My very first fanfiction ever! Not my best piece of work, but I love Dramione! Maybe there will be smut, depends on my mood. There will be more sometime soon, hopefully I will update frequently.

I don't own Harry Potter, or anything related, I just admire J.K. Rowling's masterpiece and like to play with other people's words.

Hermione walked along the path back home, watching people stroll past after their day at school or work. Her eyes wandered along the crowd, stopping every so often to admire the scenery. Just as she was about to turn into her driveway, she felt a pair of eyes bore into her back. She turned around and locked eyes with the stranger. His blond hair was slicked back with copious amounts of hair gel, and his stormy grey eyes were flecked with spots of green. By the looks of it, he was about seventeen. The boy stared at her for a moment before flitting his gaze away to stare at his well-polished shoes. Hermione snorted. He was obviously some rich guy, but the real question was why he would come to such a boring neighbourhood. There was practically nothing that went on all day besides school, and all the homework she had was already completed.

Twisting the handle to her door, she stepped inside to be greeted with a mass of orange fur.

"Oh! What a wonderful welcome. I'm so glad you're still here, I thought you would have wanted to leave after we fixed that leg out yours." She bent down to scratch Crookshanks behind the ears, then rushed out to the garden where her favourite bench was. Hermione had always loved laying on the bench and looking up at the sky, it was the most pleasant feeling she ever had. Today, she was home alone, for her mother and father had to work late. Crookshanks leapt up to sit beside her, purring softly.

"Oh dear, my life would be very boring without you, Crooks." Hermione whispered into his ear. Crookshanks almost appeared to nod in agreement. Hermione looked up at the hedgerow at the edge of the garden. All the rosebuds along it were frail and wilted, casting an almost eerie effect on the garden.

"I haven't been watering them," Hermione's voice was quavering with remorse, "I know how much grandmother loved them." Hermione got up, crossed the garden and sat herself down in front of it, lifted a hand to hold an old bloom. It was brown and rotten, but once he touched it, it appeared to be brighter than before. Brushing her fingers along the bush, she sighed.

"I suppose I have to water them now." With a swift movement, she got up and walked over to the watering can.

"I thought so," a voice sounded from behind the hedges, "you have magic in you after all. I wonder why Dumbledore never bothered to invite you." The pale, blond boy from before stepped out of the hedges, grey eyes flicking over the garden observantly.

"What are you doing in my garden?" Hermione's hushed whisper shook fearfully.

"I'm not here to hurt you, I only wish to help with your hedges." He said calmly.

"How can I trust you?" Hermione's guard was still raised.

"My name is Draco Malfoy. You can choose if you wish to believe me." He smirked suddenly, "Quite a pretty garden. Though not as large as mine, it is still quaint, and," he paused thoughtfully, "beautiful." His eyes drifted across the garden back to Hermione.

"Okay then Mr Malfoy, how can you help?"

"Like this." With a flourish, he pulled a wand out of his pocket and began to swish it in the air expectantly, muttering words. Much to her surprise, the roses began to grow more healthily than ever before.

"Wow. I've never seen anything like that happen before." The whole garden glowed with happiness, much brighter than moments ago.

"It's a gift. Do you want to know the secret to it?" Draco turned to face her, stormy eyes glowing, "actually, I don't need an answer. Come if you want. Tomorrow, by that big beech tree in the forest. I assume you know where it is, living quite close to it?" He tilted his head and smirked again. It was really becoming quite distracting. Hermione nodded in reply, which he smiled at. With a bow, he disappeared with a loud crack.

Hermione hoisted herself up in the branches of the tall beech tree, seating herself comfortably on the lowest branch. Hermione had always climbed this tree as a young child, and climbing again brought her memories of it. Having picnics underneath it, falling off it. There were both good and bad memories. She was tracing the swirling patterns in the wood, remembering, when she heard the crunch of leaves underfoot.

"You can climb up there pretty easily. Not bad." She turned her head towards Draco's voice.

"Hello, Mr Malfoy." She replied curtly. He frowned.

"Just Draco. Or Malfoy. Some people call me that at school." Draco shrugged. Hermione smiled and shuffled over to make room for him, which he swung up onto with ease.

"So, are you still curious about what I did yesterday?" Draco pulled the wand out of his pocket.

"Yes. Is it magic?" She stared at the wand curiously. He nodded.

"It is. Where I come from, magical people are called witches and wizards. You would be one, but Dumbledore seems to not have realised you exist. It is long overdue for your education in magic, six years late." He flicked the wand and produced a flower, which he gave to her.

"That's brilliant. So what magic can you do?" Hermione picked a twig off the tree and began to spin it in her fingers.

"Lot of it. The school I go to is called Hogwarts. There's so much magic to be learned there, it's amazing, but difficult. Do you want to try?" He gave her the wand, "wave it around a bit." She swished it around, and it gave off bright sparks.

"Huh. Curious." He muttered.

"What is?" Hermione swished the wand around more, mesmerised by the red sparks coming off the top of it.

"Oh, it's just, that's my grandfather Abraxas's wand, and it seems to have taken a liking to you. I have another wand anyway, so if you promise to keep it secret, I'll let you have it." Draco pulled a different wand out of his pocket and showed her it.

"Really? If you mean it, I promise I'll keep it secret!" Hermione's eyes flashed excitedly, which Draco smiled at.

"Of course I'll let you have it. If you like, I'll give you lessons as well."

"Yes please! If this Dumbledore guy won't teach me, at least you will. Are you sure you want to give your wand to some random stranger you only met yesterday?" She flicked the wand more.

"Oh, I didn't just meet you yesterday. I've seen you so many times, it's amazing I've only talked to you now." Draco leaned back on the wide branch, smirking.

"Really?" She gasped. He nodded in return.

"Are you adopted? I was just wondering, because you don't really look like your parents." He began to make a big deal of inspecting his fingernails.

"Erm, nobody's ever asked me that. I suppose my answer is yes then. I am adopted." She fingered the wand uncomfortably in her hands.

"I wonder who your real mother and father are." He stared up into the branches, the dappled sunlight floating across his face.

"My real mother and father are the ones who raised me. It doesn't matter who gave birth to me, because they couldn't take care of me anyway." Hermione raised the wand and flicked it, causing red sparks to shoot everywhere.

"That's a very nice outlook on it. You know, I know of so many people who would like you as a daughter. Pretty, intelligent, proud. You're the whole package." Draco tucked his wand back into his pocket and dropped out of the tree, landing softly on the leaves below.

"Are you coming?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Where are we going? What are we doing?" Hermione followed him deeper into the forest.

"You'll see." He continued walking at a brisk pace, not turning around to check if she was following. After a few minutes of walking, he stopped and spun around.

"Are you absolutely sure you want to learn magic? Because my manor is right behind us, and I can teach you magic there. But only if you swear you will never tell anybody about wizards and witches. Ever." Draco adopted a low, serious tone, eyes darkened.

"Manor? You're that rich?" Hermione shook her head unbelievingly. Draco sighed.

"Yes. Now please answer my question." His eyes were desperate, searching her face for the truth.

"Of course. I promise I will never tell another non-magical person about the wizarding world." Hermione held a hand over her heart, "promise." Draco sighed with relief.

"Well if you're absolutely sure," He turned around and pushed through the hedges, "welcome to my home."