A/N: I'm back and should be back for a while! I'll be updating weekly at least until school starts. For now, a HUGE thank you to ThatRomantic for Beta-ing for me. Also thank you for everyone who reviewed the last chapter and sorry for the huge wait.

Chapter six: Keep your Head up

Breath in.

Those were the first two words Hermione Parkinson ever thought. Until that moment, the Gryffindor had always thought of herself as Granger, but Voldemort's vague acceptance changed that. There was no going back. To save her own neck, she had to become a Parkinson fully and completely.

There were a few moments of awkward silence, before a flustered looking Delilah spun into the room.

"Oh, my! Did I miss much? The house elves were simply abysmal this morning. Excuse my absence. Oh, Mr. Malfoy, you've returned. What a pleasant surprise!" She babbled on, looking as delighted as a bright-eyed five year old.

The other Death Eaters rolled their eyes and ignored her. To them, Mrs. Parkinson was little more than an annoying abnormality. Her bubbly, loud, chatty disposition was more befitting of a happy school girl than a Death Eater, so over the years they had learned to block her out as efficiently as one does a persistent fly.

Hermione and Pansy were not fooled and they were sure that Voldemort wasn't either. When the Gryffindor was talking with Pansy the night before, it was very clearly stated that Delilah was far more dangerous than the others took her for. No one noticed her until she had a noose around their necks.

Lucius Malfoy looked down on the little witch. His pale lips twitched in disdain. "Mrs. Parkinson. What a… pleasure… to see you. Have the elves finished our meal?"

"Of course!" she replied shrilly. "The placards have already been set and the House Elves will be serving at any moment."

Without another word, the elder Malfoy swept past her and into the dining room. Each member of the Inner Circle followed him and the apprentices entered quickly after. When Draco passed, he whispered to Hermione, "Ready for me to make your life Hell?"

The Lioness saw red, and, without really thinking about it, she stuck her foot out. The blond landed on his face with a thud and lay sprawled out in shock as everyone else passed.

Hermione, the last person, stopped before entering, "I wasn`t aware you haven't started yet."

Draco snarled up at her, wiping a little blood off of his lip. He didn`t have time to mope over his situation, though, because the vengeful Gryffindor was closing the door behind her. He sprung up and slipped into the dining hall just as the massive oak door clicked shut.

His face flushed noticeably, as almost everyone was seated and had noticed his late entrance. Hermione had a smirk on her face. Pansy leaned over to her twin and said, "Save revenge for later, Granger. We'll have plenty of time for that."

Hermione simply nodded and searched out her name card. She winced. The table was organized by rank with the Malfoys and Lestranges on the left end, tapering off to the apprentices, and ending with Hermione and Blaise Zabini. It wasn't sitting by Zabini that made her flinch, however, but the fact that every time she looked up, she would be looking directly at Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy. She took her seat and avoided looking across the table. It was far shorter than she could've wished.

"Chin up, Granger, or they'll eat you alive." A chuckle came from beside her.

"Huh?"

"Come on, you're smarter than that. You know exactly what I'm talking about." The dark eyes of Blaise Zabini twinkled in mirth.

"Easy for you to say," Hermione grumbled. "You're not being dissected mercilessly at every turn."

"Thank Merlin for that."

"Be quiet. It looks like my mother wants to say something."

"God save the Queen."

"Shut up, Zabini."

"See, you're already feeling better." His large grin made Hermione frown and look away. Zabini was a player with an impressive reputation. She dearly hoped she hadn't become his latest object.

Delilah stood up and was glancing around the table. Her mouth began to open and-

-was immediately cut off by Anton Doholov.

"Spare us, Parkinson. Frankly, we don't want to hear it."

The twin's mother smile venomously, but sat down anyway. From across the table, Hermione heard Bellatrix snigger. Immediately after, the elves came in with a handsome salad that appeared on their plates. Hermione watched the others closely, as she hadn't the faintest idea about pureblooded table manners. After Lucius took a bite, the motion was rippled down the table and the actual eating began. Idle conversations began floating around, but what Hermione heard more prominently was Crabbe and Goyle Jr. masticating their food at a disgusting and alarming rate.

"Middle fork," Blaise's baritone said next to her ear.

Hermione's head shot up. "Excuse me?"

"Remember, Granger, we aren't muggle royalty. We don't have the same silverware order. Ours goes by size, so the salad fork is the middle fork. The one you're using is for desert."

Hermione groaned. "Anything else, oh wise one?"

Blaise's left eyebrow shot up. "I'm only trying to help."

Her lips stiffened. "I don't need your pity, Zabini."

The dark Italian scoffed. "If you want to survive, amore, you'll need my pity."

A loud giggle from a few seats down interrupted them. Pansy's hand shot up to cover her mouth. Theodore Nott had a scowl on his face dark enough to rival a thunderstorm while little Malfoy had a gleeful smirk on his.

Zabini rolled his eyes. "What'd I miss this time, you three? I expect Pansy and Draco to try and draw as much attention as possible to themselves, but Theo, I expect more from you."

Theo's scowl deepened. "You sound like your mother, Zabini."

The Slytherin flinched noticeably. "Do I sound like I'm trying to hit on you? I dearly hope not?"

Draco sneered. "You dearly hope Nott does what?"

Both Theo and Blaise groaned. "Seriously, Draco, that got old by the time we were seven," Theo said.

Pansy snickered. A bicker began between Blaise and Draco, with Theo regularly putting in his input. Crabbe and Goyle Jr. continued eating like pigs. The adults scowled, smirked, and sneered in turn to suit their conversations.

Hermione felt completely and utterly out of place.

A/N: Nothing too crazy going on yet, but hang in there. Next chapter, they're heading off to school!