TITLE: Meant to Be

COMPLETE SUMMARY: Hermione, sick of her reputation that allows people to walk all over her, decides to change. The school is in shock as the once perfect Prefect has become a rebellious Head Girl which can only attract the sneaky Slytherin Head Boy. Rated T for now.

Disclaimer: JK Rowling did the whhhhooooolllllleeeee thing.

A/N: Hey y'all. This is my third attempt at a fanfic. Hopefully, I'll finish this one. I've actually got the plot and outline written, so all I have to do is put in the details. It won't be too difficult. I believe I'll actually finish it. My goal is to put up at least one chapter a week. I'm planning on having 20 chapters, so this should take me about 6 months at the very most. Well, here goes.

Chapter 1/MEETING ON THE TRAIN

Have you ever gotten so sick of life that you just wanted to die? I almost did, but luckily, decided on another alternative. I am Hermione Granger. You've probably heard of me, the studious best friend of Harry Potter. The smartest witch at Hogwarts. Yeah, that's me. I like school, I love to learn, but I don't like other people using me for it. I'm sick of people looking at me and only seeing the O's on my OWLS. I'm sick of being stereotyped. So, what did I do? I jumped from one stereotype to another. I'm shallow, I know, but at least I proved that you can choose your image without changing what's inside.

I woke up the morning of September first with more energy than I had in days. I was going back to Hogwarts! I was so excited! I, of course, had become more contientious of my looks, so I woke up quite early. After all, who didn't want to look their best in front of 800 plus students? After a nice breakfast of a cereal bar and water (my usual routine), and about two hours of showering, hair care, and apllying makeup, I was actually quite pleased with my appearance, although I wasn't necessarily looking forward to the same routine every day for the next year. I had decided on a red tank, with a black homemade half tee over it. I made a lot of shirts and such this summer. This particular shirt had red and white Fall Out Boy lyrics on the front (so, I like American muggle music...sue me). I also wore low-rise blue jeans that I had stuck sequins on alond with my black and red gallaz. Yes, I like to match. Heh.

Over the summer, grown out my bangs, cut my hair shoulder-length, and dyed it hair black with red tips and and red streaks framing my face. I'm starting to get tired of it though, I'll prolly change the red to blue sometime soon.

Anyways, my wonderful parents dropped me off at the train station at my usual time, giving me half an hour to get on the train before it left. I reached the platform and felt very concious of all the stares I was receiving, surely they recognized me? Ah well, they'll learn soon enough. I purposely made my way on the train avoiding eye contact. I knew I looked bored, but in reality, I was nervous.

Finally,I found them, my best friends in the world. Sitting in a compartment were Harry, Ron, Ginny, Neville, and Luna. I noticed the empty seat in between Harry and Ron and was touched. I can never get over how great they are. I took a deep breath, opened the door and stepped inside.

"I'm sorry, but this seat's saved."

I looked up to see all five of them staring at me quizzically, then laughed.

"EEK! Hermione! Is that you?" Ginny shrieked. I was laughing so hard, I couldn't even talk and settled for simply nodding. After ten minutes of wonderful compliments, I had to find the Head's Compartment.

"We'll see you later." Ginny said "Ron and I are coming for the meeting."

"See you later guys" I said upon my exit. I wandered down the corrider to the compartment where the meetings were always held. When I entered, I saw a blonde head of hair turn and look at me, meaning only one thing.

"Granger?" Suspicion confirmed.

"The one and only."

"You look different."

"Good or bad."

"I'll say good."

"Good."

"...for a mudblood."

"Yeah, like I haven't heard that before."

"Whatever. You just stay on your side, and I'll stay on mine."

"What if I want that side?"

"Are you joking?" He asked increduously.

"Honestly, yes. Lighten up Malfoy, if I was your friend, I'd kill myself from boredom."

"Are you kidding me? Look who's talking, bookworm mudblood."

"Mudbloods lead an interesting life. It's like a secret agent double life." Then, I get the clueless look I anticipated from him.

"People change Malfoy, people change."

'Now he's even more clueless. How adorable, it almost makes me feel bad.' I realized I had been standing up the whole time and decided to sit down. As soon as I do, an array of paperwork appears on the table between us. Seeing that it is all organizational ad informative, I decided to skim over it. I glanced up to see an amused Malfoy staring at me.

"Want to take a picture? It'll last longer."

"Why would I want a picture of you?"

"I don't know, but you're staring at me enough."

"You're the only person I know who would actually read that."

"You should, page 3 lists the stuff we're supposed to say to the prefects."

"It's the same every year."

"Page 18 lists the events we need to plan."

"Nothing today, I can look at it later."

"Page 27..."

"How far have you read?" He interrupted me.

"Irrelevant. Page 27 gives a map to our prefect room."

"Our what?"

"That, my friend, is why you should read this."

"What page was that again?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"Because I'll kill you if you don't."

"Go ahead."

"Dammit. Just give me the page number. You forgot the password."

"Forget it." He frantically flips the pages looking for the map.

"You know, there is a Table of Contents on the first few pages."

"So, you didn't read it either?"

"Hell no."

We both laughed until we realized who exactly we were laughing with and abruptly ceased our giggliness. I went back to my "skimming" and he did whatever he does. A few minutes later, the prefects all pile in. We went on with our cliché, unchanging speech for about half an hour before it's over. After the prefects left (not before I told Ginny and Ron to save me a spot in our carriage), Malfoy and I had another awkward silence before he broke it.

"You've changed."

"Thanks, Captain."

"What?"

"Captain Obvious?"

"Who?"

"Forget it." And even more silence.

"Are you always this sarcastic?"

"Sometimes. Are you always this nosy?"

"It's not being nosy when I'm asking the obvious."

"Fine. Let's play a game."

"What kind of game?" he looks uncertain.

"I ignore you, you ignore me, and we sit here until the end of the ride."

"I got a better game."

"Shoot."

"Huh?"

"Forget it. What kind of game?"

"I ask questions and you answer them."

"How about no?"

"Fine." He gets up.

"Where are you going?"

"Do you care?"

"No."

"Good. Bye."

"Bye." He shuts the door behind him.

I returned to my "skimming" for a full ten minutes before it hit me. Did I really just have a semi-civil conversation with Malfoy, of all people? The world must be coming to an end. I could feel the train slowing down so I changed into my robes and got ready for the best year of my life.

A/N: So, that's my first chapter, tell me what you think please.