Chapter 1. An unexpected turn of events
The war was over, the nightmares were just beginning. Ever since that final corpse was pulled from the rubble of the wreckage that was once the Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Hermione Granger could not sleep alone again. That first night she slipped soundlessly into Ron's cot, he wordlessly scooted over and held her tight, as exhaustion took her and sleep finally, mercifully, came to her. She was far from the only one and no one thought lesser of her for it.
After she relocated to the Burrow given her parents were still MIA, Ginny would cover for her as she snuck night after night into Ron's room, and Harry snuck into Ginny's. Hermione even suspected Molly was well aware of this situation, but couldn't be bothered to care, as the loss of Fred still weighed on her.
At first with Ron it was perfectly innocent, cuddling, comfort, sleep. But intimacy crept up on her, hands were careless during sleep, bodies reacted to proximity, and soon she noticed the best most restorative sleep came after tender love making. She began to grow accustomed to it, to need it, to depend on it.
What felt like way too soon came an owl, a lot of death-eaters were still in the wind. The golden trio were offered Auror positions, Harry jumped at the opportunity, Ron followed suit. She cried in the bathroom, she couldn't do it all over again, that wasn't her dream. She decided that night she would go back for eight year to finish her studies with Ginny. They fought, they didn't swap rooms that night, nor did they swap rooms again what little was left of the summer. Ginny would hold her at night, but sleep was always restless.
She was pragmatic, she told Ron she loved him, she would worry about him and Harry, but she could not live for them, they needed to break up, so she could focus on her schoolwork, and they could focus on their tasks. The three of them cried on the train platform, the trio disbanded.
Some changes were made for Hogwarts' first ever 8th year generation. For starters, one common room for all, since unity between houses was of the utmost importance. Alcohol was permitted in said common room given they were all of age. And Head Boy and Head Girl shared a two bedroom in-house suite.
"Professor McGonagall, I'm not entirely sure that I understand the thought behind this decision." Hermione said while standing in the middle of Headmistress McGonagall's office.
"Well Granger it really isn't that hard to understand, mister Malfoy was always second in your class, inter-house cooperation is the first step in restoring this school's morale... and he is currently on probation, so you can help me out keeping and eye on him and keeping him out of trouble." McGonagall quickly mumbled that last part.
A knock on the door startled both witches and after McGonagall said enter, a slightly disheveled looking Draco Malfoy entered the office.
"Headmistress McGonagall I believe there was a mistake in my room assignment..." His expression slightly unhinged.
"No mistake mister Malfoy, as I was just telling miss Granger here, I have selected both of you to be Head Boy and Girl during this year." McGonagall said sternly.
Hermione and Draco crossed gazes quickly.
"I think we'll manage, if you'll excuse me..." Hermione quickly stated before darted next to him and exited the office.
This was an unexpected turn of events. Hermione sat in her very own reading chair in front of the roaring fire in the head suite considering the life choices that brought her to this situation.
"Granger"
The sound of her name snapped her from her trance, a haggard looking blond stood in front of their closed door. Was he taller than the last time they saw each other? She recalled that day at the ministry, just after the battle, when she testified for him.
He seemed nervous, and suddenly turned back to the door and cast Muffliato, Hermione instinctively reached for her wand before wearily watching him walk in front of her, dropping to his knees and profusely apologizing to her for everything, clutching her robes while tears streaked down his sunken cheeks.
That was also an unexpected turn of events.
Hermione could not sleep a wink those first three nights. She read trying to avoid sleep.
It was quickly apparent Malfoy was now a social pariah, between classes he turned up disheveled, traces of hexes on his robes.
Hermione told him to turn in his harassers, but he said it was nothing.
That fourth night Hermione screamed in her sleep.
A wand wielding wild-eyed Malfoy barged into her room, before finding her sobbing openly on her bed.
"What the fuck Granger?! You almost gave me a heart attack!" He said annoyed, while he sat gingerly on the edge of her bed and lightly stroke her back trying, not very effectively, to be comforting.
He yelped when Hermione suddenly pulled his pajama front and pulled him close to bury her face in his chest and continue to ugly cry on him.
The next day he kept teasingly complaining to her that his neck was in "unbearable pain" after falling asleep sitting up with her on his chest.
When he came in late to their suite his nose was bleeding, and he headed straight to their shared bathroom trying to avoid her.
That night she screamed again, Malfoy came in to her room again, he hugged her unprompted and whispered soothingly. "Do you want me to stay?"
She wordlessly opened her blanket and laid down, scooting to the side. He stepped in and cuddled her as her tears slowly subsided.
"You look like shit Granger, you want me to brew you some dreamless draught?" Malfoy asked while handing her a strong cup of tea.
Hermione shook her head, lamely.
"You don't have to endure the nightmares." He said seriously
"And you don't have to endure the violence. " She quickly responded.
Malfoy's face hardened and turned from her gaze before adding quietly. "I think I do." He sipped his tea.
"Draco..." He snapped back his gaze to hers unaccustomed to her using his first name. "You are a good person, you were surrounded your entire life by horrible people, if I didn't think you deserved a second chance I wouldn't have testified for you in the trial." She said looking at him dead in the eye.
He seemed surprised. And Hermione suddenly came to a decision, she took a long sip of tea. He made it just like she liked it, strong, not too sweet.
"Draco, I need a favor from you..." She lowered her cup and sat up straight still looking intently at her roommate across the small table in their suite, he remained silent waiting.
"I believe you've gathered by now that I can't sleep alone..."
"Consider it done Granger..." He interrupted her averting her gaze.
"I'm not done yet..." She said and took another sip, he locked eyes with her again.
"I developed this problematic coping mechanism after the war... I can only have truly restful sleep after I shag." She lowered her gaze to her cup and took a deep breath.
Malfoy's eyes became comically large. She looked him straight in the eye and continued speaking.
"We're both adults, and from what I've gathered you are currently unattached, I believe we could have a mutually beneficial agreement, you help me sleep, and I in turn, help your social status. What do you say?