I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER.

CHAPTER 1

Stupid Granger. Can't shut her filthy mouth and rest her big brains, thought Draco Malfoy angrily as he walked back to the dungeons after a heated argument with the know-it-all Hermione Granger.

Two hours ago, he was doing fine at the library, enjoying the challenge of his Arithmancy homework. Though good in numbers, he wasn't sure of his calculations. He always got the final result of nine and he couldn't reduce it. He went to the right bookshelf to pick the other book Professor Vector recommendedbut the annoying Gryffindor was already there, looking for a certain book. He saw the parchment she was holding and with just one look, he was sure that she's also working on their Arithmancy homework. There were only ten of them in that class. Thankfully, Granger is the only Gryffindor. He wouldn't be able to have a peace of mind and enjoy the class had Potter and Weasley enrolled, too.

He snorted. 'Cause they don't have enough brains for Arithmancy. They'd rather visit the oaf and have tea than study numbers.

Back to observing Granger's parchment, Draco quickly stepped forward to grab the Arithmancy textbook he wanted, but Granger caught it, too. She glared at the person who slipped the book out of her hand, not knowing who it was. He smirked and looked down at her. "Oopps. Sorry, Granger. I was here first."

She glared even more. "Excuse me? I was here first!" she hissed.

He smiled evilly and stepped back to return to his table. Granger followed him. "Malfoy, give it back now!" she said in a low voice, careful not to be heard by the librarian. He ignored her and continued working.

Granger sat across from him. "Fine!" she snapped. "I'll wait for you to finish that!"

He looked up and gave her a piercing look, but froze when he looked at her honey coloured eyes. Honey... He always loved honey on top of his pancakes and on his tea and milk. He favoured it more than any other syrup. They were beautiful, he thought, looking at those eyes.

Wait, did I just say that Granger is beautiful? What the fuck? the other part of his mind shrieked inwardly.

"I'm planning on borrowing this book, so you better give up, Granger," he told her nonchalantly, trying to hide his sudden attraction to her beautiful eyes.

"That's not fair!" said Granger a little louder, causing Madam Pince to ring her bell and glare at the know-it-all as a warning. This also caused Draco to stop thinking of her eyes.

"Life's not fair, Granger," he said casually, getting back to work.

"But how will I do my homework?!" she snapped.

He shrugged. "It's not my problem anymore, is it?"

Granger dropped the book on the table with a loud thud. "You're really a twitchy little ferret, aren't you, Malfoy?" she said coolly.

He looked up and glared at her. "Don't you dare talk to me that, way, filthy Mudblood! Your kind shouldn't be here and tainting our reputation-"

"You mean, tainting your reputation because you're only second to me in our year?" she said with a smirk.

And that hit him. Ouch. He wanted to yell at her and at the same time, he's annoyed at himself for being only second best next to Granger. Granger noticed his expression because the annoying witch- er, Mudblood- smirked like a Slytherin. "That hit the ball, right, Malfoy? You cannot accept that someone like me with Muggle parents, beats you in ever test no matter how you try."

"Still, you're nothing compared to me. I'm a pure-blood," he reasoned.

"Blood doesn't determine a person. Look at your cronies, Crabbe and Goyle. Pure-blood, but are they brilliant like you?" she asked with a triumphant smile. "Don't you insult me with my blood status again. It's a shame that a Mudblood like me beats pure-bloods like you." With that, she stood up and packed her things, grabbing the book from his hands. Draco Malfoy sat there, frozen.

Was she right? It isn't about blood status at all, is it? Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy, Weasley and Longbottom... They're all Pure-bloods and raised by witches and wizards who were educated at Hogwarts long ago. They all grew up with magic like me but only I can get O's in our tests and hell, I can't even beat the witch.

Draco stayed for an hour more in the library, but did not do his homework anymore. He thought of a hundred reasons to hate the likes of Hermione Granger, but he only came up with five. And damn, five shallow reasons.

You're such a pain in the arse, Granger!

Back to the dungeons, Draco spotted a boy, probably a First Year, standing outside the entrance, holding a wizard's chess set. He has sleek hair, same style as his. While Draco's hair is platinum blonde, this boy's was as dark as midnight. He was wearing a set of crisp and neat Slytherin robes and shiny black shoes.

"Forgot the password?" he asked from behind, making the boy jump. He turned to him and froze. What's that look on his face? he wondered. Was it relief or shock? Then, Draco noticed that the boy had button-like nose, prominent cheeks and... honey-coloured eyes. Like Granger's.

"Yes, I forgot," the boy said politely.

Draco looked at the boy approvingly. Clearly, this boy was raised well by a proper wizard or witch. "It's abstinence," he said to the door. The door swung open and he let the boy in first. He walked and sat on the sofa near the fireplace gracefully. He placed his chess set on the coffee table.

"Thanks for the password. Would you like to play with me?" he asked him carefully.

Draco frowned a little, trying to remember if he'd seen this boy already. It seemed, it was the first time they met. He walked towards the boy and sat on the opposite couch. "What's your name again?"

"Elnath," he replied, offering his hand.

"Beta Tauri, the second brightest star," said Draco and took the younger boy's hand. "I'm Draco."

"Dragon," the boy, Elnath, said with a nod and prepared the chess set. Draco played with Elnath and for a moment, he forgot about his heated argument with Granger. But hell, he didn't completely forget her because of the similar honey eyes in front of him.

"Checkmate," he declared. "I won."

Elnath pouted like a child and packed the pieces. "I have to practice more."

"Indeed," he agreed and slumped back on the sofa. "How come this is the first time I saw you?"

"I don't socialize that much," he replied. "I don't like the people in my year. All they talk about was Quidditch."

Draco's eyebrows rose. Most boys like Quidditch, he thought. "Then what are your interests?" he asked with pure curiosity.

"Reading and learning potions."

"Potions?" he frowned.

Elnath nodded and met his eyes. "Yes. I like experimenting potions. My godfather who raised me was a potions master."

"So, you were raised by your godfather. Where are your parents?" he asked, getting more and more interested with this honey-eyed boy.

"I never met my father," he said quietly. "My mother raised me, but my godfather helped. He loves Mum and she loves her, too... But they cannot marry because he's a pure-blood and pure-blood wizards' reputation will be tainted if they marry single mothers. Godfather was willing to break the rule, but Mum wouldn't let him... He will be cursed, disowned and his magic will be depleted." His expression became sad and Draco felt sorry for the boy.

"I apologize for that too personal question," he said sincerely. Stupid tradition! he thought. Clearly, his godfather and mother were in love, but they couldn't be together. Shame. Whoever invented that bullshit rule was probably in hell.

Elnath shrugged. "I'm used to it. That's why I don't interact with wizards of my age. They would only tease me and I'm not that immature to answer back. I'd rather spend my time reading and experimenting than wasting my time and saliva, arguing with them."

Draco chuckled and then laughed. Nobody made him laugh like that before. Usually, he laughed when he or his cronies torment others, not because of the reasons of someone intellectual... Like this boy and Granger.

"I'm sorry, I just find you amusing, is all," he told him.

The boy smirked similar to his. "We can play another time if you want. Just... seek me," he said before getting up to his feet. "It's late. You should go to bed."

"Thanks," Elnath murmured. "Good night."

But Elnath made no move. Draco climbed upstairs and went to his dormitory but did not fell asleep sooner. He remembered the heated argument with Granger. He remembered Elnath's mother and godfather. Was Granger right? Being a pure-blood means we're no better than them?

Muggles are more accepting. If they marry someone even if their family don't approved, they will only get poor. But they won't be cursed. They will still survive. They're not cruel... unlike the pure-blood wizards.

Draco shook his head violently. Family loyalty is important. I must follow the footsteps of my father, even if it would mean hating Mudbloods like Granger forever.

.

"Potter Stinks?"

Draco observed Elnath frown at the badge Flint created. It was almost a month already after they first met and they're playing their sixth wizard's chess game (in four weeks) while everyone is already in bed. Draco found himself enjoying Elnath's company and they agreed to play only when everyone's already gone to bed. Furthermore, he also look forward to their conversations because now it includes potions, theories and even defensive spells. He did not dare ask again about his personal life, so until now, he doesn't know his full name. He decided that it would be good to have someone who doesn't know about his family and the pressure he had been going through because of his father. It felt good for Draco to have a friend whom he can have fun with.

"He's a cheater. He deserves it," he sneered.

"He's just another idiot who wouldn't survive without the help of Hermione Granger," said Elnath nonchalantly.

He smirked. Merlin, I'm beginning to like this boy even more. "I'm glad we share the same opinion. I bet Granger's always busy nowadays babysitting Potter who apparently was abandoned by the weasel."

Elnath looked surprised. "You mean, Weasley's not talking to Potter? Why?"

He shrugged. "Pansy said weasel was jealous of Potter becoming a Triwizard champion. She heard Potter and Granger speaking on Sunday and the two idiots were clearly ignoring each other. I saw them in class. They even glared at each other when Granger got her fangs." He said, slightly guilty but covered it with a smirk on his face.

Why would I feel guilty hexing Granger? Merlin, she has fangs and she deserves it. Those fangs would keep her from talking bossily.

"Granger's got fangs? You hexed her?" Elnath looked at him anxiously.

"I did, but that hex wasn't meant for her. It was for Potter. She meddled and that's what she got," he said with a shrug.

Elnath glared at him furiously. "But she's innocent. How could you? And she's a girl!" he snapped at him.

Draco's ears heated and he stood up, glaring as well at the boy. "What's your problem? Why are you defending Granger?"

"Because you're bullying a girl for her blood status and being Potter's friend!" he said angrily.

"So what?" he asked, unable to come up for good reasons.

"So? She's brilliant... hell, smarter than you. She's nice to everyone and it annoys me that you gave her fangs just because of her blood status and choice of best friend. Why don't you just admit that you're attracted to her? Why can't you be nice? Why do you have to stop your feelings and hurt the girl you've fancied for years? You're sick and immature!" he practically yelled and stormed out of the common room, leaving his chess board and a speechless Draco Malfoy.

Me? Attracted to Granger? he thought furiously. Where did that come from?

.

Days passed. Draco haven't seen Elnath again. He tried to seek him at the Slytherin table, but he wasn't there. He also tried looking for him in First Year classes, but he wasn't there. He was beginning to wonder if Elnath dropped out, or transferred to another school. He suddenly felt a pang of guilt, thinking of their last encounter. He was the only boy nice to him; the only boy who did not see him as Malfoy heir... until he got angry.

After the incident, Draco couldn't stop thinking if Elnath was right about him fancying Granger for years now. At first, his answer was a big NO! But when he saw her during the Yule Ball wearing that periwinkle blue dress and with her hair done and smaller front teeth, he was speechless- totally speechless. He had to admit, she was radiant and a head turner that night. Draco felt the urge to dance with her, but he couldn't. Granger might slap him. Potter and Weasley would surely laugh at him.

Elnath was right, he finally admitted. Draco remembered the first he saw Hermione Granger sitting alone in a compartment in their first year.

He didn't want to be with his pure-blood friends that moment. He had been with them the entire summer and honestly, he doesn't really see them as friends. Their parents were friends, not them. So, he went inside a compartment but saw a girl with bushy brown hair, already wearing her school robes, looking down to her lap where a paper was lying. She was holding a quill and thinking deeply.

"What's a ten-letter word for serious person?" the girl asked herself.

Draco smirked. She was doing the crossword puzzle. He liked doing it, too and answered the same pattern she was holding. "Sobersided," he said.

The girls started and shot her head up to see the person by the door. "Sorry, I didn't knock," he apologised and sat across from her.

She smiled timidly. "It's fine." The girl had honey coloured eyes, button like nose and prominent cheeks. When she opened her mouth, he saw that she had rather large front teeth. She wasn't beautiful; Nope. But she's good looking than Pansy Parkinson, he decided. It was just her hair. It looked like a bird's nest.

"I'm Draco Malfoy," he said, offering his hand.

The girl took it. "Hermione Granger."

Draco froze. Granger is a name not included in Sacred Twenty-Eight. "Granger?" he asked again.

The girl looked shy. "Yes. I'm a Muggle-born."

Draco gritted his teeth. This is a mistake! his mind yelled.

He stood up and picked his things without saying a word. the next time he saw Granger was when they arrived at Hogwarts and he pretended that he didn't know her. The next few days, he mocked her for being a Muggle-born. For being a Mudblood. He felt guilty at first, but his friends would tell his parents if he became soft to Granger; if he did not act like a Malfoy. His guilt seemed to fade when his father mocked him for only being second to Granger in their year. His father said that he should be ashamed because a Mudblood was able to beat him. He got angry and turned his anger to Granger. He secretly blamed her for the treatment he got from his father.

Then, last year, in third year, she punched him and it hit his Patrician nose. He had to go to Madam Pomfrey and stay at hospital wing for a whole day just to fix his nose. He decided to hate her even more.

But now, he couldn't deny it anymore. Pansy was his date, but all he could think of was Hermione Granger, the Gryffindor and bossy know-it-all.

"Her-my-ow-ninny, you are so beautiful," came a male voice, causing Draco to drift away from his musings.

He looked around and saw Hermione being pinned to the wall by Krum on the empty corridors and the wizard was trying to kiss her. He could tell that Granger was hesitant, so Draco Malfoy saved the day. He silently cast a numbing jinx on Krum and hid in an alcove. He waited until Granger finished her conversation with him. When Krum left, Draco Malfoy couldn't fight himself anymore. He followed Granger, snatched her arm, pulled her close to him and crashed his lips to hers.