The Grangers arrived at Kings Cross with 10 minutes to spare. Heaving the trunk out of the car, they made their way towards Platforms 9 and 10.
Hermione told her mother to follow her movements exactly, and in a few swift seconds, they were through the solid brick wall barrier and into Platform 9 ¾.
Hermione smiled at the familiar train, and walked towards it eagerly.
"Hermione!" Hermione saw Harry running towards her, "I missed you 'Mione!"
He hugged her briefly, and then said to her parents, "Mr. and Mrs. Granger, how are you?"
"Very well thank you Harry." Mrs. Granger replied.
"Is Ron and Ginny here as well?" Hermione asked Harry excitedly.
"Yeah they're all over there!" Harry said, pointing to a flock of red-haired people.
"Mum, Dad, come on!" Hermione said cheerfully, and she wheeled her trolley and started walking towards the Weasley's.
"Hello dear!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed cheerfully.
"Hello Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley!" Hermione replied, "Hey Ginny! Hey Ron! Aw I missed you guys so much!"
Hermione was wearing a big grin. Even though she technically shouldn't be in school, as last year was meant to be her seventh year but do to the unfortunate circumstances, they all got to repeat if they wished, Hermione still was glad to be (Nearly) back at school.
A whistle blew nearby to inform the train's passengers that it would be leaving in two minutes. Hurriedly, the Hogwarts kids gave their parents quick goodbyes, and hastened to board the train. Just before the doors closed, Hermione, Harry, Ron and Ginny were all looking for a compartment. They found one that was accompanied by Luna and Neville.
"Hey guys!" Ginny said enthusiastically.
Luna had her Spectrespecs on. "Hello." She said dreamily.
"Oh damn I forgot!" Hermione cursed herself, "I've got to go to the Head's carriage and then go to a Prefect's meeting. Ron you need to come to that meeting also, you got the letter right?"
Ron nodded and said he would see her soon.
Bidding the others goodbye, Hermione left and made her way to the back of the train, until finally sliding the door open and walking in with a sigh.
To her upmost astonishment, and horror, Draco Malfoy lay lounging across three seats with his eyes closed.
"Malfoy I think you have the wrong compartment." Hermione said coldly, making the pale blonde haired boy jolt into wakefulness.
Draco chuckled slightly before sitting up and looking Hermione straight in the eyes, and smirking; the famous smirk that was ever on his face. "Oh ha ha Granger. I am not in the wrong compartment. I'm Head Boy." He talked smugly, still smirking.
"Oh you have GOT to be joking with me!" Hermione said to no-one in particular.
Draco stood up and walked closer to Hermione, who stiffened, unsure of what he was going to do.
"Better learn to live with it Granger." Draco ended up whispering, before resuming his lying down position across three of the chairs.
Hermione rolled her eyes and put her trunk in the shelf above her, but not before taking out a book. She sat down and began to read, trying to stifle any presence of Malfoy out.
"Is that all you do?" Malfoy then said quite rudely, "Is that seriously all you do? Sit about and read books?"
Hermione answered without looking up from her book. "No." She said simply, although she had to admit, reading Hogwarts, A History, for the umpteenth time was getting a bit boring.
"Well what do you do then?" Malfoy demanded, looking at Hermione.
-Draco's POV (Point of View)-
As her looked at her reading, he noticed that she was actually quite beautiful. Her once frizzy hair and finally been tamed, her lashes black and curved, her lips looked full and moist.
Oh snap out of it Draco! Malfoy found himself thinking. She's a mudblood!
-End of POV-
"Why are you so interested in what I do Malfoy?" Hermione said, impatient "Would you like me to put the book away and have a conversation with you?" Draco opened his mouth but no sound came out.
"Didn't think so." Hermione said, with a smirk that was worthy of Malfoy himself. She divulged herself back into the book without another word.
After she had finally gotten semi bored of her book, Hermione looked at her wrist watch. It read 12.35.
Immediately, she stood up and made her way to the sliding door.
"Where are you going?" Malfoy demanded again.
"If you had read your letter properly Malfoy, you would've read that it said we have a Prefects meeting at 12.45." Hermione replied, rather harshly.
"I don't re-read everything that's readable over and over and over again Granger." Malfoy growled back, before standing up and letting her lead the way.
---
Once they arrived at the carriage which held the meeting, Hermione realised that her and Malfoy were the last to arrive.
I suppose I've got to be late sometime in my life. Hermione smiled and took one of the two available seats. Of course the other available seat was next to her so Draco had no choice but to sit beside her.
Professor McGonagall was the only one standing. It seemed that she wanted to be stood.
"Welcome back to another year Prefects. I would like to congratulate our new Head Boy and Girl, Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy." McGonagall gestured towards the two.
Hermione grimaced at the thought of the Head Boy. Ron's face was simply a look of horror. In Hermione's and Malfoy's eyes the look on Ron's face was simply hilarious.
"Best of luck to the both of you." McGonagall said to Hermione and Draco.
Professor McGonagall kept on talking about the duties a Prefect has, and how they should meet that standard. After at least a half hour, she finally let the Prefects go, but requested Hermione and Draco to stay behind for a few extra minutes.
"Yes Professor?" Hermione politely asked after the other Prefects had left the room.
"I will now inform you of your Head duties and arrangements." McGonagall informed Hermione.
When neither the Head Boy nor Girl spoke, the Professor continued.
"The responsibilities of the Heads are as follows; You will arrange the trips of Hogsmeade, if needed, arrange any Ball's that Hogwarts might hold, patrol the corridors after curfew and you do have the power to deduct house points, although I strongly recommended you don't use that to your advantage, not matter what house you are from." McGonagall notified them.
"Yes Professor." Hermione said eagerly.
"There is also one more thing." McGonagall said, and then she hesitated. "Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy, are you aware that your sleeping arrangements will change?"
"What do you mean?" Malfoy asked rudely, and then trying to make it sound nice, added "Professor?"
"The two of you will move out of your dormitories, and move into the Heads Rooms. You will share a Common Room between the two of you, there will be a kitchenette, you will share a bathroom, but you will have separate bedrooms." Professor McGonagall inhaled sharply, waiting for their angry reactions.
"Professor!" Hermione said in disgust, "You expect me to share a Common Room with him? And just him? Just the two of us?!" She couldn't believe it.
"Yes Miss Granger. You will do it. After the feast back at school, I will show you where the portrait is."
Hermione knew that was a dismissal. Standing up, furious, she chanced a glance at Malfoy. He was staring at McGonagall in disbelief.
"Malfoy, you may go now!" McGonagall said impatiently.
The blonde haired boy stood up and followed Hermione outside, tracing her footsteps right back to the Heads carriage.
Hermione threw herself into her seat and crossed her arms, glaring at Malfoy.
"You think this is MY fault?!" He asked her aggressively.
"No." Hermione replied stubbornly, "I'm just trying to figure out how I have to live with the likes of you for a year." Hermione shuddered at the thought.
"Yeah well, you aren't the only one who's angry Granger." Malfoy said shortly. Hermione was slightly surprised. She had expected Malfoy to call her names or something, at the very least.
The two Heads didn't talk at all for the rest of the trip. Much to Hermione's surprise, Draco pulled out a book and started reading. What surprised Hermione even more, is that Hermione had never heard of the book. It's title was Where A Witch Goes, A Wizard Isn't Far Behind and the author was Chiselda Firreyall.
"If I might ask, Malfoy, what is that book? I have never heard of it before." Hermione tried her luck in talking to her new roommate.
Once again, she surprised Hermione by blushing. "Oh. Um. It's just a book." Draco tried to shake the question off.
"No book is just a book. What's it about?" Hermione demanded.
"It's. Um. It's about this boy who really likes this girl, and, well, he chases after her. And, yeah." Draco was still blushing.
As was Hermione.
Never before had she expected something like that come out of his mouth. Draco Malfoy was reading romance novels!
"Draco Malfoy, you are actually reading a book! And it's a romance novel!" Hermione expressed her thoughts outloud.
"No need to seem so amazed Granger. I do read. I am actually smart. Just because I make some bad choices doesn't mean I'm not intelligent. I'm second smartest in the year after you." Malfoy's reply was short and hesitant. He was still blushing profoundly.
"I – I just didn't know you read." Hermione mumbled, returning to her own book.
"You don't know anything about me mudblood!" Malfoy spat at her.
Hermione gasped. Even though he had been calling her that for six or so years, it had the same impact on her everytime.
Hermione quietly stood up and went to leave the carriage, eyes glistening slightly. "If you'll excuse me." She managed to say.
Hermione walked all the way back to the carriage that Harry, Ron, Luna, Neville, and Ginny were in. Walking in, she took a seat beside Ron and stole a Chocolate Frog from the stash next to him.
"Thanks Ron." She said cheekily.
"I can't believe Malfoy got Head Boy." Harry growled.
"And you know what is even worse, Harry?" Hermione found herself saying.
"What could be worse than him simply being Head Boy?" Ron replied for Harry.
"We have to move in together in the Heads Rooms. We will be sharing a Common Room, kitchenette and bathroom, but we have separate bedrooms." Hermione said glumly.
"WHAT?!" Ron and Harry both yelled.
"No!" Ginny said, "Isn't there anyway out of it?!"
"No." Hermione said grumpily.
"Wow. This must suck for you 'Mione." Harry said sympathetically.
"If he does anything to you 'Mione, you just tell us and we'll kick his arse, okay?" Ron spoke seriously, but he still made Hermione laugh.
"Okay Ron. Thank you." Hermione said, still giggling.
Hermione sat there chatting for hours, until it was getting dark and she told her friends she should head back to the Heads carriage; she still needed to get in her robes.
It took another few minutes to reach the Heads carriage, which, thankfully, was empty. Malfoy must've gone to catch up with his slimy Slytherin friends.
Hermione slid in and closed the door, before pulling her robes out of her trunk.
Popping them on the chair, she took her shirt off and was standing in just her jeans and a bra, about to change into a black coloured shirt, but not before Draco Malfoy slid open the compartment door, came in, closed it, and then realised Hermione Granger was in there, half naked.
"ARGHHHHHHHHHH!" Hermione screamed, using her shirt like a towel and wrapping it around her.
Malfoy was speechless. Shamefully, he had to admit, she had a good body. Her stomach was toned and tanned, giving her a sun kissed look.
"DO YOU MIND, MALFOY?! GET OUT FOR FIVE MINUTES SO I CAN GET DRESSED! GET OUT, FERRET-BOY!" Hermione screamed at him.
Again, Malfoy didn't say anything, but slowly backed out of the room, and waited outside.
Furious that Malfoy had seen her in just a bra and a pair of pants, Hermione began to crossly pull on her robes. When she was done, she slid the door open and saw a very flushed Malfoy.
"You can come in now." Hermione told him coldly, going back into the carriage and taking a seat, staring out of the window.
Malfoy took his seat, still a bit shocked. With a shake of his head he quickly realised, that he too, needed to change into his robes.
With a smirk, he also realised that Granger needn't leave the room. Practically half the girls in the seventh grade had seen him without a shirt on anyway; why should she be any different.
Draco reached for his robes, and, as Hermione did, popped them on his chair. Without a glance at Hermione, he pulled his shirt off.
-Hermione's POV-
Oh my God! Hermione found herself thinking as she studied his muscular, toned body. He has a good body!
Repulsed by what she was thinking, Hermione shook her head and tried to look away, but it was quite impossible.
-End of POV-
Draco has sidled a black shirt one, and then realised he needed to change his pants too, for he was wearing jeans, and needed to put on the black trousers as was his uniform.
With another smirk, he pulled his pants off, and stood there in silver boxer shorts.
"Um. Mal-" Hermione started to say but he cut her off.
"Oh calm down Granger. It's not like you haven't seen a man in shorts before." He sounded semi impatient.
Hermione just squeaked, and half perved on him. When he pulled on his black trousers, she felt slightly disappointed, but then scolded herself for thinking such a thing.
After he was dressed, Hermione felt slightly embarrassed, however, Draco seemed perfectly fine. He picked up the book he was reading earlier and concentrated his gaze upon it. Hermione went back down to her book as well, but she was so tired, that she simply fell asleep, head lolling to one side, book still in her arms.
---
Far too soon, she was awoken by something who was tapping her shoulder softly.
"Granger... Granger!" Malfoy was leaning over her, still softly tapping her shoulder.
"What?" Hermione mumbled, bleary eyed. Even through blurry eyes, she had to admit, Malfoy was handsome.
"We're here... You kind of need to get up and get off the train..." Malfoy said.
"Oh right." Hermione said, sitting up and looking out of the window at the scurrying students. "Thanks Malfoy." Hermione then firmly said, actually meaning it.
The corners of his lips twitched, as if he was going to smile at her, but the smile never came. Hermione turned to pull her trunk down, wide eyed.
I nearly made Malfoy smile! She was actually quite amazed.
Putting her book away, she placed the Locomotor charm on her trunk, and caused it to follow her out of the carriage and off the train.
She quickly spotted two red-heads and sought after them, finding Harry also with them.
A thestral drawn carriage had just arrived for the four of them.
After a quick ride all the students were at Hogwarts, and after a short walk, they were assembled with their houses in the Great Hall.
Professor McGonagall got up and did the sorting for the first years, then the students ate ravenously, and then Professor Sprout stood up to take Dumbledore's place at speech giver; McGonagall was too distraught to take his position, but she is the new Headmistress.
"I would like to welcome you all to another year, and introduce the new staff on hand! Professor Andy Looch who will be teaching Defence Against The Dark Arts, due to the unfortunate death of Professor Snape last year. Would you please make our new Professor feel warm and welcome over the next few days and children, try to be nice in his class." Professor Sprout barked with a wink at the students.
After Sprout's speech, McGonagall stood back up.
"I would like to congratulate and inform everyone of our new Head Boy and Girl. If the two of you could please stand up and make your way to the front!" Professor McGonagall said.
Hermione stood up, and with a gentle thump on the back from Harry, started making her way to the front of the hall. Draco was already there and waiting. Hermione couldn't miss the tiny bit of pride in his face.
"Hermione Granger, new Head Girl, and Draco Malfoy, the new Head Boy!" McGonagall announced, and there was applause throughout the hall.
"Congratulations to you both. And as for everyone else; warm beds await you! Have fun in classes tomorrow!" McGonagall bid the students goodnight.
In one motion all of the students stood up and left, that is, all except Hermione and Draco.
"I will take you to your new quarters now." McGonagall told them both, leading them out of the Great Hall, through a door at the side.
It turns out the Heads Room was on the sixth floor of the castle, and was protected by a portrait of a young woman, wearing a gorgeous cream dress called Cherish the Prized.
"You're password will be changed once every two months, Cherish will notify the both of you when it happens. Your first password is Affection." Professor McGonagall told them.
Malfoy snorted at the password.
"Do not blame me Mr. Malfoy. Cherish the Prized chooses the passwords, and as you may have assumed from her name, she is used to being loved and what not." McGonagall told him sternly.
"Now, Miss Granger your room is up the stairs and to the left, and Mr. Malfoy yours is the one on the right. Play nice children." With those words, McGonagall left the two standing in front of the portrait.
Eager to explore her new living area, Hermione said "Affection." To Cherish, and went inside, Draco at her heels.
Hermione drew a breath. The room was utterly splendid. There was a large fire, already burning, to the side of the room, with one three seater red and silver couch in front of it, and a one seater green and gold armchair to the side.
The walls, floor and ceiling had been decorated to match the colours of Gryffindor and Slytherin, perfectly entwining together.
The kitchenette was off to the left side, with a bench and stools included. Over in the right corner Hermione noticed a study space.
Her grin went from ear to ear. Draco was impressed by the room as well, but when he saw Granger's face, he just couldn't help but laugh.
Hermione noticed him laughing at her, but it wasn't in a mocking or teasing way. It was a way Harry or Ron might laugh at her when she did something.
Maybe this won't be so bad. Hermione found herself thinking, before she ran up the stairs and took a look at her new bedroom.
Yet again, Hermione drew a breath. She had a magnificent gold bed, with a red satin bedspread and pillows. The room had been decorated in Gryffindor's honour, and Hermione also found a full length mirror. Discovering an empty trunk, she pulled at the mirror and found a full walk in wardrobe.
Squeaking with delight, Hermione went back into her room and took the door that she assumed led to the bathroom.
She noticed another door on the other side, and assumed it went into Malfoy's room.
The bathroom was stunning. It was black and white marble, and had a shower in the corner, and a five foot wide, ten foot long bathtub in the right corner. There was a toilet in one of the corners as well. Hermione noticed that there were two basins, along with a spacious bench on either side for each of them. Looking at the one nearest her bedroom, she laughed when she found the words "For Her" etched into the tap. Taking a look at the other basin, she saw the words "For Him".
Back at her own basin, she noticed that there were draws and cupboards underneath. Taking a quick look in them, she discovered all her vanities were there.
Sometimes, Hermione thought, You just gotta love house-elves.
At that moment Malfoy walked into the bathroom, obviously as curious as Hermione.
Hermione pointed at his basin. "That one is yours by the way."
He went over to it and studied the "For Him" part, and smiled.
"Like the new quarters Malfoy?" Hermione asked him, daring to try and make conversation.
He merely looked at her, meeting her eyes, and said "Yes. Very much so." Even after he said it he kept his gaze on her, the grey staring into the brown.
After a little while Hermione's eyes left his gaze, and she stood up and left the bathroom. Once back in her new bedroom she changed into her pyjamas which were a pair of slightly too short flannelette shorts, and a singlet top that exposed some of her stomach, and her back.
After tying her hair into a quick bun, she made her way back down stairs to see what food was in the little kitchen.
She happily jumped down the stairs, and to her amazement, found Malfoy in only black satin pyjama pants looking through the cupboards as well.
She was slightly startled. As was he... When he looked at saw that she, Hermione Granger, was wearing revealing clothes.
Malfoy returned his gaze to the cupboard and took out a donut, before crossing round to the other side of the bench and sitting down, munching happily.
Hermione went to the cupboard, and saw a copious amount of food in there, but a piece of chocolate cake caught her eye, so she grabbed a plate and piled it on.
All the time she was doing that she didn't realise Malfoy was literally, checking her out! And... He was liking what he saw!
Hermione smiled at her chocolate cake and went around the bench just as Malfoy did, and, after a moment hesitation, took a seat two spots away from where Malfoy was sitting, chomping merrily away.
Authors Note: WOW THAT WAS A LONG CHAPTER FOR YOU! Review please my lovelies ;)