Here you go! I hope you like it.

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**Please read the A/U at the bottom when you're finished.**

Chapter 1

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Hermione was copying down her Transfiguration notes for Harry when she sensed the pair of eyes that were becoming all to familiar boring into the back of her head. She refused to acknowledge them this time. They were always the same. The same expression of intrigue mixed with disparity.

Despite the fact that Hermione was disliked by several people, one would never expect it of this person. Disturbing her studies, classes, and even her meals; every moment of the day, he strived to be there, wherever she was. Who was it?

Our very own Draco Malfoy.

Hermione knew he had good reason, though. It was all because she had been passing a note with Ginny back and forth in the corridors between classes—seeing as they didn't have any together. A note that happened to be all about Draco's personal life… His love life to be precise.

Hermione carried a secret. Possibly even the biggest secret she would ever burden in her life.

She knew who liked Draco Malfoy.

And, naturally, due to Hermione's clumsiness and lack of hand-eye coordination, she missed catching the small piece of parchment. It seemed the most foolish thing she'd ever done, and the fact that the main topic of the note picked up the letter before she could. When she tried to pick it up, she almost got swamped and trampled by the sea of on-coming students. Though, it's not as though their passing of this note was inconspicuous, the girls had tried to be very careful about who saw and who didn't; and Draco noticed, to the worst of their efforts...

Or so Hermione thought.

-*-*-*-Three Days Ago-*-*-*-

Hermione had woken up with a light feeling in her stomach. She had had a dream about….well….let's just say it was nice. Flowers and the moon and a kiss… Definitely the most romantic dream she'd ever had.

She got up to begin her day, and started off with a shower. The sun was still just above the horizon when she finished dressing, so she turned and looked at her mirror, determined to tame her mass of curls. She wanted to look a little nice today, and she was going to have her way for once. After all, it was her sixteenth birthday. She figured she could do something. And so, she went about her hair, using charms that she had read about and a couple she had learned from Ginny.

In the end, she had managed to take out any frizz. Hermione was proud; she'd done her hair by herself!

She looked over at the sleeping forms of Padma and Parvati. Between their beds was the biggest box of cosmetics she'd ever seen. She figured they wouldn't mind if she used a little, and tip-toed over, grabbing the handle on the lid.

She went to pick it up, but it wouldn't budge. She tried every spell she could think of; even the feather-light charm wouldn't work.

'Girls and their cosmetics...'

Hermione looked up from Padma to Parvati and realized that they were both looking at her curiously.

"Trying to get into our make-up?"

"Definitely a new height for you, I'd say, right Padma?"

"Indeed, Parvati."

Hermione looked up at the girls in shock. She should have known they would wake up, but that wasn't what had her so stunned. A look glimmered in both their eyes that Hermione had hoped to never see directed at her.

She had seen it only once before. That poor second year; she didn't stand a chance. All she had done was mention that she was going on a date. The look on the Patil's faces nearly had poor Taylor running… and she should have while she had the chance…

Now, though, their attention on her, was such an intense moment, Hermione could feel a single drop of sweat run down the side of her face.

She tensed up and made ready to run. Two cats vs. one mouse wasn't exactly fair, and Hermione wasn't a very fast runner.

She looked once more from Parvati to Patil, then ran for it.

"Get Her!"

"Don't let her get away!"

Hermione jumped over her bed and ran straight for the door. She swung it open in terror. It was like she could feel them breathing on her neck. She had taken the stairs down three at a time-a dangerous feat for Hermione-and just made it into the common room when- -

"GOTCHA!"

"Bit of a quick'n, this one is."

"Let me GO!" Hermione thrashed and tried to get away from the eccentric twins. Looking around frantically, she spotted a single Fred Weasley watching with amusement as Hermione grabbed the doorframe.

"Fred! Help me please!"

Fred laughed as the bug-eyed girl struggled against the two sisters Grimm.

"Nah, it looks like you've got everything under control."

"But Fred! They'll kill me!"

"Now why on earth would the Patil's want to kill you? It's only your sixteenth birthday."

If it was even possible, Hermione's eyes got even wider and she let out a strangled, "NO!" as the Patil twins shared a look of pure, utter, and undeniable determination.

Padma pulled out her wand,

"DON-"

"Petrificus Totalis!" Padma smirked evilly and winked at Fred.

"Try not to hurt her too much, loves. I might need her later," Fred teased and winked back.

Parvati binded hermione's arms and legs, so she wouldn't be able to escape, and she and Padma began to ascend the stairs, Fred watching all the while with extreme amusement.

"We won't hurt her...too much."

The last thing Fred heard was a cry of pain and frustration, along with the girls' cry of: "Don't forget, my dear, beauty is pain!"

Ok, you guys. You have to tell me what you think. I know there are a few of you that try to keep updated with my stuff, and I know that there are a few of you who gave me up for better prospects. Well, I'm giving you all this lovely slice just to see. I don't know how this is going to turn out, really, which is one of my biggest problem factors. I've been wanting to plan this ahead a couple chapters, but I'm losing inspiration quickly.

Review please!

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The Beast in Repose
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