Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter (but I wish I did...). The characters Amanda Spike and Clio Thorns are mine, however.
Chapter One: Nasty Daggers
"Listen,
we meet here by two, understand?" said Hermione, eyeing Harry and Ron seriously.
They were outside Florean Fortesque's Ice Cream Parlor. It was lunch time
and there they were, in Diagon Alley shopping for their school stuff. The
two boys weren't too enthusiastic about buying their new school books so
they asked Hermione to get it for them instead. Wicked. But they did promise
her they'd make it up someday.
"Okay. Go on,
you might run out of Standard Book of Spells. We won't go anywhere
far, Hermione," said Ron. He was clearly in a hurry and like Harry, excited.
They planned to visit Quality Quidditch Supplies to check out the new brooms
and magazines in store.
Hermione sighed
and walked off to Flourish and Blotts. It was such a fine day--clouds in
the sky and all. She really hated to waste it by taking an extra thirty
or so minutes in Flourish and Blotts because of Harry and Ron. She would
have loved to eat vanilla sundae outside Florean Fortesque while pre-reading
their new books but it would look like time wasn't on her side. She decided
to hurry so she'd have an hour to herself later.
Hermione Granger,
sixteen years old and school prefect had changed a lot over the summer.
Her once oh-so-bushy hair had been relaxed and now it was silky and manageable.
Her curves were beginning to take shape and the traces of childhood were
starting to leave--making the finer points of adolescence show clearly.
Her voice had matured and she sounded like a real lady. Even Harry had
commented earlier that she looked totally different but really good and
Hermione couldn't help but notice him making sidelong glances at her.
Flourish and
Blotts wasn't as packed as it usually was at afternoons. There were three
middle-aged witches picking out cookbooks, an old lady browsing through
a thick book, Seamus Finnigan and a woman who Hermione thinks is his mother
were paying for their purchases and a few other Hogwarts students she didn't
recognize.
She bustled
over to look for three copies of Magical Drafts and Potions Revised
.
She was in the middle of picking out the books and others in the list when
someone stepped beside her and pulled out a copy of Prefects Who Gained
Power, scanning the pages then returning the book on the shelf. She
didn't bother to look over and just continued taking three copies of everything
in the booklist.
One more book:
Standard
Book of Spells, Grade Six. Ron's list had a check mark on it too so
it seems he already has one. He probably got Fred's old book. She grabbed
a copy that was right in front of her. She needed one more for Harry. Scanning
the shelf, Hermione caught sight of just one more. It was high but she
could reach it. Just as she touched the book, another hand joined in, too.
She quickly withdrew.
"Oh sorry, miss.
Here, ladies first," the boy who was reading Prefects Who Gained Power
handed
her the book. Hermione blushed and told him to take it, not looking at
the boy at all as she looked for another one.
"No, really.
I insist. You got there first," said the boy. Hermione smiled and took
the book, keeping her head down. She wasn't really used to boys, other
than Harry and Ron, being nice around her and talking for long. "You're
a sixth year, too? I don't think I've seen you before. Would you like me
to help you carry that?" continued the boy who was now offering to carry
her purchases for her.
"No, thank you--I
can manage. I'm surprised you don't know me in spite of...I'm in Gryffindor,"
said Hermione, shifting the books under her arm so she could hold them
better.
The boy breathed
sharply and she could feel the boy looking at her--as though studying her
under a microscope or someone trying to get a better look at something
far.
She turned to
face him and gasped.
"GRANGER?!"
"MALFOY?!"
It was Draco
Malfoy! That nice, concerned boy who she was talking to was Draco Malfoy
from Slytherin! He had changed over the summer too. His voice obviously
broke, giving him that deep sound she didn't recognize. He was taller and
peculiarly, he had color in his face already. He wasn't as pale as before
anymore. His silver-blond hair wasn't slicked back as usual. He must've
ran out of hair gel because a few parts were sticking out. His body had
buffed up (work out?) and it was clear through his body fit gray sweater.
It seems she
wasn't the only one who was surprised. Draco had also scanned her features.
From her hair, body and to the face. It took him a while before he realized
he was staring and immediately regained his sour attitude.
"You haven't
changed one bit."
Hermione snorted.
Sure, he was prefect too but he wasn't supposed to be stupid. Judging by
the way he stared at her earlier, he was lying. She knew he was just trying
to maintain his reputation.
"And why the
good boy attitude, Malfoy? It doesn't fit you," she said, raising an eyebrow
at him. He scowled at her and ignored her statement.
"Doing the shopping
for your boyfriends?" he asked, eyeing the multiple copies of books she
was carrying. Hermione looked like she wanted to shove the books at him
while he was off guard.
"I'm not a two-timer,
Malfoy. I don't even have a boyfriend yet," she said seriously. She hit
a nerve. Malfoy's gaze bore through hers like sharp daggers. Last year,
she caught him having a relationship with a Ravenclaw, Amanda Spike when
everyone knew he was with Clio Thorns, a Slytherin fourth year. Pansy Parkinson
wasn't having a great time with this at all since she always liked Malfoy
ever since first year. Of all people he had to be in relations with, a
Ravenclaw and Clio got to him first.
Naturally, the
rumor spread like wild-fire and Clio broke up with Draco. After such humiliation,
so did Amanda. Malfoy never went for Pansy.
Malfoy glared
at Hermione for quite some time then smirked, "Potter and Weasley don't
know what they're missing after all." With that, he turned and walked to
the counter with his books. He added while still in earshot, "See you at
school."
Hermione was
left there to ponder on what he said. 'Potter and Weasley don't know
what they're missing after all.'
Exactly what
were they missing?