Chapter 3 finally. Comments and suggestions are welcome. Tell me how you see the story resulting and if I like your idea, I'll use it and dedicate that chapter to you :D . Enjoy my dear readers.

Chapter 3 – The "Bonding Moments"

3rd Person POV

Draco wasn't a morning person. So to wake up to the cheery sounds of the Head Girl singing and meddling in the kitchen, definitely deflated his mood. It wasn't that she didn't have a melodious voice, just that singing and cheery stuff shouldn't be happening on a Sunday morning of all times.

"Granger! Cut the crappy noise already," he grumbled before lumbering into the common room. Thank goodness it was Sunday.

Hermione grinned before picking up her water bottle. She tiptoed into the common room and bent over the edge of the couch.

"What do you want?" the grouchy Slytherin asked, his eyes still shut.

"Aren't you a morning person, Malfoy?" Hermione questioned, preparing to position the bottle.

"What the hell do you think?" Malfoy replied snuggling deeper into the couch.

"Position," Hermione whispered tipping the bottle towards Malfoy's face. His brow furrowed in annoyance but he said nothing.

"Aim," she turned the bottle slightly, directing it at the point between his eyes.

"FIRE!" she yelled squeezing the bottle with all her might.

"AAAAARGHH!" came Malfoy's yell as he rolled over and thumped to the floor, blinking away the water furiously.

Hermione was on all fours laughing hysterically. The sight of the pureblood prat was too hilarious and she couldn't believe how easy it had been to trick him!

Malfoy was spluttering while glaring at her. Eyes crazed and teeth bared, he grabbed her arm, yanked her over the couch and dumped her on the floor next to him. The shocked expression on her face was far too comical and he burst into fits of laughter.

Hermione grumbled as she made to stand. However, there was a weight on the left side of her body which prevented that from happening. Realizing that Malfoy, still laughing, had half rolled onto her, Hermione blushed furiously, and attempted to shift herself out without alerting him to their current position.

Malfoy's laughter began to subside and Hermione was nowhere near making progress. The silence in their common room was deafening as Draco Malfoy realized that he was half on top of a furiously blushing Hermione Granger. She refused to meet his gaze and glared at the coffee table's leg.

"Malfoy, do you think you want to get off me any time soon?" she muttered attempting to sound nonchalant but failing miserably as embarrassment flooded her words.

Her voice seemed to snap him out of whatever stupor he was in and with a quick apology, climbed back up onto the couch and shut his eyes once more. Hermione was on her feet and walking quickly to the kitchenette.

"I made coffee. Would you like some?" she asked poking her head around the archway.

Malfoy opened his eyes and turned to look at her with a surprised expression.

"Yeah sure," he replied. "Black. No sugar. Thanks."

After she left his coffee on the table, she made her way over to her staircase, but her very nature prevented her from moving forward. Turning around, she claimed the armchair that faced him and spoke.

"What changed, Malfoy?"

Draco's eyes opened and he studied her face wearily before sitting up and taking a sip of his coffee. Her stance on the armchair was such that he knew he wouldn't be able to leave the common room without giving her answers… and the truthful ones at that.

"What's the point, Granger? You and I both know that respect is earned, never demanded. The difference is that you've always known that, but it took a defeated war for me to discover that truth." He studied her expression carefully but her features gave away only an invitation to continue.

Being as stubborn as her, he didn't relent and folded his arms to emphasize his defiance.

"You can't tell me it's easy for you to get along with the girl you've resented all your life." Hermione gave in.

"That's true but one should look at my reason for resentment. I didn't hate you because you or your blood disgusted me. I hated you because I was… jealous of you." He looked away from her as he mumbled the last part.

Hermione's jaw was on the ground and her eyes wide enough to rival a chipmunk. Draco Abraxas Malfoy, the Slytherin Prince was jealous of her, Hermione Granger, muggleborn know-it-all with the bushy hair and large teeth!

"Malfoy, that simply cannot be true." Hermione's voice was slightly high with shock. "What could I possibly have that you don't?"

"True friends, loving parents, intelligence levels to rival Merlin himself. Your overall… goodness, I guess?" Malfoy replied deep in thought.

Hermione softened after hearing that. Under different circumstances, she would have scoffed at him but something about Malfoy's expression vanished all traces of doubt about his truthfulness from her mind.

Tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, Hermione bit her lip in deep concentration. She didn't know how to respond to Malfoy. Harry had described Draco as the boy with no choices. After that conversation, her outlook towards him changed.

Before she could respond, there was a sharp rap on the portrait. The portrait swung inwards revealing Professor McGonagall who stepped in, swiftly.

"Good morning, Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger," she announced. "Good lord, Malfoy. Have the house elves forgotten to stock towels in your bathroom?" she asked slightly startled at the sight of Malfoy's sopping hair. Hermione smiled, sheepishly and responded quicker than him.

"No Professor. I was just trying to get the grouchiness out of him." He glared at her but not in a menacing way. However, the, I'll-get-you-back look was slightly unnerving.

McGonagall's eyebrows had disappeared into her hairline.

"Well I trust there is no reason for me to worry about you two not getting along then?" she asked.

"Not really, Professor," Malfoy replied, seemingly deep in thought.

"Right, well, that's excellent then. Now down to business. In an attempt to encourage house unity, Hogwarts will be hosting a Christmas Ball, a New Year's party, a Valentine's dance as well as an Easter Treasure Hunt. The two of you are in charge of organizing these and ensuring that they go smoothly and without any trouble."

"Sure thing, Professor!" Hermione responded, excited about these ventures.

"Hold on, Granger, there are a few conditions. The two of you are only to reveal one thing at a time to the students. For now, they should only know about the Christmas Ball and so on and so forth. Secondly, no student may take a partner from their own house to the Ball, the New Year's party and the Dance. As for the Treasure Hunt, the students will be placed into groups of four, each member from a different house. The Sorting Hat will select partners and teams and it cannot be changed."

At this Malfoy and Hermione glanced at each other wearily. This would not be very welcomed by the students.

"You will both be given full memos on what is to be accepted and unaccepted for these events. It should be enjoyable occasions, but fundamentally it serves the purpose of inter house unity. That is a crucial aspect you need to focus on. Have a lovely day." She then turned and swept out of the room, leaving the Heads gaping in her wake.

Hermione sprung up, excitement coursing through her veins and practically making her hair stand on end.

"We have to get planning!" she exclaimed, pacing across the room. Malfoy had an amused expression on his face as he watched her.

"There're so many ideas! We can have a character themed ball for Christmas… Or better yet, a masquerade! And for the New Year's Party, it can be character themed." I ranted and raved and after what seemed like hours, Draco interrupted.

"Woah, Granger! Calm your hippogriffs!" he yelled, and his arm shot out. The next thing she knew, he had grabbed her hand and yanked her forward. His intent was probably to make her sit on the couch next to him but his ridiculous miscalculation caused her to land face down on top of his well built chest. He was just as stunned as she was, and for a moment, neither of them moved as they stared at each other. Little ice blue sparks seemed to streak his steel-grey eyes. Gathering her wits, Hermione struggled to get off him in the same instance as he began pushing her off.

"Oomph!" The result of their efforts was her being dumped on the ground in a rather ungraceful manner.

Hermione glared up at Draco as he stared at her with wide, stunned eyes. The corner of his mouth began lifting with a hint of a smile.

"Uhm, sorry about that but the weight of your hair was suffocating me," he smirked, jumped off the couch and bolted to his room.

"Stupid, insensitive ferret-faced cow," she grumbled, grabbing the end of the coffee table in an attempt to stand up. Her bag was on the armchair along with her jacket. She shrugged it on, slung her bag over her shoulder, and stalked out of the common room. Hermione felt slightly unnerved and embarrassed by the number of times she and Draco were "accidently" on each other. They had avoided situations like that for seven years and it suddenly occurred twice in one morning.

As Hermione walked down the stairs, her thoughts travelled back to the mysterious incident of the night before. She had struggled to sleep last night since her brain had been whirring with suggestions for the explanation of what she had witnessed. Straight after breakfast, she would go to the library and begin her research on the words she had heard from the mysterious man…

Breakfast was almost done as Hermione entered the Great Hall. Harry and Ron were sitting at the end of the Gryffindor table with Ginny, discussing something in low undertones. Ginny caught Hermione's eye and waved her over frantically.

"Hey guys," she greeted, sitting next to Ron and helping herself to yoghurt and muesli.

"Hey Mione," they greeted back. As Harry poured her a second cup of coffee for the day, Ginny began speaking.

"You missed it, Mione," she whispered, excitedly. Her eyes were gleaming with knowledge of something she was bursting to tell.

"Missed what?" Hermione asked, frowning. Glancing up at the Head's table, she realised that all of the teachers were gone already.

"The teachers were all having breakfast, when suddenly Professor Flitwick ran in, whispered something to McGonagall, who then asked the rest of the teachers to follow her out. None of them have returned yet. Do you know anything that might be relative to this?" she replied. Ron and Harry were looking at Hermione expectantly but she was dumbfounded.

Her subconscious mind brought the image of the night before to the forefront of her thoughts. The mysterious, hooded figure and red luminance of the room the figure had entered brought a sense of unease to her, the same characteristic that featured on Harry and Ron's face. Ginny simply looked curious.

Deciding that secrets did no one any good, she leaned in whispering to her friends, "Listen guys, last night on my way back to the head's dorm, I heard something. But I'm still not entirely sure what it is I heard." She said looking at the slightly concerned face of her three friends. Ginny gave her a look that told her to go on.

"I'm pretty sure it was a voice, but it sounded much older than any student, and was far too gruff for any of the teachers at Hogwarts. I hid in the shadows but I didn't see much as the figure was wearing a hood. It was very… strange. The person headed into the room across from where I stood and shut the door. But that's not what was strange… there was an odd red light emitting from the room before that. Which could only mean one thing: it was either a potion or a spell. So I'm headed to the library now to see what I can find."

"On what?" Ron asked in a disbelieving voice, "Strange red lights?"

"No Ron! The person in the room was muttering a spell. One I've never heard of before. I'm going to see what I can find."

"Bloody hell!" he exclaimed, attempting to compose himself. "Blimey, Hermione, you don't think it was Malfoy do you? Nasty ferret's being nice to you. Maybe it's just a cover for something worse he's doing." He said the last statement as if it was finality. Hermione glared at him before smacking his arm with a book. Ron cowered and shuffled away from her as if she were an acromentula.

"Of course not, Ronald! Besides that being completely ridiculous, Malfoy was already in our dorm by the time I got there. And I said the voice was guff didn't I?" Her tone left no room for argument and Ron simply nodded, wide eyed, before turning to Harry.

Harry's brows were knitted together, deep in thought. He looked up at the three expectant faces of his girlfriend and best friends and sighed.

"I don't know you guys. There's just no one capable of causing any sort of horrific trouble anymore." For the first time since the war memorial, Hermione spotted what she had dubbed to be Harry's 'wise face.' His lines seem to grow deeper and he wore an expression that resonated having the troubles of the entire world on his young, eighteen year old shoulders.

Hermione regretted opening her mouth then. Harry was like a brother, and to see that sort of dejection on his face broke her heart. She placed her hand over his and gave him her warmest smile. He smiled back and some of the tension eased away from his features.

"Harry, it's not your duty to save the world," Ginny murmured. "If this turns out to be a serious threat, leave it to the professors this time. It's time to let go Harry. Voldemort was your villain. The rest aren't for you, love." Her words brought out an onslaught of conflicting emotions on Harry's face. Confusion. Fear. Anger. Determination. Pain. And finally, defeat.

"It's not in me to ignore something harmful to the people I care about," Harry said, placing his hand in his hands.

Then Ron said something startling.

"Mate, we don't even know what this is about at all!"

It took them a few seconds to sink in what Ron had just proclaimed. When the absurdity of their seriousness set in, they all burst into fits of laughter, startling a clump of first years.

"Right, I'm off to the library," Hermione announced spooning the last of her yoghurt.

"Aw it's Sunday, Hermione!" Ron exclaimed staring up at her. "Come join us in the common room later. George is sending me some new merchandise to sample!" His look was so hopeful and in an attempt to repair their wounded friendship, Hermione agreed.

"See you, Mione," Harry called as Ginny waved.

Draco

After showering and dressing, Draco Malfoy walked over to his study desk. He sunk into his chair and glared at the parchment lying on his desk. Even after being imprisoned, his father still managed to have a strong control on him. He opened the folded parchment and ran over the words on the page.

Draco,

The defeat of the Dark Side is completely unacceptable. What is crucial to understand, is that it was a movement not simply inclined to the Dark Lord, but most importantly to the power of purebloods. I implore you to understand and defend this. Your Uncle Rodolphus and I have already set our plans of what we call The Re-Birth in motion. As my only son and the only heir to the most powerful Houses of Malfoy and Black, it is your duty to follow my instructions and do as you are told to ensure everlasting power to the purebloods. My plan is in motion already. Since you have disappointed me in the past, I have enlisted the assistance of a worthy candidate to brew a potion that will enslave the wizarding world to us. This was the top secret mission Voldemort and your Aunt Bellatrix had been working on before their unfortunate demises. This is the one thing Harry Potter never discovered. His death is child's play in comparison to what is in store for the Boy Who Just Won't Die. You are to meet with my successor tonight, an hour after curfew. He will inform you as to the meeting place. Do not be late. I will see to it that some harm comes to you and your… secret… if you do not follow my instructions.

Lucius

Draco was fuming by the time he had completed the letter. This was the third time he was reading the disturbing words of his father. Lucius had sent the letter while he was in the common room with Granger. The last line nearly made him sick. How the hell had his father discovered this? Draco wanted nothing more than to go straight to McGonagall and have her stop this menace.

But something within him stopped this thought. He would stop this menace himself. His trademark smirk slowly grew on his face as he thought about foiling his father's ridiculous plans and finally proving to the wizarding world that he was worth something. That this time the choice he made was the correct one. Yes, this would be Draco's accomplishment. His father was nothing compared to Voldemort. Draco could take him any day… right?

Hermione

Three hours later and Hermione had gotten nowhere. She groaned in frustration as she stacked yet another book on the floor next to her. There were books everywhere, on her table, the chairs, the floor, even the few on her lap that might have some clue she suspected that she had overlooked in her first attempt. Instead of moving forward, Hermione decided to replace all of the useless books around her, before Madame Pince kicked her out and revoked her privileged Restricted Section Pass.

Twenty minutes later and the Head Girl sat back at her desk. This time there were just four books on the desk and two pieces of parchment. One was a lengthy list of books still to be checked, and the other comprised only of a few words. These were the words which had Hermione in an unstoppable search.

She reached over for the book at the top of the small pile, and settled back to read. Before she had gotten to page two, a throat clearing caused her to glance up from her reading. Annoyance settled in as she saw the Head Boy and his stupid smirk watching her. She was about to snap when she realised that his smirk was less arrogant and more… suggestive? Realization dawned on her as their encounters that morning came rushing into her mind. Malfoy's smirk grew slack as he watched, seemingly mesmerized as her cheeks flushed red.

"Ahem! What do you want ferret?" Hermione's snide was immature, but necessary to bring their 'relationship' back to normal.

"Sorry to disturb the only romantic life you'll ever have, beaver dear, but I wanted to know when we have to start planning the Ball. The sooner the better you know." His jest lacked emphasis but Hermione glared at him nonetheless and turned her nose up.

"I'm busy, Malfoy, we'll discuss this later." His expression fell at her words but before she could comment, he nodded and without a word left her to her books, or in his words, 'the only romantic life she'll ever have.' Hermione rolled her eyes and got comfortable again, not before her thoughts lingered on Malfoy's expression after she had turned him down…

AN: I apologize profusely for the delay in these chapters. Now that the story has a definite path and the ideas are bursting to come forth from my mind, I will probably be uploading sooner.

A special shout out to my dearest Saj for undertaking the task of editing my work and giving me that genius piece of her mind. Thanks a million and this chapter has been dedicated to you as well as to the readers :D .