(A/N: Disclaimer - We own nothing Harry Potter)


Chapter 1

Some times in life things can change so fast that if your not looking close enough you won't even see it happening. When it does happen its called fate, a funny word with a funny meaning, something so small as a four-letter utterance makes some peoples world turn upside down. But what of those who don't believe in fate? Living in a world exclusive to themselves seeing a narrow road they say was created by them. In all reality there is a larger picture out there and people we meet and know; people we call friends or lovers or even just those that are precious to us are always placed on a path parallel so we can interact, and they are always placed there unknown to us by something much larger in life. Someone once asked, is there really a higher power we answer to? If so how do we know they really exist in the first place. The fact is we don't know all we have is what has been told to us. That is what has to be good enough as our lives unknowingly are played along on strings…

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Hermione Granger is your typical seventeen year old student, currently attending Hogwarts school for witch craft and wizardry…well maybe she is not so typical in the fact that she does presently go to an all magical school and for the last three years of her life she has been helping her friends fight something indescribably evil. It has been an interesting life for Hermione Granger, but she can't say she can argue with how it's turned out. If you look past the fact that everyday everything in her world has started to crumble with the weight of things to come and the things that have come, then sure this girl is a perfectly normal teenager.

There are only a few things in her life, however, that have messed with that one simple fact. For one, she is muggle born, two: she is finally able to close the last chapter of the horror story that is the prince of all darkness, none other then Lord Voldemort. Lastly Hermione is never one to push away her studies, heaven forbid, so instead of relaxing and rejoicing in the after math of the dark lords defeat, she pulls her last comfort closer to her. It is a unconscious, and not entirely deliberate act, done by her…the one thing that lets her get lost in her own comfort zone. Her work, her studies, her school. Yes, Hogwarts still stands tall, proud, and seemingly indomitable. Lets not forget that a few more pounds have been added to her arms; Hermione Granger has a boy friend; none other then Ronald Billius Weasley.

Despite the work load and the tragedies of yore she keeps the smile on her face. The mask that everyone sees and that not even knows she wears day to day. This is only the beginning of one tale in many people's lives. There is another that has run along the same strings of fate, the very same as Ms. Granger's. What would happen if these two unwittingly tangled their lives with one another? Normally this wouldn't be a questionable issue to some, but the other life that this involves makes this union wrong in more ways then one.

From a prestigious background and families abound with wealth, is the soul heir of the Malfoy fortune, Draco. Most girls swoon and almost faint at the sight of this stoic, bad boy's deep steel blue eyes, and platinum blond hair. These things matter not to Draco however. What does is the fact that even though he has been acquitted of any misdeeds under his fathers name and even though he still holds the title of Malfoy Manor, his world stopped moving the day his father was sent to Azkaban and when his mother fled under the cover of night shortly after. He was left alone, with the exception of house elves of course but he might as well have vanished like his parents had done. They had, in his mind selfishly left him behind to defend for himself in a world that he didn't want to be alone in.

Voldemort's downfall, his parents leaving, everyone looking down on him as though he was filth; it was a heavy burden upon his delicate pretty boy shoulders. His world too felt like it was slowly cracking. These are the things that fate decides, our destiny, our fortunes, life…and death…

Even though the world seems pretty at ease right now there are those who are not. The people that were just to close to the travesties of a mad man…Now read the tales of woe of those who had the adversity of a divine providence playing their lives like a deck of cards in a game of poker…

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She could hear someone calling her name, it was distant and slightly hazy, as if her brain had been stuffed full of cotton, and she was just waking up from a deep sleep. She didn't want to wake up from her minds slumber; however, she knew good and well she wasn't asleep per say. It had been like this with her for days now. Anyone that knew her well enough or even those who didn't understood her drive and need to be more. Her sluggish actions during the summer's vacation concerned the people around her, but not the ones that mattered in her opinion. The same voice called out to her again and in instant she concentrated longer on her surroundings. The faint smell of oil, and musky condensed steam reached her nose.

The rough red brick wall she was leaning on scratched lightly at her skin as she impassively felt and watched people go by. Their body heat seemed to radiate and pool off and on to her intrusively making her clutch her hands into a small fist around the handle of her black school bag.

"Hermione?"

The hand that clamped down on her shoulder, more then the name being said snapped her back to a lone figure. He was handsome in her eyes with his red naturally rumbled hair, and the freckles that splayed across his face freely. Things she all liked about him and couldn't help but fall for each and every time…her Ronald. He quirked his lips slightly as he stared down at her and titled his head to the side sending her a funny look.

"Earth to Hermione. You all right?"

All she could do was nod and look back to the slowly thinning crowd around the Hogwarts express. Hermione instinctively looked back up at him and smiled brightly. This seemed to be enough for him and he draped an arm around her slim shoulders to steer them both towards the train. Hermione had been so lost in thought that she hadn't said goodbye to the Weasley clan, but that seemed fine at that moment as they walked side by side.

She was Hermione Granger, seventeen years old; she had a boy friend and was a war hero. What else could she ask for? Chitchatting and nagging came easily as she quickly settled back into the world she knew so well. Ron asked her about her head duties…

Head Duties…

Hermione's head popped up suddenly and she jerked out of Ron's protective grasp.

"What's the matter?" Ron asked startled at her violent movement.

"I'm sorry, Ron. I forgot that I have to meet Professor McGonagall in the head compartment to meet the head boy and find out our duties for the year." Hermione exclaimed suddenly. Her head really had been in the clouds, but she never thought something like this would skip her mind so easily.

"Oh, okay then, I'll see you in the prefects meeting then."

He bent down easily and too much of her surprise brushed his lips against hers gently before straightening and giving her a wink before strolling off. The blush on Hermione's face grew along with her indignity when she heard several soft giggles behind her.

"Don't linger in the passage ways! Get to a compartment now!"

The gaggle of girls stuttered a yes and ran away, frightened at the wrath that was Hermione Granger. She let out an exaggerated sigh before sweeping a hand through her finally tamed curls and headed to the front of the train where she was supposed to meet the new head boy. If you were to ask her how she was these days Hermione would smile happily and answer cheerfully that she couldn't be better. Despite the short stint where she seemed to withdraw from herself from the world. No one thought it out of the normal as was usual for her personality. It hadn't actually been until Ron, clumsily confessed his feelings out loud to her one day at the Weasley house, did she seem to pop out of her shell suddenly and begin to interact with everyone again.

If it did seem odd no one said anything aloud and let the peace continue. That is what people wanted these days, peace. All feelings aside for the moment Hermione slid open the compartment door to the head meeting cabin and took a seat. Her eyes downcast as her mind swirled with unspoken thoughts. She didn't bother to look up when she heard the door slide open again, but the voice that slipped from the intruders lips and caressed over her sent unpleasant chills down her spine. Hermione's eyes slowly ascended to the form leaning against the doors entryway starting at the highly polished black leather shoes, to the carefully pressed, pleated slacks, to the dark green and silver trimmed uniform over vest that framed a broad chest and topped off a head full of shiny blond almost white hair.

"Malfoy…" Hermione hissed out.

"Mudblood…" He answered with just as much distaste if not more so. She rolled her slightly widened eyes and turned to look out the window.

"Why are you here Malfoy?"

He entered and sat down easily, that suggested a lifetime of high quality breeding.

"Oh, did I say you could speak to me?" he scoffed and had the decency to look offended.

Her head wiped back around and her mouth hung open slightly as she took in his pristine image at that moment. Of course everyone had heard the news of his family so it came to no surprise to her the sound of laughter bubbled up from her chest and surpassed her lips with no attempt to stop. Draco snarled at the sound as she tossed her head back and laughed almost mockingly.

"Stop kidding, Malfoy!" she said through half hearted suppressed giggles. "Sorry, but you sitting there like your something important!"

This brought on new waves of laughter and this time a stitch in her side made her bend forward, her hair falling freely in front of her face and hiding her eyes, which spilled over with tears.

"Shut up Granger," Draco said through gritted teeth. His anger was enough to make her laughter die down to shallow hiccups. Hermione didn't know what came over her as she pushed back the curtain of curls and lean forward, her forearm propped on her crossed leg.

"Tell me Malfoy. Does it make your blood boil knowing your no longer as high and mighty as a filthy mudblood," her words were drawn out and cutting with a very un – Hermione like glint in her eye. He sat back at that look and shifted his gaze to the window and watched the rapidly changing scenery of the countryside, never bothering to grace her with an answer. Hermione raised an eyebrow and leaned back composing herself quickly as she did the same as her riding companion. It hadn't dawned on her exactly what he was doing there, but then again she wasn't going to speak with him unless absolutely necessary, and in any case in would never be obligatory. Or she hoped at least…