It's only lonely when you know not what for

Making it different, asking for more…

-Alex Lloyd

Hermione's POV

I followed Filch up a few flights of stairs to a long, candlelit hall.  A large oil painting of a Chinese Fireball (A/N: Of course, you know these from the Goblet of Fire) swung open when the password, mint humbug – obviously another of Dumbledore's favourites- was muttered by the greasy caretaker to reveal a dark room lit only by a merrily raging open fire. 

As we stepped in, a row of candles on each wall lit themselves and the light showed the room to be decorated in silver, green, scarlet and gold.  Ordinarily, the colours would have clashed – especially the gold and silver – but here they blended to create a warm, welcoming feeling.  Filch stood in the common room and I walked up a scarlet and gold staircase (obviously leading to my own room) and stepped into a roomy bedroom decorated in the same colours as the common room. In the middle of the room was a huge four poster bed with gold satin hangings.  My trunk lay at the foot of it.  I wondered absently how many house elves it had taken to haul it up the stairs.

I wonder why my room is painted in the Slytherin colours too, I mused.  "Probably some scheme Dumbledore's brewing," I said aloud, grimly.

"What was that? Talking to yourself, now, are you, Granger? So long as you don't start replying, I won't class you as mad…yet." I swung around to see Draco, whose comment was followed by his trademark smirk.  I almost smiled.  Draco hadn't acted like this –himself- for days. 

"What are you doing in here?" I said.  "In case you hadn't already worked it out, this is my room."

"I am quite aware of that, Granger." He smirked again. "I have finished with my own room – it wasn't much different to the room I had at the Prefects Dorms – and I thought I'd come up here to see if yours was any bettert. Filch has gone, you know…"He winked sarcastically.

"Oh, get over yourself." I saw him visibly relax and laugh a little.  "I see you're feeling better?"

"No, not really.  I just thought I should pretend that I am to avoid any more embarrassing Great Hall incidents."

I laughed.  I can't believe I'm laughing with Malfoy, I thought over and over.

"Are you finished?" he asked, more seriously this time.  "Dumbledore left a note and it was spelled so we had to open it together." He rolled his eyes.  "Honestly, this whole trust thing-"

I cut him off.  "Let's go and read it, then.  Honestly, it could be important…"

We left my room and entered the common room once more to find a sealed envelope on the mahogany coffee table.

I placed my hand on the envelope, waiting for Malfoy to follow suit.

He put his hand on top of mine, even though there was plenty more envelope space for his hand to go.

  I tensed.  Slowly, I looked up.  He smiled a little, almost smug that he had an effect other than retching on me when he did it.  Our eyes locked together: his bluish-grey ones and my own gold-flecked brown ones. It seemed like an eternity before the envelope unstuck itself and the letter inside flew up into the air, hovering invitingly   in front of our faces. 

Reluctantly, I turned away and reached out to take the letter.  I felt Draco's eyes on me for much longer after mine had left him.

Draco's POV

"Draco? Are you going to read the letter yourself or what you like me to read it aloud?" Hermione said, with newfound briskness.

"Uhhhhh…Oh, um, I can read it." I said shakily.  Dammit, Draco, I scolded myself.  Get a hold of yourself.  She is, after all, the Mudblood.

"Ok."

She unfolded the parchment to reveal a paragraph of elegantly spidery handwriting. It read:

'Dear Miss Granger and Mr Malfoy,

It is my utmost pleasure to introduce you to your new quarters.  I sincerely hope that they meet your needs.  There is a small kitchen that should meet your requirements at any time of the day or night, so it will not be necessary to visit the house elves (please explain this to Harry and Ron, Hermione ; I'm sure they will be as delighted- if not moreso- as yourself).

However, amongst the delight of having such freedom and a bathroom to yourselves, there are strict rules that must, at all times, be followed. 

As Head Boy and Girl, it is essential for you to be able to co-operate, despite your somewhat troubled history together.  I am not suggesting that you suddenly become close friends; but you must, at the very least, be civil towards one another. 

'You must leave for meals together every morning.  If this is not possible, there must be a valid reason.  Also, you must patrol the Charms corridors together every second evening.

Once again, I hope very much that you adapt well to your new quarters.

Sincerely, Albus Dumbledore (Headmaster).'

We both finished at the same time.  I looked up at her.

"Well, nothing that we didn't expect," Hermione offered weakly.  I smiled with equal weakness.

"I suppose the first step in civility is calling one another by first names, Hermione."

"Of course, Draco."  We laughed softly together.

I decided to try to talk to her about the night before in the library…and outside, in the corridor.

"Hermione," I begun in a more serious tone.  "You know what happened last night, in the library..?"

She blushed a deep crimson.  "Yes…" she said hesitantly.

"Well…you know, I did mean to…to kiss you.  I just wanted to tell you I wasn't possessed or anything."

She giggled nervously.  "Oh, yes…well, I sort of figured that out."

"Sorry, too, about Harry," she added.

"Oh…that.  Well, it doesn't matter. I never hurt him, you know." I looked down at her.  I was kneeling on the floor and she was sitting, her long legs crossed, right in front of the coffee table.

"I know," she whispered.  I couldn't help but look into her eyes again…

A/N: Hehehe! Sorry, but I couldn't help making it a bit cliffie.  I don't often torture you guys, you know, and you were extremely slack with your reviewing.

Aaaaah…reviews.  Now, as a rule, I will from here onwards refuse to update until I have at least 9 reviews.  From different people.  And I think this is entirely fair, seeing as other stories get much more than that and often they are much more sloppily written.  So don't hesitate, people! REVIEW…OR ELSE! Hehehe, Love Kelz xoxoxo