Previously in Chapter 1 / Innocence
"I am sorry about that!" he ran a hand through his hair. "I really cannot stand to them anymore. We did play around in our backyard when we were kids, but those two… I cannot bear their presence." He sighed again. "I don't normally get this irritated at them this quickly… But, you pressed my nerve when you – when you called yourself THAT! How can you think it is okay to insult yourself!" Hermione put a hand up, palm facing him.
"Easy, Draco. For me, it is just another term, coming up here and there in the books. It doesn't mean anything further to me. Well, other than the fact that, some people might not want me around because of what that term suggests, but, l am, really sorry to, irritate you…" she paused "you just shoved those poor guys out of the compartment!" she smirked. And Draco smirked back.
"So what was you saying?" he asked referring to their conversation before interrupted by those dunderheads.
"Oh, well that…" she started.
Chapter 2 / Influence
"Let me re-organize my question. I am a muggle-born. What if I am sorted into Slytherin and left without any friends, all by myself in this unknown world of Wizarding? It will be like I'm in my muggle school experiences all over again!" Draco was puzzled. She referred to her experience in muggle schools as if her experience there has been very unpleasant, he realized but decided it was not nice to dig it up just yet.
"If it will put you on ease, I will –no matter which house we are sorted – try and continue being your friend. You are right that still, some people hold prejudice. They will try and upset you; fellows like Crabbe and Goyle. You need to be strong but, you can handle them, I believe. They are very unfortunate fellows as you came to encounter, when it comes down to brainpower."
"How can you be so rude and then all of a sudden so kind in a matter of minutes?" Asked Hermione. In reality, Draco did not know the answer.
"I guess, I don't really have any reason to be rude towards you."
"Do you have a reason to be kind towards me though?
"You did save me from those dunderheads." He shyly grinned.
"I did?"
"You did." After a couple of minutes in an awkward silence in the compartment, Hermione muttered a simple "Thank you." without looking into his eyes. Which caused the corner of Draco's lip to curl up then she slowly opened her book and began to read.
Draco Malfoy was feeling very strange. With those simplest two words, all tension was wiped out of the compartment. They were now, two acquaintances sharing a small compartment, even if their attention were directed into complete different things. Draco looked out of the window to see his blonde reflection on the beautiful nature scenery which was flowing very fast before his eyes. It was like his father and mother in their studies. They rarely would share a word to each other regarding the work, but they would almost always, go in the study together. Draco remembered once asking his mother about this. For him, it was quite odd. His mother said "My dear boy, it is just that, your father and I fancy each other's company. When we are together in the studies, it helps our concentration and willpower I suppose. It is just soothing." He could only now understand the actual meaning after his mother's words. It was soothing to look out in the presence of this crazy-haired girl.
It became darker as the hours passed by. Draco bought some candies and two sandwiches from the dinner-lady when she came in pushing her cart. Gave one of the sandwiches to the girl. They ate in silence. When they were done, it was now completely dark outside.
Hermione continued reading her book. Draco was still staring out from the window which was only reflecting the inside of the compartment. His eyes dwelled on the girl sitting across. When looked from up-close, she was actually very pretty. She had hazel-coloured eyes with very long eyelashes. When she smiled, there was a dimple forming to the side of her mouth. She had very slight freckles on her cheeks, which was giving her a warm and soft appearance. Her hair though had its own life, when light would drop on it from behind, it looked like he had a halo around her head (like the ones in the Muggle Gods' paintings in muse-somehtings). He was certain, aside from his aunt Bella, he never saw any witch with this crazy of a hair yet, Granger's was in a pretty innocent way. Her overall complexion though, in contrary with her never-ending questions about her trip into the unknown, was very strong. "She is beautiful" he thought in the depths of his mind. And kept those thoughts to himself. He shook his head and checked his watch. It was almost time of their arrival. But he did not want this very comfortable silence between them to come to an end. He stretched his muscles and started slowly picking up his stuff. He was already in his Hogwarts robes, he liked them so much. He would not bother with daily robes and all the changing in the small toilets of the train.
He smirked ever so slightly to the girl as she copied his steps and started packing her book in and tucking her and Draco's trash from their small snack into her shoulder bag and checking if all was sound in the compartment, was exactly when Hogwarts Express came to a loud and damaging stop. She stumbled on her feet and lost her balance, towards the front side of the train, where Draco precisely was standing up right next to her. It all happened too fast for either one of them to think. She started falling and shut her eyes closed. Draco saw her falling and reacted out of instinct to catch the poor girl, the door to their compartment threw open from the force of the brakes, the Perfect's of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw just had to be there at that very moment! They gasped in surprise, then in anger to the sight before them. Before they could react any further, the door slide closed again with the power of the rebound from the brakes. Hermione's eyes were still shut closed with the anticipation of the impact of her supposedly painful fall. Yet there was no impact-no pain. She slowly opened her eyes to see Draco's face inches away from hers.
"You caught me?" she asked, blushing ever so slightly.
"I did but, we are in trouble I suppose." He said while putting the girl on her two feet. He didn't even have time to take in the beauty before his eyes. In synchronization to his words, the door to the compartment opened by the Perfects. The male one –Draco did not know him at all- started shouting.
"What do you think you are doing, for Merlin's sake? We haven't even reached the castle. You are not even sorted yet and here you are picking a fight in the train with a GIRL! What on earth could you have possibly found to pick a fight upon with her, MALFOY?" His voice had increased in the process of his scheduling, spitting his name with such hatred and now it was turn for Draco to be angry.
"You are in no right to talk to me like I had done anything disgraceful without even understanding the circumstances, Mr.! Please be careful with your language usage. You can never schedule a Malfoy in presence of LADIES! It is disgraceful that you are accusing a lady, just like that! As for my friend here, only lost her balance upon the brakes of the train, all I did was being the gentleman I am, to catch her so that she would not end up before the sorting hat AND the entire school with some unsightly bruises! Now, never mind me but, I demand you to apologize from my friend for accusing her with such filthy actions without any material base!" His voice and sentences were so powerful. The person before him, was clearly years above him. And he didn't even flinch, looking directly into his eyes for several seconds, which felt like half an hour to Hermione who was tense and watching the interaction between the two boys. The Perfect, was starting to get into his senses. He simply said "Sorry Ms." And turned, storming away. The she-perfect though stopped a moment to observe the two younglings. And said "Do not mind him you two, the boy is frustrated because HE had to be on duty while everyone are enjoying themselves and he just saw his 'girlfriend' snuggling up with another boy. He's simply upset!"
Hermione was not buying it! "No wonder she would!" she said, turning and flipping her hair towards the face of the she-perfect, taking her belongings and Draco's hand to carry them out of that train already.
Draco was so shocked by her answer and reaction; he couldn't do anything but obey alongside with her out to the chilly evening of Scotland, that was uncalled for.
Then, they saw the giant men with a fur ball of a head, calling out for the first years.
"There goes nothing!" they both sighed at the same time as they stepped in the crowd of the first years.
Once inside the castle –after a gorgeous ride through the lake and Hogwarts grounds on driverless chariots, they stand to the side of the platform on which some grown-up people (most apparently their professors) were standing. When a white bearded and haired wizard started his speech, all hall fall into silence. It was magnificent. There were too many people. The hall was decorated beautifully and the first years can feel the eyes of the older students as they were burning holes through their backs. After Professor Dumbledore (as the man introduced himself) gave his quick speech with sparkling eyes and the talking hat on a stool sang a song, a witch (introduced as Professor McGonagall- though Draco did not really give in much thought to look at her) started reading names out of a scroll of parchment. Shortly, Draco was called on stage and it was only then, he realized that they were still holding hands with the Granger girl and it felt somehow uncomfortable to let go.
Draco sat on the chair with confidence as he welcomed the sorting hat into his brain.
"Oh, a Malfoy! There weren't any of you for some time now. Well, well… Hmmm. I know what to do with you but, what is it that you are concerning yourself with? You want someone to be sorted with you? Ooooh, to protect!.. I can see, interesting. Hmm… I will take that into consideration if it would be possible…" without further notice "SLYTHERIN!" Shouted the hat, outwards for everyone to hear.
The monologue of the hat seriously puzzled him. True, he wanted to protect the girl. Were his feelings that strong though? Strong enough for the sorting hat to take them into consideration?
He started towards the Slytherin table to take a seat, leaving some space on his right side, so that if, just if his new friend will be sorted with him, SHE could sit there. The line was moving fast. Almost half of them were sorted. It was then the witch called for the name
HERMIONE JEAN GRANGER.
The sorting hat sat on Hermione's hat longer than usual. Draco could comprehend. He had the hat on his head for probably 4 seconds and they had that hell of a conversation. Draco wondered what was going on with Hermione's head and the hat.
Meanwhile Hermione was hearing the most complicated and unintelligent monologue of the hat.
"Hmmm, new blood are you little one… And very intelligent too. I can see your concerns. You are not to worry. You would be very suitable for Gryffindor. But, you see, someone earlier made a little request to me. Wanting to be sorted alongside with you. You qualify for any and every house with your brilliant mind. It is up to you, if you want to be sorted to Gryffindor? Give me something girl!"
And she was at a loss. She lost the ability to think for a second. Someone wanted to be sorted with her. Why? But she said-well thought- what she could think was the most intelligent answer to that question.
"I would like for the sorting hat to sort me to the house which is most suitable with my qualities. I like difficult but I also came to a liking of a very recent company." That instant the Sorting Hat shouted "SLYTHERIN!"
PS: This chapter is revised! Huge thanks to Lun27, for the constructive comments! They are always so very precious to me!
