"No one's perfect, Hun." He told her
"I know,' the little girl said. 'But I want to be the closest thing to it."
"And what's that?"
"Skinny."


After the first years were sorted McGonagall stood up to give the beginning of the year speech. A somber realization that Dumbledore was dead once again hit the students of Hogwarts, across all of the tables.

"Welcome back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I have a few announcements to make before the feast can begin. Firstly, I would like to remind all students the Forbidden Forest is of limits, and you are only to enter it if you are accompanied by a teacher. Mr. Filch has asked me to remind you that all Wealey's Wizarding Weezes and Zonkos products are banned, and will automatically be confiscated if discovered." My mind wanders to the stash hidden my bag; I'm breaking the school rules already. That didn't take long, I thought with chagrin.

"Madam Hooch would like me to inform you that the should Houses wish to reserve the pitch for practice, the captain will need to visit her office to sign up. Reservations are first come first serve." Harry looks as though he is struggling not to bolt out the door in order to sign up right now.

"We are also reopening the Dueling Club, available only to sixth and seventh years; it will provide a safe and controlled environment to learn proper life skills and relieve the tension between the Houses. It will meet every Tuesday and Thursday at 7:30 in the evening." She doesn't look all to thrilled about this announcement, but Harry and Ron are grinning ridiculously across the table from me.

"I believe that is all. I wish you all a good year, and enjoy the feast." She steps down from the podium and it disappears, as the platters in front of us become heaped with food. I scoop a big heap of potatoes onto my plate before Ron can get to them. I'm about to reach for the baked chicken when Delia's voice rings through my head 10 pounds or so, shouldn't be that big of an issue... and suddenly I'm not hungry any more.

"H'mione, pass the pudding, would ya?" Ron asks, with his mouth full. I silently oblige, grabbing the dish that is sitting to the right of my elbow and sliding it over to him I return to pushing around my mashed potatoes with a fork.

When the eating has died down, the dinner dishes disappear and new ones replace them, covered with pastries, and cakes, and all sorts of other desserts. Screw this. After a summer with dentists I deserve something sugary and tasty, so I grab a large buttery pastry with apple-orange filling. It flakes off in my fingers and melts in my mouth. Mmmm...Hogwarts cooking; I know it's done by house elves, and I haven't abandoned S.P.E.W, there are just better ways of making a stand than refusing their food. Especially really good food.

When Harry and Ron decide that they can't eat another bite they stand up to go to the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Well, goodnight Hermione." Ron says cautiously. "Be careful."

I bid them both good night, and go to find McGonagall; she never told us what our password was.

"Ah, Miss Granger, I was looking for you; I realized I never gave you and Mr. Malfoy your password." The gray-haired woman turned around just as I was about to clear my throt, thankful she saved me from the awkwardness of calling atention to myself.

"Yes, Professor. That is why I came to see you."

"Your dormitory is located behind the painting of a blue sky scene, with Miranda. The password is Redintegranda. I would escort you there myself, but it seems Peeves has other plans for my agenda. Have a good evening Miss. Granger.

"You as well, Professor."

Taking the long walk up otherwise vacant staircases, I manage to find the picture McGonagall was referring to. I am unsure of what to do next; there is no one here to give the password to. All the frame holds is a bright blue sky with the occasional poofy cloud, and an open field. Then a girl of around 10 years steps in the frame, she has long wavy yellowy blonde hair, and is wearing a pair of faded denim overalls.

"Hello," her light voice reminds me of Luna "You must be Hermione Granger, my name is Miranda. Do you know the password?"

"Redintegranda."

"Very good!" Her childish voice congratulates, and then swings aside to reveal my new home.

I feel my eyes widen into the sizes of dinner plates, this common room is amazing. Its high ceilinged common room is decorated in earth tones. On the opposite end of the room is a giant window that looks out onto the grounds, and from here I can see the Quidditch pitch, and the Black Lake. Along that wall is a staircase that rises to a loft, in which I assume I'll find my bedroom and bathroom. The wall to my right is a floor to ceiling bookcase, centered around a large brick fire place that already has a fire roaring inside. There are a couple arm chairs and a sofa in front of the hearth that would be perfect for doing homework. Peeking in the doorway to my right I find a small kitchen, that is stocked with a bit of food, some magical appliances, and a rectangular table.

This place is so much nicer than the Gryffindor Common Room, I am pleasantly surprised that they were able to pull this together so quickly; it is stunning.

"You stand there with your mouth open you're gonna catch flies, Granger." A voice behind me drawls.

I give him a nod, and start to head up to my room.

"Your rooms on the right, Granger, don't ever go into mine." He warns menacingly.

"Or what? You'll tell your father? Oh, that's right! Your father is in Azkaban where he belongs with all of his little Death Eater Buddies!" I mock. "And we both know why." I didn't know, but I seem to have hit a nerve; Malfoy practically exploded.

"You don't belong here, you filthy mudblood!" he snarls, and every insult he held inside came pouring out of his mouth "You're not good for anything! You think you're so high and mighty, yet you have no right to be here! No one even wants you here so just get out!"

I am shaking with anger. He has no right to say such things. My hands scrabble around for something to throw at him, to knock that scowl off his face. My fingers latch on a glass bottle of ink, and I hurl it at his head with all of my strength. It misses his ear by a couple inches.

"Is that all you got you worthless buck-toothed know-it-all?" he taunts. My hands search for something else to throw at him, but then that doesn't seem fast enough. I fling my self across the dim common room, lit only by the flames in the fireplace. Launching myself at him his back hits the bookcase behind him, and I pull my fist back to smash into the side of his face.

"You have no right." I hiss, my face close to his, then let my fist snap forward.

But it never hits its target. Malfoy catches my punch in his surprisingly warm hand before it had a chance to bash his face in, and then grabs my other wrist in the same hand. He spins me around harshly, and I wince as now my back slams into the shelves behind me. He holds my wrists above our heads in one hand, and I struggle to free them, his body trapping me between the bookcase.

"I have every right." He growls lowly, our noses are nearly touching and his grey eyes are flashing, an inch from mine, and I glare straight into them, trying not to reveal my fear.

And then as if suddenly realizing how close we are standing he shoves me one last time against the bookcase and I hold back a yelp, and then stomps up the stairs to his room. I let out the breath I didn't realize I had been holding, and rub my back. This beautiful new home doesn't seem worth the trouble of the people who live in it as well.


AN: Thanks for all your suggestions I will be incorporating many of them, in fact I was surprised when it seemed that a couple reviewers had practically read my mind!
Anyways. Another chapter down- please review!