A/N: Sorry about the wait, explanation at the bottom, but let's get on with the chapter!
The Gryffindor common room was unusually quiet that afternoon, with only a select few older students in varying corners mainly studying. It was a fair day for October and though the wind held a chill, the sun seemed to seep into your very bones. Only the sound of scratching quills or turning pages could be heard before a rather flustered Hermione Granger practically fell head first through the portrait hole.
"Ginny!" She half-choked, breathing heavily and attaining a rosy hue to her cheeks. The red head in question immediately focussed on the disturbance and raised an eyebrow questioningly. "I think I have a sort of date with Draco Malfoy." The ink pot next to Ginny's hand toppled and black liquid engulfed her almost completed Quidditch schedule as the quill dropped from her hand and her mouth moved similarly.
"Context. Details. Explanation. Now." She spluttered, literally dragging Hermione into the seat next to her at the table. Taking a breath, the brunette witch looked at her friend cautiously before beginning.
"We were in Potions and he comes up with this… arrangement for us to help each other on a couple of projects. Wednesday night at seven in the library is our first meeting. The thing is, when he left he said 'It's a date' and did that… that smirk he does. You know the smug superior one? The one only he can do like it's imprinted in his very genes? I would swear he swaggered out of that Potions classroom."
"Well that's not entirely surprising, that boy does think rather highly of himself. But why you though? I mean, you're wicked smart and really helpful but you're a Gryffindor."
"Exactly and he's supposed to think my blood is less than pure." Ginny opened her mouth most likely to defend her friend but Hermione waved her away before she could breathe a syllable. "I know you completely disagree but that's what he thinks or he seemingly used to. Apparently – and I quote – 'I couldn't give a toss about what's in your veins.'" Bright brown eyes widened and the red-head let out a long slow whistle.
"He could be having you on but it seems a bit farfetched even for him. Blood purity and all that crap weigh heavily in his family so it'd be entirely out of line and character for him to say as such." The youngest Weasley reasoned, staring rather dejectedly at her ink-sodden parchment.
"That's what I thought especially as he actually grabbed my shoulders at one point. Touching a lesser being? Unheard of."
"Well I've never heard of the ferret ever really touching anyone. He sort of shirks off Pug-face as it is."
Hermione smiled lightly at her friend, "It's a good thing I know what you're talking about, Gin." The girls laughed before the brunette witch continued. "How long have you been calling him that anyway? That's a very Harry and Ron thing to do."
Ginny snorted and flicked her red hair over her shoulders. "I have how many older brothers, 'Mione? Less than charming nicknames are tradition. Besides, I suppose Harry's rubbing off on me apparently."
"Does that a lot, hmm?"
"He can whenever he wants unless it's that time of the month."
"Gin!" the other girl squealed and slapped her friend's hand as the fiery redhead simply cackled in her seat. Truthfully Hermione loved girl talk with Ginny because no one was quite as honest and open as her. Or trustworthy for that matter. She certainly wasn't into telling her roommates; Parvati as she and her Ravenclaw sister Padma were the gossip queens of the year along with Lavender. Goodness Lavender Brown was an undeniable fiasco that Hermione would have rather forget and even if she had outlived the war, the two would doubtfully be close. Ginny on the other hand was brilliant and Hermione loved having a friend who wasn't a boy. Harry and Ron were her favourite people and she didn't know where or who she would be without them but they just couldn't replace girl time. Watching movies and eating ice-cream until their bodies turned numb, late night talks about boys at sleepovers even though the conversation would inevitably turn to Harry. Merlin's pants, there were some things she really didn't need to know about him.
So the remainder of the evening they spent gossiping about how Draco Malfoy's Quidditch training had done him a world of good and Hermione went to bed that night with fewer worries about meeting the Slytherin Prince in less than forty-eight hours.
Hermione spent the day before her meeting with the snake, going to class, studying and planning teaching material. Obviously she wanted to be prepared for their meeting but she used it as a way of distracting herself from the fact she had a sorta, kinda date with Draco Malfoy. So she planned a strict study regime in the hopes neither would get distracted and insults would remain firmly in the past.
Draco on the other hand was playing chess in the Slytherin common room with his fellow housemate Theodore Nott. Work was far from his mind when he knew he'd snagged the brains of the Brightest Witch. His studies were sure to benefit and he didn't see the point in over working himself.
"Your move."
Draco looked over at his blonde friend and nodded lightly. He always seemed to be getting lost in his thoughts these days, probably because he felt more alone than ever. He had Theo and Astoria and Pansy was still hanging around him like a desperate housewife but things just weren't the same after the war.
The light side still viewed him as a murderer or coward and the dark side just saw a traitor or a coward. Either way he was spineless. He was tired of the hateful glares around every corner and in every class. The whispers about his family name seemed to follow him down every corridor and every street. His father's trial coloured pages of papers and magazines for weeks until he finally received the Dementor's Kiss and the world finally remembered his disgraced heir. His mother was serving house arrest at the Manor but it needn't have been a condition from the Ministry as she hid from the world anyway. The once prominent figure of Lady Malfoy was reduced to a fragile and slightly unstable minded shell of a woman. Draco wasn't quite sure why Pansy kept coming around him either, other than the idea she still wanted his money or she really did fall in love with him years ago. That thought never failed to make him shudder.
It seemed there were very few people who didn't sneer like he so readily used to. Hermione Granger was an unusual member of that group. Saint Potty and his ginger sidekick were still treating him like the devil's spawn but Granger seemed almost indifferent. Sure his main taunts were aimed at Potter and Weasley but he always saved a special something about inferior blood status or hideous physical traits for the bushy-haired girl. He also had the most apparent hatred as he frequently demeaned her kind instead of the petty jealousy and scorn he held for her idiot friends. Indeed, it intrigued him that her gaze held no hate but something else entirely. Pity. Normally he hated such an emotion but it seemed different with her. She never acted superior despite the fact her rebellion won the war. It confused him endlessly.
"When you seeing Granger then?"
"Tomorrow. Seven."
"And?" Draco raised a finely groomed eyebrow curiously, tilting his head in the direction of his companion as he took his opposing rook. Leaning back in his black leather chair, Theo continued after a moment. "What is on the agenda for your meeting exactly?"
"We're studying, Theo. Simple as that. I don't know why you think you've got something figured out between myself and Granger." The older boy watched as the ex-death eater stood from his chair and checkmated his king before disappearing from the Slytherin dungeons.
"We'll see, mate. We'll see."
A/N: I'm dreadfully sorry about the long wait for this chapter but unfortunately my university's internet connection doesn't like fanfiction, so I'm in a bit of bother. I'll do my best to keep going though so I hope to see you all soon.
