Author's Note at the bottom.

Happy Reading!

I don't think anyone else loves the first day of school like I do. There is something about new books and new bottles of ink that makes me happy. My friends all think I am crazy, but I happily led them to each class today. Excitedly, wondering what we would learn next. If the professors were just going to do review or learn something new. Every year the feeling was the same. I was always a big bubble of excitement the first week of school. The day went by as well as I could hope. "I" skipped out on lunch so "Ivory" could eat lunch with Malfoy. I hadn't seen him since then.

"We need to do something about Pansy," Ginny said, interrupting my thoughts as we stepped out into the courtyard during free period. Conveniently, our free periods matched up. "She is going to be a problem."

"What are you suggesting?" I sat down on a bench and swatted at a fly that buzzed in my face. That was the problem with nice weather, bugs. It was beautiful out too. Bright and sunny, with just enough breeze for it to be pleasant to be outside. "She's been in her version of love with Malfoy since she was born, I'm sure. There isn't any way we can deter her from her life's dream of being the next Mrs. Malfoy." Ginny was pacing in front of me. "Sit down, you are making me nervous."

"What did Dumbledore want?" She asked abruptly.

"I think he just wanted to let me know that he knew what I was up to." I shook my head. "I walked into his office still disguised as Ivory on accident and he offered me a mirror. It was embarrassing." I put my hands over my face and then pushed them through my hair. "I still don't know how he even knew it was me. He winked at me at breakfast this morning when I went to sit with Malfoy. He told me, and I quote, This is exactly what our Head Boy needs."

"Who knows how that man knows the things he does. You need to worry about you." She pointed at me. "You have to be more careful. This is a dangerous game you are playing." Gin said sternly, sitting down next to me and grabbing my hands. "Look at me, Hermione. You don't even know if he's already a death eater or not. This is risky."

I pulled my hands away from her. "I'm not an idiot, Gin," I huffed in frustration. What if she was right? Was Malfoy already one of Voldemort's minions? Would he even take the mark? "Besides, what business does Voldemort have recruiting children to his cause? He can't possibly be a death eater."

"We aren't children," She said indignantly. "We have been training for this war for years, been involved in this for years. What makes you think that it is not the same on the other side? Be careful, Hermione. That's all I'm asking."

I stood up. "So, we are just already condemning him? I thought we were supposed to be saving him! Isn't that the whole point of this charade? But here we are day one and you are telling me that he is a death eater?" I hissed at her, trying not to bring any more unnecessary attention to us. "As much as we have fought with Malfoy in the past years, I think he has enough sense to not sign up to follow a lunatic while he's still in school."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "How long have you been harboring feelings for him, Hermione?"

I sputtered. "Ex-excuse me? What makes you think that?"

"When did you start having a crush on Draco Malfoy?" She asked me slowly as if talking to a child.

"I don't know what you mean."

"It's not a hard question. When?"

I sighed and sat back down. "Is it that obvious? What type of pathetic woman am I that I have feelings for the guy who we have been fighting with our entire time at this school?" Taking a deep breath, I decided to tell her the truth. "At first, it was just that I tried to think about what it must be like to be him. After seeing his father in action, and his aunt? It must have been hard, right? Without us always fighting. So, I just started paying attention." I looked up at her. "Gin, he's just lashing out. I don't even know if he even believes all the nonsense he spews."

"You can't know that Hermione," Ginny argued.

"No, you're right. I don't know it. But I'm going to find out. You should see how he is whenever I'm Ivory. He knows that 'she' is muggle-born and doesn't care."

Ginny giggled and bumped into my shoulder. "So since 5th year huh?"

I blushed. "Well, I'd say sometime mid-6th year. Anyway, let's go to class. Then maybe tonight you can show me how to do some basic makeup."

"Finally!" Gin said excitedly.

I rolled my eyes and grabbed my bag. "Come on, we don't want to be late."

Brooding. That's what I was doing. Kneeling in front of the fireplace in the Heads' Common Room. It was surprisingly comfortable. There was a thick grey rug in front of the fireplace. The mantle was a glossy black. Above the fireplace, our house sigils were affixed to the wall. A silver snake and a golden lion. The rest of the room was decorated tastefully. The walls were painted a light grey color that in the right light looked white. The furniture was mostly black, except for a chaise that was a soft grey color. An accent chair and the cushion for the reading nook in the window were the same color as the chaise. There was a small kitchenette tucked away in the corner opposite of the reading nook. Fully stocked with all of our favorites, I'm assuming. I found an unnatural amount of sugar quills in one cabinet. The only other place you could find anything representing our houses was the color of the name plates on the bedroom doors. Granger's was gold and her name was a maroon color. Mine was Silver with my name written in an emerald color. The rooms and the bathrooms were up a small staircase. Granger's on the left, the bathroom in the middle and then mine on the right. I wondered what Granger thought about us having to share a bathroom. Smirking to myself, I finally broke the seal on the letter I was brooding over. The Malfoy crest remained intact despite the careless way I ripped the letter open. The parchment didn't even tear.

Draco,

You have a duty to this family. Don't disappoint me. Keep your eyes on the Potter boy, the Dark Lord will want an update on what he is up to during the holidays. You will be in attendance, and you will make a decision, the right decision.

Your mother says hi.

Father

I crumpled up the letter and threw it in the fire. I didn't want to have anything to do with him or his Dark Lord. If I could figure out how to get my mother to safety, I would tell him to avada himself. I stood up and accidentally bumped into the end table, knocking some of Granger's things on the floor. "Damn it." I bent down to pick it all up. "What the hell is this?" I picked up a book with a thin piece of metal holding it together. I opened it and saw Granger's handwriting. Notes for Muggle Studies. The door opened. I swirled around and dropped everything I had just picked up.

"Malfoy?" Granger said. "What are you doing with my things?"

I bent down and picked up the strange book. "What is this?" I held it up for her to see.

She looked at me like she was confused. "My notes for Muggle Studies. Why?"

I shook my head. "No, I know what is in here. What is this that the notes are written on?"

"Oh!" she smiled. "It's a notebook. It's more convenient than parchment. So, I have a spell that connects my parchment to the notes and whatever I write on parchment in class, transfers to my notebooks. I can show-"

I cut her off. "Where can I get one of these?" I waved it at her.

Her eyebrows flew up into her fringe. "You want one?" she chuckled. "I can give you one. They don't sell them in Hogsmeade. I have my parents send them to me when I get low, so I have extras. Wait here." She ran up the stairs and into her room. I bent down and finished picking up all her stuff off of the floor. She came back downstairs and thrust a notebook and little sticks in my hands.

I looked at the little sticks. "What are these?" I held one up and inspected it.

"Well, they are like quills. These work better on notebook paper. Your quill will just scratch through it." She held up one that was a green color with white tips. "This is a pencil. You click this." She pressed into one end. "And lead comes out." She held up a different one that was all black with a cover on one end. "This is a pen, you take the cap off and write with it. Make sure to put it back on when you finish or it will dry out." She smiled. "Let me know if you need any more." She picked up her stuff off the end table.

"Have you seen Ivory today?" I asked.

"I haven't, but I'm sure she is just getting used to her place in this school." She shuffled all her items into one arm and held her hand out.

"What are you doing?" I sneered at her.

"Offering you a truce. For the sake of your girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend, yet," I muttered still looking at her hand crazy.

"I don't doubt that she will be. See I know Ivory, and I see how interested you are." She smiled at me and waved her hand, drawing attention to it. "Come on, you don't care about my mudblood germs…"

"Don't call yourself that." I took her hand in mine and gave it a firm shake. "Thanks for the book for notes."

"Notebook. It's called a notebook." She gave my hand a shake as well. "Truce?"

"Truce." I let go of her hand. "You can study out here if you want. We don't have to avoid each other." I took her books and sat them on the table. "Since we have a truce now, let's compare notes for potions. I know you need it. It's your worst class."

"Only if you will look over my notes for charms, you suck at them." She fired back and sat down on the chaise in front of the bookshelf. "Let's get started."

I smiled at her and sat down on the couch beside the chaise she was on. "I excel in the only charm that matters."

She blushed slightly and I raised my eyebrows a bit at how expressive her face was. She wasn't as tense as normal. "Oh really?" She smirked at me. "Well, I hope your charm," she used air quotes with her fingers. "Gets you far in life, however for the charms of which I speak of, you will need your books." She tucked her hair behind her ear and started organizing her school work.

I lifted my wand. She flinched a little bit but tried to play it off. I chose to ignore it. What did the Muggles say? Romania wasn't built in a day? Without looking toward my room, I whispered. "Accio school bag," I smirked when I saw her look up towards my room, no doubt watching my bag float its way down to me. Her eyes got bigger and just as soon as I turned to look, the strap on my bag got caught on the staircase rail and all my books spilled out down the stairs.

Hermione chuckled and pushed a notebook towards me. "As I said, it's your worst class."

AN: I am still here. No worries. School is just trying to kill me. This semester has been so hard and crazy. Even now that I type this, I have a lesson to plan for, like I have to give a lesson in 2 days. I also have an 8-10 page research paper due in a week, an article outline, another lesson to plan and all the small assignments. It has been like this all semester. But I have decided that no matter what every morning before I start my homework I will write something. I was going crazy not writing.

Anyway, Love you guys! This story is not possible without my Alpha, J and my beta,Quacklynne89.

Review and let me know how you like the story so far.