Kreacher helped Draco and Hermione unpack their belongings quickly, and then was invited to have dinner with them, an honor he accepted with evident pride. Draco updated the wizened old elf on "Mistress Cissy's" and "Master Lucius's" respective health. The evening passed by happily, and Hermione felt less sad about leaving Malfoy Manor and its inhabitants. She had even come to be exceedingly fond of Miffi, and the sweet elf was devoted to her like a slave. Hermione was still conflicted over the whole house-elf situation in general, but she couldn't deny that the Malfoys had every right to have theirs.

After Kreacher had whisked away the remnants of their dinner, Draco took a quick shower while Hermione played with Crookshanks, who was feeling unhappy from being separated from Lucius. He slunk away when it was Hermione's turn to shower and curled up by the portrait door. Draco went to have a few words with Lady Montecino after quickly urging Hermione to take a shower, seeing as she was still rather dejected about their departure and thought that some sleep would do her some good.

When Draco came back in after a good thirty minutes of conversation with Lady Montecino, Hermione was still in the bathroom. Draco knew she never took that long of showers, and was a little worried. He knocked on the door and called Hermione's name, but she gave no response. Alarmed now, Draco whipped out his wand and said, "Alohamora," before pushing the door open.

What he found was Hermione fast asleep on the sink counter. She had been in the middle of brushing her teeth, as evidenced by the toothbrush in her slightly ajar mouth, and she had also been crying, judging by the tear tracks on her cheeks. Draco felt pained, and hurried went to pick her up gently, allowing her knees to stop supporting her body weight. With one arm around her, he used his other hand to finish brushing her teeth for her. She didn't wake up until he gently shook her to tell her to rinse out her mouth once he had finished the job. After that, her head dropped right back against his collarbone again.

Draco levitated her limp body out of the bathroom with his wand as he closed the bathroom light. He gently set her onto his bed and put his wand on the nightstand after he had produced a mint green silk handkerchief from its tip. Wiping her cheeks gently with it, Draco realized that tonight, he would finally get to sleep with his girlfriend again. Ecstatic at the thought, he quickly extinguished the remaining lights and crawled under the covers with Hermione again. He hugged her tight, and she curled up to him, sighing contentedly in her sleep.

"Sweet dreams, my angel." Draco whispered, before sleep claimed him as well.


The next morning, Draco woke up to see Hermione's large, milk-chocolate brown eyes gazing at him. "Good morning, love." he said, leaning over to kiss her on the tip of her nose.

"Hi, Draco." she replied, and then promptly added, "I don't want to go to class today."

Draco widened his eyes in shock. "Who are you, and what have you done with Hermione Granger?" he asked suspiciously. "Or have you gone temporarily insane?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I've missed lying in bed with you, Drake. Let's just stay here the whole day so I can get back what I've been missing out for the last three weeks."

Draco chuckled softly, kissing Hermione again, but this time on the cheek. "I don't think Professor McGonagall would appreciate the Senior Boy and Senior Girl skipping class on the first day back from the holiday break, Mione."

"Who cares." she mumbled.

Draco laughed. "Now you're scaring me. Besides, don't you want to see Zacharias?"

Hermione nodded thoughtfully. "You're right, Draco. Let's go. I haven't even talked to Lady Montecino yet!"

They got out of bed quickly, washed up, and grabbed their book bags. Hermione talked to Lady Montecino for a bit while Draco let Crookshanks outside first. Then they met up in the foyer to walk to the Great Hall together.

When they got there, only Ginny was sitting up at their platform. She waved to Draco and Hermione enthusiastically as they walked by the House tables. When they reached her, she hugged Hermione while Draco asked curiously, "Where's Zacharias?"

"Good morning to you too, Malfoy." she glared at the tall blond while releasing Hermione. Then she smirked. "He's over there, but if you want to keep your appetite, I wouldn't look for him right now."

However, her words had the opposite effect, for Hermione and Draco turned around with blinding speed towards Hufflepuff's table, and were suddenly embarrassed.

Zacharias and Heather were wrapped in each other's arms and passionately locking lips. Several bystanders were whispering and pointing at the couple's very public display of affection, as well as giggling out loud. Hermione quickly went to her seat, feeling awkward at seeing the show. She randomly grabbed food and started eating, trying to erase the images of Zacharias and Heather out of her mind, much to Ginny's amusement.

Draco actually gagged as he went to his seat, dropping his book bag loudly before he collapsed into his chair. Hermione couldn't tell if he was acting or not, and really didn't want to know either, focusing on her breakfast and eating fast, well, at least for her standards.

Zacharias came up to the platform towards the end of breakfast. "Hey, guys." he said in a rather high-pitched voice before slinking off to his seat.

"How was your catching up?" Ginny asked pleasantly. Zacharias pretended he didn't hear her. Instead, he said loudly to Hermione, "Hi, Hermione! That's such a pretty necklace you're wearing. Where'd you get it? Was it a Christmas present?"

At that, Ginny's head immediately snapped towards a blushing Hermione. Upon closer inspection, she saw the initials etched on the locket. "Oh, Draco! How adorable! Hermione, could I see the inside?"

Despite Draco's frantic head-shaking, Hermione opened the locket for Ginny to see anyways. The redhead beamed at the inscription, and then smirked at the photo. Draco was trying to hide his face with his hands inside the silver frame. Zacharias even gave a soft snort, and Draco glared at him, mouthing behind the girls' backs, "You're dead."

After breakfast, the four students stopped by Hufflepuff's table to briefly greet Heather, (although in Ginny's case, it was a chance to annoy Zacharias by telling Heather her boyfriend had been rather rude by not coming to her New Year's Party), and then went off to class.

Class was surprisingly easy the first day. Hermione had forced Draco to do a mini-review with her on their second-to-last day at Malfoy Manor, so they were ready for whatever the Professors threw at them. Zacharias and Ginny, however, struggled a bit more, but Draco and Hermione happily helped them catch up. The four were still at the top of all their classes, and when they went to lunch, they felt fresh and new from a morning of learning.

The afternoon passed by quickly as well, and soon it was dinner. Draco and Ginny, upon seeing Heather as they walked past Hufflepuff table, smiled evilly at Zacharias, to the point of breaking him. Unable to hide his secret any longer, he said, "Guys, I have something to tell you."

"Are you trying to distract us again? It won't work, you know." said Ginny with a raised eyebrow.

Zacharias swallowed. "I'm serious… it has to do with after we graduate Hogwarts."

"Well, then spit it out." Draco said, swallowing a bite of steak-and-kidney pie.

"My father… well, he's secured a job for me… I mean, it was over the break, that's why I couldn't come to your party… he made me get interviewed…"

Hermione had set her fork down. "Zach, it's alright. You can tell us. We won't judge you."

"No promises." said Draco simultaneously under his breath.

"Well… if you must… you see… I'm to become the Junior Assistant to the Minister for Magic starting next August."

There was dead silence. Hermione timidly asked, "Ginny, isn't that Percy's job…?"

"Oh, he got promoted to Senior Assistant to the Minister for Magic last August." Ginny replied. "I'm surprised he didn't tell you about it at the New Year's Eve party. He wouldn't stop blathering about it to everyone since he got the position."

Hermione blushed. "Well, perhaps he did, but I couldn't really hear. It was so loud-"

"So, your father bought you your job?" Draco asked incredulously as Zacharias flushed, unable to retort. The Head Boy looked absolutely ashamed.

"Don't act like that's something new." Ginny snapped, defending Zacharias for once. "Hasn't that been the practice in your family for generations?"

Draco glared at Ginny with narrowed eyes, and Hermione could almost just see his temper rising. "Actually, my father was on the Hogwarts Board of Governors, and he got that position on his own, thank you very much. Tell me, what does your father do for a living again?"

"That's right." said Ginny pleasantly, ignoring Draco's last sentence, although she was obviously incensed by Draco's reference to her father's job, "But wasn't he also sacked after he was caught blackmailing the other school governors into turning on Dumbledore, who, by the way, you served on a platter to the Death Eaters?"

"DON'T." Draco suddenly bellowed, abruptly standing up. His chair toppled backwards, and Hermione gave a frightened squeak, staring wide-eyed at Draco. He looked murderous, but Ginny didn't bat an eyelash. Zacharias gave a small whimper of fear, eyes swiveling back and forth from Draco to Ginny. Hermione was vaguely aware that several onlookers had started staring at them, but she felt frozen. Oh, please, Draco. Don't do something stupid.

For a moment, it seemed as if Draco would do something rash and unintelligent. But at the last second, he seemed to regain his senses, and stalked out without another word, the rest of his dinner left untouched. He swept out of the Great Hall as a giant silence blanketed the students and teachers, who were surprised at seeing the Senior Boy angrily leave.

Ginny glowered at Draco's retreating back, seething that he had once again insulted her family's financial situation. Zacharias looked greatly confused, searching for Heather among Hufflepuff table, and wisely chose not to say anything.

As for Hermione, she was sort of stuck in between. On one side was Ginny, her best friend, the one who had always been there for her whenever she had a problem. On the other side was Draco, her boyfriend, the one who made her feel like she could find true love. How was she supposed to choose?

The weight of the chain on her neck seemed to multiply, and Hermione abruptly realized that she was being silly. Of course I need to console Draco first. I can talk to Ginny later. She at least has Zach for now. Draco's all by himself.

"Sorry, Gin." she said thickly, giving her friend an apologetic look. "I'm going to go after him. I'll see you later, alright?"

Ginny nodded once, not at all angry with Hermione, but still furious with Draco. Hermione quickly gathered her belongings and Draco's before Disapparating with a "Pop!"

She appeared in front of Lady Montecino, who was wide awake. Without waiting for an explanation from Hermione, she said quickly, "He's inside, and probably in his room. Go to him!"

Hermione whispered a grateful "Thank you!" as Lady Montecino's portrait swung forward. She ran in, dropping the book bags on the couch as she sprinted for Draco's closed door. Knocking gently, all she received was a muffled grunt.

"Draco." she called softly. "Do you want me to come in? Or do you want some time to yourself right now?"

No response. Hermione took that as a 'no,' shrugged, and then went to her own room. She decided a shower for herself was long enough time for Draco to be able to cool down, and soon, she could feel the warm water trickling down her cold body.

Oh, I do hope they won't fight for long.