Chapter 1: Aberration

Aberration: A deviation from truth or moral rectitude.

Hermione stood in the doorway crying, thinking back on what had started all of this. Really it was all his fault and he had no right to explode like this. He hadn't even listened to her side of the story! No he just assumed and then expected her to grovel to get back into his good graces. Well she wasn't. This was the last time she'd say she was sorry to Ronald Weasley!

As she made that decision the images of the altercation that had started this swam back into focus and she grimly wiped away the tears that marred her pale flesh and stalked off to the Head Girls room. She glanced over to the stairwell that had led down into the dungeons, exactly where she had been going when this had started.

She had been heading down there to meet Professor Snape for a detention; another misplaced defense of Neville Longbottom in his class had lost her twenty points and gained her three nights of Detention. Of course just to sweeten her mood she had seen Ron and Lavender going at it yet again in the common room. Every time she caught them at it she could feel her heart being ripped to pieces all over again. As usual Ronald was absolutely clueless.

Walking down the stairs to quickly and being extremely pissed off she hadn't been watching where she was going and ran right into the Dungeon Ferret himself. 'Great,' she had though, 'a moving target.' She had needed something to release her anger on. What better than the Slytherin Snake?

"Watch where you're going Mudblood!" He spat whipping off his robes, keeping up the pretense that she was supposedly dirty.

"You're the one with your nose so far up in the air you can't see where you're walking! Next time watch where you're walking you great oaf!" She replied saucily pushing her books back into her already stuffed backpack.

"Don't tell me what to do! Just because you're the Head Girl doesn't mean you get to boss everyone else around. Especially not the Head Boy! Or had you already forgotten you filthy little mudblood?" He sneered, flashing her his head boy badge attached to his collar.

Before they both knew it her wand was pulled out and pressed to his chin, her normally amber eyes turned into a dark chocolate color. "Don't you call me that! Don't you ever call me that you bloody wanker!"

"The truth to much to handle for you Granger!" He spat back, slightly shaking in fear as her wand tip dug deeper into his pale, delicate, neck. Abruptly she pulled her wand back, it disappearing into the folds of her robes. She was grinning and quite suddenly started laughing at him. He stood back straight up and readjusted his robes. "You finally lost it Granger?" But instead of the comment making her angry it just made her laugh harder.

Her laughter finally died down and she crossed her arms to look at him critically. "You know, you really are pathetic Malfoy."

"Ha, not as pathetic as some. That Weasley moron noticed that you're terribly in love with him yet? Or are you still following him and his girlfriend around like a lost puppy?" Hermione's hand lashed out, like it was second nature, but this time he was ready and caught her hand before it could come into contact with his cheek. Damn Seeker reflexes.

"Let go of me Malfoy." She said trying to pull out of his grip, her small wrist enveloped easily by his hand. Hermione was strong but not as strong as someone who had been playing quidditch for five years. Not to mention Draco was also about a foot bigger than her. She looked up, her eyes wide as his grip tightened painfully on her wrist.

"Stop it! You're hurting me Malfoy!" She cried in vain, her other hand pushing against his chest.

"No, I don't think I will. What can't handle a little pain?" He growled out. She started kicking at his legs, trying to do anything too get him to let go, but nothing worked. At least, nothing worked until she looked up at him, tears turning her eyes red and streaking down her cheeks, unadulterated fear showing in her eyes.

Malfoy looked down at where he was holding her wrist, the delicate skin already showing red and purpled bruises and he let go quickly, disgusted with what he saw. Unfortunately, as he tried to move back, Hermione was leaning too much on him and both of them were pitched backwards, towards the dungeon wall. They tripped over each others feet until there bodies were pressed closely together, the cool stone bringing a chill over the twos angry red blush.

It wasn't even a real kiss. Really it was more like their faces ran into each other. But Parvati and Padma had to have come down the stairs right then and start giggling madly at catching the two in the compromising position. The two quickly pushed the other way in angry disgust, and then the giggle floated through the red haze around their minds and both pairs of eyes looked over half scared as they saw the gossip twins.

"Oh god, no, you guys it's not what it looks like."

"Ha, you wish Granger."

"Shut up, Malfoy!" She shrieked. Unfortunately Hermione's pleading only went to convincing the twins further of their wrong assumption of what had happened, and by that night the whole school knew that Hermione and Draco were meeting in secret snog sessions in the dungeons while on their Head Duty Patrols.

And then Ron just had to explode like that. He didn't even know what was going on. It wasn't like he even asked for her side of the story. Hermione wished fervently that Harry would come back from his trip with Dumbledore already. She needed him to be the mediator between the two of them again.

Of course the news of her and the slithering prince hooking up had ostracized her form the Gryffindor common room, no one there willing to talk to her, the traitor. She prayed that Harry would return soon as she prepared for bed, slipping under the cool sheets in her room. Looking at the door to the common room, where on the other side lay an ebony door which leads to Draco's own quarters.

This would all get cleared up soon and Ronald would eventually have to forgive her. Harry would make sure of that, and things could go back to normal. She could go back to being at different sides of every small war at Hogwarts from Malfoy. Things would be better tomorrow morning.