The Worst Thursday

House: Gryffindor

Year: Seventh

Category: standard

Prompt: It all started with a simple "Good morning", and went downhill from there.

Words: 759

The Golden Snitch:

Ollivander's wand shop:

Core: Rougarou hair

Centaurus, Aurora.

Words: 759

Thank you Tiggs for beta-ing.

This is an AU.

It all started with a simple "Good morning," and went downhill from there. That was the start of Draco Malfoy's worst Thursday ever. Or at least his worst Thursday for that year. He had passed Granger on the way to his first class, which was Charms: an odd time and place to pass her.

Granger said good morning to him, and things started to go wrong from there. That had started it: what was the world coming to if Granger started saying hello to him?

The first thing that happened after that was Draco arriving almost ten minutes late for Charms. Professor Flitwick did not take too kindly to him arriving late and gave him detention with McGonagall, of all people. She would skin Draco alive! He'd be lucky to leave alive! Then, when Draco got to sit down, he discovered the Charms book he had bought for this year's Charms was not in his bag. Fortunately, Blaise agreed to share his Charms book with him.

As they walked to Herbology, Draco ranted to Blaise about his day so far. Thankfully, Blaise was very understanding.

"Gee, that is bad luck for a normal day at Hogwarts," Blaise said thoughtfully.

Then Granger passed them, again. "Where in blazes was she coming from? She appeared out of thin air!" Blaise wondered.

"Herbology?" Draco suggested. Blaise seemed happy with that answer and said no more.

Over the rest of the morning, Draco spotted Granger no less than five times: impossible, right? But he had certainly seen her all those times, and half of those she spoke to him; it was only hello or good day, that was it. It annoyed him, and he began to get paranoid that Granger was stalking him. A ridiculous thought, but that was what happened when you got paranoid: you had ridiculous thoughts.

After that, Draco kept constantly looking around or behind him.

"Are you alright, Draco? You seem very paranoid this afternoon. Potter after you or something?" Theodore Nott asked.

"Sorry, it's just that Granger keeps popping up, and I think she must be stalking me!" Draco exclaimed, flinching slightly.

"Why she would stalk you I'll never know, but I believe you. Next time you see her, corner her and ask for an explanation," Blaise suggested.

"I don't know either. But that is a good idea; I might do that actually," Draco said, cheering up a little. He was much happier for the rest of lunch.

Almost as soon as Draco left the Great Hall to go to his first-afternoon class —he had left ten minutes earlier than he needed to—he ran into Granger, almost literally.

"I have been seeing you a lot today, Granger," Draco commented dryly.

"Well I can assure you it is not on purpose," Granger said, going bright red in the face. Draco knew she was stalking him now.

"Why are you stalking me?" Draco asked. He was secretly happy that a Muggle-born was stalking him; it must show that even they can see his greatness.

"Well, err, I find you fascinating?" Granger said, going even redder.

Draco then came to the horrid realisation: Granger liked him! Seeing this had taken up almost all of the extra ten minutes he had, he quickly said, "Oh, well I'm glad. I have to go. See you around, Granger!"

Then Draco ran off to History of Magic. Just as he joined his friends outside the classroom, he cried, "Granger has a crush on me!"

"Really?" Blaise asked looking interested.

"Yes!" Draco cried; he was after sympathy. But none came: they all laughed at him instead. "Humph," was all Draco said. Then he glared at them for the remainder of the time before they were allowed into the classroom.

Upon entering the classroom, Draco decided to put on a Malfoy-normal expression and pretend the morning was not a disaster, which would mean he would forget about Granger. Oh yes, it was a brilliant plan, and a brilliant one indeed; then he would be much happier.

Pity it could not last, though. After double History, they went to the library, where they met Granger.

It brought Draco's self-made perfect world crumbling down into tiny pieces after Granger had the gall to say, "Good afternoon."

Draco hated Mudblood Granger! He silently swore that he would make her pay one day.

He walked on glaring at his friends in a way to say "don't you dare laugh,' as they all looked like they were about to. Some friends they were! Draco then started muttering dark things under his breath.