Chapter 2 where Malfoy figures Hermione is a girl.
The feast started later than usual that day, some of the first-years had fallen into the lake on the trip to Hogwarts, and by the time they were fished out, many of the students had rumbling stomachs and were angrily declaring that they hadn't eaten since morning. Hermione and Draco had a bit of work to do, first separating two toads that had been magically enchanted to swell to the size of large monkeys, and then fight each other to the supportive yells of the two owners, then shooing Peeves away as he started the usual circus.
"Thanks," muttered Hermione as Malfoy rescued her from three second-year students who were enchanting vases and making them fly across the hall. He looked at her amusingly,
"What would you do without me Granger?" asked Malfoy gallantly. They parted as it became obvious (by the increasing amount of wet students) that the feast was now beginning.
When everyone was well fed, and students started to rise, Ron called Hermione back.
"Hermione, if Malfoy will start causing trouble, just tell me, OK? Because if he hurts you, I really will kill him," he started what looked like a well-prepared speech.
"No Ron, really it's OK, I won't let him hurt me," assured him Hermione smiling. She glanced at the huge door leading out of the hall and the thousands of students milling near the entrance, then her eyes fell on Dumbledore, who stood up from the Staff Table, and was motioning to herself and Draco to come up to him. She went obediently, and looked searchingly up to Dumbledore.
'Please let them change the rules, don't make me live with him please please, don't make me live with that horrible Malfoy…' she thought desperately.
"Now as you know, you are going to be in charge of everything this year,' he began, " and don't think that I put you two together for no reason, it's time Slytherin and Gryffindor houses made it up with each other."
"Yea right we're going to make it up," muttered Hermione and Draco in unison.
"Now now, let's not get off with a bad start," Dumbledore said disapprovingly, "I'm sure you two will be great friends." At this point Draco gave an involuntary grunt, and exclaimed:
"We understand professor, can we just get on with it then?" After an awkward silence Dumbledore seemed to have found himself again and said,
"Alas, I almost forgot, the password to your new rooms is 'fellytone', proceed to the main entrance, take a right turn, and go up three floors. Then you shall see a door, with 2 indentations, stick your Head Boy and Girl badges in, and say the password, you shall now be able to enter your new rooms."
As they entered their common room, their mouths dropped open. It was the most beautiful room they both had ever seen: velvet curtains, golden-framed pictures, a lovely fire, a few comfortable sofas and everything romantically lit with hundreds of candles.
"All this romance… stupid…" frowned Malfoy after he had recovered from the awe that had filled him when seeing the beautiful room. With a flick of a wand, the candles disappeared and he had filled it with normal daylight. Hermione pretended she didn't notice, and she gathered her things to go to her room, through a magnificent door adorned with a red and gold tapestry.
"Goodnight Granger," Draco mumbled after her, but Hermione didn't hear.
Hermione slept well that night, and awoke quite early, so she decided to have a shower. When she stepped into the bathroom she could hardly contain her glee, it was so beautiful: rose petals lay on the floor, and there was floor heating. The sinks were lined with gleaming jewels, and the bath was absolutely gorgeous, tons of little bottles with aromatic bath bubbles stood on a cabinet near it, and about 50 different gels with the weirdest instructions written on the back.
She finally settled on a blue one, finding it quite pleasant, little bubbles sprang out of it, and she only had to say what she wanted, they would automatically change shape into the desired item. On the start of the second hour, she heard a loud rap on the door, from Malfoy's side of the room.
"Granger, have you evaporated in there? Or do I still have a chance to curse you? Get a move on!" she heard Draco's muffled voice outside the door. She blushed furiously realizing how long she'd been in there, wrapped her towel around herself, and hurriedly ran out… into the wrong room.
"Oh…" she blushed even more, and slowly looked at Malfoy. Such a surprised look she had never seen on his face, and then she saw him looking down past her face… down…
"MALFOY!" He jerkily snapped his head back up to her face.
"What? Forgot I was a girl, or are you just checking if they're still there?" She asked furiously, and marched out of his room, into the bathroom, and into her own room again.
"What has gotten into me?" thought Malfoy, "I definitely know I'm not into Granger… how can I be? It's muggleborn Granger, no I hate her, it's all her fault… yes it's all her fault" he calmed himself down and exited his room.
A/N Like always R&R - Constructive critisism is always welcome! I promise some more action in later chapters!