A/N: Second Dramione fanfic! I really hope this one is better than the last…

Chapter One: Partners

'Sixth year already, is it?' Hermione thought as she boarded the Hogwarts Express. 'Summer wasn't to long. I wonder what this year has in store for us.' She walked the isle, looking for Harry and Ron; they weren't hard to find. She put her bag overhead and took a seat across from the boys. They both seemed to be deep in a Quidditch conversation.

"I heard there was a new Potions professor this year." She said, cutting into their, pointless, discussion.

"Yeah, I met him over the summer. Professor Slughorn, his name is." Harry said.

"As in, Horace Slughorn?" Hermione asked. "The professor who taught when your parents were still in Hogwarts?"

"Yep, Dumbledore took me to his house to reinstate him as Potions master." Harry said.

"His name is Slughorn?" Ron asked, chuckling.

"Don't be rude, Ronald." Hermione said, firmly.

"Sorry, I just thought it was funny!" He exclaimed.

Hermione scowled at him and he put his hands up in surrender.

The train ride passed slowly for Hermione. The boys went deep into a conversation about Quidditch, again, and she couldn't seem to find Ginny anywhere. She found herself roaming the train, most of the time. She had put on her robes early, so when the train stopped she hopped out as quickly as she could.

She caught the first carriage to the Hogwarts gates, but didn't pay any attention to who else was there. She had berried herself into her favorite book, Peter Pan. She loved this book, because her mother would always read it to her, before bed, when she was little.

She was sucked out of her book when she heard voices. She listened quietly, not putting down her book.

"Do you think they will have a Christmas dance this year?" Asked, the ever so familiar voice of, Pansy Parkinson.

"I, really, don't care." Said, the even more familiar voice of, Draco Malfoy.

"If there is one, we're going together, right?" Pansy asked Draco.

"Erm… Sure, why not?" He said, not sounding very interested in the conversation.

Hermione lowered her book so she could just see their faces, but they couldn't see hers. Draco was looking into the woods, his arm slung across Pansy's shoulders. Pansy was snuggled into Draco's side with a soft smile on her face.

The carriage pulled to a stop and Hermione rushed out quickly, not bothering to put her book back in her bag.

"Was she there the whole time?" Hermione could just hear Pansy ask Draco. But Draco's reply was drown out by the sound of the big front doors of Hogwarts opening.

Hermione rushed in, happy to be out of the uncomfortable situation. She sat down at the, long, Gryffindor table and, as the rest of the students filed in, waited for Dumbledore's speech.

The whole room was silent while Dumbledore made his speech. After he finished, it took a while for everyone to adjust to the sudden change in the mood. Dumbledore has always had that effect on people, but never like this. The Great Hall was quiet until someone decided to break the silence and everyone started to talk.

Hermione headed to bed early, that night, hoping to get an early start the next morning.

As Draco read through his schedule, everyone was slowly pouring out of the common room. He didn't leave the common room until his first class, skipping breakfast.

Draco dreaded the year to come. He knew it would not be an easy one. All alone, with the task he was given? Definitely not going to be easy. But he'd rather be alone than have the company of either of his parents.

His first class was Charms, with the Gryffindors. 'Bloody Gryffindors, always getting in the way.' He thought to himself, as he entered the small classroom.

He sat in the far, trying to avoid attracting any attention. Professor Flitwick started to explain what they would be covering this year and how it would all work. Draco, ignoring him, sat back in his chair and tried to clear his mind.

"Okay," Professor Flitwick started. "Now for this years partners. As always, it will be intermixed, one Gryffindor and one Slytherin to each pair."

The whole class groaned. They all hated each other.

Professor Flitwick started naming off the pairs and Draco did not pay any attention until he heard his name.

"Mr Draco Malfoy and Ms Hermione Granger." Flitwick said, startling the whole class.

Draco sat up straight and opened his mouth to protest, but the Professor caught him before he could, "No, I will not let you switch partners. I put you two together so that maybe you would work out your differences."

"But—" Hermione started.

"No, Ms Granger. That is my final answer." Flitwick said.

Draco groaned and sat back in his chair once more. They heard no more from Hermione and they both rushed in different directions, once class ended.

'Definitely not going to be an easy year.' Thought Draco, heading to Defense Against the Dark Arts, that was, luckily, not with the Gryffindors.

Hermione had not been happy about getting paired with Draco, but it was the first day and she wasn't going to let it bring her down. Her second class, Care for Magical Creatures, had just ended and she was now headed to Potions. With the Slytherins…

She took her seat next to Harry and Ron and waited for class to begin.

"Hello, students." Professor Slughorn said. "I assume, since Professor Dumbledore introduced me, you all know my name."

The class nodded.

"First thing we are going to do is pair you up. Now, the person you are paired with will be your partner for the rest of the semester. You will be put with a different partner unless you prefer the one you get."

The class nodded, again.

Slughorn started naming off pairs and, as he did, the students moved to their new spots. Hermione was last to be paired.

"And last, but certainly not least, the two top students from last year, Ms Hermione Granger and Mr Draco Malfoy." The Professor said.

They both groaned. Everyone stared as Hermione made her way to the back to sit at Draco's table.

"Malfoy." She greeted him.

"Granger." He replied.

The rest of Potions was torture. Draco and Hermione didn't say another word to each other. The stares people gave them, probably wondering why they weren't screaming at each other.

After Potions, Hermione had Arithmacy and so did Draco… Hermione's favorite class and he had to sign up for it. Though, they both sat at opposite ends of the room, just ones presence repelled the other.

Another class of the teacher explaining the year and pairing up this years partners. Guess what! Hermione and Draco were paired together again… She could've sworn the teachers had it out for her. They all knew she and Draco hated each other.

As soon as class was over, Draco bolted straight out of the room, not even taking a second glance back. Hermione saw him and ran after him, knowing the subject was better discussed sooner than later.

"Malfoy!" She yelled after him. Once she caught up to him, she said, "You do know that they expect us to study together."

"Expecting and requiring are two different things, Granger." He said.

"Yes, well, nothing is ever going to get done if we don't." She said.

He rolled his eyes and sped up.

Hermione quickened her speed to keep up with him. "Look, it's not like I want to be paired with you for all these classes, but we will have to communicate some time, Malfoy." She said.

"Yeah, well, not now, Granger. I'm not in the mood." He said.

"And, why do I get this feeling that you'll never be 'in the mood'?" She asked.

"Because I won't." He said. She slowed down, finding her pursuit pointless, and let him disappear around the corner.