Chapter 1
That cold winter night

This story has been passed on to me for safe keep by a dear friend, alas she never lived to tell it to the world, so here I am, gather around my children listen to the tale of a broken heart a mischievous spirit and of sad betrayal.

It was on a one cold winter's day that Hermione was walking the corridors at night.

She was a prefect and it was one of her many duties to patrol the corridors.

Normally she was happy to do her shifts but today she felt tired and worn out. The whole day she'd been controlling the fight between her two best friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. It started off quite innocently. They had had one of their many disagreements about Quidditch, and refused to speak to each other (except to trade insults). In the end they had a fight and ended up in the hospital wing, both with minor concussion and many bruises to keep them from forgetting.

This left Hermione feeling tired and defeated. She tried so hard to prevent the fight but only ended up making things worse. It was because of her that they got into the fight in the first place. If only she had never gotten into the argument, then maybe this wouldn't have happened. She was thinking back to the fight that took place mere hours ago.

Ron, who had secretly admired her for some time now, expected Hermione to take his side of the argument, but Hermione disagreed with Ron and took Harry's side instead. Ron didn't react to well, accusing Harry of secretly dating Hermione behind his back. Hermione tried to butt in and tell Ron that she wasn't dating anyone, but Ron was so overcome by jealousy he ignored her. Hermione wasn't sure how it happened but the next moment Ron was on top of Harry punching his stomach, while Harry was trying to push him off; when that had failed he had fought back.

Oh what a mess I made' she thought grimly as she walked down the third floor corridor.

"The whole day has been so horrid, it couldn't possibly get any worse" she thought, with out realising that she said it out loud.

"Oh really, I would think it just got a lot worse, Granger."

Hermione turned so fast she nearly lost her balance, looking around to see who was out there.

"Malfoy! What are you doing out in the corridors at night? Do you want me to give you detention?"

"Ahh, but we were just out hunting you see."

"Hunting?"

"Yes Granger, Mudblood hunting. Its lots of fun you know. Would you care to join us?"

Hermione watched Malfoy's face break into a smirk showing of his pointed teeth; his platinum blonde hair was blowing out in all directions and his face was glowing ghostly pale.

He looks evil' she thought, well at least he's alone which means that the most he can do is throw insults my way.

If only she knew how wrong she was. If only she had listened more carefully to him to realise the we' in his words was not there out of habit, but there for a reason. If only she knew and ran back to her common room as fast as her legs could carry her. Then there would never have been a story for me to tell you. I wish there was no story to tell and no tears to shed, but alas it is not so.

That very cold winter's night our story was to begin.

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