A sense of comradery filled the Great Hall. Everyone there was happy with the way that things ended; happy that Voldemort was gone, and it made Hermione smile, knowing that she could enjoy her final year here. There was no more looking over her shoulder, no more Horcruxes to search for. That part of her life was over.

All the students ate and drank together happily. Hermione enjoyed the first meal with her fellow Gryfindors so much that she didn't want it to end. But Headmistress McGonagall soon dismissed the students, and had the Prefects lead the students to their houses. Hermione bid her friends goodbye, then made her way to her room. She and Draco were supposed to inspect the halls after lights out and make sure students weren't out of bed after hours. There were still a few hours until then, so she thought she could do some reading ahead. She smiled as she walked into the Common Room, thinking of maybe rereading Hogwarts: A History. Surely there was something new that she could learn from it.

She closed the portrait hole, and then stopped in her tracks when she realized Draco was alone.

Draco stood up when she entered. "Blaise and Pansy are here to look around. I hope that's ok."

"Of course." Hermione walked over toward the couch and smiled at them. "How are you?"

Blaise stood up and shook her hand. "I'm well. How was your summer?"

Hermione appreciated Blaise's effort to be polite even though they were never close. "It was great, Blaise, thanks."

Draco couldn't help but notice that Blaise hadn't let go of Hermione's hand yet.

"And Pansy, how are you?"

"Fine." Pansy narrowed her eyes at Hermione, and pursed her lips. Obviously the hatred she held for Hermione last spring hadn't evaporated.

Blaise and Draco both looked at each other awkwardly, not sure what to do. Hermione noticed this and cleared her throat.

"I'm going to read for a while." She looked at Draco. "We have to patrol the halls in a few hours."

He nodded. "I'll be here."

"Goodbye Hermione." Blaise said with a wink. She said goodbye to Blaise, and even to Pansy, then made her way to her bedroom. She unpacked her things, and then lay on her bed with Hogwarts: A History.

After only reading for a few minutes, there was a knock on the door.

"Hermione? Can we talk?" She recognized Draco's voice, and got up to open the door.

That's weird. He's never used my first name before…

"Come in." Hermione said. She moved to let him in. He had changed out of his school robes and was wearing muggle jeans and a black shirt.

That's weird, too…I didn't know Malfoy owned any muggle clothing…

"Hermione, I need to tell you something." He turned and faced her, and looked deep into her eyes. "Hermione, I think I'm in love with you."

Hermione was speechless. They had only begun to speak to each other civilly this afternoon. How could this happen? Before Hermione could respond, Draco grabbed Hermione's wrist and pulled her close. He gently touched his lips to hers, and when she didn't protest, he kissed her harder. She stiffened, then relaxed under his touch. She wrapped her hands around his waist to pull him close. What was she doing? This was so unlike her. She imagined what Harry and Ron would say if they saw her, but then Draco bit down on her bottom lip, and she forgot what she was thinking about.

He trapped Hermione between her bedroom door and his hard lean body. He stopped kissing her, and traced her jaw line with his fingertips. "You're beautiful."

She grabbed his neck and pulled him close. His hands traveled down her neck to her blouse. He slowly unbuttoned it, and grabbed her firm breasts. She moaned and kissed him harder. He was breathing loudly and she could feel his hardness pressing into her stomach. She smiled inwardly at the way his body reacted to hers. She had so much control. One touch to his chest and he kissed her harder. One touch lower, and he moaned. She loved it.

Hermione began to unzip Draco's pants when there was another knock at the door. Draco and Hermione stopped and listened.

"Granger? Are you ready?" asked the voice from other side of the door. That voice sounded so familiar. "Granger?"

"That's weird." Hermione whispered in Draco's ear. "It sounds like you..."

Hermione awoke with a start, her breathing heavy. Did she just have a sex dream about Draco Malfoy?

"Hermione, are you awake? We have to patrol the halls." Draco's voice came from the other side of the door. Hermione jumped up and slipped on her shoes. After running a brush through her hair a few times, she opened the door.

"Sorry. I fell asleep."

"It's alright. Are you ready?"

She nodded, and let him lead the way out.

Draco noticed she looked frazzled and he thought he had heard moaning. Maybe she had a nightmare that had troubled her, but he decided not to ask.

She was quiet all the way towards the Great Hall. She wasn't sure why she had been dreaming about Draco that way, but now she felt awkward about being close to him. She felt his arm brush against hers. It was driving her crazy.

"Should we start in the dungeons?" Draco asked. Hermione nodded.

"Good idea. But you'll have to lead. I don't know how to get to your Common Room."

He smiled. "No problem."

As they walked down to the dungeons, they could feel the temperature drop. Hermione shivered. She didn't realize it would be this cold, or she would have brought a coat. She could feel goose bumps forming on her arms under her sweater.

"How did you sleep down here all those years? It's freezing!"

Draco chuckled. "You get used to it. And there are fireplaces in every room though, so it never gets too cold."

They walked on for a little longer, and then they heard voices whispering a little ahead of Draco and Hermione. The two pulled out their wands and Draco led them towards the voices, with Hermione close behind.

"Lumos!" Draco's wand lit up, and cast light on a surprised looking Theodore Nott and Pansy Parkinson too close to be talking. They pulled apart and adjusted their clothes. Draco rolled his eyes.

"Really, Theo?"

Theo shrugged.

Pansy raised her eyebrows. "Jealous, Drake?"

Draco's jaw clenched at the nickname and his eyes narrowed. "Not at all, Pansy."

"Fifty points from Slytherin for being out after hours." Hermione said. Theo and Pansy glared at her.

"Stupid Mudblood. " Pansy whispered, but it was still loud enough to echo off the dungeon walls.

"You're lucky it's not more than fifty, Pansy." Draco said. "And don't use that word to talk about the Head Girl, or you'll lose more points. Get to bed. Now."

Draco watched the two walk down the hall towards the Slytherin Common Room, then turned to face Hermione.

"Sorry." He said.

"What for?"

"I guess I never realized how horrible that word is until she said it."

"Don't worry about it." She said awkwardly.

Did Malfoy just…apologize?

Theo watched the Head Boy and Girl walk back down the hall and turn the corner. He grabbed Pansy's hand and pulled her back to the corner they had just been discovered in. He kissed her roughly while a plan formed in his head. She moaned and he smiled. Finding out what he needed from Pansy would be too easy.