When All You Know Is Wrong

McGonagall left the two of them outside the portrait that would lead them to their new living arrangments, informing them that they would have to decide on a password together before they could enter. The minutes seemed like hours before Draco decided to try and say something.

"Well, Granger, I don't know about you, but I don't fancy spending all night in the hall."

Hermione blushed, she had been so caught up in her thoughts, she had completely forgotten that she needed to help come up with the password for their dorms.

"Right. Err....well, it needs to be something we agree on, naturally. What about...." she paused to think, not really having any idea. "What about 'Hell's Angel'?"

Draco looked at her as though she had gone mental.

"Why in the world would you want something like that?"

Hermione sighed, hating to have to explain herself, she honestly thought it was ingenious.

"Becuase, Malfoy, you're as bad as the devil himself."

He scoffed. "And what, you think you're completely innocent. I don't think so. Let's think of something that doesn't insult either one of us."

She was taken aback. He didn't want to insult her. 'Yea right,' she thought. 'He's just trying to get you to lower your guard so it'll hurt more.'

"Fine, let's make it 'trust' then, becuase everyone seems to think that you and I should trust each other. Or the teachers do at least."

He didn't say anything, just gave a nod of his head and turned to the portrait of a beautiful woman in a 17th century dress being held by a handsome man.

The man and woman, having heard the discussion, allowed the portal to be opened and the new occupants to enter.

Once inside, Hermione gasped at the site of the common room. It was perfect. No house colors were shown, but that just made it even better. There was a black leather sofa and love seat with a glass table in between them all sitting on a beautiful (and extremely soft) white carpet. The walls were a cream color with bookshelves and study tables and desks in mahogany. The fireplace seemed to be made of obsidian, but she couldn't really tell, either way, it was breathtaking. And it was all hers.

'No, it's not,' her mind replied. 'You do have to share it with Malfoy.'

'Oh, shut up. Let me live in my little bubble of peace.' She must be going insane. She's talking to herself in her mind. She definitely needed a good night's sleep. Maybe then, almost everything will just seem like a bad dream.

"Well, uh, I'm going up to my room. Err...goodnight, Malfoy."

She started walking towards the door up a few stairs that held her name when he spoke.

"Whatever's going on to change you, I'll figure it out."

Slowly, she gathered her thoughts and turned to face him.

"Why do you care?"

It was said so softly, he almost didn't catch it.

"I don't."
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Stupid Malfoy. Why couldn't he just mind his own business. Besides, he just said he didn't care, so why press the issue. Probably so he could tell the whole school and humiliate her.

Of course, that was it. After all, it wasn't like he had changed. He was still the stupid, arrogant, evil, ferret prat he had always been.

Why was she even letting this effect her?

Because if he found out, Harry and Ginny would find out. She didn't want them to be mad at Ron. Even after what he had done to her, she couldn't stand the thought that people hated him because of her.

With all her mental ramblings, she hadn't even taken the time to notice what her room looked like. But when she did, it was like the common room all over again. She just couldn't believe it was her's.

There was a king size bed covered in a maroon cover with white sheets, maroon and white pillows and maroon curtains around her bed. Again, the floor was white, and all the furniture was a deep cherry wood. It was all just so beautiful.

Sitting down on her bed, she decided that she couldn't let everyone get to her. She was going to make this her best year at Hogwarts come hell or high water. After all, she deserved it didn't she? After everything they had all gone through the past six years. One year of peace wasn't too much to ask for.

Hermione peeled off her robes and slipped into a long, satin, black nightgown and crawled underneath the covers. Laying on her side, she fell asleep with a smile on her face for the first time in almost a month.
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Draco was in turmoil. He didn't care what happened to her. He didn't even know why he said anything. He should have just let her walk up to her room, none the wiser that he was curious.

Then, he remembered the pained, scared look in his mother's eyes and her realized that he did care. Not about her, personally. He couldn't. It wasn't possible, they had hated each other for years. He just didn't want to see anyone, even Mudblood Granger, abused the way his mother was. No one deserved that.

He thought for a second about owling his mother, to get her advice, and then decided against it. After all, he had no valid proof that anything was going on, and he didn't want his mother to think of things that hurt her. Despite what everyone thought of him, Draco did have a heart that was capable of more love than anyone would ever know.

Still not knowing what he was going to do, if he was even going to do anything, he lay down on his bed resolved to deal with it another day.
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Hey, hope you all like it so far. I really love to hear what you think, the good and the bad. So feel free to drop a line with comments or advice. If you have any ideas on what you would like to happen, let me know and I'll see what I could do, if it would fit, etc. Thanks.

~donovanwitch