Hey there all! I'm really new at this whole thing, so I hope you like it! I know that this is rather short, but it is the first chapter! Can't have the whole book in the first chapter! Thanks so much, by the way, for taking the time to read my humble past time. Ha, enjoy!

Chapter 1: Summers and Mudbloods

Hermione checked her watch again, sighing when she saw that it was 8:15. The boys were late, as usual. She stood up on her toes, peering over all the bustling heads to spot a patch of fire. It was always easy to spot Ron and his family, their signature red hair a dead giveaway. She huffed, sinking back down as she pouted. She really had wanted to see them as soon as she could; she'd missed them so much! Finally, she heard Harry's voice.

"…just have to find her, and then we can all-"

He didn't get to finish that sentence, because with a delighted shriek, Hermione jumped on him. She held him tight, her grin reaching all the way across her face. She released a very flustered Harry Potter, and then pounced on Ron. He seemed just as surprised as Harry, but he at least had the sense to hug her back. It wasn't two seconds after she had released him that she started talking.

"Oh Merlin, I've missed you guys! I thought you weren't going to show up, or worse just get on without me. Oh boy, I couldn't get a free second back home, so that's why I never sent any letters to you. Do you have any idea how hard it was to not be able to write you both letters? Torture. Oh dear me, how was your guys' summer? Hopefully they were good, because I have no intention of-"

"Hermione!" They said in unison.

She blinked, her words falling off. "What?"

Both of them glanced at each other, big grins on their faces.

"Oh nothing, just that it helps when you breathe between sentences." Ron smirked, sniggering behind his hand.

She blushed, realizing that she had been rambling. She'd let her excitement get a hold on her.

"Sorry boys." She said sheepishly. "Come on, the train will be heading out soon."

They all laughed at her words, but they moved to gather their things. The next few minutes were rather difficult, seeing as trying to board a train and untangle oneself from a woman's arms is a very hard thing to do. Ms. Weasley apparently was trying to strangle each of them before she let them get on the train, her hugs a little too desperate.

"Oh, just one more year and my little boy will be all grown up!" she squeaked, holding Ron to her.

"Mum, that 'little boy' will never grow up if you smother him!" he spouted, frustrated and embarrassed by his mothers antics.

"Oh, sorry dear." She released him, but stroked his hair lovingly. He rolled his eyes, pecked her on the cheek, and fled before she could catch him again.

Harry was already on board, a huge smile on his face because of the scene. It was clear to Hermione that he started picking on Ron almost as soon as he had gotten in the compartment by the big smile Harry was wearing and the redness of Ron's ears.

"Hermione, do be a dear this year and watch over Ronald. He seems to be getting a rebellious streak."

Hermione turned to a still distraught Ms. Weasley and nodded. Ms. Weasley beamed, grabbed her up for a quick hug, and then let her go. Hermione almost laughed out loud at the look of hatred Ron was sending her through the window. He had had to go through that torture and she just got a gentle embrace.

Hermione waved to the two Weasley parents who were standing on the platform, then climbed into the train. She was glad that they had taken so long to get on, because the halls were empty of people, making her way easier. She levitated her truck, and walked off to the compartment she always sat in. She laughed to herself, her excitement and pleasure feeling like a pliable thing around her. She always loved going to Hogwarts; it was like a second home. A place where she could just be whatever she truly was.

She walked into the compartment, settling her trunk up on the shelf with a flick of her wand. She looked at the boys to see them hard at work trying to talk over each other. She smiled, contented, as she fell into the seat across from them. They took a moment to smile at her before they returned to their battle.

She glanced out the window, not seeing the platform. Her thoughts drifted to the school, to all the spells and magic she would soon get her hands on. To the laughing, and learning, and experiencing. Merlin, she loved magic! Eventually Ginny plopped down next to her, rolling her eyes playfully when she heard the boys. The two girls soon picked up a discussion on who the newest Defense against the Dark Arts professor would be.

The peaceful bliss of company was soon dissolved, however, when an abrupt bark of laughter rang from the door. All four heads snapped to see Draco Malfoy standing there, looking just as arrogant and pompous as ever.

His sniggers died fast, but his smirk never left him. "Well, this is just grand. The Great Potter bickering like a little girl with the Weasel."

"What do you want Malfoy?" Harry growled.

"Nothing Potter," he spat, "I just wanted to see where the old ladies were being kept. Glad I found them." He looked over, spotting Ginny and Hermione. His smirk widened. "Ah, Granger and the littlest Weasel. I had thought you both had crawled and died somewhere, the thickness of your blood drowning you."

"You'd never be so lucky, Malfoy. So why don't you just go and crawl into someone's pants like a good ferret, and leave us alone." Hermione said smoothly, enjoying the anger that flared in his features. It seemed almost like he was going to spit on her, but his face just continued to twist and redden.

"Filthy mudblood, doesn't even know what manners are." With that, he left.

They all exchanged glances with each other, completely dumb struck. Had Hermione just beaten Malfoy? Harry and Ron were staring at her with wide eyes and gaping mouths, and Ginny was just beaming. They all broke into hilarious laughter, the delight in seeing Malfoy defeated too much to contain. By the time they stopped, they were all panting, holding their sides and tears flowing from their eyes. They quickly fell into discussing how their summers went, and how funny it was to see Malfoy that mad.

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"Filthy mudblood." Draco muttered, stomping away from the compartment holding Potter and his buddies. He couldn't believe it! She had actually formulated a comeback worth his time! He'd been so surprised that he hadn't had one to throw back at her wretched face. He just kept muttering to himself, trying to make himself feel better. He hated the fact that he'd left with her having the last word, but he didn't want the shock of her words to show on his face.

Since when did she actually say something to him? Since when did she say something like that? He was infuriated at her nerve, the Know-it-all's nerve. He flung himself down in his private compartment, barely giving the fine details a passing glance. He mulled over the conversation, trying to figure out at what point she had actually found some ground.

He growled and cursed under his breath, mad at himself. He was letting her fog up his thoughts. She was not worth his dirty laundry, let alone his careful observation. He shrugged her off, not wanting to let the moment wound his ego. He instead focused on something else…Which just so happened to be a first year who was lost. He smirked, his good mood returning. Maybe the day wasn't shot after all. He got up and chased after the little boy, vile words already filling his head.

He left so fast, that he failed to notice a small letter resting on the seat, a gentle and wispy script along its surface. It read:

To Mister Draco Malfoy

Compartment Number 229

The Hogwarts Express

Under the innocent looking letter was a small leather book, black and pristine, with a simple leather strap holding the pages together. Beside the book, was a black quill, so black that it was blue in the sunlight.

A small house elf climbed out from under the seat as the young Malfoy left, her whole body shaking. She quickly rearranged the letter on the book, moving it this way and that until she was happy with the way it looked. She gave a fleeting glance at the door, and then she was gone.

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