermione. How he always-"
"There's no way the bloody ferret could ever be capable-"
The friends grew quite as they all realized that Hermione hadn't said a single thing yet.
"Not possible." And with that Hermione slammed her book shut, and walk out of the Great Hall. No one knew it but she was headed to her favorite corner in the library to sit and think, really think about what everyone had just said.
A stunned Great Hall was left behind her. Only the three friends knew why she had just stormed out, and to be honest even they weren't sure why. Everyone else quickly dismissed it. Except one Slytherin who was now asking himself, "Whats got Granger's panties in a twist?"