Hi All,

I am updating so quickly because I want to get this story moving as fast as possible. The first four chapters are probably going to uploaded within the next week or so. Then after that I am going to set a slower pace for myself; I am still in school after all and my thesis is currently kicking my ass. So, without further ado, enjoy!

*I do not own Harry Potter in any way shape or form. J.K. Rowling is the mastermind behind this wonderful universe*

Chapter 2: A Formidable Pair

"Malfoy"

Draco heard someone say his name with such angry intensity it could only be one of two people, the-boy-who-lived-to-fuck-up-my-life or his sidekick weasel dick. Sighing, he turned his head, wishing for the silence that had permeated the compartment before he heard the door slide open.

Of course, Draco thought. "Weasel," he replied in kind.

Draco was tired of the angry glares and the whispers that followed him. The esteemed House of Malfoy was now the disgraced House of Malfoy. Fallen from grace, Draco spent his time after the war drowning his sorrows in drink. With his father in prison and his mother confined to her room, wallowing each day away in tears, he was happy to get away if only for a couple of days. So, he was happy when his letter finally arrived to return to Hogwarts for his last year. Frankly, he was surprised he had even received a letter after what he done his sixth year. But McGonagall was a forgiving woman and he was happy to be able to return. The Head Boy badge that fell from the envelope, however, had Draco thinking the old crone was mad as a hatter if she thought he would make a good Head Boy. He wanted quiet for his last year; he wanted to finish out his schooling and take over as head of the House of Malfoy with little fuss. That, it seemed, would not be granted to him. McGonagall wanted to repair house relations in the coming school year and she thought Draco would be the perfect one to do so. If that wasn't mental, he didn't know what was. The redhead currently pointing an angry finger in his direction seemed to prove him right.

"What are you doing here?" Weasley practically screamed at him.

"Sharp as ever I see, Weaselbee," Draco replied drolly. He honestly just wanted to be left alone but that obviously was not to be the case. What he needed was large dram of Ogden's Finest.

"Hermione! Are you okay?" Draco heard the Weaslette call from behind Ron, who was breathing heavily, anger shining in his eyes.

"You've got some nerve returning after what you did. You should be locked up in Azkaban with 'Daddy'."

Draco ignored the idiot du jour and focused his attention on the bushy haired girl behind him being comforted by youngest Weasley. She seemed to be having some sort of panic attack, fear stark in her eyes. Draco recognized that look, he'd seen it a thousand times under the rule of the Dark Lord, in his house, under his own wand. Her eyes darted around the room never truly focusing on anything, her chest heaved up and down as she tried to take big gulps of air but never truly seeming to be able to breathe. Guilt hit him so acutely in his chest it caught him off guard.

"I'm talking to you, Malfoy," Ron yelled across the compartment.

"Maybe...," Draco said dragging his eyes back to the wanker, who stood yelling at him. "You should focus your attentions on your girlfriend, Weasley. Looks like she might keel over at any moment, not that it would bother me much considering I won't have to listen to her swotty lecture anytime soon."

"What are you on about?" Ron said confused, right before he looked behind him. "Hermione!" he called, out as he rushed to her side.

Draco shook his head. Dumb as ever, he thought. He was about to turn back to the window when his eyes locked on Granger's. She was staring right at him. Amongst, the chaos of her friends and everyone else in the compartment trying to calm her, she held his gaze. He felt trapped; he couldn't drag his eyes away from her. As they stayed there, locked in time, he couldn't help but notice how much she'd changed since he last saw her. The last time he had ever laid eyes on Hermione Granger, she stood defiantly on the side of the light, standing against the Dark Lord. She was brave where he could not be. That only added to his self loathing. This muggleborn witch stood up to the darkest wizard of the time and he couldn't. Now to see her, with dark circles under her eyes like she hadn't slept in months, skinnier than he remembered her being, her robes dwarfing her small body, and cold fear in her eyes, it was unsettlingly. She was a shadow of who used to be and that hurt him more than he thought it could. Why did he care?

Granger finally seemed to be calming down but not before everyone noticed they had been staring at one another. Draco, finally able to tear his eyes from Granger's, looked around the compartment. Everyone's gaze kept switching from him to Granger, curious expressions on their faces. Weasley seemed to be the only one staring at him in anger, unsurprisingly. Fed up, he let go of Granger, as she was now able to support herself, and rushed over to Draco, grabbing him up by the collar of his shirt.

"What did you do to Hermione?" he screamed more than asked.

Draco just stared at him, opting not to answer. He did nothing to Granger but the moment they shared left him just as confused as everyone else.

"Let him go, Weasley," Draco heard Blaise Zabini say from his left.

"I don't think I will," The Redhead said, gripping Draco's collar tighter, raising a fist to strike Draco.

Blaise immediately trained his wand to the redhead's neck. "I wouldn't if I were you, Weasley."

Draco looked over Weasley's shoulder and straight into the eyes of Granger. He raised one eyebrow at Hermione and jerked his head slightly towards Ron, silently asking her if she was going to stand by and do nothing. She was always one for upholding justice and taking on unfortunate souls. But she just stood there avoiding his steady gaze. Where had her fight gone?

Draco sighed.

"Common sense seems to have failed you yet again. It's a wonder you're able to dress yourself in the morning, Weaselbee," Draco said finally. "30 points from Gryffindor for assaulting another student," Draco smirked, as he pushed Weasley of his person.

"You can't take points from another prefect, you idiot. Only the Head Boy and Girl can do that. Nice try, Malfoy," Ron said shaking his head like Draco has said the most ludicrous thing he'd ever heard.

"Slow on the pick up as every, Weasley," Pansy Parkinson sneered from her seat.

"What are you talking about," Ron asked, confused.

Before anyone could say another word, Granger's voice rang across the compartment.

"Malfoy is Head Boy, Ron. You just assaulted the Head Boy," she said, looking down at her feet.

"What… but… that can't be right!" Ron shouted.

"Yes, well … the badge on his chest would indicate otherwise," Granger said, wearily. "Sit down, Ron. We are behind as it is and Malfoy and I have to get the meeting going."

Weasley look dumbfoundedly around at everyone in the cabin like they had all gone mad. When he saw no one speaking out and was on the receiving end of an irritated glare from his sister, Ron angrily plopped himself down on the seat farthest from Draco and crossed his arms over his chest like a petulant child.

Granger moved to stand in the middle of the compartment, giving the Weaslette a small smile. She then stared at Draco, waiting for him to move to his place by her side. When he didn't, she sighed and shook her head.

"Alright," Granger said. "Shall we begin?"

Draco sat back down next the window content to let Granger take control. He closed his eyes as her voice faded into the background.

oooooooo

Hogwarts had slowly been pieced back together after the war and returned to its former glory. As always, walking into the Great Hall brought a great sense of awe to Draco, the ceiling shining so brightly with stars. It felt like coming home. He sat down at the Slytherin table and ran his hands along the wood. It felt solid, comforting.

"It's good to be back, mate," Blaise said sitting to his right.

Draco just nodded in response.

Pansy sat down to Draco's left and Theodore Nott, whom Draco had not seen on the train, sat down on the other side of the table directly across from Blaise.

"You missed it, Theo," Blaise said, chuckling to himself. "Weasley lost his head when he found out Draco was Head Boy. The look on his face was priceless, mate."

"Damn, you lot get to have all the fun while I'm stuck in the back trying to dodge Astoria Greengrass. One Knut short of a Galleon, that one."

"Aww, trouble in paradise, Theo," Pansy giggled. "This summer you seemed head over heals in love with the her?"

"More like head over heals in lust," Blaise said under his breath.

Draco snorted at that. From what Blaise and Pansy had told him, Theo had spent the whole summer trying to shag Astoria. Considering Theo's attitude toward her now, he must have gotten what he wanted and now he's cast her aside like the countless other girls.

Theo glared at the three of them before looking down the table to see Astoria flash him a smile and blow a kiss.

"It was just a quick shag. I don't see why she is acting like I'm meant to marry her now," Theo said, thoroughly disgusted.

"She was a virgin, you tosser!" Pansy scream whispered across the table.

"So…" Theo said, confused.

Draco and Blaise shook their heads at their friend. Pansy just glared at him as he looked between his two best mates mouthing the word 'what?' over and over.

"If you don't know, then I can't tell you?" Pansy said in a huff. Getting up from the table, she bent down to kiss Blaise on the cheek, whispering 'see you in the common room' before going over to sit next to Astoria.

"Girls, mate" Theo said, looking dumbfounded. "They're right mental."

"Or are you just stupid," Draco said, finally joining the conversation.

Blaise burst out into laughter. Annoyed, Theo flicked his wand and a giant leg of lamb flew out of his wand and smacked Blaise in the face.

Headmistress McGonagall passed by them on her way up to the podium shaking her head. Theo and Blaise had the decency to at least look embarrassed. When she reached the top of stairs to the professor's table, she turned to face the room. The doors to the Great Hall opened and scared first years were being ushered in. Thus, the sorting ceremony began.

Draco's eyes kept wandering over to the Gryffindor table. Granger sat facing in his direction, seemingly focused on the ceremony but to a close observer it was obvious her mind was elsewhere. Draco wondered briefly what she was thinking; it must have been something serious as her brows were knitted closely together. Suddenly, Granger looked over at the Slytherin table, searching for something or someone. Draco looked up and down his table to see what or who she might be searching for. When he looked back, her eyes rested on him. She looked quickly away and back up at the small child seated on the stool, the sorting hat sitting drolly on his head.

Interesting, Draco thought. Why was she looking at me?

The Headmistress cleared her throat, garnering the attention of the entire hall.

"First, I would like to give the customary warning. The Forbidden Forest is just that Forbidden. Any student caught attempting to enter into its depths will receive detention as well as a reduction in house points. Now I would like to offer my congratulations to all first years. I hope you come to see the house you have been sorted into as a family, of sorts, and Hogwarts your home away from home. I would like to take the time to reflect on this past year, to remember all those lost and all those found. I want this year to be a year of unity; we as a community have grown in the face of destruction. I want you all to leave past prejudices behind and start new with fresh eyes. In keeping with this theme, I want to introduce you all to our Head Boy and Girl for this year- Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy. I expect they will make a formidable team."

The silence that settled over the Great Hall was almost palpable. Every eye in the room seemed to rest solely on Draco. He sat with his head held up high, trying to appear as if he wasn't bothered by the attention. He kept his face blank.

Blaise leaned over and whispered, "Good luck, mate. By the looks of it, you'll need it."

Dread settled like a brick in Draco's stomach. This was not going to be an easy year.

I have received my first set of reviews and they made me very happy. I look forward to seeing more. Please, review!