Shopping a week later was pure agony. There was tension at first but then Ginny and Pansy hit it off, the other three quickly following behind. In the end they went to almost a dozen shops in Britain, both muggle and wizarding. Hermione had an entirely new wardrobe including dress robes, casual robes, work appropriate robes, casual clothes, undergarments, and even gowns. For what purpose she didn't know but they were all insistent.

She fell into bed, falling asleep before she even made it under the covers, while Pansy talked with Tracey about how to style her hair in the morning.

Sunday morning she woke up to the sound of Ginny in their dorm marveling over the beds.

"Mione! These are ridiculous!"

Hermione groaned shoving her head under her pillow.

It didn't stop the red head, Ginny sat on the bed and tried to shove Hermione awake while Pansy watched from the foot of the bed.

"Hermione Jean Granger, we have work to do, wake up!"

"Go away," she mumbled into the bed, "It's Sunday for Gordic's sake."

"Salazar," Pansy corrected. Looking at Ginny she smirked and shrugged, "We're still corrupting her."

"She's still a Gryffindor at heart," Ginny quipped back before going back to coaxing Hermione from the bed. When she was unsuccessful on her own she instructed Pansy to tickle Hermione's feet with a series of unintelligible hand motions. Pansy got the hints though and attacked Hermione's feet with vigor.

Hermione sat up with a shriek, tucking her feet under her.

"You two," she huffed pushing her hair out of her face, "come on."

"She really isn't a morning person," Pansy smirked once more leaning against one of the bed posts.

"Nope, you'd think she would be with how early she gets up for classes but disrupt her on a weekend and you could loose a toe."

"I am right here," she growled at them as she swung her legs off the bed. "What work do we have to do exactly?"

The wicked grin the two girls shared was enough to send a chill up Hermione's spine. She thought she would regret shopping but in truth she had enjoyed herself to a degree. Mainly because Millie and Tracey took pity on her and shared their drinks from the fancy stores that had the price tags that made her stomach roll. But as Ginny dragged her into the bathroom, she saw Pansy start to riffle through her wardrobe a different kind of panic settled over her.

Meanwhile in the Great Hall, Blaise, Theo, and Draco had taken their seats and eyed Daphne, Millicent, and Tracey oddly.

"Where is Pans and Granger?" Theo asked as he grabbed a few sausage links.

Millicent giggled while Tracey grinned and Daphne answered him, "Pansy is getting Hermione ready with the help of the female Weasley."

"Weaslette is in the dungeons," Blaise mused, "Interesting. How is Granger? She looked dead on her feet when you lot dragged her through the common room yesterday."

"Oh she's exhausted," Millie laughed.

"The champagne definitely helped," Tracey snorted.

"The girl can handle her mimosa's," Millie agreed sending them into peels of laughter.

Blaise arched his neck to check the Gryffindor table to confirm that the Weasley girl was not beside her boyfriend, the Savior of their world. Grinning he took a drink from his goblet.

"Do you girls ever get tired of their dolls?"

"Is that what Granger is now? Pans' living breathing Gryffindor turned Slytherin doll," Theo caught on with a smirk.

Draco felt his lip twitch. He remained quiet during their banter not wanting to give anything away, least of all how his heart was racing at the mere concept of seeing Hermione. His reactions to her still baffled him and he wasn't ready to acknowledge that to himself let alone his friends. Namely Blaise who always seemed to catch onto everything. He was like a mutt scenting a steak that one.

As it was, Blaise saw his best friends small smirk and filed it away, making note to watch his reaction when Hermione entered the Hall.

It was some time later that it finally happened. Being that it was a Sunday students and faculty were coming in and out freely without ceremony. There was no hushed whisper over the room when the three entered, nor when the red head branched off and went to her own table. It wasn't until Theo coughed into pumpkin juice that they noticed the young woman who sat beside Pansy was in fact Granger. Blaise took her in with a raised brow but most intriguing was Draco's reaction, how his ears tipped pink and his adam's apple bobbed before he forced his eyes onto his plate.

Hermione sat beside Pansy, gently rubbing her hands on her dress before moving to fill her plate for breakfast, her lip between her teeth. Pansy tisked at her but she rolled her eyes and didn't release it. She was almost shaking with nervous energy, she could feel everyone's eyes on her. It wasn't much different than usual except now she looking as she did, she felt like an even bigger spectacle.

Pansy and Ginny had chosen a light blue sundress with a silver cardigan and slippers. The dress was simple and modest with a 'u' neckline and a slip of lace about an inch in width showing off the tanned skin of her midriff. Part of the starbust scar on underneath was visible through the lace but not enough to make her self conscious as the majority of the jagged scar was covered by her cardigan. Her hair had taken most of the morning, both of them trying to wrangle it into submission. Pansy had tamed the curls before letting Ginny style it into a cascade of waterfalls confined by a bridge of braids around the back of her head.

Overall her look was standard for most of the young woman and girls in the school but for someone like Hermione who usually only wore baggy sweaters and jeans, it was a sight.

Theo whistled low, "Shit Granger, you are a girl."

Hermione blushed, "Yes, good of you to remember that." Discretely she adjusted her bra, it was new and stiff, digging into her uncomfortably. The action caused her breasts to move drawing Theo's eyes, "Up here Nott," she snarled.

His eyes met hers and he grinned unashamed, "Well if you put on a show you can't expect me not to watch."

Pansy slapped his arm and scolded him while Millicent and Tracey laughed. Blaise for his part was playing along, chuckling like he actually cared but he was busy discretely watching Draco.

Not realizing he was under the microscope Draco let himself cast his gaze to her every few minutes, taking her in. She looked absolutely stunning and as delicate as she'd felt on the train. He hadn't spoken because he knew if he did it might not be able to resist pulling her to him and holding her as he had then just to see if Pansy and Weasley had changed her warm scent.

When he looked away his eyes caught Blaise, his ears instantly warmed knowing he'd been caught.

"Did you have fun?" Blaise sang.

Hermione snorted, "If that's what you want to call it."

Beside her Pansy scoffed, "It was plenty fun. We fixed her up with an entire wardrobe to make any elitist proud." Hermione made a strangled noise, "Oh hush you. Welcome to Slytherin, we have clothing standards which you now fit. Perfectly. And lets not forget the tailoring. They fit you like they were made for you." Hermione rolled her eyes making Theo and Blaise smirk even as Pansy continued, "Salazar you should see her new knickers-"

"Pansy!"

But she went ignored, "And the gowns! Ugh I'm actually a bit jealous. And you said you hadn't gained your proper weight back. The witch is stunning in a garter belt," Pansy loudly whispered to Blaise earning Hermione intrigued looks from both Blaise and Theo while Draco refused to look up from his plate.

"I can't stand you," Hermione hissed, "You forced me to not only try them on and show you but buy them."

"I'm growing on you," Pansy beamed. Looking at the boys she smirked, "Imagine the lucky bloke who gets to see her in those."

Hermione swatted her. "It doesn't help that her and Ginny get along too well," Hermione told them. "They enjoyed themselves too much."

"Ah little Red," Blaise grinned looking over at the Gryffindor table where Ginny was passionately speaking to Ron and Harry, most likely about Quidditch.

Hermione reached over and slapped his hand, "Don't even think about it. She will chew you up and spit you out."

"I hope so."

Grinning she shook her head, returning to her breakfast while Pansy, Millie, and Tracey started to compare their favorite pieces of her new wardrobe.

Hermione absently scratched at her hip while reading the letter the eagle owl had dropped in her lap at lunch. As it were, she had retreated to the common room after eating for some peace. She hadn't slept well the night before and already she could feel the days toll wearing her down. The letter was a welcome distraction. It provided her with a distraction long enough to recollect herself before her next class.

Reacclimating to her new house turned out to be easy enough considering the only real changes were the common room and her housemates. Hermione found an ease with her new housemates that she had originally feared may not happen. It almost felt as natural as her connection with her friends in Gryffindor. She would usually study with Theo, Draco, and Daphne in the evenings in the tables beside the window to the great lake with Pansy and Blaise lounging on the couches. Occasionally a younger year would approach and ask for help but even they usually waited until tutoring hours in the library.

She quickly learned that while they shared a dorm, Tracey and Millicent often spent their time in the Hufflepuff common room. Whereas Pansy, Daphine, Theo, Blaise, and Draco seemed to stick together.

Pansy told her it was their upbringing. At first Hermione had raised an eyebrow at the remark but Pansy had clarified, explaining how the five of them had basically been raised together. They had the same tutors, attended almost every holiday at some kind of ball arranged by one of the families, they often vacationed together, and had rooms at each other's Manors. Pansy had laughed at how Hermione had gapped at that confession. She'd spent her childhood in one bedroom and they each had the equivalent to five, it blew her mind.

To be fair, Pansy and the group of them had been equally baffled when Hermione had explained how muggle primary school worked and where her parent's friends thought she was when she left for the school terms.

The night after their shopping adventure, Hermione was most shocked to find the eighth years waiting for her in the common room. Hermione had spent the afternoon in Gryffindor common room and returned before curfew to find them all sprawled before the fire in their versions of loungewear and a huge chocolate cake on a conjured stand. Apparently, it a long-standing tradition between the friends for every Saturday evening.

And they'd waited for her to get back to share it with her.

The memory still made her smile. The boys had tried to play it off as common courtesy, but Hermione couldn't help but feel truly a part of their group when Draco passed her a slice of cake.

So far each weekend it was a different dessert. When she asked Draco admitted that his elf from home, Darcey, brought it. It was usually a rotation of their favorites but sometimes it was something it was something Darcey cooked up just because. The first chocolate cake had been Theo's favorite, followed by strawberry tart for Blaise and then pecan hot buns for Pansy.

They were a close-knit group and Hermione was honored that they were welcoming her into it. They were such a contrast from what she knew of them growing up through their first six years. Although, if she were honest with herself, the more she watched them laugh and talk or even just lounge together studying, the more she was forced to accept that she never truly knew any of them. She'd come to that realization with her sorting but it still surprised her how, human, they all were. So much like her friends, so much like the Gryffindor students, though she would never tell them that. They would never want to hear it, Gryffindors or Slytherins. That thought made her smile more times than she could count. Especially while watching the boys bicker over quidditch teams or seeing Daphne and Pansy roll their eyes at the occasional pranks.

Right now, she was trying to hide a smirk watching Pansy pinch the back of Blaise's arm for stealing her ink pot when his ran out. Beside her, Daphne lightly shook her head but smirked at Hermione when she caught her eye.

The bell rang signaling the end of class but no one moved given whose class they were in.

From his desk, Snape didn't bother to look at them as his quill moved.

"You're all dismissed. Mister Malfoy, Miss Granger, stay behind."

The two shared a look but continued to pack their bags as their fellow students filed out of the potions classroom. When the heavy door swung shut they approached Professor Snape's desk and simply waited. Professor Snape finished marking, set his quill in the ink pot, and looked up.

"As you were aware the Headmistress decided not to allow you to stay in the Heads Dorms so you, Miss Granger, could better acclimate to you new house. However, in recent weeks she has seen the positive progress you've made and has thus decided to unseal the rooms. You will find the room has two doorways: one from the Slytherin common room, at the end of the hall between your current dorms and the other is off the third floor behind a portrait of Merlin at his desk. The password is amortentia." Picking up his quill he pulled another paper in front of him and began marking, "You're dismissed."

"Sir," Hermione nodded. Draco simply inclined his head and followed her out. In the hallway Hermione looked up at him, "So...new rooms? Do you want to go find the portrait hole?"

"Sure," he shrugged with one shoulder, "I have a free period."

Hermione smirked and shook her head lightly, "I know." And she did. Though they hadn't shared much between them since the year began, they did share pretty much every class.

It took a bit of searching but they found the portrait of Merlin. Hermione thought it was almost comical how he was working just as Professor Snape had been when they left him. When she shared her thoughts with Draco he surprised her with a smirk. Merlin didn't even look up when Draco said the password, the door just swung open obediently.

Inside they stopped in a small kitchenette. The Heads Dorm was remarkable, in Hermione's opinion. She knew from her countless reads of Hogwarts: A History that the room modified itself to fit the house or houses of the Heads. Theirs was almost identical to the Slytherin common room but with more dark grey than black. They both walked deeper into the room to explore, Draco venturing towards a door to the left of the sitting area, Hermione towards the right.

"Bedroom."

"Same here," Draco shot back. With a grin he pointed to the door between the two, "Want to wager that's the bath?"

"Ha," she looked back in the room she was stationed outside of, "Dibs."

"This ones nicer anyway," he jutted proudly making Hermione snort. "And I take it that is the doorway to the Slytherin Common Room," Hermione glance over to see a heavy wooden door beside the portrait hole.

"Sound assumption Malfoy." He smirked. "Shall we move our stuff? Most everyone is in classes still so we can save the explanations for dinner."

"Lets," he motioned to the wooden door, "So did you really save my godfather?"

Taken aback Hermione stalled in the kitchen by the counter where two stools were placed. Malfoy stopped with her, looking down at her innocently. Unable to find her voice she nodded.

"How?"

"I-," she coughed, "I poured potions into him and managed to seal his wound but his heart had stopped."

"So revenegrate?" He looked like he suddenly understood but she shook her head.

"It didn't work. I used CPR," seeing his confused look she smirked, "Cardiopulmonary resuscitation. I breathed for him and pumped his chest, repeatedly until his heart started to beat again. Same thing I did for Fred." Her blush spread below her robes when he continued to stare at her, his eyes slightly wide as he took in her words. "Malfoy?"

He shook himself, "Yes, sorry, I'm just...I've never heard of that."

"It's a muggle practice..." she told him softly.

His eyes widened again, "Ah." She didn't know why but she waited but she did. "So you kissed him?"

Hermione couldn't help the laugh that escaped her or her hand as it reached out to swat his shoulder, "No. Now come on before classes get out and we get bombarded mid-move."

Draco followed her with a wide smirk playing at his lips and with a lightness in his chest at the heavenly sound that had escaped her.

They'd only just finished moving their belongings when the door from the Slytherin common room opened and their friends wandered in, plus Ginny who had her elbow linked with Pansys.

"This is nice! Luck sods," Theo grumbled as he threw himself into the chair nearest him.

"It's alright," Blaise nodded, waggling his eyebrows, "much more private."

"And for that comment alone, I'm locking my room."

He put a dramatic hand over his heart and gasped at Hermione, "I would never come into a lady's room without her explicit invitation."

"I'm thinking more about my bed."

Draco grimaced, "Good thinking Granger. Wards are going up tonight."

Theo and the witches in the room snickered when Hermione nodded seriously, "I have the perfect spell."

"Deal."

"Did you set up your rooms yet?"

Draco shook his head but Hermione answered aloud, "No, we only moved our things over. I actually want to move my bed over, want to help?"

The answering squeal Pansy emitted had Hermione referring the question. Ginny gave her own excited wiggle before pointing between the doors, "Which one?"

Daphne laughed at Hermione's wide-eyed expression but the curly haired witch pointed to the door on the right half of the room. She came over to sit beside Hermione's and patted her leg while the other two witches disappeared. The boys had quietly retreated to Draco's room after having their laughs. Hermione could hear them moving things around, supposedly to get situated. She let herself laugh when she heard glass shatter and Draco curse at Theo to be careful.

"Daphne, Mione, get in here!"

The pair shared an exasperated look but otherwise got up and joined Pansy and Ginny in the chaos of Hermione's room.