Chapter 2- The one where she won't give up
The next day Hermione had showed up for duty. Hermione hugged Harry and walked over to Malfoy to start duty. Hermione said nothing to Malfoy, and never retorted or replied to any of his comments. Hermione would just look up and mutter to herself every time he spoke 'don't let him get the better of you this time', under her breath over and over again, yet he never heard her. When after a half hour full of name calling came with no response, he finally asked, "what's wrong with you Granger?"
"Nothing Malfoy," She said, saying the password and entering the port whole. He followed behind her through the whole then she walked to her room, "I'm not playing your game any more,"
"Then you will admit I've won?" Malfoy said stepping towards her.
"You've won?" She gasped, "But-But that's-No. This isn't over," She said walking into her room and slamming the door shut. She thought this would be simple, telling him she didn't want to fight any more. But she missed the whole point, which would mean he's won, she could never let him win. She had to prove not every pureblood could make a muggle born suffer, as his stereotypical mind believed, she had to prove him wrong.
She could still hear him laughing evilly even when the door was closed, but it soon faded when she heard his door shut as well. He had not called over Pansy again tonight...he was losing his touch at getting to her, which was good for her, except for this minor glitch. If only he wasn't slimy, and judged people. If only his father, the follower of Voldemort, didn't teach him that a muggle born like her were less important. Maybe then this year would be civilized, but she knew she had no hope of that.
Since even first year, she knew he was horrible. He hadn't yet been horrible to her, but to her new friends Ron and Harry he was bad enough. In second year is when he took her on, his father probably noticed her parents weren't Wizarding folk in Diagon Alley and then gave Draco a reason to bring her down, apart from the fact she sided with his fathers Lord's worst enemy.
Hermione had never done any thing personally wrong to Draco. He acted this way only to look better then her, she didn't even like competing or fighting. There was once in third year where she had gotten out of control and hit Draco, but he had been asking for it and it was definitely worth it, the relief felt great.
But then it was back to reality. She was lucky enough no Professors saw her hit him, but she couldn't use physical contact to rage her anger any more. It was all verbal attacks. She preferred it that way, though. She could find more flaws for him. All he had was that she was smart and that she was muggle-born, which basically didn't affect her much after five years, but some times when he accused her of over-intellect or so dirty worth burning...he'd touched a nerve.
He always knew how to get to her, as if he knew her quite well. It's as if he wanted to get to her, for some sort of game. But they had recently already established that, and he would not win. No matter how many nights him and Pansy kept her up with those ungodly activities, no matter how long he said she was dirty, no matter how long he tried to say being smart was a bad thing and no matter how much he bugged her about Harry, he wouldn't win. Lying on her bed drifting asleep she made herself that promise, he wouldn't win no matter how much he carried on.
Even if their fight lasted through Voldemort's or God forbid Harry's death, even if it was the last thing she did she would show that slimy little she was better then him, she would prove her point to that conniving, full-of-himself Malfoy...yet what Malfoy wasn't like that? As she fell asleep she started to think about Lucius and how most of this is his fault...teaching Draco such things, how to live like this in pain and nothingness, to thrive on putting others down, for believing it was okay and the only way to be. But no, now it was completely Draco's fault, he would become a death eater at 18 and he was okay with it.
Hermione knew that Draco now knew he would end up being part of Harry's death if Voldemort did not get him before he left Hogwarts. Draco would be in the inner circle, side by side with Voldemort and Lucius. Draco Malfoy had never given Hermione this information but she was more then certain of it. The known minimal age of Death Eaters was 18. His father was a death eater and she knew he acted as if he would only enjoy being killed by Voldemort's hand, as if it were some sort of honor.
Deep, deep down it made Hermione feel unwell, that she had to sit back and watch Draco Malfoy's fate. She knew it so well but when they argued it was like some thing inevitable but some how not worth mentioning. There was nothing for him now, only evilness and certainty of death for him, and or death of others from him. Oh well. Hermione sighed in disarray. He's a Malfoy, how could I be expecting any thing more?