Author's Note: Alright, this is my very first story that I started a few years back and then just lost track of. I've revamped it and everything so here we go! I hope you all like it!

Disclaimer: No I do not own Harry Potter, if I did I wouldn't be posting on this site now would I? =P

Chapter 1

Hermione's eyes slowly fluttered open. Awake now, she sat up and immediately realized where she was.

Not Again! She thought to herself.

This was the third time in a month that this had happened. Once again, Hermione had found herself waking up in the Slytherin common room.

I have to get out of here without being seen!

Just as she began to ease herself up off the couch, Hermione heard a pair of feet padding down the steps. Flinching at the thought of being caught, Hermione hastened to get out of the room and through the portrait before whoever was coming could make it down the stairs and see her.

Hermione jumped up and bolted to the door as quickly as she could; straining to reach the portrait in time. Pushing the frame forward and plunging through, she stopped to catch her breath on the other side.

Hermione took a deep breath and straightened her nightgown before heading off down the passageway.

"That was close…" she muttered to herself.

As Hermione grew to be farther and farther away from the vile Slytherin common room, her heart rate began to slow, as she was comforted by the sound of her bare feet on the cold stone of the dungeon floor.

Hermione began to drift off into thought as she pondered the predicament she was in. Her feet carried her on the familiar path out of the dungeons, but as she climbed the stairs to the Great Hall, a voice brought her crashing back to reality.

"So Granger, have a nice night?"

Hermione froze.

"Wh- who's there?" she stuttered without turning around.

Had this person been the one coming down the steps? Did they know? Hermione felt her palms grow moist as her mind ran through all the people it could be. It could be Crabbe or Goyle… but the voice was much too suave, and the only thing either of them could manage was the occasional grunt or two.

"Do you always find a way to sneak into my common room, or is this a new obsession of yours?" the voice replied.

"I- I…" Hermione stammered.

Wait, why did she feel the need to explain herself to this stranger? She obviously didn't owe anything to him.

"What does it matter to you what my habits are?" Hermione said heatedly, whipping around to confront the mysterious stranger.

Hermione stared into the darkness. She had expected to see the person that had been following her. Instead all that welcomed her were the cold shadows.

Hermione's brow furrowed.

Had I been imagining the voice? Hermione wondered.

"Why the hostility, Granger?" the voice answered; although not without a hint of sarcasm.

Nope, definitely real.

"I was only asking a friendly question" he continued.

"So we're friends now are we? May I ask the name of such a good friend?"

Hermione waited anxiously, suddenly realizing how cold it was. A chill ran down her spine as the stranger stepped out of the darkness and into the small area of light that emanated from a torch on the wall.

Draco Malfoy stood before her.

Hermione felt her jaw slacken as she stared at him.

Why was he following her?

"You'll want to pick your jaw up off the ground, Granger. Why so surprised?" Malfoy asked, emanating arrogance. He leaned against the stone wall, casually inspecting his fingernails.

Hermione snapped her jaw shut. Damn her, why had she allowed him to catch her in such a vulnerable state? As Hermione berated herself for having been so stupid, Draco began to smirk. He stepped closer to her, but Hermione immediately took a step backwards.

"Running away now are we?"

"I- I just… what do you want!"

"To know why you were in my common room." Malfoy countered.

Hermione didn't want to answer his question, especially since she herself didn't even know the answer.

"I- I…" Hermione trailed off, why couldn't she stop stuttering? Taking a deep breath before continuing on, she said, "I don't know actually… wait, how did you know I was in there?" Hermione demanded.

It was Malfoy's turn to feel uncomfortable now. It was quite obvious that he did not want to tell Hermione how he had known that she was in his common room.

"Well, I just came down the stairs and saw you running through the portrait." Malfoy bluffed.

Hermione could tell that he was lying; it was in the way he shuffled his weight back and forth between his feet and the fact that he wouldn't look her in the face.

"You're lying," Hermione stated smugly.

"Prove it!"

"Defensive now aren't we?"

It was as if they had switched roles completely. Malfoy seemed to come to this conclusion around the same time that Hermione did because he suddenly stood erect and plastered the nastiest sneer possible on his face.

"Do you want to know the truth? It was your smell, Mudblood. Anyone could smell you a mile away with a stench like that."

Hermione could feel her eyes sting. She would not let him see her cry. As good as Hermione might have been at holding back her tears, she wasn't quite as successful at hiding the hurt look on her face.

She looked like a wounded animal in Draco's eyes, and at first it brought him satisfaction; but satisfaction gave way to guilt and Draco felt himself compelled to apologize to her.

"Look, I- I'm s-sorry…" he choked out.

Hermione didn't know whether or not she had heard right; or maybe she just wanted to make him say it again. Either way Hermione had to ask…

"What did you say?"

"You heard me," he snarled. "Although now that I think about it, I take it back."

He gave her one last sneer before stalking back the way he had come.

Draco silently berated himself as he stalked back to his common room.

Apologizing to the Mudblood? What was I thinking?

He wasn't; that much was obvious. He would have to be more careful in the future… he couldn't have anything ruining the reputation he had worked so hard to earn for himself.

And since when had he become such a softy anyways? Before the war he would have never thought twice about how the Mudblood felt, let alone apologize to it. Apologies were a rare occurrence in the Malfoy family, let alone being uttered to something that was so far beneath him. He would make sure he didn't step out of line again. Lest it get back to his father…

Whew! My first chapter is done! Hehe... although I did use a lot from my first draft. ^.^

Reviews are loved and greatly appreciated. I already have my second chapter mostly completed, just wanted to see how this revamped first chapter did.

Until next time! ;)

Kayla Incredible