"I don't wanna be anything other than what I've been trying to be lately, all I have to do is think about me and my peace of mind…" Hermione sang as she danced around the kitchen making herself a bacon sandwich for breakfast, her favourite Muggle food. "I don't wanna be anything other than me."

"Didn't know you were such a singer, Granger."

She swivelled round frying pan full of bacon in her hand and her eyes flew wide open at the sight of Malfoy in nothing but a pair of boxers. He smirked as he looked her over, black vest top and hot pink French knickers, evidently she'd been hiding quite some legs underneath her school robes.

Hermione blushed and turned back around. "Morning Malfoy." She stuffed the bacon onto some bread, folded it in half and went to sit at the table, folding one of her legs underneath her as she scanned the Daily Prophet.

"So what subjects are you studying?" Hermione glanced up to see that Malfoy had sat down opposite her and was ploughing his way through a bowl of some cereal. She raised an eyebrow, Malfoy trying to make conversation with her? Get out.

"Magical Theory and Philosophy." She muttered from behind the newspaper. "You?"

"Science of Potions." Draco uttered the words without any particular care or as if he showed any great interest in the subject, at least not in the way Hermione had spoken her's.

"Any particular reason why?"

"Why would I tell you if there was Granger…?" Malfoy spat the words and Hermione lowered the paper to give him an incredulous look that showed that he had just crossed the line of subtle jibes and forced civility into what most would call the area of insults and plain rudeness.

Hermione stood up and made her way over to the kitchen area where with a flick of her wand it was restored to its earlier clean state before stalking into her kitchen to get ready for the induction day at the Ministry of Magic.

"Ginny!" Hermione grinned as she saw her best friend appear from a fireplace in the Atrium of the Ministry; Hermione had arrived a few minutes earlier and, having arranged to meet Ginny, waited by the fireplaces for her.

"Hermione!" Ginny laughed and hugged her friend, she hadn't seen her for a few weeks, Hermione had decided she wanted some wizard free time and headed off into the Muggle world. "So what's your flat like?"

"Beautiful, I got the top one." Ginny detected a hint of disappointment in Hermione's voice and questioned her.

"But…?"

"Malfoy. I have to share with Malfoy." She scowled as they walked towards the lifts.

"It can't be that bad, I mean he is kinda hot…" Ginny giggled as they leant against the back wall. Hermione dressed in distressed hipster jeans and a white tank top with loose black robes, Ginny in a black and grey plaid kilt and green Weird Sisters t-shirt, fitted black robes completing her ensemble.

"Ginny! You're going out with Harry!" Hermione hit her friend playfully. "Speaking of which, how is he?"

"Fine, fine, they're both fine." She said, referring to Ron. "Not that you two are well, together anymore." Ginny blushed, not knowing whether Hermione still considered Ron a close friend after the break up.

"Gin, don't be silly, Ron will always be one of my best friends. We just weren't cut out to be a couple." She shrugged as they arrived at Level One – Department for Magical Education. "Come on…we'll be late." Ginny rolled her eyes, they were at least fifteen minutes early, but heaven forbid that Hermione be less than ten minutes early for anything.

Hermione curled up on the sofa and prayed that Malfoy wouldn't be back anytime soon as she pulled her guitar from its case. "I close my eyes and imagine you're here, did it all seem so hopeless, given the chance, I would ask, forgive me, I didn't do a thing to make you stay, I didn't say a word to make you stay, if I would have known could I have tried to make it easier? But I didn't do a thing, or say a word, one word." Hermione had played the guitar since she was small, but had never told any of her friends, always thinking that they would laugh at her. But music gave her hope, always had, and she'd turned to it in the most desperate of times in the War.

"And I don't know why you're gone, now you're gone. No beautiful goodbye, you will never leave my mind. And it turns out to be so much different than our dreams, now you're, yeah; you're a star in heaven."

Draco slipped into the flat unnoticed by Hermione and leant against the wall listening to her sing. Surprisingly she had quite a beautiful singing voice and obviously was fairly talented when it came to playing the guitar. As she finished the song he clapped quietly until he saw her glaring at him.

"What!" He asked defensively.

"I. Don't. Like. People. Listening. To. Me. Play." She muttered through gritted teeth.

"But you're good, why not?" Draco shrugged and Hermione looked astounded, had Malfoy just paid her a compliment? "Don't look so shocked. I do know how to be polite."

Ignoring his latter comment Hermione replied quietly. "I'm not very good. Maybe some other time." She stood up and placed the guitar back in its case before placing it gently in a corner. "Have you eaten?"

"Huh?" Malfoy looked confused.

"Have you had dinner?"

"Oh. Right. No. I was just going to go out and get some."

"Save yourself the hassle, I'll cook for both of us."

"Thanks." Hermione smiled at his use of manners and walked into her bedroom to put some music on loudly before walking over to the kitchen and pulling things out of the fridge. "Granger, what is this crap?" Malfoy had one finger in each of his ears and was yelling loudly.

"Basement Jaxx. So get yourself together, plug it in plug it in baby, where you been where you been baby." Hermione sung along as Malfoy frowned deeply.

"They're shit."

"No. They're awesome. This is one of my favourite songs for dancing to when I'm out clubbing."

"Clubbing?" Draco raised a perfect eyebrow.

"Oh. It's a Muggle thing. You go out to night clubs, there's music, alcohol, lots of dancing, some drugs. Its fun."

"Riiiight." Draco nodded and Hermione grinned.

"Fine, fine, I'll change it." Hermione succumbed to Malfoy's continued disgusted expression and returned to her bedroom, the more mellow sounds of Groove Armada following her.

"It's an improvement." He conceded before picking up a magazine that lay on the couch as Hermione got on with the cooking.

Close your eyes and lose the feeling that's been sinking

Close your eyes and count to three

Close your eyes rewind I know just what you're thinking

Close your eyes and think of me

Draco's eyes widened as he flicked through the magazine and came to an article entitled "10 Ways to Achieve Your Most Awesome Orgasm Ever." What the hell had Granger been reading? Maybe she wasn't such an angel after all…

"Hermione, what is this?" He held up the magazine with a gleeful grin on his face, they might not be at school anymore but he could still taunt her. She blushed as red as a beetroot and dropped the lettuce she'd been clutching before regaining her composure and replying without the slightest hint of embarrassment in her voice.

"Its Cosmopolitan magazine, it's a Muggle magazine. For women." She emphasised the last word and Draco dropped it like a hot potato. Hermione meanwhile was considering the fact that Malfoy had called her by her first name. She quite liked the way it rolled off his tongue. What are you thinking? She told herself. This is Draco-fucking-Malfoy.