Hermione stood rigid on platform 9 ¾ as students piled on to the train. Everyone had gone ahead of her and already found a car to ride in, but Hermione was dreading getting on board. Going on board meant she had to face Malfoy, and she wasn't sure if she was ready for that.

The day before they were to return to school Blaise and Draco had returned home to pack their trunks and say goodbye to their parents. She wasn't sure why, but she had a feeling that things were going to be different here. Far more different than either of them expected. She remembered back to her conversation with Malfoy about it.

"Draco, can I talk to you?"

He turned around from his position at the sink where he had just rinsed his hands off and smiled at her. "Of course you can."

"I was just… wondering… what the plan is." Hermione fidgeted with the bottom of her shirt.

"The plan?"

"For when we go back to school. I know you said that you don't need their approval, but… you can't tell me that it's going to be just like this."

"Oh." She looked up at him and he was looking around the kitchen and not at her.

"If you want to just… call it quits… I'd understand."

"That's not what I want. I just… I don't need their approval, but I want this to be a good year for both of us. Maybe keeping it quiet for a while would be better."

"Yeah," she agreed quickly and gave him a quick smile before heading out back where Ginny and Blaise were hanging out.

The remaining few days had been good, but there was always an awkward tension between the two. Ginny had noticed it and asked Hermione, but she brushed it off. They explained to their friends, separately of course, that they were going to keep the relationship quiet for a while. Hermione had the gut feeling that "a while" meant forever.

The train's whistle blew and she quickly stepped on, took a deep breath, and started to make her way down the hall towards the car where all her friends were.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the little mudblood." Hermione's shoulder's squared and she turned around to see Theodore Nott standing just outside a car with Daphne Greengrass attached to his arm. Hermione rolled her eyes and went to turn back around.

"What? No witty comeback? Was all your Gryffindor courage Crucio'd out of you at Malfoy Manor during the war?"

Hermione flipped around with her wand out, pressing it right at Theo's neck. His eyes went wide and he swallowed hard.

"I'd shut your mouth if I were you. You don't know a thing about me or what happened to me."

Theo scowled at her and his eyes narrowed.

"You wouldn't dare harm me on the Hogwarts Express virgin mudblood. We all know that you hate to break the rules."

"Theo, quit dicking around and come play…" Draco Malfoy stepped out of the car that Theo was standing outside of and froze as his eyes went back and forth between Theo and Hermione.

Hermione clenched her jaw and avoided his gaze.

"Come on Theo. We have all year," Daphne purred in his ear.

"Remember that mudblood. Don't get comfortable now. Watch your back."

Hermione looked up at Draco to see if he would do anything. He had heard Theo call her a mudblood after all. Draco opened his mouth, glanced at Theo who looked over at him expectantly, and quickly closed it.

"I agree. She's not even worth wasting words on, right Draco?" Theo said taking a step back away from Hermione's wand and smirking at her.

Hermione's arm fell back to her side with her wand clenched tightly in her fist. She met Draco's eyes again, but he quickly looked away.

"Quite. Shall we?" Draco said before turning and walking back in the Slytherin car, leaving Hermione standing alone in the hall once Theo and Daphne followed him.

Hermione looked down at the ground… looking for the pieces of her heart that had just broken off.

Hermione clapped robotically as another first year got sorted into Gryffindor. The tables weren't as full as usual due to the deaths from the war and the families who had chosen not to send their children back. Harry and Ron had asked her what was wrong when she had arrived at the car with a blank look, but she simply brushed it off and they went about talking about the new school year. As they now sat at the Gryffindor table in the great hall, Ginny kept eyeing her questioningly.

The final student was sorted into Ravenclaw and after the cheers had died down, McGonagall stepped up in front of the all the students.

"We are so pleased to see the first years welcomed so warmly to their new houses. Now, I would like to announce this years Head Boy and Head Girl. As you are all aware, we have welcomed back the students who were unable to complete their seventh year due to the war. Within that group are two exemplary students who have repeatedly shown great courage, excellent leadership skills, and have excelled in all their classes over the years."

Hermione groaned inwardly. She did not have a good feeling about this. She quickly turned back to what McGonagall was saying.

"Our new Head Girl for this school year is Miss Hermione Granger from Gryffindor!"

The entire Gryffindor table stood, roaring their approval. Most of the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff houses stood as well. Hermione stood and made her way towards the front, where she stood next to the headmistress. Professor McGonagall pinned a head girl badge on her robes.

"Congratulations Miss Granger. Now, onto our new Head Boy, Mr. Draco Malfoy!"

Slytherin went nuts. Hermione saw Harry, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Luna, Seamus, and Dean clap along. She turned her attention to the platinum blonde head making his way through the crowd of Slytherins surrounding him. He saw Blaise clap him on the shoulder, Theo high fived him, and then Pansy Parkinson stood up, threw her arms around him, and kissed him. Hermione couldn't stop her reaction. Her mouth dropped open and her eyes burned with tears. Her eyes flew over to the Gryffindor table to see her friend's eyes wide and all pointed at her. She quickly looked down at blinked rapidly to keep her tears at bay. Draco made his way up to the front and stood next to Hermione. Professor McGonagall pinned a Head Boy badge to his robes and then asked for one more round of applause.

"Congratulations, Hermione." She barely heard his voice as he whispered it from his position behind her.

She slowly turned her head; jaw clenched, and met his eyes. His smiled faltered at the look of hurt burning in her eyes. Without a word she turned and made her way back to her table.

Hermione ignored everyone as she ate her dinner. A tap on her shoulder made her turn to see the Headmistress behind her.

"Miss Granger, please meet me outside in the entrance hall after dinner. I need to show you and Mr. Malfoy to your Head common room."

"Yes, Professor," Hermione replied before turning and groaning as her head fell into her hands.

"Everything alright Hermione?" Ginny asked.

"I just remembered that I now have to share a common room with the ferret."

"The ferret?" Ron asked looking at her concerned.

"Yeah," Hermione snapped before standing up and heading out to the entrance hall to wait.

Professor McGonagall led them to a portrait off the first floor. Dumbledore smiled down at them.

"Hello Professor," Hermione said smiling up at him.

"Miss Granger, looking lovely."

"Unity," McGonagall said as Dumbledore gave a quick nod of his head and the portrait swung open.

Hermione walked in first to a large common room. There were three couches in a u shape around a large fireplace. The room was decorated in black, gold and silver. On each side was a door. Over one was a lion and the other was a snake.

"I hope we can all get along this year?" McGonagall said from behind them.

Hermione turned and nodded at her. She said Draco do the same thing. The professor nodded, said goodnight, and turned and left with the click of the portrait closing behind her. Hermione picked up her book bag and turned toward her room.

"Hermione…" She stopped as his hand grabbed her shoulder. She flipped around quickly.

"Don't for one second think that us having to share this room is going to change anything," the words came out harsher than she wanted.

"I know you're mad about the train…"

"The train? You think it's the train that was the problem? I should have seen it all coming. It's my own fault for thinking for one second that you would actually have changed for the long run. Bring your friends into the picture and I'm quickly a filthy mudblood again." The tears were burning her eyes again.

"Hermione, I'm sorry. Please, just listen."

"I don't want to listen to you spout lies at me anymore. I should have known that you saying you wanted to keep our relationship a secret was just your way of saying you were embarrassed to be seen with me."

"I'm not embarrassed. I just don't know how to… I don't know how to handle us." He motioned between the two.

"Well, allow me to clarify for you. We don't exist. There is no us. So that should make handling us so much easier for you."

"What do you mean there is no us?" Draco looked slightly panicked.

"I mean that if you want to cuddle up next to someone… go find Pansy!"

"I didn't want to kiss her. She just did it," Hermione almost thought she saw the pleading in his eyes. "Don't do this."

Hermione swallowed hard trying to keep the tears that were threatening to fall any second at bay. His eyes were killing her. She could see all his emotions running freely in them.

"I didn't do this. You did this. Just one more thing you have to live with. And about the train… in case you forgot…" She reached in her pocket and pulled out her wand, using it to slice her finger open, she held it up as blood slowly dripped down, "We're the same."

With that, she turned and marched to her room, back straight, shoulders back until she slammed the door behind her. As soon as she heard the click she collapsed against it and allowed herself to slide down to the floor. She held her finger up in front of her. The red blood dripped down her finger onto the floor. And then she burst into tears.

Draco stood in the same spot as Hermione stormed across the room and slammed her door. His head fell forward and he allowed his eyes to close. What on earth had he done? It had been less than forty-eight hours and he had already ruined their relationship. He heard a sob come from the door Hermione had just slammed and felt his chest clench. He had to fix it. He would fix it. He had said she was worth it after all.