(February 25 2012)

Wow thanks for all the wonderful reviews! I'm glad people are enjoying it! As usual please Read, REVIEW and enjoy!

Disclaimer: see chapter one

Chapter Four

The morning went by faster than she thought it would. With transfiguration and potions in the morning she had already racked up some reading for next class. Hermione was back in full school mode now. She already harped on Ron when he asked Harry if they were going to practice quidditch that night instead of starting on their reading. When they walked into the Great Hall for lunch Hermione looked around to see Blaise at his table. He saw her and waved her over. She froze on the spot. It was unheard of for anyone but a Slytherin to sit at their table. He waved again. Malfoy beside him was clearly hissing at him to stop. Instead Blaise gave him a fierce look and mouthed something to him. Harry, Ron and Neville gave Hermione an uncomfortable look.

"It's okay boys, you go ahead without me." The walk to the other side of the room seemed like it was a marathon. When she walked along the table she felt eyes glaring at her. When she reached Blaise, who was surrounded by Malfoy, Goyle and Pansy. "Um, hi." She said nervously. He gave her a grin.

"Hey, do you want to join us for lunch?" Pansy shrieked.

"Ew! We don't want some Gryffindor whore sitting with us!" Blaise locked eyes with her and she flinched. Hermione knew that look; he had used it on her before.

"Pansy, if you have a problem with Hermione, you have a problem with me. And I don't think you want to have a problem with me." He turned back to Hermione perfectly normal. "Seriously take a seat." Shyly she put down her heavy book bag next to Goyle and sat down. Malfoy on the other side of the table looked severely unhappy. Goyle gave her a shy smile. She couldn't help smiling back. "So how were your first classes back?" He asked conversationally as if it wasn't the most bizarre thing in the world to see a lion amongst the serpents. Hermione chatted with him, asking him similar questions and soon she completely forgot what table she was at.

Then there was a clearing of someone's throat behind her. Harry and Ron were standing behind her. Ron was shifting from foot-to-foot looking uncomfortable while Harry was trying to look as diplomatic as possible.

"Is everything okay here Hermione?" That's cute, they're checking up on me, she mused. Before she could answer the snarky voice of Malfoy cut her off.

"She's fine Potter. She doesn't need you checking in on her like some babysitter." Harry's eyes flashed. "It's not like we're going to eat her alive or anything."

"In previous years that's exactly what you'd do." Harry voice was cold. "You can't blame me for not trusting you."

"I think if she trusts us enough to come over in the first place, maybe you should trust her judgement." Hermione saw Harry's hand twitch and she knew he was itching for his wand. Hermione steadied his hand with hers.

"It's alright Harry, I'm fine. I'll see you in charms okay?" He studied her face for a moment before nodding. He and Ron turned to walk away, but not before they shot Malfoy a nasty look. Hermione turned back to Malfoy with her eyebrows raised questionably. He saw her look at him and turned away quickly, avoiding her gaze. Finally when her and Blaise finished lunch they gathered their bags and left the hall together. Not without people staring at them all the way to the library. They didn't pay too much attention. They were busy talking about the recent discoveries of Farken flowers in the Middle East. They took a table a quiet corner and started working on their studies. Hermione found that Blaise was quite intelligent and that he could help her on her Runes homework. The more time she spent with him the easier it was.

By the time their spare was over they had finished all of their reading for the next day. They walked to the DADA classroom only to find a note pegged to the door. Apparently the teacher was to be away until the middle of October and therefore until that time they had an extra spare. Since they had nothing better to do they walked around the corridors chatting. Blaise asked her about her muggle upbringing and other things about the muggle world. Hermione was surprised that he was interested since he was so opposed the muggleborns. She decided to ask him later, when they got to know each other better. They agreed to meet again the next day for lunch when they parted ways at her charms class.

For the first month nothing changed. Hermione and Blaise continued to eat lunch together. Sometimes Blaise would eat at the Gryffindor table and soon Harry and her others friends were talking with Blaise like he had always been there. Dare might she it, they may have become friends. When Hermione ate with the Slytherins Goyle and Blaise talked to her, but everyone else ignored. She could hear people muttering around her "wanna-be" and "Mudblood whore." Malfoy would sit in utter silence, only to glare at her once in a while. She would either ignore him or glare back at him. She had quickly learned that Blaise was completely serious about them getting along, so the two of them pretended to be civil but when Blaise wasn't around he was back to his name calling and other slander.

Hermione sent letters to her parents every week and in return they would sent her a package of chocolates or a new scarf. It was still hard to comprehend that she was a Zabini. People continually stared when her; her new look, her new robes… especially when she and Blaise walked the halls together; the similarities were uncanny. She had hoped that some new scandal would come up and it would all be forgotten. But she tried to ignore the gossip; after all she had been enduring it for years now. The Slytherins weren't the only ones who ridiculed her. She could hear people whispering to each other calling her the new "Slytherin slut". It was harder at times like these to ignore it. One time she had been sitting in the library when she overheard a group of Ravenclaws whispering from the next aisle over.

"Can you believe her? It's like she's too good for us." A girl muttered and there were murmurs of agreement.

"She changed herself too. I wonder how many spells she had to do to fix that bushy hair of hers." Another girl cackled.

"Like boys actually care about that." An older boy was talking now. "We're all curious if she's still the Gryffindor virgin. Or if she's gone kinky like Parkinson."

"Yeah, we're all taking bets if you want in." A boy with a nasally voice chimed in. "There's a pool going between us and the other houses."

"I bet Weasley wiped her out in the summer."

"No way, Potter and her were always closer than friends."

"I say—" Hermione couldn't listen anymore. Silent tears were on her cheeks as she quickly gathered up her books, attempting to get out of there as quickly as possible. She didn't make it very far before she walked face first into Malfoy.

"Watch where you're going bitch!" He cursed as she dropped her arithmetic book. She bent down and picked it up, trying to wipe her nose. A fresh wave of tears slipped from her eyes. Great, Malfoy. Just who I want to deal with right now. She tried to walk away but he blocked her path.

"What do you want Malfoy?" She tried to sound firm but she couldn't stop the crack in her voice. She didn't look at him; she didn't want him to know she had been crying.

"Are you… crying?" He sounded hesitant. She hiccupped. "Oh fuck. Blaise is going to kill me. I swear I didn't know it was you. Shit." He ran a hand through his hair looking up to the ceiling.

"Why do you care anyways?" She looked up at him glaring. He stared down at her with the oddest expression.

"Blaise said… I… never mind."

"Well you needn't worry. I was already crying before you called me a bitch. It's not you haven't called worse before." There was silence. Malfoy opened his mouth the say something when the floating voices of the Ravenclaws emerged again.

"Yeah! Must be nice to go from a muggle family to being one of the richest pureblood families in the school. Although having Blaise as a brother must be a pain. He's such a pompous ass."

"For that kind of money she could pay for someone to swipe her v-card!" Another round of laughter.

"You know it's a known fact that the Zabinis and the Malfoys are close. Maybe Ferret face has done her the favour."

"Psht! Right like the two of them could stand in a room together let alone go at it like bunnies."

"You want to wager on Malfoy then? I'll give you really good odds." The nasally boy spoke again. Hermione looked at Malfoy as he listened to see him clenching his jaw. He put down his bag and walked around the corner. Suddenly the voices went quiet and all that could be heard was the sound of people gasping for breath. Malfoy's calm cold voice was easily heard.

"In the future if you wish to discuss the Malfoys or the Zabinis, I suggest you do it to our faces, or next time I'll do a lot worse than a choking spell. Am I understood?" Silence. "Good." Then he was back picking up his bag and walking out of the library without a second glance.

Hermione didn't see Malfoy for a whole two days. She didn't mention to anyone, including Blaise, about what happened in the library and thankfully she didn't hear anything about it either. If there was one thing Malfoy was good at, it was striking fear into people. Hermione stuck with her Gryffindor friends for a while, not wanting to listen to anymore rumours or insults people muttered under their breath at her. When she did see Malfoy after taking a walk with Blaise, it was if nothing had changed. He shot her a death glare and blatantly ignored her. She assumed that he was saving his own reputation in the library and therefore not to look any deeper into it.

It wasn't long before the October 15th came around and it was time for the first Slytherin and Gryffindor Defense against the Dark Arts class. When Blaise and Hermione walked in together the teacher, who was a lean man in his thirties, cried out in surprise.

"Oh yes! The Zabini twins!" This startled the two of them. They hadn't been addressed as siblings yet in public. This caused the entire class to look back at them. "Yes I heard marvellous things about the two of you! Now where to put, where to put you…. Yes! Mister Zabini you are with the blonde miss Lovegood over there and you miss Zabini are with the blonde mister Malfoy over there!" He pointed to the opposite side of the room. Hermione inwardly groaned and walked over to the small table in the corner to sit on the stool next to Malfoy. She scanned the room to see the teacher had paired people with light hair with those with dark hair and only paired opposite sexes and opposite houses together. "Alright!" The teacher was at the front of the classroom clapping his hands together. "I am Professor Fowler and I'm your new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher! Good afternoon class!" Silence. "I said good afternoon class!"

"Good afternoon Professor Fowler" was the monotone, dull response from the class. The teacher tutted.

"Well we're going to have to work on that greeting now won't we?" He smiled like a buffoon. Hermione stared at him open mouthed. "Now take some deep breaths, really focus on flushing the bad toxins out of your body and bringing life and happiness in." Was this guy for real? Apparently Malfoy thought the same thing because she heard him snort and mutter,

"Is that guy gay or what?" Hermione snickered and Malfoy smirked at her response. The teacher honed in on them.

"Is there something about my introduction you find funny, miss Zabini?" Hermione froze, placing a very serious look on her face.

"No sir, I would never joke about toxins. It's a very serious matter." Malfoy was shaking beside her, and she realized it was because he was struggling to hold in laughter. She had to purse he lips to stop from a bark of laughter escaping her. A snort leaked from Malfoy and Fowler was on him in a heartbeat.

"The two of you should learn some respect for your teacher. You'll both spend detention with me on Saturday night, in hope that we can reform you into more spiritual beings and bring your conscious mind to the surface." Hermione couldn't help it, she burst into laughter and Malfoy joined her. The teacher looked seriously affronted at this point. "That's it, you two go see Professor McGonagall! Now!" He pointed to the door. Hermione grabbed her bag and hurried from the room. When she reached the corridor she dropped her bag and slumped against the wall, clutching her side as she laughed. Malfoy was keeled over as well; their laughter echoed through the hallways. Finally when they stopped laughing they regained their breath and Malfoy wiped his eyes.

"I have to say Granger. I didn't know you had it in you." She chuckled as she picked up her bag and started walking in the direction of the headmistress's office. Malfoy followed her.

"I didn't know I did either." She said honestly. It wasn't like her, mocking a teacher straight to his face. Or in general, mocking a teacher at all. But she felt different. Maybe it was because this year was already starting out so different than the previous years. They walked to the office in silence and when they knocked on the door, they were summoned inside. McGonagall's eyebrows shot up in surprise when she saw Malfoy and Hermione walk in together.

"And what is the nature of this visit?" She inquired and Malfoy cleared his throat.

"We were sent here by professor Fowler ma'am."

"And why would that be?" She prodded.

"Because we were laughing." If it were possible her eyes went a little higher.

"You, and miss Gra—I mean miss Zabini were laughing… together?" Clearly she thought we had lost our minds. Hermione stepped forward.

"Yes professor." She stared at them for a long moment.

"I trust this won't happen again." They shook their heads. "Alright then I'm letting you go with a warning. But I don't want to see you in here again," she warned and they nodded. With a wave of her hand she dismissed them and they left. Hermione started to walk back to class when Malfoy started in the other direction.

"Um, class is this way.' He snorted.

"Yeah, like I'm going back to that crap." He looked at her. "Of course you would go back to class, little miss goody-two-shoes." She huffed.

"Excuse me, I just got kicked out of class for insulting a teacher. That's not very goody-two-shoes is it?"

"You're still going back to class though." He continued down the hall, leaving her standing there debating with herself. You don't have to prove anything to him. So why does this bother you so much? One side was saying. Because he just rubs you the wrong way. He thinks he has you pegged. You need to show him otherwise. The other side was taunting her. And it won.

"Wait!" She tore after him and he stopped. "What do you have in mind?"

Malfoy and Hermione laughing together? What is this madness? What's does Malfoy have in mind? Leave me your thoughts in a REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! (as usual no flames please)

~FunkyMonkey