Fraternizing with the Enemy

Chapter One:

The White Ferret vs. The Bushy Fox

Hermione stomped furiously down the hall, fuming about a certain redhead. "How could he be so dense?" she thought to herself. "I mean, I'm not asking for much! Just a little bit of respect. He has never complimented me once!" she thought, kicking a wall angrily. She clasped the handle on the door to the library and pushed harder than she needed to and the door slammed into a wall. She ignored this and as she walked over to her favorite table she pondered ways to make him notice her. "There must be some way I can make him think beyond his nose. He seems to get jealous a lot...but he knows that Victor and I are definitely not an item. Damnit!" Just then she noticed that there was someone already sitting at her table. "Perfect, the last person in the world that I want to talk to right now," she said, growing even more agitated. Unfortunately, when she searched the other tables they were already full of people. She had no choice but to sit there if she wanted to stay in the library.

Trying to appear as suave as possible, she sat in the chair opposite Draco. He looked up from his work and leaned back in his chair. "Yes?" he said in his trademark superiority.

"There are no other seats. I don't have a choice. We have to work on that project together anyways," she said concretely, not once making eye contact with him. It was true that they did have to write a paper on transfiguring rocks into moles, but at this particular moment that was the last thing on her mind, and she didn't know why she had thought of it.

"Fine, go ahead and sit there," he said with a smirk. "Just don't expect me to act like Weasel and fall all over myself."

"If you don't want me to throw up all over your books then do NOT mention him again," she said, causing Draco to raise his eyebrows in surprise.

"And why is that?"

"Why do you care?"

"I don't," he said flatly. She had to tell someone and at the moment she couldn't think of anyone who would agree with her more on what an idiot Ron was.

"He is the densest person I have ever met in my life. How can anyone be that stupid?" she spat, her anger mounting.

"You're acting like this is something new?"

"No, but it's worse than ever now."

"Cry me a river, Granger. He's your friend, what do you expect me to do about it?" Up until now she had not even thought of involving him in this, but just then, she had a brilliant idea.

"Help me get him back," she said through a mischievous smile.

"Pardon?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

"You hate Ron right?"

"For a smart girl you ask very obvious questions."

"And for a smart boy you're being very ignorant. Help me teach Ron a lesson he won't soon forget," she said, wondering if her manipulations were working.

"What's in it for me?" he said in a very Malfoy kind of way, unable to hide his curiosity.

"Isn't the pleasure of hurting Ron enough?" He raised an eyebrow in a you've-got-to-be-kidding way. "A good grade on the transfiguration paper?" He still wasn't budging. She scanned their table for inspiration and her eyes fell on a small black book in front of Malfoy. Before he could stop her she lunged for it and clutched it tightly to her chest. For the first time, she thought, he looked positively terrified.

"Give that back, Mudblood," he hissed through gritted teeth, rising from his chair. She merely pushed her chair back farther away from him and opened the little book.

"Would this be your journal, Malfoy?" she said maliciously. His eyes flared with anger, only making her more and more pleased with herself. "I've got him," she thought.

"Don't you dare," he threatened viciously.

"Oh I won't, I won't." She had him now. "I won't if you help me..." She was now very surprised with herself. Not many people could back Draco into a corner and keep him there, but she had done it and it made her feel stronger for it. It made her feel potent. "You see it's simple. You help me so that I can get back at Ron and then I'll give you your journal back,"

"Alright, Granger," he said sitting back into his seat, the anger leaving his face. "I'll help you with your little scheme...on one condition."

"What's that?"

"If you call me a ferret once the deals off," he said glaring at her. She was highly inclined to giggle, but decided against it. Wouldn't want Malfoy thinking she fancied him or anything.

"Okay," she said extending her hand. "What are you doing you don't want him to touch you!?" she thought with a snap. But it was too late. He grabbed her hand and shook it. His palm was warm against hers and it sent chills up her spine. "Pull yourself together, its just Malfoy!" she thought, inhaling quickly. "Better start that project," she said standing from her seat and moving to the one next to him. She suddenly became very aware of the smell of him. "Like spices and limes," she thought dazedly, before slapping herself back to reality.

"Whatever you say, Mudblood."

"When are you going to grow up and stop calling me that?"

"The day I don't hate you anymore."

"So I guess you'll be calling me that for the rest of my life?"

"Hopefully, when school is over, I will never see you again for the rest of your life," he said with a little less emotion that she would have expected.

"Oh good, that just confirmed something for me," she replied lightly.

"And what's that?" he asked with a smirk.

"Oh nothing. I just always thought you were an asshole. Now I know you are." With that they both returned to their work, neither knowing that the other was smiling slightly.

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