Chapter 1

It was the day before the first day of term. Hermione Granger was standing in her living room with her parents getting ready to floo to the University of Witchcraft and Wizardry to begin her third and final year of university. She was looking forward to this year especially because it indicated the end of the educational part of her life and the beginning of her career life. She was studying to become a healer.

Not more than a week ago Hermione had received an official letter from her university telling her of the new rules for accommodation. It seemed that there were a lot of new registrations to the university but a funny twist of fate had resulted in there being more boys than girls. Usually the school was divided into two, there being a girls dorm and a boys dorm. However due to the recent circumstances the dorms will now be mixed. And as luck would have it, Hermione Granger's new room mate would be none other than Draco Malfoy.

Hermione had known that Draco was in her university. She even knew that he was studying to become a curse-breaker for Gringotts. She had seen him numerous times around campus, all the time with a different girl on his arm cooing over him. It was sickening!

The majority of the week had passed with Hermione seething and endlessly complaining to her parents about Draco Malfoy. In the end her parents had reminded her that life wasn't served in a silver platter and that she needs to get used to the idea because she would be spending a whole year in close proximity with Draco. After that Hermione had spent the rest of her time at home feeling embarrassed about her immaturity but her parents would never make her feel inadequate.

Hermione's best friends Harry Potter, Ron and Ginny Weasley were not continuing their education instead choosing to begin their careers. Harry and Ginny were blissfully happy and married. Harry had waited patiently for Ginny to finish her education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry before proposing. Ginny hadn't hesitated for even half a second before accepting his marriage proposal. Ron had been working at the Ministry of Magic with his father, Arthur and brother, Percy. After the war Ron and Hermione had tried to have a relationship however they had not been as successful as Harry and Ginny. They had bickered a lot and in the end decided that it would be best to remain friends before their friendship would be dented by their relationship.

"Oh Hermione!" said Hermione's mother, Jean. This had been the case every year. Her mother would get so attached to her daughter during the summer holidays that she would weep without end before she left.

"Come now dear, we don't want to upset her just before she leaves now do we?" Hermione's dad, the sane one of her parents, Richard, gave his wife a reassuring hug and smiled apologetically at Hermione who by now had gotten used to her mother becoming like this just before she left.

Hermione quietly walked up to her mother and gave her a bone crushing hug. Jean sobbed even louder and did not calm down until her husband patted her on the shoulder and said in a disapproving voice:

"Come now Jean. You'll upset Hermione!"

"Oh I know, I know," Jean mumbled. "I'm sorry darling. I just hate it when you leave," she sniffed.

"I know mom. But don't worry I'll be back before you know it for Christmas," Hermione said brightly.

Upon catching sight of the clock on the wall Hermione realized that she only had 15 minutes left before she was to floo to her dorm building. She shrunk all of her baggage and placed them in her pocket. She gave her mother (who was silently sobbing now, obviously trying to rein the tears in) and father a big hug and a peck on the cheek.

"Goodbye sweetheart. Send us a letter when you are settled in," her father said cheerfully.

"Bye sweety," her mother said finally managing to control her tears and smiling proudly at Hermione.

Hermione grabbed a handful of floo powder and threw it into the fireplace. The flames instantly became green and she stepped into them. With a final wave she yelled "Dorm 212!"

Draco Malfoy was busy packing, leaving it for the last minute as always. His mother and father were downstairs in the sitting room. After the war, his family had decided on changing their lifestyle completely. It was after realizing that everything that they supported had nearly resulted in them all dying that brought on this new change.

They had sold Malfoy Manor and had bought a humble home in Cambridge. They lived peacefully among muggles, even if they didn't interact with them, though Lucius was starting to get a bit of a soft spot for the old couple that lived next door to them.

Narcissa had recently taken up knitting and she was doing it all the muggle way. Strictly no magic! She had been endlessly knitting jumpers, blankets even socks for her son and husband. She had of course been taught by the little old lady, Mrs Jeserna, from next door.

Lucius had become addicted to football. He had never seen something as fascinating. Not even quidditch could measure. He was a huge fan of West Ham United and could be seen often yelling at the TV for the players to "Pass the FUCKING ball!"

Draco had been living a much more peaceful life since the war had ended. Albeit some sacrifices on his part, but now is not the time to mention them.

Draco, just like Hermione, had received his official letter from their university, letting him know of his new living arrangement with Hermione. At first he had been most displeased. He did not, repeat did not! want to live with Hermione. She was no fun. All she did was study and what else? oh yeah study.

After thinking about it however, he felt more and more ashamed of the way that he had treated her and her friends during their years at Hogwarts. He had seen her numerous times on campus but he had not been in a situation suitable enough to actually apologize. Or something like that.

Thinking about him not being in a suitable situation reminded him of the many many girls that he had been with. He had come to a decision during the summer that he wasn't going to have just meaningless sex with the girls on campus but try and find someone that he could think about a future with.

Hahahaaa he thought actually laughing out loud at that thought. The day that Draco Malfoy settled down would be the day that Voldermort became a sweet little old man.

He loved being the playboy. He definitely had the looks and swagger to get any girl that he wanted. His trademark blonde hair was no longer stuck to his head, which was the style that he had fashioned during his Hogwarts years. They were tussled in an attractive way without any amount of gel so that they would feel soft to the touch. His silver-grey eyes gave the impression that he could see through to the other person's soul. Many many girls had fallen victim to those eyes. And last, his athletic build that he had gained from a muggle love of his own, which is going to the gym.

Working out had become a passion for him. So intense was it that he went almost everyday and stayed for 3-4 hours a day. His arms had filled out along with his chest, while his legs had become strong and muscled.

"Draco! You're going to be late!" came his mothers shout from downstairs.

Draco straightened up from his kneeling position on the floor, trying to find his sock that seemed to have a mind of its own and gotten lost under his bed somewhere. With a huff, he grabbed his wand and made everything fall neatly into his suitcase and shut it with a snap.

"Draco!" yelled his mother again.

"I'm coming!" he replied.

Grabbing his case, he quickly climbed down the stairs and found his parents waiting for him in front of the fireplace.

"Sorry, couldn't find my socks," he said sheepishly.

"Well, why didn't you say darling, I've got a pair knitted right here," she said and actually pulled a pair of socks with snitches on them, from her knitting bag and gave them to Draco.

"Uh, thanks mom," he said not really knowing what to say about his mother's new found hobby.

"Your welcome son. Now when you get to school, send me a letter, let me know you're safe ok?" she fussed.

After years of living with the woman, he knew that the easiest way to deal with her was to go along with her.

"Yes mother," he said.

"Come now Narcissa. He's not a boy anymore. Our son is 20 years old for goodness sakes. Leave the boy be- oh come on you toss pot! I could have done that with me bleedin' eyes shut!"

Another thing that Draco had gotten used to was his father getting sidetracked by football. At first it used to make him jump out of his skin. Now? He just rolled his eyes.

After giving his mother a hug, who hugged him so hard, she could have broken his ribs had she not been so skinny he walked towards his father who managed to tear his eyes away from the TV (another muggle contraption that he had grown quite attached to eventhough at first he was horrified by anything to do with muggles) and gave his son a swift hug and an awkward pat on the back.

He stepped into the fireplace after throwing some floo powder into it and yelled "Dorm 212!"

Hermione had immediately grabbed the bed on the left and started putting her things away when she heard the floo activate in the corridor just outside her door. And sure enough just a few seconds later, Draco Malfoy walked in pulling a suitcase with him.

Hermione stopped putting her clothes away and turned to him. Draco carried on pulling his case in and only turned to look at her when he managed to pull it to next to his bed.

"Granger," he said neutrally.

"Malfoy," she replied and turned to continue putting her clothes away. Draco had to admit that she had definitely grown into a very pretty 20 year old. Her hair was now tamed and no longer bushy but curled stylishly. She had curves in just the right place and the tight skinny jeans that she was wearing most definitely improved said curves. Her face, even though it didn't contain a single stitch of make up was sweet and innocent.

She may hate him, but she was a girl and she couldn't deny that Draco Malfoy was, there was no other word for it, handsome.

"So, ready for the last year Granger?" he asked.

"Yeah I suppose. You?"

"I've been waiting for this day since I started this bloody university," he mumbled.

If Hermione had not heard from people that talked about Draco that he was crazy in love with his department, she would have believed his nonchalant tone.

"Oh come on. Everyone knows you love what you do," she said smirking.

"Could have fooled you though," he said with his back to her.

Hermione shook her head and continued to arrange her cupboard. A few minutes passed in complete silence but surprisingly it wasn't hostile.

A cough from behind her startled Hermione and she turned to find Draco standing next to his bed looking at the floor sheepishly.

"Uh.. Listen Granger, I know I've always acted like a complete ass to you and your friends," he said so quietly that Hermione had to strain to completely hear what he was saying, "well I just wanted to say..I..just..I'm..I'm..."

Normally she would have yelled "WELL SPIT IT OUT THEN!" but this time she remained silent patiently waiting for Draco to say what he had to say.

"I'm sorry," he said, this time looking straight into her eyes.

Hermione was at first shocked into silence. But quickly this silence left her and she was ready to laugh in his stupid face. That was however, until she saw the sincerity written all over his face.

"I know I was a real ass and I don't deserve to be forgiven but seeing as we will be seeing each other for the majority of nearly everyday I think that we should start on the right foot and let by gones be by gones and start fresh," he said and he took a tentative step towards her.

Hermione was one to always forgive and forget. Marking his behavior during their time at Hogwarts as childish bullying she smiled up at him and he reached out his hand for her to shake. She shook it and realized that Draco Malfoy may not be so bad after all. Though it will be a long time before she'll be able to completely forget the way his face would sneer when he called her a mudblood.

But then again, nothing like a new start, right? What's the worst that could happen?

Authors Note: Hello everyone. Hope you enjoyed the first chapter. I'll really appreciate reviews. Go easy on me lol.. I haven't abandoned "Heading For Trouble" I will finish that at some point but I got a really good idea for a new story and have just left it for a while. I'm waiting for a brainwave to come so I can finish that soon..Anyway I hope you enjoy my new story..Let me know what you think

Xxx

harRyY