-CHAPTER ONE-

"This is going to take a while, she thought."

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Hermione was grinning so hard her cheeks hurt. She couldn't wait to tell Harry and Ron the news. She'd spent the summer break with her parents in Northern Ireland and hadn't had much contact with anyone at the Burrow. But, from Ginny's single letter, Mrs. Weasley had planned on keeping them busy anyway, so she hadn't been too worried. She was bursting to tell them the news though. When she'd found out, she'd sat in the hotel's foyer for twenty minutes, frozen in shock. For once though, her parents understood what it meant and were able to react with the most genuine pride and love she'd seen from them in a while.

She darted down the aisle, occasionally ducking her head into compartments, looking for her friends. Usually, the trio would have met on the platform but Hermione had been late this year and hadn't been able to find them. She hoped they weren't worried. She halted outside the final door in Carriage Three. She heard laughter from inside and immediately knew it was them.

"Harry! Ron! Open up," she pulled the handle hard but the door wouldn't budge.

"Hermione? Harry, did you hear that? I swear I just heard Hermione's voice."

"I thought she missed the train. We didn't see her on the platform like we usually do."

Hermione let out a frustrated sigh, "Guys," she called, "It's me! Open up. I have something really great to tell you."

The door slid open and Harry practically flew into Hermione, wrapping her in an elated hug. Ron stood behind him, beaming at his two best friends.

"Hermione, we missed you so much! Why didn't you send us a letter or something? Hell, a postcard would have done! Ron and I were so worried when you weren't on the platform; I thought something had happened to you."

"Geez, Hermione. I can't even begin to tell you how worried Ginny was."

"Guys, I'm fine. Our flight was delayed, that's all. I'm here now. Look, I can't stay long but I really have to tell you something."

She walked into the compartment and sat opposite the two boys. They both looked at her anxiously.

"Well? Are you going to tell us or what?" Harry cried in frustration.

"Oh, calm down," she took a breath and tried to contain her excitement, "Alright, you'll never guess what happened-"

"Of course not," Ron shook his head, "so can you hurry up and tell us?"

"Okay, um, I'vebeenmadeheadgirlandi'-yearathogwartsandit'sgoingtobeamazing!" She waited for their reactions but all she saw were two very blank looking faces staring back at her.

"Do you mind rewinding that and slowing it down a bit?" said Harry, "I didn't quite catch what you said."

Hermione sighed and repeated herself steadily, "I've been made Head-Girl and I'm really excited because this is our final year at Hogwarts and it's going to be amazing. Did you hear me that time?"

"Hermione, that's bloody brilliant! Congratulations!" Ron jumped up and hugged her tightly.

"Hermione, you're going to be amazing! You definitely deserve it!" and with that Harry joined the hug too.

Hermione glanced at the clock above the door and pushed her friends off her, "Oh no! I'm going to be late! I was supposed to go to the front carriage to meet with the Head-Boy at half past one and its already quarter to two! I've got to go! I'll see you both at the Sorting Ceremony later."

"Hermione, wait," Harry pulled her back, "do you know who the Head Boy is this year?"

"Well, no. Actually, I'd hoped you guys would know. My letter just said we would meet on the Hogwarts Express to sort out some details, hold a quick meeting for the Prefects and then after the Sorting Ceremony, we would meet with McGonagall in her office."

Ron perked up at the mention of the Prefect meeting, "Oh yeah, I forgot about the meeting. Hey, Harry, looks like you'll be the last one to find out who the new Head Boy is."

Harry frowned for a minute but his brightened at a thought, "Well, as that's so. Before you go Hermione, why don't we have a bit of a bet? We each decide who we think is Head Boy and whoever is correct gets 2 Galleons from each loser. What do you say?"

Ron nodded and Hermione began racking her brains for the most likely candidate, "Fine. What about Ernie?" Harry and Ron looked at her blankly again, "Oh come on! He was in Dumbledore's Army in Fifth Year. You know; shortish, blonde, Hufflepuff Prefect. Ring a bell?"

"Oh yeah, I remember him. His Patronus was a boar wasn't it?" Ron smiled, "I reckon he's too soft –being a Hufflepuff and all. Personally, I reckon it'll be Zabini. He may be Slytherin but his family was always neutral in the war and he's not that bad a guy."

Harry and Hermione turned to him, their mouths open in shock. They couldn't believe he would even suggest such a thing.

"No way, mate. McGonagall may be new to the Headmistress position but I doubt she'd ever choose a Slytherin. I bet it's a Ravenclaw. Probably Terry Boot," came Harry's response.

The Trio sat in silence, each considering the options. Hermione glanced at the clock again. Two o'clock was displayed on the small face.

"Oh no! I forgot again! Guys, I'm sorry, but I really have to go. Ron, I'll see you in about half an hour. Harry, I'll see you at the Sorting Ceremony, okay?"

With one final hug, Hermione raced out of the compartment and hurried down to the Front Carriage. She stopped outside a door labelled 'Heads and Prefects' and quickly adjusted her hair. Pinning her Head-Girl badge to her cardigan she checked herself in the window. She was anxious to find out who the new Head Boy was and almost couldn't contain her nerves. She pulled the door open confidently, ready to step straight in and stopped dead in her tracks. There on the plush seats, staring straight at her in disgust, sat none other than Draco Malfoy, his Head Boy badge gleaming on his sweater.

"Nice of you to take your time, Granger. What took you so long?" drawled Malfoy smugly, "we were told to be here at half past one and it is now ten past two. Care to explain?"

"Um, sorry? I was with Harry and Ron. But, I'm here now so it doesn't matter..." Hermione was still very confused, "what are you even doing here? You can't seriously be Head Boy? After everything that happened last year-"

"For your information, Mudblood, last year I helped you guys out. If it hadn't been for Severus and me, you'd probably be dead, dying or enslaved by now. Oh, and if we're going to work together this year, you're going to have to stop treating me like the enemy."

Hermione moved inside the compartment, slamming the door in rage, "Stop treating you like the enemy?" she was seething, "oh that's rich. I'm expected to stop treating the boy who's made my life hell for the last six years, like the enemy simply because he's been made Head Boy? I'll do no such thing!"

Draco was shocked by her outburst. He knew he'd been horrible to the Golden Trio but he never thought he'd been that bad. Sure, they'd thrown insults at each other every day for as long as he could remember and he may have jinxed her a few times but he hadn't made her life hell... had he? Either way, he was sick of her yelling.

"Just sit down, Granger. We have some things to discuss before we arrive and unless we do it now, we won't have enough time to change into our robes."

That shut her up. Hermione flopped herself down on the chair opposite Draco, her face indignant, "Well then, let's get on with this it, Draco. Like you said, we don't have all day."

"Don't you dare call me Draco you filthy Mudblood," Draco spat, "Only my friends call me that. To you, I am Malfoy. Don't ever address me otherwise."

"Fine. Just hurry up. What do we need to discuss?"

Draco handed her a list written in Professor McGonagall's handwriting and indicated an identical one in his other hand, "These were here when I arrived; looks like there's enough for all the Prefects too. It's a list of things McGonagall needs us to go over today. They're basically the same things we've had for the last two years."

Hermione skimmed over the list, "House Passwords, House Point Deduction, Detention Allocation, Prefect Rights and Responsibilities, Hagrid's Assistants for First Years, Time and Place for First Meeting –you're right, we've done all of these before. Wait," her eyes widened in surprise, "what's Security, Scanning and Student Communications?"

Draco smirked, of course she doesn't know anything about that,he thought. There was a knock at the door and Draco stood up, "Exactly what it says- Student Security. There are still some Death Eaters on the loose so the school has to monitor everything that goes in and out of the grounds; students, letters, luggage, animals, packages –everything."

Draco slid the door open and was greeted by an extremely stunned Ron. Behind him stood Pansy Parkinson with Astoria Greengrass who were both laughing loudly at his expression. A few of the Fifth Year Prefects were working their way down the corridor but it took almost ten minutes before everyone had arrived,much to Draco's annoyance.

Hermione gazed around at the final group. Thirty-two people had managed to squeeze into the compartment and she noted down the familiar faces. From her year Ron stood to the side with Ernie and Hannah, Pansy was talking to Draco and Anthony Goldstein was deep in conversation with Padma Patil about McGonagall's new position as Headmistress. The Sixth Years looked less relaxed, Astoria was arguing with Ginny about who would win in a duel –Hermione or Draco- and the Fifth Years looked downright uncomfortable and awkward.

She looked up and smiled at everyone, "Well, it's nice to see that everyone made it here on time," Draco scoffed and she shot him a look, "and I hope you all had a nice summer break. We'll try to make this as brief as possible so you can all get changed before we arrive. Malfoy, if you will."

"Will I what?"

"Hand out the lists. You said there was enough for everyone, right?"

"Yeah but-"

"Just-"

"Fine," he glared hotly at her. Everyone stood silently, anxious to see what would happen. Draco gathered the papers together and handed them roughly around to the Prefects.

Hermione started tightly, "Right, well, as you can see there are a few things we have to do, we'll begin with the House Point Deductions and work our way down to Security, Scanning and Student Communications."

A Fifth Year raised her hand but Hermione cut her off, "Malfoy can explain when we get to it."

This is going to take a while, she thought as she looked at the hard glare he gave her.

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A/N: So this is the second chapter of my FIRST EVER FANFIC! Please give me as much feedback as possible guys -and although I'be got stuff planned for later chapters, feel free to give suggestions (pairings, events etc.). I'm also willing to answer any of your questions :)
Once again, I'm obviously NOT J.K. so yeah, if you don't know there's not much I can say to you :P

~morsmorde-mascara :)