"Hi guys" Hermione said brightly to Harry and Ron
"Hey Mione" they said in unison
"Did you guys find your houses?" she asked sitting down for dinner
"Yea, there pretty nice" Ron said
"Yea, better than I thought they would be" Harry said
"Malfoy hasn't tried anything on you has he?" Harry asked glaring at him as he sat down with his Slytherin friends.
"No Harry, don't worry I told you I can take care of myself" she assured both of them.
"We're just trying to protect you" Ron said
"I know you are but I don't need protecting ok" Hermione told them
Slytherin Table
"So Draco how's staying with the mudblood going?" Blaise asked
"Good as can be expected" he replied
"I just hate her, and the thought that you have to sleep in the same room with her! It's horrible! I know you'd rather be with me Drakie poo" Pansy squealed annoyingly clinging to his arm.
"Yea…sure Pansy" Draco said shaking her off of him.
"Maybe there's one good thing you can get out of her" Blaise said wiggling his eyebrows.
"No way!" Draco protested
"I mean I know she's a mudblood and everything but come one Draco, you have to admit, she's hot" Blaise said nodding his head toward her, Draco turned his head around to look at her.
She was sitting next to Harry and across from Ron in the middle of a giggle fit. 'She does have a beautiful smile' Draco thought. 'And the way her eyes light up when she's laughing' he thought again, 'No Draco! She's still Granger' he scolded.
"She's ok" he said turning back around.
"Come one Draco just ok?" Blaise pressed.
"Yes Blaise" Draco said in an irritated voice.
"Well if it was me I would take advantage of the situation" Blaise said starting to drink some pumpkin juice. Draco just looked at him then back at his plate.
after dinner
"Well she you guys later, this is my room" Hermione said stopping at he door.
"Ours are both 4 doors down across from each other if you need anything" Harry said pointing down the hall.
"Ok" Hermione said pulling out her vile.
"Night Mione" they both said and kissed her on the cheek.
"Night" she said back.
She opened the door and saw Draco sitting on a chair starting on some homework. Hermione went to their room and got her books; she took off her robe and loosened her tie. She brought her books to the common room. She got on her knees in front of the couch and put her books on the table and started on her essay for Transfiguration. This was a big year for her; she had to do well on the N.E.W.T.S. She noticed Draco was working on the same thing.
They had to write about how easy the last years of Transfiguration had been and how hard they expected it to be this year and how hard they were willing to work. As Hermione was writing this she started to realize how hard her work load would be this year. She began to get stressed and Draco noticed because she began scratching out words frantically and rolling up the sleeves of her shirt.
"What's wrong Granger?" Draco asked
"Nothing" she replied. "Yes there is, your stressing out over nothing" he said.
"It's just I have so much to do and not enough time to do it, I have to do well on my N.E.W.T.S" Hermione vented.
"Please Granger, next to me you're the smartest person in our class" Draco told her but he could see that this wasn't helping.
"Here" he said walking to her.
"What?" she said as he kneeled down beside her.
"Just lie back on the couch and stretch out your legs" Draco instructed.
"Why?" Hermione asked raising an eyebrow.
"Just do it, it will help you relax I promise" he said Hermione looked at him quizzically
"Trust me" he said and for some reason she did and she put her back on the couch and lay her head back and stretched her legs out.
"Ok now close you eyes and think of the happiest place you could be right now, a place where all of your worries go away" Hermione did as he instructed her first thought, of course, was Harry and Ron. But then she thought about this moment right now and how safe she felt. Like just knowing that Draco was there she knew that nothing could hurt her and it mad all of her stress go away.
Draco just starred down at Hermione and he wasn't looking at a mudblood or a geek or potty and weasel's sidekick. For the first time in all the time he'd known her he was looking at someone that could actually be a friend. Hermione opened her eyes to see him staring at her.
"What?" she asked smiling.
"Nothing" he said and had to shake himself out of his trance.
"How do you feel now?" he asked standing up.
"A lot better" she admitted "thanks"
"No problem Granger" he replied and they finished they're homework and got ready for bed. Hermione got in her bed and Draco got in his.
"You know what would be fun?" he asked her
"What Malfoy?" she asked yawning. "You know" he said seductively
"EWW! You make me sick! And here I thought that this might actually work out!" Hermione shouted disgusted.
"Night Granger" Draco said smirking but Hermione didn't reply she just turned off the light on her night stand and went to sleep.
The next morning they got up and got ready, Hermione left before Draco because she got up earlier. She grabbed her bag and walked down to the Great Hall.
"Morning" Ron said to her
"Morning, did you sleep well?" she asked them
"Yea, it was kind of weird sleeping in the same room as Parvati though" Harry admitted
"Me too with Lavender" Ron said
"And did Malfoy try anything?" Harry asked
"No" Hermione lied
"Ok" Harry said he always believed Hermione. They sat there eating breakfast until it was time to go to potions. They walked into class and sat down in their seats.
"Get up and go sit with your partner" Snape instructed, Hermione sighed and sat by Draco.
"The small papers I am placing on your desk are like coupons they tell you how much fake money you have to buy groceries for the next three weeks. We will go to Hogsmeade to the fake store and you will purchase the items that you need with the money you have. But be wise in what you choose, if something should happen you will need money." Snake explained, he handed Draco his and Hermione's coupon.
"How much do we have?" she asked
"150 Galleons, 120 Sickels, and 110 Knuts" Draco replied
"Not bad" she said
"Probably more money than you've ever seen" he remarked
"Shut up Malfoy" Hermione said softly so Harry and Ron wouldn't hear.
"Oh she's snappy" he said, and he noticed that Hermione really looked upset at this. "Malfoy, why can't we just compromise and get along for this project? We're going to have to if we are going to make this work" Hermione told him, Draco thought for a few minutes.
"Ok, a truce for now" he said and put his hand out and Hermione shook it.
"Good" she smiled and let go of his hand.
"Alright let's go!" Snape shouted and the class followed him to Hogsmeade and to the Fake store.
They had to go through the store and buy the things that they really needed but on a budget after they bought them with their "coupons" Hogwarts would simply pay them the money.
"How about these?" Draco asked pointing to some cookies in one of the aisles
"No Malfoy" Hermione said, she felt like she had a child with her.
"Why not?" he asked
"Because we have to buy things we need not want" she reminded him
"Please" he begged giving her the puppy dog face, she couldn't help but smile.
"If we have enough money left then yes we can get some" she said rolling her eyes.
"Ok" he said
They bought shampoo and conditioner, milk, cereal, pop-tarts, bread, lunch meat, noodles, chips, drinks, tomato sauce, eggs, bacon, hamburger, chicken, fruit and vegetables. They were actually going to get an assignment were they had to cook all three meals for one week. They did have enough money to buy Draco's precious cookies.
"That comes to 50 galleons 20 sickels and 10 knuts" the cashier said, Hermione handed her the coupon and she took the money out.
"Wow that's a lot of money for groceries" Draco said grabbing a bag
"Now you know why I said that we may not be able to get those ridiculous cookies of yours" Hermione said
"But we got them anyway" he said
"Because we had enough money" Hermione replied
"No it's because you couldn't resist how cute I look" Draco said conceitedly and laughing
"Oh yes your sooo cute" Hermione said rolling her eyes.
"You better think I'm cute" he said punching her stomach playfully.
"Stop that tickles" Hermione giggled.
"Draco getting along with Granger" Blaise said stopping in front of them.
"No me get along with this filthy mudblood, you make me laugh Blaise" Draco said nastily.
Hermione couldn't believe it one minute they're laughing and actually having fun and the next he's calling her horrible names. Hermione looked up at him anger filling her eyes he shook her head and walked out the door and started back to the castle.
A/N: I told you it would be a longer chapter! This is like the longest chapter I've ever written! And all for you! Please review!
BlackPearl07
