Harry Potter 1. Chapter 1: Congratulations

**A/N: Ok, so this was just meant to be a oneshot but then it got a little bit longer... and a little bit longer... and a little bit longer so I thought I would upload it as a few chapters.**

**Those of you waiting on UMS, I will continue that soon I just had to get this out! I will also write a funny oneshot soon, this one is more serious...hopefully xD**

**Stuff in **_**italics **_**is Draco thinking (apart from the letter at the beginning :P)**

**...**

_Dear Mr. Malfoy,  
__I am very pleased to inform you that you have been chosen to be the new Head Boy of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Your knowledge of magic and your obvious school spirit show that you have great promise and will no doubt do well in this position.  
__As it is custom, this year you will be sharing a dormitory with the Head Girl, who has yet to be decided. Please report to Professor Dumbledore's office as soon as you arrive at Hogwarts._

_Yours Sincerely,  
__Professor McGonagall._

Draco was ecstatic the day the owl arrived to give him his letter. He knew it was coming, but it didn't make it any less special. Though of course he was worried about one thing. The Head Girl. He had to wait another few weeks to find out who it was, yet he had a feeling he already knew.

He desperately tried to push that feeling to the back of his mind. _It's not going to ruin my summer! _And, being the stubborn person he was, he stood his ground and didn't let it bother him, despite how much he thought about it.

**...**

Draco's summer passed by in a rather uneventful and unwanted fashion. He was pleased when he boarded the train off of Platform Nine and Three Quarters and was able to forget the summer he had just had, not wishing to reminisce on anything his father had said or done. He was also anxious to know, once and for all, who had been chosen as Head Girl.

Walking up the train for the second time that day, he finally found an empty compartment and claimed it as his own. Unfortunately, news had spread that he was Head Boy and random Slytherins kept coming in and out, congratulating him.

Goyle and Crabbe soon found him also and sat opposite, Pansy stealing the seat next to him and sitting a little closer than was needed. Thus, all hopes of travelling to Hogwarts by himself vanished and he was left feeling uncomfortable once again, having to make boring small talk about how 'fantastic' his summer was whilst Pansy hung off his every word.

_Wonderful... here we go again. _

**...**

**A/N: So just a short beginning. Not great. Let me know what you think and I will update soon, most likely later on this evening :)**


	2. Chapter 2: New Dormitory

As soon as the train reached Hogwarts, Draco shrugged Pansy off his shoulder and bolted out of the compartment. After guessing the password to Dumbledore's office, he ascended the staircase and knocked lightly on the door.

"Enter." came the old voice from inside.

Draco turned the ornate handle and recognised the creak the door made as he pushed it open. The sorting hat congratulated him as he walked past it but Draco wasn't paying attention. His focus was on the bushy haired Mudblood before him.

_Damn it... I hate being right._

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy, please have a seat." Dumbledore indicated to the seat next to Hermione's and Draco forced himself not to look at her. _I can't do this; I can't live with her for a year!_

"Now, I know you too haven't really...got along...in the past," Dumbledore said, struggling for a way to put it, "but nevertheless you both have a duty now and duties come before petty fallings out." He peered at them over the top of his glasses. "So I expect you both to set an example!"

Draco could feel Hermione's eyes on him but he chose to ignore them. For the sake of his own sanity he had to ignore them.

"Now, let me show you your dormitory!" Dumbledore smiled at them, rising from his chair and walking out the door before Draco had even stood up. As he began to follow Dumbledore, he saw Hermione open her mouth.

"Shut it Granger!" he yelled, not in the mood to hear whatever insult or snide quip she had prepared for this moment.

The dormitory was situated near the kitchens, hidden away behind the portrait of a man and a woman holding hands. Dumbledore explained that they were the first Head Girl and Head Boy that Hogwarts ever had, he also mentioned that they fell in love, which caused Draco to laugh for the first time since he had arrived at the station that morning.

The password, _'Honour and Duty', must change that later, _was muttered and the portrait swung open, revealing a dormitory that resembled every other dormitory in the school, albeit slightly smaller and with its own kitchen. To the left was one red door and to the right, a green one, which he assumed was his bedroom.

Dumbledore left them to unpack. Draco noticed Hermione walking around the room before finally sitting herself down on one of the sofas.

"This is quite nice..." she said, looking around the room. Draco grunted in response and stalked into his bedroom, flinging himself on his new double bed. Looking around the room he noticed that everything was decorated green or silver which lifted his mood slightly.

It was then that he noticed another door next to his wardrobe. It was painted red and he dreaded the idea that his led directly to Hermione's room.

_One of us isn't going to survive this year and I'll be damned if I crack first. Granger had better watch herself..._

He unpacked his trunk using his wand and then stripped down to his boxers, allowing the duvet to warm him as he slid into bed.

**...**

"You know what Granger, I don't really give a damn what you think so just stop talking!"

"Well Malfoy, I don't give a damn what _you_ think either and your words mean nothing to me so no, no I will not stop talking!"

The two of them were walking down an empty corridor performing their duties as Head Boy and Girl when Hermione had started talking, much to Malfoy's annoyance. Draco stopped and grabbed Hermione by her arm, pushing her back against the wall. She let out a shriek but made no attempt to free herself.

"You will do what I say Mudblood!" he spat at her, his face inches from hers.

"Or what? You'll insult me? Do your worst Malfoy!"

And he just stood there, not quite sure what to do next. The fury in her eyes made them sparkle and he was afraid to look away. From where he was he could smell her delicate aroma and, rather spontaneously, he did the only thing he could think of doing. He kissed her, gently at first but became more forceful as he found he needed more. Hermione let him take what he needed and the kiss deepened.

**...**

**A/N: Muahahahaha... update coming soon. Review and I will update quicker xD**


	3. Chapter 3: Want One Granger?

Draco awoke with a start. Sweat dripped down his forehead and his crumpled duvet on the floor told him that he had been moving in this sleep. Images and feelings flashed up in his mind. The way her skin felt as he caressed her cheek, the way her lips moved beneath his, the way her breathing increased as he stole her lips.

He shook his head in an attempt to rid himself of the unwanted pictures, memories of the dream he had just had, but it was no use. He threw himself off his bed and edged open his door, checking that the Lounge was empty. Thankfully it was and he ran across to the shower, jumping in and allowing the water to cool him down.

After that he made his way out of the bathroom without checking for Hermione first. As he walked through the Lounge she came out of the Kitchen, a glass of water in her hand. He merely nodded to her and escaped back to his room, very aware of the fact he was dripping wet and only slightly covered by a towel.

Sighing, he put on some shorts and got back into bed, hoping for an uninterrupted night's sleep.

**...**

Draco awoke the next morning, thankfully having slept without his dream reoccurring.

_It was probably just because she's sleeping next door to me. It didn't mean anything. _

He left his room and walked into the kitchen to get some coffee, still wearing his shorts and nothing more. Hermione came in just as the kettle had boiled.

"Want one Granger?" he offered. She nodded and smiled.

_What the hell did I do that for?! I can't be nice to her; it'll just confuse things and completely ruin the reputation I have spent 7 years building!_

Despite these thoughts, Draco made Hermione the cup of coffee and handed it to her without a word. He returned to his room and changed into his robes, not bothering to shower since it had only been about 5 hours since he last had one.

He left the dormitory that day without eating anything and stalked off to the Quidditch Field, the only place he could think off where Hermione wouldn't come.

**...**

Draco hadn't done much that day, nor had he needed to see Hermione at all. What with it being the first day back there was little for the Head Boy and Girl to do.

Still, when he returned to the dorm that night he found he was oddly tired, but thought nothing of it. Hermione was sat in the Lounge when he arrived, a book in her hand and a piece of parchment before her.

"Doing homework already Granger?" he asked, walking into the kitchen. He began to raid the cupboards looking for hot chocolate.

"No, just some extra study work for Professor McGonagall." she replied, not looking up from her work. Draco laughed and shook his head at her in disbelief.

"I'm making a hot chocolate, do you want one?"

_I must stop doing that... idiot!_

"Sure, that would be great. Thanks."

After giving her her drink, he took his own into his room, not wanting to spend any more time with her than was absolutely necessary. Instead, he became engrossed in his book, occupying himself before he felt sleep beginning to take him over.

**...**

"Shall we pick up where we left off?" Draco asked whilst patrolling the school with Hermione.

"Do you even need to ask?" Hermione giggled as Draco pulled her down a corridor and into an empty classroom.

He stationed her against the blackboard and stole her lips before she could protest, not that she would have of course. Draco ran his fingers through her hair and allowed her to do the same to him. Eventually he moved his hands down, wrapping them around her waist.

He pulled her closer to him, then swung her around to sit her on one of the tables. She moved back slightly and he leant closer, deepening the kiss.

**...**

**A/N: Sorry if these dreams are a bit rubbish. I didn't want to make them graphic or anything lol. Please review and let me know what you think. Cheers xD**


	4. Chapter 4: Bloody Subconscious

**A/N: This is dedicated to Luna-Lovegood08 and anonymous reviewer: ;), the first people, excluding fish, to review this. Thank you my dears xD  
****  
And to my anonymous reviewer, in case you haven't yet noticed, they weren't making out, it was a dream!**

**...**

Draco sat bolt upright and groaned. He looked at the clock and grimaced at the fact that it was 5 am.

_At least I only have an hour until I need to be up!_

With that thought in mind he stood up and walked to the bathroom, checking first of course that the Lounge was empty. The dream he had just had was only short yet it haunted him due to the sheer force of passion that dream him clearly had from dream Hermione.

_Bloody subconscious. Why does it feel the need to turn my hatred in reality to bloody lust in my dreams!? That's all it is of course. Lust. Nothing but dream lust created by my warped imagination. _

After having a nice long shower, just what he needed, he emerged from the bathroom fully clothed. Hermione was sat in the Lounge waiting for the bathroom. He said nothing as she walked past him and thankfully, she looked too tired to care.

When she came out she looked freezing and he had to admit it was surprisingly cold. For some strange reason, he felt sympathetic towards her.

"Coffee?" he offered, boiling the kettle.

"Do you even need to ask?"

A shiver shot up his spine and it had nothing to do with the wind that blew in through the open window. He recalled dream Hermione saying that this morning, though in a completely different context. Still, it was enough to make him so distracted that he spilt the boiling water onto his hand and the work surface.

_Nice one._

Hermione jumped up and came to his side, wand in hand. She cast a spell to make the water disappear then turned to Draco. Before he could stop her, she grabbed his hand and ran her thumb over the red patch that was beginning to form, causing another shiver to course through his veins.

She placed her wand to his hand and muttered something. Immediately the sting disappeared, yet the tingling sensation remained.

"You should be more careful!" she said as Draco ripped his hand out of her grasp.

_Oh now she is concerned?!_

He picked up the kettle and walked to the sink to refill it.

"You're welcome!" Hermione muttered.

"Oh I'm sorry. Thank you Granger. Thank you for being a know-it-all so that you could help me in my time of need!" he sneered.

"Not sleeping well?" she raised her eyebrow at his quick temper.

"I'm sleeping perfectly well thank you." He flicked the kettle on again and began to remake the coffee.

"Ok, because I can always make you a sleeping potion if you want. All you have to do is ask Malfoy." she smiled at him before walking back to the Lounge.

_Stop being so bloody nice to me. Do you realise how hard it is to hate you when you're nice?!_

Draco tried to focus his mind, not wanting a replay of what just happened. He made a vow to himself that he would not touch her again if he could help it, though he knew this would be impossible working so close to her.

Once the coffee had been made, he set her cup down on the table, not daring to hand it to her in case their skin brushed again.

"So what are you doing today then?" Hermione asked.

Draco shrugged. He longed for lessons to begin again. He never did understand why Dumbledore felt it was necessary to give the students the first week of term off, but then again there wasn't a lot that Draco understood about his headmaster.

"Well I'm going to the library in case you are interested."

"Granger, I recall there was a time when nothing you said was in the least bit interesting to me. That time has yet to end!"

Grabbing his own coffee and the Daily Prophet off the table, he stalked into his room and slammed the door.

_Bloody Granger. Why would I care what she was doing?!_

Shortly after finishing his paper and beginning his book again, he heard a faint knock on the door.

"What?" he hissed. The door opened and Hermione walked in. "I didn't say enter I said what!"

Hermione continued to speak nonetheless. "Do you want some lunch?"

Draco looked at the clock and was stunned to see that it was in fact lunchtime. _Time flies when you're bored out of your mind... _He didn't feel hungry though.

"No." He returned to his book.

"No thank you." she said, remaining in the doorway despite his obvious annoyance at her being there.

"What?!" Draco looked up.

"No _thank you_. Honestly, I thought you purebloods were meant to have manners..." With that she turned and walked out of the room, leaving Draco staring at the door.

**...**

That night as Draco got into bed, he hoped above all hopes that he would not dream of Hermione again. He could see no logical reason why these dreams/nightmares had begun in the first place, nor could he see how to stop them.

He sighed as he sipped the last of his hot chocolate and got into bed.

**...**

"You know you mean the world to me right?" Draco whispered into the darkness as he lay next to Hermione, gazing up at the stars and holding her hand.

Hermione rolled over and put her mouth to his ear. "Yes. You mean everything to me too..."

She raised her head slightly and kissed his cheek. He turned his head instinctively and captured her lips before she had a chance to lower her head again.

**...**

**A/N: A bit longer this chapter. Hope you like it. Please review and let me know. Cheers xD**


	5. Chapter 5: In The Shower

"Bloody hell!" he cursed as he rolled out of bed the next morning. His dream had not woken him yet he still felt like he hadn't slept all night. Reluctantly, he walked up to his mirror and looked in it, his mouth forming a perfect 'O' in response to what he saw.

Being a Malfoy, he had always strived to look his best but today his lack of sleep had begun to show. Slightly faded dark rings circled his bloodshot eyes and contrasted awfully with his skin, which seemed to be getting paler each day. He sighed and headed to the shower.

As he watched the soapy water swirl down the drain, his mind too began to spin and he suddenly felt light-headed. As he began to fall, he lunged at the shower head with a vain hope that this would keep him upright. Instead, he pulled it off the wall, letting out a low groan before falling into the blackness of his mind.

"Draco...? _Draco_...?!" she whispered his name as he began to move, his head still spinning, and her voice brought him back to reality. He raised a hand to his head and winced as he found a sensitive spot. Slowly, he sat himself up on his elbows and saw that he was in his bed, Hermione sat in the chair beside him.

She stood up and poured him a glass of water from the jug on his desk. While her back was turned he found himself looking her up and down, quietly assessing her petite figure. A smile crept across his lips before he remembered himself and collapsed back onto his pillow, groaning in a mixture of pain and confusion.

_I must be concussed or something..._

Draco took the glass from Hermione and nodded his thank you to her. He avoided looking into her eyes, or at any other part of her body for that matter. As he sat up to take a sip of the cool liquid, he felt Hermione walk behind him and plump up his pillows. He peered at her over the top of his glass.

Once he had finished his drink he began to feel more awake and it was then that he realised he was still naked. Suddenly very conscious of the situation, he pulled on his bed covers, raising them higher to cover his chest. He looked up at Hermione to see her blush and face the floor.

_Damn it! The Mudblood saw me naked! I feel... I feel violated!_

Draco desperately tried to remember what had happened that morning. All he could recall was ripping the shower off the wall as he sunk to the ground. Hermione must have seen his confused look as she sat herself back down in the chair and turned to him.

"You blacked out in the shower -" she began.

"Yeah I got that!" Draco interrupted her. She raised an eyebrow at him and continued.

"I didn't realise you were unconscious until water began to spill out from the bathroom. You took the shower with you as you went down and the bathroom flooded. I came in, and threw a towel over you," she added as she saw him stiffen, "and levitated you to bed." She clapped her hands together in her lap as if to say 'that's that!'

"So... how's the bathroom?"

"Fine. I cast a spell to dry it out."

"Oh well of course you did!" he mumbled and rolled his eyes.

"It's ok," she said as she stood, "no need to thank me or anything!"

Draco sighed. "Thanks... Hermione." he struggled to say slightly.

As she left the room, Hermione looked slightly shocked that he hadn't called her Mudblood or Granger, but didn't say anything.

_Hermione? Hermione?! Since when have you called her Hermione?! _He held his head in his hands and shook it disbelievingly. _What is happening to me?_

He lent back into his pillow and placed his hands behind his head, his eyes scanning the ceiling as if it held the answer.

After a short while of lying there he rolled out of bed, having produced no answers to the millions of questions that were running through his mind. He put on his robes, pleased to be dressed again, and walked into the lounge to see Hermione sat on the sofa, peering over something.

_Homework or something no doubt! _He scoffed before he began to hear strange noises coming from where Hermione was sat. Her back to him, he couldn't see what was happening.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Just watching a film..." she threw at him over her shoulder.

"But... we don't have a TV..."

She raised her hand above her head so that Draco could see a silver compact object but lowered it before he could tell what it was.

"It's a portable DVD player." she said as if she had read his mind. "My mum and dad gave it to me for my birthday."

"Nice..." he said before walking forward and bending over slightly to see what she was watching. As he took in a breath and smelt her sweet aroma he suddenly realised how close he was to her and jerked back quickly.

"Is everything ok?" Hermione questioned, pausing the DVD and turning in her seat to face him.

"Yeah, fine." he said before walking over to the window sill and perching on it. He wrenched open the window and allowed the wintery wind to fill his head, replacing her fragrance. Staring out at the grounds and the Forbidden Forest that lay beyond them, Draco didn't notice Hermione set down her DVD player and walk closer to him.

"Draco..." She said his name with such softness he was somewhat startled for a few moments. "...why aren't you sleeping?"

"I am sleeping!"

"Then why did you pass out in the shower?" she took another step towards him.

He said nothing and turned his attention to the Forest again.

"Draco?" The closeness of her voice shocked him and he turned his head just as she put her hand on his shoulder. He quickly shrugged it off and jumped up.

"Don't touch me Mudblood!" he yelled at her before running across the room and out the portrait hole, not daring to look back at her for fear of seeing her hurt by his much used insult.

Soon he found himself high up in one of the Quidditch stands, not quite sure how he got there. He sat in silence for a while, watching the occasional owl fly by and letting the cool air soothe his face.

"I hate her..." he whispered into the wind. "Stupid dreams, they mean nothing..."

He lowered his head to his knees and held it in his hands.

"She's an arrogant stubborn little know it all! A self absorbed immature little..."

_She's perfect for you..._

"Shut up..." he grunted, smacking his head down onto the bar in front of him.

**A/N: Sorry if there are any mistakes here, it's un-edited as I am in a rush **


	6. Chapter 6: Apologies

**A/N: Tis an update ;)**

**I know I'm a terrible writer as I haven't updated any of my fics in ages but rest assured to those of you who have read UMS, the wedding is in progress :D**

**-crosses fingers and hopes for the best!-**

It was nearly 6 when Draco returned to the Dormitory. He was unaware of how long he had been sitting alone on the Quidditch Field, but he hoped the passing hours had given Hermione some space to forget what he had said.

_It's doubtful…_

He pushed open the portrait to find her sat in the Lounge. He took in a deep breath and, with less dignity than he had hoped for, said "I'm back."

"I noticed." Hermione muttered, not looking up from her books. He rubbed his hands together and sighed as he sat opposite her.

"What are you doing?" he asked, fishing desperately for conversation.

"Care of Magical Creatures research." He could almost taste the bitterness that dripped from her words.

"Cool…" he replied, ignoring his own disdain for the subject, "want some help?"

There was a slight pause before finally, she looked up at him. He shrugged and made his best 'I can be helpful' face; this caused her to raise an eyebrow before returning to her reading.

_Merlin, this apology thing is harder than I thought…_

He continued to look at her for a good 5 minutes or so, wondering what it would take for her to forgive him. Feeling his eyes constantly upon her, she looked up. "Can I help you?"

"Look," he began, "about earlier. I - "

"I don't want to talk about it." she interrupted him.

"But I just wanted to say I'm so - "

"I don't care anymore Draco. I really don't. I mean you've been horrid to me now for 7 years… why the hell did I think anything would change?" Draco tried desperately not to look her in the eye, but found that he couldn't ignore the slight glisten in the corner that resembled a tear.

"I really am sorry this time…" he knew he meant it. Hermione shook her head.

"Why do you even care if you hurt my feelings?" The edge to her voice had returned and he was currently being glared at with such force he was slightly worried.

Something inside of him flipped and he returned to the old Draco.

"Fine. If you don't want to believe my apology then fine. It doesn't make the slightest bit of difference…"

He stood and stormed into his room, slamming the door so hard that the books atop his trunk fell to the ground. He was furious.

"How dare she not accept my apology?!" he yelled into his pillow as he flopped onto the bed.

_And why should you care if you hurt her feelings?_

"Well I don't care."

_Course not. That's why you're sulking in your room after she rejected your apology. _

Draco was beginning to tire of conversations with only himself and his dazzling conscious; nevertheless, he couldn't deny that Hermione had looked upset. More so than usual.

_You have to do something…_

**...**

The creak of the portrait as it opened brought Hermione out of her trance. She had thrown herself into her work the second Draco left to cease the tears that she could feel just beneath her lids from falling. "Yes?" she said when no-one appeared.

A small cough made its way over the edge of the sofa and she stood. Looking over the other side, the pointed ears and balding head of a house elf could be seen. He looked up at her and smiled.

"Pardon me Miss, but Master Malfoy asked me to bring you this." As he bowed he raised the tray he had concealed behind him and balanced it on the arm of the sofa. Placed upon it was a hot chocolate, one that Hermione knew was so extravagant that only the Malfoys could afford to have it imported specially, and the biggest, most delicious looking cookie she had ever witnessed, even in the Wizarding World.

"Thank you." she smiled down at the house elf.

"May I go Miss?" Hermione realised that Draco must have requested the house elf with the best manners, purely for Hermione's sake, so she planted a kiss on his head before dismissing him.

She looked down at the elaborately made substitute meal before her and smiled. Picking up the cookie, she split it in two and placed it on a second plate.

"Draco?" she called. There was silence for a while before his door opened and he stepped out into the light of the Lounge. Without another word she held out his half of the cookie.

"I want you to have it all." he said quietly. His voice was croaky, as if he had been talking a lot, though to whom Hermione was not sure.

"I like sharing." She smiled at him. He finally smiled back and took the plate from her. "But you're keeping the hot chocolate."

"I'm fine with that."

Draco laughed and sat down. "So, apology accepted?"

Hermione took a long sip of the chocolatey liquid and sighed. "Oh yeah."

"Good." They sat together in silence, slowly making their way through their half of the cookie. For the first time in a few days, ever since the dreams had begun, he felt happy again.

**A/N: Well, there is your update :P**

**I know I am a pathetic excuse for an FF writer but I have my GCSE's now in the next few weeks so I may not update… I'll try though (:**


	7. Chapter 7: Nice Trunk

**A/N: Update ;) **

Draco wasn't lucky enough to have a dreamless rest that night, despite the fact that he and Hermione were no longer fighting. Whether that had anything to do with why the dreams had begun or not he was unsure, but it was an idea.

He could remember the events of his subconscious vividly. The way her hair had felt in his hand; how it had blown across his face in the gentle breeze from the lake; how the moonlight had illuminated her eyes and in turn, his heart. This dream had been nothing like his previous ones. They hadn't been kissing or making out like usual. They were just sitting together, Hermione entwined in Draco's arms beneath a tree at the Lake.

He was agitated when he woke, the disappointment that once again he was not fully rested setting in. He sighed, walking to the window and gazing across the grounds he had become so accustomed to. The Forbidden Forest never appeared so harsh or sinister in the early dawn when the silvery dew drops clung rebelliously to every bewitched leaf, and the sky cast a subtle pink tint over the crumbling earth.

It was difficult to be disenchanted when the world was offering him up such beauty on a platter.

_Like Hermione?_

He ignored his subconscious as much as he could and left the darkness of his room. As he walked to the kitchen, the door to his right opened and a very messy-haired Hermione walked out.

"Morning." she said with a smile on her face. He glanced at her hair and immediately the images of him playing with it, twirling it in between his long fingers, came to mind and he simply smiled at her. Without asking this time, two cups were placed on the work top before he boiled the kettle.

From the kitchen, he could see quite clearly into the Head Girl's room. Hermione had pulled the door so it was almost closed, but the soft wind from the window opposite had opened it so that half the room could be seen. He gazed with simple curiosity at what could be seen.

There was her dressing table which, not surprisingly, had a stack of books neatly arranged in height order in one corner; in the other was a small box of make-up and a hairbrush. He caught sight of himself in the mirror and was pleased to see that the dark circles that had previously been so protruding and obtrusive in comparison to his fair skin, were now beginning to fade.

Moving along the wall, he chuckled to himself as he saw the posters of certain wizards, winking at him slyly from where they were positioned. _So, she is a Lockhart lover is she? _He was surprised to find himself looking in the mirror again, tragically comparing himself to the moving man.

He shook his head and moved onto her trunk. Now he was intrigued. This was not the generic trunk issued to every student on their first day. A slightly ominous glow could be glimpsed peeping through the cracks in the old wood; it appeared to change colour, an emerald green to a light purple, like a shimmering topaz stone. He wondered what was inside.

A loud click as the kettle switched off brought him back to his coffee making. He set the two drinks down on the centre table and sat opposite Hermione.

"Sleep well?" she asked, lifting the mug to her lips and blowing the steam gently off the coffee. He couldn't help but notice how perfectly shaped they were, or how they curled deliciously around the rim of the mug.

"Not too badly thanks." he answered, unwilling to elaborate further.

"Good." she said, raising her feet on the sofa so that she could hug her knees. "Cold?" Draco asked.

"A little." To this reply Draco set his drink back down and got up to close the window. She smiled in thanks. "So, lessons start again tomorrow!" Hermione couldn't help but express her enthusiasm and Draco couldn't help but smile. He still loathed the situation slightly, that he allowed himself to be so easily amused by her, yet within these 4 walls he decided it was pointless to conceal his sudden uncharacteristic happiness.

"Can't wait!" he sighed and rolled his eyes. "At least it's Potions first." This was the one lesson that Draco could even remotely bear.

"Yes… I wonder what we'll be doing?" Hermione appeared to be in deep thought, as if she was going through the syllabus in her head, desperately searching for the topics they had yet to cover.

"Any plans for today?" Draco interrupted her thoughts. "Not really. Thought I might go for a walk along the Black Lake." Draco spat out his coffee.

"You ok?" Hermione asked.

"Sorry, hot." He smiled innocently. _Why is __everything__ relating back to my dream?_

"Want to join me?" she asked. "Um, no thanks. I think I'm going to try to get in some last minute Quidditch practice before term starts." he replied quickly.

"Oh, ok." she said somewhat flatly. _Great. You've upset her yet again. _

"Maybe another day." he added on. She smiled instantly. "Well, I guess I'll get ready then." she said, indicating to her hair. Draco laughed and stood, taking her empty coffee mug from the table. As he leaned over, she stood at the same time and they came face to face, mere inches from each other. There was silence for a while as their eyes held one another; Hermione's quickened breath glided over Draco's cheek and he found his eyes wondering at her perfect lips again. He turned quickly and entered the kitchen without a word. A few seconds later he heard Hermione's door slam shut.

_Fuck it. _


	8. Chapter 8: Late Nights & Early Mornings

For the rest of the day Hermione and Draco barely spoke. There was a slight tension in the room whenever they both occupied it, though this was a rare occurrence as Draco had been flying for most of the afternoon. Once he had returned to the Dormitory he headed straight for his room, ready with the excuse of being tired in case he and Hermione crossed paths again. Thankfully she wasn't there.

It was now 7pm. _Dinner time. _He waited for the sound of Hermione's door but all he could hear was his own breath. Deciding it could be time to break their silence, he knocked on her door and waited. There was no reply. He sighed. _She's probably left already._

He made his way to the Great Hall and glanced up and down the Gryffindor table as he walked by. No sign of Hermione. She wasn't with Harry or Ron, nor Ginny.

"Draco!" a woman's voice called his name but he knew immediately it was not Hermione. He turned in their direction to find Pansy and Blaise walking towards him, a smile stretched across Pansy's thin lips. "Come sit with us."

Draco smiled a phony grin and sat down opposite Blaise, ignoring Pansy as she sat closer to him than was spatially required. He shuffled away a little, much to her disappointment. He sat through dinner in silence as Pansy talked and talked about nothing that was of particular interest to anyone and Blaise simply rolled his eyes.

He finished his dinner before his other friends, simply because he had placed little food on his plate to begin with, and excused himself from the Great Hall. As he entered the main corridor, Dumbledore walked towards him.

"Mr. Malfoy. I trust you are settled into your new Dormitory?" Draco simply nodded, sensing there was another question to come. "Good. And how are you and Miss Granger getting along?"

"Just fine." he said, producing a another fake smirk.

"Just fine…" Dumbledore nodded. "Perhaps a little better than just fine." He looked at Draco over the top of his glasses before turning on his heels and entering the Great Hall, leaving a very confused Slytherin alone.

Draco scoffed and shrugged his shoulders as he continued his journey, muttering the occasional 'old fool!'

He plonked himself down on his bed as soon as he made it to the Dorm, wrapping his duvet around his shoulders as the cool of the night set in and picking up his book. An hour or two passed as he became enthralled by the pages, yet he knew he had not heard any sound from the portrait hole or movement from the room beside his. He checked his watch. It was half 10.

Draco lay back on his bed and stared at the ceiling, as he had done on many occasions when trying to fall asleep. The minutes ticked by and the moon had long since illuminated his room before he realised he wasn't going to sleep.

_Worried about her? _

He sighed and got out of bed. There was a soft pattering of rain against his window and for a split second his heart jumped, thinking he had heard the portrait hole click. He opened his door to check but no-one could be seen. "Surely she wouldn't stay out this late in the rain? Especially on a school night..." he asked himself as he made a hot chocolate, shivering against the cold stone of the tiles on the kitchen floor. He left the water to boil and magically mix in with the chocolaty substance as he retrieved his duvet from the bed and placed it on the large window sill by the fire place, settling down with his drink once it was done.

The rain started to come down hard and dense black clouds moved over the moon, stealing the light from where he sat and plunging his pale shape into darkness. He set down his mug and was about to move off his perch to light the fire when he froze. There was a tiny click as the portrait hole closed and small slow footsteps could be heard over the sound of the rain. He was fully aware that Hermione could not see him in the darkness.

He could also tell from the way she walked that she was soaked to the skin. She sniffled slightly and Draco was unsure if she had caught a cold or if she had been crying. He expected Hermione to go into the bathroom to dry off or have a warm shower but she carried on straight into her room_._ _She must be tired. She didn't even turn her light on_.

He yawned, suddenly feeling rather tired himself.

…

Draco awoke the next morning to the smell of fresh coffee. He immediately got out of bed, craving the caffeinated drink. The first day of lessons was always the most tiring as the early mornings became a harsh reality that the students could not ignore.

As he stretched backwards on his bed in a desperate attempt to awaken his muscles, he tried to recall what he dreamt about last night. _Nothing. Absolutely nothing. _

Draco was surprised by the lack of activity in his subconscious, but guessed it must have been because he was so tired, plus he had barely seen Hermione all day. He sighed, almost a little sad to have an uninterrupted night.

He scoffed to himself. "Don't be stupid. You've been hoping for these dreams to stop ever since they started." he mumbled.

He threw himself off his bed and headed for the kitchen, where a cup of coffee had already been made and placed on the side for him.

…

The small shutters in the Dungeons slammed shut and an immediate hush spread through the students as Professor Snape strode to the front of the class, robes billowing behind him. Though the pupils were used to Snape after all these years he still managed to instil a certain amount of fear in them, a fear he was well aware of.

Draco had been surprised upon his arrival, which luckily was just before Snape's dramatic entrance, to find that Hermione was confined to a table by herself. She looked a little sad to be cut off from her friends, as the work desk was situated in the corner away from the centre tables, yet beckoned him over quietly as he came through the door. A sign just in front of the cauldron informed him that this was the table reserved for the Head Boy and Girl.

"Will we have a separate table in every lesson?" he questioned, a slight edge of annoyance to his voice as he noticed Blaise sat too far away in his normal seat for Draco to even consider sending him a note behind Snape's back.

"I don't know, we'll have to wait and see." Hermione replied, doodling absentmindedly on a spare piece of parchment. Draco nodded, not that she saw. He wondered what she was thinking so intensely about.

"You missed dinner last night. I knocked for you but I guess you weren't in your room."

"I must have been out." She still did not look away from her scribbling.

Draco laughed. "Well I gathered that. So… where were you all day?"

"Down by the lake. Where I said I'd be."

"All day? But it must have been freezing down there."

"Hmm." was all she replied before jumping out of her seemingly catatonic state as Snape banged his way to the front.

"Enough chattering Potter." he shot in Harry's general direction.

"But sir I wasn't talk -"

"10 points from Gryffindor it is in that case Potter." Harry simply grumbled and slouched further down his chair.

"Page 94 in the advanced books. Ingredients are in their usual places. You have 1 hour to make me a _perfect _potion." Snape shouted mundanely at the class before going about his own business.

Draco sighed and got out his book, flipping to the page quickly as he knew better than to waste time. He skimmed over it quickly and sighed. _Projection potion; this potion enables the drinker to project their thoughts and memories onto any surface so that it may be seen by other witches and wizards. The projection will last until the respective thought or memory has been played through. This useful potion was invented by an unknown wizard in the early 17__th__ century and was used to… _

Draco stopped reading and skipped ahead to the ingredients list. He stood, waiting for Hermione to do the same so that they could collect their ingredients, but she stayed seated, a somewhat anxious look on her face as she stared at the page.

"Something wrong?"

She looked up at him. "No, no. Just looks complicated that's all. I wasn't expecting a potion so complex in our first lesson." Then she stood.

Draco laughed. "And since when have you found something complex?"

Apparently she didn't hear him as she was rifling through the cupboard for a certain plant extract. He sighed and gathered up his own ingredients.

Through a combination of their potions skills and the general lack of small talk to divert attention, the pair had finished just within the hour they were given. Snape sauntered over to their table and dipped a ladle into the cauldron, stirring it in a figure of 8. He sniffed at it slightly before leaving it to simmer.

"Well Mr. Malfoy, it's the right colour and the right consistency. Good work." He gave Hermione no mention and she scoffed, folding her arms.

"It was a joint effort between me and Hermione, sir." Draco said. Snape looked at him, then to Hermione, and back again, disbelieving that a Gryffindor and a Slytherin could ever work so well together. He walked away to another table and examined their potion in a similar fashion.

"Idiot…" Hermione mumbled.

"I heard that." Draco smiled. "At least he said we have the right consistency and… colour…" Draco's voice faded out as he looked into the cauldron properly, somewhat mesmerised by the topaz shine coming from inside. Like a distant memory, it seemed to stir something inside him, remind him of something. He was brought out of his staring contest with the cauldron as Snape dismissed them coldly.

He turned to ask Hermione what lesson she had next, just in time to see her rush abruptly through the door.

**A/N: I'm going on holiday for a while so hopefully I'll be able to do some writing but I won't be able to upload anything of course. Hope this chapter is ok. The first half is beta'd but the second half, everything after Draco going to bed, is unbeta'd. **


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