Hermione looked up from her textbook for the third time and sighed. Honestly, Harry and Ron had been prattling on about Quidditch for the last hour and a half, ever since they'd gotten onto the train. Didn't they have anything else to talk about?

Setting down her book, she stood up and straightened out her clothes.

"I'm going for a walk," she announced. A dismissive wave of the hand was her only answer. Quietly, she slid open the compartment door and slipped out into the hallway.

She walked aimlessly for a little while, ignoring all of the younger years who stopped to stare at her. She'd gotten used to it after the dust had settled from the final battle. After all, Harry Potter and his two friends were some of the most pivitol people in the war. After about twenty minutes, she decided it was time to head back to her own compartment and settle in for the rest of the train ride. She wasn't expecting to run into someone as soon as she turned around.

"I'm sorry about that," she said automatically. She looked up into the face of the person she'd run into and her eyes widened a fraction. The person was Draco Malfoy.

Draco didn't have Crabbe and Goyle anymore, nor did it matter. They were useless to him from the beginning. He'd exited his seat, looking for someone... ANYone to talk to. The blond was realizing quickly when you're son of a death eater, one who died killing everyone's best friends, well, you tend to get shunned.

He was walking to the Head Boy's cart, hoping no one had wandered anyone, especially whoever the Head Girl was. He saw a headfull of brown hair and immediately started to spin before the girl had turned and ran into him. His quick get-away had been an utter failure.

"It's alright, m- Granger." They had had a moment previously in the last year, all of them did. Everyone in their little group knew he was just a pawn in the bigger plot for Voldemort. He sighed and bit his lip. "Sorry I got in your way." He moved so the girl could pass by him and he could continue to his cart.

Well, at least he was being civil to her, that was something. In fact, he was being downright... polite. For some reason, it unnerved her. He wasn't his usual better-than-thou self. She looked at him again. The same cool gray eyes, the same frosty blonde hair, the same unfairly nice skin... A glint of gold flashed on his robes, catching her attention. A Head Boy badge.

"So you're the Head Boy," she said softly. "Then it seems we'll be working together quite a bit this year." Reaching into her jeans' pocket, she pulled out a bright new Head Girl badge. After that, an awkward silence stretched between them. She fished around for something to say that was in neutral territory.

"Was your summer alright?" she finally asked.

"We may be working close together Granger, but right now, the least I need is you and your friends inquiring on a summer I'm sure you can guess how badly it went." He said and bowed his head. "Will you please remove yourself out of my way? I am only trying to be alone for a bloody minute!" He said and sighed.

It was an utter lie, he didn't want to be alone. He wanted to be with someone, but not her. He could feel the resounding punch still today. And the fact that they both had ended up on opposite sides of a war and him changing over last minute... They weren't meant to be pleasant to each other, to be nice! They were still enemies, just they were now playing for the same team.

How sad was that? And he figured she would be the Head Girl, as long as she didn't go into their train cabin for the entire ride home he would be happy. He heard a cart door open and sighed as he saw red hair poking out. Could he ever get a BREAK!?

"Well excuse me for trying to be nice," Hermione snapped back indignantly. "Forgive me for thinking that talking civilly to you would be better than listening to Ron and Harry talk about Quidditch the entire ride."

The nerve of him! Here she was, trying to strike up perfectly civil conversation, and he had to go back to being his smarmy, infuriating self! Well, that's what she got for trying to be nice to Malfoy, of all people. He probably wouldn't know how to be nice if the intent bit him in the arse!

Turning around, she was about to head back to her compartment when the door slid open to reveal Ron. Hermione could see the gears in Ron's head instantly start to turn, bringing him to the wrong conclusion.

"I was just coming back, Ron," she told him.

Ron in fact DID already have his wheels turning, wondering why the hell his girlfriend was talking to Malfoy of all the bloody people in the world! "Was he bothering you?" The Weasley boy inquired and Draco laughed.

"I didn't need to bother her, Weasley. She runs into the things she can't handle!" He said and wondered why the hell he was acting like this. He wanted someone to talk to. Not people to fight with, which happened to be his normal way of dealing with people who are being an arse or being nice.

He didn't really have a two way gesture. He didn't know how to be accomidating. He slid past the two towards the Head Boy cart, getting there, he laid down on the seat and fell asleep. Meanwhile, Ron was fuming, making his skin match the color of his hair. "What were you doing with him, Mione?" He demanded, wanting to know what the hell was going on out there.

"Calm down, Ron," Hermione said. "I happened to run into him on my way back, that's all." 'Which is when he decided to be a complete git,' she added to herself. She sat down with an air of finality, indicating that the subject was closed.

Picking up her book again, she cracked it open to the page she closed it at. Try as she might, however, she wasn't able to focus on the words. She realized the third time she read the same line that she wasn't going to get any reading done. She checked the time, and realized that they would be arriving at Hogwarts in less than an hour. Quickly, she took out her robes and went to change.

Thankfully, this time she didn't run into Malfoy again. In fact, she didn't see him again until the welcome feast, all the way across the Great Hall. She told herself it was for the best; after all, if he was going to be such a rude git, she didn't want anything to do with him.

Draco ended up being shunned to the front end of the Slytherin table. After the ceremony (And a heartfelt greeting to those who couldn't join the festivities last year), Draco stood, pissed. He started out of the hall when he was stopped by McGonnagle. He looked over and rose an eyebrow.

"Yes?"

"I understand Mr. Malfoy that you are not thrilled to be back at Hogwa-"

"Thrilled!? You expect me to be thrilled? I am being shunned left and ri-"

"Now do not be a hypocrite young Malfoy." This shut Malfoy up. He had shunned people. Everyone really. He sighed and bit his lip. "Alright, I'm sorry Min- McGonnagle." He said and stuck his hands in his pockets. He glanced over at 'The Trio' and rolled his eyes. How could he have even thought there was a spark of sincerity between Hermione and him? He laughed at his ridiculous mindset. No... Nothing would ever change. "Goodnight Headmaster." He said and turned, heading towards the Slytherin dorms.

Hermione watched as Malfoy was forced to take a seat at the end of the table. It was logical, she supposed... After all, he had sided with the Light, and most of his housemates had parents who had sided with the late Dark Lord and were killed. She wasn't surprised when he got up and left the table, but she WAS surprised when the Headmistress stopped him at the door. While she was too far away to make out what was being said, she could tell that Malfoy was getting steadily more angry before a sharp scolding from Professor McGonagall quickly chastised him. Moodily, he slunk out of the Great Hall.

"I think I'm going to turn in early tonight..." Hermione found herself saying as she stood. She heard Ron say something in reply, but wasn't listening as she left the table. She hurried out into the corridor, and spotted Malfoy's retreating form. He wasn't far ahead of her, which made it easier to catch up to him.

"You don't have to go through things alone, you know," she heard herself say. Her voiced seemed to echo in the empty corridor around them.

Draco stopped and immediately registered the voice as Hermione's. "I'm not going THROUGH anything. So what is there that I'm alone in?" He said quietly, and even then it echoed off the walls. He continued walking and sighed, coming to the portrait of the fruit. He tickled the sweet item and the door opened. "Are you coming or not, Gr- Hermione?" He asked and entered the room.

Of course the house elves were busy with the Feast but two of them were accommodating enough to run to Draco. He kneeled down and smiled. "Tea and cookies?" He asked and one of them nodded. He turned towards the brunette and sighed. "Don't start with the spew crap. Trust me, I'm all for it. But house elves like this. They live for it. I'm making them happy." He said as he walked towards the chairs and table, sitting down and waiting.

"Well... I guess I'm alone now." He said to the empty chair sarcastically.

Slightly surprised, Hermione followed him into the kitchens. He'd called her by her name. He was being civil again, as well. She wondered idlly if hell had frozen over before he knelt down to talk to the house elves.

Her knees went weak when she saw the smile he gave to the house elves. He had the most amazing smile, and it wasn't even directed at her! She was so flustered that she almost missed his next statement.

"You encourage house-elves to be happy?" she asked, surprised. Now she was sure hell had frozen over. Then she remembered that Dobby had once belonged to the Malfoy family. "What about Dobby?"

Malfoy sighed and glanced over at Hermione and shook his head. "Dobby was ordered to never take orders from me. If he did, he would be forced to send electronic surges through himself." He said and sighed. "And so, if I ever asked a thing from him and he complied... he hurt himself. One day I told him to hurt himself sometime that day. Well, you know how he is... was... And he was so confused by this he stuck his head in the oven and I was the one to pull him out of it."

He bit his lip. "I was sadistic, and cruel. But he was overcompensating. After that night he would sneak me foods when I was in my room. I didn't live a perfect life either. But..." He saighed and rolled his eyes. "Me and Dobby understood each other." He said and crossed his legs.

"How mad is Weasley going to be knowing you ran away from him?" He asked and rose an eyebrow as the tea came out. An entire steaming pot and two glasses with ice in them, three trays of cookies following.

Hermione sat down as Malfoy ('Draco,' her mind whispered) told her about Dobby. Malfoy seemed different now. Almost... nice. She frowned slightly when he mentioned not having an easy childhood, and then berrated herself for assuming he had. Perhaps she'd assumed so because he was from the richest pureblood family in wizarding Britain. Well, she'd have to rethink that assumption.

She sighed when he asked about Ron.

"Ron will probably explode, like always... You know how easily riled he is, he doesn't exactly hide what he thinks he feels." She sighed again. "Honestly, I don't think he really understands me. He just likes the idea of being 'with' me."

"He's just a boy Hermione. If any of us didn't grow out of our immature stages, it's him. Of course, if he has been 'with' you. That can lead to whole other thing of immaturity." He said as he poured her a cup of tea as well as himself. "No offense of course, I just figured there must have been something extraordinary about the dunce seeing as 'the brightest witch of our year' chose him over possibilities that seemed more normal. More your type?"

He grabbed a cookie and smirked as he thought about it. When the announcement was made it was one of the only times Draco had laughed and still been confused. The two of COURSE were going to get together, as well as Harry and Ginny. That was just how it was supposed to work. They were there for each other. But, it wasn't RIGHT. Hermione was far too intelligent for the Weasley and to be honest. She couldn't hand;e being with so little for a long time. It would drive her crazy, Draco was sure.

He glanced up at the brunette and sighed. "So why do you feel the intent of making sure I'm not alone? You really did confuse me?" Now that he thought about it, Hermione WAS the most confusing woman in the wizarding world. All muggles were confusing, oh wait.... That explained it.

"That's the second time you've called me by my first name," Hermione couldn't help but point out. With a small, habitual 'thank-you', she took the cup of tea he offered her. "And to be perfectly honest, if I have to listen to him prattle on about Quidditch much more, I'm going to hex someone." She sighed. "I guess I just thought that the sweet innocence that he has would be enough to make up for everything else."

'Perhaps your type is the one sitting next to you,' her mind whispered traitorously. Quickly, she banished the thought.

"I wasn't deliberately trying to be confusing," she said. Softer, she continued, "The war took its toll on all of us, so everyone should at least have someone to talk to who knows what it was like, to some extent."

"I noticed. It's uncommon, and I really need to stop it." He said and bit his lip as he thought about it. Why did he continuously call her Hermione? It was her name yes, and it sounded a hell of a lot better than Granger. That sounded horrible and he couldn't believe he'd chosen her surname and mudblood for the past eight years to call her by. "I'm sorry if you don't like your first name, Jane." He said, teasing her with her middle name. "That's your middle name, correct?" He asked and leaned back in his chair as comfortable as he could possibly get.

"And you are the only person to..." He sighed and looked down. "The war took a toll on us all, and we all lost a fair amount of people dear to us. I loved my parents, no matter how evil they were. And... Snape. I'm not sure I belong in Hogwarts no matter what side I've chosen to be on. I have nothing left here that will make me feel like I'm home." He said and then slowly he began to rip pieces of a cookie and slide them past his lips with no urgency. He just wasn't sure what to say anymore.

"Oooh, I hate my middle name, it's so plain," Hermione responded. "And I can't even call you by yours because I don't know what it is!" Picking up a cookie, she nibbled at it as she listened to him talk. She could hear the stress and sorrow in his voice as he spoke, and to her surprise, it made her want to comfort him.

"The Weasleys lost some of their own," she remarked. "You remember the twins, they were the ones who set off the fireworks during exams in fifth year. Fred was killed in the final battle. George always says that at least Fred died the way he always wanted to: laughing." She smiled fondly at the memory of the Weasley Twins' fireworks. "They have an entire drawer to themselves in Filch's filing cabinet, you know."

"I didn't get to see it. I was working. For Umbridge, remember? She had me patrolling. I heard it was a great show and Peeves went all out." He said and sighed, thinking about the two. "I did know them, they played their tricks on me as well. They were doing their thing, and they did it well. They were sneaky about it, and brave. I'm just glad I wasn't the one to kill him." He said and smiled sadly.

"I've been terrible though. And... I don't want to be like my dad. And if I start... being how I was... I'm so close..." He said and stood. "So I will see you in class, probably potions, just like every year. Have a good night, Granger." He said and headed to the door. "Thank you for making sure I'm not alone. And I'm sorry in forewarning for the issues Weasley will give you tonight. And I like Jane, it's innocent but not. Very like you." He said and opened the door.

"My middle name by the way? Jericho-Luciatus. Please, never repeat that." He said and stepped through, heading to his bedroom.

Bidding him a good night as well, Hermione left the kitchens and headed for Gryffindor Tower. She was certain it was well past curfew, so she made sure her Head Girl badge was in view. Being friends with Harry and Ron for so long made her appreciate having something that allowed her to get around the rules without breaking them.

Her feet already knew the way to the tower, allowing her mind to wander. He liked her middle name? Even Ron disliked her middle name, though his reasoning is because she shared a middle name with that horrid Umbridge. But Draco had actually said he liked it.

Hermione realized with a start that she'd called him Draco, and not Malfoy. She rolled his first name around in her head. Somehow, it felt natural to call him Draco. She grinned to herself. She would have to call him Jericho-Luciatus sometime, though. Just once.

With a murmured password to the Fat Lady, she went into the common room, only to come face-to-face with Ron.

The Weasley was furious and had been pacing the room. "WHERE exactly have you been?!" He asked and Harry and Ginny looked up from the couch with wide eyes. Ron stepped foreward and grasped Hermione's hand. "Sweety tell me why you ran out? Who were you with?!" He asked, jerking on her hand. "I can't lose you 'Mione." He said, his heart still hurt from his brother dying.

"Ron." Ginny said and moved to stand up. Harry gently pulled her back. Better not get in the way with a distraught male. Ron ignored them and just glared at his girlfriend. "We were supposed to come here and have a small welcome back party with everyone. Everyone kept asking where Hermione was and you know what? I couldn't give them a damned answer! What am I supposed to do when they think I can't even keep tabs on my girl?"

**

Meanwhile Draco was slipping into the dormitories. He'd made it through the common room with only 5 sneering comments. As soon as he made it to the dorm he'd be sharing with the current 7th and... 8th years. There was only two others from last year. Quiet, reserved males who kept their head dopwn. He never took the time to meet them. He saw them already in their beds and he moved to his own bed and opened his trunk.

He pulled out pajama pants and stripped, slippign the clothing on. He laid down on his bed.

Why had he been so... Caring? It wasn't like him, even being 'new Draco' he wasn't looking to make friends with HER. She was more of an arch enemy than Harry at points. She was the only one with the guts to give him a decent right hook. She was the brave one in the trio.

He guessed, that on some level, he had an admiration for that. Tears silently rolled down his cheeks as he laid in bed, the curtains shut, he was secluded. But not alone. Not tonight.

Hermione steeled herself. She'd been expecting something like this, and years of breaking the rules with Harry and Ron himself were probably what made her flash her badge at him.

"Ron, calm down. You know I'm Head Girl this year," she said, trying to soothe his anger. "I was just making my rounds to make sure there were no lost first years or students breaking curfew. I'm sorry I missed the welcome party, I'm sure it was great." Suddenly, she felt tired. Ron seemed overly loud and controlling compared to Draco's quiet influence. The two were as different as the sun and the moon, and Hermione was finding the sun to be harsh and demanding.

"I should have told you I was going to make my rounds, I admit," she added quickly. "But I did tell you that I was leaving the feast early."

Ron gave a furious growl, let go of her wrist not realising he'd left a pale mark on her skin and he stormed off towards the dorms. Harry rose an eyebrow and sighed. "Ignore him 'Mione. He's having a rough time." He said and Ginny nodded. "Go to sleep, you'll need it. You've got classes in the morning!" He said and laughed lightly.

Ginny kissed Harry goodnight and went upstairs and looked back, waiting for Hermione. They DID share a dorm now.

**

(Skipping to the morning for Draco. Ginny and Hermione can still talk)

"Malfoy! Get your arse up and out of bed!" He felt the bed move as the curtains were thrown open around the bed. "Don't know why I even try being nice, you're justa trait-" Draco's eyes opened with a piercing blue eyes glare.

"I'm not a traitor. Go. Away." He said and the 7th year grumbled something and stormed off, pissed. Draco hadn't been asleep. Or not really. He'd been resting on the fact he wasn't alone anymore. Or at least, he didn't have to be. So he'd been in and out of a dreamstate all night.

He didn't feel like eating breakfast, instead he got out parchment and wrote a quicknote, whistling for an owl. A small, scrawny owl came to the window and he smiled, checking that no one was around.

-J-
Patrol tonight. 8. Great Hall.
-J.L.-

"Send this to Hermione Granger." He said, knowing she was probably sitting down in the Great Hall awaiting breakfast. He just didn't feel up to being shunned that morning. He would grab a snack on the way to classes.

Hermione rubbed her wrist where Ron has gripped it. She could tell immediately that it would bruise, at least faintly, and sighed. She couldn't understand why Ron was so upset. At least she hadn't said anything about Draco. THAT would have really set Ron off. Shaking her head, she started up the stairs to the seventh-year girls' dorm. Perhaps things would cool down by morning.

Up in the dorm, Hermione didn't get far before she was cornered by Ginny.

"So? Spill. Where were you really?" the petite red-head demanded. Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Who said I was anywhere?" she asked.

"So you WERE somewhere else!" Giny crowed. Hermione groaned slightly. Damn Ginny and her tricky brothers teaching her things. Looking around quickly, she made sure none of the other girls were eavesdropping before pulling Ginny onto her bed and closing the curtains. Then she cast a Silencing charm on the curtains and turned back to Ginny.

"If you repeat any of this, I will hex you so hard that even Madame Pomfrey would have a hard time fixing it," Hermione threatened. Ginny nodded, grinning wickedly. Lowering her voice, Hermione quickly recapped what had gone on in the kitchens.

"You were with Malfoy?!" Ginny gasped. "Ron would go completely off his rocker if he knew!"

"Which he won't," Hermione stressed. Ginny nodded quickly.

"I promise not to tell a soul," she said. Before Hermione could do anything else, Ginny slipped past the curtains, leaving her alone. Sighing, she took down the Silencing charms and went to sleep.

***

Breakfast seemed to come unusually early the next morning. Hermione was seriously considering asking Madame Pomfrey for something to help her wake up when a small, scruffy-looking owl landed in front of her with a note. Curious, her took the note and read it.

At first, she was confused. J and J.L.? She almost thought that the own had gotten the wrong person when it dawned on her. Jane and Jericho-Luciatus. She marvelled for a moment. That was absolutely ingenious. Looking up, she scanned the Slytherin table for the familiar gray eyes and blonde hair. As soon as she met his eyes, she took out a quill and wrote a message back.

J.L.-

Eight it is. Brilliant idea, too. (here, she had drawn an arrow pointing at his middle initials)

See you this evening.

-J

Giving the owl a bit of toast, she asked it to take the note back to its sender, careful not to say 'Draco Malfoy' out loud, lest she be overheard by Ron.

Then she felt a little guilty. She was sneaking around behind her boyfriend's back. Then she glanced at the bruise on her wrist and shook the guilt off.

Draco was quick to get in and out of the hall, he forgot all the owls with their schedules would arrive there, and that would be the best time for him to receive Hermione's reply. The owls were mixed, he got the schedule and the reply. He smiled as he looked at the paper, and did give a genuine smile. It was only for a brief moment however, and he left the hall.

Eight could not come fast enough. His robe billowed around him as he paced a smaller room. Advanced muggle studies wasn't something he would have picked normally to be in. But he always enjoyed M.S. so he went into it once more. Why not. There were no other Slytherins in the class. Mostly Gryffindors and a few Ravenclaws. He sat down at a desk when the bell rang and he wasn't even sure why he was there early. He just had nowhere else to be.

He sat down and pulled out a piece of parchment, waiting for all the students to arrive. He split the parchment in two and grinned. It would be easier, he realized for a messaged paper. The only issue with them was that the messages dissapeared as soon as they were read and were only visible to the person they were spelled for.

He slid the two pieces into his bag for later as the students began filling in.

For perhaps the first time in her Hogwarts career, Hermione couldn't pay attention in class. She was anticipating that evening (probably more than she should have been) and found that her mind kept drifting to the conversation in the kitchens. She was actually disappointed that they didn't have double-Potions until the next day, although she knew the class just wouldn't be the same without Professor Snape teaching it.

Of course, she knew Ron was pleased about that particular fact.

The day just seemed to drag on, each minute feeling longer than the last. She found herself checking the time every few minutes, counting down until 7:45. At 7:28, she couldn't sit still anymore, and got up from where she was doing her homework. Harry and Ron were at the next table, discussing potential Quidditch players for the House team, and she made her way over.

"Just so you know," she started, to get their attention, "I'm going out for patrol a little early."