Chapter 1

Hermione Granger sat alone. Smartest which of her age, one third of the golden trio, Gryffindor princess and mudblood extraordinaire. What would they do if they knew? The compartment doors slid open and in walked Harry and Ron arguing about what could only be quidditch.

"Hey Mione, how was your summer?"

I turned to look at Harry. What will he say when he finds out? "It was enlightening." She replied with a flat tone.

Before Harry could try to investigate Ron but in with a rude snort. "Probably masturbating with those dusty books." Hermione's eyes snapped up to pin him with a glare.

"What would you know about anything remotely sexual Ronald?" He had the decency to look ashamed as he lowered his gaze and heat crept from his neck line to the tip of his ears. "That's what I thought."

She got up and swung her book bag over her shoulder, her trunk already shrunk and tucked into her pocket and stepped over their outstretched feet on her way to the compartment door.

"Wait Hermione don't go, you know Ron has permanent foot-in-mouth disease."

"Oi!"

She stopped with her hand resting on the door preparing to leave, glancing out of the corner of her eye at Harry she responded "What does it matter? Besides, I have better things to do with my time." Than to sit here with you two and be debased.

Harry caught the implication and nodded his head in understanding while Ron just added to her already simmering ire.

"No need to be such a bitch it's not like mff phm phmmmmm."

Neither boy had noticed when Hermione had reached into her robes for her wand until it was pointed at Ron and his mouth sealed without so much as a mutter of a jinx. Hermione left in silence.

Down the corridor, as she made her way towards the compartment which McGonagall had designated for the prefects and heads, she could hear the strains of Harry yelling at Ron for his stupidity. She walked towards her destination unseeing, her feet guiding her at a n unhurried pace as her mind wandered.

"Well well well, what have we here?"

Eyes refocusing Hermione realised to her annoyance that none other than Draco Malfoy and his band of idiots was standing in her way.

"I have no time for your shit Malfoy. Get out of my way or I'll be moving your carcass for you." She said in low even tones, her anger palpable.

Draco Malfoy was no one's fool and he knew that his regular taunting of Granger was anything but the usual, which is why he would regret his next course of action.

"Is that a threat Mudblood? Well after my Lord has seen to it that you and your kind has been annihilated..."

"Me and my kind Malfoy?" Hermione cut in vehemently. She laughed condescendingly. "Me and my kind will get by just fine."

Students were congregating at their respective compartment doors and murmuring to each other heatedly about the latest Granger-Malfoy feud. Malfoy need not glance around to know all eyes were on him, mocking him. He refused to be bested by a mudblood.

Harry and Ron who had heard the commotion bustled out their compartment to stand on either side of Hermione, glowering at the Slytherins in their way.

Hermione had had enough and tried to sidestep Malfoy and his mindless entourage when her upper arm was caught in a punishing hold. Draco leaned down to stage whisper quite heatedly in Hermione's ear. "What's that supposed to mean Granger?"

Draco withdrew his hand quickly upon the surge of raw magic that coursed through his hand from where he was gripping Hermione's. He looked at her face in well masked astonishment where he caught a glimpse of her normally whiskey coloured eyes fading back from an all too familiar red.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She queried and strode away towards her original destination.

('.') HPFF('.')

The compartment door slid shut behind her. Her attention was immediately drawn to a desk to her left, in front of which were rows and rows of chairs. From previous experience she knew the two chairs at the very front ere reserved for the Head boy and girl and from the looks of it the head boy and more than half of the prefects were already seated.

She walked in and nodded politely to those who acknowledged her and made her way to her seat. She looked to her right, her curiosity prompting her to find out who it was as head boy. She wasn't at all surprised to see Anthony Goldstein seated beside her.

He gave her a small smile which she returned half heartedly. The meeting started shortly after when McGonagall, the new headmistress, took her seat. She took the time to carefully outline everyone's specific roles in ensuring that Hogwarts functioned as efficiently as it always had.

"Therefore it is imperative that you all work together. There will be absolutely no tolerance for tomfoolery." Her stern expression made it quite clear she would stand for no arguments.

"You are dismissed."

Hermione and the other students filed out into the hallway and then to their respective compartments. "Hey Mione wait up, please!" Hermione's pace never slowed as she determinedly moved away from Harry Potter.

"Hermione please wait!"

Hermione laughed derisively "Why in the name of Merlin would I even fathom doing a thing like that?"

Hermione took a sharp left into what had to be the last available carriage, Harry was doubled over breathing heavily in the door way.

"Her-hermi..."

"Save your breath Harry. I really don't care."

He sputtered over her name a few more times before he propped his back up on the door taking a couple deep breaths. "Hermione, I know Ron can be a complete ass..."

"Understatement." She sounded wholly disinterested; she hadn't even glanced up from the book she'd unearthed from her monstrosity of a book bag.

"...but he's just shy."

"Yes and Gregory Goyle is in fact a rocket scientist."

"Hermione be serious, please." Harry said tersely, pinching the bridge of his nose.

She put her book down gently on the seat beside her and stood to pin Harry with a venomous glare.

"You listen here Potter, I have had it up to here," she said motioning to an area above her head "With yours and Ronald's complete and utter disregard for me as an individual." As she walked steadily towards him he staggered back until his back was pressed against the wall of the hallway.

"Fuck off!"

He stepped forward quickly, desperately trying to get a word in edgewise when the door was abruptly slammed in his face.