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"I can't believe I'm doing this with...with him!" Hermione grumbled to herself out loud, walking as far away to the left as the empty corridor will allow from her permanent partner for the Year.

"Well you wouldn't crack my top ten, Granger," Draco sneered, appearing as unhappy as she felt.

Hermione walked stiffly, reminding herself that it was only a matter of a few mere hours she had to share with Malfoy, for the good of the school, and then she could go back to Gryffindor Tower, where Harry was waiting for her. The thought of her raven haired friend gave her a boost of confidence. If he could face Voldemort, there was no sense of not saying his name now, then surely the bookworm could walk around with the school bully.

Did Hermione truly think that Draco Malfoy was a Death Eater? Logically, it would make sense, since his entire bloodline was in the family business. But personally, she didn't like to dwell on it too much. And as a result, she often relied on her mind to get through situations and thought processes.

Sometimes she wondered why she wasn't in Ravenclaw instead of Gryffindor. She asked herself that in the beginning, sometimes even now. But it was friendship, bravery, and loyalty that had her stick by Harry all these years. That's what made her who she was.

"We'll cover more ground if we-" Hermione started, using her professional, know-it-all voice.

"Split up? You're just scared of being alone with me," snarked Draco with a smug grin on his face.

And Hermione wanted to wipe it clean off.

She turned on him with fire in her eyes as she lifted up her right fist; at the sight of the limb, Draco's smile automatically faltered, much to her genuine pleasure. "I will use this," she threatened him.

Draco nodded once, a sheepish hold on his mouth as he inclined his back away from her. Seeing that he wasn't going to be smart with her, she lowered her hand and stepped back.

As she started off again down the corridor, she heard, "You've got an impressive right hook there."

The bookworm whirled around, caramel curls whipping around in her face. "What?"

"Granger, I complimented you once. I'm not doing it again."

That was...odd.

"How...thoughtful of you," she said finally.

"This is the part where you thank me."

"I would if your compliment was sincere!"

Draco snorted.

"What's the catch?" Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"No catch."

"You're lying."

"Y-"

"People like you sugar up to people when they want something, so what is it?"

"Like me? And a teenage girl like yourself doesn't?"

He was avoiding the question.

"Oh, you're just now noticing that I'm a girl?"

"Granger, please. Every bloke around here noticed Third Year. Including that saint Potter and the Weasle." He spat Harry's name like he usually does, but regardless it brought an angry blush to Hermione's cheeks. She opened her mouth, then closed it again repeatedly, speechless, like a fish out of water. "Surprised, Miss Know-It-All?" Draco mocked.

Hermione's lips were now white from the pressure she was exerting.

"Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to continue our shift-partner. I have better things to attend to than stand here wasting time."

Hermione was quick to open her mouth again for a retort, but realized he was right. He walked ahead of her, and she squinted her eyes and shook her head, making small grabby motions at his back in a choking manner.

.

Harry's lips quivered.

"You want to laugh," Hermione deadpanned, and quiet laughter escaped him. She slapped his arm and exclaimed, "You're laughing at me!"

"I'm not laughing at you-!"

"Come off it, yes you are!"

"No I'm not!"

"You are!"

"...Well, yeah."

Hermione's mouth dropped in disbelief, but she couldn't stop smiling. Still guffawing, Harry pulled her in for a side hug, squeezing her shoulder. And, knowing she couldn't stay mad, or even remotely annoyed with him, she sighed and relaxed, curling into his side.

"So to sum it all up, Malfoy is your partner and he complimented you?"

"It wasn't sincere," Hermione added.

"It wasn't sincere," echoed Harry. "Okay. He's being nice to you, or attempting to and failing miserably."

"Right."

"And you don't know how you feel about it, but it makes you feel uncomfortable because-because it's-"

"Weird," the two said in harmony.

"Exactly," said Hermione. "What do you think I should do, Harry? I mean..." She licked her lips, sitting up straight so she could look directly into his green orbs. "I know it's a trick but..."

"But you also want to be a little easy on him, even if he is a two-faced arse."

"...I didn't say that."

"But you were thinking it," said Harry, grinning at her. "Weren't you?"

Hermione grasped his shoulders and shook him. "Ha-rry!"

"I'm joking, I'm joking," said Harry. "Just...think of it as an experiment."

"An experiment?"

"Yeah. A school assignment..." continued Harry artfully. "...that Professor Potter has assigned to you, Miss Granger," he gripped her arms, "your mission, should you choose to accept it-"

Hermione couldn't stop smiling and giggling, not being able to do one without the other. Even if Harry was being serious, he made it fun just to see her smile.

"-think of it as a character analysis. You're brilliant at jotting stuff down in your head," finished Harry. He looked at the time. "It's almost midnight."

"Oh, I should leave. You need your rest for tomorrow, Captain," said Hermione, sliding out of his bed and ruffling his hair as she did so. He didn't want her to leave just yet, but at the same time his body functions were slowing down considerably, throwing out large hints that he needed to sleep.

Harry bolted. "Wait, what? How did you know about Quidditch tryouts? How did you know I was made captain?"

"Because you just told me."

It was Harry's turn to gawk.

She rolled her eyes playfully. "Oh please, Harry. I'm Hermione Granger. I know everything."

.

"So?" Pansy demanded as soon as Draco entered. "How did it go?"

Draco scoffed, taking a seat on the couch.

"That bad?" said Blaise.

"Granger wasn't part of the deal," said Draco coolly.

Pansy fought a smirk. "Did you at least play nice like you promised you would?"

"...Unfortunately."

"Don't be a baby. We all will be officially starting tomorrow," said Pansy.

"Yipee," the boys chorused in a monotone.

.

"Nothing happened?" asked Ron in disbelief.

"What were you expecting to happen, Ron?" said Harry.

Ron didn't meet his eyes. "Nothing."

Harry knew that was a lie.

The two were walking down the corridor, on their way to the Great Hall for breakfast the following morning. Harry wondered where Hermione was? She, if not always, walked with them to breakfast, lunch, and dinner most of the time. It was strange, not seeing her face before the day began. A peculiar feeling indeed.

Luckily, however, he didn't have to go as far as worried. The bookworm had beat them to it, already sitting at her usual spot at the Gryffindor table; she was one of the first being there, already taking a sip of pumpkin juice as she read today's edition of The Daily Prophet.

Relieved, Harry went to go sit next to her. Hermione looked up just as he sat, the two sharing warm smiles. She looked well-rested, no sign of bags underneath her eyes, her cheeks flushed and healthy.

The two were so caught up in each other's attention that they didn't notice Ron sit down, nor the glowering in their direction.

"Nothing, eh?" said Ron.

Harry snapped out of it, turning in his seat to face the ginger. "Sorry?"

"I rest my case."

"What is he going on about now?" said Hermione.

"Ron is under the impression that you and I did something last night," said Harry.

"Well..." said Hermione innocently. "We were alone for hours. A lot can happen between two people in that amount of time..."

Ron's eyes continued to widen as she spoke, much to Harry's dark amusement.

He wanted to make it worse.

"And you were in my bed..." said Harry, winking at her. "I wasn't complaining."

Ron started coughing violently, causing his two best friends to burst out laughing.

"Ha, ha," Ron gave them a dirty look.

.

"Frowning causes wrinkles, boys," Pansy reminded them. A poor little First Year accidentally bumped into her on his way to class; she whirled around and barked, "WATCH WHERE I'M GOING!"

"Pansy..." Draco mocked. "Remember when we talked about being nice to others?"

"Oh shut up."

Blaise snickered.

"Funny?" Pansy pursed her lips, then spotted someone familiar; a fiery mane of hair. "Why don't you go and say hi to the Weaslette then, Blaise? I bet she'll love it."

Blaise growled something unintelligent just as said girl was heading in their direction.

Ginny was just about to pass the silver trio when Blaise, inwardly cringing, grabbed a hold of her elbow and pulled her back.

Ginny took one sharp look at the limb that she was now willing to burn, then back up to glare at the tall, dark male.

"Weasley," he sneered.

"Zabini," she replied just as coldly, ripping her arm out of his grip.

"Where's your friend?"

"What friend? I have tons. What's it to you? If you're thinking about doing something horrible then I'll hex you into next week."

"What's got your knickers in a bunch? All I wanted to know was whether or not you've seen those two...people you hang around."

"If you're talking about Neville and Luna, no, I haven't seen them. And even if I did, it wouldn't be any of your business," Ginny huffed. "Now get out of my way. I'm late for class."

Blaise bit down hard on his lip as she shoved passed him, closing his eyes and counting backwards from ten to calm himself down.

"Damn," said Pansy.

"Sucks to be you," said Draco.

"Well, I'm gonna go find a nerd," said Pansy. "See you later."

The boys mumbled their goodbyes as the female of the group left. Draco separated himself from Blaise a bit after that because he had "unfinished business" and Blaise didn't even have to question him.

Where was the bloody loon?

Draco impatiently tapped the column he casually leaned against. How hard was it to find one of Potter's follow-?

"Hello, Draco," a dreamy voice caressed his eardrums. "You look dreadful."

...Well speak of the blonde devil.

Draco slowly turned his head, jaw clenched as he met the wide, silvery gaze of Luna Lovegood. She was a lot shorter than him, more than he realized, and she had her wand tucked in her hair to keep it up.

"Sorry I didn't exceed your expectations," his response was automatic, and he winced at how icy it sounded.

Luna seemed unfazed. "It's alright. I don't expect any less. I can see why you're stressed. Wrackspurts are everywhere."

And then, to weird him out even further, she began swatting the air as if there were bugs in the air. Draco was seething.

"Good holiday?" he forced out through gritted teeth.

Again, Luna didn't react to his rude tone. "It was nice."

He wanted to bang his head against the wall until his ears bled. And he already started to follow through with his actions, turning on his heels and bumping his head against the column.

"Hitting your head won't get rid of the wrackspurts, Draco."

And then she was invading his personal space, taking his face in her small hands, coaxing him to look down at her as she leaned up on her tiptoes. Draco's entire body tensed. Why did he agree to this? Why did it have to be with her?

"You must have a clear head and a balanced mind," Luna continued casually, lowering her hands and her heels as she stood to her full height. "That's what Daddy has told me. I find it rather difficult because, well, my head is normally off in the clouds, you see. I understand why people think I'm ditzy. I am, so I don't get bothered by it."

"Why?" Draco blurted out.

"Pardon?"

"Why are you so okay with everything? Why do you let us taunt and tease you? Why don't you ever get worked up?!"

Luna blinked for the first time during the entire conversation. "Do you want me to get worked up?"

"Yes!" Draco threw his arms out. "It wouldn't make you less human!"

The dirty blonde smiled gently, which added fuel to his fire.

"You know, Draco, the reason why I don't express my anger like my friends do is simple-you and your friends and your Slytherin peers were raised upon stereotypes. You were taught to hate and judge anyone different than you. And that's why we're at war. Because You-Know-Who fears Harry because he couldn't kill him the first time and he knows Harry is the only wizard alive who is able to defeat him."

"Of course." Draco's lips pulled over his teeth. "Because Potter's so perfect."

"This brings me to my next point. I know the story behind you and Harry's first meeting. You were quick to befriend him, but he turned you down and chose Ronald instead. Ever since then, you've been jealous, and that's why you've been such a bully to Harry and anyone who's friends with him. You take your anger and other nasty feelings out on the rest of us because you didn't get what you wanted. And because you're a Malfoy, a man with a strong bloodline, you're the Slytherin Prince. All of the Slytherins look up to you. They follow you, Draco. You're a great leader...but you just make poor choices."

Draco was rendered speechless.

"I must get to class," said Luna. "I hope you can shake off the wrackspurts, Draco. They can be hard to rid of."

And that's where she left him, dumbfounded in the courtyard, right as it just started to rain.