A/N: hey! Here's chapter 4! Thank you to those who reviewed, and thanks Ariel, for the 4 reviews. . . anyway, enjoy and review!

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Chapter 4: Rules

--At Hogwarts—

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts," Professor Dumbledore greeted the witch-and-wizard-filled Great Hall. He went off into his usual welcome speech and Hermione, who sat across from Harry and Ron, whispered, "Not very many first years, are there?" She slightly raised one eyebrow. But Harry and Ron weren't paying attention. They were staring at something. Hermione followed their gaze and found herself looking at a girl, much too old to be a first year, but she was new. The girl didn't seem to be paying attention to Dumbledore. She was too busy messing wither her dark brown hair –almost black- that hung in shiny ringlets down to the small of her back.

"She's quite. . . um, old for a first year," Hermione said, trying to get their attention. "Yeah," Ron said, looking at Hermione. "But she's new, right? I mean, I haven't seen her before. Have you guys?" Both Harry and Hermione shook their heads.

Soon Dumbledore finished, and McGonagall stood, a short list in her hands. "When I call your name, you will come up here and place the Sorting Hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your houses," she said, then held the list in front of her and read:

"Sarah Linett." A small, pale girl got up and placed the hat on her head. Her arms trembled. "HUFFLEPUFF!" The Hat yelled.

"Iyla Robinson.". . . . "GRYFFINDOR!" the Hat cried.

"Zeke McIntosh," . . . . "Slytherin!"

"Faith Pierce," McGonagall read, and all eyes shifted to the moving figure. Faith was the older girl, and as she walked up the few stairs to the Hat, her curls bounced slightly against her back. She sat on the stool and faced everybody, a smirk on her face. Faith had the most beautiful emerald green eyes that glittered from the light. She had a small, slightly pointed nose and full, glossy lips.

Over at the Slytherin table, Malfoy raised his eyebrows and grinned devilishly. "Slytherin!" the sorting hat yelled at once, even though it had not touched her head yet. Faith's smirk deepened, and so did Malfoy's grin, especially since the hat hadn't even been placed on her head. Malfoy got Faith's eye and smirked while McGonagall began to speak.

"You may have noticed that Miss Pierce is older than the first years, and that she is not a first year. Even though her family is incredibly wealthy, like the Malfoys, her parents didn't wish to pay for her to go to school. Instead they home-schooled her and now she will be going into 7th year since she has so much knowledge of the Wizarding World-"

"Why even bother coming to school?" Lavender whispered to Parvati Patil. Faith shot her a dirty look.

"-Just as much, in fact, as Miss Granger, of Gryffindor."

Both Harry and Ron looked at Hermione to see her scowling. To her, it was a shame to someone, a Slytherin, just as beautiful as a Veela but with dark hair and bright green eyes, be just as smart as her. It was a competition, more like.

She noticed Harry and Ron and shrugged. Then she filled her plate with to food that magically appeared and ate.

-ooooooo-

----After the Feast----

Hermione opened the door to Dumbledore's office to find it almost empty. Malfoy was already there, spinning a small, gold globe. Other than them, the office was empty. Malfoy stopped and looked at her with disgust.

But before he could say anything, Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore entered. "Good evening," McGonagall started. Dumbledore took a seat behind his desk and McGonagall stood beside it. "Firstly, congratulations to both of you and we, Professor Dumbledore and I, hope that this year my be your best, for this is the year-" McGonagall started to get tears in her eyes as she looked proudly at the two seventh years before her. "-That you truly begin to find yourselves and discover what you want to be. I am proud to say that--" McGonagall continued, but was interrupted by Dumbledore, who noticed Malfoy's furrowed eyebrows and 'what the-' expression.

"Minerva," he said, holding his hand up. "We get the point. Maybe we should explain their duties and tasks to be done?" He got up and walked around to the front of the desk. He leaned against it as Malfoy rolled his eyes at McGonagall, who was reaching for a tissue.

"I know, Albus, but its just so hard. It seems that only a few years ago, they were first years," she replied, dabbing her eyes.

"Um, Professor," Hermione said gently. Malfoy looked at her. "It was only a few years ago." McGonagall looked at Hermione and they both smiled. 'You're going to be a great witch, Hermione Granger,' McGonagall thought.

Malfoy cleared his throat and looked at Professor Dumbledore. "Our tasks are. . . ?" he asked, annoyed that this was taking so long.

"Every night at 10:00 you two will patrol each corridor, making sure they are clear. If there are students, either send them to bed, or give them a warning. If you see the same student more than once, you're welcome to give them a detention. You will help younger years, more of the first years than others, if they need it--" Hermione nodded her head after each task as if checking them off.

"—And anything else Professor—oh yes! We are planning a Christmas Party and you both are to attend. Not necessarily with each other. You can ask other people." Dumbledore clapped his hands once. "Now, Professor McGonagall will lead you to your Head Boy and Girl Tower. See you in the morning."

"Come now," McGonagall said, exiting the room. Hermione and Malfoy followed.

[A few hallways and staircases later]

"This is your tower. You will remember it because it stands exactly opposite the Astronomy Tower," McGonagall said. They were standing in front of a door with a portrait of a mermaid. The mermaid had a pearly white tail and fin, and her long, brown hair covered her chest. She had brown eyes and a creamy complexion. "Your password is 'Peppermint Pastry' and, if you please, Ariel, (A/N: That's the mermaid's name. Ok, yes, I'm basing the mermaid off of my best friend. Happy, Ariel?? ) Peppermint Pastry."

Ariel looked at Malfoy and giggled, then swung her portrait forward. Malfoy rolled his eyes and followed McGonagall and Hermione into the Head Common Room. Both Hermione and Malfoy looked around the gigantic room. To their left, there was a fireplace and a black couch. On either side of the couch was a chair. To their right, there was a big table with four chairs. Next to the table stood a large lamp and bookcase. 'Granger should be happy about that,' Malfoy thought to himself seeing Hermione's face light up at this. Directly ahead of the entrance was a staircase of maple wood. A maroon rug laid upon the stairs. Once you were up the stairs, directly in front of you was the bathroom and to your left, Malfoy's room, and on the right, Hermione's room.

Professor Dumbledore walked them through each room and said, "I trust that you two keep it rated G." Then she left and Malfoy whispered, "You don't have to worry about that."

-ooooooo-

"Come ON Malfoy!" Hermione yelled. "We were supposed to start our patrolling duties 10 minutes ago!"

"Remind me why we both have to do this?" he yelled through his dormitory door, annoyed.

Hermione inhaled deeply, then let it all out. 'This is going to be a loooong year,' she thought. Out loud she said, "Incase one of us gets hurt, the other can help, now come ON!!" Hermione started to pull out her wand. She had learned a spell over the summer—a spell Malfoy would be all too familiar with—and she couldn't wait to test it out.

"What makes you think I'd help you?" Malfoy sneered from his room.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Fine," she said quietly. Then she directed her wand towards Malfoy's room and concentrated on him. Then she muttered a few words and a beam of white light shot out of the tip of her want, went through his door, and – "OUCH!"

Hermione smiled and walked up the stairs to his room. She pushed the door open and there, lying on Malfoy's emerald green bed, was a white ferret.

The ferret made an angry noise as Hermione picked it up. "Come on, Malfoy, you bouncy little ferret," she said all too sweetly. Once outside Malfoy's room, the ferret flew away, towards the common room door. But it didn't take long until it hit the ground. The ferret made a few more angry noises and Hermione waved her wand. The ferret disappeared, and Malfoy reappeared, laying on the floor. He quickly jumped up and yelled angrily, "What the fuck did you do that for!?! And where did you learn that? If you learned it from that Moody, I'll--"

"From a book," Hermione said simply as she walked passed him and out the common room door.

"I should of known," he spat as he fixed his cloak and looked over at the bookcase as if wanting to find the book and destroy it. Then he fixed his hair and walked out after her.

-ooooooo-

"Just because we have to work together on a lot of things and we have to patrol together, it doesn't change anything. We're not friends. I still hate you," Malfoy drawled, not looking at Hermione; his cold eyes were scanning the hallways, his lit up wand in front of him.

"Good. And I still hate you," Hermione replied. Out of the corner of her mouth, she muttered, "You git," not thinking he would hear her, but he did. Malfoy stopped walking and turned to face her.

He glared at her, held his lit wand up to her face, and sneered, "Mudblood."

Hermione returned the glare and crossed her arms. "I wish you would stop calling me that. It's getting old," she said.

"Does it look like I care?"

Hermione groaned inwardly. "I hate you, Malfoy! You are impossible to be around!"

"I hate you too, Granger, what else is new!?"

"You are the biggest git in the world!"

"I think we've established that, Mudblood!"

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!!" Hermione shouted, her brown eyes dark and angry.

"NO!" Malfoy towered over her, his own eyes were cold and steely.

Hermione groaned again and then walked away back to the Tower, cursing Malfoy all along the way. Malfoy, however, remained where he was and stared after her. "Stupid Mudblood," he whispered icily, then walked in the opposite direction.

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A/N: ok, tell me what you think of that chapter and review!

Love ya lots!

Dracoluver-13