A/N: So, I apologize for the wait, and for the terrible excuse for words that was last week's chapter, but it was more of a filler than anything else. I will try harder to get longer chapters up from now on, I promise. Thank you again to all of you who have actually stuck through with this story, as it is only your reviews, favourites, and alerts that have kept this story going. I love you all!

~Chapter Seven~

Draco ran down the onyx steps with Blaise on his heels, the latter still panting with laughter. "I can't believe her! I swear I'm going to…" Draco broke off, unable to think of anything worth wasting his breath on.

"Going to what, Drake?" Blaise asked, a cocky grin plastered on his face. "It was only a pillow. Besides, they were two girls having a pillow fight. Do you have any idea how many times I've dreamt of something like that happening?" Blaise exclaimed.

Draco scoffed. "Oh, please. Quit thinking about your bloody hormones for one minute, I beg you." At Blaise's questioning glance, Draco continued on. "I think that something's wrong with me," he said slowly, his brows knitted together in confusion.

"Really? Oh, well, I haven't been thinking that since I met you," Blaise said sarcastically.

"Oh, don't be such a bloody prat," Draco snarled. "Can I finish what I was saying?" Blaise sighed and nodded, so Draco went on to continue his explanation. "As I told you earlier, Granger got an owl about her parents dying. She was…broken, to say the least. She was sobbing, and screaming, and saying things like, 'Oh, God no'. I didn't know what else to do, so I…held her, and tried to make her stop crying, and what the hell are you sniggering about, you prick?" Draco exclaimed, seeing Blaise shaking with barely concealed laughter.

Blaise just shook his head, and said, "Oh, God. You fancy her! Draco Malfoy, pureblood prince, falling for the muggleborn Granger! That's rich, that really is, mate." Draco drew back his right leg, about to aim a kick at his friend's shins when the clock hanging from the wall in the common room chimed nine times. "Shit," Blaise said under his breath. "Gotta go, mate. I'm going to miss the bloody curfew. Have fun with Granger," he winked as he walked towards the portrait hole.

~Break~

"Oh, well, that was fun," Ginny sighed, collapsing into the large, red, winged armchair beside Hermione's bed.

"Uh-huh," agreed Hermione. "Gin, it's nine o'clock. Shouldn't you be heading back to your dorm? I am Head Girl, so I can't allow you to stay out past curfew," Hermione said with a wink.

Ginny giggled. "Yeah, I'd best be going. I'll be back again tomorrow!" she promised, hugging Hermione and dashing out the door. She skirted around Draco as he reached the top of the stairs and skipped down the stairs.

Draco looked at Hermione with a pale eyebrow raised. "May I ask why you threw a pillow at my head? I, for one, felt that it was a little unnecessary."

Hermione crossed her arms and cocked her head to the side. "You could do with a little fun. You know, let loose sometime?"

Draco scoffed. "I can't really comprehend how a pillow to the head could constitute as fun. Though you and Jenny were giggling like third years on their first trip to Hogsmeade."

"It's Ginny, and that was our way of having fun, if you must know. Speaking of, we're supposed to be helping plan the trip. It's in a week, but it would be better if we got the plans out of the way before we get assigned anything. Would you care to meet me in the library tomorrow after classes?" Hermione replied. Frankly, she was a little surprised at herself that even something like that came out without any insults directed towards her fellow Head.

Draco looked slightly surprised as well. "Er…I suppose. My last class is Charms, so I assume I'll meet you after?"

"Actually, my last class is Charms as well. We could just meet in the library?" Hermione replied. Draco nodded in confirmation. Well, he's being very cooperative, thought Hermione. "Alright. I've got to bathe. I'll see you, I suppose," she said, making her way over to the bathroom door.

"See you," Draco replied, watching as the witch shut the door.

As soon as the door closed, Hermione rested her head against it for a moment. She was a little shocked that he had agreed to her plans without demanding that it followed his own plans. Maybe, just maybe, Draco Malfoy was changing. If he was, Hermione was going to be the one to experience it firsthand.

~Break~

Draco ran a hand through his platinum hair as he walked towards his bedroom. Maybe Blaise was right, but only a little. He definitely didn't feel as…hostile towards Hermione as he used to. There was also the fact that her looks had improved drastically as well. Her hair was no longer frizzy and untamed, but her curls now cascaded smooth and wavy down her back. There was also the change in her body; she now had curves where she definitely didn't before, and her clothes clung to her figure in exactly the right places…Draco shook his head and mentally scolded himself for thinking such things.

"Damn it, Draco, get a hold of yourself," he said aloud. He flopped down onto his emerald green and silver bed and grabbed a decorative pillow, squishing it between his hands. He couldn't help but wonder how tomorrow's meeting with Hermione would go. Would they argue? Would they be able to agree and be civil with each other? Draco could only wait until after Charms the next day to figure everything out…

~Break~

Hermione slid down the door to the stone floor of the bathroom as soon as she got in. She could not, no matter how hard she tried, figure out why she had depended on Draco as soon as she got the news of her parents' death. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes at the thought of the dreadful letter, but she held them back. Funny that I can hold them back when I'm alone, but not when I'm in front of my supposed worst enemy.

Hermione groaned aloud. Strangely enough, she didn't even think of Draco as that anymore. She hadn't since she had seen him after the war. There was something…indescribably different about him. Perhaps it was the way that he didn't slick his hair back in that god-awful style he used to wear it in. Maybe it was the way that his silver eyes looked so much more inviting and…warm than they used to. Or maybe, just maybe, it was the fact that he had actually comforted Hermione when she broke down. Hermione noticed that she could actually smell Draco on her clothes, her hair, and her skin. He smelled of musk and what was probably an insanely expensive cologne. When she was seated in Draco's lap on the couch, his breath would occasionally waft over her face, causing her to breathe in peppermint and pumpkin juice. She lifted up the neck of her robes and took in a deep breath; his scent clung heavily to the fabric, alluring and intoxicating. Her eyes wandered to the stained glass windows of the room, and she realized how dark it was outside. She was supposed to be having a bath before bed.

Hermione got up from the floor and stripped her robes off; it was relieving to be free of the heavy fabric. She turned one of the multiple faucets on the bath to full power and maximum heat and she jumped back, startled, when all off the faucets turned on at the same time. Not only that, but many different colours of soap quickly filled the bathroom with their scent as large amounts of the liquid shot out from a faucet at the very top of a large fountain-like contraption in the middle of the bath. Hermione smiled, already feeling herself start to relax.

~Break~

Well over an hour later, Hermione stepped out of the giant bathtub. She grabbed one of the black towels hanging from the rack nearest the tub and wrapped herself in it. As soon as her feet touched the floor, all of the water rushed to multiple drains in the bottom of the tub. Hermione smiled to herself in wonder and picked up her clothes to walk back to her room to get changed.

When she made her way into her room and closed the door, she saw a grey owl sitting on the outer ledge of her window. She rushed to the window and unlatched it. The owl did not move, so she reached over and untied the letter from its foot. She looked at the seal on the letter in shock: the envelope was closed with the official Hogwarts seal. Strange…Hermione thought to herself. She looked up when she felt a sudden breeze, which turned out to be the owl's feathers as it flew away into the night. Also strange…they usually wait for payment…

Hermione sat down on the edge of the bed and opened the envelope to read the letter:

Dear Ms. Granger,

I am very sorry to hear of the passing of your parents, Dr. and Mrs. Granger. I received a letter from Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt informing me of the incident mere hours ago, and he stated that he had informed you earlier still.

I understand that the grieving process is a very difficult one, and I will be available whenever you may request me if you require guidance.

However, I ask that you come to my office tomorrow before your classes to discuss your plans for coming to terms with this tragedy, and to discuss the possibility of any time off of school that you may need. I will inform Professor Slughorn that you will be late arriving to his Potions class tomorrow.

Thank you,

Headmistress Minerva McGonagall

Hermione drew in a shaky breath and suddenly noticed that there were tears running down her cheeks. Instead of wiping them away, she laid back on the pillows on her bed and let them fall freely, thinking of nothing but how much she was hurting and how alone she was.