The first two weeks of classes had already flown by and shockingly enough Hermione had not killed Malfoy. Everyone had changed this past year, and mostly it seemed for the better. They had classes together all day Tuesday and Thursday. After being forced to work together in not only Transfiguration but DADA and Astronomy they were being civil. He was rather clever and it was nice to not have to do all the work in group assignments. Not that Harry and Ron ever made her do all the work, but she was certainly used to doing most of it.

Breakfast was pretty quiet, even for a Saturday morning. Quidditch tryouts were this morning which meant Ginny, and the remaining members of the Gryffindor team were already down at the pitch getting ready.

Thankfully that morning's post brought her a letter from Harry, she had not really heard from them since school had started. She had been writing him once a week, filling him in on everything that was going on at school.

Hermione,

Sorry, I haven't been able to write. Just got back to London late last night. Ron and Neville say hello! I can't believe you have to share a common room with Malfoy. Though in all fairness his family has been helping us out quite a bit. Not that it changes anything, but as long as he's not being a prick. Ron still hates him and his family, but I see no point in not being civil to him. Not that I have to worry about you. Keep an eye on Ginny for me.

Miss you xx

Harry

She smiled as she read Harry's letter. Ever since the final battle he had been much more level-headed. Though that was almost one hundred percent due to the destruction of the Horcrux inside of him. She would have to take one weekend and head over to the boys' flat to visit. If they stayed in the country long enough for a weekend visit.

Once she finished breakfast she decided to head back upstairs to finish the rest of her homework for the week and write back to Harry. Maybe the boys could even come see her over at Hogsmead. As much as she tried to pretend she missed them fiercely.

When she finally got inside the common room she was rather shocked to see Malfoy there. What was even more shocking was that Crookshanks was curled up on his lap.

"Trying to steal my cat Malfoy?" She asked with a hint of sarcasm. She had cocked one of her eyebrows and was looking at them very skeptically.

"Haha, very funny Granger. I can't get this bloody thing off me." Draco said sounding much more like the Draco she remembered from before the war, but not in a bad way – yet.

"Aww he likes you," she cooed with a little giggle.

"At least, someone does," he replied softly shaking his head and gently petting the purring cat.

It was almost painful to see him like this. A few years ago she would have reveled in seeing Malfoy get knocked off his high horse. Now it was just kind of pathetic.

"Why aren't you at Quidditch tryouts?" she asked in an attempt to change the subject.

"I was kicked off the team," he said sounding as defeated as ever. "Looks like between myself and my parents everyone is pissed at me for something."

"I'm sorry," she said sympathetically. "Not that it really matters but I think you are much more agreeable this year."

"Just what I always wanted to hear," he said sarcastically. "Thanks, Granger." You could tell he was still trying to be sarcastic but had failed.

Honesty was rather becoming on him. This was all so weird. She smiled back at him politely before excusing herself and heading upstairs to her room.

Hermione had managed to finish the rest of her homework by dinner that night and still had time to send an owl out to Harry before meeting Ginny in the great hall. She got the full play by play of tryouts this morning which included a second year getting hit in the head with a bludger and being sent off to the hospital wing. Ginny seemed pretty pleased with the team this year and that is all that really mattered to her.

After dinner, Hermione headed back to Gryffindor tower to talk with Ginny. Sometimes a little girl time was all you needed to feel better. In Ginny's case, girl time always made things better. Over the years, Ginny had become the sister Hermione never had, and she would always be here for her.

Tonight's talk was about Harry, of course. He had written Ginny too and was trying to visit Hogsmeade during the seventh years first weekend there. What Ginny seemed most upset about was that McGonagall was having a "silly" Halloween ball, for the older students, but they could not invite people who were not going to school currently. Hermione could not understand why Ginny would have ever thought that would be an option to begin with, but she did not tell her that. She simply tried to convince her that it would be fun getting dressed up and dancing.

The two of them quickly lost track of time and before she knew it was half-past one in the morning.

"I better get going, McGonagall didn't really cover being out past curfew on the weekends," Hermione said nervously. It was only the second week, all she need was dentition for being out too late.

Ginny hugged her and walked her to the entrance of the Gryffindor common room. The castle was pitch black, of course.

"Lumos," she whispered as the tip of her wand illuminated. Thankfully her own common room was just a few floors down from where she was. She practically ran down the stairs, keeping her wand low as not to annoy too many of the portraits lining the walls. All she needed was for Peeves to find her and make a fuss about her being out of bed.

Maybe it was because it was such a short distance or maybe Peeves was preoccupied with something else but she managed to get all the way back to the tapestry that guarded the entrance to her new common room.

"Nox," she whispered before tracing the letter H and quietly stepping into her common room. She breathed a sigh of relief smiling to herself as she quickly headed up the spiral staircase. Unfortunately, she did not see the dark figure sitting on one of the steps and tripped and fell, shrieking as she landed on top of the figure.

She felt a hand cover her mouth and quieted down, trying to compose herself and reach for her wand which she had dropped when she fell.

"For someone so smart you really need to learn to watch where you're going, Granger." She heard Malfoy whisper. You could tell he was pissed but this might have been the calmest pissed she had ever seen him.

"Bloody hell Malfoy, you just about gave me a heart attack," she managed to say through his hand before he finally moved it off her lips.

"Well if you weren't sneaking around the castle at all hours of the night I wouldn't have scared you!"

"Well if you weren't sitting in the dark on a staircase in the middle of the night I wouldn't have tripped over you!" She managed not to shout, still trying to catch her breath. "Wait, why are you sitting on a staircase in the middle of the night?"

"None of your business. Why are you sneaking around the castle in the middle of the night?"

"None of your business!" If he was going to play games with her she would play right back.

They stayed there in the dark looking at each other for maybe a little longer then they should of. She had never noticed how silver his eyes were until now. Why the hell was she looking at Malfoy's eyes?! A similar thought must have crossed Malfoy's mind.

"Are you going to get off of me Granger?"

"Not until you tell me why you are sitting out here?"

"Damn, if you must know. I couldn't sleep. There. Happy now?"

"I guess I believe you," she said sarcastically. She smiled down at him as she started to try and get off of him but before she could he reached up and grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Wait, now you have to tell me what you were doing up so late!"

"I was talking with Ginny, so exciting, I know." She smiled as he let go of her arm, clearly satisfied with her answer. She finally managed to get off of him, sitting down next to him. "Want some company?"

"Nah, I'd hate to see you tomorrow without your beauty sleep."

"I'm sure you would. Goodnight," she said as she got to her feet and headed up to her bed.

"Goodnight," Malfoy called after her.