A/N: Thanks to everyone for the continued support of my story so far. This is my longest chapter yet, so I hope you all enjoy it. More dialogue and more Malfoy in this one. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I know nothing but the plot (which is actually starting to develop!).

REVENGE

1. Have him expelled

2. Eliminate his posse

3. Push him down the stairs

4. Make all his friends hate him

5. Make Pansy think she caught herpes from him

6. Morbidly disfigure his beautiful (this was crossed out several times) face

7. Sick a pissed off chimaera on him

8. Hide a blast-ended skrewt in his bed

9. Hex him into oblivion

10. Make everyone believe he's fallen for/sleeping with a mudblood

11. Make everyone believe he's a mudblood

12. Destroy him

13. Murder him

14. Take out a hit on him

15. Lock him in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom and tell her that he's madly in love with her

16. Make him cry in front of the whole school

17. Use wrackspurts to make his brain go all fuzzy (thank you Luna) and stick him in the middle of the Forbidden Forest

18. Feed him to the giant squid

From there, the list really spun out of control containing situations involving mountain trolls and giants. Hermione couldn't help but laugh at herself the next morning, as she read through the list and crossed out the absolutely ridiculous ideas. She knew that some of her ideas were just a bit too harsh even to be used on Malfoy. Although, there were times when she felt completely justified.

Hermione sat alone at breakfast the next morning. It probably looked as if she was thinking deeply about how her first day of classes would go, but in reality, she was thinking about her first steps to getting revenge on Malfoy.

You see, this was the hard part. She had to figure out a way to get close enough to Malfoy in order to really cause some problems. Being the devious little mudblood she was, she had a few ideas.

Her first class was a Gryffindor/Slytherin class with Professor Slughorn, who came back to teach potions after the war. As Hermione entered the room, she felt several glares upon her, and she had no trouble glaring back. No problem there, she thought; she didn't want to sit by any of them anyway. Just as she had hoped, the seat next to Malfoy was open. She put on the most sickeningly sweet smile she could, and slipped into the chair at his table. He looked over at her in shock. As he was about to mouth his protest he was cut off by Professor Slughorn welcoming them to class. This was why she showed up just in time for class to begin. All had gone to plan.

Hermione looked around to see glares not only coming from the Gryffindor side of the room, but the Slytherin side as well. She was pretty sure that if Pansy were capable of any kind of masterful wandwork, she would have been torn to shreds by now. Although, it appeared as though Pansy had already replaced Malfoy with Blaise Zabini. Looks like part one of her plan had started without her. She hadn't expected the little act she put on on the train to be so successful.

Looking back over at the Gryffindor side, she saw Harry staring at her with a puzzled expression. She tried to look at him apologetically, but he just turned away, once again shaking his head in disappointment at her. Hermione felt her stomach drop a little, but she kept her mind on her plan.

Professor Slughorn went through the usual motions of beginning a new class: rules and guidelines, schedules for assignments, and finally seating arrangements. Hermione worried for a moment that her little plan would be crushed, but Slughorn looked around and decided that since they all looked comfortable already, he would just let this be the permanent arrangement. However, he eyed Hermione and Malfoy curiously.

Hermione had felt Malfoy's relief when Slughorn mentioned the seating arrangement, and then she saw him tense up all over again at the professor's last minute decision. She felt a wave of pleasure at her ability to affect him so easily. Maybe this would all be easier than she first thought.

As the class began to shuffle around, she realized that this was their cue to get to work. She had a moment of panic as she realized she'd missed the assignment while lost in her thoughts a moment ago.

She quickly glanced over to see what page Malfoy was flipping to, but she wasn't quick enough – he caught her.

"What? Too distracted by my wondrously good looks to even pay attention the professor? I'm afraid you're potions marks will slip if you can't stop getting all hot just over the sight of me." He had his usual Malfoy smirk on his face. Hermione was overjoyed to wipe it from his face.

"Oh yes, Draco. You'll have to help me out with my little problem again, later tonight." Hermione made sure she said this loud enough for his fellow Slytherins to hear. His smirk faltered, but didn't disappear.

"Can't get enough of me, can you, Granger? I told you it was just a one-time thing. Had to find out if the Weasel was right in replacing you or not. Turns out, he was. Also wanted to see if you were the little prude I always thought you were. Who knew you'd be so easy." Hermione glared at him, but refused to let him win.

"But that's not what you were saying after dinner last night. You know, when we were in that classroom together. You couldn't seem to keep your hands off of me. Even after I told you I didn't think you were quite my cup of tea."

Hermione knew she was overplaying her part, a little, but he was too, and she was just following suit.

"You need to get out of this little fantasyworld of yours, Granger. It's just not healthy to obsess over someone this way."

At this point, most of the classroom was gawking at them. Their conversation had escalated to a level easy to hear by the whole class. Professor Slughorn had even heard, unfortunately. Luckily, he didn't seem to have it in him to call them out on it.

"All right class, it's time to get to work," he announced timidly.

Hermione threw one last glare at Malfoy, who continued smirking at her, before getting up to grab their ingredients. Knowing that she would get everything, Malfoy just sat back and relaxed. Hermione looked back to see Blaise talking with him.

Pansy wasn't far behind Hermione, and bumped into her as she walked past.

"I knew he couldn't have actually wanted to sleep with a mudblood like you…" Hermione rolled her eyes at Pansy, who was obviously trying (and failing) to be intimidating. Hermione knew she could snap her like a twig without even getting her wand out.

Hermione brought the ingredients back to the table, and they silently began working on their potion, shooting the occasional glare at one another.

Hermione found herself doing the majority of the work. As she went to pour a very minute amount of a very acidic ingredient into their cauldron, Malfoy, being the bastard that he is, just had to make a comment.

"Don't fuck it up, mudblood." This put Hermione over the edge. She couldn't contain her anger anymore.

"You do know you guys lost the war, don't you? Or did you miss that whole thing where Harry sort of…killed Voldemort, and the vast majority of the wizarding world believes he was just spouting bullshit? So, would you just give it up on that fucking "mudblood" shit? It's getting old, anyway."

Hermione heard a "Hear, hear!" from behind her. Neville, of course.

"You should know – you saw it all from your hiding spot on the sidelines, right Malfoy?" She continued, knowing this would get a rise out of him.

"And you know that that doesn't make you any less of a filthy mudblood, don't you Granger?"

"And you know that that doesn't make you any less of an arsehole, don't you Malfoy?" Harry piped in from across the room. Hermione smiled a thank you at him, and he nodded back.

"Stay out of this, Scarhead. Let the little mudblood –"

"ENOUGH!" Everyone turned to Slughorn, startled. "I will not tolerate this sort of talk in my classroom. Granger, Malfoy, get to the Headmistress' office now. She will be expecting you." He conjured a patronus, which proceeded to run off in the direction of McGonagall's office.

"Aren't you sending me, too?" Harry asked, hopefully, obviously not wanting to leave Hermione alone with Malfoy.

"Oh no, Harry my boy, you were just sticking up for your friend. A noble cause that doesn't deserve punishment." It wasn't obvious who his favorite was or anything. Harry looked at Hermione apologetically. She didn't care; she was just happy to have her friend back.

Without a word, Malfoy and Hermione exited the classroom, knowing there was no argument to be made.

On the walk to McGonagall's office, Hermione couldn't resist opening her filthy little mudblood mouth.

"Why couldn't you have kept your damn mouth shut?" She asked Malfoy, sincerely – not just to piss him off. "We were working just fine before you said anything. Well, I was working just fine, anyway."

"Oh, just drop it, Granger. I'm sure your precious little grade will be just fine. Besides, looks like Scarhead's back to sticking up for you. Don't worry that pretty little head of yours."

"Aw, you think I'm pretty?" Hermione joked, knowing it was just an expression. He just glared at her. "And you really think I'm that worried about my grade? You're the problem. Not my fucking potions grade. I thought even you would be arrogant enough to have figured that out. Why did you have to ruin everything for me?"

"It wasn't your place to talk to me about the war. It's not your place to talk to me at all."

This was the closest thing to a civil conversation the two of them had ever had. Hermione couldn't help but think how sad that was, considering the content.

"You really believe that I'm below you? Just because my parents are muggles? Do you not pay attention to anything? Who's been the top of our class for the past six years of school? That was me, not you, remember? So what makes you think you're so much better than me?" Hermione had to stop to catch her breath.

"Are you done?"

"Yes."

"A few good grades doesn't prove anything. Anyone can read a book and wave their wand around. It takes a real wizard, a pureblooded wizard, to do real magic."

"You think dark magic is the only real magic? Magic that is formed through pure anger and hatred? That doesn't take skill, that just takes a complete lack of emotional control."

"What the fuck do you know about dark magic? Have you ever even seen the Dark Lord perform magic? It's all about control and power."

"Have you forgotten that Voldemort wasn't exactly a pureblood? Honestly, how could you even listen to the lies he spouted about blood purity and muggle inferiority? How could you even take him seriously?"

"You don't know anything, Granger."

"I certainly can't figure you out, Malfoy."

They had arrived at the headmistress' office. There were no longer gargoyles, nor was there a password to reach her door. Hermione was overcome with sadness as she remembered Dumbledore was really gone. Sometimes it just felt like he was on vacation. Just temporarily absent.

Hermione took the initiative and knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Looking around, she never would have guessed that this had been Dumbledore's office. All the shelves and cabinets full of trinkets had been replaced with bookshelves filled with volumes and volumes of various titles. If she hadn't been in so much trouble right now, and if it didn't mean that Dumbledore was never coming back, Hermione would have enjoyed the sight.

"Miss Granger, I should be more surprised to see you here. It seems you have lost some of the self control you had in previous years. And Mister Malfoy, you are running on a VERY fine line here at Hogwarts. You were lucky to have been let back in at all. Do not make me take this opportunity away from you. It's your last chance to redeem yourself and your family name."

Malfoy looked down at his feet. He knew she was right. He couldn't lose his place at Hogwarts.

"You both know what you've done wrong, I don't need to sit here and tell you this. I understand things haven't been easy for either of you since the end of sixth year, but please, be adults about all of this. We are reaching for interhouse unity this year. I'm going to have to give you both detention with me from seven in the evening until eight for the rest of this week, starting tonight. Also, I think I will talk to Professor Slughorn about maintaining current seating arrangements. I will meet you outside the Great Hall to discuss what you will be doing. I see that as a fitting punishment. You will learn to get along or the detentions together will continue."

Neither Malfoy nor Hermione said a word, but they both looked severely pained at the thought.

"I better not see either of you back in here again anytime soon. You are excused from the remainder of your Potions class and will receive an Incomplete for the day. That will be all," she finished, with a stern look.

The rest of the day passed without much event. Hermione sat alone at her next two classes and didn't bother going to lunch. She didn't want to even give herself the opportunity to get into more trouble. However, by dinner, the rumble in her stomach wasn't going to allow her to skip another meal.

As she walked into the Great Hall, she ignored all the stares and whispers and just kept her chin up as she walked to the Gryffindor table. Even though she was tempted, she didn't so much as glance at Malfoy.

She took a seat, alone, at the opposite end of the table as her ex-friends. She tried not to look around too much, but she noticed Ron, Ginny and rest of their friends all get up, leaving Harry behind. As soon as they were out of the Hall, Harry looked over to Hermione and then joined her.

They avoided eye contact when he sat down.

"Hey…"

"Hi…"

"Um, thanks for what you did earlier in Potions," Hermione said, finally looking at him.

"You know I couldn't watch you deal with that git on your own." Harry grinned. Hermione couldn't help but smile back. "How much trouble did you get in?"

"I got detention with Malfoy every night for the rest of the week, plus I'm stuck with him as my partner."

"You're the one who sat by him…" Harry said, sounding confused. "Hermione, did you really sleep with him?" He blushed and looked down, as soon as he got the question out.

"No. I didn't. I didn't even snog him." She kept going before Harry could mouth his protest. "Malfoy posed all that so that's what you would think. I, being the idiotic, know-it-all loudmouth that I am, said a few choice words that he didn't particularly like. It all sort of….snowballed from there."

"Oh shit." Harry's face flushed an even brighter red at further embarrassment. "Why didn't you say something?"

"You wouldn't let me. You walked out without letting me explain myself."

"But Ron, he said he saw you leaving Malfoy's compartment when he was on his way to the bathroom. And that you admitted to doing it."

"Yeah. I lied. I was pissed off. Incredibly pissed off. And I knew it would hurt Ron. I know how immature that was, so don't lecture me. He has been such an unbelievable asshole since I broke up with him." Hermione toyed with the idea of telling Harry about the break-up itself, but decided against it. As much as she liked the idea of ruining Ron's life further, she didn't want to make Harry choose between his friends.

"Can you forgive me for not knowing you better?"

"Of course, Harry. I can't even imagine how the whole thing looked."

"Yeah, it was pretty bad. So, can you forgive me for one more thing?"

"What?"

"Well, Ron will hate me if he knows we're talking again…"

Hermione understood and saw it coming, but she couldn't hide her disappointment. "I get it, Harry. It's okay. Really."

"It won't be a permanent thing, I promise. I just need to break it to Ron slowly. I'm going to try to convince him of what you told me, if that's okay with you. I don't know if he'll believe me. I don't think he'll want to, though. I think he kind of likes the idea of thinking you're evil so he doesn't have to miss you."

Hermione just sighed. "Thank you, Harry. I'd appreciate the effort."

"Anytime, Hermione. Really." Harry hugged her. "I should probably get going now….I told Ron I'd just be a few more minutes…" He looked down, ashamed to look at her.

"It's okay. I promise."

Hermione felt a huge weight off her shoulders as he walked away. She and Harry shared something that Malfoy could never ruin, no matter what.