Chapter 4:
"I kind of wish that we could just pair people up ourselves. We could have some serious fun…" He almost stopped when he saw Hermione glare at him, "We'd be able to put Pothead with…"
"Enough!" Hermione frowned.
"Well at least let me have some fun with the weasel!"
Hermione ignored him and turned to the sorting hat, "Excuse me… er… Mr Hat?"
There was a loud, happy burst of laughter radiating from the hat, "My dear girl, I know your brains far too intimately for such formality."
Hermione almost blushed, "Oh sorry."
Draco chuckled at the exchange before him.
"I don't know what you're laughing at Draco – I know you just as well! And you've got more to hide."
That quickly shut the head boy's mouth. Hermione felt intrigued, what could Malfoy possibly have to hide.
"Do you mind if we start with the Gryffindors?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, I bloody do mind," Draco complained.
"I wasn't talking to you, Malfoy!" Hermione retorted.
"Besides which; have some respect young man. You are in the presence of a lady so keep your language clean!" The hat told him off. "Proceed Hermione."
"Lavender Brown?" Hermione asked.
"Gregory Goyle," the hat replied.
"Fay Dunbar?"
"Erm… Wayne Hopkins."
"Seamus Finnigan?"
"Lily Moon."
"What about me?" Hermione asked after checking the list.
The hat made a noise that sounded remarkable similar to a giggle, "well my dear girl, you are the top of your class – even the Ravenclaws don't compare to you on an intellectual level. There really isn't much of an option, but you won't like it!"
Hermione sighed, that's what she had been worried about.
Before the night was over they had a comprehensive list of study buddies for each year group.
Hermione quickly duplicated each list four times so that one could be placed in each common room.
The Seventh and Eighth Year Study Buddies
Lavender Brown (G) – Gregory Goyle (S)
Fay Dunbar (G) – Wayne Hopkins (H)
Seamus Finnigan (G) – Lily Moon (H)
Hermione Granger (G) – Draco Malfoy (S)
Neville Longbottom (G) – Tracey Davis (S)
Parvati Patil (G) – Theodore Nott (S)
Harry Potter (G) – Daphne Greengrass (S)
Dean Thomas (G) – Susan Bones (H)
Ronald Weasley (G) – Pansy Parkinson (S)
Ginny Weasley (G) – Blaise Zabini (S)
Ernie Macmillan (H) – Lisa Turpin (R)
Hannah Abbott (H) – Michael Corner (R)
Justin Finch-Fletchley (H) – Sue Li (R)
Megan Jones (H) – Anthony Goldstein (R)
Zacharias Smith (H) – Millicent Bulstrode (S)
Kevin Entwhstle (R) – Kellah (G)
Mandy Brocklehurst (R) – Oliver Rivers (H)
Morag MacDougal (R) – Horace Runcorn (S)
Aaron Harper (R) – Emma Vane (S)
Padma Patil (R) – Matthew Spungen (S)
Stephen Cornfoot (R) – Sally-Anne Perks (G)
Terry Boot (R) – Isla Lacombe (S)
"Well Theo will be happy," Draco said to himself. "At least one of us will be."
"Are you complaining again Malfoy," Hermione replied.
"No just commenting that Nott will be happy."
"And why is that?" Hermione asked, not that she cared for his answer.
"He likes Parvati Patil…" Draco said quietly.
The following day the lists went up in the four common rooms. Hermione and Draco frowned as they considered how they were going to manage their time. Hermione thought out loud, "it might be a good idea to give ourselves a timetable."
"Over-organised much?" Draco retorted, although a part of him had to agree that if they were ever going to pass their NEWTS they would have to be seriously organised. An hour later they had written themselves timetables. They arranged to meet up each night to study for at least an hour except on a Wednesday evening when Draco had Quidditch practice. They were also planning on going on patrol each evening.