A/N

See first author's note.

Chapter 4

Hermione looked around warily. She was standing in the middle of the Slytherin common room, and there were Slytherins everywhere! Hermione shuddered and looked at Andromeda. "So…where do I sleep?"

Andromeda pointed to a door at the other side of the room, a young girl was just closing it behind her. "In there, down the stairs, to the left. Let's get you changed before anyone notices you, all hell would break loose if they thought a Gryffindor was down here."

Andromeda dragged Hermione with her to the dormitories. "This is your bedroom; you'll be sharing it with Lana and Ally."

The girls stepped inside and Hermione saw that it was no different from Andromeda's. On one of the beds laid a big package which Hermione assumed contained her new uniform. She opened it and held up the robes. They looked exactly like her old ones; the only difference was that the colours were green and silver instead of red and gold.

"You can change in the bathroom," Andromeda said and motioned to a door.

Hermione went inside and changed quickly. Before stepping out into the bedroom she caught a glimpse of herself in the bathroom mirror. She did not like what she saw. The sight of the green around her neck and the Slytherin crest on her chest made her want to throw up. She couldn't believe she had to wear this for God knows how long!

She was about to tear the green tie of her and flush it down the toilet when the bathroom door opened and Andromeda came in. "What are you doing?"

Hermione blushed. "I was just…fixing my tie." She quickly straightened it out. "There, all done."

"Well, do you want me to introduce you to my friends?" Andromeda offered.

Hermione had no desire to meet any more Slytherins but thinking that it would look suspicious if she declined she nodded and followed her out to the common room.

It had died down a little; some of the students had already left for dinner. Andromeda brought Hermione to the two leather sofas that were standing opposite each other next to the open fire. It was occupied by three students that all looked to be her age. "Guys, this is Hermione, she's new."

The students looked Hermione up and down before saying some not so enthusiastic hi's and hello's. Andromeda sat down but Hermione remained standing, not really sure about what to do.

"Hermione, this is my sister Bella and my friends Lana and Robbie. Lana is the one you're sharing dorms with."

The boy sighed. "How many times must I tell you, don't call me Robbie."

Andromeda rolled her eyes. "Sorry, I meant Rabastan."

He smiled with satisfaction and got up. "I'm going to dinner."

"Wait, we'll come with you," Lana said and she and Bella went with him.

Andromeda sighed at her friends actions and shook her head. "Sorry about that, they're not that good with new people. But don't worry, they'll come around." She got up. "We should go to dinner too, the rest are probably already there."

"The rest?" Hermione asked anxious.

"Yeah, you didn't think I only had three friends right?"

Hermione laughed uneasy. "Of course not."

They were on their way to the Great Hall for dinner when Andromeda suddenly stopped. "Oh crap! I forgot something in the common room! Do you think you remember the way to the hall?"

Hermione smiled. "Of course, you go back."

Andromeda thanked her and turned around and ran down the corridor back to the Slytherin dormitories.

Hermione looked around. She didn't really remember the way, but how hard could it be? She started turned a corner and then another, and soon found herself completely lost. She was so annoyed; she had attended Hogwarts for over seven years and had been in the dungeons over a million times and still got lost? It was unbelievable!

She turned another corner, hoping that it was the right way but it seemed like hoping wasn't enough; it was just another dark corridor. She groaned and turned around. "Bugger…I can't believe I'm actually lost…"

She finally gave up on trying finding her way out of the dungeons and instead began searching for the entrance to the Slytherin dormitories but that as well didn't go her way.

The Slytherin entrance was a stone wall and seeing that the entire castle was made of stone made the finding of the right one a very hard task. She spent the next twenty minutes just whispering the password to every wall that looked like it could be the one.

"Come on, please be the right on!" She said the password, for what like the thousandth time, and when the wall didn't budge she had enough. She kicked it and felt pain shot through her foot. "Ouch! Stupid wall!" She slid down to the floor and grabbed her foot, it really hurt.

She took of her shoe and began muttering profanities whilst examining it. She didn't notice the boy who came walking down the corridor and then stopped in front of her. He smiled bemused and crouched down. "Do you need help?"

Hermione didn't look up. "No thank you, I'll be fine." She touched one of her toes and winced by the pain.

"You know, maybe it's broken—"

Hermione raised her head. "Look! I don't need your help so go awa—Malfoy!?!"

She quickly stood but almost fell down again when she put her weight on her injured foot. The boy steadied her but quickly let go when she looked like she was ready to kill him.

"How the hell did you get here!?!"

"I…walked?" he said unsure.

Hermione fumed. Did he think she was stupid!?! She was about to call him every name in the book when Andromeda came running towards them.

"Hermione, are you alright? You've been gone for almost an hour!"

Hermione was about to explain but the boy beat her to it. "I think she's broken a toe or something."

Andromeda dropped her gaze and looked at Hermione's foot which had now begun to swell. "We should get you to the Hospital wing. Lucius, can you help me?"

Hermione froze. "Lucius?"

The boy looked at her. "Yeah?"

Hermione looked at him and without warning fell to the floor. She had fainted.