Time passed and the term came to a close, both too slowly and too quickly for their liking. Draco wanted to know how she had possibly got the two Gryffindors to agree to leave them alone, and Hermione's only answer was that Harry was still in the hospital wing. "How could he possibly be bothering us?"

"He's Potter," Draco snapped, "he probably has a secret army of identical twins just waiting to surround us and take over."

"If there are more than two, they're not really twins, Draco." She turned the page without looking up.

"So you're agreeing with me? There is a secret army."

"No. I think you're acting crazy and spouting unbelievable ideas as a result of that. But it's okay, I promise I won't hold that against you - don't you dare!"

"You asked for it," he smirked, leaning closer, his hands brushing against her shirt as he tickled her now squirming form. She was fighting the urge but ended up unable to help it, shrieking with laughter as he did so.

"Stop it!"

"This is a library!" cried Madam Pince, chasing the two of them out from their seats.

They fell against each other in the hall, laughing and fighting rather pathetically as Hermione tried to be angry at him. By the time their friends found them, they were sitting on a windowsill in the hall as they argued again.

"Did you see her face?"

"Yes, and I'm never going to be allowed in the library again. I'm going to fail every test I have to take for the next six years, and it's all because you tackled me while Madam Pince was right there! Aren't you Slytherins meant to be sneaky?"

He scoffed. "I'll just tell mum to buy you a library. Better yet, a bookshop. You'd be good at helping people pick books, after all."

"Well, yeah, Draco. Our Hermione's good at everything."

"Blaise, stop touching me. Seriously. Please."

"I'm not sharing her," Draco clarified as Blaise removed his hand from around Hermione's shoulders, pulling a face at the pale boy.

"You don't own me," she huffed, resting her cheek against the glass. "Especially since you just got me kicked out of the library."

"How'd he manage that?" Theo wanted to know, standing just behind Blaise.

"I tickled her," Draco said, smug. "She laughed so loudly that Pince kicked us out."

"Did she really?"

"Madam Pince, thank you very much - show some respect. And I was screaming at him to stop, too. So I was being kind of loud. It's still his fault."

"That doesn't make any sense. Hi, Hermione. Theo, Blaise, Draco. Why are we all standing in the hall? Shouldn't we be in the library?"

Hermione scowled at him as the boys started to laugh. Blaise clapped Neville on the shoulder and explained, leaving the poor Gryffindor uncertain whether to laugh or take Hermione's side. He settled for the easier choice. "We're going to be late for the end of year feast."

"Late? We can't be late!" She jumped off the window and started down the hallway at a brisk walk while the boys looked at each other.

"Should I have told her what I actually just heard?"

"Probably. She does like knowing everything."

"She doesn't like knowing everything, she just does," Draco insisted.

"Right, that's possible."

"Not helping, Theo."

"Harry's out of the hospital wing."

"And just like that, you two have become Slytherins for the next couple of hours. Congratulations."

Neville sighed, but obediently followed the boys nonetheless. "Slytherin table it is."

✦

They had to catch up with and grab Hermione's arm to drag her over to the Slytherin table, and of course she argued, not that she knew the point. After a couple of minutes, Draco told her it was for her own good and physically dragged her over to sit with them. It helped keep his spirits up that he had to make Pansy shove over in order to do so.

The Great Hall looked rather thematic, decked out in Slytherin green. They were winning the house cup for the seventh year running, something the first years were thrilled over and most of the non-Slytherin student populace resented them their victory. The room was full of chatter as the students discussed their plans for the holidays. "I'm writing to Patil."

"Padma or Parvati?"

Blaise shot a look at Hermione. "Which do you think?"

"Padma. Good for you, Blaise, growing up a little."

"Thanks for your approval, Hermione. I felt that was all I needed to make this year the best I've ever had."

"Sarcasm," Theo interrupted, "doesn't get anyone anywhere."

"According to who? It seems to get Hermione and Draco pretty far."

Hermione snorted in amusement as Theo opened his mouth to answer, only to be interrupted by Draco protesting. "Why say my name second?"

"Because I like Hermione more."

"Oh, come on!"

Neville frowned. "I'm writing to Susan, too. I promised I'd help her with the Herbology holiday homework."

"I'll be sending Patil some muggle riddles. She hasn't seen sudokus or crosswords before, but she should be quite good at them. Ravenclaw and all."

Draco leaned closer to Hermione, touching her shoulder lightly. "Do you want me to write to you?"

"Gee, I don't know. Are you going to go against your fathers wishes?"

He groaned as everyone around them fell silent, staring at the doors as they opened. "I'm asking what you want, Hermione. What you want. Cut it out, Theo," he snapped as his friend faked gagging, "Can't you just tell me that much?"

"Yes, actually," she said as the other students suddenly resumed chatting loudly amongst themselves, "I would like you to write. Only your owl would have to stick around, I don't have one."

"That's fine, Erinye likes you. Good. Because I was going to write anyway."

"Yeah, of course you were."

"Another year gone!" Dumbledore began, and Hermione instantly switched her attention to the Headmaster at the staff table. Draco stayed where he was, leaning against her shoulder. It had, after all, been a very long year, as the old man was about to say. "And what a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were. We had some simply awful events - the loss of our very own Professor Quirrel -"

"Maybe the job really is cursed," Neville whispered. Blaise nodded.

"- And the release of a troll certainly aren't the only such events. We've had bonding between students from separate houses, the like of which I haven't seen for many years. We've had Quidditch victories and losses, more practical jokes than I care to count -"

"Weasley twins," Theo muttered. Draco snorted.

"Like you're so innocent."

"- And plenty of you have managed to get into trouble. As I understand it, the House Cup needs awarding and the points stand this: in fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points. In third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two, Ravenclaw in second with four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, in first place, with four hundred and seventy-two."

Draco laughed aloud, clapping along with everyone else at the table, except for Neville and Hermione who were smiling uncomfortably. They had the awkward predicament of being pleased on behalf of their friends, but disappointed that their own house was doing badly. Coming last. Draco glanced over at the Gryffindor table in time to see a very pale, distressed-looking Harry Potter turn away from him and Hermione.

"Yes, well done Slytherin, well done Slytherin. However, recent events must be taken into account."

Most of the Slytherins smiles became rather fixed as Draco sat up a little. "Is he talking about -?"

"He can't be," Hermione paled, "we'll be expelled. He wouldn't - not after -"

"Is this about why you didn't come back to the dorm until about three A.M. the other day?" Blaise hissed, curious. Draco coughed and went back to leaning against her shoulder.

"I have a few last minute points to award. Let me see. Yes. First, to Mr Ronald Weasley for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."

"It wasn't that good of a game," Draco muttered. Hermione coughed to hide her laughter.

"Second, to Miss Hermione Granger," Dumbledore's eyes moved along Gryffindor table, probably in search of the girl herself. Not finding her, he turned to the Slytherin table, the familiar twinkle in his gaze as he located her at Draco's side. "For the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."

She groaned and turned to face Draco, knocking him off her shoulder to press her own face against his shoulder, hiding her blush. He patted her shoulder, smirking. "Ha. You got called on it."

"I don't want to be lumped in with those two, it'll just get me into trouble."

"They are trouble," Blaise agreed, "but be realistic. We're not exactly angels."

"I keep forgetting you're a half-blood," Neville mused.

"Third, to Mister Harry Potter, for pure nerve and outstanding courage -"

"That's ridiculous. He didn't look so brave when I was threatening him."

"Threatening him? What are you talking about?" Draco stared at her.

"What do you do when we're not around?" Blaise sounded more impressed than anything.

"I didn't say threatening, I said talking to." The lie was helped by her voice being muffled, still pressed against Draco as she was. Her friends weren't fooled.

"- I award Gryffindor house sixty points."

Hermione snapped upright, frowning at the staff table. "He's made it so Gryffindor is ahead of Slytherin. That doesn't make any sense, it's favouritism. Why would he -?"

"Everyone knows he was a Gryffindor. Maybe he wants to relive a win he hasn't had since he was a student here."

Blaise snorted. "What, a hundred and fifty years ago? Long wait."

"He's patient. Probably. Aren't old people always patient?"

"Grandma Jean isn't patient. Not with me, anyway." Hermione pulled a face. "Gryffindor has twenty points more than you. What's he..."

"And finally, after a fantastic effort in putting aside some rather major differences, one can never be sure where he stands. I award twenty points to Mister Draco Malfoy."

The entire hall was completely silent, the occupants of the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables staring at each other across the hall. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were trapped awkwardly in the middle, debating between taking cover or taking sides. The inter-house war that had been waged for years was either about to end, or get much worse. But which was it?

Slowly, a girl at the Ravenclaw table started to clap. Later, Blaise would insist that he was sure it was Padma, but she would deny it. Her friends joined in, not wanting her to be awkwardly alone. At the Gryffindor table, one of their siblings noticed the source and, shrugging, joined in. Other Gryffindors joined in, then more, and more. Hufflepuff joined in, and then, finally, Slytherin. The Hall went from quiet to chaos in less than a minute, as Dumbledore recommended a change in the decor. With a single clap of his hands, it was done: the Hall was coloured like Christmas, with a silver serpent alongside a golden lion above the heads of the staff at the table.

It was a rare sight, Gryffindor and Slytherin colours side by side. Maybe it would become more common in the future. Only time would tell.

✦

Exam results came through the next day, along with a notice that all students needed to be packed in time for the train to leave the day after. Hermione, of course, managed to claim top student of their year, though except for Neville, her friends were all close to her level. Neville scored worst in potions but was second only to Hermione in Herbology. They were all satisfied with their grades - Draco was half-sure that even his father would be pleased when he pointed out that Hermione had been better than everything. "Maybe he'll even let her grow on him a little."

"What was that?" Blaise asked, tossing one last book in his trunk. The term was over, and all that was left to do was finish packing and meet Hermione and Neville to take a boat across the lake with Hagrid, to the train to board.

"Nothing. Hey, Hermione's birthday is after the summer, right? She'll be thirteen."

"Yeah, and?"

"I didn't get her a birthday present this year. What should I get her?"

Blaise shrugged, closing his trunk. "How would I know? She's my friend, Draco, nothing more. I can buy her chocolate or some book and call it done, if there are any books you haven't already bought her. But you have to impress her, don't you? Put some thought into it." He smirked. "I gave Patil a riddle to solve at breakfast this morning. Do you think she can crack it?"

"She's a Ravenclaw, she'll be fine. I really need to think of something to send mum to get her."

"You two are kind of gross, how much you cling to each other. It's not normal."

Draco sat down on his bed, rubbing the back of his neck. "You're going to let this drive me crazy all summer long, aren't you?"

"Yep. And I plan on enjoying it. Are you going to write to all of us or just Hermione?"

"That depends."

"On what?"

Draco grinned. "On whether or not you can catch me."

He didn't stop running until he spotted Hermione standing at the top of the stairs in the Entrance Hall. She looked up from her book, surprised by the racket as Blaise called after him that he was doomed to be caught, that he'd never lost a game of tag and wasn't about to start now. Draco skidded to a stop in the hall, Blaise knocked him over, and Hermione almost fell down the steps she was laughing so hard. The only reason she didn't was that Neville came up behind her, allowing her to grab onto him. Theo caught up to the Slytherins a moment later, shaking his head and smirking at their game. The group stayed together across the lake, getting a compartment together on the Hogwarts Express.

It was a pleasant journey, as they went unbothered by anyone who wasn't welcome. Neville ended up on the floor again, but he disappeared for a while to find and talk to Susan before returning with her, asking Hermione for homework help. Hermione read with Draco again, debating the best way to tackle the Transfiguration summer research assignment. Blaise and Theo set up a chess game on the seats opposite, trying to pull off a game that would be better than Rons, though Draco and Hermione agreed they'd have no chance. Padma Patil joined them early on, interrupting the chess game to announce she had solved the riddle. Blaise didn't believe her, up until she helped him positively slaughter Theo in the game. Then she was as welcome as any of the others. Hermione even suggested finding Cassie so they could get to know her, though Theo dismissed her. "Let her be with her friends. We'll invite her to sit with us next term."

Leaving the train afterwards, Hermione and Draco left in a pair. They turned to each other, each of them speaking at once. Then they stopped, took a breath, and Draco hurried to speak first. "You should come over this summer."

"And enjoy your dads company again? You should come over. Invite Narc - Oh, Mrs Malfoy."

"Hermione, hello. How was Hogwarts?" Narcissa was wearing a black blouse and tan pencil skirt, looking as stunning as ever alongside Monica and Wendell Granger, who were dressed down in the same collared shirts and pressed pants they would have worn to work that day.

"Good, thank you. Hi, mum," Hermione finished, dropping her trunk to give the woman a hug. Narcissa looked on as Draco came to her side, stroking his hair out of his face tenderly.

"And you?"

"Hermione wants to stay with us for a while over summer."

"I never agreed to that!"

Monica frowned. "Don't be rude, Hermione. If you're invited, later in the holidays, we'll talk about it properly."

Somewhere behind them, a little girl called out in excitement, and other students bade farewell to Harry Potter. Wendell was watching all of this curiously as Hermione looked back at Draco. "If he asks nicely, maybe I will. Otherwise..."

Draco scoffed and shook his head. "You're impossible."

"And you're selfish, but I don't hold it against you." She grinned.

"As if you could hold anything against you. I will write, though, Hermione. You and Blaise and Theo and Neville, even."

"Fine, but if I'm going to stay over summer then you have to learn to use a phone -"

"I know how to use a phone!"

"- And I'd like it if you invited the others as well."

"But that's more than -"

"There were twelve other bedrooms that I saw, I think you can manage."

"It could be pleasant," Narcissa reasoned before Draco could answer, "and if we invited the girls they're betrothed to, it could be a wonderful opportunity for getting to know each other."

"But Mister Malfoy might implode if you do that."

The woman smiled. "I can deal with a little temper tantrum."

Hermione didn't even want to consider what a Malfoys temper tantrum would look like, given the passion Draco tended to exhibit. She turned to Draco, offering her hand. He ignored it, pulling her into a quick hug. "I'll write."

"And I'll write back. I'll even answer your...oh, I didn't think of that. Hang on. Pen, pen, pen..."

A pen appeared, provided by Monica, who was talking to Narcissa all over again. Hermione grabbed Draco's wrist, twisting it to write her phone number across it.

"Call me, using that phone you say you know how to use. I should find Blaise before he leaves, give it to him too. Or Neville, even -"

Draco laughed, shaking his twisted arm and brushing the fingers of his other hand over her cheek. "You really are shockingly loyal, you know that?"

"My aim is to teach you to be exactly the same," she said, laughing right back. "Have a good summer, Draco."

He smiled. "I will if you will."

"Bet on it."