As soon as she saw the tuft of ginger hair alongside the shock of messy jet-black hair, she had found Harry and Ron. "You guys! Wait up!" Hermione squeaked as she ran up to them, "How was your summer holiday?" she asked brightly, looking from one to the other, her long brown curls flying this way and that, shining brightly in the sunlight.
Ron shrugged, "It was ok. Harry came to stay for a bit." Hermione looked expectantly towards Harry, who suddenly turned pale and grabbed at his scar. "Harry?" Hermione asked worriedly.
"I'm fine, fine." Harry said shrugging it off.
She scrutinized him for a minute then said, "Well my summer holiday was rather pleasant. We visited the Canary Islands," Hermione said with a grin.
Harry tried to respond with equal verve, "That's cool, Hermione. The highlight of my summer was staying at Ron's." he said with small smile. Suddenly they found themselves waiting behind Draco and his posse of Slytherins.
Malfoy smirked and said, "How was it Potter? I'm sure you all had to scrounge for food, since Weasley's fat mum eats it all."
Pansy Parkinson guffawed loudly and shrieked "Good one Draco!" Draco amusedly raised his eyebrow at her.
"Shove off, Malfoy." Hermione angrily replied, before the other two could jump Malfoy.
"Shut up, Mudblood," Draco retaliated, "Go back to the garbage dump you call home and stay there with the scum of the world." Hermione, turned scarlet, and her eyes brimmed with moisture. She rubbed her knuckles against them and sure as hell, there they were. She kept her gaze down but took one traitor glance at Draco.
"Go to hell, Malfoy," Ron snarled. Malfoy was about to say something but they had reached the great hall. The Slytherins and Gryffindors separated. But as soon as the trio departed, Malfoy felt something. Hermione's face had startled him. He had never seen her cry before. She had looked like a frightened and hurt animal, looking betrayed almost. Draco contemplated more, as Harry questioned Hermione on the other side of the Hall.
"Hermione, are you ok?" Harry anxiously questioned.
"Uhmm, yeah, Harry." Hermione said, as she quickly dried her tears on her scarf.
"You sure?" Ron asked soberly in a way that Hermione had not seen before.
"Yes, yes, i'm fine," Hermione said absentmindedly, "You two go back to stuffing yourselves." They grinned, and did as she said. Hermione, not interested in eating at all, perused the Hall. Her eyes landed on the Slytherin table. There was Millicent Bulstrode arm-wrestling with some 7th year, Crabbe and Goyle snickering over some stupid thing and stuffing themselves, Pansy Parkinson fawning over Zabini and Malfoy. As her eyes came to rest on Malfoy, she realized he was staring back at her. His eyes, his expression, what was it? Anger, irritation? No, it wasn't a negative stare. Could it possibly be regret? It was so intense, it made her blush. She felt oddly drawn to those shining silver eyes. So deep and enigmatic. They were mesmerizing. She could not look away. It seemed they could not break the electrifying gaze at each other. Finally Hermione tore her gaze and looked down at her empty gold plate. What was Malfoy thinking?
Granger's eyes, so huge and bright. Like a young doe, startled and innocent, almost impossible to break from. Why had he never seen her like this before? He had never thought of her as anything else but a proud Mudblood. But there was more to this girl who was so docile and innocent. Draco was entranced by the one he had loathed and ridiculed for years.
END OF CHAPTER ONE.