Disclaimer: If I owned Hermione and Draco, they'd be together!
A/N ~ So this is my first fanfic! :D Sort of disregards the epilogue of DH, in that none of them are married and there are no kids! ;D Please review, and please be nice!
"It's not gonna be that bad," Ron tried to assure Hermione as they ascended the small steps up to the platform 9 and three-quarters.
"I don't want to go back, not after so many people died!" Hermione's voice was choked with emotion that she'd been trying to bottle up.
McGonagall had decided that all the pupils from Hogwarts from last year should re-do their final years as if it were for the first time. Harry and Ron had been surprisingly happy to do so, and they were amazed at Hermione's reluctance.
"But you're like a walking, talking book!" Ron had said, earning himself a smack on the shoulder.
"You're head girl, you're gonna get the nicest dorm in the whole building!" Ron brought her back to the current as he gently pushed her through the pillar (read as: secret entrance). "And you only have to share it with one person. How bad can it be?"
Hermione just shook her head, peering over all the little first-years, trying to spot Harry. She'd had a growth spurt over the time they'd been away, causing her to tower over nearly everyone, including Ron, which he particularly hated.
Unfortunately, one other person seemed to have grown too.
"Mudblood," Draco Malfoy spat down at her as he passed, devoid of his usual cronies. Crabbe was long dead, and Goyle's parents had refused to send him back after what had happened. Hermione's lips pursed, but she let him pass freely. Her eyes followed his back though, as he weaved through the crowd easily, shoving anyone smaller or younger than him flying. What was behind all of that roughness? Nothing, was the answer. Draco Malfoy was like a robot: emotionless.
"Hermione?" Ron waved a hand in front of her face. She jumped, and glared at him. Then, before she could tell him she did possess the use of her eyes, a certain black-haired boy came into view, holding hands with a girl with long, ginger hair.
"Harry!" she cried, running over to him. Ron groaned, it'd only been a week since they'd seen them. Hermione flew into Harry's arms before letting him go quickly and grabbing Ginny.
"How was your holiday?" Harry and Ginny had gone to Hawaii with Bill and Percy, to get away for a while. Ron, to Hermione's dismay, had opted out, and ordered that she did to. Ginny grinned at her.
"Awesome," she slid a sideways peek at Harry, who was looking at her as if the world revolved around her, "I kicked Harry's butt at Quidditch!" Harry gasped.
"It was three on one!" He argued. Ginny smirked.
"Yeah, you Bill and Percy against me!" They started arguing, but their laughs were obvious. Hermione smiled, then looked at Ron. His expression was sullen and his arms were crossed moodily.
"Ron? What's wrong?" His frown deepened, and he glanced at Harry, ignoring her. Realisation dawned on Hermione.
"Honestly, Ronald, one hug does not constitute a love affair." Ron scowled heavily, still refusing to talk to her.
Hermione was beginning to get just a little bit sick of him. She'd wanted to go to Hawaii just as much as the next person, but no. Ron's happiness was just so much more important to him than hers. And now he repaid her with getting jealous over a single hug? She was almost glad she wouldn't have to share a carriage with him and Harry on the way there.
She sighed, realising he wasn't going to answer her for a long time, and strolled off to talk to Luna. She had her back to Hermione as she walked up, watching someone disdainfully. When Hermione neared her, she saw it was Draco, sucking a girl's face off with more force than a hoover.
"That's hardly hygenic," Hermione commented. Luna turned to her, a dreamy smile on her face.
"Not with all the nargals around..." Hermione gave up trying to understand. "Do you think we should warn them?"
"That's okay," Hermione said quickly, mildly disgusted at the thought of even trying to pull the two apart. "Look, the train's here anyway. I have to meet Madame Pomfrey to show me to a compartment..." She trailed off, talking more to herself now.
"Oh, is she running the cart this year?" Hermione nodded, but that wasn't what she'd meant. Madame Pomfrey would lead her to the compartment where the Head Boy and Girl sat and got to know each other: after all, they would be sharing a common room together for the next year.
"I have to go," Hermione said, her eyes on Ron, Harry and Ginny, "But I'll see you at the Great Feast?" Luna nodded, her head in the clouds as always.
"Harry, Ginny! Wait!" Hermione ran after them, her hair a rippling brown ribbon behind her. Ron's eyes tightened: another mark against her because she hadn't called his name.
"Common," Ginny was literally hanging off the train, one hand gripping the side of the door.
"Sorry," Hermione panted as she jumped on. She accompanied them down the narrow walkway between the compartments either side of them, feeling a small ache as she realised that this would be the first time she wouldn't be sat with either Ron or Harry, or both of them. It'd be a much longer journey without them, unless by some miracle the Head Boy was... well, non-existant.
"We'll see you later," Harry promised. Ginny nodded to second this, smiling.
"Bye, Ron," said Hermione in a small voice, trying to not to look at him too intensely. Ron merely grunted, and Hermione felt another spark of anger within her. She didn't show it though, just gave a little wave as she marched back down the corridor. Walking quickly, she imagined Ron's face under her foot with every stamp.
By the time she found Madame Pomfrey, she was smiling, not caring that her hair had found it's way out of all the complicated clips and bands required to keep it out of her eyes.
"Ah, Hermione dear," Madame Pomfrey drew her in for a hug, smelling of soap and other matronly things. "I trust your holiday was nice and safe?" She didn't wait for an answer, turning round to lead the way. "Now, you'll have lots of responsibilities as Head Girl, but I'm sure you'll be able to handle them. I do believe your partner has already found his way without my assistance..." There was a note of disapproval in her voice, and Hermione's heart sank, just a little. It wasn't someone like Neville, then. Scatterbrained, but with their heart in the right place. "Try not to rip each other limb from limb, please."
She stopped besides a compartment which had the curtains closed, shielding it from prying eyes, and motioned for Hermione to open the door. She did so, curiosity and caution clouding her eyes.
"Oh, no," was her immediate reaction when she saw the blond boy sprawled across two seats. He looked up at her, mirroring her disgust.
"Why would anyone choose a mudblood?" He muttered, perfectly audibly. Hermione scowled at him.
"Why would anyone choose an egotistical, self-centred jerk who thinks the sun shines out of his ass?" Draco's features rearranged themselves into a snide smile.
"Touché, Mudblood, touché." Hermione just shook her head and curled into a ball, looking out of the window.
Of all the people at Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy? Why would McGonagall even think of it? Was this some sort of sick joke?
They rode in silence for a good half hour, neither of them changing positions. Draco glanced at Hermione, to check she was asleep, before pulling out a black book from his bag. He found himself slightly distracted though, by the sleeping girl. She looked almost pretty, drenched in the sunlight pouring through the window, illuminating her slender form. Her hair was obscuring her face, just slightly, and was strangely tousled and disarranged for Granger, who was normally neat as a pin. She also looked strangely vulnerable, almost childlike in her slumbering innocence.
Draco shook his head, ridding himself of all thoughts of the mudblood. What had he been thinking? It was all this sunlight: it was getting to his head, making him delirious. He turned back to his book, ignoring Granger as best he could. Twilight. He'd had it thrust upon him by an old girlfriend who he didn't remember the name of, and must have packed it by accident instead of the horror he was currently reading.
He read the blurb, and grimaced a little. Oh, what the hell. There was nothing else to do, and it wasn't like anyone would ever know, was it? He opened the first page, and started reading cynically, feeling victorious at any mistake he found. Reading it for educational purposes only, that's what he was doing.
Snap!
Draco looked up, startled, and saw Granger holding a camera in her hands, a muggle one. Ugh, he despised anything muggle. But the thing that was bothering him now was the grin smeared across her face.
"Twilight." She remarked, "Oh, it will be interesting to see everyone's reaction, will it not?" Draco swore under his breath, how long had she been awake?
"Give it to me now Granger, and there'll be no damage done," he threatened, towering over her.
Hermione giggled in a completely un-Hermione like fashion. This was the most fun she'd had since... well, since she'd been with Harry and Ginny at the Burrow, just hanging out. The week alone with Ron had been... not the best time she'd ever had. But this? Seeing Malfoy so stressed out on a picture? Priceless.
"Give it to me!" He repeated, leaning over to grab the camera from her hands. She moved it out of his reach, her grin widening. If that was possible. There was no way he'd touch her, a mudblood he couldn't stand, to get it. He hesitated, then roughly took her arm with one hand, pulling it towards him, and snatched the camera from her with the other. The movement jolted Hermione towards him, and she found herself pressed against his chest, his hand clasping her wrist. He didn't release her, fiddling with the camera and pressing various buttons before returning it to her smugly, obviously quite pleased with himself. Then he realised their situation, and blushed. Draco Malfoy blushed. Not that Hermione could really talk, her cheeks were a deep, raging red.
"Sorry," he said gruffly, returning to his seat and picking up his book. Hermione sank down in her own seat, her eyes on him.
"You know," she mused, "I think that's the first time you've ever apologised to me, Malfoy." He looked up, a small smile on his lips that, for the first time, wasn't even particularly sarcastic.
"Don't get used to it, Granger." Hermione rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling.
"Well, we are going to be living together," she said slowly, trying to think this through fully, "Maybe... we could have a truce?" Malfoy raised one eyebrow cynically. "I don't have the energy to fight with you constantly, Malfoy, and we do have a job. We could... try to get along, at least."
Well, this was an interesting development, Draco thought.
"We could." He said shortly, wanting to return to his book. For no reason other than educational ones, he reminded himself.
"Come on, Malfoy, I hate you as much as I hate you, but I think we just proved we can get along when we try, right?" Draco's eyes widened incredulously.
"You call that getting along?" She blushed. She was finding this whole conversation uncomfortable, he could tell.
"Well... it's better than normal, at least." She concluded factually. "So... truce?"
He weighed up the options. She was a mudblood, and there was no reason for him to even associate himself with her. But if he and Potter could treat each other cordially, then why not try it with her? It could be interesting.
"Temporarily," he finally said, enjoying the smile she flashed at the one word.
She left him in peace after that, drifting back to sleep. This time the silence was easier, less tense and forced. Draco found himself relaxing more than he had before, leaving the room as quietly as he could to change into his robes, making sure he didn't wake her. She was already dressed in her own long robes, so he didn't shake her awake until the train pulled to a stop, screeching horribly, but not quite loudly enough to wake Granger.
"Oi, Granger," he shook her gingerly, not wanting to touch her too much, "Wake up already. We're here."
A/N: So um you like? :D Let me know! --Hayley xx
