Cold (Hermoine X Draco)

Chapter Two

Hermione POV

I'm honestly quite thrown by my unexpected run in with Malfoy. He wasn't exactly nice, but that has to be the first time I can remember that he wasn't downright rude. I can't shake the suspicion that the Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry is going to be different this year. So far only Pansy Parkinson has behaved like I expected her to. The next conclusion I come to is that, for now, I'm not going to tell Harry or Ron. Usually we're the first to hear about each other's Slytherin problems, but I can already hear their responses. Ron will be prepared to go beat them all up like Muggles. Forget wizard's duels. If I try to stop him, he'll tell me, "'Mione, they're obviously trying to lull you into a false sense of security while they sneak around behind our backs!"

Harry will look at me with some kind of disbelief, although he might be a bit more fair, especially after we did save Malfoy during the Battle of Hogwarts. Then, he'll say, "Are you sure, Hermione? What if Ron's right? They are Slytherins. Be careful."

I'm not entirely sure why I'm not thrilled at the prospect of Ron bashing Malfoy's nose in, but I'm fully sure that their responses will not be what I want to hear. What do I want to hear, exactly?

I just don't want a fight on the first day, I suppose. They haven't done anything yet. Innocent until proven guilty, right? And besides, I was the one who hit Malfoy in third year. I don't need Ron to fight him for me.

Pushing thoughts of pesky Slytherins to the back of my mind, I head for our common room. That's when I realize I don't know the password. I'll have to wait for Harry. With a sigh, I wander further through the halls of the familiar castle to kill time.

It's been rebuilt since the battle, of course. There are countless charms to make the brick and stonework match, but they left the contrast between new and old masonry. A reminder. A symbol of what we overcome, that we rebuilt our homes and our lives and that Voldemort did not win. More effective than covering it up as if it never happened.

I recall Harry mentioning something over the summer about the exorbitant amount of money donated by the Malfoy family toward fixing the castle and grounds. Probably just buying their way out of prison, as usual, Harry had written. That I didn't doubt, as far as Lucius Malfoy was concerned. Narcissa wouldn't have been locked up, and Dra---Malfoy wouldn't either, I think. And here I am again, thinking about Slytherins. And now that I nearly thought of him as 'Draco'. I'm seriously beginning to doubt my sanity.

I make my way into the library and pull a random book off of the shelf. It's about Herbology, I learn as I settle into a chair to read it.

"There you are, Hermione!"

I look up, realizing that it's dark out. Harry is holding a lantern.

"Oh, Harry! I must have lost track of time!" I gather up my book and follow him to the door.

"I told Ron you'd be here." He shook his head. "He was convinced you'd been abducted by Slytherins."

I laugh. Ron, ever the Gryffindor.

"I hope he's not too disappointed about the anticlimactic truth."

Harry chuckled. "No, he'll have his chance eventually. When have the Slytherins not been causing problems?"

"They haven't done anything yet." I feel that I need to remind him.

"Yet." Harry says darkly.

We reach the hallway where the Fat Lady is and Harry turns to me. "Password is 'Unity'. Must be because of the Battle. I have to go patrol, you know, Head Boy stuff. Make sure Ron knows you aren't dead."