My hands trembled as they clasped my small suitcase more securely. I trudged into my new home for the remainder of the new and also my last school year.

The traditional dinner having already taken place, I was physically exhausted from the happy façade I had to put on the whole time. Harry, Ginny, and Ron were surprised and put out once Malfoy and I had been introduced as the new head girl and head boy-of course Malfoy being the only problem. I reassured them all countless times that I would be alright-and of course I would tell Harry and Ron immediately if Malfoy bothered me. Soon after all of the reassurances had been made and my food had gone mostly untouched, I fled at the chance to be alone, feigning a light head.

I relaxed as I critiqued my new room. It was decorated in several beautiful hues of purple, ranging from lavender to eggplant. The furniture was white and silver and the queen size bed in the middle of the room had silver pillows to accent the dark rich purple sheets. I smiled a small smile. I had forgotten until now that Ms. McGonagall had told us our rooms would be decorated the way the room itself thought the individual would want it to be-just like our staircases, our rooms had a mind of their own. It was a slightly scary thought, but the room was perfect. I dropped my small suitcase and purse and jumped onto my bed. Stretching, I smiled with satisfaction. This would be my get away, my own little place where I could be me.

After about ten minutes, I rolled my eyes and grumbled. Malfoy was also apparently enjoying his room and no doubt having accommodated it with his own supply of extravagant items. The loud music pulsing through his room and into mine was testimony to the fact. I waited five minutes, hoping vainly that maybe he would turn it down himself. Instead, as if he could read my thoughts, he turned it up even more.

"Malfoy! Will you turn that down?!"

The music paused for a split second, but then continued on even louder. I cursed.

"Malfoy!"

There was another pause, but this time it seemed more taunting.

"Bloody hell," I mumbled as I stomped out of my room, through the common room, and to the door of his stupid room.

"Malfoy," I said through clenched teeth. There was shuffling on the other side, but nothing else.

I began pounding on his door.

"Malfoy, you're not the only one living here you know," I shouted.

I was getting ready to begin pounding again, but just as my fist rose, the door opened and Malfoy stood against it looking incredibly nonchalant and bored at the same time. "What do you want Granger?"

Resisting the urge to hex him I said, "Your music. It's too loud."

He rolled his eyes, "I'll get right on that for you."

I grumbled and my hand itched for my wand, but I had left it in my room. And anyway, hexing him probably wasn't a good idea at the moment since school had barely just started. It was our 7th year and many people thought that the ongoing war and dislike between the Slytherins and Gryffindors needed to be resolved. Actually, the only people who had a problem with the growing aversion were Mr. Dumbledore and Ms. McGonagall. I suspect that played a good amount of percentage in who they chose for head girl and boy. Although, I was most likely going to be head girl regardless because of my grades, of which I can't say the same for Malfoy. Okay, so that's not fair. Malfoy is actually smart when he applies himself. When being the key word. Oh, and I'm sure his father's money had something to do with that also. I rolled my eyes. It wasn't fair. Malfoy was an egotistical little boy who got everything he wanted. What about Harry who had to go home over the summer and live with his selfish relatives? What about Ron and Ginny who had so little? What about me who…

A searing pain ran up and down my arm as I thought about…

I bit down on my lip, forcing myself to think of something else. Malfoy. Yes, Malfoy and I being paired up together as head girl and boy was no mistake. I guess Mr. Dumbledore was hoping that it would force us to work together. To get along and then maybe, set an example for the rest of the houses and unite everyone. Pffft, puhhhlease. Malfoy and I actually getting along? Yeah right.

However, if I wanted things to work out…if I wanted all of this to be over with, then that would mean pretending. I could do that. I bit my lip. I could pretend.

Embarrassingly, I realized that I had been standing there for quite awhile biting my lip and probably making several facial expressions. My cheeks turned red. I had been starring off into space and Malfoy was now looking at me with a bewildered and annoyed expression.

"Hey Granger, I know I'm irresistible, but you don't have to stare that much," he drawled slowly.

I clenched my teeth together and cursed under my breath, "Please Malfoy, go back into your dungeon of delusions."

He chuckled, "Easy there, you filthy mud blood."

I know that I should be used to him calling me a mud blood, especially since he's been calling me that for years now. But every time the words came out of his mouth, my temper flares up. "Shut it, ferret boy. The only reason why you made it as Head Boy is because you had your dad pay them off."

Malfoys normally blue eyes suddenly turned a dark gray as his eyebrows furrowed together in anger. His hair that he had grown out over the summer now fell in his eyes and he pursed his lips, trying to constrain himself. "You don't know anything about me, so stop wasting my time with your pesky comments. Keep to yourself and I will do the same. In other words Granger, fuck off," and with that he slammed the door in my face.

My hands balled up into fists and I held back my angry scream as his music pulsed through his door again, although it was quieter.

What the?! Who did he?! Argh!

Angrily, I stalked into my bedroom and slammed my door for good measure, even though I knew I was being immature. But really, since when did Malfoy ever get so riled up about anything I said? It's not like I had said anything new, it was just the usual 'your dad,' bullshit.

After a couple of minutes of forcing myself to breathe calmly, I pulled myself out of my bed and began unpacking. All of my other trunks and belongings had already been brought up, so I turned to those first and put everything in its rightful place. My books were lined neatly in alphabetical order, my clothes were folded and put into my draws in tidy piles, and I had a quaint bathroom where I placed my bathroom utilities in their rightful place. About an hour later, all of my things had been unpacked except for the one small suitcase which I had insisted on carrying with me. I picked it up from the ground and placed it onto my bed. In it, there were very few things, but that didn't matter. It was the items that held great value to me. There was a picture of my parents laughing and waving at me, my wand, my journal, and a few others. I held the picture of my parents and placed it onto my desk, starring at it for awhile, remembering and wishing.

Silently, I caught a tear and laughed at myself. Get it together Hermione; crying isn't going to get you anywhere.

Straightening my shoulders, I grabbed the suitcase and placed it under my bed. My wand was lying on my desk, but everything else that the suitcase contained would not be needed; not until much later.

It was starting to get very late, but the idea of sleep scared me. So instead, I sat down and brought out my journal. As I looked at the perfectly straight lines that waited to be written on, I came up blank. For the first time in a long time, I didn't really have anything to write about. Actually, that wasn't true. There was plenty, there always was. But all I could think about was them. It was like a song in my head, a chant, and I was constantly hitting replay.

They're alive, they're alive, they have to be, they have to be.

Slamming my journal closed, I tossed it under my bed and crawled underneath the covers. Classes were tomorrow and putting off the inevitable was simply pointless. There were so many things that I needed to get figured out. But not tonight; tonight I would hopefully sleep a dreamless sleep.

I closed my eyes and drifted into oblivion.