(A/N: I do not own any of the characters, even if I wished I did.)

Chapter II

"Yeah, he'll remain arrogant for the whole year and I will have to suffer, it's only been a month!" Hermione complained and narrated everything to Harry and Ron who were accompanying her as she did the midnight rounds. She's been doing this for four consecutive weeks now.

"It's not like anyone's here tonight, Hermione… so, can we come off the invisibility cloak?" Ron begged.

"Hush and no. Snape could surprise us all. We are in his floor, remember?"

"If I were you, Hermione, I wouldn't want to guard, or to check who's breaking into his room." Harry paused, "Serves him well!" Harry commented, and they all ended up giggling.

Then, voices and whispers were heard.

"But Professor Snape, everyone knows how far our fights had gone to! She could kill me when I'm fast asleep, and if she really gets into my nerves, I could do her the same!

"Youngest Malfoy…"

"That's Snape!" Harry gasped.

"They're probably talking about the Death-" Harry covered Ron's mouth.

"He's looking!" Harry hissed.

"Go! You might get caught!" Hermione said in a hushed yet urgent tone.

"Who's there?" Snape exclaimed, his tone harsh and stiff, making Hermione utterly nervous.

"I… Professor… I was… uh… doing the midnight rounds. I'm sorry if I interrupted your conversation with Malfoy."

Snape didn't seem convinced. He looked at the hallway, but found it deserted.

"Very well, then. Malfoy, why don't you accompany your head girl?"

"You will take no for an answer, won't you?" Draco shot.

Snape just looked sharply at him.

"Well then, no. My room is in disarray, so, I'll have to tidy things up, a bit."

"Mal-"

"It's okay professor. This is the last floor, so, it won't be long before I can actually sleep. I can manage."

"Are you sure?" Snape asked.

"Of course she-"

Hermione interrupted Malfoy, "Yes, I am." She paused, "Now if you may excuse me."

She went on for the midnight rounds, wondering why Snape actually did seem to care.

The next morning, Hermione woke up, the sun's heat penetrating her windows, and its rays, temporarily blinding her. She felt like she has not yet rested. She's only been the head girl for a month, yes, but it feels like she's been stuck in that room of hers for years. It's been like this ever since the start of the school year.

After getting ready for their meeting, Hermione proceeded to the Head's Common Room. Unexpectedly, on the center table, she found four cookies and a glass of milk. She sat on the couch, overwhelmed. Under the plate, a note said,

"Muggle,

Sorry about last night. I would have accompanied you with the whole midnight round thing, but Snape blew things off. Oh, and thanks for helping me up with the Charms homework.

Post Script: Do not talk to anyone about this. And yeah, don't approach me either.

- D. Malfoy"

Hermione smiled to herself, "That was some effort."

After eating what he had prepared for her, she went to the Dining Hall to meet Harry, Ron and Ginny. At around half-past nine, she decided to bid them goodbye since she had to proceed to McGonagall's office for their meeting. Just as she was walking along one of the narrow passages, Draco surprisingly stood before her.

"Sweating fats, Head boy?" She smiled.

'That unfamiliar smile…' Draco thought. "I was with my team, had to leave them early because of this meeting."

"Oh," she said shortly, not looking at him.

"Did you-"

"Oh, yeah, by the way, thank you for the breakfast that you prepared for me. It was very thoughtful of you." She paused, "Very unlikely… and how did you find me?"

"Only a dunce wouldn't realize that you pass by this same defile after your stay in the library." He paused. "About the cookies, don't think of it as anything far worse than thank you, Muggle." He said sternly. She was so used to his cold and unexpressive voice; she no longer cared if he talked to her this way.

"I don't see it any other way, Malfoy." She then followed Malfoy who walked towards Dumbledore's old office.

"Good then." He smirked, "And you're welcome." He hurried past her and into Dumbledore's Eagle staircase.

"Why are we going here? This is a restricted area for students."

"McGonagall said she'd meet us here." Draco continued, "Maelstrom." The staircase moved before them.

It was a typical meeting regarding the rules, reporting on the students who violated those and recording them. After almost two hours of just sitting and pure talking, they were free to go.

"Heading to the Dining Hall?" Hermione asked, walking beside him.

"I believe so," he replied. "I have to be fed." He walked past her, leaving her alone by the hallway.

Before reaching the dining hall, Ginny approached Hermione.

"Hey Ginny," greeted Hermione.

"Hey, I saw you with Malfoy a little while ago," she smiled, "anything up?"

"None… we just finished our boring meeting."

"Anything brewing up between you two?" continued Ginny.

"Anger and hatred," Hermione heaved a sigh, too tired to think of Ginny's real intentions upon interrogating.

Ginny laughed. "Don't pretend like you don't understand what I mean, Hermione!"

Hermione gave a chuckle. "There's nothing going on between us, Miss Weasley!"

"But you wish there was something." She mumbled.

"Ginny!" Hermione laughed with uneasiness. "No, I don't like him!"

"I never said that you do, right?" Ginny teased, "If I tell you that you're getting the wrong vibes, it just boils down to the point that you're being defensive!"

Hermione laughed, realizing that she is not winning the conversation, "He still is with Pansy, alright?"

"You make it seem like both of you do not share the same living room at all." She paused, "They broke up a few days ago!"

Hermione's lips curved into a smile. "They did?"

"Someone's happy about the break up!"

"What I meant was…" Being unable to continue, she just rolled her eyes and smiled.

"You're delighted to know that he's not with anyone, anymore!"

Hermione just kept silent as they continued walking.

"You like him, don't you?"

"I liked him… before." She smiled broadly.

"OH MY GOD!" Ginny exclaimed. "And you never told me!"

"Well… I just did…" Hermione chuckled.

"I can't-"

"Don't tell-"

"Yeah, I won't!" Ginny smiled. Then they joined Harry and Ron who were sitting next to Neville.

"How did the meeting go?" Ron asked, chewing on his sandwich.

"Boring and long, as usual," Hermione replied. Then she remembered what happened earlier, when his hand touched hers, as she tried to pick up his quill that fell.

"Hermione, are you okay?" Ginny asked. "You look totally flushed."

"Uh, yeah… The warm temperature makes me feel uneasy. I think it's better if I go ahead." She said, standing up.

Harry, Ron and Ginny looked at her with disbelief. She had not even moved her food. They were hoping that she'd stay for a few more minutes.

"But you haven't eaten yet, not even a bite." Harry said.

"Thanks for the concern, Harry, but I still am full. I'll see you later, during Transfiguration!" She turned her back on them and made her way to the Head's Dorm.

"Password?" The portrait spoke. Its tone seemed to be a little colder than the usual.

"Vincéré," she replied. The portrait swung open to let her inside.

Malfoy was sitting on the couch, reading the Daily Prophet, which seemingly came in late for that day.

"Hey Granger," He called, putting the newspaper on his lap. "Are you attending Charms after Lunch?"

"Errr…" She replied, not seeing why he asked her an obvious question. "Yeah."

"I don't feel like attending another of Flitwick's boring lessons. It's a waste of time. Whatever is on the book is all the hell that he teaches."

"Speak of whatever you decide to, I hardly care. It's not like I see things synonymously as you do." She walked hurriedly to her room and shut the door behind her.

"So much for truce…" He heaved a sigh. He didn't want to do any of these… but to restrain from Snape's orders? He shook his head.

A few minutes later, Hermione's bedroom door opened, and upon hearing this, he scurried to the portrait and blocked the entrance, preventing her from going out.

"EXCUSE ME." She shot.

"Tell you what, mudblood," He said, getting his Pureblood's pride back. "You'll be excused of you tell me why you have said my name over and over when you took your afternoon nap yesterday." He smirked.

She stood before him transfixed. For a moment, she considered missing half of Charms than telling him the truth, but she replied anyway.

"Well…" She started, raising a brow. "I saw you as a death eater." She smirked.

His arms fell back to his sides and his eyes hardly met hers. "Nonsense," he shot, his tone cold and stiff. He headed out of the quarters and walked fast, obviously not wanting to walk beside a muggle-born.