<title> Intoxicating Dreams, and Bittersweet Reality
Intoxicating Dreams, and Bittersweet Reality
Disclaimer: These characters are in no way mine (yeah, don't I wish) but they belong to Miss J.K. Rowling.
Hermione Granger beamed delightedly at the red mark scribbled across the top of her parchment; another A. She sighed, how perfect. That would make her average in transfiguration to be exactly 99.9 and she was sure that her favorite teacher would round up her most hardworking student's average to a hundred.

She looked around excitedly, hardly noticing the crestfallen faces of other students. "Look Harry!" She cried jubilantly, shoving the paper under his nose, "Another A!"

Harry hardly seemed to notice, "Great." He muttered.

"Ron look!" She tried again, but Ron was too absorbed in a sheet of parchment before him, cluttered with calculations. He was bent so close to it, his nose was touching the paper and his quill was dancing frantically, in tune with his low murmurs. "Ron..." She prodded him with her want, and as if in response he moaned out loud.

" This is horrible!" He lamented "I've got a C in transfiguration and I'm hardly passing potions, my parents are gonna be furious! My marks have plummeted."

Hermione sighed, no one was paying attention to her wonderful grade. I suppose it isn't really out of the ordinary though, she thought absently. But as all the students poured out of the classroom, on the way to lunch, Hermione spotted Neville out of the corner of her eye and she rushed over to him, thrusting her paper at him excitedly. "Neville! Look I got an-" But Neville sighed looking exasperated, cutting her off impatiently.

"I know, I know. You've got another A." And with another heavy sigh, he brushed past her and hurried off down the hall.

Hermione's mouth fell open, the paper dangling limply from her hand. It wasn't really that commonplace was it? She felt dejected, but her thoughts were broken by a low laugh from behind her. Whirling around angrily, she saw Draco Malfoy, perched on a windowsill, looking amused, a cigarette clenched between his teeth. "Well, would you look at that. Little Miss Perfect is finally getting to everyone. I wondered when this day would come." He took a long drag on the cigarette, then blew several plumes of pearly white smoke into the air.

Hermione sucked her breath in sharply, regarding him with disgust. "You know, those are extremely damaging to your health."

He smiled wickedly, amusement flashing in his eyes, the cigarette dancing between his teeth as he spoke, "I know. Why else d'you think I'd be doing it, sweetheart?"

Hermione felt her cheeks burn at his taunt, and she bit her lip in fury. Why did he always have to be so horrible? "Anyway, I don't need any of your speculations Malfoy. I have to be going." She tossed her hair haughtily and made to storm off down the hall. But before she could turn, Malfoy leapt lithely from the window sill, and caught her wrist in his steely grip.

"Malfoy! Let go! What are you-" But she broke off, suddenly frightened by the way Malfoy was looking at her. He was suddenly serious, his eyebrows knitted into a frown, a shadow falling partly across his face. She tugged vainly, but Malfoy wouldn't let go.

"Why do always call me that?" He breathed, his silvery eyes scanning her face.

"Call you what?" Hermione continued to twist her arm, but she dropped her gaze to the floor. She couldn't look at him, at those piercing eyes.

"Malfoy," he spoke low, barely above a whisper, his voice laced with disgust. "Why?"

"I -" Hermione continued to struggle. "I don't...you've called me worse!" She finished hotly.

"Oh," He dropped her wrist hurriedly, as if he'd forgotten, "yeah." He then took several steps backward, to lean against the wall, sucking thoughtfully on the cigarette, blowing little curls of smoke into the air, as he shook the hair out of his eyes.

Hermione drew an unsteady breath, then hurried away down the hall. She felt very sahken, and she wanted to get as far as possible from Malfoy and his strange gray eyes. The whole thing had been extremely unnerving. She didn't know how to deal with Malfoy when he wasn't acting horrible.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As she breezed into the Great Hall and took her usual seat at the Gryffindor table, she noticed that the dark mood surrounding Harry and Ron had begun to dissolve. They were chattering excitedly about some new quidditch league, and as Hermione took a seat Ron automatically handed her the stew, never once faltering in the conversation.

Hermione lifted her fork but as the delicious odors wafted towards her, she realized she hardly felt hungry. She set her fork down, and turned towards Ron waiting patiently for a break in the conversation.

When Ron finally paused to take several large gulps of pumpkin juice, Hermione hurreidly spouted her news. "I just saw Malfoy in the hall and he was acting really creepy."

Ron snickered, slathering butter on his biscuit, "When isn't Malfoy acting creepy?"

"No, " Hermione went on, "It wasn't just the usual creepy at all, that's what was so strange. He grabbed me by the wrist and -"

"He what?" Harry's head shot up from the plate, his fork paused halfway to his mouth. Hermione was surprised to see his eyes flickering with anger. "What did he do to you?" He repeated, his eyes glued to Hermione.

"N-nothing," She stuttered. "I mean, he grabbed my wrist but I-" Harry dropped his fork with a clatter, hands curling into angry fists.

"That bastard had better not touch you again," he said fiercely, clenching his jaw.

"Harry!" Hermione was startled at how upset he'd gotten. Harry turned quickly to her, his eyes burning with hatred. "You watch out for him Hermione, ever since the end of last term," his voice shook slightly but he pressed on, "His father, Crabbe's and Goyle's, they're all in with the dark lord, all dangerous, all...deatheaters," he spat. He glanced at Hermione once more, eyes softening, "I'm sorry," he said, shaking his head, " I just can't help it, those people, those...they're not even people, they're like monsters." He sat, staring bitterly into his half eaten plate of food, his eyes misting over strangely, as they did whenever he brought up the events of last year. Ron watched him apprehensively, as always when he became like this, not really sure how to act. He glanced nervously at Hermione, then back at Harry clutching his napkin tightly in one hand.

Finally, Harry rose, slinging his bag over one shoulder. "I'm gonna go guys." He said in that same faraway voice, his haunted eyes fixed on a point on the opposite wall. "Got some last minute studying to do." Ron stood as if to join him but Harry put a hand on his shoulder, "No, it's all right Ron you don't have to come. I'll catch you guys later," he called, hurrying away.

Ron sank into his chair, exasperated. "Every time," he muttered, "He does this every time. It's like he goes into this trance, and gets this determined look in his eyes. Then he has to rush off to be alone.

Hermione nodded knowingly, "He's had a rough time."

Ron curled his lip in anger, pounding his fist vehemently on the table as he spoke, "I hate what they've done to him. What they've done to everyone. I hate Malfoy. Someday, he's gonna pay for everything, for the mess they've made of the world."

Hermione nodded weakly, again surprised at the fierceness of emotions.

Scooping up his books, Ron started for the door, "I'll catch you later Hermione," But he turned quickly, remembering something. "Hey you wanna head out to Hogsmeade this weekend? I'm all outta ink, and Harry's gotta pick up up Hedwig from the pet shop."

Hermione nodded, "Sure I'll tag along."

"All right, I'll see you in herbology."

Ok, so did everybody like it? Didja dija didja? Hehe, sorry, there isn't much yet. Make sure that you PLEASE review, and make sure it's a nice long rambling one too, you can't imagine how thrilling it is to get such deliciously long reviews, I don't care what you talk about just write something!! Don't worry, I'll have the next part up real soon since I'm on break now and I've got loads more of it written I just gotta type it up. So ladeeda, oh yes and remember that in this, Draco's a real bad ass, you know James Dean type kinda, haha, not quite but whatever, I used to not be able to stand anything with Draco in it, but now Ive separated the character in the book into a totally different guy, well not totally different, just better. Well, now I had better stop rambling, so you can just go on and review, all right well ciao!