Hermione was tucked far back into the squishy red armchair in the head boy and girl's shared common room, it was always safe to stay out of the searching malicious eyes of Draco Malfoy. She couldn't say she was surprised that he'd been chosen, she'd heard he'd gotten the second best marks out of their whole year, she'd been top of course. Still didn't mean she had to enjoy his company - even he was more likely to indulge her need for intelligent conversation.
The book she held propped up against her thighs today was titled 'Common Magical Ailments and Afflictions' not an invigorating read, she much preferred Transfiguration textbooks over those aimed at magical medicines and healing, but it had come to Hermione's attention that though she could heal with pre-bought potions her knowledge of medicine and healing wasn't up to scratch. It was fun reading books about subjects she exceeded in, but absolutely necessary to learn about those she didn't. So here she sat, curled up, exhausted and bored of avoiding Malfoy.
She sighed and placed the book beside her chair, Malfoy looked over from his lounging position on the sofa and gave her a lazy smirk that made her blush - no it made her angry! Anger is all he made her feel. She avoided his stare and hurried out of their shared common room, eager to find someone fun to talk to.

The Gryffindor common room was warm and welcoming, she didn't have to share the house colours of Slytherin in this room, only warm hues of red and gold welcomed her as she hurried to sit next to the fiery red headed girl next to the blazing fire.
"Ginny!" she laughed plonking herself next to the youngest Weasley child and throwing her arms around her, "I'm so glad you're in here! Where are Harry and Ron?"
"They've gone to the Library in hopes of catching you, actually, but considering that was about an hour ago I assume they decided to hit the Quidditch pitch instead." Ginny sighed and glanced over at Hermione with a devilish grin. "How's sharing a room with Malfoy going?" Hermione replied with her own sigh and rolled her eyes as a reply, but finally spoke up.
"It's terrible!"
"Bet it's all that sexual tension y'know?" she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and grinned wildly. Hermione could only shove Ginny hard and blush crimson at her words. "Of course not that's vile!"
"Of course it's not vile, he's hot, it's just his ugly personality. But you don't have to fuck that do you?" She'd had enough now, Hermione had come to this common room for some fun and time away, to relax instead of coil with tension at her roomate.
"Eugh. Can we talk about something else? If not I'm going to leave. I'm deadly serious"
"You're so easily annoyed, let loose for once Hermione! If you weren't so wrapped up in all those books I might just have a little challenge to throw your way... but I don't think it's your thing, you couldn't possibly win..." by the cheeky grin spread across Ginny's face Hermione knew this was only bait, to draw on Hermione's known competitive side and push her into something she probably didn't want to do. Unfortunately tonight was uneventful and every other night was just as monotonous. She need something a little wild to set her back in place for the next set of exams. Her mind just wasn't in it at the moment, she couldn't really place why.
"Okay, I'm gonna bite, what challenge?"
"Come with me" was Ginny's hushed reply as she got up and lead Hermione up to her dorm room.

Closing the door behind her Ginny was buzzing with excitement as she tore off her top and dropped it to the floor. Hermione could only stare open mouthed in shock before trying to sputter out a complete sentence.
"Wh..what th...the hell.. are you... doing?" she squeaked. Ginny only laughed lightly and spun round, her back facing Hermione and pointed to the centre of her back, "Can you see it? The tattoo?"
Hermione was so confused, did Ginny want her to get a tattoo? All she had to do was say it, not strip to show her! In fact she'd never tell Ginny or anyone really but she already had a tattoo on the top of her thigh, a Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. She'd also researched a spell to make it flutter ever so slightly when it was visible.
Obviously she wore the very confused face of someone who'd just encountered an anti-climax because her fiery friend let out an impatient sigh, the likes of which Hermione was more commonly aiming at their two friends.
"It's this kind of dare or challenge or whatever really, that's been going around the Hogwarts years six and seven for the last couple of months, yeah it might be a fad but it's pretty fun," here she made a suggestive smile ending with a wink over her shoulder "you can see it's a shield right, well it's the Hogwarts shield of the four houses, but it's only a half is complete, the two quarters that are done are Gryffindor and Hufflepuff..."
"Yes, and?" Hermione was getting impatient now, what was her supposed challenge?
Ginny just laughed "every time you sleep with a member of each house, that house quarter will appear as a tattoo, it's this charm some girl made up about a year ago? I mean she just did it for her and her friends but it got round to quite a few girls and now it's like this new trend. Doesn't hurt or anything, the tattoo kind of, appears..." Ginny trailed off on the origins of this stupid dare but
Hermione was beginning to realise what her challenge might be and she felt an intense blush colour her face and a knot ball up at the base of her stomach. Hermione zoned back in to what Ginny was saying as she casually shrugged back into her t-shirt.
"...so anyway because of all the house rivalries no one has ever completed it, I mean none of the other houses wanna fuck a Slytherin and to be honest, no Slytherin's seem to want to fuck any of the other houses, least of all Gryffindor"
Hermione gulped "Oh God, no"
"I challenge you to complete it," she smiled innocently this time at her friend and then added "I think you need some action anyway, that's why you're all extra moody. Maybe a good shag will bring back the slightly less hostile Hermione we all know and kinda love."
"Okay first off, even if I was to take on this challenge, which I'm not!" she added at Ginny's giggle "how on earth would I of all people sleep with a Slytherin? I'm friends with Harry Potter, they hate him! They hate us."
"Well now that's your problem, but if you're too chicken to complete it, and create a victory for Gryffindor girls then I'm okay with that... it was just a suggestion, even you're not clever enough to make a Slytherin sleep with you."
That was the last straw, Hermione knew she shouldn't, felt her conscience scream in protest but this rather large competitive part of her was purring at the thought of doing the impossible, and growling at the idea of not being smart enough to do something.
"Deal."
Ginny's mouth fell open, she obviously hadn't expected Hermione to go through with this but that soon changed to a triumphant leap and a squeal of excitement.
"Okay! let's do the spell then."

Hermione somehow managed to do a walk of shame back to her Heads Dormitory, her shoulders were slumped and a faint blush crossed the tops of her cheeks. Ginny hadn't stopped giggling and teasing her when, after the spell was done, the two quarters of Hufflepuff and Gryffindor were revealed to be Hermione's previous conquests. Hermione wouldn't kiss and tell but Ginny could already assume Ron was represented by the golden lion, it was just the Hufflepuff she couldn't work out but Hermione had left hurriedly without answering, only stopping to throw a flustered wave in the face of both Ron and Harry who were dirt spattered and cold-looking.
She whispered the password to the very drunk portrait of deceased Professor Varrah a potions teacher from very early on in the schools history, of course Hogwarts: A History had a whole chapter on him, he was well known for bringing the latest modern knowledge to his teaching and helped create a set curriculum over all subjects, he was also head of Ravenclaw during his time teaching.
Hermione hurried through once she'd gotten his attention and he'd swung open the door but stopped dead when faced with a half naked Malfoy.
"I thought you weren't coming back," he teased, he looked absolutely delighted that she had though, because that gave him time to laugh and poke at her discomfort. "what's the matter Granger? All hot and bothered by me walking around like this? Tut-tut don't let wonder boy and the weasel find out about that!" He walked like a cat, smooth and quick and she stumbled back into the door as he came closer, she noticed his grey eyes were bright and focused on her own.
"Get lost Malfoy" she wanted to push him away but that would mean touching his bare chest and ew yum that was disgusting really goddam hot Hermione shook her head to get rid of those pesky thoughts and slid past him running for the stairs to her room, on her way she heard Malfoy's dark chuckle and he sounded extremely pleased with himself.