"Hey Mudblood!" Draco Malfoy called out to her.
"What Malfoy?" She turned away from her potion - the first mistake.
"Oh, nothing." He said innocently before knocking her potion onto the floor.
She opened her mouth in rage. How dare he?! She was about to jinx him, then she remembered she was in Snape's classroom, she didn't want detention after all..
"30 points from Gryffindor for being untidy." said Professor Snape lazily as the Slytherin's cheered. Ron, who was next to her, opened his mouth to protest, but she kicked him. Everyone knew how nasty Snape could be. Hermione just put her head down, and attempted to restart her potion. Hopefully she could earn those points back in another class.
"Well, you can always expect that Mudblood to be untidy. Look at the state of her hair." snickered everyone's favorite Slytherin bitch, Pansy Parkinson. Hermione tried her hardest to ignore her. She also tried her hardest to restrain Ron and Harry, both whom were about to land themselves in detention, due to her.
"Don't be too hard on her, Pansy. Granger can't help it that she's naturally unattractive." Draco said smirking.
The bell rang, thankfully. Hermione rushed out, not even looking back at Harry and Ron. She would see them in the Great Hall anyway. She was hoping the Slytherins wouldn't follow
"Hey Mudblood filth! Why are you rushing away so fast? I hope we didn't hurt your feelings." laughed Pansy as she and Draco sandwiched Hermione in between them.
"Leave me ALONE"
"Ooh, look ITS getting angry." sneered Pansy. "Oh no, it'll petrify us with its ugliness." snickered Draco.
She mustered up all the courage she had, but then decided it would be better not to retaliate. Instead, she calmly feigned deafness all the way to the Great Hall.
"I guess it's deaf as well as dumb." shrugged Pansy looking at Draco. "Well, you can expect that with something of that much pure ugly. I wonder if we will get a disease by being near it?" Draco asked. "Oh, I hope not." gasped Pansy horrified.
"Well MAYBE if you're so worried you should back off?"
"It can talk!" Pansy said appearing shocked. "We must document this new find together!" Draco stated excitedly. "Wouldn't this creature be better off not found? If it was in books it might scare little children." Pansy commented. "True, but new finds must be documented." said Draco.
She ran off to the Gryffindor table. At least she'd get some peace of mind there. Why were they being so horrible to her? More so than usual, anyway. The next potions class, she tried desperately to catch Draco's eye...she could only hope for the best
"Look! Look! There it is!" squealed Pansy excitedly pointing to Hermione. "I stol- erm borrowed that Creevy kids camera, so now we can photograph that monstrosity." cried Draco.
Ignoring Pansy, she looked dead on at Draco. "You and I need to talk. Now. Alone. Don't you dare refuse, Malfoy. I don't mind doing this in front of everyone if need be."
"Draco, no! Don't go!" cried Pansy making fake tears come to her eyes. "Alas, Pansy, I must." said Draco dramatically. "It's for science's sake. So Granger, what do you want?" He asked in a bored voice.
She signalled for them to go outside the classroom, hoping he would heed. Draco sighed and exited the classroom. Outside the classroom, she turned on him. "What is your problem?" She demanded.
"I don't know what you mean." He said feigning innocence.
"Dont lie." Hermione snapped. "Yes, okay, I'm muggle born. Yes, okay, I'm friends with Harry and the Weasleys. But what else could you possibly have to hold against me?!"
"Oh, don't pretend you don't know, miss-I'm-too-good-for-everyone-since-I'm-so-brilliant." Draco snapped rolling his eyes.
Hermione was stunned. "I.." she stopped. She tried to start again "I...I'm...sorry?"
"I knew it. You can't even comprehend what I said." Draco sighed. "You act like you're so good, just because you're smarter than the rest of us."
"Draco," She was unsure of what to call him, she had never adressed him by his first name before, she hoped he wouldn't pick up on this "I'm sorry if I ever came across as ... acting like I'm better than all of you..." She cut herself off, biting her lip.
"Oh, I'm sure you're sorry, Granger." spat Draco. "Forget it. This conversation is over." He growled stalking back into the classroom. She was speechless. How many months - years, even, had she been giving off this vibe? Was this the reason she didn't find friends until Halloween? Was this the reason the girls in her very own dormitory - Lavender and Parvati - avoided her? She felt sick to the stomach. What was even worse was the fact that Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, helped her realize this.
"Umm... Hermione? Are you alright?" questioned Harry peeking out of the classroom.
"I...I'm fine." said Hermione, composing herself. She shook herself into place. Snape ignored her return to the room and asked "What would happen if one was to overdose on this potion?" Hermione knew the answer - you would fall into a deep sleep, only to be awakened with a rooster's call. She was about to raise her hand to tell him just that and earn points back, but she faltered halfway, and put her hand back down. Snape, Harry and Ron looking at her in shock, Hermione Granger not wanting to answer a question was unheard of. Snape quickly recovered and called on a random Slytherin, who answered the question correctly and won points for Slytherin. "Are you sure you're alright?" questioned Harry worriedly. Ron looked at her in shock.
"I'm...fine." she replied. The turned around, expecting to see Draco smirking, but he too genuinely looked confused.
"No, you're not." snapped Ron. "Did Malfoy do something to you? I'll kill that bloody bastard." He hissed seething. She looked at him. What was the use in lying? She explained the conversation her and Malfoy had in the hallway. She explained how that lead to self-doubt and insecurity.
"Hermione, since when do you listen to what a Slytherin has to say?" questioned Harry. "Yeah, he's just being a right git. Ignore him." Ron growled possibly plotting to kill Malfoy in horrible ways. She explained how it just remained on her mind because it was something she was already insecure about
"Don't worry, Hermione. You're perfect in every single way." Harry assured her. "You shouldn't have to feel insecure just because other people happen to be jealous of you."
"But ... is it jealousy?"
"I don't know what it is exactly, but you shouldn't let it get you down." Harry stated firmly.
Hermione smiled. She knew she was being stupid, letting this affect her. "You're right" she agreed.
"Of course I'm right." said Harry jokingly. "It's going to take a lot more than that to get our Hermione down."
Hermione was starting to feel better already.
"What did you say to Granger?" questioned Pansy to Draco. "That's none of your business." Draco snapped. "Alright, alright. Don't bite my head off." Pansy muttered putting up her hands as a gesture of surrender.
By the next day, Hermione was back to her usual self.
Draco on the other hand, seemed to be worse than usual. He seemed to be in a particularly foul mood for no apparent reason, making it a bad day for first years.
You: Hermione had taught herself that the teasing shouldn't affect her if she was confident. So she carried on being exactly that
Hey, Granger!" shouted Pansy. "What did you do to Draco to make him be in such a foul mood today?" She demanded storming up to Hermione.
Hermione turned around. Shock and amusement filled her face. "What did..I do .. to HIM?" she actually laughed.
"Yes, that's what I just said!" fumed Pansy.
Hermione laughed again "I didn't do ANYTHING. It was HE who-" she cut herself off, after all, it didn't matter, right?
"It was he who- what?" Pansy barked furious. "S'cuse me. Let me remove her for you." said someone dragging a hissing Pansy away. The person then came back and the person was none other than Blaise Zabini one of Draco's friends.
"Remove me, Zabini?" Hermione taunted.
"I was removing Pansy for you. I'm not going to remove you for Pansy." Zabini said rolling his eyes.
"Oh, good." Hermione wasn't going to lie, she was grateful.
"So tell me why Draco isn't in a great mood. He won't tell Pansy and I anything." Zabini demanded.
"If he doesn't want tell you, neither do I." She replied cooly.
"No need to get grouchy. Did you reject his feelings? Is that why he's so crabby today?" questioned Zabini.
Hermione could help it she turned around "Reject his feelings..? What are you on about?"
"Oops! I've said too much!" Zabini said, looking around. "Draco's gonna kill me if he finds out I just let that one slip..."
That day in potions, Hermione tried desperately to catch Draco's eye. She caught it alright, but he whipped his head the other way, giving her a disgusted look. After the bell rung, she basically ran after him. Hoping he would notice.
Draco sighed, turning around to face her. "What do you want, Granger?" he snapped.
"Listen. Zabini let something slip this morning. I'm just telling you, because it think it's fair that we're all on the same page"
"...Zabini.. He let what slip this morning? It had better not be what I think it is..." growled Draco narrowing his eyes.
"I...think it is."
"Zabini... I'm going to murder you..." Draco snarled. "So what of it?" he asked trying to keep his cool.
"Well...nothing of it." Hemione tried to keep her voice calm "I'm just informing you"
"Well, thank you for doing that." said Draco.
Hermione blinked. "Well...er...I'll be..."
"Do you feel the same way...?" Draco said in a whisper so soft that it was hard to catch. Hermione stopped dead in her tracks.
"Yes." she whispered back even more quietly
"You do?" asked Draco sounding shocked. "Oh yes! I knew you two would get together!" exclaimed Zabini appearing out of nowhere and ruining the moment.
"What the..."
"Zabini... Just the person I wanted to see..." Draco growled his expression growing dark. "Oh shit... 'Mione, did you tell him about my little slip up thus morning? How could you?" exclaimed Zabini backing away from Draco.
Hermione just looked at Zabini, curious to see what would happen
"Well... I'm out of here." cried Zabini running off with Draco chasing after him.
Hermione beamed. She didn't know why she was so happy..she didn't even know she wanted this.
"Congratulations! You and Draco Malfoy are officially in a relationship!" exclaimed Harry, Ron (who looked like he had been forced to come) and Pansy. "We knew all along!" cheered Harry and Pansy. Hermione was in shock. This was surely a dream. No way would Harry, Harry Potter be approving this. As for Pansy...she would rather murder Hermione than congratulate her.
"Lets go spread the good spirit, Pansy!" cried Harry turning to Pansy. "Right, Harry. Yes, lets." Pansy agreed, together they skipped away dragging a very confused Ron behind them. Hermione almost slapped herself to make sure she was conscious
"I'm back.. Hermione.." panted Draco. "And I couldn't catch him." he sighed.
"You need to look at this" she said, bemused, indicating the pandemonium Harry and Pansy had created. By this time the Weasley twins had joined in as well as the rest of the Slytherin Quiddich team
"That's a bit disturbing." commented Draco looking disturbed. "What do Pansy and Potter think they're doing?"
"I have no idea..." They smiled at each other
"Well.. There's nothing left for us to do except..." Draco whispered kissing Hermione. She kissed him back, and held his hand