Chapter 2

"Look, Mum, Dad, I realize that this is harder for you this year than it has been in the past because of all the talk of the soon-to-be war, but you have to trust me and know deep in your hearts that I'll be safe," pleading with her parents about returning to Hogwarts for her final year, for the hundredth time, was starting to take toll on Hermione's nerves, "I promise I'll write every day, if not at least twice. Now, the train is going to leave in 10 minutes and I still have to get my bags on board before heading up to the Heads' cabin for instruction." Giving her parents one last reassuring look, she wished them well as she hugged them tightly and started to load her baggage on board.

"I thought they would never let me go," shaking her head as she stowed away her bag, Hermione made her way onto the train. She straightened out her robes and checked once more that her Head Girl pin was quite visible and still very much real. After a fit of screaming, fainting, crying, and dancing, she was sure that the lapel pin was very much real and that she really was Head Girl. The next step now was to find out who the Head Boy was. The only thing that Hermione had hoped for in whom the Head Boy would be is that she didn't care who it was, but he better be someone she could put up with for the next almost full year.

Opening the door to the Heads' compartment, Hermione was slightly disappointed when it was only Professor McGonagall seated in there. "Oh, hello Professor. How was your holiday?"

"Fine, thank you Miss Granger. Please, come in and sit down. You're just a few minutes early and Mr. Malfoy should be heading up this way shortly." Malfoy? Certainly not the same prat who antagonized Hermione for the last six years. Oh, please, Merlin, let there be some other mysterious fellow who happens to be cursed with the same last name. Then, her worst nightmares came true as the door slid open.

"My apologies, Professor. My mother doesn't quite know when to stop talking anymore these days," Draco walked in the door, ignoring the fact that the Head Girl was staring a whole right through him.

"It's quite alright, Mr. Malfoy. Please, sit down. The three of us have much to discuss," Professor McGonagall watched the Head Boy take a seat next to the Head Girl as she started to explain all of the school rules and assignments that would be given to them both.

As hard as Hermione tried to sit still and listen to her professor speak, she was having a very hard time with that as her mind was racing around the thought of Draco Malfoy being Head Boy. Since when was he dedicated to anything school related or even smart enough to be considered above anything other than jerk? Slipping a slight glance at him, Hermione found herself easing up on her pure hatred towards him. Had his angry and chiseled features finally decide to ease up and let the poor guy relax? For the first time in seven years, Hermione saw a new Draco, one who was relaxed, laid back, and could possibly be somewhat attract-no. What was she thinking? Never in a million years would Draco Malfoy be attractive to Hermione. It just didn't work that way. Trying to shake it from her thoughts, Hermione refocused her energies towards listening to Professor McGonagall as she finished her instructions.

After she finished speaking, Professor McGonagall rose from her seat and wished Hermione and Draco a good train ride. As the door came to a close, Hermione let out a sigh and quickly stood to place her bags above her head and out of her way. Little did she know at the time, but as she put her bags away, there was a pair of silvery-blue eyes watching her every moment. Draco found it very difficult to look away from his classmate, and he found himself almost…enjoying watching her move about the cabin. She was still dressed in her Muggle clothes, just a blue striped camp shirt and a pair of khaki shorts, but there was something much different about her this year. Something…feminine, and that's just about when Draco mentally kicked himself as he cleared his throat.

"So, Granger, I see that we're going to be spending a lot of time together over this next year, so I just want to set things straight – first, your dear friends Weaselbee and Potthead won't be allowed in our tower, ever. Secondly, try to keep all of your Muggle articles out of the common room, I'd much rather not see them. And finally, don't ever go into my room," Draco sat back in his seat with a smirk on his face as he watched the girl across from him scowl slightly.

"Fine, but all those rules go the same for you, you won't go in my room, I don't want to see any of your Dark Lord pureblood wizard crap in the common room, and try not to shag every bloody girl in the entire school within the first week. Oh yeah, Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle aren't allowed in the tower, ever." This year would prove to be harder than any year before, not simply because there would be a harder curriculum with the added duties of the Head Girl position, but the fact that she had to share quarters with this prat of all the seventh years might possibly push her into eating Dung beetles.