The next day at breakfast, the students in the Great Hall saw something they never thought they would see. Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy walked in together talking quietly. When they became aware they would have to separate to go to their House tables, they paused in the centre of the Hall, carrying on their conversation for a few more moments.

It only took those few minutes for the pair to become surrounded by numerous Gryffindors and Slytherins. The Gryffindors obviously led by Ron and Harry, while the Slytherins were following Zabini and Parkinson.

"Hermione" An outside voice cut through Hermione's thoughts. She turned to see an extremely red looking Ron standing behind her.

"Ron?" She was having a huge amount of trouble collecting her thoughts this morning, after having been up almost the entire night before.

"You didn't come back to the Common Room last night. Please don't tell me you were with him?" Harry tried to ask.

"Draco didn't come back either." Parkinsons sugary voice interjected, "I was lonely Drake" She pouted.

"Don't call me that." Malfoy said icily to the girl next to him, shrugging of her arm that was snaking its way around his shoulders.

"So where were you Mione?" Ron said, his voice straining slightly beginning to revel the panic he felt.

"I was in the Heads Common Room with Malfoy." She was cut of before she could finish the statement, by the huge yells from the group that surrounded them. The rest of the Hall looked on in interest, no being able to hear the words that had caused equal outrage from both the Slytherins and Gryffindors.

"Mione?" Harry's voice cut through the yelling, "What's going on?"

"Dumbledore asked me and Granger to organise a Yule Ball. We were getting started on that." Malfoy added helpfully.

"That crap even for you, why would Dumbledore choose you over the Head Boy? Can I have the truth now Hermione?" Harry spat angrily.

"Its true Harry. Dumbledore didn't want it to become Gryff dominated. Lets go and sit down and I'll explain everything." She replied trying to calm the volatile situation.

"Like you have to explain yourself to him" Malfoy muttered darkly.

Harry looked up outraged, "No she doesn't ferret, I just look out for my friends." At this Malfoy snorted and led the Slytherins away.

Sitting down at the table Hermione began to give the Gryffindor seventh years an overview of the situation. When she had finished they all looked much calmer, all but one that is. Harry looked furious.

"Why couldn't Dumbledore have chosen a Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, if he didn't want it to be all Gryffindors." He said, Ron nodding next to him.

"Oh, stop whining Harry." Hermione beginning to lose her temper as well, "If he chose a Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff the Slytherins still wouldn't be included."

"There's a reason for that." Ron muttered darkly.

"Oh, stop stirring it Ron. Malfoy has a lot of influence whether you like it or not. He's is an unpleasant little git, but he's no Death Eater."

By time they reached Transfiguration Ron and Harry weren't talking to Hermione. whilst the rest of the House weren't angry with Hermione, if pushed they would always side with the boy who lived.

Walking into the room, she turned to hear Parkinson's voice cut through the noise. Before she had finished her jibe at Hermione, Malfoy had cut her off,

"Parkinson, shut it, and shift. Granger take her seat." Hermione made her way over to sit next to Malfoy, ignoring the maroon colour Ron was turning.

"You can't sit there" Harry shouted grabbing her arm.

"I assure you she can, and will." Malfoy said lowly standing up.

"Malfoy sit down." Hermione growled not wanting to make the situation worse than it already was, "Harry let go of me now."

Fortunately at that moment Professor McGonagall strode in, "I take it you can all find your seats?" She queried, on eye brow raised, it was moments later met by the other when Hermione went and sat next to Malfoy.

The lesson went surprisingly quickly for Hermione, who wasn't looking forward to being confronted by Ron and Harry at the end. Nevertheless she couldn't help but notice how nice it was being partnered with someone who had actually read the class text and wasn't simply relying on her to get through the course.

Getting up when the bell went she turned to Malfoy, "Why did you do that?" She asked.

"Merlin, do you even need to ask?" He looked surprised. "Did you see the colour Weasel went?"

"It was a rather interesting shade wasn't it." She agreed, "Anyway I'm glad I asked, I was worried you were trying to be nice."

"God no. Why would I do that Mudblood." Malfoy sneered on his way out of the room.

That evening Hermione walked down the familiar corridor to Sirius's rooms. She said the password to the portrait that waved cheerily at her. Entering the room she saw Sirius sitting at his desk scribbling on a piece of parchment. He looked up and grinned.

"I was wondering when you would come and see me. Just so you know I'm under strict instructions from Harry and Ron to talk some sense into you. Just as well I'm no one for following instructions." He greeted her. She grinned, she could always rely on Sirius.

"I guess they told you how I am now a member of the enemy?" She began "Merlin I don't like it anymore than they do, but Dumbledore asked us to work together, so we can at least try. I mean I'm the on Malfoy has been calling a mudblood for seven years. Do they honestly think I have forgotten that?"

"Easy Mi, calm down. You don't have to justify your self. Just know if it gets to much come to me. Yeah?"

She nodded in response. Walking through into the sitting room and lied down on the couch. "It's just I was on edge anyway. Then I had to work with Malfoy. And when I needed my two best-friends they accuse me of spending the night with dat prick."

"You do know Dr Black charges by the hour to listen to your problems? So lets try and find which obscure childhood trauma is responsible for every trouble in your life." Sirius looked down at her.

"Ya what? Hermione looked up confused.

"Quite lying on my sofa, I want to sit down as well." He explained dumping her feet on the floor.

"And you couldn't just say that because?" She led him.

"Because I wanted to take your attention away from the most ridiculous statement of the year."

"Oh and what would that be?" Hermione questioned.

"That you slept with Malfoy. Sorry Mi, but you're a virgin if ever I met one."

"You reckon you can tell just by looking at someone?" She asked sceptically.

"It's a talent." He grinned modestly at her.

"That's wrong Siri. You, no. Sorry I don't know what to say."

"So there is something that Miss Granger doesn't know." He said superiorly.

"Anyway, hate to change the subject from your one, and possibly only talent but."

"Excuse me," He cut her off, "but, I'll have you know that several ladies have made a point about me being very talented in other areas."

"Well I wouldn't know about that, so I wont comment." She pointed out to him.

"Ha," He laughed, "Now your thinking about what I would be like."

"Ha," She retorted, "Now you've just forgotten you're my teacher."

"That I did." He grinned at her, "whoops."

Hermione couldn't help but laugh at him, he didn't seem at all sorry. And she knew as well as he did that to her, Harry and Ron he would always be a friend first and teacher second. At the end of the day what was a little innocent flirting between friends?

Hermione left Sirius's rooms a little later feeling a lot better than she had earlier. At least one of her best friends hadn't deserted her. Walking down the corridor she decided it was too early to go back to the Gryffindor common room, Ron and Harry might be a little difficult to deal with when they realised Sirius hadn't talked sense into her.

Turning and walking to the Heads common room she saw Malfoy leaning against the portrait door, talking to one of the Wizards pictured in it.

"Anything I can help you with Malfoy?" Hermione cut in his conversation.

"Well kind of." He looked at her awkwardly, it was an odd look for him. She didn't think she had ever seen him looking anything other than cocky.

"Come in." She gestured opening the portrait.

"Look, Granger. About calling you a mudblood earlier, well, I didn't mean it. Think of it as a reflex." He said softly.

"No worries pureblood. I just enjoyed working with someone of reasonable intelligence, even if they are a dick." She grinned at him, pleasantly surprised that he had sort her out to apologise, kind of.

"Tell me about it, I usually have to work with Parkinson. The girls a expert when it comes to bitching, but that never really helps with potions."

"Try working with Ron." She retorted, "On second thoughts don't. I doubt you could stand it."

"Yeah," Malfoy began to laugh, "I still remember when he started chucking up slugs."

"That wasn't funny." Hermione scowled, "That was the first time you called me a mudblood."

"Merlin, you remember what it was for?" Malfoy looked shocked.

"Its not the kind of thing you forget." She said quietly turning away.

"Sorry, I didn't know, it hurt you that much."

"Don't give me that bullshit." She shouted turning back to him, "You chose to use that word solely because it is the most hurtful thing you can think of, so at least grow the bollocks to admit it."

Malfoy looked down, then realising by looking down he was looking straight in to the eyes of a very angry Hermione, looked up at the ceiling. Finally he seemed to find what he was looking for and looked down again. There was a guarded look in his eyes and not saying anything he turned and walked out of the room.

A/N: Well there's another chappie done. Hope you approve, if not, then I'm sorry. Lol.

Charlatan

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