Disclaimer: Nothing you recognize is mine.

A/N: I have recently realised that I have become obsessed with writing Draco/Hermione fanfic's and therefore have decided to try something new. I hope you like it – I'm certainly enjoying writing it! Lol – Happy reading!
Summary:

"Were two of a kind granger" he whispered, "Both friends with a highly respected and talented wizard, always standing just to the right of them".

Hermione frowned at the boy in front of her, feeling his hot breath on her cheek.

"Don't you think it's about time you found your own path?"

Standing To The Right
Chapter Three: Knots And Tangles
He clings to his opinions as if they're all he has.

Although he doesn't mean to condescend, sometimes he just seems mean.

He likes to point out flaws, to demonstrate his intellect.

The following morning, Hermione was ready within seconds and darting down to breakfast.

"Harry……. Ron!" the two boys stared at their friend incredulously as she panted and wheezed out their names, bent double from her marathon of eleven flights of stairs.

"Er… Hermione" Ron started, "are you ok?"

Nodding and clutching her side, which was throbbing from a stitch, Hermione painfully slid into a seat opposite the two boys at the Gryffindor table.

"So Harry" Hermione started, as soon as she'd got her breath back, "what was it you wanted to discuss with us?"

Harry's face saddened almost instantly and he shook his head.

"I said tonight in the common room – here's too public; we might be overheard" he muttered.

Ron sent Hermione a smug "For-once-it-wasn't-me" look, and she responded by kicking him sharply under the table.

"So guys, who's got a Gryffindor timetable?" Hermione asked, trying to lighten the mood.

Ron held out a piece of parchment to her and she took it from him, eyes widening in disbelief.

First – Potions – Gryffindor/Slytherin

Second – Potions – Gryffindor/Slytherin

Third – Free

Fourth – Care of Magical Creatures – Gryffindor/Slytherin

Fifth – Care of magical creatures – Gryffindor/Slytherin

Sixth – Free

"A whole day with the Slytherin's!" yelped Hermione, "not possible!"

"Hey granger" Hermione jumped as she heard a familiar drawling voice.

"What do you want Malfoy?" she sighed, noticing that Harry and Ron were both on their feet.

"Here" Draco threw a small shiny object through the air at her, "you left this on the coffee table this morning"

Hermione glanced down at her head girl badge, which lay nestled in her palm.

"Thanks" she whispered.

"Whatever….." sneered Malfoy, before stalking away.

Harry frowned at Hermione, "I would never have thought you'd forget that mione!" he said, surprised.

Hermione shrugged, "I guess I was just in a hurry to see if you were ok…"

She glanced down again and when she looked up Harry was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Har-"she started, then stopped in realisation, at the look on Ron's face.

Apparently, hearing that she put his welfare above her biggest dream and achievement was a little too much for Harry to handle this morning.

What was going on with him? She wondered.

"Welcome to seventh year potions" Snape's snarling voice had the seventh year Slytherin's and Gryffindor's sitting bolt upright and concentrating like mad.

"Though how the majority of you have survived this long, Merlin only knows!" Snape continued.

Ron rolled her eyes at Hermione, who hid a grin.

"Weasley – please don't continue in the state of mind that I cannot see your vulgar eye movements when my back is turned" Snape sneered dangerously, causing Ron to jump and fall off his chair in surprise.

"All seventh year students have been required since the founding of Hogwarts, to research, write a dissertation on and create a potion of choice. There is a time limit of two months and the difficulty or rarity of the potion is completely up to you." Snape reeled off the information, ignoring the reproachful looks on his student's faces.

"Any potion?" asked Ron, "this will be so easy!" he grinned.

"Usually, students are supposed to carry out this project alone, but due to the large number of you, I expect you to divide quickly into pairs" Snape instructed.

Everyone paused for a minute, deciding on partners.

"NOW!" barked Snape.

Everyone jumped and grabbed the nearest person. Harry and Ron were an obvious partnership. Pansy Parkinson had all but leaped into Malfoy's arms, which left…………..

"Oh no" Hermione shook her head as she realised the only person left was the only person she really couldn't stand.

"Morning granger" Blaise Zabini grinned wickedly as he slid into the seat adjacent to hers.

Hermione groaned and let her head fall on to the desk in front of her.

"Ah miss. Granger, how pleasant to see you" Dumbledore greeted Hermione chirpily as she entered his office and seated herself beside Malfoy.

"Lemon drop miss granger?"

Hermione politely accepted a sweet and popped it into her mouth, just to find that her teeth had become clamped together, due to its lemony stickiness. Malfoy it seemed was having just as much trouble.

"so I have arranged a time table for patrolling the corridors that will enable you to spend as much time as possible on your potions projects, that professor Snape informed me you have recently started – such fun they are!" the elderly professors exclaimed joyfully.

"Miss Granger, may I recommend choosing a potion from one of my books, hmmm?"

Hermione nodded, still furiously attempting to loosen her teeth from the sticky sweet.

"I've also partnered you two with your potions partners so you will have plenty of opportunities to discuss your ideas!"

Hermione admitted an alarmed squeak, still unable to talk. She was starting to think that Dumbledore had planned this!

"so Mr. Malfoy, you and miss Parkinson will be able to discuss your project right away as your patrol evenings will be Monday nights from nine till midnight – although I am sure you already see quite enough of each other" he chuckled. Malfoy at least had the audacity to blush slightly.

"And miss granger, you and Mr………..Zabini" Dumbledore blinked in surprise, "you will be patrolling on a Thursday evening"

Hermione finally freed her teeth and opened her mouth to complain, but was rudely interrupted by a knock on the door. (A/N: What is it with the knocking on doors in this story?)

"I'm sorry children, but I have a very important meeting with my shampoo supplier" Dumbledore gestured for them to leave; Hermione blushing deeply as she went. On the way out they passed a very short man carrying a large box, sporting the most extraordinarily long, shiny ginger hair……..

"Here granger, sort that mop of yours out" Malfoy threw her a bottle from the box the man was carrying and swept out of the office.

Hermione glanced down at the label.

Honey blossom nursery's unicorn milk and pixie dust shampoo – for all your knots and tangles!

She was going to kill Malfoy one day, she swore!

A/N: Sorry this one isn't that long guys – I'm having trouble with my plot in this fanfic – any ideas would be much appreciated!