Disclaimer: All familiar characters belong to J.K. Rowling

Chapter Nine: Abraxas Malfoy

The next morning she woke up at quarter to eight thinking it was still the night before it was so dark outside. Hermione grumbled as she transfigured a shirt and skirt into a pair of leggings and sport shirt. She stumbled over to Xander's bed and poked her sharply with her wand. Xander grumbled in her sleep and she poked her again hissing "You made me promise to wake you up so you could ogle at Malfoy!" Amazingly Xander immediately sat up. Hermione shook her head.

Fifteen minutes later they both stood by the Entrance Xander stifling a yawn as Hermione did a few stretches.

"If your going to plague me with your presence you might as well join me" snarled Hermione as watching her yawn did nothing to wake her up.

Xander snorted.

"That is not why I'm here"

"No you perverted witch, you're here to watch a half naked Malfoy get all hot and sweaty from working out"

"Why I'm flattered maam" drawled an aristocratic voice behind her that could only belong to a Malfoy. "Although I'm sorry to disappoint." He gestured at his green quidditch garments that only displayed his foreams.

"Don't flatter yourself Malfoy" she spat out as she followed him outside. Hermione breathed in the cold Scottish air and immediately felt her blood pumping.

"Someone clearly isn't a morning person" sung Xander her teeth chattering despite wearing three more layers than Hermione.

"This coming from the girl who needs to be bribed out of bed with-" Xander clamped her hands around her mouth before sharply drawing her hands away after Hermione bit down hard. She hoped it left a mark.

"Oh you are heavily mistaken Miss Moody. Hermione here isn't any kind of person at all." Tinkered Malfoy.

Hermione allowed Malfoy to gain some distance ahead of them before grabbing Xander's arm and pleading with her to be on her best behaviour. "If you let us get on with it I promise you I'll get him to take you to the next Hogsmeade trip." Xander squealed a sound worthy of a Parkinson and then mimed zipping it. Hermione now caught up to Malfoy feeling a bit more optimistic about getting some insider Slytherin intel and a decent training session out of him.

"Hermione, what are you wearing?"

Hermione grinned at his Griffindor directness.

"Leggings and a polyblend t-shirt because it fits closely to the body it won't get in the way and it'll keep me streamlined. The material is thermal meaning it keeps my body heat in." She explained as much as possible in pureblood speak.

She was impressed when he seemed to follow her.

"Can you transfigure my clothes so it's more practical too?" he asked and yelped when he saw he was wearing exactly what she was wearing. He covered his manlyhood with his hands, his face glowing in a mixture of anger and humiliation. She laughed softly and changed the leggings into some football shorts.

"That'll teach you to gang up on me again" She sniffed as she began running around the quidditch pitch.

The three hour session was extremely productive. They did several laps to warm up before moving on to some obstacle races, endurance tests and a series of weight lifting exercises where Xander erased any regrets over loss of sleep and complaints over the biting weather. Even Xander contributed by keeping time and blowing the whistle though her cheering Malfoy on the whole time was a little disheartening.

At noon Malfoy and Hermione were dead on their feet and lay on the grass under a willow tree by the lake side by side breathing heavily. Hermione had suggested a last sprint to this spot before collapsing on the ground leaving Xander far far behind.

"We should add some swimming into the regime next time" panted Hermione before refilling her bottle and drinking the whole thing in a few gulps.

Malfoy didn't reply, clutching a stitch before nodding his head.

"My, my someone needs to work on their stamina" laughed Hermione as she tucked her hands beneath the nape of her head. She couldn't blame him though. They'd done three solid hours. He wasn't too bad for someone self trained.

"Same time tomorrow, yeah?" She heard the conviction in his voice and smiled with satisfaction.

"If you can handle it Malfoy".

He sat up and tackled her, pinning her wrists above her head.

"What was that Miss. Prince?" He grinned ferally at her.

It took all her self-control to rein the magic in and not blast him into the air.

"Sorry, did I hurt you?" Misreading her effort as pain as he released her wrists.

Hermione took advantage of his hesitation and pulled him under her mirroring his actions. Malfoy grunted as he couldn't move.

"How the hell are you doing that?" asked Malfoy in awe.

Hermione released him.

"It's not all about size."

"No kidding." He massaged his wrists.

"I need to ask you a favour." Hermione began.

Malfoy looked suspiciously at her.

"Can you take Xandra to the next Hogsmeade trip with you?"

He laughed. "And why should I do that?"

"Why not? It's not like you have a girlfriend."

Hermione didn't miss his deliberate blink.

"Oh."

She waited.

"No. I don't but I'm betrothed." He confessed. "It's a bit complicated."

"Oh."

She hoped Xandra was hopelessly lost. Preferably deep deep in the forest.

"Promise not to tell anyone." He looked at her intently.

"Pinky promise." He didn't ask her what exactly that meant and carried on.

"I'm betrothed to Rosier but we're not meant to know about it. We found out by accident."

Holy shit. She bit her tongue knowing he had more to say.

"There you guys are!" came a livid voice. Hermione groaned. So so close. She knew she shouldn't had brought her. But at least with every conversation Hermione was making progress. At the sight of Xander however both of them started cracking up. She was absolutely soaking wet.

"Please tell me you fell into the lake." Hermione choked out.

Xander screamed and huffed off towards the locker rooms. Hermione ran after her, a chortling Malfoy trailing behind.

Hermione came out of the showers last and found a much happier Xander. She was positively glowing. Malfoy works fast. When they saw Hermione however they stared. She was wearing a stiff collared shirt accessorized with a royal blue silk neck tie, checkered navy and beige cigarette trousers, a military style rib-tight navy jacket, a pair of black brogues and a round fur hat.

"What?" she looked down at herself and realized this was the first time they'd probably seen a girl wear trousers.

"You're wearing trousers!" Malfoy pointed out like she'd fallen into them by accident.

"And you look goood." Xander circled her like an appraising vulture. "Your troll appetite is definitely working too."

Malfoy blushed causing Hermione to touch her hips self-consciously.

"I'd be careful though. Girls are either going to worship you for it or tear you down."

There was a short pause before they both began laughing.

"Good one Alexandra." Malfoy grinned as he swung his clothes around his shoulder and headed back to the castle.

"You know we missed breakfast" He looked down at his stomach and patted it consolingly.

"Wait I missed the joke."

"Come on Hermione. The image of Parkinson trying to get one better over you." Xander rolled her eyes.

Hermione chuckled.

"Seriously though. You can be downright scary at times." Malfoy felt his still bruised wrists.

"Well. I try my best." She was not at all guilty. He shouldn't had tackled her but then she guessed he wasn't to know she was trained to expect attacks at any time. Constant vigilance she could almost hear Mad-eye roar.

They had arrived for lunch early. The only students there were ones that had lounged around after a late brunch. As Xander and Hermione took a seat on the Griffindor table Hermione asked him lightly "Aren't you joining us?" Malfoy hesitated for less than a second before sitting opposite them. Xander's mouth dropped open.

"This about the stuffed hat again?" Hermione asked.

Malfoy didn't comment as he stuffed a sandwich in his mouth. Hermione saw the banquet that materialized before them and moaned as she did the same.

"Is there something you want to tell me Hermione?" coughed Xander quietly next to her. Hermione ignored her as she speared a few cherry tomatoes and almost gulped them down.

"You going to the ball tonight?" Hermione asked Malfoy between mouthfuls of cheese and celery.

He frowned nodding before he swallowed, dabbed his mouth with a napkin then vocalized "Yeah, it's going to be so dull. Bunch of old fogeys"

"Well you're in luck."

He waited.

"I'm going." She spelled out for him slowly.

"You're going to the Charity Ball?" whispered Xander. "My mother didn't even get an invite!"

"Who's going to the ball?" Scarlett joined them in that timely way of hers before she caught sight of Malfoy and shamelessly stared.

"She is." Xander stressed she in a way Hermione wasn't sure was very positive.

"No way." Nor was that tone from Scarlett.

"You blackmailed some poor event planner didn't you?" Xander accused Hermione.

"If you must know Rosaline's sisters one of the event planners and willingly gave Rosaline two tickets without charge."

"My father's paying a thousand galleons a ticket!" Malfoy exclaimed.

Everyone stared at him not looking one bit sorry for him.

"I'm a filthy rich Malfoy heir la di la" Someone teased dryly.

"Alphard, old boy!" Malfoy boomed pompously slapping Black on his back so hard he sprayed pumpkin juice all over a unsuspecting yawning Lupin.

The whole table roared out laughing. Hermione just picked up her fourth or fifth sandwich and smiled like a Cheshire cat. She hadn't added house unity to the list of priorities but she considered that tick well on it's way.

A.N. Yes I split the chapters. Riddle Sr. just needed his own space to brood I think. Thank you for the review Ms. Black, I'm so glad you enjoyed it coz I tell ya I had so much fun writing it.