Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, obviously otherwise my name would be JK Rowling.

Challenge: Written for sangkar's Multichap Competition.

Author Note: I've had this idea for ages but ive been so caught up with other challenges that i never got round to actually writing it. But then i saw this beautiful little challenge and thought it would be a great insentive to get it done :D I'll carry it on the story till its finished even if i get knocked out of the competition. There's nothing more annoying than when you get into a story and then it just stops :( I hope you like it :D

Chapter 1

Hermione Granger stormed into her room and slammed the large oak door behind her. Her body shuddered with anger as she threw her school bag to the floor and marched over to the side of the bed. She had her teeth clamped together so hard she thought they might break. She was breathing out heavily in short sharp bursts trying maintain the anger that was fuming inside of her.

Her fists were clenched so tightly that even her short, neat nails were leaving half moon prints in her palms. With a strangled scream she dropped to her knees by the side of her bed and reached one hand under her mattress.

After reaching around for a moment she finally grabbed hold of the small blue leather notebook that was hidden away and pulled it out. She didnt even bother getting up and moving over to the desk so she simply turned around to lean back against the edge of the bed.

Quickly rifling through to the first empty page she grabbed the quill from her bedside table and furiously started scribbling away.

Dear Diary

I CANNOT BELIEVE HIM! RONALD WEASLEY HAS ABSOLUTELY NO TACT! How dare he! Just because I take my studies seriously does NOT mean that I have no life. Just because he wants to go off with that girl does not mean I will drop everything to do HIS charms homework. He completely takes me for granted, most of the time he acts as if I don't even exist and then when he needs something its 'Mione can you do something for me', 'Mione can you do me a tiny favour'. And you know what I am done. I am so done! He can go to hell if he thinks I'll just wait around for him to pick me up and use me at his convenience. AAAGGHHH He is so infuriating! And then he has the audacity to tell Harry that I am being out of line! Me? As if I was the one who wanted my friend to cheat and complete my required school work so I can break further rules by sneaking out of the castle with a girl. A girl with absolutely no standards and who apparently has no qualms in letting him grotesquely stick his tongue down her throat at every opportune moment! At least I have some decorum! If he thinks I'm some kind of hermit with nothing better to do than bury herself in books then that is exactly what I'll do. Lets see how much he likes it when he doesn't know the answer in our next class or has no-one to cover for him when he can't perform the right spell in charms. I AM SO DONE WITH RONALD WEASLEY!

Hermione slammed the notebook closed and let out a deep sigh of relief. Hermione tried not to let other people see how much they got to her, which didn't always work, hence her current state of agitation. She would usually keep her emotions in check and let them out in an organised fashion, namely this tiny little book full of rantings and expletives. After letting all the built up emotions wash away she slowly pulled herself to her feet and placed the notebook back in its hiding place. Glancing over at her mirror she smoothed down her robes, brushed her slightly unruly hair behind her ears and walked back out of the dormitories.

When Hermione entered the Great Hall for dinner she saw Harry and Ron sitting in their usual seats shovelling mountains of food onto their plates. Taking a deep breath she calmly walked over and sat opposite them.

They didn't say anything as she arrived, they barely even noticed her presence until she politely cleared her throat and asked Harry to pass her the Pumpkin juice.

Slightly startled at her calm composure, given as the last time they had spoken she was shouting at full volume directly into his face, he nodded and tentatively passed her the jug as if she was some kind of explosive set to detonate at even the slightest disturbance.

"Are you O.K Hermione?" Harry asked carefully, flinching slightly in preparation for the outburst he was sure was coming his way.

"Yes, Harry, I am perfectly well." She replied, not looking at them as she dished a generous helping of peas onto her plate.

"So you aren't angry about earlier?" He asked still not certain that everything was fine.

"We have to let by-gones be by-gones" she finally looked up at them both with a smile to see Harry with a relieved expression on his face. He never was one for confrontation especially with two best friends ,which he inevitably got stuck in the middle of.

Ron however didn't look phased at all. He was sat there inhaling his food as if the whole situation earlier hadn't occurred. But that was Ron, completely unaware of his own mistakes, unable to see where he was in the wrong. Hermione had learnt long ago that there was no hope in trying to change him.

It was true that there was a part of Hermione that always expected that she would end up with Ron. It didn't make sense though. He was her first crush, well he was the only boy who she ever really spent any time around (Harry didnt really count as she loved him like the brother she never had). As people, Ron and Hermione didnt mesh well at all. Hermione was proper, hardworking and compassionate, but Ron was all about himself. He was selfish, never wanted to put any effort into anything and expected his 'friends' to help him out with anything he needed. What he considered a 'true friend' Hermione considered a 'slave'. If she was honest with herself Hermione didnt even really have any feelings towards Ron anymore, sure she could still remember the butterflies and flushed feelings she would get as a young girl whenever she saw Ron but now they were just memories instead of actual current emotions. As she looked across the table at Ron, who currently had gravy running down his chin and his mouth open revealing to everyone in range the delightful sight of his half-chewed potatoes, she really struggled to remember how she found him attractive.

She was jolted out of her daydream when Ron addressed her.

"Hey Hermione, seeing as you aren't being so emotional anymore, will you do charms homework now? We both know you'll enjoy doing it more than I will!" he laughed nudgin Harry with his elbow, expecting him to laugh along. Harry's face however fell into a grimace as he looked over to see Hermione, lips pursed, looking anything but amused.

She was right. He would never change.

Standing up abruptly Hermione shot a glare at Ron 'Will you ever learn?' she hissed through clenched teeth, as she grabbed her bag and stormed off to the library.

'Real smooth Ron' Harry mumbled.

Ron just shrugged and shoved another sausage in his mouth.

Hermione was buried in a book, finishing off her Ancient Runes translation when she was rudely interrupted.

'Granger!'

Hermione rolled her eyes as she recognised the voice and prayed that it was just her mind playing tricks on her and that he wasnt really stood there. Sadly that wasn't the case. As she looked up she saw the domineering presence of Draco Malfoy looming over her.

'What do you want Malfoy?' She asked as she looked back down at her book in the hopes that if she wasn't very responsive he would get bored and leave her alone. Of course she was never quite that lucky.

"Do you have that Charms book that Flitwick was rabbiting on about earlier?"

"No."

"Are you sure it isn't buried amongst this mountain of books you've occupied for yourself?"

"Yes I'm sure."

"Do you know where it is?" he continued.

"No."

"Are you lying to get rid of me?"

"No," Hermione repeated getting the sinking feeling that this wasnt going to end anytime soon.

"Are you sure you don't know where it is?"

"MALFOY! If its so important that you find this book why don't you just go and ask Madame Pince where it is and stop bothering me!"

He pressed his lips together and looked up at the ceiling as if he was contemplating her suggestion. "Well I would but bothering you has turned out to be so much fun." he replied, his beleaguring smirk ghosting across his face.

Hermione just shook her head and leant further over her book trying to focus of the work in front of her.

"Where's Scarhead and your boyfriend?" He taunted.

Hermione's eyes narrowed. He clearly wasnt going to leave her alone until he got a rise out of her. "Listen here Malfoy A) I don't spend all my time with those two, B) His name is Harry, not Scarhead and C) Ronald never has nor ever will be my boyfriend."

"Of course he isn't. I mean even Weasley wouldn't stoop that low"

Hermione felt her heart drop. Even though he didnt really mean to do so he had hit the nail right on the head. As much as Hermione realised that she really didnt want to be with Ron, she wasnt stupid enough not to realise that he really didnt want to be with her, and that hurt. She never really received any interest from anyone. Sure Victor asked her to the Yule Ball in fourth year but she was sure that the only reason he did that was because she was the only girl that didnt fall apart into hysterics every time he was near. Hermione wasnt the type of girl who wanted to be fawned over by everyone but to not even be acknowledged as a girl would upset anyone. She tried to hide the hurt from her face as she looked down at the book infront of her. Shaking the thoughts from her head she looked up to meet his cold grey eyes

"My personal life does not effect you in any way, and it baffles me why you would hang around to continue this conversation when I have already informed you that I do not have the book that you need." she said, her dead-pan face not giving away the anxiety and heartbreak that was bubbling away under the surface.

Shocked at the sheer emotionlessness of her face, Draco, un-nerved walked away to find a first year to bully into finding the book.

Hermione knew it was stupid to let Malfoy's words effect her. After six years you would think she'd be used to it but there's only so many times a girl can be mocked about her looks before it starts to effect her. Hermione didn't know why she never got any attention from the male species, especially when they were throwing themselves at horrible girls like Lavender Brown and Pansy Parkinson. She was nice, she was intelligent, she was great company. Hermione stood in front of her mirror and pulled her baggy cloak tight to her body. She wasn't entirely ugly, she had a good body, although it was always hidden underneath her oversized clothing. Her face wasnt exactly replusive either, her bright brown eyes set off her face nicely and her hair (when it was contained) fell into nice waves across her shoulders. She smoothed down the red lapels of her robes but something caught her eye. She leant closer to the mirror, for a second she thought her lapels looked blue. She frowned and looked down at her own clothes. They were definitely red. However when she looked in the mirror they appeared blue.

She leant closer to the mirror again thinking it was just a trick of the light but on closer inspection she noticed more differences. The girl in the reflection looked as if she was wearing makeup. Her eyes looked lined with eyeliner and her lips were shiny and rouged. But Hermione never wore makeup, except for the Yule Ball and that one Christmas when Ginny played dress up with her. It was at that point that Hermione's reflection leant back and ruffled her hair. Hermione gasped. She hadn't moved any inch! With her hand over her mouth Hermione took a step back and watched her reflection.

The Hermione reflection winked at her, raised her eyebrow and beckoned before turning on her heel and walking out of view. Hesitantly Hermione stepped towards the mirror. She reached out her hand to press against the cool surface but her hand went straight through it. She gasped once again as she jumped backwards. After quickly glancing around her room she took another tentative step and pushed her hand back through the mirror. Hermione took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she walked through the looking glass.