I am really very sorry it took me so long to update, but I have a rather good excuse: I was on holidays in Thailand for the past weeks, with no internet and no computer. I hope you haven't given up on me yet, and I hope you like this chapter!

When morning came, things between Draco and Hermione got worse. Neither of them had slept well, and their day started with a fight about who would get to shower first. Draco won said fight, and spent an inordinate amount of time in the bathroom. In revenge, Hermione magically put her clothes in the only closet in their room, leaving only a small space for him. She cast all the protection and stay-in-place charms she knew on her clothes, hoping Draco wouldn't be able to move or damage her clothing.

It seemed to have worked, for when she finally got the chance to take a quick shower she could hear him curse loudly from in the bedroom.

Grinning smugly to herself, she hurried out of the bathroom fully dressed.

"Come on, let's go, otherwise we'll miss breakfast," she told Malfoy.

"Granger, if you don't move your clothes I will burn them all."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible. You see, while you took forever to shower I had enough time on my hands to protect my clothes from any possible attacks. Now shall we go?" she asked sweetly.

"This isn't over," he said threateningly, before stalking out of the passage in the wall and heading to the Great Hall.

Hermione followed with a triumphant smile on her face, although that was quickly interrupted by a yawn. She was so tired she felt like she hadn't slept for more than an hour in total. Her mood wasn't bettered when her friends almost attacked her with their questions at breakfast.

"What did McGonagall want?"

"Why weren't you in the Common room? I wanted to talk to you!"

"Is everything alright?"

"Do I need to go and hit Malfoy?"

"Guys, please!" Hermione said, silencing them with a glare. "If you'd be quiet for a second, maybe I could actually answer your questions." She waited to see if she would get interrupted again, but when her friends remained quiet she cast muffliato and started to explain. "Apparently there are dorms specially created for married couples, and now I'm stuck living with Malfoy for the rest of the year!"

"You can't be serious!" Ron exclaimed.

Harry wrapped his arm around her shoulders in silent support, and she was grateful for having the most wonderful friends in the world.

"What's the dorm like?" Ginny then asked, earning herself disbelieving looks from the Golden Trio. "What? I'm just curious!" she defended herself.

"It's gorgeous, actually," Hermione confessed. "I'd be very happy about it if I didn't have to share it with Malfoy."

Ginny patted her hand consolingly. "I'm sure it won't be that bad, you'll get used to each other eventually."

The conversation came to an abrupt end when the time-tables were distributed by the Professors. Hermione looked at her own rather busy schedule, but couldn't muster any of her usual enthusiasm for the classes she was taking. So much had happened in the past year, going to school just didn't seem as important as it used to be anymore. Still, she was determined to have high grades, as always.

Their day started with two hours of Potions, and Harry and Ron groaned when they noticed it. "I can't believe we need our N.E.W.T in Potions for Auror training," Ron complained.

"Ah, look at it from a positive side," Ginny said with a grin. "It's a class for the eighth years only , so you'll have two hours to observe Malfoy and Hermione being hilariously awkward with one another."

"You're a terrible friend," Hermione complained.

"You know you love me," the redhead replied, and Hermione couldn't very well deny the truth.

Potions was actually worse than Hermione had expected, and that was all because of Professor Slughorn. Apparently, the Professor thought it was absolutely brilliant that a Slytherin and Gryffindor had gotten married, and such famous ones no less! The class hadn't even started before Harry, Ron, Hermione, Blaise and Draco had been invited to the Slug-party that weekend, to celebrate the beginning of the new schoolyear.

And then, to make matters even worse, when Hermione moved to sit at her usual table with Harry and Ron, Slughorn stopped her. "No need for that, Mrs. Malfoy, no need for that. Please, I am looking forward to two of the best potioneers of this class working together! Sit with your husband, dear."

Red in the face, Hermione moved to sit with Draco, who was glaring so intensely at Slughorn that she was surprised the old man didn't feel uncomfortable.

"Stupid, pompous bastard," he muttered. "Acting as if I don't exist all of sixth year, and now he's all over me because I married a—"

"I suggest you watch your tongue," Hermione interrupted him icily.

To her surprise he actually shut up, which, quite frankly, was a relief. As soon as Slughorn had told them which potion they were supposed to brew, they started gathering the necessary ingrediënts and equipment.

"At least we won't have to worry about Harry besting us this time," Hermione said, a tad maliciously. "He doens't have that stupid book anymore."

"Book? What book?"

"Did you never wonder how Harry suddenly became so good at potions?"

"Constantly," Draco replied. "He had to be cheating."

Hermione hesitated for a moment. Was she really going to tell Draco about the Prince's book? The spiteful part of her won; she could feel herself becoming angry again just at the thought of Harry getting better grades than her so unfairly.

"The Potion's book he had once belonged to Snape, though he didn't know it at the time. Snape had written all kinds of extra instructions with every potion, and that's why Harry did so well in sixth year."

"If I had figured that out during sixth year I would have been angrier than you can even imagine," Draco said. "But now I think I'll be perfectly happy with gloating at his failures."

"You don't know that he will fail," Hermione protested. "He might—"

"Please," Draco scoffed. "Without that book or you to help him, he doesn't stand a chance. If you crush the black beetle eyes, I'll take care of the lacewing flies."

Hermione nodded and got to work. She was pleasantly surprised at how easily they worked together, at how much she enjoyed working with someone who seemed just as interested at performing well academically as her. When Slughorn started checking everyone's potions, he appeared to be utterly disappointed at Harry's apparent failure, but his face lighted up as soon as he reached Hermione and Draco.

"Just as I expected," he proclaimed. "Perfect. Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy, you make an excellent team!"

As soon as they were out of the classroom, Draco and Hermione allowed their fake smiles to fall and started complaining.

"Mr. and Mrs Malfoy?" Hermione said. "What is wrong with him? No one should be this excited about two teenagers getting married! That man is just unbearable!"

"I can't believe he just keeps going with his stupid Slug-club meetings," Harry added. "Quidditch hasn't started yet, what kind of excuse am I supposed to give for this weekend?"

"Oh no," Blaise said, a large smile on his face. "No excuses. We're all going. This is the perfect opportunity to show off our favorite couple, not to mention it's very good practice for you two."

"You can't be serious!" Draco exclaimed. "There is no way in hell I'm going."

"How about we ask for Pansy's advice on this one," Theo said placatingly. Pansy was not in their Potion's class so the conversation would have to wait for later, but Hermione hoped that the girl would see reason and tell everyone that going to that stupid party was a stupid idea. (Even her own thoughts didn't seem convincing).

"Of course we're all going!" Pansy exclaimed loudly when they were all seated in the courtyard during break. "Blaise, I'm going as your plus one considering I wasn't invited, and we both know I'm going to have to be there."

"But if both you and Blaise are there, surely I don't have to go, right?" Harry asked hopefully.

"Don't be ridiculous, Potter," Pansy said scathingly. "I've heard that the editor of Witch Weekly will be at the party, and I can guarantee you that if you don't show up the next article in the magazine will be all about how the Boy Who Lived firmly disapproves of his best friend's choices."

"She wouldn't be wrong," Ron muttered.

"We'll be there, Parkinson, no need to worry about that," Ginny said, linking her arm with Harry's.

"Weasley, you too," Pansy added, looking pointedly at Ron. "Unless, of course, you want the world to read all about how you're still bitter about having been dumped for Draco."

Ron glared but nodded.

"What about me?" Theo complained. "I haven't been invited!"

"Go with Weasley," Draco suggested maliciously.

The shocked looks on both Ron's and Theo's faces were enough to make Hermione laugh. She tried to hide her amusement, but her giggles were rather noticeable nonetheless. Ginny and Blaise joined in quickly, and Draco had a very smug look on his face.

"Fuck off, Malfoy," Ron said.

"Hate to agree with the Weasel," Theo added, "but yeah, fuck off, Draco."

"Why, I think you would look cute together," Pansy said. "And apparently Gryffindor and Slytherin matches are just the thing nowadays."

Not even Harry could contain his snort, now, and he was met with an offended look from Ron. Hermione was laughing so hard she was leaning against Draco without flinching, and Draco was still basking in having pissed of the Weasel and making everyone else laugh so he took no objection.

"Can't we just sneak him in? I mean, we're a pretty big group, I'm sure one more won't be noticed. And even if he is, Slughorn will be more anxious to avoid a scene than to make sure only those invited get in," Hermione suggested when she finally regained her breath.

"That sounds like a far more acceptable plan," Theo said. "If I have to go with a Gryffindor, I'd rather it be Longbottom."

"Seriously?" Pansy asked. "You're an embarassment for all Slytherins."

"Ow, come on, Pans," Theo objected. "You can't deny that he's gotten pretty damn hot over the last years."

Both Hermione and Ginny made agreeing noises, earning themselves offended looks from their respective partners.

"I can't believe I married a girl that finds Longbottom attractive," Draco mumbled angrily.

"Oh lighten up, Drakey," Pansy said. "You're lucky to have found a girl that agreed to marry you at all."

"Does it even count as agreeing when you're too drunk to think?" Theo mused.

Draco turned to Hermione. "All our friends suck," he said plaintively.

"You just can't take a joke," Hermione answered.

"This whole situation is a joke," Ron said. "Can we please stop with the plotting and spend some time far away from the Slytherins?"
Everyone easily agreed, and the day was spent without further dramatics or complications.

That evening found Hermione in her own private common room working on the homework she had for Charms. Despite her initial sadness at not living in the Gryffindor dorms, she had to admit that it was a relief to be able to work in silence, without the usual distractions her housemates never failed to provide.

Draco arrived a few hours later, having spent some time clearing his head on his broom.

"Bloody hell, Granger," he said upon seeing her surrounded by books. "It's the first day of term, you can't be serious."

She didn't even look at him. "I like to be prepared."

"Do you even know how to relax?"

"Of course I do!" she exclaimed, immediately fired up, which kind of disproved her own point. "I went to Vegas for Ginny's party, didn't I?"

"Yes, and look at how well that ended," he answered drily. "You were so uncomfortable you got far too drunk in order to forget about your own awkwardness, and now I'm stuck with you!"

"Yes well I'm pretty sure a wedding requires two people saying 'I do', so don't act all blameless."

He scowled at her. "I'll have you know that—"

"Now we're on the subject of blame," she interrupted him loudly, "there was something I wanted to talk to you about. Why did you kiss me like that yesterday? I thought we both agreed that there was no need for pda in public?"

Draco blushed, which was quite the sight, and looked at his feet. "It's Pansy's fault."

"Seriously? How old are you?"

"You didn't really seem to mind though, did you?" he shot back. "If I remember correctly, you were kissing me back quite enthusiastically!"

"I... You... How dare you? You didn't leave me any choice, putting me on the spot like that! Our cover would have been blown if I'd reacted differently!"

"Sure, Granger, keep telling yourself that."

"If I remember correctly," Hermione said. "Your mother told us not to call each other by our last names anymore."

"Bloody hell but you're annoying, Hermione."

"Right back at you, Draco."

"Why aren't you with your little Gryffindor friends, anyway?" he asked, sinking down on the other couch.

"They were starting to get on my nerves, actually. There's only so many times a person can be laughed at in one day, no matter how well-meant the jokes."

"Are you saying you chose my company over that of Potty and the Weasel? Why, Hermione, there might be hope for you yet."

"Actually, I was hoping to have this room to myself. Why aren't you with your friends?"

"Same reason, really. They just won't shut up."

"Aren't we quite the pair," Hermione muttered with a wry smile before focusing back on her work.

Draco headed to the bookcase Hermione had already filled with her books and started perusing the shelves, curious to see what the bookworm liked to read. Half of her shelves were occupied by the expected textbooks and the like. He could spot three different editions of Hogwarts: a history, which was excessive because the book wasn't all that interesting. Besides that, there were quite a few novels and books about history, along with a whole lot of writers he had never seen before. Muggle books, he assumed. Intrigued, he read some of the titles, stopping at an old tome that seemed to contain a collection of stories. Shakespeare, he read, and after a quick look at Granger to make sure she was still entranced by her homework (how did she even do that?) he took it and flipped it open. He was hooked after only a couple of sentences. Without even realizing it, he had sat down on the sofa without taking his eyes of the book, not noticing Hermione's surprised smile when she saw what he was doing.

By the time Draco stopped reading, Hermione had fallen asleep on the couch, laying in what appeared to be a highly uncomfortable position. Draco couldn't help but grin at the sight and, in a moment of unusual kindness, he moved her legs so her body would be in a less awkward angle and summoned a blanket to cover her. She mumbled something in her sleep, and he stared at her, thinking she was rather cute while sleeping. Then, realizing that he had been gazing wistfully at Hermione Malfoy née Granger of all people, he hurried to their room, happy to have the bed all to himself for the night.