He arrived in the common room where the other students had joined to drink butter beers and other alcoholic beverages in order to celebrate the newcomers and the start of what would be the last years for some, for others, it was just getting drunk to say they didn't spend another night feeling sorry for themselves. Knowing Hermione wouldn't be down here amongst all this he went up to his dorm and wrote a letter sending by owl to Hermione.

Unpacking in her dorm, she was hanging dresses, folding shirts, shorts, pants, skirts and making a secret place for her undergarments. The other girls in the dorm had as well blossomed over the summer as she had, most not as beautifully as she, but some great competition.

Hedwig landed outside on the window sill pecking against the window. She rushed over to open her window where the owl waddled in quickly placing the note in her hand.

Come to my room, we need to talk.

- Harry

I bet this is about why I didn't go to the feast tonight. I definitely can't tell him it was because I was trying to mess malfoy's game up… and it probably wouldn't be best to mention he walked me all the way back up to my common room.. but then again it isn't best to lie about these things either… its just like he said… two enemies getting to know each other better… right…?

She absent-mindedly walked down the staircase to the girls dormitories and back up the boys to enter into Harry's dorm. He lay on his bed with a pillow over his head. He was wearing a white t-shirt, and gray sweatpants that hung from his waist, semi revealing a well-toned body – looks like she wasn't the only one changing. His glasses sat next to him on his night stand which had a small lamp illuminating only a small space big enough to read a book in.
"Harry," She whispered, "Where's Ron?" She said noticing quickly that their red-headed friend was no where to be seen.

Harry removed the pillow from his face and sat up finding his glasses with his fingers. He slipped them on, "Ron kind of met someone at dinner tonight… speaking of which… why didn't you go? That's very unlike you Hermione, I hope this won't be a new pattern. You've always thrown yourself into your school work. I would hate for you to just be another love struck, boy chasing girl at Hogwarts. You have so much going for you." Harry said reminding her of her goals and aspirations.

She sighed, " I know Harry. It isn't a pattern, nor will it happen again. I had been distracted with something, and I know that if I tell you, you'll probably blow a gasket." She said sitting on the edge of his bed.
"Hermione… I want you to know that you can tell me anything. I'm here solely to benefit you, never to cause any stress or any harm. I just want to make sure you're happy and healthy." Harry said, a true friend.
"Who did He meet?" She whispered in a desperate attempt to change the subject.
"Her name is Violet, she can read minds… weird isn't it?" Harry laughed.
"Yeah, strange. Very strange… I don't believe I've ever met anyone… or anyone who knew anyone who was telepathic," Hermione said slowly. They sat up most of the night talking and laughing, slowly the dormitories started to fill up with boys half drunken half awake, sluggishly dragging themselves to bed. Hermione took this as her cue to leave and took herself back to her dorm where as her head hit her pillow her eyes shut and did not open until the next morning, when Parvati was shaking her to wake up or be late for schedule.

The first week of class was tough, but she slowly settled back into the groove of things, her notebooks, quills, pens, and books slowly had begun to fill with sticky tabs of all colors and calibers. Although like every year their potions class and D.A.D.A class was with Slytherin, Hermione found herself less and less distracted by the blond haired boy that had so shrewdly gained her attention on the first day. From time to time she would catch bits and pieces of conversations he was having with other girls, pick-up lines, cheesy ones at that, and every so often she would hear he and Blaise talking on a serious level, but never once did she turn her head back from the front row to catch eye contact with him in the back. Not her, she was far too enveloped in her studies to worry about some boy.

Months passed, without them speaking a word, she tended to keep herself very preoccupied with her books, and he tried all he could to keep company to prevent his mind from wandering. But every now and then he would catch himself staring at the back of her head. wishing she would turn around so he could catch a glimpse of those emerald eyes, whether they were filled with hate or humor. They still had their encounters that were rather rough around the edges, like when he would insult Longbottom and she would retaliate back before Neville had the opportunity; usually with something witty and clever.

On this particular day, October 5th, Draco was wide awake when his alarm went off. He was laying in his bed with his eyes closed, even his medication couldn't help him. He tossed and turned throughout the entire night. Mondays were always the worst. His hand flew over to his alarm and he flung his legs over the side of his bed onto the cold concrete floor. He walked into the bathroom rubbing his face with his hands. He had purple circles under his sagging eyes. He pulled on a hoodie and a pair of blue jeans over his pajamas and moved towards Blaise's bed to wake him up.
"Wake up," He said shaking his shoulder. Blaise awoke with a start, sitting straight up and looking around eyes wide and full of surprise. Blaise took one good look at his friend upon realizing where he was and what was going on. He could tell that Draco had been up all night again. His insomnia was really starting to take a toll on his academic progress.
"Up all night?" Blaise asked yawning and getting out of bed.
"Something like that. I got a good hour in, get up so we can go get some food before class." Draco pulled up his hood and slipped into his loafers. He walked down to the common room and sat on the couch to wait for Blaise. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. He tilted his head back and put his hands over his eyes. Her face was stuck in his memory the day he took her into the compartment, and the day he cornered her in the corridor. It was green eyes full of fear, face contorted into confusion, mouth sweet like wine. It haunted him how he forced himself upon her, but it was worth it to taste her, to feel her beneath him, for her to fill his hands. Blaise came down the stairs interrupting his thoughts. Draco stood up and he and Blaise walked down to the dining hall. Upon entering he noticed instantly that his brown haired goddess wasn't at her table with Parvati. He looked around cautiously searching the room for her, but she was no where to be seen.
"That's weird." Draco whispered to himself, "She's not here," He looked to Blaise. The boys ate their breakfast and moved down to the dungeons to go to potions. On their way down they passed by a broom closet where they heard

She rolled out of bed, noticing instantly that every other girl in the dorm was gone, including Parvati. Her hands flew to her head, a migraine throbbed in her head. She drug herself to the bathroom. Her hair was a ball of frizz, and her cheeks were pink compared to her paled forehead and body. She pulled on a pair of gray sweatpants, and a red v neck shirt. As she passed back by her bed to gather her books she slipped into a pair of black glittering boots, black jacket, and her house blazer. She slung her bag over her shoulder and rushed down the stairs into the common room. She was gathering her hair in her hands with a hairband in her mouth as she exited the portal behind the portrait. She moaned as she realized she had a few flights of stairs to run down before she managed to get to her class, ten minutes late at that.

He sat back feet crossed extended out into the isle ahead of him. Girls rolled their eyes as they stepped over his protruding limbs and guys avoided him completely to avoid a confrontation. The class began to fill up and he couldn't help but notice that she wasn't there. He noticed when he walked in early hoping to catch a glimpse of her studying alone, hoping he could get close to her. She was almost irresistible, she kept him in a trance in class, the way her body arched when her hand flew up, how her muscles clench when she gets eager. He had to remind himself often that they were in public. But sometimes he could help his mouth from watering when he walked in the wake of her floral perfume. So lost in his thoughts he barely noticed her stumble into class holding her head with one hand and clutching the strap of her bag with the other. She sat down in the back of the classroom, three tables down from him, alone. She pulled out her note book and a pen. He watched her from the corner of his eye. This was the nosebleed, why was she back here and not up front with Potter and the weasel?

He sneered and whispered to Blaise obnoxiously loud, "Thought I heard something in that broom closet I passed this morning. Miss know it all, hmph, more like class slut." Blaise rolled his eyes at his friends crude remark. Draco looked her way to judge her reaction, see if she was okay. He was met with darkly tinted big framed sunglasses that did justice in blocking the hurt and pain in her eyes. "You're just mad, because I won't sleep with you." She whispered before glancing to the board and down to her notes, where her eyes stayed for the remainder of the class. She gathered her things fifteen minutes before the class was dismissed. She stood up as girls and boys hiding in the back rushed past her. She slung her bag over her shoulder and clutched her books to her chest. Draco walked by her and stopped by her side. He took her bag off her shoulder and put it onto his over his own. She clutched her books even tighter. If her head wasn't pounding she probably would have ran to catch up with Harry and Ron, or find out why in the hell Parvati didn't wake her, but for the moment, letting Draco walk her to her common room so she could lay out of class for the day didn't sound all that bad. In fact, it sounded appealing.
"Malfoy, please, I can't take any practical jokes or pranks today. My head is about to explode. I really just want my bag so that I can go back to sleep." She snapped gaining courage behind her thick black lenses. "You don't look all that great today Granger… let me walk you to your dorm. I'm pretty sure your professor will understand, even Snape said you looked a little green." Hermione rolled her eyes, "You're impossible." He brought his hand up over his heart and a hurt look came across his face, "I'm only trying to help you, dearest." He kissed her on the cheek and placed an arm around her waist bracing her for the walk up the many flights of stairs.

Then again on October 12th, she was walking down the hall clutching her books to her chest. Her side sling bag was oversized for her body. Papers slid back and forth on top of her potions book as she peered
around the stack in her arms. She saw them from afar walking her way, Flint, Eastmun, and some brown haired boy. Eastmun was on the far left the furthest away from her. As they passed each other in an awkward tension, the brown haired boy reached his hand out and slapped Hermione's ass making her drop her books onto the floor. Pens flew, papers scattered, books pounded into the floor. She took a deep breath, cheeks burning red and closed her eyes. She could feel the tears pricking in her eyes, but as her pride swelled, her tears vanished and she started to pick up her books.
"Think that's funny, do you?" She heard a voice call out in defense. She turned around to see the brown haired boy pinned up against the wall by her fair-haired knight. She started to call out to him, but choked up when she remembered how he snarled at her when she tried to intervene. She watched as he held the boy up by this throat but dropped him shoving him into Flint.
"What's the big idea, mate?" Draco said growling at Flint.
"Hey man, I can't be held responsible for what my dumbass friends do," Flint said holding his hands up taking a step back from the young boy.
"And you," He said looking to Eastmun who had remained fairly quiet during the whole ordeal.
"Don't walk by her, don't talk to her, don't sit beside her, hell, don't even look at her. You're not good enough to breathe the same air as her," Draco said. Her cheeks reddened at his defensive words, "Get out of here," He yelled. Draco turned to her. She hadn't realized how she was holding her breath until she gasped for air when he started her way. The only noise she could hear was her heartbeat as he knelt down and started to help her recover her things. "Thanks," She whispered as he handed her some papers.
"Are you okay?" He asked moving in front of her. She looked up into his eyes upon hearing the concern in his voice. The redness and sting of the tears threatening to fall made her break contact, "Yeah," She whispered, "Thanks, Draco." He forced a smile onto his face. It was weak, he could barely see her through the red in his eyes from the anger the boys had caused. She placed her hand on his forearm, "are you okay?" She asked able to tell he was on edge. She furrowed her eyebrows as he moved in closer to her touch. Surprisingly enough it broke his anger when she placed her gentle hand onto his arm. He took in a deep breath and stood up taking her books from her. He didn't really envision to many guys slapping books down from his hands.

Finally one day before class they were all talking, rather loudly, she had Potter on one side of her and Weasel on the other, and he had enchanted an origami crane to flutter down to her seat, mudblood written all over the outside of it. It landed in front of her and he watched closely to see what she would do. Much to his demise she pulled out her heavily filled potions book and plopped it down right on top of his carefully folded crane, not turning her head at all. Potter however, did steal a glance back at him, disdain filled his face. He put his arm around her in a protective way, comforting her, raging Draco's blood. The urge to pull him away and snatch her from the class room filled him, jealousy.

"Draco, stay after class please," Snape had sent his own message through paper as well, only his wasn't as neatly folded, and more of scribbled onto the paper. Draco approached Snape's office after class, "You wanted to see me, sir?" He said.
"Yes, Draco it seems your grade in this class is plummeting, is there some sort of distraction? I would hate to see you not pass your exams because of this one class…," He started.
"Um.. no sir, no distractions, just guess I haven't been trying as hard, must have some of that senioritis," He said lightly.
"Maybe you should look into getting a tutor Mr. Malfoy. Senioritis is common, and it has kept a lot of wizards from being rewarded." Snape replied not looking up from his papers.
"Yes sir, any er… recommendations over who I should see about?" Draco asked trying slightly to suck up.
"I know it seems… arduous, but maybe you should ask miss Granger to help you with your studies and understanding of what goes with what potion formulas." He said pausing, folding his hands and looking up to measure Draco's reaction.

Draco smirked inwardly, perfect an opportunity to terrorize her, and he would have an excuse, "No sir, that sounds privileging, could I get maybe a letter of recommendation from you sent to her? That would help a lot with everything because, I can't say she would exactly say yes if I sat down with her."
"Draco, she's a Student Tutor, she has to say yes. She works in the library between three and eight Tuesdays and Thursdays, find her there, ask her. Get your mind in the game boy," Snape said turning away, "That is all." Draco turned on heel and exited the office.