I Don't Hate You

summary: So we know already that Griffindor and Slytherin are the two competing houses in Hogwarts. But a little too much time together and sparks seem to fly between two people in the opposing houses...(HermionexDraco)

characters: HermionexDracoxRon, HarryxGinny

A/N: Okay, so really, I may not be the biggest Harry Potter fan in the world, but I'm so freakin' obsessed, that I just had to share with you this story that I've been working on. I hope you like it! (and if you don't then please tell me why with constructive criticism; you can flame me, but really, you're wasting your breath because I don't respond to those). I accept anonymous reviews as well, so please, feel free to tell me what you think!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything about Harry Potter...and if I did, then I'd definitely had changed some things bout Deathly Hallows (won't say what for those who didn't get a chance to read/finish).

Chapter 1

"Mum, are we there yet?" 16-year-old Hermione Granger pressured for the millionth time as she stuck her face to the window.

"No, not yet dear," Mrs. Granger said with a laugh. "What's your hurry to get back so soon?"

"I really miss my friends," She admitted truthfully.

She would've elaborated on this, but she didn't dare open her mouth to tell her parents about the Ministry of Magic incident (she had destroyed the letters sent home just in time). If she told her parents that her friend's dad was attacked, her other friend's godfather had gotten killed and a dark, evil wizard had came back, then she would've been sent to a private school somewhere in the Muggle residence, or even move to America. She couldn't give up on Hogwarts yet, when she had so many more new spells to learn and O.W.L.S coming closer and closer.

"She's just eager to show off her new clothes," Mr. Granger teased as he grinned at his wife.

"Daddy..." Hermione groaned, her face flushing.

Hermione had a dramatic change this year involving her looks. She decided over the summer she would care about her appearance more, and she started off with getting a bit more sophisticated with her clothes, so she wore a new outfit she had bought: a nice light pink blazer with a white blouse underneath, some tight blue jean capris and some light pink sandals. Her hair, however, was just as brown and bushy as it had ever been (she still didn't want to bother to straighten it), but Hermione made it look more managed by putting it in a ponytail, a pink ribbon to match her blazer.

"The guys won't care, they don't like me like that," she insisted.

"Sure they don't," Mrs. Granger told her. Hermione groaned as Mrs. Granger laughed. She hated the way her mom teased sometimes.

Several minutes later, trunks in hand, Hermione found herself in Diagon Alley. She took a deep breath, and sighed, smiling around at everything as a cool breeze whipped around her. Good old wizarding world...she was really anxious to get back to Hogwarts now. She scanned around for any signs of her friends, and sadly, she didn't see them yet.

"Well, I guess we'll have to shop first then," she said aloud.

With her parents close behind, Hermione decided to go into Madam Malkin's first so that she could get the most time consuming task out the way. On her way inside, she was rammed hard in a shoulder by a tall blonde boy who seemed mad and in a hurry to go.

"Ow!"

"Watch where you're going!" the blonde boy snapped, turning around to look at the person he hit. "Can't you see that-"

"I'm sorry!" Hermione said quickly as she turned to look at the boy, and stared back at him. "Nevermind, I take that back," she added bitterly.

Draco Malfoy was at a loss for words for a moment as he took in Hermione's appearance with his eyes. Yes, he was surprised that she had new clothes, changing from her usual shirt and jeans. He even noticed that she tied her hair back, which she had always worn it down and looking as if she had come out of a struggle with a hair brush.

Finally composing himself, he smirked at the girl. "Granger. Took you long enough to even look halfway decent."

Hermione frowned at him, though she was wondering why he had looked at her like that. She did notice that Malfoy was taller, and more muscular. His tight black t-shirt gave the impression of bulging muscles, threatening to rip out of their confinement. His hair was still slicked back, the same as ever, and his additude, just as rotten as molded food in a refridgerator.

The words flowed out of her mouth before she could even think about them. "Well at least my family is halfway decent."

Malfoy's eyes narrowed evilly. "At least I'm not a Mudblood," He said smartly.

"At least my parents aren't wanted by Azkaban and Voldemort," Hermione retorted back.

Malfoy's eyes widened slightly as he heard the dark wizard's name called out casually out of her mouth.

"Think you're brave now, huh Granger?" he said quietly. "Well, not to worry, because he'll be after you soon enough."

"You said that three years ago, and nothing's changed." Hermione scoffed. "Why don't you ask your parents for the truth? they are his assistants after all."

She never knew she had that kind of power in her mouth, and Draco apparently didn't either. He was certainly shocked by what he was hearing, and he couldn't help but stare at her in awe as two tall red-haired boys came up behind the bushy-haired girl.

"Why ya staring so hard Malfoy?" Fred Weasley said, grinning at the blonde.

"W-what do you mean?" Malfoy said, his cheeks growing red. Dammit, why am I blushing? IN PUBLIC?

"Little makeover starting to get to you?" George Weasley asked, winking. "Trying to get her, huh?"

"Never!" Malfoy snapped. "I'll never like a mudblood!" with that, he stalked away angrily, storming threats in his head. Who do they think they are...oh, wait till they get to Hogwarts!

Hermione watched Draco stomp away, then turned to the Weasley twins, grinning. "Thanks, you guys."

"No prob, Hermy," Fred said with a smile. "You're looking awfully pretty today," he added as his cheeks turned slightly pink.

"Thank you." she began to blush. She glanced behind them and saw another tall-red haired boy with a raven-haired boy and a small red-haired girl walking her way, the people that she had expected to see more than anything. She squealed and rushed past the Weasley twins.

"Ron! Harry! Ginny!"

Harry saw her coming and opened his arms, smiling wide. She threw herself in them, nearly knocking the pair of them over.

"Hi to you too, Hermione," he said with a laugh.

Hermione then hugged Ginny with the same force. Then she pulled away and looked up at Ron, whom over the summer had grown tall and numerous freckles. "Hi Ron!" she said happily.

"Hey, Hermione." Ron grinned at her. "You, um..." Like Fred, his cheeks went pink. "You look..."

"Look great," Harry finished for him.

"I'm told," said Hermione, grinning.

"What was Malfoy doing this time?" Ginny asked her. "We saw you when we came out of Madam Malkins, well, more like Fred and George pointing us out."

Hermione told them the exchange of words she had with the fellow Slytherin, and they were open-mouthed by the end.

"That's not like you!" Harry said, impressed.

Hermione knew it wasn't like her too. You could call it hormone changing if you wanted to, but she had definitely changed this year. There was no more stepping on Hermione Granger. She wasn't gonna back down to anybody, or let anyone talk to her any kind of way. Of course it was uncharacteristic behavior for the girl who used to run away from the problems, and rely on her friends to bail her out of trouble. But there was so much a girl could take, and enough was enough.

She smiled at everyone. "Wait till he discovers this!" she held up a shiny new prefect badge high in the air for everyone to see.

"Nope, he's a prefect too," Ginny told her, "I saw him showing off his badge to Crabbe and Goyle a few minutes ago."

"What's with all these prefects?" Fred said as he and George came up to the bunch. "Ron's a prefect," said Fred, "and we only hope that Ginny would join us so we won't be lonely."

Ginny made a face, and everyone laughed.

"You guys should've seen the way Malfoy was looking at Hermione, like she was some sort of goddess," George told them.

"No he wasn't!" Hermione said hastily, looking away.

"Better watch out Hermione," Harry warned her. "Don't want to get associated with the enemy, let alone let him fall for you..."

"He'd never fall for Hermione!" Ginny exclaimed.

"She's right you know," Hermione agreed, "I'm a filthy little Mudblood. I'd never see myself liking him."

Little did the two enemies realize, that they would like each other alot more than they thought they would.

So the first chapter isn't really progressive but believe me, the story will move on (I have thirteen other chapters waiting to be viewed). Tell me what you think, and I'll be back with a second!