An Interesting Start to Term

Hermione stared at the closed door in shock. What just happened? she thought, her mind reeling. Did Draco Malfoy really just hesitate to insult me? To call me a Mudblood; the term he has spat at me in disgust hundreds of times before? She wasn't sure whether to be suspicious or just think of it as odd.

Remembering what had happened before with Ron, Hermione made her way up to the boys' room and knocked gently on the door. Harry answered and let her in. Ron was sitting on the edge of his bed. His cheeks were still flushed with anger, but he had obviously calmed down. She sat down next to him on the bed and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Ron." She hesitated for a moment; unsure of how Ron would take the next thing she had to say. "But if this is what Dumbledore chose then it must be for the best."

Ron rubbed his closed eyes with the palms of his hands. "I'm really starting to think the man's going senile."

"Ron! Bite your tongue!" Hermione couldn't believe that Ron just insulted Dumbledore.

"Think about it! He's been letting Malfoy in here all summer, and now he's put him in charge of a countless number of students? This is ridiculous! He's the son of Voldemort's most faithful follower."

"Oh, Ron, don't be bitter about the Headmaster's decision. You know Dumbledore must have a perfectly good explanation for all this."

"Bitter!? I'm not being bitter! I'm sorry if I'm the only person here who realizes..."

Harry interrupted him. The last thing he wanted to listen to right now was their bickering. "You guys! Not now." He paused before changing the subject, "You know what I just realized, Hermione? You're going to have to share a common room with him."

"Bloody hell. She'll drive him nutty!" Ron finally relaxed and laughed a bit.

Hermione didn't appreciate the insult, but was glad to have the conversation going in another direction.

"Maybe that's why Malfoy was picked," Harry said. "Dumbledore knew, stuck with him long enough, Hermione would eventually bare her claws and attack."

All three of them laughed at this. They were remembering Hermione hitting Malfoy in their third year and were imaging her outright attacking him in their shared common room.

"Maybe you can scare him into obedience," Ron said, adding a whipping noise afterward.

"You know, I almost feel bad for him." Hermione paused for a moment. "Never mind. It passed."

They all laughed, but Hermione quickly sobered when she remembered what happened in the entry hall.

"I can't believe I almost forgot to tell you! Just after you two left, I waited for Dumbledore to leave, and I walked up to Malfoy. I informed him that I was made Head Girl. Of course we threw some insults back and forth, but the strangest thing happened." Harry and Ron were both looking at her with wide eyes. "Well, he started to call me a Mudbl... well, you know, but he actually stopped himself. Then he just stormed out of the house."

"What?" Harry couldn't believe it. "He actually resisted the urge to say that to you?"

Hermione nodded. "I don't know what to make of it."

Each of them became lost in their own thoughts. None of them knew what to make of it.

*****

The train ride to Hogwarts was surprisingly peaceful for Hermione. The Head Boy and Girl were supposed to share a compartment, but Malfoy didn't speak a word the entire trip. She read and he just sat in silence the whole way there, looking out the window. At first, she was tense, just waiting for his first verbal attack. Oddly enough, it never came, and eventually, she was able to relax. They were to patrol the aisles every half hour, but even when passing a group of sneering Slytherins, he said nothing.

Later, after the last first year was sorted, Hermione met up with Harry, Ron, and Ginny at the Gryffindor table for the feast.

Ron peered over at Malfoy across the Great Hall. "Well, he looks like he came back in one piece. How did you resist the urge to strangle him?"

"Shockingly, I didn't have to. He didn't utter one word the entire trip," she answered.

They all looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"Surely, he must have said something," Harry said.

Hermione shook her head. "Nope. Not one thing."

"Well, did he spit on you?" Ron asked.

"Trip you?" Harry added.

"Hit you?"

"Kick you?"

"Throw something at you?"

"Poison you?"

"Pull your hair?"

"Shove you?"

"Strangle you?"

"Stab you?"

"Shoot you?"

The two were making themselves angrier and angrier as they listed all the ways Malfoy could have possibly harmed Hermione without saying anything. Ginny was the one who decided to break the tension. "Throw you up against the compartment wall and snog every last breath out of you!?"

Hermione snorted; trying to keep the pumpkin juice she had just taken a drink of in her mouth. Harry and Ron looked at her so fast, they must have gotten whiplash. Ginny just giggled.

Ron was about to reprimand his little sister for saying such a "disgusting and disturbing" thing when Professor McGonagall walked up behind Hermione and asked to speak with her.

Leading her out into the empty corridor, Professor McGonagall instructed Hermione on how to get to her new room. The entrance would be a portrait of a very old, tall, and thin wizard holding a walking stick. He would be hunched slightly and standing on a trail going through the forest. The password was "unity among houses." That was a rather obvious hint if Hermione had ever heard one.

"Now, dear, I'm sure you understand that the protection of the students is needed now more than ever."

Hermione nodded. "Of course, Professor."

"You and Mr. Malfoy will be given more duties than any of the past Head Students have had. I know this is a lot to ask of you, along with your regular studies and, I don't doubt, your large part in the upcoming war. But, of course, I would not have assigned this task to you if I did not have the utmost confidence that you could handle it."

Hermione beamed. "That is quite a compliment. Thank you, Professor."

"You deserve it, Hermione. Alright, back to the feast."

Hermione walked away smiling. On her way back to her seat, she passed Snape and Malfoy. Most likely receiving the same instructions she just had.

"What was that about?" Ginny asked.

"She was just telling me how to get to my new rooms."

"I really feel bad for you, Hermione," Ron stated, sympathetically. "I dunno how you're going to be able to stand living with him."

Ginny patted Hermione's hand. "If anyone has the strength to tolerate that git, it's our Hermione."

*****

When Hermione arrived at her new common room, Malfoy was already there. His bedroom door was closed, but she could see light shining out from underneath his door.

The common room was decorated in reds, gold, greens, and silver. The sofas and chairs looked plush and cozy. A fire was burning low and Hermione could smell the wood burning.

She entered her room and almost squealed in delight. Two of the four walls were built-in bookcases, already filled. Windows lined the western wall; she would be able to watch the sunset every night. Her bed was against the northern wall, along with the bedroom door and bathroom door. The four-poster was twice the size of her old one and made-up in Gryffindor colors. Crookshanks was already curled up in the center of it. In the middle of the southern wall, in between the rows of books, was a large fireplace. A sofa, recliner, and small table sat in front of it. Underneath one window sat a large desk, already fully stocked with quills, inkwells, and parchment.

Hermione walked into the bathroom and found a large tub that could fit at least four people. Not that I would be inviting people into my tub, she thought with a laugh. Four golden spouts lined one edge. One was for hot water, one for cold, one for lavender scented water, and one for bubble bath. She noticed the shelves held every hair-care product imaginable. Her eyes narrowed. Somebody trying to suggest something? she thought, bitterly. The closet was large enough to walk inside, and her uniforms, robes, and Muggle clothes were already hung up.

She quickly changed and crawled into her large new bed with Crookshanks. She knew Professor McGonagall was right. This year was going to be extremely busy and stressful for her, but Hermione had always been a girl who liked challenges.

*****

Hermione was so distracted by her excitement to start her new classes that she completely forgot about sharing a common room with Draco Malfoy. She was about to head to the Great Hall for breakfast, but after closing her bedroom door behind her, Hermione turned around and screamed a little when she saw Malfoy kicked back on one of the sofas. Her scream startled him, and he stood up quickly, throwing down the book he was reading and pulling out his wand.

"You scared me half to death!"

Malfoy lowered his wand and rolled his eyes. "By sitting here reading?"

"I forgot you were here."

He shook his head and plopped back down on the couch. Hermione crossed the common room and exited through the portrait hole. She could feel his eyes on her back as she stepped through.

*****

"What about my son, Severus?"

"Has the Dark Lord agreed to his marking?"

"Of course! He is a Malfoy, after all. Obviously, he'll have to prove his loyalty through an assigned task, like we all did, but I have no doubt in my mind that he will be able to rise to the occasion."

"Indeed. I have no reason to doubt him, Lucius, but is he ready?"

"Trust me, my friend, he is more than ready."

*****

After her long day of classes, Hermione was ready to do her homework, and then relax with a book before dinner and making her nightly rounds. Unfortunately, just outside the portrait hole she could hear loud snorts of laughter. She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Long day?" asked the elderly wizard in the painting before her.

"I have a feeling it's about to get even longer. Unity among houses."

The portrait swung open and she stepped inside. Crabbe and Goyle were grunting among themselves with laughter. Malfoy, however, looked distracted and stared into the fire. His face was solemn. Hermione cleared her throat to make her presence known. Malfoy blinked and looked up at her; then he went back to his thoughts. Crabbe and Goyle sneered at her as she walked to her bedroom.

She went straight to her new desk and began working on her homework. She was halfway through when she wasn't able to tolerate the imbecilic noises coming from the common room any longer.

Hermione flung open her bedroom door. "Could you please keep your voices down? I am trying to get my homework done."

Malfoy was, once again, reading on the sofa while the other two were still immersed in some idiotic conversation. Malfoy ignored her. Crabbe and Goyle looked up and glared at her.

"You might be Head Girl, but we don't take orders from a Gryffindor. Especially a disgusting Muggle-born one," Goyle spat in her direction.

Hermione was furious. She stomped across the room towards them. "Get out! Right now!" she yelled at them, pointing at the portrait hole.

Goyle stood up. He was at least a foot taller than her, but he leant down right into her face. "Make us, Mudblood."

Hermione clenched her fists. She had to use every bit of her will power not to punch him in the jaw. But the next two words she heard made her mind spin.

"Get out."

Goyle's eyes grew wide and his mouth sagged open. Malfoy still sat relaxed on the couch. His book resting in his lap, he was looking up at them. His two friends and Hermione stared at him in shock.

"W-w-what?" Crabbe stuttered over the word.

"I told you to get out." Malfoy paused a moment. "I have homework to do."

"But, Draco, did you hear what she just..."

"Yes, Goyle. Now leave," he sounded irritated.

The two mumbling idiots left, looking like they were in a daze. Hermione stayed where she was. She was unsure of what to say or even do. "I... um..."

"What?" he sounded just as irritated toward her as he just had to his friends. "Didn't you hear me? I have homework to do. Leave me alone so I can concentrate."

His tone of voice was the same rude one that he usually used towards her, but Hermione was too shocked to get angry at his impoliteness. She turned and went back to her room to finish her own homework.

He was not sticking up for me. He just had homework to do, like he said. That's why he told them to leave... Hermione spent the next half hour trying to convince herself of this, but when she peeked out into the common room later he was still sitting on the sofa reading, no homework in sight.

TBC