Chapter 2: Opening Feast

Hermione gingerly took the seat across from Harry. She noticed her perfect view of the Slytherin table, particularly of Malfoy. Her mind was swimming with confusing thoughts of him and the more she tried to focus on Harry, the more feelings of guilt and betrayal struck her with a punch in the gut. The unfamiliar emotions gave way to even more complications.

Harry reached across the table for her hand and squeezed it reassuringly, snapping Hermione out of her trance-like state. "Are you okay, Mione?" he mouthed, a concerned expression crossing his features. He was cute when he worried.

All Hermione could do was nod as Dumbledore finished his seemingly endless speech. "… Coming in from the Netherlands, this group of young wizards will be joining us for the duration of the year."

Exchange students? Hermione had a hard time keeping up with the students already here, but now they'd have to deal with new students and she just didn't feel up to it. Her mood was already ruined by Malfoy.

The doors at the end of the hall opened to display the small crowd of first years followed by seven or so exchange students.

The first years walked up to the sorting hat while the older students lingered slowly, walking down the aisle. She didn't pay much attention to the younger students but the older ones caught her eye right away. There had to be three or four older students, most likely 6th and 7th years. The youngest of the four was a short, petite girl with frozen grey eyes and blonde hair. She reminded Hermione of Malfoy in a way. She was small but you could tell she'd been through a lot and that she was a lot older than she came off as. The next of the four was a tall, lanky boy who stood awkwardly though with an air of arrogance and cocky confidence. That same characteristic followed through with the other two boys who stood tall and strong, their well-built chests were defined beneath their sweaters and the bulky muscles that shaped their arms were emphasized within the straining fabric. They seemed to be twins or at least very similar brothers.

Hermione noticed the looks the boys at their tables were flashing the girls among the exchange group, most particularly the oldest girl. A pang of jealousy surged through her as she noticed the desire in Malfoy's silver eyes as he sized up the girl and the unwelcome reaction was baffling her.

"Alexandria MacNamara" Professor McGonagall read from the list of exchange students and the small blonde girl stepped forward. The exchange girl stood at the top of the steps and sat under the sorting hat. "Hmm… I sense a dark foreboding… yesss... I can sense promise though… hmm… yesss you'd do well in… let's see…"

Those few seconds were awkward and silent among the Great Hall. Everyone wanted to know what house this mysterious girl would be sorted into. The apparent Irish girl sat calmly, unfazed by the hushed whispering spreading throughout the hall.

"Slytherin!" Hermione frowned to herself as the boys at Malfoy's table erupted with applause. Harry was clearly pissed which in turn set an uncomfortable sensation in the pit of her stomach.

The lanky boy had been sorted into Huffelpuff, which set disappointment rippling through many girls in that house. Much to Harry's discomfort, Hermione found herself at the edge of her seat, straining to see as the two twins stepped up to the sorting hat at the same time, McGonagall reading their names off the list as Gavin and Gregory McMillan, the Scottish boys now obvious in their tall muscular builds.

Both boys seemed to catch Hermione's eyes and held them for a long moment. Gavin seemed to hold an air of control over his twin and as Gregory's eyes twinkled in soft amusement at her frank friendliness, Gavin's held a dusky desire and longing that rivaled Malfoy's dark lusty look. It bewildered her for a moment, and though she'd have sworn she hadn't seen the two before in her life, she couldn't help but match the look in Gavin's eyes. It was as if the two of them were under a spell.

Hermione tore her eyes away and turned to look at Harry who was rigid and staring straight at Malfoy. The two were exchanging words that she couldn't read but could clearly read the look in Malfoy's eyes as he looked up to meet her gaze. It held the same expression he'd thrown at Alexandria and now was directed toward her. It was the look her and Gavin had exchanged. All these longing looks made her head spin and she couldn't grasp what was happening. She hardly even heard the sorting hat announce that the two boys were in Gryffindor.

As the McMillan boys walked up to where she, Ron, and Harry were sitting, they took the empty seats now formed for them surrounding Hermione on either side. The chaotic mess between the small groups of students went unnoticed by the rest of the hall, and especially by Ron who'd been at the center of it all. He went on eating the feast prepared for them without the slightest knowledge of the looks passing between his friends.

Hermione shook her head of all thoughts and numbly began picking at her food, well aware of the boys neighboring her. She looked up during the middle of the meal and found Malfoy staring at her for what had to be the millionth time that day. She felt Harry's hand cover hers across the table and she was dimly conscious of the romantic reassuring words slipping from his lips. All she could concentrate on was the anger and jealousy that was now obvious in Malfoy's expression. He hated her though, he had to. So why was he reacting like this? Hermione jumped at the sudden slam of a fist on the tables and the clattering of plates and platters as the table trembled under them.

She caught the fierce look in his eyes as he stared at her while he slammed his fist once on the wooden table before striding out of the hall.