Hermione sighed as she entered the Burrow, ignoring Ron and Harry's glares as she made her way into the living room. "How did it go?" Ginny asked as Hermione sat down on the couch beside her.

"About as well as you'd expect." Hermione sighed. "Honestly I think it went better than I expected, he only said a few degrading words towards me."

"How are you with this arrangement dear?" Molly asked, giving Hermione a cup of tea.

"Honestly, still shocked." Hermione admitted. "You know how well Malfoy and I got along over the years. But, who are we to question a potion that has already proved that it works."

"I'm going to question it." Ron said. "I refuse to believe that I haven't found my soulmate yet you are paired with the biggest git in the world who has made your life a living hell for 8 years?"
"Ronald." Molly chided.

"I'm serious Mum. Malfoy has done nothing but be a prat to the three of us, and he just watched as his aunt tortured and carved into Hermione's arm."

"Do you really think I just took this lying down?" Hermione asked him. "I tried for weeks to find a way to counteract the potion. I even spoke to Professor Flitwick himself. He apologized and said there is nothing I can do. That the potion is specifically created to find our best match. And According to the potion Malfoy is my best match, and I would like for you to stop acting like you have to save me."

"I'm sorry Hermione there is no way we are going to be okay with this." Ron said.

"How would you feel if I acted this way to your soulmate?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know because I still haven't met her, but I'm sure whoever she is hse is no where near as bad as Malfoy is." Hermione scoff.

"I'm going to laugh if you get paired with someone like Pansy Parkinson, she still hasn't found her soulmate you know. Maybe Malfoy can invite her over, and we can see."

"That's not funny." Ron glared at her.

"It's not suppose to be Ron." Hermione groaned. "I'm making a point. Until you have met your soulmate and have felt the pain that comes from trying to deny them than I do not want to hear anything from you." With that Hermione got up and marched to the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Ginny asked.

"I'm not sure but away from here. I only just accepted Malfoy, I do not need to already be defending my decision."

"Dammit Ron." Hermione heard Ginny exclaim as she ascended the stairs towards the girls room.

Hermione sighed as she entered the Leaky Cauldron and made her way to the bar. "Hi Tom," Hermione greeted the bar keep. "Do you have a room available?"

"Of course Miss Granger." Tom said enthusiastically.

"Granger what are you doing here?" Parkinson asked as she and Daphne approached her.

"Ron reacted like I expected after finding out about me and Malfoy, so I decided I need to get away before it became a massive thing."

"So you are staying here?" Daphne asked.

"I mean, I don't really have anywhere else to go." Hermione shrugged.

"What about your own home?" Parkinson asked.

"That is none of your business." Hermione glared at her.

"Well, how about you come stay with one of us." Daphne offered, then continued at Parkinson and Hermione's surprised looks. "I am sure those idiot boys can find you here, but I doubt they would even think to look for you at one of our houses. Besides, you are Draco's soulmate, we will have to get use to each other one day or another." Hermione thought about it for a moment.

"I guess you're right. So is it okay if I stay with you Daphne? No offense Parkinson but I get along better with her than with you."

"No offense taken, my mum would freak out if I brought a muggleborn home. But I will go let Drake know, he will be happy to be able to see you more."

"Come on," Daphne took Hermione's hand. "I'll apparate us to my house."

"Thank you." Hermione said before they disapperated.

"Welcome to Greengrass Manor." Daphne said as Hermione looked around the room they landed in.

"What is up with your pureblood houses and having names? Malfoy Manor, Grimwald Place, Burrow."

"I do not know," Daphne shrugged. "Come on, let us go see which room will be yours." Daphne started out of the room. "Mother!"

"Oh, Daphne," A woman with blond hair greeted the younger girl. "I was not expecting you back till later, or with a guest."

"Mother, this is Hermione Granger, she is going to be staying with us for a while."

"I am well aware of who Miss Granger is," Mrs. Greengrass said. "I just wish I knew sooner that she was coming. You two go up to your room for now and I will have the guest room ready in a little while."

"Thank you Mrs. Greengrass." Hermione said as she followed Daphne.

:"Please, call me Samantha while you are here." Mrs. Greengrass said, to which Hermione nodded.

A little while after arriving at Daphne's room and getting the rundown of the house Samantha was at the door.
"Follow me." She said Hermione got off Daphne's bed and followed Samantha a little farther down the hall. "Here you go, the bathroom is through that door over there." Hermione looked around the room for a few moments. "If you need anything do not be afraid to ask."

"Thank you again." Hermione said, running her hand on a writing desk.

"Of course, any friend of my daughters are welcome, especially a war heroine."

"Please don't call me that," Hermione said. "Just call me Hermione."
"Very well Hermione, dinner will be ready at 7, and we expect everyone to be on time for dinner every night while they are here."

"Yes ma'am." Hermione said.

"Very well, see you at dinner." Samantha then turned and walked out of the room. Hermione sighed as she sat down at the writing desk and pulled out a piece of paper.

'Hey Gin,

Just wanted to let you know I'm okay. I'm staying with the Greengrasses. Strange I know. Don't tell Ron or Harry (not that I was expecting you to.) I'll write to you later.

Hermione'

Hermione folded up the paper just as there was a knock on the door, she looked up to see a smirking Draco.

"Malfoy!" Hermione said getting up.

"I came after Pansy told me that you were here." Draco said hugging her, and pulling her a little tighter than necessary.

"Yeah, Ron reacted about how I expected, at least till he started to be a real prat. I needed to breath."

"I understand," Draco said. "Come on, the Greengrasses have a garden, not nearly as nice as Malfoy Manors, but it is nice."

"I heard that!" Daphne called from her room.

"You were suppose to!" Draco called back as he took Hermione's hand and led her through the house.

Over the Christmas Holidays Hermione spent a lot of her time with Draco's Slytherin friends, getting to know them all. The day to return to Hogwarts Hermione met Ginny at the platform. "How was your time away from my brother?" Ginny asked as they boarded the train.

"Not bad, the Slytherins were surprisingly welcoming."

"I love how you stayed with Greengrass, did you plan on that or was it fate?" Ginny asked as they joined Luna in the train compartment.

"Fate, I was actually at the Leaky Cauldron getting a room when Daphne and Parkinson saw me. I explained what happened and Daphne invited me to her house." Hermione turned to Luna.

"How was your holiday after Christmas Luna?"

"Good, I found my soulmate." Luna replied, not looking up from her copy of The Quibbler.

"Really? Who?" Hermione asked.

"Harry." Luna and Ginny said in unison, in two very different tones; Luna dreamy and Ginny disbelief.

"Huh," Was Hermione's only reply as the door to the compartment opened.

"Hi Gin." Neville said as he entered the compartment.

"Hey, how was the rest of your holiday?" Ginny asked as Neville sat beside her.

"Not bad, Gram had a lot of questions."

"Understandably." Hermione said, pulling out a book. The group rolled their eyes as they continued to discuss their Christmas Holidays.