Getting Away With Murder

Somewhere beyond happiness and sadness

I need to evaluate

What creates my own madness?

And I'm a glutton for your punishment

And you're the master

And I am waiting for disaster

I feel irrational so confrontational

To tell the truth I am getting away with murder

It is impossible to never tell the truth but the reality is I'm getting away with murder

Written and performed by: Papa Roach

The New Hermione

The rest of the morning went on pretty flawlessly; Professor Snape had decided to amuse himself by pairing Slytherin boys with Gryffindor girls, and Slytherin girls with Gryffindor boys. Harry had the bad luck of being stuck with Pansy Parkinson who howled like a stuck pig for the majority of the class period. Draco got lucky and was paired with Hermione, while Ron was coupled with Millicent Bulstrode, who wasn't a big talker, unless you made her angry. Which Ron was doing a pretty good job of it, "What the hell Weasley," She yelled, "You just added three times more Mandrake than it called for, do you even know what you are doing?"

"Hey, I don't see you doing anything but reading," Ron shouted back.

"That's because I've already put my half in, in the right portions and the correct order you bumbling idiot. Besides, I'm reading because I wasn't sure if you even knew how to read, considering you are a Weasley and all," she spat with a slight smile creeping across her lips. As she finished the bell rang and they quickly filled their vials and took them to Snape's desk.

Hermione and Draco had the privilege of sitting behind Ron and Millicent, and were quite entertained by the altercations between the two. 'Those two could become the new infamous couple,' Hermione thought, Draco obviously heard because he was nearly falling out of his chair from laughing so hard.

"They will never be as infamous as us, especially not since we are…"

"…getting along so well?"

"Exactly. But I'm sure entertainment will ensue from them," Draco chuckled as they walked to the green house fro Herbology.

"Of course it will, if it's one thing I know, it's that Ronald Weasley will not take any flack from girls," Hermione confided in him.

The couple ended up in all of the same classes, thanks to them being Head Boy and Head Girl, and took the time to work together and get to know each other. The only times they weren't together was at lunch and dinner where they sat with their separate groups of friends.

"You and Malfoy seem to be getting on rather well," Ginny whispered to her as Ron and Harry discussed the events of Potions that day.

"He's not so bad, quite smart, and he has his moments when he's funny, and he's been understanding of my concerns and such," Hermione smiled.

"Oh really, and I'm sure that your opinion of him hasn't changed at all?" Ginny teased sarcastically, rolling her eyes at Hermione.

"Well, I'm not entirely sure I was to release such information to you Ginny Weasley," Hermione giggled.

"Who am I going to tell Hermione? Do you honestly think I'll be letting Harry and Ron know?" Ginny questioned.

"Well, if you want me to be completely honest with you, I'm not sure if I'm quite myself, for all I know, he could have slipped me a love potion." Hermione suddenly felt giddy at the thought of Draco's desperation for her to like him.

Ginny just gave her a slight smirk, "Love potion? You are completely smitten with your worst enemy, and the best part is, you have no idea what has consumed your entire being,"

"I think it might have something to do with the mind bonding…or the soul sewing…could it do that? I mean I've tried to do some research on it, but I've not found any books on the subject, not even in the restricted section…"

"That's because it's dark magic!" Ron snarled, letting them know he had been secretly eavesdropping.

"That would explain it, but we have books containing dark magic in them…"

"Not black magic like a blood pact though," Ginny interrupted, "Those things like mind bonding and soul sewing are the practices of truly dark wizarding families."

"Well, we shall see about that." Hermione muttered darkly as she excused herself from the group and went to her common room.

Draco had watched from the Slytherin table, reading Hermione's mind as she listened to the Weasleys explain the dark magic at hand, 'If only she knew about the changes that are about to take place in us both.' He thought to himself.

He slowly walked up to the head's common room, Duluca was howling at the moon when Draco arrived at the portrait. "Popcorn shrimp," he announced dully before the temperamental wolf could ask. The door swung open and Draco entered. The common room was empty so he assumed that Hermione was some where in her room or in the bathroom.

He sighed and went straight to his room, deciding that if Hermione needed him, she would just have to come to him on her own. As he sat at his desk trying to concentrate on his Ancient Ruins essay, he couldn't help but wonder what was going on with himself when it came to Hermione.

'Could I really be falling in love with the girl that I've hated for seven years, or am I just looking for pity for my end of our situation? I do have to say that I love the way she makes me feel when she holds my hand and kisses me, even if I hate to admit it. It seems as if she's calming me…and she had grown into herself, she doesn't flaunt her brains so much anymore, hardly has to raise her hand to answer the questions, not that the teachers ask her anyway, everyone knows how smart she really is…' he sighed as he continued his train of thought, What if I'm distracting her? What if she really does just feel sorry for me and that's the only reason that she's giving me a chance?' he dropped his quill and began to balance his chair on two legs.

There was a knock at the door, breaking his concentration, and he toppled over on to the floor, "Ow," he mumbled as he pulled himself off the floor and opened the door, expecting to be entertaining Hermione, but instead found Harry and Ron standing outside his door.

"How the bloody hell did you two get in to the Head's room?" Draco demanded, his blood beginning to boil.

"How the bloody hell do you think we got in here, we followed you, you lousy sod!" Ron screeched, "We came here to tell you to leave Hermione alone, and take your damned black magic with you, and if you don't you will regret it. I will hurt you myself if I have too…" Ron warned, Draco was surprised that 'Golden Boy' Potter's side kick had managed to complete two sentences without stumbling over his words.

"Then let me give you a quick token of advice, if you hurt me, you will undoubtedly, and inevitably hurt her as well. They don't call it Soul Sewing for nothing," Draco growled and slammed the door in their faces. 'Does she really dislike me enough to send Potter and Weasley after me without me being able to read it in her thoughts?'

He heard a door open and then "RONALD WEASLEY! How dare you go behind my back to threaten Draco like that! We were getting along just fine, and I'll be damned if I let you walk away unscathed if you end up ruining this for me!" Hermione yelled, "And you Harry James potter, do not for one second think that you are about to get out of this! You have been treating Draco worse than ever, and he has done nothing in return. Doesn't that bloody tell you something?" She screamed.

"Yeah, it tells me that he's planning on doing something truly sinister to get back at us," Ron half chuckled.

"You fucking piece of pig shit, how dare you insult my fiancé like that?" She demanded, "It means he has changed for the better. He's trying to prove to the world, and to you that he's not a death eater and that he is good enough for me!"

"I think it's you that has changed Hermione," Harry commented quietly.

"Yeah, you've gone seriously bloody mental this time Hermione. You're turning into the female version of Malfoy," Ron decided, his tone taking a dark demeanor.

"In that case, consider yourselves my enemies as well then. Now remove yourselves, Potter and Weasley before I decided to take house points away." Hermione barked with overpowering authority.

"You wouldn't take house points way from you own house would you Hermione?" Ron questioned in disbelief.

"Twenty five points from Gryffindor for each of you, for sneaking into the Head's dorm, and threatening the Head Boy!" She shrieked in rage, "NOW GET OUT!"

Both boys obeyed, horrified that their friend could sacrifice their friendship for Malfoy, "What do you suppose happened to our Hermione?" Harry whimpered inaudibly as they trudged back to Gryffindor tower.

"What a bitch she's being. We were just trying to look out for her," Ron protested.

"Were you? Or are you just jealous of Malfoy?" Harry pondered.

"What do I have to be jealous of him for? That's not the Hermione I fell in love with, he can have that monstrous cow."

Hermione stood outside of Draco's door, wondering if she should knock, or if she should just let him be, but before she had made her decision, he had opened the door.

"You didn't have to do that," He whispered.

"I wanted too. They need to be reminded that just because I'm head girl doesn't mean that they can get away with anything," she lied, refusing to look him in the eyes.

"They were right you know, you have changed, but not the way that they said." He told her as he placed his hand on her cheek.

"I wish I could believe that, but I know that they are right about the way I've changed as well. That doesn't really bother me though, I need a new side to me, and I need to relax more and let myself have a little fun every once in a while." She let out a small sigh, "I'm sorry for what they said to you, they shouldn't have bothered you, and it's not their place to decide what is best for me."

He was about to reply, but changed his mind suddenly, and she found his lips crashing into hers, she deepened the kiss, and gave him entrance to her mouth, they kissed like this for a few moments, and then broke apart, "Hermione," he gasped "I think that I'm starting to fall in love with you,"