[A/N: WOW so I probably haven't updated in, oh a month or two. MY BAD. Y'know, I'm a high school student. That's my excuse. Hope you guys enjoy this. I absolutely love the end of this chapter.]

Disclaimer: It's not mine.

Chapter five: Assigned with Hell

September 3, 1998

(Draco POV)

All the advisors walked into the Great Hall and gathered near the front podium. I stood in the back of the crowd. I stared at the back of each head, looking for any worthy soul to talk to. None met such conditions.

As I looked around, I noticed some girl staring at me with wide eyes. As soon I met her gaze she looked away, yanked on her neighbors' sleeve and whispered something in her ear. She turned for a second look, her friend mimicking her. Before she looked away she gave me a look of both confusion and disgust.

I felt alone. I felt misplaced. I felt misunderstood.

It had been that way ever since the end of my fifth year at this bloody school. My damned father had failed at a simple task of the Dark Lords', which left his consequences on my weighed down shoulders. I spent the summer after my fifth year training for my mission to kill Dumbledore, the Headmaster then. I never came in contact with my past friends Crabbe and Goyle. I never thought of them anymore. I rarely ate, and when I did it was merely enough to fill a rat's stomach. I hardly slept. When I did, nightmares filled my mind. Sometimes the nightmares were actually memories. Memories of when I was a child and my father would beat me senselessly. My father ruined my life.

Just then Professor McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts, walked in swiftly through the left door and stepped up to the podium. She cleared her throat and the room immediately fell silent.

"Good afternoon, advisors. The staff and I here at Hogwarts welcome you to a new year. As you all know from your letter, each of you along with two others will be assigned twelve students to watch over, make sure they get to class in a timely manner, etcetera. You need not watch them during free time or meals. Now, you all have today to prepare for the first day of school-tomorrow. From now until supper, you and your two other partners will spend the time together inside your personal dormitories getting to know each other better. From the end of supper until nine this evening you are free to do whatever you wish, within reason and school territory. A reminder: the Forbidden Forest is strictly off limits."

She pulled a scroll out of her black robes and continued, "Now, without further adieu, I will read off all names, partners and assignments."

Excitement stirred throughout the room.

"Group one in charge of twelve Slytherin Students: Hannah Ball, Benjamin Booth, and Ronald Weasley. Please take a seat near each other at the Slytherin table." She paused. "Group two in charge of twelve Hufflepuff students: Harry Potter, Astoria Greengrass, and Thomas Chardensen. Please sit near each other at the Hufflepuff table."

She went through the list group by group. By the time she got to group five, I wondered if I was even on the list. There were only two groups left. Maybe my mother bringing in the Hogwarts letter was just a dream…

"Group six," McGonagall continued, "in charge of twelve Gryffindor students…"

I prayed silently that it wasn't me.

"Elizabeth Marks…"

Please, not me…

"Hermione Granger…"

Oh Merlin, please not me…

"And… oh…" She paused. "And Draco Malfoy." Hushes and whispers flew across the room. I felt the eyes of each person staring into my soul. "Please take a seat… near each other at the Gryffindor table."

I made my way to the table-the Gryffindor table I promised myself seven years ago I would never sit at. So much for that, I thought. As I walked down the isle, no one paid attention to McGonagall; they all kept staring at me like I was some art display that had molding fruit smashed onto it. Pleasant. I sat near the end of the table. Granger sat as far away from me as possible.

As soon as she finished assigning groups, McGonagall said, "Now that you have been assigned, please note this: all assignments are final. No changes can or will be made. You are dismissed. Remember, go to your assigned dormitory."

When she finished, people began to talk and move about. As soon as I stood, McGonagall said, "Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger. A word, please."

* * * * *

(Hermione POV)

I was mad. I was outraged.

"Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger. A word please." I heard Professor McGonagall say. I walked to the podium where she stood. Malfoy followed with his ungracious swagger. The professor looked at the both of us with weary eyes.

"There has been an… occurrence," She began, "in which your other group member, Elizabeth Marks will not be attending Hogwarts as an advisor, leaving you two… alone."

"Alone?!" Ron's voice boomed from the doorway of the Great Hall. I turned to see his angry face glaring at either Draco or McGonagall, I couldn't tell. "You're going to leave that monster alone with my girlfriend?!" He yelled.

Draco snorted. "Girlfriend? Hm. I should've known."

"Mr. Weasley, this does not concern you." McGonagall said sternly.

Ron opened his mouth to protest but McGonagall interrupted him, "Do not make me repeat myself. Please return to your dormitory."

He huffed and with clenched teeth he looked at Malfoy and said, "You lay one finger on my girlfriend and I'll wrap mine around your neck."

Draco snorted again. "Is that a threat or a promise, Weasel?"

"Boys!" McGonagall was getting impatient. "Enough! Both of you! Mr. Weasley, leave this instant or be expelled."

With his fists balled up under his robe sleeves, he stomped off into the hallway. McGonagall cleared her throat and continued, "As I was saying… Although it appears I am too late, I do not want any trouble from you two. No exceptions. Am I clear?"

Malferret spoke up, "Do you really think that I'm going to put up with… with-"

I winced, waiting for him to call me Mudblood.

"-her?" He exclaimed. "I can barely stand being in the same room as her and you want us to work together?" I raised an eyebrow. Figures… he's too chicken to call me "Mudblood" in front of the Headmistress.

"Professor," I started, "surely something can be changed. Possibly someone from a different group could simply trade places with Draco."

"I'm sorry, Miss Granger." She replied. "Like I said, all assignments are final. No changes, no trades, no exceptions. I'm sure you two are mature enough to see past your differences and… bloodlines and see the good in each other. Now, if you will please excuse me," She said as she gathered her papers, "I have a staff meeting that needs my attending."

"Great." I said as soon as she left. "This is just fabulous! I though coming back to Hogwarts this year would be different. I thought I could finally go to school like a normal girl and not have to worry about being attacked by dark forces. But then you came along and the Dark Lord is back! Merlin-"

"Woah, Granger! Back up a minute." Draco interrupted me.

Shoot. I was so caught up in yelling at Malfoy that I wasn't really paying attention to what I was yelling. I slapped my palm to my forehead. "Why don't you just forget I said that?" I wheeled around and started towards the door.

"Well you can't really expect me to ignore a comment like that, can you, Granger?" He asked as he followed me out and into the hallway. "Besides, I heard you blabbing about it on the train earlier anyway. You should really keep your mouth shut, Mudblood."

Within that second, I pulled my wand out of my robe and whipped around to face him. I shoved the wand against his pale skin beneath his chin. "Don't. Test. Me."

He laughed and lowered my wand from his neck. He took a step closer to me. I stood my ground and glared at him. "Really, Granger." He took another step closer… he was only a foot away. I didn't budge. "I thought you would've figured it out by now." He took his final step and then we were touching. I could the movement of his torso as he breathed. He leaned down; his ice blue eyes only two inches away. "I'm not afraid of you." He whispered.

In that instant, I ignored my racing heart, slapped him across the cheek, and stormed down the hall to our dormitory.

One of us was going to die this year and it certainly wasn't going to be me.

[A/N: So? What'd you think? :] PLEASE review, it means a lot to me. Even just a few words is better than nothing. I'll hopefully update soon!]