I loved this story which is originally written in Spanish by a really famous author in the Spanish Fandom called Dryadeh, the original title is "Lija y terciopelo".

I started this story a long time ago…

I made the commitment to finish this story, no matter how long it takes me, but I think reviews and interest from the readers help you get in the mood to write and in my case to translate.

I hope that if you read this story you'll let me know what you think, if you like it or not.

Thanks and enjoy!

Author's note:

I've started publishing this fic on august 2, 2006. I'm conscious that the fic is full of mistakes and things I will like to change but I think at this point it doesn't have any sense. Before you start reading the story there are some thinks you should know:

- The story takes place in the seventh year of Draco and Hermione in Hogwarts.

- The events in "Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince" haven't take place.

- "Lija y Terciopelo" ("Velvet and sandpaper") was my first longfic so don't be hard to me XD.

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I don't let anyone publish my fics in any page. Please if you see it tell me.

Disclaimer: All the characters are owned by JK Rowling. And there are some invented by Dryadeh. Enjoy!

"Velvet and sandpaper"

"Lija y Terciopelo"

Chapter 1: Sparkles in platform 9 and¾

Furious, Draco stormed away from his father in platform 9 and ¾ at King's Cross Station in London. The Hogwarts Express stood at his right, students were saying goodbye from the many doors or helping friends to get their stuff on the train. There was barely space left to move, so Draco made his way through violently; hitting, pushing and moving people apart, leaving behind a trail of scared, astonished or angry students to whom occasionally he gifted with an "Out of my way, idiot". But no one dared to say anything and Draco was sure they wouldn't. Not in vain was he Draco Malfoy, people feared him and he enjoyed that. The arrogant look that appeared on his face was gone when he remembered the fight with his father, he felt the fury increasing in his chest. Accelerating his step, Malfoy was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't see a girl standing in front of him. He collided with her almost making her fall. At the same moment his body crashed with the girl's, he felt a spark, an electric current going through him from head to toes, he moved away repelled by that same energy, like a pair of magnets.

-Watch your step Malfoy- she said softly rubbing her arms. Draco looked up abruptly, still shocked about what had just happened and then he saw her. It took him some seconds to recognize the girl that was standing in front of him looking calm but uncomfortable, when he did, he was astonished. She had grown some inches since the last time he saw her; her brown bushy hair fell halfway down her back, surrounding her face which had sharpened, losing its childish roundness, and the muggle clothes that she wore, especially those jeans, fit her body perfectly, which, as Draco could see, had gained new and interesting curves. She had… changed

- Granger – he mumbled still shocked. She looked strangely at him unable to read his expression. Draco recovered his seriousness and raised his face proudly, then he saw Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley had appeared at each side of the girl. Draco watched them and pursed his lips in disdain.

- It is strange that you made it into seventh grade, weasel – he said referring to the redheaded boy, who blushed to the tips of his ears– it was so obvious that the bookworm and Potthead, Dumbledore's favorite one, where going to… but I still had a tiny hope that I wouldn't have to deal with blood traitors for one more year…luckily this is the last one.

-You can always return home with your mother, Malfoy – replied Harry dryly- we don't want her to lose her disgusted look on her face if you're not close to her.

Draco frowned furiously and quickly took out his wand and pointed it towards Harry. He had done the same, both of them where face to face wands up and ready to attack, throwing fire through their eyes.

-Guys, come on, please – started Hermione looking around nervously to see if an adult was nearby – you could harm someone.

Neither of them appeared to have listened to the girl too busy staring at each another with fury. She twisted her hands nervously and reaching for Harry, she took his free arm.

-Harry, we haven't arrived at Hogwarts yet, please don't get into trouble. Here you could harm a student and… - she looked over his shoulder – and there comes Mrs. Weasley, I think she saw you.

At the mention of this, Harry looked at Malfoy for a long moment and finally gave up to his friend's request. Slowly he lowered the wand without breaking eye contact with the Slytherin, whose cold eyes were still on him. Draco continued pointing at him for a few seconds, wondering whether he should throw him a spell, but when he saw Mrs. Weasley was to close, he elegantly hid his wand under his robes, before leaving he said:

-At least I have a mother, Potter – he threw a last disdainful look and disappeared through the multitude.

Hermione who hadn't let go of Harry's arm had to grab him stronger to restrain him from following Malfoy. He was ready to punch him in the face muggle style.

-Is everything all right my dears? – asked Mrs. Weasley watching suspiciously.

Harry just let out a growl getting free from Hermione's grip.

-Yes Mrs. Weasley – answered the girl quickly and threw Ron warning look not to open his mouth – we should get on the train or we won't find a free compartment.

Hermione said good bye quickly to Mrs. Weasley and, while Harry and Ron did the same, she climbed on the train. Unconsciously looking up and down the corridor in front of her and feeling disappointed. She asked herself what she was looking for, and just at that moment the image of a boy with platinum hair and icy eyes popped into her mind, Ron and Harry followed by Ginny climbed to the train after her.

- Lets find a compartment – said Harry, still angry because of the encounter with Malfoy. - We have to go to the prefect compartment and patrol for a while – Hermione said softly as she pointed at Ron – we will join you later.

- Ok – murmured Harry and without another word he walked down the corridor followed by Ginny. Ron sadly observed his friend and sister walking away and then looked at Hermione.

- This time Malfoy crossed the line – he commented, Hermione just kept silent and walked toward the prefect compartment.

The prefect compartment was the last one in Hogwarts Express, with wood-paneled walls, black leather seats and little rosewood tables here and there; the "P" of the prefect badges was everywhere. The two Gryffindors entered the compartment which was almost full. Hermione found herself searching for Malfoy. She saw him sitting on a couch with his legs crossed carelessly, his feet resting on a little rosewood table while his gaze was lost through the window, his wand caught in a fierce grip in his hands. The girl guessed that he was also still angry because of the encounter with Harry. As if he could sense her eyes on him, Malfoy looked at Hermione who immediately blushed and looked somewhere else.

- Hi Hermione - greeted Ernie McMillan from Hufflepuff with reverence – How was your summer? You've got a good tan.

- Oh, good Ernie. I went with my parents to Marseille – answered Hermione a little distracted and without moving, kept an eye on Parkinson who was approaching Malfoy – and how was yours?

Ernie didn't answer, in fact he appeared not to have listened a single word, he was too busy watching her with his mouth slightly opened. Ron with a deadly glare on his face gave Ernie a poke on the shoulder and brought him back to reality.

- What? Eh… ah yeah it was good… really good, yes – he managed to mumbled avoiding Ron's look as he blushed – I think that… I'm going to sit up there with Hannah. I'm glad I saw you Hermione – he added still smiling stupidly. Ron cleared his throat – oh… and you too Ron, of course.

And without another word and redder than a tomato he moved between the seats looking for his friend, Hannah. Hermione turned to Ron with a concerned look.

-He was a little bit strange, don't you think?

-He has always been stupid – answered Ron angrily.

Some steps away from them, Draco observed the scene with a frown of disgust. That stupid McMillan had acted like a moron in front of the mudblood. It was true that she had changed, but he could never ever find her attractive, not even interesting, she was an inferior being, a bookworm and a mudblood. On the other hand, Pansy seated by his side and blinking provocatively at him was a more inviting sight. Grinning, he put an arm behind Pansy's shoulders, who happily lay against him, again his gaze drifted back towards the Gryffindor sitting on the seat behind him.

-Draco, what are you looking at? –Pansy looked at him with shiny eyes.

-No one– he answered moving his gaze back to the window.

Pansy was in silence, thinking that she had asked what was he looking at not who but still she was too happy in the arms of the Slytherin to worry about that.

Hermione walked thoughtfully through the corridors of the Express with a bag of marshmallows filled with love potion. She had confiscated them from some third year girls that were prowling near Harry's compartment. They were going to send them to him as a present so he would fall in love with one of them; he had become popular after all his encounters with Voldemort. She raised her face from the bag and saw Draco Malfoy coming out of a compartment with a bunch of chocolate frogs on his hand. She watched him smiling maliciously and the girl suspected that he had taken them from a student abusing his authority as a prefect, a typical thing for Malfoy.

A little girl, that must've been a first year, accidentally crashed into the Slytherin causing a pair of frogs to fall down. The glare that he threw the girl was enough to make her burst into tears which made Hermione move quickly towards them, knowing what was coming.

- Watch your way you stupid kid – spat Malfoy – ten points less to your house so you will learn to look where you are going.

- We're not in Hogwarts yet – said Hermione putting an arm around the girl's shoulders to comfort her, she leaned fearfully into the Gryffindor – so you can't take points from her, besides, I think she is a first year, she doesn't even have a house yet.

- Don't tell me what I can and cannot do bookworm, take care of your own business. Shouldn't you be with Potty? I'm sure he must be crying because of what I said about his mother.

Hermione stared at t him as if she was actually looking at him for the first time and her eyes turned sad.

-You are so cruel – she said as if this would never stop shocking her.

-Oh – he answered pretending to be hurt – you hurt my feelings Granger.

-Common, I'll take you back to your compartment – said Hermione addressing the little girl and they both turned around without looking at the Slytherin again but, when they started walking Hermione saw Crookshanks moving in the opposite direction.

-Crookshanks, what are you doing here? – she asked astonished. He must have escaped from Harry's compartment when she had visited him. She bent and called the cat to pick him up but the orange feline passed her by walking towards the Slytherin. Draco stood there looking at the cat who was staring at him. Malfoy could swear that the cat with the squashed face was studying and measuring him but he didn't believe that it was possible.

As if he had made his decision, the cat purred softly and rubbed his body in an almost affectionate way against the legs of the boy.

Hermione astonished watched Crookshanks being nice to a stranger, and furthermore, to Draco Malfoy. Her cat had proved himself good at judging people, many times he had knew, before her, who were friends and who were enemies. By watching his behavior, she was almost sure that Crookshanks liked Malfoy.

Hermione didn't know what to think. First the spark she had felt when Malfoy crashed into her and now Crookshanks was acting in a weird way with him… she shivered and decided that she didn't want to think about that, she walked nervously towards Malfoy, picked up her cat and without looking at the boy, moved rapidly down the corridor with the little girl by her side. Draco rested his back on the wall of the train watching her until she disappeared.

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Kisses & hugs

Lola