"Come on, Ronald!" torn between nerves and excitement, Hermione's voice came out sharper than she'd intended it to.

Her wide hazel and honey eyes took in the busy scene around her, the crowd of young sorcerers' struggling with trucks, saying good bye to parents, greeting friends; the great red Hogwarts express dominating the scene.

'Six years and it still amazes me that I'm part of this world' Hermione smiled as she dragged her trunk along the train searching for an empty carriage.

"Here's one" Harry Potter stretched out on the seat by the window, his best friend Ronald Weasley collapsing on the bench opposite.

Both of Hermione's boys had matured quickly over the summer, Ron well over six feet tall and Harry not so much shorter. They were a striking pair, tall, slim, raven and fire hair contrasting brilliantly Hermione thought wryly. Then there's me, plain Jane, brown eyes, brown hair and scarcely 5"3.

Predictably the conversation soon turned to quidditch and Hermione lost her self in a book. The food trolley came and the golden trio got some of everything, splitting the feast and laughing with Ginny, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, Neville and Luna.

As the train sped north Hermione glanced at her watch.

" Come on Ron, prefects meeting in five minutes!" prefect meeting with Draco Malfoy. Hermione felt a twinge of fear, said Malfoy would be after their blood for putting his father in Azkaban.

Hermione dragged Ron towards the prefect carriage.

"Hurry up!"

Neither of them had had time to change into their robes though Hermione wished they had, the pair stood out in the crowd of black robes, leaving a trial of gossip in their wake.

" They're Harry Potters friends!"

"They were at the ministry…"

"They fought the death eaters…"

Hermione rushed to get away form the unwanted attention and dived into the prefects' carriage- straight into a solid, toned chest. She looked up slowly into amused silver eyes. Oh no. Draco Malfoy.

"Sorry, sorry!" she stuttered, scarlet.

Draco had also grown over the summer almost as tall as Ron, about 6"3. His black shirt was pushed up casually to reveal wiry muscled arms. With his short white gold hair falling into his silver grey eyes he looked like a fallen angel Hermione thought. 'A heart stoppingly gorgeous fallen angel…' then she mentally slapped her self. 'This is Malfoy! Draco Malfoy! Arrogant cruel son of a death eater! The Slytherin prince!'

Something small, soft and warm collided with Draco's chest. He looked down into a pair of worried honey coloured eyes.

"Sorry, sorry!" Granger stuttered

"Watch yourself Granger. I know I'm gorgeous but there's no need to throw yourself at me!" Malfoy's trademark smirk was amused but his eyes, still locked onto Hermione's, were serious.

Hermione's hair was longer, almost waist length and the weight had made it wavy rather than bushy.

She was wearing blink of mascara, making her gentle eyes unmissable. Her red top, waistcoat and tight jeans showed that she was, in fact, a real girl. Woah granger has a figure! And she looks…pretty. What! Granger! The Gryffindor princess!

Ron growled in irritation at Malfoy. Malfoy's answering snarl was instinctual and considerably more impressive.

"Come on Hermione" Ron dragged Hermione to the other side of the carriage, her eyes never breaking away from Draco's.

The rest of the meeting was odd. Hermione sneaked glances at Draco whenever she could and frequently caught him looking at her with the strangest expression.. She also noticed Pansy Parkinson wasn't all over Draco as usual, which was weird. She asked lavender about it on the way up to Hogwarts in the carriages.

"Oh, they split up over the summer, don't know why, maybe they thought they were better as friends" Lavender prattled on. Hermione felt an odd muffled leap in her stomach.

"Why?" lavenders eye's sparkled with interest.

"Oh there was no making out in the prefects carriage, so I just wondered" not the whole truth but it would do.

"Makey, Joshua"

"GRYFINDOR!"

Hermione cheered along with the rest of her house as the small boy joined the long table.

"McCarthy, Phillipa"

"SLYTHERIN!"

There was silence then a low hiss echoed along the Slytherin table. Hermione turned to Ron and Harry, confused.

"Why are they hissing?"

"McCarthy isn't a wizarding name…" Ron trailed off. Hermione's eyes widen as realisation kicked in

"Oh the poor baby"

"She'll be slaughtered" Harry agreed

The sorting continued but Hermione's thoughts kept returning to the little muggle born. 'Malfoy had better look out for her, he's a prefect!' Hermione thought desperately. 'Who am I kidding? He'll probably lead the assault!'

"Mud blood!"

"Go home"

"We don't want you here"

Hermione watched helplessly from the bottom of a slowly drifting staircase as the Slytherin's taunted the new little muggle born, whose dark liquid eyes gave her the look of a terrified deer. She attempted to flee but a boy Hermione vaguely recognised as a fifth year sticks a leg out, sending the girl flying. She sits with her leg at an awkward angle, tears rolling down her face.

Hermione's heart leapt ridiculously as Draco Malfoy pushed the fifth year's aside.

"Leave the kid alone, idiots! Its not her fault the rag hat's gone senile!"

One of the younger boys muttered something that Hermione didn't catch.

"No it's not a bit of fun, its cruel, she's only a kid. Now bugger off." Draco's voice was cold and hard as ice.

The fifth years disappear down the corridor laughing the girl already forgotten.

Draco looks down at her.

"What's your name?" he demanded

"P-Pip" she stuttered, still terrified.

"You okay, Pip? Can you walk?"

"I… Yes" she struggled up right then sank back to the floor, hissing. Draco eyed her suspiciously then pulled into his arms like she weighed less than a doll.

"No, I'm ok!" Pip insisted. Hermione suddenly realised why the girl was in Slytherin. Proud and stubborn.

Draco snorted then carried the girl down a corridor. Hermione sighed in relief as the floating staircase finally attached its self to the landing then hurried after the pair, not quite believing Malfoy's good intentions.

"I'm okay now" Pip pipes up after about five minutes.

"Sure?" she nods fervently. Draco put her onto her feet gently.

" Go down the staircase, then first left. End of the corridor, passwords nightshade"

"Kay. Thankyou Mr"

"Malfoy. Draco Malfoy"

"Don't worry. Muggle thing. Bye!" Pip limped off. Draco watched her for a minute then turned around.

"You can come out now, Granger" Hermione gasped, then stepped out from behind the pillar.

"How did you know it was me?"

"I knew I was being followed then I recognised your laugh" he moved towards her as he spoke. Then he seemed to struggle with himself.

"Thankyou" it slipped low and fast between his soft pink lips. Hermione suddenly couldn't take her eyes off them.

"What for?" she suddenly realised how close he was. She could feel the warmth radiating from him and smell him. He smelt like spice, and storms.

"Catching my father. I can finally be my own man. He influenced my every move. Bullying muggleborns, dating pansy, following the dark lord" Draco was distracted. He had subconsciously gotten Hermione pinned between himself and the wall. She smelled like vanilla, peppermint and peaches. She was even prettier close up.

"Malfoy" the way she said his name sent shivers up his spine, almost a moan, desperate and lonely.

"Call me Draco. Malfoy's my Father" Draco's voice was husky. Hermione was too distracted by him to talk.

Then he kissed her.

Blood boiled under her skin, bubbling wherever he touched her. Hermione's mind went blank in ecstasy and her lips parted. His mouth was so soft against hers. She reared on her tiptoes to reach better and with a moan Draco picked her up. She locked her legs round his torso, their lips never parting. Eventually some of the fog began to clear. Draco Malfoy! She pulled away gasping.

"Mione!" Draco groaned. He called me Mione… all worries forgotten Hermione pulled her face back to his.

Hours, centuries, seconds later Hermione broke away again panting and smiling.

"I should go…" not that she wanted to, but she'd be missed.

"Can…Can I meet you tomorrow?" Draco looked as nervous as it was possible for a Malfoy to look, young and beautiful. Hermione nodded desperately.

"Library, four o'clock?"

"I'll be there."

They kissed a final time then parted, hurrying back to their own common rooms, buzzing with joy and new discoveries.