A/N Thank you again for reviewing. I really do appreciate it. I seriously check my email every time I can to see if I've gotten more. I'm like an addict. Also, a short chapter. I apologize. But it seemed like a good place to end it :-)

CoolChick0506: Thanks for you review. It made me very happy. :-)

Pure Innocence: Thank you as well. It means a lot to me to get reviews!

cherbi161: You are a great reviewer! Here's your virtual oatmeal cookie ---> O

antanaqui: I love your story :) Glad you updated!

willowfairy: Here's your update!

yellowrosesinateacup: Love the username. Yes, Ron was out of line! Bad Ron!

kricketXo: I'm a lot like Hermione too. It can be a curse AND a blessing.

C.T Cruise: Just because you're my boyfriend, Chad, doesn't mean you have to say that :P

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, of course. I'd much rather own Draco. Which I don't.

Draco Malfoy tugged at the uncomfortable fastening of his robe. He had always hated such confining clothing. It had never suited him. He sauntered down the hall, a scowl evident on his face as he approached the library. Peer tutoring. Ha. What a joke. He'd briefly considered ditching the entire fiasco, but he knew the consequences the old bat, Dumbledore, would reap may be much worse. He was already bored out of his skull from the day's worth of classes. First days were so tedious. Everyone always introducing themselves and talking about their summers. Like anyone actually cared about Susan Bones' trip to New York. Who wanted to go there, anyway? Draco looked down at his watch. He was late. Not that this bothered him. Maybe all the kids would be paired up with a tutor and he'd get lucky stocking shelves or something. Social interaction wasn't his thing.

As he entered the library, he saw the group of prefects, sitting around circular tables with books and parchment. Some were already working studiously with their charges, explaining how to do a simple potion or something. Draco considered calling the first year a "dumb ass" or some other explicative, but he smartly decided against doing so. It was then that his nightmare of a punishment got worse.

"Malfoy? Are you lost?" Hermione Granger peered up from her stack of books and parchment.

"Eh. No." Malfoy cleared his throat, taken aback by Granger's presence. "Actually, mud blood-"

"That's twenty points from Slytherin." Hermione pursed her lips and pointed to her shiny Head Girl badge. Draco sneered.

"I'm here to do tutoring, Granger."

"What?" Hermione looked down at her roster, twisting her lips. "I guess you are. I never knew you were the volunteering type." Hermione raised her eyebrows in disbelief.

"I'm not. This is forced labor." Draco looked her up and down angrily. "Now tell me what stupid brat I'm supposed to enlighten." Hermione sighed.

"The stupid brat you will be tutoring is Justin Long." Hermione pointed to a chubby redhead with thick glasses and freckles. Draco rolled his eyes. He stood in his spot, dumbfounded. "Malfoy," Hermione hissed. Draco shot her an annoyed look as he ambled over to Justin.

"Um. Hi." Draco stuck out his hand to the boy, who grunted in response and looked down at his books. Draco took a seat next to him, propping his chin in his hands. Several minutes ticked by. "Well, do you need help, or what?" Justin seemed taken aback by Draco's brash comment. He wiped the sweat from his shiny forehead.

"P-potions," He stuttered, "I need help with my potions homework." Draco looked down at the assignment in front of Justin. Caterpillar, Daisy Roots, Leech Juice, Rat Spleen, and Shrivelfig--these ingredients are combined to create a certain potion. Please identify the potion and write about how each of the ingredients effects it's turnout.

Draco sighed. Simple. Mind-numbingly simple.

"Um. Alright. Well, what do they make?"

"I don't know. That's why I'm here." Justin frowned. Draco groaned.

"Ok, you get your potions book. You look up each ingredient and see the potions listed on the left hand side that they're popular for. Once you've done that you can find the most common potion listed."

"How do I know if it's right?" Draco rubbed the bridge of his nose, annoyed at Justin's stupidity.

"You'd get the formula." Draco grit his teeth.

"You don't have to talk to me like I'm stupid." Justin lowered his head, embarrassed. Draco was about the retort that, yes he should talk to him like that because, yes he was stupid, but he noticed Granger glaring over at him.

"Sorry. Maybe you should go ask her-" He pointed to a sickly thin girl with stringy black hair. "For help." Justin nodded and left Draco to himself.

Hermione looked over at the girl beside her. She seemed to be doing just fine with her Defense Against the Dark Arts assignment. Hermione smiled. It always made her feel good to tutor. One, it made her feel smart, and two, she liked to know that she'd helped. Jennifer set her quill down and removed her glasses.

"Thanks, Hermione. I would never have figured this out without you."

"You're welcome." Hermione smiled down at the girl. With her frizzy hair and buck teeth, she sort of reminded Hermione of herself in his first year.

"I'll probably be back tomorrow." Jennifer shrugged and gathered up her things.

"I hope not. But if you are, I won't mind helping." Hermione waved the girl off as she exited the library. She looked down at the list. Jennifer Wheeler had been the last student on the list. She crossed off her name and closed her books. "Thanks guys for all your help. Would a few of you mind staying for a few minute, just to help put all the books back?" A few prefects raised their hands. The rest turned their backs to go, including a relieved Draco.

"Oh, Malfoy?" Hermione called after him as she studied a piece of parchment in her hand. Draco turned around.

"What?"

"I have a note here from Dumbledore. It says you are required to stay to help." Hermione smiled smugly, although she wasn't sure why. Part of her reveled in Draco's inconvenience, yes, but she'd rather eat frogs than spend an extra twenty minutes with him.

"Come on. No way, mud--Granger."

"It's not like I'm pleased," Hermione stuck her hip out. "Just come help me and we'll finish faster." Hermione turned her head to the three prefects who had offered to help. "Can you three just gather up the books and put them on the carts?" They all nodded and dispersed to the tables. Hermione turned back to Draco's annoyed attention. She reached beside her table and pulled up a bucket and a rag. "Just wipe the tables down."

"And what are you going to do?" Draco grabbed the rag and began splashing water on her table defiantly.

"I am going to write my notes to the professors." She plopped down at her table and set her parchment down. The water Draco had splashed soaked through it. She wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I know it may be hard to follow directions--but don't wash my table until I'm done, okay?" Draco glared at her for a second before flipping the bird.

"I'm not even going to bother docking you points, Malfoy." She sighed, pulled out a second piece of parchment and a quill.

Professor McGonagall-

Gertrude Lions struggled with her homework today. If she continues to have a hard time in class beyond the first week, I suggest you assign her weekly tutoring until her grades improve. As this is only her first day, I'd recommend watching her closely for a few days to make sure it wasn't first day jitters.

Thanks,

Hermione Granger

Hermione folded the letter and wrote Professor McGonagall's name on top and set it beside her. She glanced over at Draco, whose forehead was wrinkled in protest as he lazily scrubbed down his second table. The three prefects pushed over a book cart and waved to her as they exited the library. "Thank you!" She called after them. She looked back at Draco who had only just finished the second table.

"You know what. Forget the tables." Hermione was frustrated.

"Does that mean I'm done?" Draco couldn't stand having the mud blood telling him what to do.

"No. I still need help with the book cart." She pressed against with all her might. It barely moved an inch.

"God, Granger. I thought you only lacked looks and personality. I guess strength too." Draco spat angrily.

"Have you ever seen this book?" She picked one up that looked to be over 900 pages. "They're all like this." She waved her hand in front of the cart. Draco grimaced and pressed against the book cart, moving it very slowly. He followed Hermione to the first library stack. "I need A History of Potions: Volume 7." Draco looked through the stack of books. He didn't see any spines listing that name, but then again, he hadn't bothered to turn over the dozen that weren't facing the right way.

"Oh, fine." Hermione climbed down from the stool she'd been perched on and searched through the books, finally pulling out a bright green one. She climbed back on the stool and put it back in place. "What happened to your face?" Of course Hermione was well aware what happened, but she found it oddly amusing to hear it from him.

"Like you don't know." Draco narrowed his eyes at her. Hermione grabbed the second book from her list and began searching for it's home.

"Embarrassed that Ron and Harry kicked your arse?"

"Right." Draco laughed.

"You know," Hermione climbed down from her stool and grabbed several books. "It's okay to lose." She squinted her eyes at him, waiting for a reaction.

"Fuck this. And fuck you, Mudblood." Draco didn't care if she docked points from Slytherin. All he cared about right now was getting away from Granger as soon as possible. He turned and started walking away without even so much as another word, Hermione's voice trailing behind him.

"30 points from Slytherin, Malfoy!"