Author's Note: Hi again! Please forgive me if anyone is OOC for this chapter… or any future chapters… I think I'm losing interest in this fic, because I never seem to want to finish anything. But those lovely reviews serve as inspiration!

Speaking of reviews, FireGoddess ~~ The whole "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer" thing was pure coincidence. Great minds think alike, eh? *giggles* Actually, that line wasn't even correct. It was supposed to be "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. And know the difference between the two." *shrugs* Anyway, on with the chapter!

Hermione entered the Great Hall, admiring the lovely nighttime hue the sky had adopted for the opening banquet. She waved to Harry, Ron, and the rest of the Gryffindors as she headed up to the main table. She took her place next to Professor McGonagall and scanned the crowd.

Harry and Ron were joking around, teasing Parvati and Lavender and yukking it up with Dean and Seamus. Ginny was chatting with Neville, and Neville seemed pleased  to be talking to her. Hermione felt a pang of some unrecognized emotion run through her. She so wanted to be with her friends.

This is what you've worked fo,r Hermione. Seven years of dedication. You'll be able to be with your friends later, but this is now. She sighed and turned to recline in her seat just as Draco Malfoy entered the Great Hall. Wonderful, that was all she needed. An hour sitting next to her best friend's sworn enemy. Even though she was sure he wouldn't do anything in front of Dumbledore, she didn't need the stress of any silent jabs and remarks.

Strangely enough, though, Malfoy sat down, nodded at her, then looked toward Dumbledore expectantly. After a few minutes, Dumbledore stood up, let the noise settle down, then began his routine speech about welcoming the students to a new year, reminding them that the Forbidden Forest was forbidden, and taking a silent moment to remember Voldemort's school-aged victims that were taken from the Hogwarts class at the end of the last school year.

Hermione looked in Harry's direction during that last part of Dumbledore's speech. He looked frightfully pale, but determined. She felt a sadness for her friend, but she knew he would pull through.

What really stunned Hermione was Malfoy. He actually bowed his head, no hidden sneer, and waited until the moment was over to join the rest of the school in sitting and eating. He was being unusually quiet, mumbling things like "Please pass the salt" or "Would you like a roll?" to Hermione and Professor Vector throughout the course of the meal.

The abnormality of it disturbed Hermione. Before she could stop herself, she said to him, "Are you feeling alright?"

Malfoy met her gaze, a slight surprise showing on his face. "Of course I'm alright. Why wouldn't I be?" he replied before turning back to his food.

"You've just been so quiet and… polite tonight. It's not like you. Are you sick?" she asked him.

Malfoy slammed his fork down and turned to her. "Would you rather I was rude and trite all night, hmm? You'd rather me insult you in front of the whole school, letting them see how 'undeserving' I am of my position? Well, sorry to disappoint you Granger, but that's not going to happen." With that, he defiant shoved a forkful of food in his mouth before throwing his napkin on his plate and leaving the Great Hall.

Hermione, annoyed that he had taken her questions the wrong way, excused herself from the table and ran after him.

Mid-run, she realized how the scene must have looked. Draco Malfoy argues with Hermione Granger. Draco Malfoy leaves quickly. Hermione Granger looks flushed, then excuses herself from the table to go run after Draco Malfoy. Oh how that must have looked to Harry and Ron, she thought, mentally berating herself over such foolishness. Well, she couldn't stop now.

When she was out of the Great Hall, she slowed down and looked around for any sign of Malfoy. She figured he might have gone up to their common room. She automatically headed for the stairs, her mind trained on it's set goal. Once a Granger got started on something, a Granger finished it. And right now, she had started on a Malfoy.

With a deep breath, she gave the password and pushed open the portrait hole to the common room….