The whole Great Hall went silent at Hermione's outburst. Then the Gryffindor went up in another round of cheers for her. Everyone was laughing and having a good time now that the Slytherins had that happen at their table and not their own.

Professor Dumbledore went and told everyone what was expected of them, what was restricted, and who they would follow to get to their dorms.

Hermione was sitting on the stairs calming down, then her stomach growled. She probably would never be welcomed back to the Slytherin table after her little outburst with Draco.

Draco. Boy he should have known that she was not in the mood. Actually now that she sat down and thought about it, she thought that he enjoyed her angry outburst. She stood up and made her way back through the grand doors into the Great Hall.

She walked over to the Slytherin table and sat down next to Draco again. After all he was the only Slytherin she knew.

"What are you doing back here Granger?" Malfoy said angrily.

"You should have known not to push me after not even being put into my second choice house." She said simply. She looked around the hall and caught Ron and Harry's concerned glance. They had really started to get to know each other on the train.

"Well I'm sorry you seemed so touchy about your family." He said then blocked his face. Hermione giggled at his movement. Draco looked up in shock, he had not meant to be funny but to protect himself from an arm that he thought was coming.

"Why do you find that funny?" He asked her curiously.

"Why'd you think that I was going to hit you again?" Hermione countered.

"Because I mentioned your family."

"Oh…I thought it was funny because of the way you blocked yourself."

"So what is the deal with you and your family? Not get along? I mean they had to be great wizards, purebloods, and most likely included in the dark arts." When Draco asked Hermione looked away and found she was looking at the Gryffindor table with Neville looking back curiously. "Hermione." Draco stated pulling her attention back to him.

"Yeah?" She asked quietly.

"Tell me." She looked up into his silver eyes and knew that she could tell him without telling everyone else…but she wasn't ready to just yet.

"Sorry but I can't. We had better get going." She said quietly again. The Grand Hall was starting to empty and the prefects were leading the Slytherins to their dormitory. Draco just followed Hermione while they followed the rest of the first years to the common room.

They went down to the dungeons and the password was Nel buio. Hermione translated that into into: In the darkness. She shuddered internally, now she knew that there was no turning back., she would be a Slytherin forever. They walked into the dungeons and the common room was green. Hermione couldn't believe her eyes, how had they made the common room green?

"Wow." She said softly. Draco looked over at her face, full of wonder and smirked.

"Pretty good for a Slytherin common room, don't you think?" Her asked and Hermione just nodded.

"Ok you lot follow me, the girls." The girl prefect called out to us. We were getting shown our stuff and our dorm.

"Bye Draco, see you later." Hermione said and followed the other girls up to the dormitory. Hermione had a hard time falling asleep that night with thoughts raging around in her head.

The next morning Hermione woke up at 5:00 and was ready to go to breakfast by 6:00. Her hair was a mess around her small head and she was constantly trying to make it less frizzy but nothing seemed to be working. She was thinking about going to breakfast by herself when Draco and the handsome boy from the train came down.

"What are you doing up so early?" Draco asked.

"None of your business thank you." Hermione said annoyed that he interrupted her thinking about going to breakfast. There was no way that she was going to sit with him this morning when she had better friends at the Gryffindor table.

"Jeez don't have to be so touchy Granger." The handsome boy said.

"What is your name?" Hermione asked ignoring the snide remark.

"Blaise Zabini." He said proudly.

"Well then Zabini I would like you to keep your opinions of me to yourself." She snapped and walked out of the common room without a backwards glance at either boy.

"Slytherin….girl….Hermione…" Hermione heard a voice saying while she was in the Entrance Hall. She then matched the face with Ron.

"Hello boys." Hermione said coming up behind them making them jump. Ron glared at her while Harry gave her a smile.

"Hey Hermione."

"What do you want Slytherin?" Ron said at the same time that Harry said hey. Hermione just stared at them like they were crazy.

"Hey Harry…" Hermione said uncertainly.

"What do you want Granger?" Ron asked again stepping in front of Harry, effectively not letting Harry answer.

"What's got your knickers in a knot Ron? It's me Hermione. We talked all yesterday on the train?" She said wondering why he was acting like a prick.

"I don't talk to Slytherins. Come on Harry." Ron said and turned around. Harry looked sad.

"I got to go Hermione. Sorry." He said and walked away, leaving Hermione to stand there right next to the stairs. Hermione just stood there in shock, now she only had Neville to talk to….if he'd talk to her but judging by the fact that even Harry wouldn't she doubted that he would, and she couldn't just go up to him after what happened with Ron and Harry.

Draco came up behind her effectively making her jump in fright. She was on the verge of tears and she didn't need to around anyone right now. Especially not Draco Malfoy.

"Go away if you know what's good for you." She threatened giving him a nasty glare.

"What did I do?" Draco asked chocked by her venom.

"Just go away, or would you rather a recap of last night?" Hermione said and stormed off towards the nearest bathroom. For the next hour before classes Hermione just hid in there.

Hermione came out of the bathrooms with just enough time to make it to her first class without being late. She sat down in the only open seat left next to Draco.

"Why does it seem as if you're the only one no one likes?" Hermione whispered to him.

"I was saving you a seat thank you very much but if you would rather sit next to Blaise, Pansy can come and sit with me." He said back smirking.

"Next to Zabini? In his dreams." Hermione scoffed.

The rest of the day passed by with no more incidents, except that in every class the only chair open was the one next to either Draco or Neville. In her transfiguration class she got to sit next to Neville and sort things out with him. He knew that it wasn't her fault that she was sorted into Slytherin, but that it was more of a place that she was meant to be.

By the time dinner rolled around Hermione was exhausted. She sat down next to Crabbe again tonight for dinner. But this time instead of Draco coming and sitting next to her, Zabini did.

"Bugger off Zabini." Hermione said irritated. She really didn't like the git.

"Where's Draco?" He asked also irritated. Obviously they both didn't like to talk to each other. I mean why would they? Zabini was a obnoxious prick who didn't know when to give up.

"I would know why? Shouldn't you be the one to know." She said in a bored voice.

"Well obviously not." He scowled.

"Then if you want to know where he is you had better go look for him." Hermione snapped, grabbed her books and left.

Hermione had no idea why she was being in such a fowl mood. Actually she did, it was being sorted into the wrong house, the only house that she absolutely despised.

With all of Hermione's daydreaming she wasn't paying attention to what she was doing and ran into someone. The only thing she saw was a flash of red hair. Ron.

"Watch where your going Granger." Ron said acidly.

"What is your problem with me all of the sudden?! It's not even my fault that I was sorted into this stupid house!" Hermione busted, all of her anger rushing out at him. She didn't care if she should be nicer and more proving of a point, she just wanted him to understand and quit making her friends stay away from her.

"Stupid Slytherin doesn't even know why she's a problem." Ron snickered and walked away. There was something in the way that he said that that set her off completely.

"You stupid bloody WEASEL!" Hermione screamed at him as she caught his arm. She could feel her fingers digging into his arm but he didn't flinch.

"Let me go Granger." Weasel said dangerously. Hermione laughed in his face, and shock replaced the dangerous look that he was just wearing.

"You don't threaten me Weasel. Nothing can ever threaten me again." She said and slapped his arm for good measure. She had no idea what was bringing out her vicious side, usually she was just a quiet book-worm. She walked away before she did anymore harm and left a flabbergasted Weasel behind her.

*-*-*

October 31st

_-_-_

"But Hermione!" Pansy wailed making her irritating voice that much more irritating.

"Pansy I will not, for the last time mind you, ask Draco out for you." Hermione said letting her irritation show. Hermione now had a reputation for being one bad Slytherin witch; from which she had gotten from not letting anyone mess with her…and the fact that she had a tendency to show how violent she could be.

"But Hermione PLEASE!" Pansy begged. Hermione's temper flared.

"I'm not going to ask Draco out for you! Now shut-up before I hex your arse!" Hermione said turning around in her temper before she did anything that she'd regret.

"Fine I'll just ask him myself!" Pansy pouted.

"Have you ever thought that maybe if you stopped flirting so bad he'd ask you out? Because he obviously knows you're interested in." Hermione said before she could stop herself. Pansy seemed to consider this and then she beamed.

"You're brilliant. Bloody brilliant Hermione." Pansy said and walked off, probably devising a plan.

"What was that all about?" Draco said as he came up behind her. Speak of the devil, Hermione thought.

"Nothing that concerns you Draco." Hermione said in a bored voice.

"Pansy's voice getting to you?" He smirked.

"So what if it is?" She snapped and Draco put his hands up in mock surrender.

"Oh nothing, I just know that sometimes it gets annoying." Draco said and Hermione laughed. They had become friends in the last month as Ron had brought both Harry and Neville away from her and she was left friendless.

"That's an exaggeration." Hermione giggled, then she looked at the forgotten book in her lap. She hadn't been able to read her books in a long time, and this one was her favorite, 'Arrows of the Queen' by Mercedes Lackey. It was a muggle book that Hermione had gotten for her 11th birthday. She sighed knowing that she wouldn't be able to read it now it was almost dinnertime.

"Want to go walk around the grounds until dinner?" Hermione asked, if she couldn't read her book she at least wanted to get some fresh air.

"Sure, that sounds good." He said. Hermione stood up and they went out of the portrait whole together.

The two walked around near the lake, doing a lot of nothing if you had asked Hermione until they were certain that it was almost dinnertime. Then they walked into the Great Hall for dinner, they were right on time. Most of the Ravenclaws, some of the Hufflepuffs, and almost none of the Slytherins or Gryffindors were there. They sat down near their normal spots and waited until The rest of the Slytherins had come.

Suddenly Hermione saw Pansy and Blaise. That was normal by itself but then she saw that they were holding hands. Hermione let in a shocked breath and Draco's eyes followed to where Hermione was already looking.

"Wow, never knew that Blaise liked Pansy or the other way around." Draco mused with a frown forming.

"Who would have thought." Hermione almost whispered. Everyone was in the great hall now and they were waiting for Professor Dumbledore to stand up and say a speech but instead the doors were thrown open to show their DADA (Defense Against the Dark Arts) teacher. He looked exhausted and clearly worn.

"TROLL! Troll! In the dungeons." He yelled and no one reacted, they were all shocked that there was a troll in Hogwarts. "I thought you ought to know." He said normally then fell to the floor in a dead faint.

The whole room went beserk, no one knew what was going on-then there was Dumbledore's voice above the sudden breakout.

"Students will follow their house prefects to the grounds." Everyone's heads snapped towards their house prefects.

"Follow us." They said. Hermione grabbed Draco's arm. She was absolutely terrified. Draco just looked stricken and Pansy was holding on to Blaise's arm for dear life.

"Come on guys." Hermione said and pulled Draco's arm with her as she made her way towards prefects. Pansy looked at her arm and gave Hermione a glare before following. She's using Blaise, Hermione thought suddenly. She stopped and Draco ran into her, effectively pushing her to the ground almost getting her trampled by the onslaught of students.

Hufflepuff almost ran over him. They grabbed onto eachother and hefted each other up from the ground. They started to run again trying to catch up with Pansy and Blaise who had run up ahead. This time Hermione didn't hold on to Draco's arm for fear that she would get knocked down again.

They all made it out onto the grounds safely.

"What is your problem Pansy!" Hermione yelled at the girl when she saw her again. Her temper was fueled with shock and hurt. She couldn't believe that Pansy would do that to Blaise, especially since he was one of her best friends.

"What did I do Granger?" Pansy hissed still holding Blaise's hand tightly in her own.

"You know full well what you're doing Parkinson!" Hermione said still yelling. Draco and Blaise both had bewildered expressions on their faces.

"Please inform me of what I'm doing wrong, your majesty." Pansy said sarcastically. Hermione deflated, no matter how annoying Pansy could be she would not hurt her like she could. This was because they were friends and friends didn't do that to one another.

"So now you're just going to go silent Princess!" Pansy shrieked. Blaise visibly flinched and Pansy let his hand go. He went over to Draco who was behind Hermione, both of them moved from behind Hermione incase Pansy decided it was a good idea to start throwing jinxes.

"Pansy you know what you're doing is wrong and I won't tell the world what the heck your doing-even if it is wrong. I won't tell the world because I know that your conscience will eat at you and your guilt will overwhelm you until you suffocate from it. You're a better person than to let it happen." Hermione said quietly. A crowd had gathered around the two and was waiting until Hermione's famed slaps were thrown.

"You're full of crap Granger. I don't understand you. I bet you're nothing more than a filthy mudblood anyway." Pansy said and smirked. She looked absolutely horrendous in that moment, and what she said touched an unwanted monster inside Hermione. She snapped.

"Don't call me a mudblood." Hermione said dangerously. Her face looked completely calm so no one knew what would happen next.

"Why because you know deep down you are just that? A filthy, little, dirty mudblood that doesn't deserve to live." Pansy taunted Hermione.

Hermione pulled her wand out of her robes so fast that no one could see it.

"Petrificus Totalas!" Hermione shrieked with pure uncontrolled anger. Pansy shrieked before the spell hit her, and then she laid face down on the ground. Hermione walked over to her and flipped her over with her foot.

"Pansy are you alright?" Someone shouted from the crowd, it sounded like Blaise.

"Don't give the witch your sympathy. She's a no good bloody whore." Hermione said her voice still hinting at a dangerously angry level. Hermione looked down at Pansy's lifeless body and thought, she's no friend of mine. Then she walked away, muttering the counter-spell under her breath.

"Get back here GRANGER! I'm not finished with you!" Pansy yelled but Hermione just ignored her and kept walking towards the lake.

She felt a rough hand on her shoulder. She grabbed that hand and flipped Draco over her shoulder. All of Hermione's anger melted when she realized who she flipped.

"Draco I'm so sorry! I thought you were Parkinson!" Hermione said bending down to make sure that he was alright.

"Whatever controlled you to hex her? You could be expelled now!" Draco said in an awed voice, she could hear the respect there; the respect for her jinx and for the strength to throw him over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry but I'm not a mudblood." Hermione said quietly.

"Well obviously! You're a Slytherin." He said exasperated.

"Then you see my point. Plus I couldn't just let her use Blaise. Hopefully the guilt will eat her until she breaks up with him." Hermione said with venom in her voice.

"Use him?" He asked confused.

"She likes you and she's just using Blaise to make you jealous." Hermione said. Draco looked amused.

"You may come back to the school now and safely go to your common rooms." Professor Snape said over the talk of the students.

"We'd better get back." Hermione said.

"Yeah I guess so."