A note: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters. All credit goes to JK Rowling. I am going to school right now so chapters may not be consistent, but I will try. I love Dramione! Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1: A Placement most distasteful.

Hermione sat up, panting heavily as her shoulders shook. It was the middle of the night. Hermione sighed. This had been happening for months now, the gripping nightmares ripping her from her sleep, and keeping her awake for hours. Hermione realized that she would not be getting to sleep anytime soon tonight, so she went down to the common room and sat by the fireplace. She was now in her seventh year, and the two best friends that had been by her side for so long were off getting themselves killed. Despite Hermione's encyclopedic knowledge, her expert spell skills, and her general friendship, Harry and Ron had ultimately decided to go on their Horcrux hunt alone. The number of kids currently residing at Hogwarts was at an all-time low. So many parents had taken their kids away from Hogwarts. Voldemort was getting stronger and closer. Hermione, having muggle parents, decided she would be safest at Hogwarts. She had convinced her parents to go to Australia to hide from Voldemort but she still missed them.

"Hermione?" asked a familiar voice. Ginny Weasley walked down the stairs from the girls' dorms, wrapping a blanket around her shoulders.

"I'm down here, Ginny," Hermione replied, standing up and walking to Ginny. "Couldn't sleep?" she asked.

" No. The storm was too loud." Ginny responded. Hermione and Ginny locked eyes. They both knew this was a lie. Everyone in Dumbledore's Army had their dreams haunted by Dumbledore's tragic death the previous year. Hogwarts was being renovated. Half of the school was being taken over for the battle area. McGonagall had decided to combine houses into two houses per one tower. Gryffindor Tower would be sharing with… Slytherin. There were fewer kids at the school altogether so it made perfect sense, but that did not make the idea any better, as far as Hermione was concerned. She would not like to share a dorm with a Slytherin girl, but it could not be helped. McGonagall had decided that Gryffindors and Slytherins needed to get along if they were to win the war, so walls had been placed in the dorms, separating the dorms into many rooms, all with two beds. This way students from both houses would be forced together.

" Mione?" Ginny asked.

" Yes?"

" What about the extra girl and boy?" Ginny asked, a contemplative look on her face.

" Extra girl and boy?" Hermione asked. " What do you mean?"

" We are being put in groups of two, but there is not an even amount of boys versus girls. There is one extra Gryffindor girl and one extra Slytherin boy! Do you think they will have to room together?"

"I doubt it," Hermione said reassuringly. " Professor McGonagall would not do that to us."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Ginny said, nodding her head. " I think I'll try to go back to sleep again. You might want to try to get some sleep. With the move tomorrow and all."

" Good night Ginny."

When morning finally came, all the Gryffindor girls bolted up and ran around, cleaning up and brushing their hair, trying to make everything perfect for their new Slytherin houseguests. When noon arrived, a loud banging noise emitted from the portrait hole. Hermione rushed downstairs to join her friends as the whole of Gryffindor house awaited their partners. When the Fat lady finally swung forward, McGonagall was the first to enter the room.

" Now," She said. " I shall assign you with your new houseguests for the remainder of your time at Hogwarts. As you may have heard, there will be an extra boy and girl. Many of you have been wondering what will happen to them. Due to limited space, they will be forced to act as roommates. This means that they will share a dorm, have to sit next to each other at meals, and reform as the rest of you are doing," She paused and looked at the nervous faces in front of her. She pulled a parchment out of her robe and unfolded it. " Ginny Weasley and Pansy Parkinson," she read. " Angelina Johnson and Astoria Greengrass," as the girls and boys reluctantly found their partners, Hermione could not help but start hyperventilating. She saw the despairing looks on her friend's faces and knew one would soon be plastered across her own. She looked at the remaining students from Slytherin, assessing which could be her partner. The Slytherin students appeared to be doing the same. In Gryffindor house, there was one boy, and three girls, including Hermione. In Slytherin, there were two girls and two boys. One of these girls was going to be with one of those boys. Hermione paled. The girls and boys were soon paired, leaving only two. Hermione and Draco Malfoy.

" No. No. I won't do it," Hermione protested. " I refuse to be his roommate."

" I am sorry to say that you have no choice. You must room with Mr. Malfoy!" McGonagall said apologetically. Hermione turned and ran up to her bed. Looking at the bed next to her in disgust, she knew that Draco Malfoy would soon be sleeping there.

Draco didn't understand what the mudblood was so all fire mad about. Draco seemed not to care about this situation, mainly because he could do whatever he wanted and she would basically just be his servant. Draco put on an annoyed look for the benefit of his friends. He was actually fine with this pairing. For now at least. He would have preferred being with Crabbe or Goyle, or even Blaize, but for now he was stuck with Gryffindor's princess. As he thought this, he sneered. Hermione was called Gryffindor's princess, but he was called Slytherin's prince! Draco pushed this thought aside and trudged up the stairs after Hermione. It was odd, to be walking up the stairs of a girls dorm, but he tried to ignore it. Everything would work out just fine.

Thank you so much for reading chapter 1! So sorry it is so short. I tried to make the chapters bite sized, but next chapter will be much longer. I promise!

Annie