The first night in the dorms was very tense. Neither Hermione nor Draco could believe that they had to share a bathroom. Had the old Headmaster finally lost his mind? The set up was completely different than that of any other year, which made the Heads very suspicious. Surely, as crazy as Dumbledore was, he wouldn't be trying to push the teens together. It almost seemed like he was encouraging some kind of hook up.

And Draco couldn't have been more appreciative of the loony old badger.

The next morning over breakfast, Hermione was sharing the details of her new surroundings to Harry and Ron. Without any forethought, Hermione gave away the secret of the shared bathroom.

"YOU'RE SHARING A WHAT!" Ron's face turned the deep scarlet of the Gryffindor flag over their heads as bits of partially chewed toast flew all over Seamus.

"Sorry Seamus."

"Why does everyone always spit food all over me, eh?" Disgusted, Seamus left to change his robes.

"You are sharing a bloody bathroom with Malfoy? As in the place where you SHOWER?"

"No Ron, as in the place she sleeps." Harry stuck his fork into a pile of eggs and folded his arms across his chest.

"Alright Harry, we don't even want to go to the fact that he can access her room anytime he pleases."

"Ron, calm down, it's not like he's going to rape me or anything."

"Rape you?" Ron looked positively livid. "No, he'll KILL you! The minute his father gets wind of this, he'll... why he'd just... I mean, you're a MUGGLE for Merlin's sake!"

Hermione simply glared at Ron, who cocked his head at her in aggravation. She widened her eyes and threw up her arms to show her frustration. The tension between the two was too much for Harry. He half expected an explosion.

"Uhhh, wow, look at the time, let's hurry to class then shall we?"

He pulled upwards on Ron's arm and grabbed both their bags. Hermione looked down at her schedule to see just where they should head that morning.

"Double potions with Slytherin, I already looked."

Ron continued to stare straightforward as they walked to the door. Hermione and Harry just exchanged dark looks while trying to keep up with Ron's fast pace. They had never had Potions first thing in the morning first thing in the week, and it was looking like they wouldn't have a good week all year. Spending every Monday morning with Snape? Sheer Heaven.

They walked into the same dungeon room they'd seen for seven years. Hermione's eyes scanned the room and saw that Draco was flanked by his two cohorts. Their eyes locked and Hermione quickly looked away to avoid the intensity. The next group she eyed was also looking at her, but with a look of pure hatred. Blaise and Pansy had apparently heard about the dorm arrangements as well. Startled, Hermione sat down next to Ron and Harry and proceeded to stare at her pile of books.

At the end of the week, Hermione crashed onto a couch exhausted. She couldn't remember having a more taxing week, even when she was using the time turner in her third year. She had heard that seventh year was the hardest, but now that she was experiencing it, she thought people had been too kind about the last year. Hermione heard the portrait hole swing open and casually cast her eyes towards it.

Draco crawled in with as much grace and dignity as possible and threw his books instantly upon the floor. He slouched into an armchair and looked at Hermione.

"And how was your day then?"

She chuckled. "About as good as yours, apparently. I can't believe the load they've given us this year."

"Yes well, N.E.W.T's and all, remember?"

Just then, an owl pecked at the window. Hermione grudgingly got up to let it in. As the window opened, the owl fluttered past Hermione and dropped something into Draco's lap before flying back out, not forgetting to cuff Hermione's head with her wing. She cursed at the owl, angrily shutting the window on its tail.

"Damn bird."

Hermione smoothed her hair back down as she flung herself back onto the couch. She had just closed her eyes when Draco cursed aloud. She sat up quickly and looked at him. He balled up the letter in his hand and threw it at the fireplace. The ball of paper bounced off the wall inches away and rolled under a side table. Draco grunted in disgust and slouched further into his chair.

"What?"

"Oh, Mother had just fantastic news. Apparently our dear Karissa can't handle her workload and needs a tutor. So guess who has been appointed to the position?"

"You don't have to tutor her if you don't want."

"Yes, I do. You don't know Mother. She'll have Howler after Howler sent until I do it. And if those didn't work... well Mother has quite a wrath."

It was very amusing to hear Draco, who was so independent and tough, speak of his mother in an almost fearful way. Hermione fought against her giggles, but her smile could not be contained.

"What are you smiling at then?"

"Nothing, nothing. I'm dead tired, I think I'll go to bed."

Hermione had just reached the foot of the stairs when there was a knocking at the portrait. She curiously turned to see Draco open the hole. A giggling girl came barreling through the portrait hole and instantly threw herself at Draco.

"Draco, your mother just wrote to say that you were going to tutor me! Isn't this the absolute greatest!"

Draco threw Karissa off him, and she stumbled a few feet before falling to the ground. He swept his robes and disdainfully looked down at her.

"You will be here every Thursday evening after dinner. We will work for one hour, and then you will leave. You will come with all of your books and you will be on time, or else you'll be on your own."

He turned on his heel and glared at Hermione's snort of laughter as he walked past her up the stairs and into his room. Another snort came when Draco attempted to slam the curtain shut. She turned back to Karissa, who was sulking on the floor. She had to once more fight against her own giggles.

"Well... I guess I'll be seeing you around then. Good night!"

Her peals of laughter could be heard as soon as the red curtain to her room was shut.