Thank you to my reviewers!

Disclaimer: I only own the plot everything else is JKR's

Chapter 6.Replacements and Awkward Silences

"Have you heard? Potter's not head boy anymore!"

"Really, I wouldn't have thought they would take it away from him, he is Dumbledore's favourite," These were just some of the comments coming from around the school. The rumours however were true, unlike normal. Harry had indeed been stripped of his Head Boy position.

The conversation between Harry, McGonagall and Dumbledore went much like this…

"Mr Potter, what were you thinking?"

"Professor, I swear I didn't do anything!"

"Potter! Professor Snape saw you with your wand pointed at Mr Malfoy! You already had an official warning,"

"So, you're taking my badge?"

"It's likely, we'll see what Professor Dumbledore thinks." The seventh year and head of house walked up to the top floor and came to stand in front of the stone gargoyle that guarded Dumbledore's study. "Ice Mice," Professor McGonagall spoke clearly and the Gargoyle hopped aside revealing the familiar steps ascending to Dumbledore's study.

Harry preceded his head of house on to the steps and knocked twice on his door. "Enter" said a muffled voice from through the door. McGonagall nodded and Harry walked into the room. Dumbledore looked up as his guests walked into his home.

"Ahh, Minerva, so good of you to escort Mr Potter up here, I take it that it is up to me to decide the fate of our Head Boy?" Dumbledore spoke clearly with the twinkle in his eye.

"Yes Albus, after receiving his warning Mr Potter then had an argument with Mr Malfoy in which he was caught pointing his wand at Mr Malfoy by Professor Snape"

"Ahh, please take a seat Mr Potter," this was the first time that one of the adults had addressed him. Harry took the seat opposite his headmaster's desk. Dumbledore then sat down in his chair and looked Harry directly in the eye.

"Harry, you understand that what you did to the potions room was unacceptable in any term,"

"Sir, it wasn't me I swe-"however Dumbledore held up a hand to silence the young boy

"Harry, whether or not you're going to admit to doing that you have been accused, and it is unacceptable, especially from our Head boy! Furthermore, you have received an official warning from your head of house but yet you still see fit that you should prepare yourself to curse your fellow classmates," Dumbledore looked across at Professor McGonagall, as if asking her opinion, she looked grim but nodded all the same. "I have decided Mr Potter, that the consequences of your recent actions, result in me asking for your badge back." Dumbledore looked solemn, and Harry didn't move looking in Dumbledore's eyes for a hint of uncertainty that ha could try and persuade him with but found none, the headmaster was sure about what he was doing and Harry unpinned his badge and placed on the table.

"Am I allowed to go now Professor?"

"Yes Harry, I think you'll need to take your belongings to Gryffindor tower," Harry exited the study and traipsed back the head dormitory.

"That was painful,"

"You did well Albus, I didn't think he would have slipped up that quickly,"

"Yes, well we'll need to find ourselves a new head boy to take on the role, Mr Malfoy I believe would be next on the list?"

"Yes, I will send a message through Severus and he'll be up here by this evening,"

"Yes oh and Minerva? You couldn't possibly get Mr Potter to the Hospital wing could you? He'll need to have his memory erased as to the whereabouts of the Head Dormitories."

"Of course Professor," McGonagall left the office.

As soon as someone had seen Harry the rumours had started people were speculating the next head boy, everyone wishing it was someone from their house. Harry did as asked and moved all of his possessions back to the Gryffindor tower. Hermione's reaction was 'Oh my God, I can't believe they did that, Oh no! What if Malfoy becomes Head Boy?' Ginny's was 'It'll be alright Harry, at least you lost it fighting with Malfoy! And now you get to spend more time with me!' accompanied with a smirk. But it was Ron's reaction that puzzled him, Ron offered 'Oh, I'm sure you'll be fine' Harry didn't think it was very encouraging.

It was announced the next day at Breakfast that for reasons best known to himself Harry wasn't Head boy anymore and he was being replaced by Draco Malfoy. Only the Slytherins were happy about the replacement, no doubt they had already known as Malfoy seemed to have the badge on already. Hermione couldn't help but complain, as much as she knew it would annoy Harry, she felt that living with your arch enemy beat being kicked out of Head Boy position.

Draco moved his belongings up to the Head dormitories in the morning while Hermione was in the Library quite simply just to get away from Malfoy. When Hermione went back after lunch Draco was lying on a sofa in the common room reading a book from the communal shelves. Hermione sighed at the sight of him, it reminded her that she was stuck with him for a year, she was convinced that Malfoy wasn't stupid enough to get himself kicked out too.

Hermione took a deep breath. "Alright Malfoy, lets get this over with,"

"What over with?"

"Ground rules,"

"Oh, go on then," Hermione was shocked by his tolerance of her speaking first.

"Um, ok, never come into my bedroom unless it's an emergency; always knock on the bathroom door if there's even the slightest chance that I'm in there and don't touch any of my stuff."

"Alright, sounds good, I have only one,"

"Go on then," Hermione was slightly apprehensive that he was going to say something ridiculous.

"Seen as we're going to be spending a lot of time together, what with duties and our classes, I think it would be beneficial to get on first name basis," Hermione exhaled, and let out a small laugh.

"Oh my god! Is Draco Malfoy offering the me, the Mudblood bitch a truce?"

"Yeah, pretty much, you accept?"

"I guess," Hermione shrugged and walked up to her room. Draco went back to his book and Hermione got to work on her potions essay, the afternoon passed quickly, both of them doing things they enjoy it wasn't until Hermione left her room heading down to dinner that wither of them saw another human.

"Oh um Hermione," her name sounded weird coming from his lips, that had so long only referred to her as Mudblood. "I just wanted to say thank you for accepting my offer, it's kind of an apology for me being and idiot for the past 6 years, you didn't deserve all the names I've given you, I realised over the summer, that the way I've been brought up was wrong, so just thank you, I don't really deserve to be forgiven after all I've done to you Gryffindors," Draco turned up the corners of his mouth in a sheepish smile.

"Um yeah it's ok," They both stood there not knowing what to say, Draco Malfoy had just apologised, which was very rare in itself, but apologised to someone who he had made miserable for the last 6 years. Hermione was a little confused, she desperately wanted to know what Draco hade experienced for his opinions to change so drastically, she was even wondering if it was all a joke, she looked into his eyes, searching for a hidden smirk but found nothing, he was completely serious. The silence between the two thoughtful Head students was definitely an awkward one.

AN: Please, please review, it will make me smile. 