Draco's POV
I looked back at the big red engine as I realised that this would be one of the last times I'd ever be on it.
"Dude I can't believe this is our last year ever at Hogwarts!" Blaise said as we started to walk towards the end of the platform.
"I know what you mean man, life's gone way too fast." I said looking at the new first years.
"Dude our lives were just too fucked up before. Now they're a bit normal." I smirked at Blaise knowing he was right.
"So what's new with you and Pansy?" I heard the cheekiness in his voice when he asked and it confused me.
"I thought you would have heard. I called it quits a few weeks ago, she's pissed beyond belief and hasn't spoken to me since. That's a good thing too by the way." I explained to him. His grin dropped and he looked confused for a moment.
"What? What happened?"
"Our parents, well rather my father and her parents had arranged for us to be married after we graduated but with Lucius in Azkaban and all the new laws the ministry's been bringing in mum got the contract voided. Thank god." I shuddered at the thought of having to marry that woman before I continued.
"She's horrible and all she was back then was a good shag. Now the wars over and things have settled down I'm kind of looking for more than just a bed buddy." I said truthfully
.
"Wow, I was kind of expecting you to say you were engaged cos that's what Parkinson's being saying for the past few weeks. She's been telling everyone she's been busy planning the wedding." I groaned and made a face.
"Seriously that bitch doesn't know when to shut up and take a hint." I mumbled as we walked towards the carriages.
"Bet you're relieved though." I laughed and nodded my head.
"Like you would believe-." I stopped after I collided with something soft, not wanting it to fall I quickly grabbed it before it hit the ground and realised it was someone rather then something. I looked down at the young woman in my arms but I didn't recognise her.
"Sorry love I didn't see you there." I apologised helping her stand back up properly.
"Its fine, no harm done Malfoy.' I frowned and looked at her properly. There was only one witch that used my last name. She had a great figure which I swore wasn't there last year and she had grown a little taller. Her once brown bushy hair was now soft and straight with light blonde highlights through it. She wore tight fitting jeans and a purple hoodie, she even had makeup on.
"Granger?" I asked completely shocked by her transformation.
"Yeah, sorry I didn't mean to bump into you." She said tucking a loose hair behind her ear.
"No it's fine; I wasn't exactly watching where I was going either." I stated still shocked as she nodded.
"So I see your head boy." She stated pointing to the badge on my shirt.
"Uh yeah, you're head girl?" I asked silently hoping she would say yes, though I had no idea why.
"Mmhmm." Her noise of agreement made me relax and smile but I frowned when I noted she looked over my shoulder at someone.
"Well thanks and sorry again, I'll see you at school." She said as she walked towards the youngest Weasley it looked like.
I looked at Blaise and noticed he was just as shocked as I was.
"She's..." I started but couldn't find the words to finish.
"Shit man! Did you see her? She's hot; I'm so going to try my luck with her." I frowned again that got to me for some unknown reason.
"Don't." I warned shocking myself.
'Where had that come from? Why had I said that?'
"About time dude." I looked blankly at Blaise waiting for an explanation.
"You and Granger have been at it for years it was only a matter of time before you two finally realised you wanted each other." I frowned and looked away.
"Maybe that's true; I guess I've always had feelings for her but my father would never have allowed it." I said as we walked towards the castle.
"Mate he's in Azkaban. He's got no say now. Besides I don't want her I just wanted to see what reaction I got out of you. The young Weasley's more my type." He said smiling at me. I laughed he'd had a thing for her for years but was never able to act on it either.
"Hey have you seen scar head and the weasel yet? They weren't on the train with them." He asked.
"True, I haven't seen them actually. Maybe they're having a run in with the whooping willow again." I laughed causing him to laugh along with me until we came across Pansy then the laughing stopped.
Hermione POV
"Wow Draco's changed a lot." Ginny stated smirking as she pointed out our previous encounter just minutes earlier.
"Yeah he has." I said my cheeks going slightly red.
"Come on Mione, I know you still fancy him." I went even redder then before.
"Ginny he didn't even know it was me at first. Not to mention he was in so much shock that he wasn't able to put a string of words together let alone a string of insults. It would never work. We're from completely different worlds." I stated.
"Well I don't know you guys are heads this year you guys have to share a wing together, who knows maybe things will work out. Besides with Harry and Ron not here this year maybe now I can have some fun, his friends cute don't you think?" She said wiggling her eyebrows at me. I just laughed and shook my head as we walked towards the castle.
"I still can't believe I'm going to be alone next year." She whined as we sat down for the opening feast.
"You won't be you'll be wishing you were. Harry and Ron will be back next year you heard what your mum said." I explained thinking of Harry and Ron.
"True, no fun for me next year." She sighed sadly. I laughed at her expression of distaste.
The war between the light and dark had finally been won and the two boys had insisted on not coming back to school this year saying there was a massive cleanup still to do, so they joined the order for the year. Mrs Weasley had thrown a fit when she found out but backed down eventually after they agreed to go back and do their final year with Ginny. I on the other hand insisted on going back to school. Ron had been furious with me stating I had my priorities wrong but I refused to give in. The Order was very pleased with my decision to return to school and Harry had been more than understanding.
"Welcome students new and old. It's nice to see some familiar faces back with us again this year." Professor McGonagall announced looking at the very few Seventh years that actually came back.
"For the new students, Mr Filch has asked me to remind you all that all…" I drowned out the rest of her speech until I heard my name being called.
"Hermione Granger from Gryffindor and Draco Malfoy from Slytherin are the heads this year so please be mindful and respectful." I looked up to see Draco stand and thought I better do the same. After a round of applause we both sat back down again and McGonagall continued on.
"Just think there won't be any more Lavender next year so you won't have to worry about catching them together." I said resuming our earlier conversation. I laughed as the horror flooded over Ginny's face as she recalled the summer when Lavender stayed over at the burrow.
"That was just wrong on all levels." She shuttered.
We chatted excitedly throughout dinner talking about school and our holidays. Neville, Dean and Seamus sat with us joining into our conversation. It was good to be back at school and I was looking forward to a 'normal' year at Hogwarts for once. On more than one occasion I was caught looking over at the Slytherin table searching for Draco.
"Mione seriously just offer a truce, he was a big help in the war." Ginny whispered to me quietly when she caught me looking yet again. I sent a sideways glance to everyone around us but they weren't paying attention so I nodded subtly back at her.
I looked over at Draco once more but I wished I hadn't. Parkinson was pretty much sitting on his lap and though he was ignoring her and trying to push her off, I still couldn't help but feel like an idiot.
"Urgh that makes me feel sick." Ginny said spotting at what I was looking at causing everyone around us to look. I flushed and turned to her slightly.
"See Ginny he wouldn't like me, he's got her and from what I heard they're getting married after his seventeenth." I said quietly.
"No they're not. He dumped her through the holidays; she just keeps telling everyone that hoping he'll take her back." We looked up as Lavender came and sat down next to us. I was worried she had heard the first half of my sentence but she didn't seem to eager so I relaxed.
"Really..." Ginny said rolling her eyes.
"Mmhmm. Why do you like him Hermione?" My breath caught in my throat at first but when I looked at her she just looked curious. There was no knowing look in her eyes so I knew I was safe.
"No we were just saying how sick it makes us feel with her hanging off him like that." Ginny stated winking at me subtly and I flushed.
"True, but I mean he is hot." She said dreamily.
"Lav, you've got Ron remember." I reminded her.
"True, though not much use if he's not here is he?" She said. Ginny snorted and then tried to cover it with a cough. Even Dean and Neville had to turn tier faces away so she couldn't see them laughing. To be honest if Ron got cheated on it was his own damn fault but he was still my best friend even though we weren't exactly on talking terms right now.
"Lavender that's a horrible thing to say." I snapped and she ignored me continuing to leer at Draco like a piece of meat.
"No I think I might dump Ron. He's too immature for me anyway, I need a real man. I might give Draco a go. At least I could pleasure him unlike HER." She said. I frowned that got to me.
"I'm sure he's not interested in you Lavender." Ginny snapped making Lavender glare at Ginny. I hid my smile as we stood up saying goodbye to the boys and then left.
"Granger." We'd just walked out of the great hall when I heard my name being called.
"Malfoy?" I asked surprised and I took a quick look at Ginny but she was looking at Blaise and I could see him staring right back giving her a wink. Interesting…
"The headmistress wants us; I'm guessing she's showing us our rooms." I nodded said a quick goodbye to Ginny and followed Draco.
"Hello Hermione, glad you decided to join us again this year." She smiled hinting toward Harry and Ron's absence.
"I'm glad to be back professor." I smiled as we followed her through the castle until we stopped at a painting for a unicorn.
"Your password is 'reality'. I believe your orders and guidelines for the year were set out in your letters. I would take the time before school starts to revise them and be ready for your first heads meeting with the prefects. So goodnight to both of you and be ready for your classes tomorrow morning. You're first class will be in the infirmary." She said as she turned and left.
"Reality." Draco spoke clearly and I watched mesmerised as the unicorn bowed and the portrait door opened.
Walking in I looked around in awe as I took in the room. It was a bit bigger then the size of a house common room. I half expected it to be decorated in greens, silvers, golds and red due to our house colours as written about in Hogwarts: A history but it wasn't. Instead it was decorated in creams and whites. It was gorgeous. There was a fire place with two two seaters and two arm chairs arranged in front of it and a deep blue rug lying on the floor in front of the fire place.
Looking at the ceiling I noted the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and smiled. There was a wide staircase that I guessed led to our rooms and another archway on the other side of the room I guessed was the small kitchen.
I was surprised to see Draco looking around in awe as well and he sent me a grin when he saw me look at him. Together we made our way up the stairs and came across two doors, a widen gap between the two. Both had plaques on the front with a name written on it. We went our separate ways as I walked into my room shutting the door behind me. It was much the same colour scheme as the rest of the common room. I smiled softly as I took in all my belongings having been put away. I'd have to remember to thank the elves on my next trip to the kitchen.
There was a king size bed that had sheer drapes around it to match in with the rest of the colours in the room. There was a desk and a small book shelf in the corner of the room as well as two bedside tables, one either side of the bed. A dresser with a mirror stood on the other side of the room with a small stool. Seeing two doors nearly side by side to one another I opened one and found it a walk in closet. Shutting the door again I opened the other one and was surprised when I came face to face with Draco.
"Sorry, guess we share a bathroom." He said stepping back letting me in and I looked around the spacious bathroom. It was as big as the prefect's bathroom and very much the same. The bath was the size of a small pool and had many taps no doubt filled with the many different scents.
"Wow. Everything I ever read about the heads rooms I never pictured this." He said as we stood side by side looking around. His room, from what I could see, was identical to mine.
"I think when the castle was rebuilt they changed it." I said quietly and he nodded in agreement. We didn't move, we just stood in silence as the time ticked by.
"I wonder why our first class is in the infirmary." He spoke and I turned to him slightly.
"I'm not sure." I responded standing next to him feeling awkward all of a sudden.
"You look nervous." He pointed out and I frowned making my face blank.
"So congratulations." I said quietly as I moved to sit on one of the small steps leadning to the bath. I watched as he frowned and part of me hoped Lavender's gossip for once was right.
"For what?"
"On your engagement... I just heard about it at dinner." I said feeling shy by the way he was suddenly looking at me.
"I'm not engaged." His voice was harsh but his face softened almost instantly after he spoke. I kept quiet for a moment and he sighed.
"Sorry it's just it's been over for weeks. We had the contract cancelled, my mother and I. It was only today that I find out she's been telling everyone we're getting married still." He explained.
"I see… well I guess you have a right to be angry then." I said quietly looking into his eyes for a brief moment before I looked away.
'Wow his eyes were intense. I could lose myself in them.' I thought to myself.
"Yeah you could say that. I think everyone will have the right idea soon enough once word gets out what I said to her in the great hall tonight."
"More than likely… this is Hogwarts. Nothings a secret for long." I said trying to keep the conversation light.
"Yeah." He said trailing off and I nodded taking that as my cue to leave for the night.
"Well I'm off to bed." I announced quietly as I stood up.
"Wait just a moment." I stilled confused but waited for him to continue.
"I noticed your alone this year and it was sort of confirmed when McGonagall hinted to you tonight. Where are the other two?" He asked and for a moment I felt a stab of fear but it was gone as soon as it came knowing there was no need for fear any longer.
"They decided to take a year off. Help with the clean-up." I explained and he nodded in understanding.
"Right… Listen we have to work together a lot this year and it would be easier if we weren't fighting. Don't you agree?" he asked me nervously and I nodded once agreeing with him.
"I don't hate you Hermione, I haven't since probably third year when you punched me." I chuckled a little at the memory and he sent me a small smile in return.
"Yeah I'd say sorry about that but you know..." I trailed off grinning slightly and he smirked but it wasn't the cold hearted smirk I was used to seeing on his face. It was an amused one.
"It was my father. I had to keep pretending. Now it's a bit different." I nodded in understanding. I had heard from Harry that his father had been put away even after turning away at the end of the last battle. He had to still pay for past crimes.
"Well I haven't really hated you since fourth year either." I confessed and he nodded.
"So can we try and call a truce? Maybe even be friends?" He asked looking at me.
"Sure, we can try a truce." I offered and he smiled making me smile back.
"Right well I'll let you retire for the night." He said nervously.
"Goodnight Draco." I said heading towards my door.
"Goodnight Hermione… I like your new look by the way. It suits you." he said quietly but loud enough so I could hear him.
"Thanks." I smiled as I shut my side of door.
'This is going to be an interesting year.'
I thought as I quickly got changed and climbed into bed with my heads letter ready to revise.