Disclaimers: I do not own anything related to Harry Potter

Author's Note: This story is set after fifth year.

You Belong to Me

Chapter 1: End of Summer

It was a warm summer evening, the windows were all open but it didn't make much difference since there was no wind outside. Hermione blew a curl of hair away and wished she was of age and would be able to use magic out of school. With the air conditioner broken, a nice cooling charm around the house would have been wonderful. She glanced at the mirror covering almost entirely a complete wall in her room, seeing nothing of interest, she returned to checking her list and the items she had neatly organised on her bed. She wanted to make absolutely certain that she had everything she would need before she left for Grimmauld Place to spend the last week of summer with her two best friends.

The mirror flickered and an image appeared; it was a room that was richly decorated room. The mirror was spelled be use by voice only. The mirror was a two way communication wonder. When it's sister object was turned off, it was acting as a regular wizarding mirror, otherwise both mirror reflection were exchanged. There was also a simple command to hide the mirror, it would still share the reflection and sound of the surrounding but receive nothing on its end. Seeing no one appear on the mirror, she resumed her packing and a sad sigh.

Hermione was good at keeping secrets. While her two best friends Harry and Ron were certain that she couldn't hide anything from them, she easily could. And she had done so since first year, at first, they weren't close enough friends to share that sort of information. In second year, it didn't matter anymore, in third year; she knew they would both react badly. There was also the fact that Ron had a short temper and was really hard to calm down once he started and if he knew, the whole world would know her secret and she wasn't quite ready for that. Hermione didn't have two best friends, she had three. This is how it all began.

Even though it was a wonderful Saturday afternoon and most of Hogwarts population were out on the ground enjoying the day, Hermione Granger was alone in the library, studying and learning more about magic. She pretended that she didn't care but she did. The fact was that she had no friends; she did hear the whispers behind her back that she was an annoying know-it-all and ugly bushy hair. After a month in Hogwarts, she was still fascinated by the world she had the chance to learn about. Hermione just couldn't quite find her proper place to fit in. She wished she could at least have one friend.

The large doors to the library opened and a white blond haired boy entered. He had a pointy face and sharp grey eyes. Hermione had to admire the nobility about the boy. Of course she knew who he was, he was in half her classes but they never exchanged a word or a glance for that matter. It was as if she was invisible. He was about to pass by her without a word but changed his mind. He sat in front of her observing her. Finally, he spoke,

"You are the know-it-all of the class right?"

Hermione frowned and would have been offended if she hadn't heard most of the people of her year calling her exactly that behind her back. "I like to know things."

The boy smiled, "its good. Knowledge is power." He extended his hand, "I don't think we've been properly introduced, Draco Malfoy."

She shook the hand with relief, "Hermione Granger. Why aren't you outside?"

"I'm hiding. Pansy wants me to be her boyfriend."

Hermione shivered at the thought, "The girl with a pug face?"

Draco laughed, "You couldn't have described her better. If she is a pug, which animal are you?" he asked playfully.

Deep in thought, Hermione whispered, "a beaver."

He blinked at her response, "What would I be?"

She couldn't help it and said with no hesitation, "a Prince."

"What's a Prince?"

Hermione shook her head in embarrassment, "Now you are just making fun of me." Seeing his serious look, she wondered if there was royalty in the Wizarding world. "A Prince is from royalty, child of a King or Prince or Princess. They have all that none sense about purity of the blood. They say they have blue blood."

Draco nodded, "Well, I guess it makes me sort of a Prince."

Fascinated, Hermione began asking question about the Wizarding society, the costumes, the lineage and she drank the knowledge with happiness. That day began her first friendship in this new world. They met a couple time a week in the Library in the far end table and for hours they talked or simply studied together. They developed a friendly competition in class, but they rarely interacted outside of their little corner in the library.

A person appeared in the mirror, Pansy; she was far from looking like a pug as she did in first year. No, Pansy was definitely quite stunning. Her long silky chestnut hair and her huge light green eyes were a lot of girls envy. Hermione had a hard time understanding how the other girl was always able look ready to attend the event of the year. Be it morning before breakfast or late night, she was always perfect. Unfortunately, she was also inapproachable, she was snob and if she didn't think you deserve her attention, she won't see you at all.

Draco came in view and looked exasperate but he controlled his cool, "What is the problem? I don't understand."

Pansy slapped Draco and he took a step back, his hands forming and unfurling fists. "You don't see the problem? You are just so cold and uncaring. You have an ugly pug named Pansy?" She screeched, "PANSY? And I shouldn't feel insulted."

Draco snickered as Hermione was watching through the mirror curious about what his answer would be. "I was a bored eleven years old." Pansy was tapping her foot angrily, "If it makes you feel better I have a beaver named Granger."

Hermione started to laugh hysterically, to understand that he was not saying that as an insult, you had to know the things and the inside joke that she and Draco had shared over the years. It did look like it did calmed Pansy some. Hermione stopped laughing as she watched Pansy hug Draco. "I'm sorry Darling. Once again I jumped to the wrong conclusion." She brought his face down and kissed him passionately, "How about a little gift from me and you forgive me for slapping you?"

Draco panicked, he knew the mirror was in a one way connection, "No, Pansy. We're ok."

Pansy got down on her knees and started to unbuckle his belt, "Come on baby, you never say..."

Draco cut her off by removing her hands and slightly louder he voiced, "I said, no."

Pansy blushed with fury, and hurt at being rejected, "Fine. I'll just leave." Draco followed her out of the room.

On her side of the mirror, Hermione sighed in relief, she certainly didn't want to see and hear Draco and Pansy get down and dirty. With a pang of jealousy imagining what they were doing somewhere else in the manor, she went back to her packing, remembering the day he had broken her heart.

It was the second night of her second year; Hermione was waiting in the library on the spot where she usually met Draco. She smiled at him brightly when she saw him approach and sit down in front of her. He looked lost in his thoughts and unhappy. "I missed talking to you over the summer. Why didn't write back to any of my letters?"

He looked sad, "You know when I saw you in the bookstore, with my father?" She nodded, feeling uncomfortable at remembering his father's disdain for her. "My father saw your first letter. He asked about you and then reminded me that there was no use to engage into anything with a muggle born as their blood is filthy." Hermione became red with anger, "He finds it a pity that you are so bright and not a pureblood. Father said that since you were impure, I shouldn't have anything to do with you anymore and filtered my mail for the rest of the summer."

Tears were forming in Hermione's eyes, "And you agree with him?"

He stood up looking sadly at her, "I have to. Goodbye Hermione."

She watched as he was leaving and she yelled, "You are a coward Draco Malfoy!"

He turned to face her one last time, all trace of sadness replace by a mask of coldness, "Think what you wish. I can't care anymore."

Hermione watched him leave, and sat on her chair felling numb and remembering all the secrets they had shared, his life expectations, what he wanted in the future, how he had told her that only with her he was able to be himself and stop the pretences.

That night, Hermione cried herself to sleep. A couple of days later, he publically called her mudblood for the first time. The pain of the word was stronger than she wanted to admit. When she read of the polyjuice potion, she resolved to use it somehow so that she would be able to know what was going on. Opportunity came sooner than she imagined.

"Hermione! Why are you crying?" Draco was asking worriedly through the mirror.

No wanting to share the real reason, she joked, "My eyes hurt badly from seeing Pansy begging to give you a little gift."

Draco laughed, "She can be very persistent sometimes."

"I know; I was certain I would turn blind and deaf if that kept on going."

He snickered looking so free, careless and fun with her, "You are such a prude!"

Hermione blushed and yelled, "I'm not!"

Draco sat down on a chair he placed in front of the mirror, "When was the last time you kissed a boy?"

"That is not of your business!"

She was about to say goodbye when he suddenly changed the subject, "So, what have you been up to today?"

Hermione sat on a free space on her bed, "Hummm, nothing much, just getting ready to leave for a year."

Draco rolled his eyes, "We only take the train next week. I will have to try harder to loosen you up."

She puffed, "I like to be ready. Plus, I'm leaving in the morning. Tonight is our last conversation before we get back in Hogwarts."

He frowned, "Why do you leave so soon?"

Hermione pulled her hair on top of her head hoping that she would feel the heat less, "I'm going to spend the last week with Harry and Ron."

Draco looked disgusted, "I still don't get why you are so determined to hang out with these wankers."

"Be nice! They are my friends."

"Whatever." Draco said. "It's getting late. Meet in the library after the feast?"

Hermione smiled brightly, "Of course. Have a nice week Draco."

"Same to you."

Author's Note: Hope you enjoy, please review!