Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. That belongs to J.K. Rowling.
Hermione's breath was caught in her throat. She couldn't speak. "M-Malfoy?"
This cannot be happening, of all people, Malfoy! His precious daddy probably bought his way in.
"Granger…" he muttered.
I knew it. Miss I'm- perfect-and-you're-not. Great, I'm stuck with her.
Professor McGonagall cleared her throat. "You'll be sharing a dormitory, no, Malfoy, separate rooms, but the same common room. You are to perform duties given to you as if you are one. I am well aware that you dislike each other, but you must at least tolerate each other in the presence of first-years. You will be role-models so I expect you to be on your best behavior. Now, I will lead you to your rooms."
They proceeded out of the office and down a long hallway. The paintings were some that they've never even seen before. They were talking to each other. "Hm, must be our new Head boy and girl." A girl in a painting blushed crimson when she saw Draco and hid behind her curtain. There was a portrait door at the end of the hallway which was their room. McGonagall looked at them and said, "The password's union, hopefully you two can set aside your differences. Change the password whenever you like."
They entered and looked around. It was much more luxurious than the regular common rooms. Hermione took the right room and Draco took the left room. Draco sat on his bed, kicking off his shoes. He opened his luggage and brought out some clothes to change into when he finished his bath. After combing his hair into the perfect way he liked it, he realized he forgot lotion in his room. He didn't want to put on and then take off his clothes, so he just secured a towel around his waist while running to get his lotion. Sadly for him, he left his room door open, and Hermione saw him. "Malfoy?"
"Granger! What the hell are you looking at me for?"
"You're the git that didn't close the door!"
"Shut up, mudblood!"
Hermione looked back down at her books and studied furiously. Why was I looking over in his direction? I heard the door open and I just looked over. Instinct probably, no one could be too careful.
But Hermione, you know that you aren't paranoid like that.
So, I guess I am becoming paranoid with that ferret sharing the same room as me.
Okay, whatever you say.
Hermione didn't like the little voice in her head. She ignored it and saw Draco take the sofa on her left. He brought out all his books as well. She looked at him incredulously. "What? You don't think I study?" he smirked, "Yeah, I do. That's why I became Head Boy. Daddy doesn't buy everything for me, you know? Hn, I hate him."
She looked back at her books. She didn't want to converse with him. Mostly after he said he hated his father. What kind of conversation would that be? They studied long into the night. Draco broke the sound of scratching quills by yawning. "I'm going to bed."
"Good night then," Hermione said apathetically.
"Hn," was all Draco said.
Hermione yawned a few minutes later and decided to turn in for the night. She walked into her room and changed into a cami with sweats. She lay in her bed and fell asleep almost instantly. Two hours into her sleeping time, she awoke to some very loud mumbling coming from Draco's room. She felt groggy as she turned on her side and tried to go back to sleep. She walked into his room to tell him to be quiet. He was tossing and turning in his bed, almost flopping like a fish out of water. She opened the light immediately and ran to wake him up. She put her hands on his shoulders and shook them. He immediately woke up and pushed her away, hard. Hermione slammed against a wall. "Granger, what are you doing in my room? I get enough of you during the day."
"Insufferable git," she muttered.
"YOU barge into my room and you call ME a git?"
"Yes, ferret, I do! First of all, you woke me up with your loud muttering of whatever and then you toss me against the wall. How polite are you?"
Malfoy sneered. He hated her so much. He was having a nightmare. If she knew…no, but she can't know. I won't ever tell a mudblood like her. She's dirty coming in on me sleeping. I'm not even wearing a top. He turned to look at her and saw that she wasn't exactly fully covered either. They were sleeping for Merlin's sake. He noticed how beautiful she has gotten, but then slapped himself. "Get out of my room, Granger."
She stalked out, angry that he didn't apologize or thank her for anything. The next day was already horrid. Hermione walked out of their room early so she wouldn't have to see him. Her mind was all stuck on what happened last night. She knew he wouldn't forgive her for seeing him again like that. At least it wasn't a towel, he should be happy because of that. She smiled a little to herself as she ran to find Harry and Ron. Ron saw her coming first. "Hermione, you survived!"
"Ha-ha, very funny Ron."
Harry smiled at them and said, "I guess we should go eat then."
"'Course, I'm starved."
"You always are Ronald," Hermione retorted.
"Shut up."
Everything felt like normal to her again. No Malfoy, no nothing in her mind. She was with Ron and Harry, but then Professor McGonagall came. "Miss Granger, please come with me. You can go to breakfast afterwards."
She found Malfoy already sitting in a seat in McGonagall's office. They glared at each other for a moment and Hermione sat down. "Today, the first years need your assistance of showing them the grounds. You can do that, can't you?"
"Professor, couldn't we just give them maps?" Hermione suggested.
"Sorry, Miss Granger, Professor Dumbledore now requires both Head boy and girl to show the first years around. Remember, you two must cooperate. You may leave."
Draco walked out of the office with Hermione catching up to him. They walked down the corridor in silence. "Granger, I think you get the honors of showing the first-years around. I don't have time for that."
"What? No, you have to do the tour. I mean, what else have you got to do? Your quidditch practice won't get in the way."
"I've got better things to do than show little gits around the school. To make it worse, I'm gonna be stuck with you if I go."
"Malfoy, you are head boy! You have to fulfill your responsibilities!"
"Mudblood, I don't want to. I wouldn't ever want to be stuck with the likes of you. Now you do the job."
"But, you heard McGonagall…"
"You think I care?"
"Insufferable ferret. You better show up."
Hermione stalked off towards Harry and Ron. Draco ruffled his hair. Bloody hell, I don't want to give a tour to any first year, mostly if I have to share the tour with her. He sat down by Blaise and he grinned at Draco. "So, what'd McGonagall want?"
"I don't want to tell you, Zabini."
"Aw, come on, Draco, you can trust me."
"I just don't want to tell you."
Blaise turned around and looked over at Hermione. "Hey, how'd it go with Granger last night?" he said while winking.
"I'm not a perv if that's what you're thinking."
"Come on, you can tell me," he said while winking again.
"Sod off."
"Please?"
"I said, sod off," as Draco turned his head the other way, his body tensing up.
"So, Draco, are you telling me that something did happen last night?" seeing no movement from him, Blaise continued. "So something did happen last night!"
Draco turned so suddenly pushing Blaise down. His head hit the floor with a thump. Everyone turned to look at the Slytherin prince and his victim, surprised to see that it was one of his friends. "Nothing, all right. Nothing!"
Draco walked off without another word. He wasn't sure if any of the teachers saw, but frankly, he didn't care. He walked all the way back to his room and sank into a sofa, sulking. He heard someone step in and saw Granger. No surprise. We're the only two in this room. Besides, it's almost time for the first year's tour. "Malfoy, get up. We have to go."
Draco turned his head away from her. "I'm not going."
"You sound like a four year old. Get up."
"Go away."
"Don't make me go over there. I'd rather not, and I just want to get this tour over with so we won't have to see each other for the rest of the day."
There was silence from Draco. "Oh, you're hopeless you know, Malfoy!"
She walked over and tugged on his shoulders. "Take your hands off me, Granger."
"Then get up, Malfoy."
"Get your filthy mudblood hands off me!"
He pushed her hands off. Hermione was incensed. "Ferret, you are hopeless! A hopeless, intolerable git! Now get up!"
Hermione went to pull him up again. Draco turned around furiously and she fell by his side, their faces only one inch apart. Hermione moved back. Draco brushed a strand of hair back. Her face was flushed. It was an awkward moment, though Draco was very good at dealing with these moments. "What the hell was that Granger?"
"It was you causing me to fall."
"Yeah, and you just so happened to fall right by me right?"
"Also your fault."
Hermione looked away. What the hell was that? He was the one that pushed me. But then, why am I blushing? Damn, do you think he noticed?
Why do you care?
I don't, I just don't want Malfoy getting the wrong idea.
Right…
She looked back at him. His face had a pink tinge. What was Malfoy thinking? Was it the same thing that she was thinking? "Come on, the first years," Hermione said.
Draco got up reluctantly and left with her, not saying a word. That was a weird moment. Granger is weird. Of course she is, she's a mudblood. He was reassured. There was nothing wrong with him. They saw the first years bustling around in the Great Hall and immediately hushed when they saw Hermione and Draco walking in. Hermione was the first to speak. "Hello, um, welcome to Hogwarts! Today, we will be guiding you around the grounds. So, um, follow us."
Draco was not paying attention. He stood there and then, Hermione pushed him. "What was that for, Granger?" he asked angrily.
"We have to act civil, remember? Come on, the tour's starting."
The first years tried to look over each other to see what was happening. Draco whipped around and said, "Hurry up."
They bustled around. The tour took longer since one particular first year kept losing the group. Almost at the end, Hermione and Draco were up to their tolerance limit, of each other and the first year. Hermione walked took them to the Quidditch field. "Now, this is the quidditch field. Now as everyone knows, first years are not allowed to join their house team. So…"
Her explanation was cut off by Draco mumbling, "Except Potter."
"What was your comment Malfoy?"
"Nothing Granger."
"Oh, it was something. You just can't help thinking that Harry is better than you at flying."
"Right, I'm jealous of Potthead."
"Well, he's everything you're not."
"Oooh…Granger, are you saying you have a crush on Potter?"
"Malfoy, I think that's irrelevant information to the first years."
"So you do?"
"No, I don't. I only…well, that's irrelevant too," she said, blushing.
"So you like Weasel?"
"Shut up, Malfoy. You have no part in meddling with my private information."
"You do!"
Hermione whipped out her wand and pressed it to Malfoy's throat. "Take that back, or die."
"You don't have the guts Granger."
"Wanna bet?" she said with the most hatred she could muster.
Professor Snape unfortunately came, pushing himself through the eager first years. "I thought you two were supposed to give the first years a tour, not duel each other," he turned to glare at Hermione, "I thought you would hold yourself better, Granger. Both of you go to McGonagall and wait for me there. First years, follow me."
Hermione started walking rapidly towards the castle. She wanted to get as far away from Malfoy as she could. Stupid ferret, why'd he have to go and make comments like that? We were almost finished and then I could get away from him. Now, we're in trouble. He's such an asshole. She heard only her footsteps until she heard the voice she did not want to listen to. "Granger, why are you walking so fast?"
She didn't speak. She just started walking faster. She heard footsteps running behind her. "Granger, why are you refusing to speak to me?"
She stopped suddenly and Draco ran into her, pushing her down like a domino. "Stupid prat. Why were you running so fast anyway?"
"Because, you wouldn't speak to me, miss little perfect."
"Ferret, get off me."
They got up and dusted themselves off, and then continued walking on. "Why'd you have to stick a wand to my throat, Granger?"
"If I hadn't, you would've kept going on and on."
"You say that like it's a bad thing. So what if the first years think you have a crush on Potty or Weasel King?"
She turned around blushing at the name of Weasel King. "Don't call them that, ferret."
Snape came around them and startled them. "Why are you two walking so slowly? Hurry up!"
He pushed them along as if they were young children, all the way to McGonagall's office. McGonagall turned to them and sighed. "I expected better of both of you not to fight. Now, as this has happened, you are going to have to serve detention together. I'll inform you on the time later."
Hermione was appalled. Her perfect record was harmed all because of the ferret. "But professor, we were fine until―"
"Until you drew your wand. I'm sorry Miss Granger; you will have to serve detention like Mr. Malfoy. As I said before, I will inform you when and where. You're dismissed."
Hermione opened her mouth to retort, but Professor McGonagall gave her a stern and sorry look. She turned on her heel and went straight out the door. She didn't want lunch. She went straight to her dormitory. Stupid prat, why'd you have to say those comments? Now I'm in trouble because of it.
You didn't have to say anything though.
Well, I wanted to defend my friends just as they defend me.
You still didn't have to say anything.
What do you know?
I'm your conscience. I'm you.
Tears of frustration started falling down her face. She hated everything about Malfoy at that moment.
Author's Note: Okay, this chapter was longer than I expected and it was basically not as good as I wanted it to be. Hope you enjoyed it anyway. Review please!
