It was a cold winters day, and though the spells of the castle kept the worst of the weather out of the courtyard, there was still a chill in the air. Hermione Granger had been walking from the Library, after a frustrating few hours trying to help Harry with his next task, and there she had run into trouble. The Yule Ball had only been a few days before, and then her secret had been revealed, that she, bookworm of Gryffindor House, was the interest of international Quidditich player, Viktor Krum. Honestly she had never expected such a reaction from her peers, least of all from Ron, but she immediately realized that he was not going to be the only jealous one around. So, although she shouldn't have been surprised that the beautiful but pompous girls of Beauxbaton had black listed her, Hermione was still caught off guard. They had spotted her as soon as she had entered the courtyard, and followed her deeper into a hallway heading towards the Main Staircase.

Their words were cruel, but it had been their eyes that had gotten to her, how they stared at her as if she were merely a flobberworm to be squashed under their matching dragon hide boots. They circled her like hawks, enjoying the emotional abusing towards the younger girl, and Hermione had stayed silent, shifting her bag on her shoulder, waiting for them to end their tirade. She just wanted to run back to the Gryffindor common room and cry. But she would not give them the satisfaction of seeing how their words hurt, she was a Gryffindor after all. And her mind reasoned that they needed to make up for their own insecurities by verbally abusing her. Nonetheless, it still hurt to once again be reminded that she was a nerdy bookworm who had no special qualities a man would ever desire. However, when Hermione was about to give in and make a run for it, a voice made the Beauxbaton girls snap their pretty heads around in disdain.

When Hermione saw the speaker, she was certain this would soon become the worst day of her life. The speaker was none other than Draco Malfoy.

He leaned against the inner wall, looking like his normal bored self, but something was different. When he met the eyes of the Beauxbaton girls, Hermione could have sworn she saw anger.

"Just admit you are jealous and move on, your pining after this bloke is really quite beneath you." Draco sneered, coming closer, "Honestly, don't you have anything better to do?"

The Beauxbaton girls looked at each other in shock, muttering rapidly in french. Finally a blond stepped forward, "You have no say in this. She obviously tricked him or drugged him..."

Draco cut her off, "So what if she did? Your just mad you didn't think of it first."

The girls huffed at his answer, and Hermione thought she had gone deaf. Was this really Draco Malfoy defending her?

"She parades around thinking Viktor has given her a status, when," she glanced scornfully at Hermione, "It is clearly not so."

"Parades around?" Draco laughed, "Why don't you look in the mirror? All you damn french witches are the masters of parading. But this time it didn't work on Mr. Quidditch star."

The Beauxbaton girls glared at Draco, their mouths opening in closing in shock, until finally they turned and stormed off, flipping their hair as only a french witch can. Hermione focused on breathing, and only when she felt sure it had ended, looked to see Draco still standing there.

"Why?"

Her voice was quiet, and Draco glanced at her to be sure it hadn't been the wind outside.

"What?"

Hermione glared at him, sure more than ever that this was just another of his pranks," Why?" she asked again.

Draco was quiet for a moment, and he honestly looked confused as how to answer, "I, um...I...well, those damn Beauxbatons are so prissy they can't go a moment without looking in a mirror...and I..." Draco looked away, "And...I want to see Hogwarts win. Even a Gryffindor is better than a damn Beauxbaton..."

Hermione was positive this was a bad joke, or someone had slipped an alternate universe potion into her morning tea.

Draco glanced around hurriedly, then meeting her eye, whispered, "Don't let them gang up on you like that."

Then he turned and nearly ran down the hallway, and Hermione stared after him, mouth hanging open. Then, she would later blame it on Gryffindor pride, she ran down the hallway after him.

"Malfoy!" She called out, and immediately his figure stopped and turned. He glanced around again making sure they were alone, then met her eye nervously.

Pausing a few feet before him, Hermione took a deep breath," Don't make me regret this, Malfoy."

He only looked at her, confused.

"Thank you."

There she had said it, now her conscious was clear. Nervously she met Draco's eye, and he looked away.

For a moment neither spoke or moved.

Finally Draco sneered, though Hermione saw immediately it was an act, "Damn Griffindors, can't even defend themselves...against the French even."

Hermione smiled despite herself, and Draco immediately drew back from her, and turned down another hallway.

She turned back around, and smiled again, hearing his voice call out a last time, "Don't let that happen again, Granger!"