The Eighth Year - Under Major Reconstruction

3 - Common room

Quietly they made their way to their new common rooms. Still, they were silent. Professor McGonagall told them all their passwords.

"Paenitet," Harry said as the portrait opened up for them

"I guess our rooms have our names on them," Harry says going to inspect all of the doors

A minute later, Harry returned back into the room and told everyone where their new rooms were.

"Our room is on the far left, Ron and Pansy are across from us. Luna and Blaise are in the other hallway on the left, and Hermione and Draco are across from them." Harry finishes awkwardly and ushers Ginny to their room.

Everyone made their way to their rooms. They would have to speak sometime, so once Hermione and Draco were behind the closed doors of their room, Hermione opens her mouth for the first time since they were "sorted."

"How the hell did this happen?" She asks him, laying down on the bed and covering her face with her hands.

"Believe me. I'm questioning everything right now too. If anyone, I would have expected it to be Pansy. But the bloody Gryffindor Princess?" He asks sitting down in the chair across the room

"This is insane! Why would the hat put us together?" She stands up and starts pacing the room.

"Perhaps you secretly fancied me all these years, Granger?" He smirks trying to make the best of a horrible situation

"This isn't time for jokes, Malfoy. I suppose we should start off by calling each other by our first names...Draco." She spits out

"I suppose you're right. We will be married this time next year anyway." He sighs which in turn makes Hermione start crying

"Why are you crying?" He asks. He had no idea how to deal with this. How do you deal with someone who was crying? He had never been taught this. He was always told not to cry, the crying was for the weak. So he didn't know how to comfort her.

"It's just...I-I had always imagined...a life after school with Ron! And now...now I'll never get to see that life. I'll...I'll be in a loveless marriage! With someone who hates me!" She sobs

Draco goes over to sit next to her. "You never know...maybe we can learn to like each other. The hat must have put us together for a reason. Maybe we'll work. You never know. Shacklebolt said the hat doesn't make mistakes. So we must be soulmates." He chokes out, shocked that he was comforting his future wife.

She had finally stopped crying, once he finished and she had stopped crying, she lifted her eyes to him and thanked him for calming her down. She had also noticed they were sitting quite close to each other.

"Draco. We should probably get to know each other if we're going to be married. If we are actually soulmates, So I suggest we do just that. My name is Hermione Jean Granger, I am 19 years old. My favourite colour is green, and I love reading. Your turn." She says looking to him

"Alright. Draco Lucius Malfoy, 19. Favourite colour is also green, and I too actually really enjoy reading." He tells her

"I didn't know you liked to read...What's your favourite book?" She asks

"It's tough to choose. But I did pick up this muggle book over the Summer, it was called The Giver. It was a great read, I was very impressed." Draco says, nodding his head to her silently, asking what her favorite book was.

"I love that book! It is definitely in my top ten. My favorite, though, is either The Princess Bride or Pride and Prejudice...Both Muggle books. I'm very shocked you decided to associate with anything muggle." She tells him

"What are they about?" He asks her, ignoring her comment about muggles

Hermione goes on to explain the story and plot of both books, going into great detail but not so much that she spoiled them.

"I actually have them with me, like most of my books, if you wanted to read them." She offers

Draco smiles and shakes his head, yes, saying that he would love to read them and that they sounded brilliant.

"Just let me know when you want them, and I'll let you borrow them...but if you dog-ear the corners, I will use this." She says seriously holding up her wand

"Maybe we do have more in common than we thought." He chuckles

\\~//

Draco had woken Hermione up for their first morning at Hogwarts. She would have overslept had he not woken her up.

"Hermione, I have your timetable. The owls brought them early this morning. We seem to have the same schedule." He says as she slowly gets out of bed. They had decided that they would take turns on the bed and the couch, the first night was Hermione's.

"Morning, Draco. Would you mind? I need to get dressed." She yawns stepping over to her trunk that she hadn't unpacked yet and grabbing her clothes and robes that she had folded and put back last night

"Yeah. I'll be outside waiting for you." He says, running his hand through his hair and turning around slowly as if he was waiting for her to say something else. Finally, Draco walks out of their room, shutting the door behind him so Hermione can get dressed for their first day of classes.

"Hey, Gra- Hermione! So they've added a new class this year for the seventh and eighth-year students. Couples counseling." He says through the door, sounding extremely annoyed.

Suddenly, Hermione swings the door open to meet her partner's pale face.

"What?" She all but yells

"We have to take couples counseling. I guess it's to make sure we can get along and will actually follow through with...the marriage." He sighs rubbing his neck

"Bloody hell. Now, why did you wait for me? We're not dating. We're not even friends." She asks angrily, getting angry at him for no reason, other than the fact that she was cheesed up about this new law and class.

She did not want to waste her precious time on couples counseling.

"Who said I was waiting for you? I left my wand in there." Draco says, walking back into the room, grabbing his wand, and leaving without her, leaving her dumbfounded at how silly the idea was.

\\~//

Not my fav chapter, but thanks for reading!

Xx, Shelby