Chapter One

"This is NOT happening!" Hermione said angrily to Harry and Ron as she looked down at her Hogwarts letter. The fact that she had just gotten Head Girl would have been exciting, had it not been for the sorry news that she was going to be working and living alongside Draco Malfoy all year.

"I know," Harry sympathized with her. "I can't believe Dumbledore would do something like that to you."

"I'm sure he had his reasons, Hermione, Dear," Mrs. Weasley walked over to Hermione and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

She and Harry, as usual for the past few summers, had been spending it at the Weasleys' house at the Burrow. Hermione really liked it there, and since her parents were currently vacationing in the Ukraine (a place in which Hermione was not interested in going), it had been kind of Mrs. Weasley to let her stay. Now, she only had one week before she was going to have to start sharing things with her and her friends' worst enemy of all time... Draco Malfoy.

"But really, Mum," Ron said, looking over Hermione's shoulder as she reread the letter for the fifth time in five minutes. "It's not fair. I mean, Harry should've gotten it, what with how much he's saved Hogwarts from his past six years."

"You could've easily have gotten it too, Ron," Harry said comfortingly to his best friend. "You get good grades."

At that moment, Ginny Weasly, Ron's sister and Harry's girlfriend came down the steps. "What's going on?"

She walked over to stand next to Harry and received a sweet kiss on her forehead.

"Well, Hermione got Head girl," Ron began.

"That's great Hermione," Ginny said happily for her. But when Hermione didn't respond happily, Ginny asked. "What's wrong with that?"

"The problem, Gin," Harry said, putting an arm around her shoulders, "is that Draco Malfoy is Head Boy, which means they will be sharing train compartments, Head duties, and their very own dormitory."

"Aww," Ginny said, clearly upset for Hermione. "That sucks. So you can't share a dorm with me?"

Hermione sighed. "I guess not."

"Well," Harry wrapped his arms around Hermione who was staring into space sullenly. "Just remember that Ron and I will be happy to take care of him if you can't stand him."

Ron cracked his knuckles menacingly. "It would be our pleasure."

Everyone laughed.

"Yeah, Hermione," Ginny added. "And I'm sure you can have visitors. If it gets unbearable, just call me and I'll come up and keep you company."

"Thanks, guys," Hermione said and looked into the sincere faces of her three best friends.

"Okay now," Mrs. Weasley cut in. "Let's get to Diagon Alley to get supplies."

Relieved that she didn't have to mull over the letter, Hermione followed Ginny, Harry, and Ron up the stairs to change and get their school supplies list for the following year.

When they arrived at Diagon Alley, they all split up from Mrs. Weasley so they could go find their school supplies. Mrs. Weasley was meeting Mr. Weasley for a quick lunch since he had a break at work, and she was certain that they could handle picking out their school things since Harry, Ron, and Hermione were seventeen and Ginny was sixteen.

~*~*~

After getting new robes at Madame Malkins and picking up new potion making supplies, the four headed to Flourish and Blotts to get books. Unfortunately, who should they have found inside, but Draco Malfoy with Crabbe, Goyle, and Zabini.

"Well look who it is, Boys," Malfoy looked up and smirked at the sight of his least favorite people.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny ignored him. Malfoy left them alone and the four went their seperate ways to find different books so their trip inside the book shop wouldn't take so long. Hermione was picking up a book for DADA when all of a sudden she felt someone come up behind her. Instinctively she knew who it was and decided not to turn around. He didn't deserve her attention.

"Heard the news, Granger?" Malfoy drawled.

"That I have to share a room with you?" Hermione clarified. "I'm afraid so."

"This is going to exciting," Malfoy purred.

Hermione rolled her eyes and then spun on her heel so that she was only five inches from Malfoy. She would've backed up, but unfortunately, there was no space left to do so since she already was pressed up against a book shelf.

"I knew I would get you to turn around," Malfoy said suggestively. "I have this way with women. I just... calm them somehow."

"Well, you don't calm me, Malfoy," Hermione snapped back. "You repulse me."

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "I'm not happy about this arrangement either, Mudblood, and my father already tried to change it. Dumbledore wouldn't budge though so I guess we're stuck with each other."

"Aww... Your Daddy didn't come through for you?" Hermione asked. "It's too bad someone as amazingly adorable as you are doesn't get your way whenever you want it.

"So now that we have that established," Hermione continued. "Why don't you go find that hideous girlfriend of yours and get out of my way, you git."

"You better be careful who you're insulting, Mudblood," Malfoy snarled. "I just want to make it clear to you for the thousandth time that I am a Pureblood of the highest lineage and you are simply a filthy Mudblood. Do you understand me?"

"Of course," Hermione smirked. "I understood from the beginning, Malfoy. You explain things so clearly."

"Good," Malfoy said as he spun away from her. "And don't forget it."

After Malfoy left, Hermione leaned back against the book shelf and took a deep, calming breath. It was going to be a challenge learning to live with Malfoy. She wondered if they would ever come to some sort of stiff truce. She wondered if maybe she could run and hide in the Gryffindor common room if things got to be too tough. But then she realized that she would get in way too much trouble for it to be worth it. She shook her head in frustration and sighed.

At that moment, Harry and Ron came striding over with a worried look on their faces. "He didn't try anything, did he?" Ron asked with an angry look on his face.

"No," Hermione took a deep breath.

"Good," Ron said through gritted teeth. "Because if he did, I would kill him."

Hermione gave Ron a hug. "It's okay Ronald. No need to get so drastic."

"Are you gonna be okay, Hermione?" Harry asked, still looking worried.

"Yeah," Hermione gulped and nodded, trying to hide her nervousness. What was she getting herself into? "I'll be fine."

"If you're sure," Harry said, not looking as if he believed her. Fortunately though, he changed the subject and said. "Let's go get some ice cream."

Hermione smiled at that. "That's a good idea. I'll go find Ginny."

~*~*~

The end of summer always flies by quicker than one would want it to, and that was exactly what happened to Hermione and her friends. Hermione had never before dreaded going back for another year at Hogwarts. Unfortunately, her excitement about going back to school was crushed by the dread she felt about having to not only share a train compartment and duties, but also a dorm room for a whole year with Malfoy.

Her memory of what had happened at Flourish and Blotts that one fateful day was still larger than life. It made her even less excited to see Malfoy the next day.

The morning of September first dawned nevertheless, just as morning had dawned all summer. Rays of early morning sunshine were shining into Ginny and Hermione's room when the two girls rose from bed. After changing into a comfortable pair of jeans and a fitted tee shirt for at least part of the way over, Hermione went downstairs to help everyone load up.

As usual, Mr. Weasley had hired some Ministry cars for the ride over and the kids and the Weasley parents rode to the train station in comfort. When they arrived at Kings Cross Station, Mrs. Weasley escorted them all onto the platform nine and three quarters and then sadly said goodbye.

As Hermione got on the train, she wished that she could go with Harry, Ron, and Ginny to find a compartment for the ride over. If she could've gone with them, they would've ridden along talking, laughing, and eating all sorts of sweets. Instead, she had to go to the specially designed Head compartment to meet with Professor McGonagall and, joy of all joys, Draco Malfoy.

She bid her friends good day and then walked to the front of the train, making her way past nervous looking first years and other kids making last minute seating arrangements. By the time she reached her compartment, her heart and head were pounding nervously. The train lurching to a start didn't help her overall wellbeing.

"So you didn't chicken out, Granger," Malfoy smirked as she made her way inside.

"Glad you're still a pompous idiot, Malfoy," she shot back. "I wouldn't know what to do with you."

Malfoy simply smirked.

"So, where's McGonagall?" Hermione asked curtly.

Malfoy shrugged. "How should I know? I'm not her keeper."

Hermione rolled her eyes but kept silent. She'd rather not get in an argument unless it was absolutely necessary. She especially didn't want to get in an argument with Professor McGonagall expected at any time.

A few minutes later, the compartment door opened and McGonagall strode in, looking just as stiff and stern as she always had. "Now, let me get down to business.

"As Heads of the Houses, I presume that you already know that you will have shared duties such as planning Hogsmeade visits and arranging any a number of special events," McGonagall continued. "You will have to escort the first years to their dorms after the Sorting dinner and will also have power to assign detentions and give or take points. You will also be sharing a very nice and special dormitory just for the two of you. Hopefully you two will learn to respect each other and bring interhouse unity to the school."

"Is that all, Professor?" Hermione asked politely.

"Well, actually," McGonagall shook her head. "You are also required to eat at least one meal a day with each other. As things come up throughout the year, I will inform you. After dinner I will show your dorm. Until then, have a good day."

And without another word, Professor McGonagall left the room. Hermione felt like screaming. She had to have a meal with just him every day? This was going to be torture.

"I hope you know how to cook, Granger," Malfoy hissed. "Because you won't see me reduced to doing simple house-elf work."

"Oh, of course, Your Highness," Hermione said mockingly. "Anything you desire will be yours."

"Don't mock me," Malfoy snarled. "Or you'll suffer the consequences."

Hermione narrowed her eyes. "If you even so much as touch me, your life will be on the line, Malfoy."

Malfoy put on a look of fake fear. "Oh, I'm so scared."

Hermione simply glared at him.

~*~*~

Later that night, Hermione was finally sitting with her friends again at the Gryffindor table. She had not only found Harry, Ron, and Ginny, but had also run into some of her other friends such as Lavendar and the Patil twins and had caught up with them. They had congratulated her about the Head Girl honor and had sympathized with her, when she told them who she had been paired with. But unfortunately, they couldn't do anything to fix it, so Hermione still had her inner discomfort to deal with.

"Oh my God," Hermione said frustratedly to Ginny after Dumbledore had introduced the Heads. "He is such a bloody jerk."

Malfoy had made a great show of it when he had been announced, bowing and smirking to all the kids who could see him. To Hermione's great displeasure but not great surprise, the Slytherin table roared with approval.

"Yeah," Ginny shook her head. "I feel very, genuinely sorry for you."

"Thanks, Ginny," Hermione gave her a hug.

The four of them continued to eat and talk as they went. Soon the dessert was gone and it was time to direct the first years to the Gryffindor common room. Confidently, Hermione traced the familiar steps that she had taken for six years up to her beloved Gryffindor dormitory. She believed that she appreciated it even more since she wasn't going to be living in it at all.

Once she was done, Hermione bid one more goodbye to her friends as she went to find Professor McGonagall who was already accompanied by Malfoy. He smirked at her when he saw her. "I was done before you, Granger. Was that job too hard for you?"

"Did you do yours well enough?" Hermione snapped back.

"Now, now, you two," Professor McGonagall silenced them with a harsh word. "This is what I was talking about interhouse unity. You're going to have to learn to live with eachother or the other professors and I will take drastic measures."

Soon they came up to a large set of double doors. Engraved on the left door was a Gryffindor lion and on the right was a Slytherin serpent. "Your password is 'silk stocking', I trust you'll sleep well."

And with that, she turned on her heel and left the two enemies beside each other. Without saying a word to Malfoy, Hermione, said the password and didn't wait for Malfoy to follow behind her.

The dorm that they were sharing was magnificent. It opened up into a grand common room with plush armchairs and a couple couches creating a half circle around a grand hearth. Up a small set of stairs was a doorway that lead into a kitchen that was fully stocked with food that had an anti-aging charm on it. Next to the kitchen was a small dining room table set with just two chairs. Another door lead to a short hallway that ended at a huge bathroom the size of the common room. It had a huge stone inlaid bath tub that had shoots for different kinds of colored soaps, shampoos that came out of jets, a shower big enough for at least three people, a nice sink, and a clawfoot toilet. On the other side of the dorm were the bedrooms that stood directly across the hall from each other. They both had king-sized beds with at least a dozen pillows and huge cushy comforters, a bed side table, a dresser and a desk equipped with extra ink and quills and a night lamp.

Hermione would've thought she had just entered Heaven if it hadn't been for the fact that she was sharing it with Malfoy. "I want this bedroom," Malfoy said as they toured the second bedroom.

"Okay," Hermione just raised her eyebrows. "It looks exactly the same as the first one but whatever."

And that was it for the first night. They each had a turn in the bathroom to bathe and brush and then without a word to each other, they headed to bed. Hermione was glad that they didn't have to have any confrontations. Maybe if she just didn't say anything to him, he would leave her alone. As she lay in bed before she drifted off to sleep, she realized that she had to have a meal with him tomorrow. She groaned but decided not to think about it. Soon, sleep came and enveloped her in it's sweet arms.