One Fine Line

Disclaimer: I don\'t own any of it! please don\'t sue me :)

*~*~*~*~*

The sky was an unusually vivid shade of blue on this day at Platform 9¾. The air held the crispness of the approaching autumn season; it was brimming with magic, and Hermione drew in as much as she could as she prepared to board the Hogwarts Express. She smiled as a slight breeze washed over her, cooling her skin and sending her unruly chestnut curls dancing in the air. This year marked her seventh and final year at Hogwarts. The knowledge that after this year she would be starting a new chapter in her life was somewhat disconcerting, but as she clasped the post, which announced her head girl position, a sense of excitement rushed over her. Ever since her first year at Hogwarts she had aspired to be head girl; she knew that she was more than qualified for the position, as she was at the top of her class. Still, she loved having confirmation.

“’Mione! Hold up!”

Hermione turned to see a shaggy haired Harry Potter jogging towards her, his vibrant green eyes glittering with charm.

“Hello Harry! How was your summer holiday?” she asked as she pulled him into a hug.

Harry blushed slightly as he wrapped his lanky arms around his friend. No matter how many times she hugged him, it always made him blush like a first year.

“Brilliant actually,” he replied as he pulled out of her embrace, “Ron came to stay with me. His father wanted an insider to help him on some muggle research, and he supposed that Ron staying with a friend was the most inconspicuous way to go about it. Though, he still is complete rubbish at using a phone,” he chuckled.

Hermione giggled at the thought of Ron hollering into the receiver.

“By the way, where is Ron? I figured that he would be with you,” she asked as she fingered the parchment in the pocket of her sweater. “There was something that I wanted to share with you both.”

“Uh…well he was with Ginny a second ago, though I’m not quite sure where they made off to…he’ll come around soon, I’m sure,” he answered, glancing around to see if he could pinpoint is friend\'s whereabouts.

He glanced back at his friend, whose face held a pleasant and dreamy expression.

“What are you so pleased about?”

Hermione shook herself out of her state, “Huh? Oh, nothing. I was just thinking.”

“About…?”

“I will tell you when Ron shows up.”

“Tell him what?”

Ron, who was now standing next to Harry, cast both of them a friendly smile. His signature red hair was longer than it had been the year before but he we was still as tall and lanky as ever.

“Oh good, you’re here. I was telling Harry that there was something that I wanted to share with you both,” she responded gleefully as she started to pull the parchment from her pocket.

“Did you make Head Girl?” Ron asked insistently as he juggled his armful of homemade sandwiches, courtesy of Molly Weasely.

“Ron! Why do you always ruin everything?” Hermione pouted and cast him a disheartened frown.

“Well, it’s not like we didn’t already know that you were going to get it; you’re Hermione Granger…who else would have they have given it to?” he retorted, shooting Harry a pleading glance. “And I do not ruin everything!”

Harry rolled his eyes as he jabbed Ron in the arm, which sent one of his sandwiches flying.

“’Mione, that’s brilliant! We were rather sure that you would get it, like Ron was trying to say,” he narrowed his eyes at his friend, who was currently chasing after his rogue sandwich, “You’re the brightest girl at Hogwarts, there was no way you that they could not choose you.”

“Thank you, Harry,” she smiled before casting an irritated glance at Ron, who at this point looked quite defeated, by both sandwich and friends.

The final whistle called for the students to board the train. First year students clung to their parents in final farewells as older students attempted to remove themselves from their parents’ clutches. Oh, how time flies.

Hermione dropped off Harry and Ron at their usual cabin and made her way to the last car, where she was supposed to meet the head boy as well as receive her official list of duties by Professor McGonagall. Anticipation coursed through her veins as she finally found the door marked “Head Students”. She had thought long and hard about whom would be head boy, but she couldn’t think of one person that possessed all of the qualities she deemed necessary. Whoever it was, she hoped that they were up for the task; of course, if he happened to be easy on the eyes, all the better.

As she stepped through the door she was presented with a scene that she certainly had not envisioned. Standing next to the window was incredibly handsome wizard, with his platinum hair falling loosely around his aristocratic face as his steely grey eyes gazed thoughtfully through the window of the cabin. It was too bad that face belonged to the most unbearable git that she had ever had the displeasure of knowing. As the door clicked shut, Draco’s eyes met Hermione’s and quickly went from reflective to disdainful.

“Unfortunately, I can’t say that I didn’t expect this…” he spat, as he stalked from the window and dropped into an overstuffed, emerald hued armchair.

“Well, I can’t say that I expected to see you in here,” she retorted, crossing her arms over her chest. In a huff, she fell into the scarlet upholstered armchair on the other side of the cabin. Who in their right mind would choose an arrogant, death eater-to-be as head boy?

“Ah good, you are both here.” Professor McGonagall stated as she burst through the doors.

Both students looked at her dishevelled appearance with slight interested, as their hatred for the current situation overtook most of their thoughts.

Also taking note of her tousled form, she quickly ranted, “There was minor issue with some sort of new product out of that blasted Weasely twins’ joke shop. They make my life difficult even when they aren’t even students!” She raised her arms in exasperation before truly realizing her company.

“Right well, Madame Pomfrey says that the swelling will go down in a couple of hours…nonetheless…” she smoothed her billowy robes as she glanced warily at the two, who were currently shooting daggers at each other.

“Congratulations on being chosen as head boy and girl. I’m sure you are aware of the responsibility of the station. I imagine that you will act accordingly and set worthy examples for the other students,” she eyed them both, as they scowled in response.

“I know this isn’t the situation either of you envisioned when you received your posts…in fact I’m rather shocked that Dumbledore would willingly put you two in close quarters, but as it is, he seemed quite sure that you two will work “brilliantly” together. I suspect you will live up to those, though in my opinion rather misguided, expectations. Look at as house bonding.”

She could have sworn she heard a growl.

*~*~*~*~*

The deleterious scowls on the faces of the two Hogwarts students was enough to make even the most cool, even tempered individual shiver with unease. The train ride had been thoroughly awkward; in fact, the expressions on the faces of the head boy and girl had not changed since they arrived at the school. Professor McGonagall flirted with a passing notion to tell them that if they leave their faces like that, they will be stuck that way. She supposed that it would be best not to add insult to injury.

The animosity between the two was no secret; it had been hard enough to mediate them in Transfiguration class and the idea of them living in the same quarters was right ludicrous. Unfortunately, for them, the two were at the top of their class and each possessed an intellect that proved to be most exceptional. Hermione was always the best choice, but Draco was debatable. Despite his indisputable intellect, he had caused quite a scandal last year. It seemed that Dumbledore had the utmost faith in Draco, even in death.

Professor McGonagall smiled at the thought of how that was very much like dear Albus

She just hoped that they did not kill each other before graduation.

Having finally arrived at Hogwards, Professor McGonagall escorted them to their chambers. The portrait door opened to reveal a spacious living area. The colours of the two houses mingled together on the upholstery in luxurious stripes of emerald green and deep scarlet with silver and gold accents. Various candles in addition to a small fire in the aged stone hearth cast a warm glow over the caramel stained wood of the floors and surrounding fixtures. Various old, dusty magic books rested in aged oak bookcases. On the modest sized table next to the bay window sat two gift baskets, each donned with coordinating house colours, filled with various Honeyduke’s confections, no doubt in the memory of the sweets loving Headmaster. Overall, the common room was quite warm and cosy, though the atmosphere between the two students was anything but.

“Right then, as you’ve been briefed on your duties for now, I see no reason why I should stay. I suggest that you use the time before the sorting ceremony to settle in. Your belongings are already in your rooms. Ms. Granger, your room on the right and yours, Mr. Malfoy, is on the left,\" she motioned respectively.

\"Try not to off each other; I would rather not have to find replacements.” She smirked slightly. With her robes rippling in her wake, she left the two alone.

Hermione and Draco both watched her exit before returning to their aforementioned dispositions.

Hermione was having difficulty grasping that she had to live with someone that she had grown to despise over the past six years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Someone had to have been pissed while making that decision.

“Dumbledore must have been completely mad to choose you for head boy,” Hermione’s tawny eyes, which usually held boundless compassion, only emitted contempt as she glared down her nose at Draco. She mentally winced at the twinge of guilt from speaking so disrespectfully of the dead.

His face, maintaining his characteristic sneer, glowered in return. “For once I have to agree with you. If anyone can possess the notion that a filthy little mudblood could be skilled enough to be considered of head girl calibre, they are down right mental.” His felt a surge of triumph as he noticed his Gryffindor counterpart’s eyes grow dark with anger.

Hermione’s cheeks flushed at his insult, “Stuff it ferret! You know that I could easily hex you into next year. I’m just astonished that someone would put such responsibility in the hands of an insufferable prat!” she seethed.

“Oh come off it Granger, you know that there was no other worthy candidate for the position. Certainly, you couldn’t think Potty or Weasel fit to be head boy; they can barely get through their own studies without mucking something up. At least I have leadership skills,” he smugly adjusted his tie.

“At least if Harry or Ron were head boy, the other students wouldn’t have to worry about being murdered in their sleep!” She snapped, shooting up from her chair.

She had him there. The majority of the student body revered Draco Malfoy with intense fear, especially after he had pulled his wand on Dumbledore. Despite the fact that he was freed of responsibility of that, most students found it fit to avoid him.

Draco winced slightly at the remark, yet did not loose his unflustered composer. He hadn\'t really wanted to try to off Dumbledore, but considering his lineage and their allegiances, he wasn’t presented with much of a choice. He was expected to fall into line for the Dark Lord, just as his father had. After Draco had been cleared of charges, he had come to the decision that henceforth, Draco Malfoy falls in line for no one.

A loud crack rang through the common area as a house elf apparated into the room.

“I’m here to inform you that the proceedings are about to begin in the Great Hall and that your presence is requested immediately.” she stated as she took the hem of her tattered violet dress and curtsied graciously.

“Fine, off with you then,” Draco ordered as he reached for his robes.

Hermione turned to him with a reproachful glare before kneeling down to the house elf.

“Thank you...what is your name?” she asked kindly

“Pinkie, Miss.” she replied with another curtsy.

“Well, thank you very much Pinkie. If you should ever have to return, feel free just refer to us as Hermione and Draco.”

“Speak for yourself!” Draco looked positively horrified at the concept.

“Shove it, Malfoy! Have some respect for your fellow magical creatures!”

He shot her a dismissive glance as he pulled his new head boy robes over his crisply pressed white shirt and pristine black trousers.

“I’m sure Potty and Weasel are anxiously awaiting your arrival, as are my mates are for me. I won’t wait up for you,” he shouted before slamming the portrait door.

“Prat…” she mumbled as she pulled on her own robes.