A/N: So, here is the first chapter. I'm naming the chapters after songs that I think may fit them. Or, it may be a song I was listening to when I wrote the chapter. Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Back in Black

"Malfoy?"

This couldn't be happening! What on earth was he doing here, let alone wearing the Head Boy badge? How could McGonagall make him Head Boy? This was impossible? He was a bloody Death Eater for Merlin sake!

He raised his eyebrow cockily and, in what she could only describe as a Malfoy tone, replied, "Yes, Granger?"

Her sense seemed to snap back into her. She narrowed her eyes and started thrashing about violently.

"Get your hands off me you filthy little cockroach! How dare you touch me after what you've done. You pathetic little piece of sh-"

"Whoa now, Granger. Calm down," he said hastily, putting his hands up in a sign of surrender. He had released her the second she started fighting against him.

"First off, you're the one who ran into me. Remember? Second, I was only trying to keep you from falling flat on your face. You're welcome," he continued rather gruffly.

"Oh please, like you would waste your precious time to help me out! Don't make me laugh!" she hissed, in a manner worthy of a Slytherin, he noted.

"Well, I did, didn't I?"

She froze again as her retort got stuck in her throat. In fact, he had. Normally, she would've expected him to let her fall straight on her face and then laugh at her expense. Or, if he had caught her, tease her about falling on him out of desperation. He had done neither. Instead, he was actually being somewhat tolerable?

"What are you even doing here?" she shot back, ignoring her thoughts.

"Mother and Father thought it would be best if I continued my education," he responded in a bored voice, as if he's repeated the sentence a thousand times, which, she was sure, he had. Surely everyone had been asking him why he had returned.

It was no secret that the Malfoys had switched sides at the last minute, effectively guaranteeing their safety from prison once the war was over. However, just because they were saved from Azkaban didn't mean they were saved from political or public persecution. The Prophet had a field day about them, telling the entire Wizarding World about their periods as Death Eaters. Basically, the Wizarding World still hated them.

"Daddy Death Eater wanted you to return to Hogwarts? Oh, but I forgot, you're a Death Eater too," she said with pure venom. She noticed his jaw clench and his nostrils flare, but she continued on dangerously.

"What, is this part of some evil scheme you have? Carry out the rest of Voldemort's work, huh? Tell me, are you planning to kill all us filthy 'mudbloods' left in Hogwarts?"

She expected anger, rage even. She expected him to yell, to hit her, to curse her, to hex her. Anything close to Malfoy would do! But, as she was quickly learning, he wasn't doing the expected.

Instead, his jaw unclenched and his eyes fell to the floor guiltily. He took a deep breath and let it out almost shakily. Finally, after many long moments of him staring at the floor and her staring at him, he looked up, his silver eyes locking with hers.

"No," he spoke softly, his voice full of remorse. "But I guess I deserved that."

She carefully kept her face a mask of rage, but inside she was reeling. What on earth was going on? Who was this imposter? Malfoy didn't show remorse, least of all to her! This is not supposed to be happening. She had to get out. Thankfully, at that precise moment she felt the train pull to a stop.

"Right, well, if you'll excuse me, I have to lead the first years to the castle," she retorted, then pushed past him roughly. Things were certainly not going her way this year.

"But Professor, this is insanity! Malfoy? How could you possibly make him Head Boy?"

Hermione was absolutely seething through the entire sorting ceremony. This couldn't happen. She wouldn't let it happen. Surely, if she appealed to McGonagall's compassion and, quite frankly, pure reason, surely the Headmistress would see there had been a mistake.

So, that's what she set out to do. As soon as dinner had been dismissed, Hermione rushed through her patrols, making sure the new first years found their way to their common rooms and what not, and then stormed to McGonagall's office.

As she ascended the spiral staircase, she could see the minor changes. When she walked into the office, she could sense it more. They were delicate changes to Dumbledore's previous study, so miniscule in fact, she doubted anyone else would notice. But she did. There was a slightly more feminine feel to the room that hadn't been there before, and hint of vanilla in the air.

She confronted McGonagall head on, determined to be rid of Malfoy by the end of the night. After only a few moments, however, she realized her attempt was futile.

"Miss Granger, I understand your anger and your confusion on this subject, but I assure you I have thought very carefully about this."

"But Professor," she repeated, knowing full well she sounded like a spoiled child who hadn't had her way. "He's vile, not to mention pure evil. You've seen what he's done! You know who he is! How could you let that traitorous little-"

"Miss Granger! As I said, I understand your anger, but I will not have you undermining my judgment. I indeed do know what has done. I also know that in the final battle, he came to our side-"

"Only to save his own skin! That coward knew we were winning, so of course he joined. The only thing Draco Malfoy has ever been concerned about is himself!"

Her shouts echoed through the suddenly silent room. McGonagall no longer looked angry, like she expected. Instead, she sighed sadly and looked at Hermione with knowing eyes.

"You don't know how wrong you are my dear," she responded softly.

Hermione stared on with confused eyes. "What are you talking about, Professor?"

"Suffice to say has done more for our cause than you could imagine."

Hermione's tongue itched to ask for more information, to plead with McGonagall the details behind her vague statement. However, the look on McGonagall's face told her that was all she was getting out of her, for her own sake. In fact, the old Transfiguration Professor looked slightly worried, as if she'd already let too much slip.

"Alright, maybe he's not the pure epitome of evil. But he's still Malfoy! He's the worst possible example for anybody to be following, and he should not be Head Boy. I mean, honestly, anybody would be better-"

"I'd like to stop you there, Miss Granger, with three points. First, he has the highest marks of all the males students in your year. He came in second only to you. Second, he was actually one our best Prefects in his fifth year. And third, well, as I'm sure you've noticed, there aren't exactly many male students present from your year. In fact, there are maybe twenty, and I assure you, is the best of them."

Hermione could see she had lost. She had no arguments left, as McGonagall was clearly right. But she still had to try.

"But-"

"Enough, Miss Granger! I will not argue with you any further on this. My decision is final. Now, go back do your dormitory before curfew."

And she was dismissed.

As she walked dejectedly through the corridors, she couldn't help but think about how she had miserably failed. And now, worst of all, she had to live with Malfoy for an entire year.

She stumbled rather than walked through the portrait hole on the seventh floor that led to their joint common room. She noticed, briefly, the grandeur of the room. There was a brilliant fireplace along with two separate seating areas on one side, each area decorated accordingly with their houses. On the other side, a magnificent library of sorts took up the walls. Toward the back of the room, on each side there was a staircase that led upwards to what she assumed were their living quarters. Her observation of the room was cut short when she heard a drawling voice from over near the fireplace.

"Isn't it a bit late? I never would have thought you would be cutting it so close to curfew, Granger?"

She turned and glared at him as he sat in a comfortable looking armchair the exact shade of Slytherin green.

"Sod off, Malfoy," she seethed. That wiped the arrogant smirk right off his face, she noted with satisfaction.

"Hey, I was only joking, Granger," he replied, again in that soft, remorseful tone. She couldn't stand it! Not that she wanted him to be mean, but, well, she did. He was Malfoy! He couldn't just change on the drop of a hat. She fully intended to antagonize him until he showed his true colors.

"Really? I didn't know you told jokes, Malfoy. I thought you only found humor in dead puppies, crying babies, torture and such," she fumed. Again, she expected anger, and again she was surprised. She saw him wince when she mentioned torture. Good, she thought. Serves him right for sitting there and watching as I was tortured.

"Can I talk to you?" he asked softly, ignoring her perfectly insulting comment. Why wasn't he reacting? Why wasn't he calling her a Mudblood or hexing her?

She found herself walking toward him, not sure if she'd heard him right. When she was nearly two feet away and he had said nothing else, she knew she had.

"What? Need directions to a Mudblood rally so you can curse them out of existence? Sorry, can't help you-"

"I'm serious," he cut her off, his voice still soft, but somehow forceful as well.

She regarded him momentarily before she sat down in her own Gryffindor red chair, which was far too close to his, she thought.

"Fine. Talk," she huffed angrily.

He turned toward her and opened his mouth, then closed it and looked down at his feet. If she didn't know any better, she'd say he was struggling for words. But, this was Malfoy she was talking about.

"I…I don't really know how to begin," he started quietly. He looked up into her eyes, locking on to them. And as much as she hated to admit it, there was something burning in the pools of silver that had her breath caught in her throat.

"I owe you an…apology," he eventually said with much difficulty. And she could see why. She doubted he had ever made an apology in his life. But why start now, and with her?

"Um…what?"

Nice, very articulate, Hermione. Can't believe you're the top of your year.

"I know I haven't been the nicest to you over the years."

She snorted, and he gave her look, pleading her to go easy on him as this was already hard enough. Like hell she would.

"Alright, I've been a total ass. I know that. And after what happened at my house….look, I'm not asking for your forgiveness-"

"Really? Because I was under the impression that was the whole point of apologizing-"

"Damnit, Granger! Could you please just let me get this out?" he barked, but not angrily she noticed. She couldn't quite pick up on that hidden tone in his voice.

As he saw the anger burning in her eyes, he added again," Please."

And then she pinpointed it. Desperation. He felt he really needed to say this. She almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

She gave another huff, and he took that as his sign to continue.

"Like I said, I'm not looking for you to forgive me. I know that everything I've said, everything I've done, all of it, is inexcusable. But I do want you to know that I truly am sorry. I was wrong. About you. About everything. And I was hoping that we could come to a sort of agreement to be somewhat civil to each other whilst living here."

She gaped. She was shocked. Malfoy was truly apologizing. Malfoy was admitting he was wrong. Malfoy wanted them to be nice to each other. It was too much, too otherworldly.

"So, what? You say you're sorry and the past seven years disappears and we become chummy little roommates?" she asked sharply, but with much less anger than before.

"I'm not saying we have to be friends. But it would make it a whole lot better living here if we weren't constantly at each other's throats. Wouldn't you agree?"

She narrowed her eyes at him as she thought it over. He did have a point. And it was her last year. She'd rather not spend it alternating between the hospital wing and cursing him to oblivion. And, though she knew she shouldn't trust him, he did look sincere. She slumped into her chair as she let go of the rest of her anger. She was too tired to keep it up.

"Fine."

He looked up at her with wide, shell-shocked eyes. "Really?"

She gave a stiff nod in response. Then, Hermione Granger was sure the earth was spinning wildly of its axis, for Draco Malfoy smiled. He didn't smirk or even grin. It was a full, blown-out, teeth-showing smile. And, she hated herself for thinking, it was beautiful.

"You can't do that though," she shot off, her voice trembling slightly.

His smile faltered and she saw the curiosity in his stare.

"Smile," she answered his silent question. "It's already bad enough that you're being nice to me."

Then, he laughed. Malfoy was bloody laughing! Had she been transported to an alternate universe? Had some worldwide spell gone awry?

"Would you prefer I be cruel?" he asked, still chuckling.

"Well, no-but-it's just…Well this is just all so…odd. You have to know that," she sputtered, she now the one grasping at words.

"What I know," he said, his laughter now gone, but mirth still in his eyes, "is that you are a few Sickles short of a Galleon if you're getting upset over someone being nice to you."

She let out a very loud cry of frustration. She propelled herself out of the chair and stormed toward her dorm…until she realized she didn't know where that was. Reluctantly, she turned on her heel to face him again. And there it was! The arrogant Malfoy smirk.

"Which room is yours?" she forced out, her voice too controlled. He automatically pointed to the one closest to them.

"I figured you would prefer the one by the library."

She stiffened. That was…incredibly thoughtful, for Malfoy at least. This is exactly what she was talking about when she had said he was being too nice. Her anger came back full force. He's not going to win me over just because of a bloody room.

"Thank you," she muttered angrily before spinning around and continuing her storm, now in the right direction. As she ascended the staircase, she swore she heard a faint chuckle, but she ignored it.