The sorting ceremony had always seemed a bit pointless to Hermione. Yes, it was important for everyone to be sorted, but did it have to be such a big event? For second through seventh years, the ceremony was boring. For first years, it was incredibly stressful, but also boring. She knew exactly three first years on her first day. The time leading up to her sorting was filled with fighting the urge to vomit. The remainder was her feigning interest, only truly paying attention when the hat shouted out her house name to see her new fellow Gryffindor.

Her friends had begun to make a game out of it. As each kid was sorted, they would try to guess the house and future of the first year before the hat had spoken by making judgments based on their appearance and mannerisms. If neither could give them a clue, they would make up elaborate backstories. It went on until they got bored and began to talk about something unrelated.

"House Prefect," Harry says as the next kid nears the hat. "Ooh, he just winked at some girl. Captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch Team."

"Why?" Hermione asks.

"He's got glasses and game... It doesn't take much to be the Ravenclaw captain."

"Ravenclaw!" the hat shouts moments after touching the boy's head. Harry nods confidently.

"Alright, let me have a go," she challenges as the next first year walks up. The girl saunters up to the chair, and Hermione follows her gaze to the front of the Slytherin table where the Prefects and Head Boy sit. "Malfoy's third wife," she finally says.

"Slytherin!" the hat says a second later, causing the group to chuckle a little too loudly. They earn a glare from the girl, as well as half of the Slytherin table.

"You're good at that, 'Mione," Ron laughs. "What's her name again?"

"Something with a 'D' I think," Ginny says.

"Mrs D Malfoy," he gushes.

"I said something with a 'D', not starting with a 'D,'" Ginny corrects.

"What do you want from me? Mrs Something-With-A-D Malfoy?" She shrugs in response.

Ginny nudges Hermione, and she turns her attention to the other ginger to her left. "You know what you should do this year? Try out for Quidditch!"

"What makes you think that is even remotely a good idea?" she asks.

"Really, Gin," Harry agrees.

"You should conquer your fear of flying on a broomstick," she reasons.

"I'm not going to do that by being shoved into a field with a broomstick and being chased by flying balls that are trying to murder me."

"You'd be surprised."

"I'm not doing that," Hermione assures her.

Ron wraps an arm around her shoulder. "On our first Hogsmeade trip, I'll fly you out there," he proposes. "Designated driver."

"I'm not doing that either."

Ron shakes his head at Ginny, assuring her that he will, in fact, get Hermione to take a ride with him. She doesn't fight him any longer, figuring her energy would be much better saved by waiting to do so when he suggests a specific date for her first flight.

His arm lingers around her for longer than she had imagined. He could be very touchy with her, but it usually only lasted a few moments. This time, he slings his arm around her shoulders, leaning into her slightly for nearly fifteen minutes. As soon as sorting ceremony comes to an end, the food appears on the long tables in front of them and he instantly releases her, giving his full focus to the feast.

Ginny and Hermione take their usual opportunity to talk as the boys are distracted by the abundance of food surrounding them. "So you're not with Ron," Ginny states. It feels more like she's questioning that, which Hermione understands after the display he put on for the last quarter of an hour.

"We're not," she reaffirms.

"Have you given any thought to those Quidditch guys?" She glances at Harry on the other side of her. Figuring that he's well-enough immersed between his food and some conversation with Dean, Neville, and Ron, she pulls a stack of pictures from her robe pocket. The first one is of her standing next to a tan man who seems to tower over her. His dark hair is messy, probably from the wind or riding on a broomstick for a better part of the day. They stand together, laughing and elbowing each other. Most of the pictures are the same sort of thing with all types of different attractive men.

"How old are these guys?" Hermione questions.

Ginny shrugs. "Like… seventeen to… thirty."

"Thirty! Are you trying to set me up with a thirty year old?"

"Keep your options open," she winks, flipping to the next picture.

"He's cute," Hermione comments.

Ginny gives her a look. "Uh, yeah…. His name is Collin." The picture is slightly different than the others. Instead of joking around, they almost look like they're bickering. She shoves him slightly in the picture, and he rolls his eyes, pushing her back. He's less tan than most of the guys she'd already seen, but it worked well with his lightly colored hair. "He's… funny. I don't know if you would like him, honestly."

"Why's that?"

"He's a bit… edgier than you typically go for."

"Really? I thought Ron was very edgy," she snorts. Ginny rolls her eyes.

"Well, you haven't quite gone for him, have you?"

"I suppose not. In that case, who do I go for?"

"Viktor."

"Krum?" Ginny nods. "We were just friends."

"You were just friends on that date in June?"

"How did you know about that?!"

Ginny shakes her head. "Even I had a chance to read the Daily Prophet at camp."

"I had time. I chose to do better things, however."

"Well, I read it. And when you appeared on the front page with Viktor, I had to read it whether I wanted to or not." She leans closer, lowering her voice. "Ron would not stop owling me about it. He was livid."

"Why?"

"He didn't think you were seeing anyone, especially not a guy he sort of hates. You know how jealous he was when you went with Viktor to the Yule Ball."

"I didn't even know anyone from the papers was around."

"Of course they were. You're Hermione Granger! They won't be leaving you alone for a long time."

"Great," she mutters, digging her fork into the pasta and swirling it around the steel prongs. She was ecstatic about the thought of Rita Skeeter looming over her head each time she left her home for the next few years.

"It'll be okay. You look beautiful no matter what, so you won't have to worry about being poorly photographed."

"True," Ron chimes in, mouth full of corn. Hermione cringes as her eyes are drawn to his mouth, shaking her head and turning back to Ginny as he focuses back onto his food.

"Anyway, how was the date?"

"Good," Hermione blushes.

Her eyes widen at the reaction. "Hermione Jean Granger."

"...Yes?"

"Did you shag him?!" Ginny whispers.

"No! Absolutely not...quite…."

"Tell me everything. Now."

Hermione looks to Ron's plate, finding it nearly empty. "I don't think we have the time right now," she comments. Ginny leans forward to examine the remaining contents and nods.

"You're right. But you're not going to avoid telling me for long," she grins mischievously.

"I'm well aware."

"Are you going to eat that?" Ron asks, peeking over her shoulder as he points to her half-full plate.

"Yes, Ronald."

He looks longingly toward her food before placing his head in his hands as his elbows rest on top of the table. Ginny and Hermione decide to socialize with Harry, Ron, Neville, and Dean now that they can't get away with talking about attractive men anymore. Dessert comes shortly after Hermione and Ginny finish eating, but the time designated to eat the cake and pudding is filled with announcements from Headmistress McGonagall.

"I'd like to take this time to address the student body. First and foremost, I would like to thank each of you for coming back this year after the catastrophe we suffered at the end of the last. As you must have noticed, our Great Hall has been fully repaired, as well as the entirety of our grounds. Our charms protecting this land have been recast and are stronger than ever, though there is little chance of us needing such a thing. I am confident that Mr. Potter, Ms. Granger, and Mr. Weasley have heard enough praise over the summer, so I will not submit them to such a display once more." She looks directly at the three, mustering up a small smile as they exchange silent greetings. "I will, however, invite Ms. Granger and Mr. Malfoy to join me here."

Hermione looks over the heads between Malfoy and herself in an attempt to meet his eyes. He glances at her for only a second, looking away as soon as they make eye contact. He swings a leg over the bench, rising and sauntering over to the platform Headmistress McGonagall stands on. Hermione groans internally, lifting both legs over the bench as she turns in her spot, shuffling over to where Draco now stands. Each stops on either side of the headmistress, turning to face the students.

"The Head Girl and Boy for the year is, perhaps, one of the best pairings in Hogwarts history." Hermione hears Malfoy snort. "Go ahead and ridicule my decision, Mr. Malfoy," the headmistress says, turning to him briefly. "As we recover from the second Wizarding War, I would like to work toward a goal of unity. Regardless of house, blood status, or our pasts. What matters now, at Hogwarts, is our actions. Ms. Hermione Granger of Gryffindor is our Head Girl while Mr. Malfoy of Slytherin will be our Head Boy. The two have always been at odds, but now, we are each given the opportunity to put grudges and prejudice in our past to make way for new relationships." Headmistress McGonagall eyes both of them, and Hermione is filled with a sense of newness. It almost makes her want to initiate a civil partnership with the Head Boy. Almost.

The headmistress turns to the table behind her, picking up two glass flutes half filled with champagne. Both heads receive a glass from her before she retrieves her own glass. Lifting it up toward the ceiling, she announces, "To new beginnings. For every one of us."

As McGonagall initiates the toast, Draco sneaks a look at Granger from the side of his eye. She sips the champagne as the students do, following the headmistress's lead. Draco lifts the flute to his lips, tipping it back quickly and chugging the alcohol down. He fights back a small cringe as the unexpectedly strong liquid burns at his throat, setting the glass down on the table behind him as the feeling subsides. As he looks to his right, both McGonagall and Granger are shaking their heads at him. He shrugs, taking the applause queued by McGonagall's speech as a sign to sit down. "I'd like to speak to you both in my office before I show you to your dorm," she declares to them both as they begin to head back to their spots.

"Nice going, you've already gotten us in trouble," Granger accuses as they head down the few steps from the platform.

"Fuck off, Granger," he mutters in response. She scoffs, storming away from him.

The students are dismissed shortly after. Draco watches as Blaise, Pansy, and the other Slytherin Prefects gather the new house members, preparing to show them to the dungeons. "Shall we?" Granger asks, having appeared behind him without catching his attention.

"I suppose."

He pulls himself out of his seat, catching up to Granger as she had already started walking toward the huge doors of the hall. "Do you think she's really going to scold us?" he asks as they enter the halls.

"Scold you?" she corrects. "I hope not."

"Are you worried for me?" he gushes, mocking her statement.

"If I was, then I'm not any longer." Draco rolls his eyes. They pass by the groups of their friends socializing in the halls before they retreat to their common rooms for the night. Soon enough, the crowds thin out and the corridor grows empty. Granger looks at him, searching to fill the silence. "So… how was your summer?"

Draco plasters an overly enthusiastic smile to his face. "Oh, it was grand! Watching my father get dragged away to Merlin knows where while my mother's mental and physical health deteriorated more and more every day… it was a real joy." Granger now openly stares at him, eyes wide. "Thanks for asking. How was yours?"

She doesn't answer, rubbing her forearm awkwardly. He watches as she opens her mouth a few times, obviously searching for some sort of response. Whether she was trying to sympathize or insult him was a mystery, possibly to the both of them as she gives up on thinking up something to say and opts for a tense silence for the remainder of the trek.

Upon reaching the entrance to the headmistress's office, Granger stares at the Gargoyle blocking the entrance. Before she can think of how to get it to move, it jumps to the side and allows them entrance to the spiraling staircase. They travel upward reaching two grand oak doors. Granger knocks apprehensively, and even that light pressure is enough to push the door open slightly. She glances over at Draco before pushing it open, sticking her head in. He enters behind her, scanning the room for McGonagall. The office had changed only slightly since Dumbledore had been in charge. It was much neater but held a vacated feel. The walls still had portraits of the past Heads of Hogwarts, but every surface was clean and empty, save for the large desk in front of them which held stacks of paperwork.

A shadow appears, coming from the level above them which is decorated entirely by bookshelves. McGonagall stands at the banister, gazing down at the pair. "Thank you for being so prompt," she says as she floats down the staircase. Upon reaching the ground, she looks far less intimidating as she is somewhat taller than Hermione, but still must look up a decent amount to make eye contact with him. "Please, take a seat." She sits behind her desk, and the two pull nearby chairs to the other side, sitting stiffly and anticipating a lecture.

"I wanted to elaborate on my statements during dinner." Draco let out a breath, figuring that this meant there would not, in fact, be a lecture aimed at him. "I am well aware that appointing you both as Heads together may seem like the worst idea imaginable." Granger hums in agreement. Draco knew that she would think his being Head Boy was a bad idea no matter who was Head Girl. "As I said, this year is a new beginning. That goes for you two as well, in every sense.

"Ms. Granger, you've spent the last seven years assisting in the defeat of the dark lord. Even so, your marks have been flawless and you have been an exemplary student. You will finally be able to focus on your social life and future." She turns to Draco, clearing her throat. "Mr. Malfoy. You have had a… tough nineteen years of life. Now is the time for you to put aside your prejudices and history with the dark side. Of course, you can only change if you are willing to make an effort to do so.

"I have put the two of you together not only because I believe that you will balance one another out, but because you will be good for each other." Draco fights a scoff. He notices Granger look up at him from the corners of her eyes, only turning her head slightly to do so before she gazes down at her hands in her lap. "Hermione will challenge the ideals you were raised to believe." She looks to Granger, who brings her attention back to McGonagall. "Draco will expose you to the other sides of your ideas."

Granger speaks up, voice coming out quiet and coarse. "How do you imagine us balancing out in terms of being responsible for the students here?" She says it as if she doesn't believe it to be possible.

"You are… rule-abiding. It has a time and place, but some could agree that you are too harsh in certain situations. Draco has had a tendency to… abuse his power." He mentally thanks her for softening that blow and scoffs to himself. She gives him a stern look but doesn't comment. "Your tendency to follow such rules may influence him to think twice about using his power to participate in irresponsible actions. His lack thereof may allow you to relax once in a while."

Draco feels eyes on him once more, knowing Granger is looking at him. His eyes remain on the wooden wall behind McGonagall, refusing to meet either pair of eyes. McGonagall stares expectantly at him, but he clears his throat and crosses his arms. "Thank you, that was thoroughly depressing." Rising from his chair, Granger straightens herself back up, eyes following him. "May we go see the dorm now?"

McGonagall chews on the inside of her cheek as she stares him down. He does his best to keep a casual, confident demeanor. Finally, she breathes out loudly, rising from her chair. Granger quickly follows suit. "Fine, then. Let us go."

Draco and Granger wait for the headmistress to pass the pair before they begin walking. She leads them through the halls which are eerily empty for only eight thirty, probably because everyone is already in their common rooms or dorms. McGonagall leads the two to a corridor which Draco instantly recognizes as it holds the Room of Requirement. Granger stumbles slightly as they walk by the wall which bears the opening after pacing before it, most likely having just noticed the same thing herself. Two turns later and they stand before a large portrait of a man posing with a broomstick. Draco instantly recognizes him as Ludo Bagman, a former Quidditch beater for the Wimbourne Wasps.

"I thought this a fitting portrait," McGonagall finally says, breaking the silence, "as you, Mr. Malfoy, enjoy Quidditch, while Ms. Granger enjoys Quidditch players."

Draco lets out a snicker at the subtle slander. Granger glares at him, as well as the headmistress, much to his surprise. She ignores both reactions. "The password is 'Hippogriff Boggart.'"

Draco's eyelids drop as Granger instantly presses her lips together in a smirk. He had never liked that bloody Hippogriff, and now he is going to be tormented by the memory of being attacked by one each time he wants to relax in his dorm.

The portrait swings open as McGonagall restates the password, and she instantly climbs through. "Ladies first," Draco says to Granger, who follows after her. As Draco steps onto the carpet of the other side, the portrait swings closed.

The walls are painted a dark maroon while the light pine of the floor is covered in most areas by silver shagged rugs. The walls almost appear to be decorated by dark green plants as pots of them are placed along the walls. It mixes each of their house colors together without making the entire room seem as if it is Christmas-themed. A fireplace sits off to the left with a couch and two armchairs placed near it, true to the house common rooms. To the right is a half-filled dark bookshelf accented by gold designs. A long table lines the wall next to it, nearly two desks in length. Two cushioned desk chairs sit in front of it. They resemble the armchairs near the fireplace from the top, but the bottom has wheels enabling it to easily move to and from the table.

A thin hallway branches in the middle of the two spaces. The door straight back contains a bathroom for the two of them to share. On the left of the hallway is Draco's room, while Granger's is on the opposite side. McGonagall excuses herself, bidding them goodnight and leaving the two to explore their new bedrooms.

"These colors aren't as horrendous as I imagined," Draco admits to her.

"Agreed," she replies. They remain in the center of their common room. "I was thinking… maybe McGonagall is right."

"About?"

She sighs. "About us not being such a horrible pairing. Granted it hasn't been very...fun so far. But maybe on paper, it's not quite as crazy as it seems."

"You aren't wrong, Granger. The problem is that this is real life, not paper."

She bites the middle of her bottom lip as she looks at him. Her cocoa eyes drill into his dull grey ones. She still seems to be feeling down, presumably from being forced to listen to McGonagall's rambling about new beginnings. The fire flickers against her cheek, casting shadows across the other side of her face. Maybe the headmistress's motivational speech had gotten to him too, because he was beginning to feel like he didn't hate Granger anymore. In fact, he could almost imagine himself feeling the exact opposite about her.

[A/N: Thanks for reading! Favorite and follow this story if you're enjoying it and want to see future chapters. I may or may not have the next chapter written already but I've uploaded these three within a few days of each other so I'll most likely end up saving it for a while unless some of you want it earlier! Let me know and leave a review with your thoughts. They mean the world to me and it's so nice to see appreciation for my work because I'm trying to make it something I would want to read as well.]