Hermione sighed as she waited outside Dumbledore's office. He had asked Malfoy and her to leave a little earlier so that there were no crowds on the way to his office. She had yet to lay eyes on the cheery headmaster. 'What am I going to tell Ginny? That Malfoy was staring at me and I jumped? That he fell on me in the Head's compartment on the train and it felt like the most normal accident? Oh, she was in for it.' She was so deep in thought, she didn't notice the blond slippery snake, slithering his way down the corridor.

"What are you doing, Granger?" He asked as she was pacing in front of the gargoyle.

She tensed so much that it felt like she might never relax again. "Thinking. Why do you care, Ferret?"

Draco groaned at the nickname. Hermione smirked. He scowled at her as he spoke. "Who ever said that I cared. You think too much for your own good, Granger."

She stared at him. "That sounded like you cared about my well-being. You have been acting really strange today. Have you gone to see Madame Pomfrey? It is slightly unnerving to even think you care about me at all." She took a step back.

"Oh, come now, Granger. I am no different than I was before. You don't even know me, so don't pretend." He snarled the last part.

"I don't pretend I know you. But if you want to go there, then stop pretending that you know all about me because I can tell you now, you will never know anything about me." She bit back sharply.

She watched as her words slowly sank in. His features went from shocked at her outburst to hurt. She watched as he swallowed thickly and looked away. "What the hell is wrong with you, Malfoy?"

Before he could answer, Dumbledore came down the corridor. "Ah, you could have gone up, Miss Granger." He smiled at her before acknowledging Malfoy. "Mr. Malfoy. Please, come up. Would the two of you like a cup of tea?"

"Yes please, Sir." Hermione replied grateful for the small distraction away from the current issue with Malfoy.

"Please." She watched Malfoy mumble. 'Whatever it is, I will find out...'

"Miss Granger, why the intense stare of determination to young Mr. Malfoy?"

"Oh!" Hermione blushed at being caught. "Well, um, we were having an interesting conversation before you came, Sir. I would just like to figure out what is so wrong with the young Malfoy heir."

Dumbledore smiled. "Of course. Now, to make your Head duties easier, you will be sharing a Dorm. You will have a common room, separate bedrooms and bathrooms, a kitchen, and a small study area. Will this do?"

Hermione looked at Draco distastefully. "I guess, Sir."

% %

"..." Draco stared at Dumbledore blankly before exploding. "WHAT!?" He looked at Hermione before turning back to the aging headmaster. "Have you not received my Parent's letter? I can't be in the same space as her. She's a Mudblood!" He said pointing at the female in the room.

He heard Hermione gasp. He watched her stand and walk over to him. She raised her hand and slapped his left cheek. He grabbed his stinging face and looked up into her eyes. Apparently he had pulled the last straw as he saw her glaring angrily at him with tears in her eyes.

"Malfoy," She started after taking a few breaths, "I am not happy about this situation, just as much as you. But either way, I will not tolerate being called Mudblood." He watched as she grabbed her left forearm. She turned to Dumbledore. "I am still willing to agree with the arrangements. Now, I am thoroughly exhausted and would like to go to bed." She turned back to Draco and looked at him in disgust.

He cringed under her stare. That was, after all, the second time she had hit him in the face. Though the first was clearly a punch and broke his nose, the second still stung. He looked at her with shock and clear pain all over his face. His eyes were a clear teal color. When she left, he turned back to the Headmaster.

"Are you alright, Mr. Malfoy?" He asked in all seriousness.

"I-I-" He tried but his voice was broken. How was he going to win her trust now? He frowned as a pain shot through his chest. This pain was different from when he was at the Slytherin dining table. He felt as though a sharp object had just pressed its tip to his heart. Not enough to damage, but enough to poke and feel uncomfortable. He gasped in pain and clutched his chest.

Dumbledore was at his side. "Draco, I suggest you find a different way to speak to Miss Granger. You only have so much time and your Veela is already feeling rejected. I suggest you tell Miss Granger as soon as you feel you can. She is smart. If you don't tell her, she will surely figure it out."

Draco groaned. "I know, Headmaster. I just don't know how to make her trust me. She wouldn't believe me if I came up to her and told her 'I am a Veela, and you are my Mate.' it just wouldn't work. She would probably hex me till I can't reproduce." He hissed.

Dumbledore chuckled. "I am sure you are right, Draco. Now, I suggest you fix what you just created. Apologize to Miss Granger tonight. That way, she at least has a reason to be civil to you."

Draco nodded. He left Dumbledore's office and headed for the Head's Dorm. He sighed as he said the password that the old man had kindly given to them. "Unity." The portrait of a middle aged woman and a dashing knight opened for him to enter. He immediately walked to Hermione's door. He knocked.

"Granger? You in there? I need to speak with you."

"Go away, Malfoy." She replied angrily.

"Please… It's very important. I won't leave you alone until I say what I need to."

"..." He heard her shift. "Fine. I'm listening." She said sassily.

Draco sighed. "I would prefer it to be face to face, but… I'm sorry, Granger. I really am. The conversation we had in the hallway, the talk in Dumbledore's office, the rude comment I made. I am sorry for it all. Please forgive me." He waited quietly for a reply.

He was about to walk away when Hermione's door opened to show a skeptical and confused girl. Draco's breath caught as he looked at her. He was hoping beyond belief that she would forgive him. She stared at him for a long time.

"... Do you really mean it? I mean you are Draco Malfoy. You never apologize. Why are you apologizing now? What happened to you?"

He looked her in the eyes. "Grang-Hermione," Her eyes opened wide at the use of her first name. "I do mean it. Every part. I know I have never apologized before, but… right now, it is extremely necessary. As for why I am apologizing, and what happened to me,... All the answers will come in time. What I need to know right now, is… Do you forgive me?" He looked at Hermione like a lost puppy asking for a home.

A few minutes later and he watched as she stuck out her hand. "I forgive you for now. But I think a truce is in order. We do have to be civil to each other at least."

Draco smiled brightly and shook her hand. "Truce" she stared at him oddly before pulling her hand back.

"He smiled. A real smile." Draco heard her murmur as she stepped back into her room and closed the door. He smiled again. 'This is a good start, Draco. Now you just have to be nicer and get her to trust you. Then you can tell her about me and I can come out and play...' His Veela side thought. 'One step at a time, my dear Veela. One step at a time.' He walked in his room and closed the door.