Disclaimer:  It has been brought to my attention that I haven't been putting disclaimers on my fics.  As you all know, these characters belong to J.K.Rowling.  If you didn't know that, check the front of the book.  If you haven't read it, why on earth are you reading fanfiction about it?

A/N:  Hmm.  This has been rather a long time coming.  Apparently my muse is in a mood and won't talk to me.  As a warning, the gender swappage is likely to get rather confusing.  Its confusing me anyway.  And I've just found out how to do italics! Yay!

Fraternising as the Enemy

Chapter Two ~ Never tempt Fate

'Hermione get out of there!  You've been in there for aaaages!'  Lavender frantically pummelled on the door of the bathroom, clutching her shampoo as if it were a hand grenade, 'What the hell are you doing?'

Hermione opened the door and emerged through a perfumed haze, casually flicking her hair at the imaginary camera trained on her.  'I was just getting ready, my body is a temple you know.'

Lavender gave her an odd look and pushed past her to salvage the last remaining dregs of hot water.

            'Herm, can I talk to you?' Ron asked as she walked through the common room on the way to breakfast.

            'Be quick about it.'

            'Um, It's just that, um, you've been acting kinda...strange, and I was wondering whether you were OK?'

            'I really don't have time for that kind of talk right now.  I have to get to the hall and meet Malfoy.'

            'Malfoy?  Hermione what is wrong with you?  I mean first you completely blow me off when I try to kiss you, now you're getting all dolled up to meet Malfoy of all people!  Is there something going on?'

Hermione turned round and gave him a look of pure disgust.  'Me and that...thing?  Good god no.  I just need to discuss the extra Potions lessons we're taking.'

            'What about last night?'

            'I had a headache.'

            'A headache?  Headaches don't usually make you scream and back away in horror!'

            'It was a really bad one, okay?'

            *            *            *            *            *            *            *            *            *            *

Draco had had a Bad Morning.  First off some bastard had set the alarm for six o'clock and he was too tired to work it out for nearly ten minutes.  Then about an hour later Vince had hit him round the head with a pillow which seemed to be filled with lead shot, enthusiastically yelling 'Come on man!  Food!'  and only leaving when he had been viciously kicked him in the stomach.

He finally dragged himself up to the common room at nearly nine o'clock, only to be pounced upon by Pansy, who was looking annoyingly awake and caffeinated.

            'Oh you poor dear, did you oversleep?  You look simply awful!'

He briefly mumbled something incoherent before she attacked him with a hairbrush and sent him packing to the hall.

When Draco arrived at the Great Hall it was nearly empty and, there being hardly any food left, he had to content himself with baked beans and porridge.  He was just beginning to wonder whether they would taste any better mixed together when Parvati Patil walked up to him.

            'Hermione wants to meet you in the library when you...what are you eating?'

            'Oh, it's the latest in haute cuisine, try some.'

He pushed the bowl towards her and reached for the coffee pot, feeling sour about Hermione messing up his morning, as if it couldn't get any worse

            *            *            *            *            *            *            *            *            *            *

Draco flung his bag on the table and glared.  'What are you doing in here?'

Hermione looked up at him and smiled sweetly.  'I'm Hermione Granger.  I'm always in the library.  I have no life whatsoever outside of it.  One would have thought you would be the utmost authority on that.  Besides, we do need to find a solution to our problem.'

The witch-formerly-known-as-Malfoy was right of course.  They did have a problem.

            *            *            *            *            *            *            *            *            *            *

They had arranged to meet back in the Potions lab two days previously to swap their cloaks, and had both arrived promptly at eight o'clock, eager to get rid of their new roles.  Eight o'clock had passed.  They both sat in silence.  Eight-fifteen had passed.  Hermione remembered what she had thought in the lesson.  Oh well, it's only for an hour.  Eight-thirty had passed.  Malfoy had started to look distinctly queasy.  Nine booming bells rang through the corridors.  Hermione turned and glared at the furious double sat next to her.

            'What.  Did you do.  To that potion.'

            'Me?  What the Hell makes you think it was me?  Just because you're the school nerd doesn't mean you can blame it on someone else when you make a mistake!'

            'How dare you!  I was the one making an effort in that lesson!  You spent the whole time trying to get me in trouble!'

            'Yeah, well if it was you doing the work, it was you who made a mistake.'

Hermione's jaw dropped.  'You bastard.  You did it didn't you?  You sabotaged that potion just to prove I wasn't always right!'

            'You really are a fucking idiot sometimes Granger.  You think I'm happy with your mudblood filth running through my veins like I'm on your level.  I was-'

Hermione just had time to register the shock of watching the blood seep out of her own snarling lip before Malfoy reacted, forcibly throwing her into the wall.

            'Don't think I'm not going to fight back because you're a girl Granger.  You don't have that advantage this time.'  Hermione gasped for breath against the arm pressed against her neck.  'I know this body pretty well.  I won't hesitate to hurt it.'

            'Yeah right Malfoy.  You wouldn't dare bruise your precious face.'

Malfoy said nothing.  He merely smirked and stepped aside, letting Hermione fall to the floor clutching her stomach.

            'Get up.  You're making me look pathetic.'

            *            *            *            *            *            *            *            *            *            *

The truce they had been forced to call after nearly instigating an interhouse brawl was hanging by a thread, but they managed to get by for two days sitting through their lessons in stony silence.  Snape, of course, knew nothing of the situation, as neither of them wanted to risk his reaction at their failure.  In fact they had not mentioned the potion at all until now.

'Why are you suddenly looking for me Malfoy?'

            'Well you don't expect me to go through this whole library on my own do you?  And try to engage your brain before you speak.  You can't call me that anymore.'

Hermione glanced at the pile of books on the table.  She had to admit, albeit grudgingly, that he did appear to be doing this logically.

            'There's a few more over here.  You can start on them.'

He stood up to pick up a pile of books from a nearby table and passed them to Hermione.  She appeared not to notice.

            'M-Granger.  What did you do.'

            'What?'

She didn't answer, but pointed with her mouth open in an expression of disbelief.

            'It's called a Wonderbra.  I thought you could use one.'

He smirked at the look of shock on her face and turned his attention back to the books.