PART 1
Hermione hadn't seen a new student that was her age since her first year at Hogworts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But she knew something different was happening when the Sorting hat hollered out an unfamiliar name at the end of the sorting.
"STANLEY, CHRISTIAN."
Hermione's attention snapped to the front of the room to see a very… attractive boy that looked to be about 14. He had sandy blond hair and green eyes, but not like Harry's eyes, Harry's eyes where an emerald color, his where more a forest green. They where deep and drew her in like a whirlpool.
And she wasn't the only one who had that affect upon her.
"Isn't he dreamy," Susan Bones, a Hufflepuff whispered.
In fact the Patil twins, and every other female in Hogworts from first through forth year where whispering among themselves. Hermione shook her head and snapped out of it. He was just a boy… not a god. Before he sat down he caught the young witch's eye and gave here a smile.
She froze. Her heart skipped a beat. He was so… so…
"Hermione are you okay?" Her friend Harry whispered.
But she couldn't hear him. In fact she couldn't hear anyone. The world seemed to slow down and all she could see was Christian Stanley smiling out into the crowd… and he was smiling at her!
The sorting hat was put over his head and sat still for about ten seconds.
"SLYTHERIN!" It shouted.
The hat was taken off and Christian gave Hermione an apologetic smile that could have made her heart melt. She stared at him for the rest of the sorting and when everything was done, he looked up at her, and winked.
"Hermione!" Ron called in a whisper.
Hermione snapped out of her reverie and looked to her pale, freckle-faced friend. There was something in his eyes she had never seen. Was that worry? Nah, this was Ron, couldn't be.
"Sorry," she said alertly, "Must have dozed off I should of gotten some sleep in the train. I got very little sleep last night."
Harry gave her a curious look.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," she said curtly.
Ron shrugged and looked down to see plates and plates of food.
"Dinner time," he said.
Hermione barley touched her food.
The next day Hermione, Ron and Harry scurried to their classes. They quickly found out that they're fourth year was going to be a little more complicated that the last three. They where taking the Intermediate-Advanced Charms and Transfiguration classes. The Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher wasn't even present, so other teachers where always subbing in. Dumbledoor claimed to have a new teacher hired, but he was busy with "personal reasons."
On they're way to potions they're conversation got to how to get Malfoy in trouble.
"I say we use a Buggious charm," Ron said, "he'll be throwing up bugs for weeks!"
"Ron you know you shouldn't do that," Hermione hissed, "Snape you catch you!"
"Has he in the past," Ron said with a grin.
"Yes," Hermione said returning the grin.
"Well I don't think the Buggious Charm is the best idea any way," Harry said.
"Yeah," Ron said, "we should go for a faragus spell.
Harry didn't dare ask what a faragus spell was but Hermione obviously did because she gave him a cold glare. They walked into Snape's classroom to see most of the students in Slytherin and Gryffindor already where there and taking seats.
Including Christian Stanley.
Hermione walked over to her desk slowly not taking her eyes off of him.
"Hermione?" Harry said.
"Hey Hermione move up!"
Hermione spun around to see an impatient Ron behind her.
"Is there something wrong?" He asked, "cause this is getting kind of annoying."
"No nothing," she said shaking her head. She quickly sat down in a chair next to Harry. Ron sat next to her.
"Well welcome to 4th year potions," Snape said doing his normal introductory, "as you know, this years work is a lot tougher than lasts year's easy ride. We will be studying more potent potions, which are very dangerous. Mr. Logbottom should get out while he still can."
Hermione gave Neville a sympathetic glance. No one knew why but Snape had something against the accident-prone young wizard.
"Now you all can partner up and just… try to complete our first assignment on enlarging potions," Snape said.
Ron and Harry partnered up in a matter of seconds. Hermione could tell that would happen. Christian looked over and winked at her. Was he going to choose her?
The blond wizard got up and walked over to her… and up to Pansy Parkinson. Hermione could have growled right then.
She ended up working with Neville again. She carefully measured the ingredients and started to pour them in her cauldron.
"Your really good at this," Neville said with admiration.
Hermione nodded curtly and continued to mix the ingredients. When she was done her glaze drifted over to Christian, only to find he was talking rather closely with Parvati Patil.
Hermione felt like crying. To make matters worse Snape came to her group and snatched the test tube that held the potion out of her hands.
"Now let's see how you did," he said with an evil snarl, "if you did this correctly only one drop should double this chair in size."
He walked over to Hermione's chair and held the test tube high. He let one-drop fall. It landed and sizzled on the chair.
At first nothing happened, Hermione's spirits sank. Not only was she losing Christian but also she was losing points for Gryffindor! Then in a flash of light the wooden chair doubled in size. Neville grinned stupidly in pride.
"Neville didn't do any of the work," Snape snapped, "three points from Gryffindor."
Hermione held back protests and shot a glance at Christian. He ran his fingers over one of his books and looked up at her. He smiled.
And suddenly Hermione was floating on air again.
"He likes me," Hermione though walking quickly to the feast, "Christian Stanley likes me. I could be Hermione Stanley, Mrs. Christian Stanley!"
She stopped dead in her tracks. What was she doing! Hermione was not one of those whiny little love-struck girls who went crazy over guys she barley knew!
Then why did Christian make her feel that way? Whenever he smiled at her she felt like everything in the world was slowed down, she felt like she was underwater and she couldn't move quick enough to get to him. It took a lot of poking and prodding from Harry or Ron to wake her up.
"Hey what are you so happy about?"
Hermione spun around to see Ginny Weasley looking at her suspiciously. She gave out a smile at the red headed 3rd year. She was surprised how much Ginny had changed over the summer. She was no longer the little girl that had gone gaga over Harry (though Hermione suspected that she still liked him) but this year she seemed… older, wiser and happier.
"I think Christian likes me."
"Didn't you hear?" Ginny said giving her a sympathetic look, "he and Parvati Patil are… together."
"What!" Hermione said.
"I'm sorry Hermione I know you like him," Ginny said, "I know what it feels like. When I found out Harry didn't feel about me… in that way…"
But Hermione didn't here the rest of Ginny's sympathetic speech. She didn't want to be away from Christian… she couldn't bear to think that he liked someone else more that her. She said a muffled thank you to Ginny and walked to her common room to cry.