September 1, 1997

18:03

The train slowed down and gradually came to a halt. Hermione took a deep breath and stood up. Another year. She picked up her book, Pride and Prejudice. A book based on a girl and a rather misogynistic suitor. She liked how Elizabeth was the only character who made sense in a family filled with girls who think the sole reason for their existence is to get married and have children. Reminded much of herself. She dropped the book into her satchel and swung it around her shoulder, and then looked judgmentally at the packet that was lying on the opposite seat. She could or could not pick it up. Picking up would mean going to Draco and giving it to him, which would of course mean an interaction. Not picking it up would mean forgetting about it there. The interaction would result in a conversation in which she might have to prepare a comeback for his jibe at her friends. A jibe she guiltily thought proved to be true sometimes. But in the end, she picked the package up in name of community service. It had a Blood Quencher in it. She cocked a sharp eyebrow. Interesting.

Hermione walked out of the cabin and through the corridor. It was mostly empty. She walked down the compartment and looked into the cabin of her friends, they were gone. She sighed. They didn't even wait about her. Biting her lip, she opened the door of the car and stepped onto the steps, and jumped onto the station.

The damp soil got stuck to her trainers. She didn't care. She was free, from her perfectionist parents and her clingy friends. She took another deep breath along with the fresh damp scent from the forest. With her cloak clasped at her shoulder, she walked up to the place where Hagrid was shuffling through First-years. She jutted up her chin and walked up to him, her badge gleaming in the dimming sunlight of the evening. Hagrid was trying to move in the sea of the small heads and trying not to stomp on them.

"'Aight! All of ya'! Listen up," He said as he turned around and then beamed as he caught the sight of her, "'Mione! Come ere'" He said as he engulfed her into the sixth bear hug of the day. Her head was buried into his beard and long coat."Yer de 'EadGirl, this is so good!" He bellowed,

"Hi, Hagrid." She said, muffled through his coat. "Even I can't believe it," She added truthfully.

"Oh no, I knew 'bout it de day I saw yer result. There was only-"

"Are you both done?" Draco's irritated voice rang out and Hermione and Hagrid pulled apart. Hermione scowled at him. He was standing with his hands crossed, his mouth mirroring her scowl. His hair was dishevelled in wind. He had to look good even when he was sulking.

"Good." He said curtly and then turned at the first years. They were already afraid of Hagrid and were now looking at Draco appraisingly."You see those boats?" He asked as he pointed at the lake. All of them nodded. "Get in them, four in each." He said. The first-years contemplated the idea of being asked to hop onto old and rotten-looking boats by a stranger.

"We haven't got all day." Draco groaned out and they rushed to the boats. Hermione saw as they got into the boat until they were sailing away happily, except for occasional screams and jitterings. One last boat was left. Hermione walked up to the banks of the lake and tentatively stepped into it. It wobbled a bit as she settled in it. She then felt another person climb into the boat as she felt the boat move again she looked up as a tall lean figure took a seat in front of her. Draco settled down with his cloak bunched up.

"What?" Draco asked as they both found her staring. She shook her head and looked around. Of course, he had to sit in the same boat. She had seen Heads do that every year. She just didn't want to be this close to him. Their now longer-than-first-year legs were adjacent to each other. Her right leg in between his and his right leg in between her legs. It was strangely close.

The rest of the journey was quiet. She occasionally stole a glance at Draco. For the most time, he was staring at the water. She found that the greys of the lake matched the colours of his eyes. And for some reason, she liked that. They occasionally shifted.

Hermione saw that the water on the side of their boat trembled. Then she heard a loud chirp from beneath the water, which was followed by swishing and foaming of the water, as a large black shape emerged from it with small tube-like structures. The first-years screamed and jeered at the tentacle. Which did its annual dance and fell back into the water with a force that caused a large amount of water to be displaced and then fall conveniently on top of Hermione. Making her completely soaked.

"Fuck." She muttered as she looked at her now wet and heavy clothing. And then realized that she had 'muttered' it loudly since the first years in the neighbouring boats were now looking at her. She looked at Draco who was looking back at her, amused.

"What?" She asked.

"You cursed." He said. She was close to rolling her eyes.

"Why? can't a girl curse? Is that not allowed?" She asked him, her nose crinkled. His eyebrows almost reached his hairline.

"I didn't mean that," He said, he looked around at the kids who were now facing everywhere other than Hermione. "You cursed here." He finished with a slur. Hermione groaned and tried the drying spell again but nothing happened, since her wand was soaked as well.

"Well considering this," She gestured around at the state of her clothing, "the curse came as a reflex. Sorry if that offended all of you!" She said a little louder. And the first-years turned their heads by a few more radians. Draco chuckled, drew out his wand, and waved it over her. Her clothes became dry and crisp all at once.

"Thanks." She said shyly for a reason she doesn't understand. Oh yes, she was embarrassed. Her cheeks reddened further.

"Gratitude and Apology in consecution for someone like me, That is uncanny of you." She scowled at him. It came out like a pout. Her day was ruined.

When they reached the end of the lake, and at the chamber, Draco got out of the boat first, moving it enough so that Hermione was about to fall off into the water. She groaned as she stood up on wobbling feet. As she put her left foot on the ground, her right leg still in the boat, she lost her balance and the boat jerked away from the ground. She squealed, as she dangled between the boat and floor. Her balance left her again as the boat jerked away and she almost fell into the lake, when a strong arm snaked behind her back, while another one grabbed her upper arm. When she calmed down and opened her eyes, she found Draco smirking at her.

So fucking cliche.

She swatted herself away from him and then stood beside him, straightening her robes. "Thanks." She said gruffly.

"My pleasure." He said with a mock bow of his head and then turned to the First-years.

"Now, unless you want to die looking into the eyes of a Basilisk, this one did," Draco pointed at Hermione and she scowled. She was supposed to make a role model for these children, and Draco was absolutely helping her. "Follow me." He said and turned around sharply. And walked down the entrance of the chamber. The looks of awe the first-years had were making her a bit nostalgic. They led them through the entrance hall of the castle. Then through the grand staircase, where Professor Sprout and Professor Flitwick were standing.

"We will take it from here, dears." Professor Sprout said smiling, and Hermione saw as some First-Years positively took breaths of relief at the statement of their soon-to-be Herbology Professor. She smiled at the little raven-haired girl with pigtails who was standing closer to her and grinning at her appreciatively. Hermione was sure this one was going to Hufflepuff. She turned around and saw that Draco was walking away to the hall already. She stepped further and caught up to his steps.

When they entered the main hall, Hermione went over briskly and sat down in between Luna and Neville, and in front of Harry, Ron and Ginny. She snatched a plate and filled it with chicken legs, pot pie, and mashed potatoes.

"So, who is the Headboy Hermione?" Harry asked as she began eating.

"Its Dra-"

"Hermione Don't!" Ginny glared at her.

"Hey! If you are not going to tell us, let someone else do," Ron practically whined. But Ginny just smirked.

"That would ruin the reaction now, wouldn't it?" She said excitedly. Hermione felt bad for him. He had been wanting to be the head-boy since he arrived at Hogwarts. And him not being the head-boy also explained his gruff behaviour at the station and on the train. And of course Ginny was going to have fun with this.

"Fine. Have it your way. Let's just hope It is not the ferret." He crossed his arms for went back to eating. This was another reason why Ginny wasn't telling him anything. Ron hated Draco. Even after Draco had saved him during the battle of the ministry of magic. He had saved all of them when they had blindly walked into the trap laid out by Voldemort.

And at the end of it, he had come out heavily injured. When she looked at him, she could still see the scars peeking out of his collar. She sometimes felt guilty about it. Dolohov had meant that curse for her. He had specifically screamed 'mudblood' when he had cast it. And then Draco had pushed her away and had taken it for himself. She could still remember him fighting and saving them, while his chest bled and she could see the muscles of his bloodied body. And how he still had mercilessly cut through those death-eaters. Including his own Father.

She winced at that. Hermione had never brought herself to thank him for saving her life. Harry, Luna, Ginny, and Neville now held some sort of respect for him. Ron was a completely different story. He had never trusted Draco and even held him responsible for what happened at the ministry. While he had blindly believed Harry's visions.

"And what if he is the Head-Boy?" To her surprise, Neville had said that. Ron's eyes widened at that. And then he scoffed.

"Oh no, he isn't," Ron said, "He can never be. He is a complete git." Of course, that's where his vocabulary ended."He doesn't even have good grades." To more of her surprise, Romilda had laughed at that.

"You are not only wrong, Ron," She said, trying to control it. "You are stupid." Harry, Ginny, and Neville laughed at that, and Hermione and Luna smiled sheepishly at him. It was the truth. Ron's scowl furthered. While Lavender started patting him consolingly. "Draco is the only person who has marks equal to Hermione's. And he has been beating her at Defense and Arithmancy for the last six years. You are stupid if you don't notice that." Romilda finished. Ron was fuming now.

"Yeah, but none of that changes the fact that Malfoy is still a fucking death-eater!" Ron had said that loudly. Very loudly. Hermione could tell that by the fact that there was thick silence that had followed it. A thick one. The clatters proved that people were not eating anymore but looking at him. And people at all the tables. Including the one teachers used. Hermione gulped at that fact. Ron was turning redder than his hair now. She turned her head around to see that a tall figure in magenta robes had risen. Ron was in trouble.

But before Professor McGonagall could do anything, Ginny had already stood up and slapped Ronald across his cheek.

"You ungrateful arse." Ginny had said and she was still fuming as she walked out of the hall past the first-years who were still entering the hall. Hermione tried to stand up, but Luna pulled her back down.

"McGonagall will call you, I will check on Ginny," Luna said as she stood up. She followed Ginny out of the hall. McGonagall straightened up and began her speech, not wanting to drive anymore conflict in front of the newcomers. As she spoke, Hermione risked a glance at Draco by turning her head. She was surprised at the scene. It was not hostile or angry-looking or in any way reacting to the events that had just taken place. It was almost endearing.

Draco was sitting at the last end of the table, a spoon in his hand with a pea in it. He had bent it, and his eyes were focused on the apple that was on Crabbe's round head, who was sitting across him, a few seats away. The rest of the table was also staring intently at the trajectory of the pea. Their eyes were shifting between the pea and the apple. Draco released the spoon and the pea flung across the table and knocked down the apple from Crabbe's head. The entire table erupted in applause and cheers. Draco gave Blaise a fist-bump, Pansy an elbow-bump and Astoria a clap on the hand. A genuine smile broke onto Hermione's face.

Draco had been blatantly deflecting the shit that was thrown at him from the very beginning of his life, first from his own father and then from the world, as he got out of his house. That was the only reason why he bullied others verbally. It was his defence mechanism. She had acquired that by her own personal character study of the said person. She had even taken notes. Not that she would tell anyone. Draco was the most resilient person she had seen. Both mentally and physically. And that was one of the many reasons she liked him. Really liked him.

19:46

The sorting ended and the girl with long black hair in pigtails was sitting at the Hufflepuff table, much to Hermione's delight.

"And now for the new Heads of this year," Hermione could swear that McGonagall smiled at that."Hermione Granger, the Head-Girl." There were cheers and applause from all the tables. She could swear again that her face filled with even more pride, as she said, "And Draco Malfoy, the Head-Boy." There were more applause and cheers, along with a distinct and long verbalisation of 'boo'.

Hermione couldn't figure out why was Ron being so much envious. But she ignored It and stood up with a smile plastered on her face. Draco was walking a route parallel to her's as several hands were jutting out from both the tables as she tried to shake all of them and say thanks in return to all of their wishes and greetings.

After much handshaking and greetings, Hermione and Draco were standing together behind McGonagall.

"Your friend seems to have rather hard feelings about me." He said at a volume that was enough for her ears. She looked over at her friends and found Harry and Neville whisper angrily at Ron.

"I am sorry for that, he-"

"Stop being sorry, Granger." He drawled out. "I haven't been exactly friendly with the three of you. Just ask him to improve his vocabulary. 'Git' is a severe understatement and even worse of a reason if he wants to use that in the debate over my position." Hermione snorted at his comment.

"And also ask him to adopt some subtlety." She cocked an eyebrow at that.

"Are you threatening him through me?" He turned his head at her.

"I am requesting you." Although his threat not at all sounded like a request, "I have enough enemies already." She wanted to scoff at that.

"I don't see him becoming your enemy any soon." Of course, he would not be a problem. Ronald was nothing in front of Draco. He shrugged.

"Yeah, besides, Molly, Arthur and Ginerva love me. I think Fleur and William like me too." He said with a self-satisfied smirk. She had seen both Fleur and Gabrielle dance with Draco at the wedding. And she remembered it because what happened today was almost like a repeat of what had happened in August. Draco's fluency in French had only fueled it.

She mentally kicked herself. She was practically stalking Draco.

The students rose and went to their respective four common rooms. Lupin walked over to them, once the crowd cleared.

"I was so fucking sure it would be of both of you." He said as he grinned through his beard at them. And that obscenity was just proof of how thrilled he actually was. He realized it and then cleared his throat. Hoping that McGonagall hadn't heard him.

"We won't tell anyone," Hermione said.

"Cross our hearts," Draco added. Remus shook his head and gestured for them to follow him.

"You both will have your own suites in the castle. A bedroom, a kitchenette, a bathroom and a balcony." He said as they reached an alcove on the seventh floor, which had a large family portrait of Norse gods.

"In my time there were Greeks," Remus said thoughtfully. Odin turned his head at him.

"Does thou hast some problem with us?" Remus ignored him and then placed a hand under the tapestry. Muttered an Incantation. Hermione saw two shapes in form of large rectangles formed on either side of the painting. Remus turned at Draco.

"Look, about what Ronald said-"

"Dogs keep barking," Draco replied and Remus smiled at him.

"That's what I thought. Now, I left the Lesson plans in your room, check them." He then turned at Hermione.

"Make yourself comfortable, further instructions will be given tomorrow. And don't share your password." Hermione nodded and he smiled again.

"Now about what happened at the station," Draco said and Remus turned with slumped shoulders.

"You are asking something about my personal life, Isn't that a bit inappropriate,"

"My teacher was kissing my sister. That is inappropriate."

"She was the one who kissed me, asked her." Remus pointed at Hermione, and now both of them were staring at her.

"Uhh, yes, She was the one who initiated it. Yes." Hermione said and Remus turned at Draco. He was now looking at Remus thoughtfully.

"Are you upset over her forced shower of affection over you?" Draco asked with a cocked eyebrow. Remus scratched the back of his neck.

"Well, not so much," He said.

"You mean, quite a bit upset." Draco neutralized.

"No!" Remus said, exasperated.

"I quite liked it." He said shyly.

"Good!" Draco beamed, "I like you, Nymphadora made a good choice." Draco patted Lupin's shoulder. He then mouthed the password to the god guarding his door. Unironically, Loki.

Hermione smiled sweetly at Remus before turning to the goddess guarding her door, Sigyn.

"Crookshanks," Hermione said as she opened the door. And then gasped at the sight.

The common room was filled with three cupboards of books, with her coursebooks among them. Rolls of parchment were lying on the round table in the middle. It also had a fireplace. Besides that, a whole wall opened into the balcony. There was a kitchenette on the side of the door that probably led to the bedroom. The accent was wood and she found that she liked it.

Hermione walked into the balcony and took a long breath of relief, as she admired the beauty of the mountains of Ben. She turned around and saw another balcony, with the lights on. And then a person with unmistakable blond hair came into her view. They were practically neighbours now.

Her cheeks then burned as she saw him taking off his shirt in one swift move. The fire from his fireplace making his pale chest shine.

She then ducked under the railings as she saw that he slid the glass door open and then walked into the balcony. And then her eyes widened, again as she saw him take a deep breath. All the exposed parts of his body glowed in faint white light before it disappeared into a black mass.

Her footing shifted as she slid down and looked through the spaces of railings as Draco, now a large black raven flew into the sky. Her eyes widened. Her brightest-in-the-world brain worked fast as she pieced things together. Draco deflected unforgivables. Draco was dead clever. Draco had survived and fought with his chest cut open. Draco could hear, smell and see things others often missed. Draco was attractive. Draco turned into a fucking raven. Draco Malfoy was a fucking vampire.

This explained many things, the observations themselves. This was why Astoria had given him the blood-quencher. It was to keep self-control. Oh shit.

Hermione dragged her self into a standing position. And then walked into the bedroom like a ghost. She threw her clothes away, opened the closet and slithered into the pyjamas. Threw open her satchel. Grabbed the flowers and slipped under the blankets. She slept with a half-naked Draco in her dreams and the metallic smell of the Quencher. She vaguely registered her ginger coloured familiar curling up at her side.

A/N HERE IT IS. THIRTY-SEVEN DAYS LATER. I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE I FINALLY WROTE IT. THANK YOU FOR READING. REVIEW. PLZ.