Title: I'm With You
Author: Melly
Rating: G?-PG? I dunno! Lol PG-13 for my bad language.
Date: July 22, 2002
Disclaimer: Uh, Harry Potter is not mine *sigh* but then again I don't want him, I want Draco *evil grin* Oof. *gets kick in head* Sowwy! It's J.K. Rowlings that lucky thang!
Chapter 3
"Ahem. Excuse me. EXCUSE ME!" came the impatient voice through the train station. "Move!" Hermione was late and about to miss the train if she didn't get the move on. She would apparate if she could but that test would take place this year and she wasn't qualified just yet according to the ministry even though she knew she could do it already, she had been doing it all summer when she didn't feel like getting off her lazy ass.
8:57 said her watch. Finally the platform 9 was in view and she chuckled when she saw Ginny running towards the pillar. Of course the Weasley family was late, it was pretty much expected now. She waved a 'Hello!' to Mrs. Weasley and took off towards the pillar. No matter how many times she ran through it, she never would get used to the feeling of not hitting of brick and instead gliding into her world for the next 10 months. Mrs. Weasley appeared behind her and she boarded the train allowing the family some privacy.
Making sure her luggage was being boarded as well through a quick peek out the windows Hermione took off down the isle of the familiar train and sighed at the scent. So bloody comforting. She immediately relaxed and climbed into a compartment to change into her new black robes. After her psycho growth spurt this summer, she had to purchase new robes when they went to get her supplies last week to her mother's annoyance and Hermione's pleasure. Digging through her jean pocket she finally found her perfect badge and grinned, pinning it to her robes.
She found herself a private cabin and leaned against the cold window, telling herself she was going to get an hour of sleep before they arrived. She wanted to look her best in front of the school not exhausted like she felt. Before she could close her eyes though, Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter appeared in the window of her door and spoke words to each other, that Hermione couldn't hear. She couldn't help be annoyed and happy at the same time. She hadn't gotten to visit either of her friends over the summer. Harry had been visiting with Sirius Black, his godfather most of the time and Hermione couldn't well go see him wherever the two had stayed. And Ron had worked the whole summer in Romania and her parents had forbid her to go see him, thus equally an incredibly boring summer.
Ron twisted the doorknob and Hermione grinned, It was locked. He muttered the simple spell to open it and the two boys squeezed into the tiny cab with Hermione. "Whatcha doing Mione, locking the door?" Ron demanded. She shrugged and grinned at Harry.
"Hello Harry, you sure look different." She said eyeing him up and down. Both him and Ron had grown immensely over the summer like Hermione and she could bet they were both over 6 feet now.
"You too Hermione," came his response quietly. His eyes were not on Hermione's face, but lower, towards her chest.
"Harry, stop that!" she demanded angrily.
"I'm not looking at your chest." Harry rolled his eyes. "Your prefect badge. It's not a Gryffindor badge."
"Hey, yeah," Ron joined in. "Slytherin! What the hell?" he sputtered.
Hermione shrugged and explained the letter she had gotten and explained how she just figured there was a mix-up or something. Ron accepted the story, but Harry still looked wary. The two began discussing this year's Quidditch teams and the competition and Hermione quietly made her exit. The two seemed, so more…annoying this year to her, she couldn't explain it. Maybe she was going to have to start hanging out with the Gryffindor girls. Stomping down the isle, not noticing where she was watching she ran right into a door being open and landed on her back with a 'thud'.
Draco Malfoy stood above her, his gray eyes unreadable, and all she had to do was listen to his laughing as he stared down at her. "You stupid fuck," she mumbled crossly and winced at the pain in her head as she sat up and rubbed at the back of her head. He stared in shock at Hermione, since when did she start swearing? And what had happened to the girl over the summer. She looked…hot now. Hermione Granger, hot? He mentally smacked himself and then looked at her again. The summer Muggle air had done something to her. She was now taller, probably about 5'10" still shorter than him, but definitely taller. Her face had lost all childish qualities and her cheekbones stood out prominently. The girl had also discovered make-up it seemed, her brown eyes standing out against silver eye shadow. Her hair was still pretty much the same, long and bushy, but not as bad as when she was a child. Her hair not being frizzy would just seem weird, it was almost a trademark to Draco.
"You done gawking you stupid git?" her voice breaking him from his study of her. She had her arms crossed and was glaring spitefully at him. "How did you get to become a perfect?" she demanded.
He smirked. "The question is, why would they make a pathetic Mudblood like you, a perfect?" he replied.
That was it for Hermione. For the last five years she had taken Draco Malfoy's bullshit, but not anymore. Maybe it was due to her newly developed attitude as her mother put it, but she would not take his crap anymore. She launched herself at him, knocking Draco to the ground and attacking him with full fury, her small fists not hurting him much, except when she punched him in the cheek. "Get off me!" he hollered and grabbed her around the waist attempting to push her off of him, but she had a death hold around the collar of his robes and wasn't letting go. A particular knee to his groin area, excerpted a moan of pain and she grinned. Standing up, she smirked down at him, clutching himself and muttering darkly.
"Wait a minute." Draco said as he brought himself to his knees and then slowly stood up plopping down on a bench behind himself. "Why the hell does your badge say Slytherin?" he demanded crossly.
"I dunno. Some mistake." Hermione said fingering the badge for the millionth time that day. She looked up again, but Draco had disappeared, she sensed apparated but shrugged it off as she moved by to let the Witch with the trolley of goodies, go by. They were almost there, and things would be sorted out soon enough.
Chapter 4
"Hullo Hagrid!" Hermione bellowed across the windy station as she jumped off the train behind Ron. He waved and yelled something back that was lost in the wind. She followed the older students to the carriages, and soon realized that perfects were to ride in their respective coaches together. She finally found the Gryffindor one and was about to board it when a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She spun around and looked up into Professor Snape's cold face.
"Slytherin, is over there." He said motioning behind himself. She raised an eyebrow in confusion and then remembered her badge. 'Might as well play along with it', she thought and followed him to the carriage climbing in behind him. The whole interior was silver and green as she expected and took a seat beside Snape, scowling at Draco who looked like he was about to say something, but closed his mouth after a look from Snape. "Things will be explained once we arrive." He said mysteriously and turned to look out the window.
Hermione looked back at Draco who was glaring at her. Rolling her eyes, she dug through her pockets and came up with a package of M&M's. Ripping them open, she would have gave Harry all the brown ones and Ron the red ones, but they weren't here, she sadly reminded herself. Dumping the contents in her lap, she began sorting them by color. Once or twice she glanced up at the two who were studying her but remained silent. She ate all of the candy but scooped up the green ones and placed them in Draco's palm. He raised an eyebrow, "Green ones taste like shit anyways." She said casually and avoided his eyes, happy when the carriage came to an immediate stop right after.
Making their way into the castle doors, she smiled softly as she saw the first years following Mrs. McGonagall up a set of stairs. Memories came rushing back from first year, but she shook her head and continued to follow Snape and Draco. 'What's going on?' she saw Harry mouth as she passed them. She shrugged and sent him a helpless look as they got farther apart. "Professor Dumbledore will be waiting for the two of you after the ceremonies finish. Draco, take Hermione with you to the Slytherin tables." Hermione took off towards the main hall doors and didn't hear his last comment. "And take care of her Draco." Snape quietly ordered the perfect and took off down the hallway, his dark back retreating obviously off to join the other teachers.
"Okay, what is going on Mudblood?" Draco demanded grabbing Hermione by the shoulder and spinning her around a look of menace on his face.
She looked at him with a look of disbelief. "How should I know? This year is already fucked up!" she ranted, "I should be with Harry and Ron at the moment gloating because I am perfect, but no! I am with you, Draco Malfoy and I hafta hang out with the Slytherins for the rest of the night who all hate me." She finished in a rush of breath and stared up at him, her nostrils flaring cutely in his mind, reminding him of a pet dragon he had when he was young.
"Okay calm down Mud--, I mean Granger, er…Hermione." He said, her name unfamiliar to him, when her eyes narrowed. "This shit will get sorted out soon enough." He attempted to make her feel better as they headed down the main hall. "Just sit by me and nobody will fuck with you." He had no idea why he said that, normally he would love to see his house tease the little Gryffindor shit, but since she would be sitting with them… He didn't finish the thought, but pulled open the Main Hall doors.
Hermione glanced around uneasily, they were very late, and every single person in the hall was staring at them. "Er…" she involuntarily said and sighed a relief when Draco grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the Slytherin tables. Professor McGonagall continued with the Sorting Hat ceremony, although quite a few whispers could be heard throughout the Hall wondering why Draco Malfoy a Slytherin perfect, was pulling Hermione Granger, a Gryffindor perfect towards the Slytherin head table by her hand.
Ignoring the whispers, Draco continued to walk furiously towards the head table, glaring at anybody who dared look at him questionably. He stopped at the head of the table, the closest spot to Professor Snape obviously went to him, but where to stick his new companion? "Move." He demanded to Goyle.
"Wah?" the fat boy looked up.
"Mo-ve." He repeated quietly, his eyes dangerous and Goyle jumped up taking off towards another table.
Hermione stared at Draco as he sat down at the head of the table in awe and then quickly plopped down beside him, across from another Slytherin she didn't know the name of who was almost glaring at her, almost.
"Let the feast begin." Was heard a few moments later throughout the Great Gall by Dumbledore and the food appeared in front of them, the chatter at high volume, yet nobody dared to say anything to Hermione just yet and she mentally thanked Draco for that. Filling her plate, she began eating quietly not daring to look up, even though she could feel Draco's eyes on her.
"You want some wine?" he asked her quietly. Her head bolted up and quickly glanced around. "Uh, we're allowed?"
"Yeah. Sixth years are at all big celebrations, at least us Slytherins are." He said smugly.
"Oh." Was all she said.
"Well?" he said. "You want some?" he said gesturing to the bottle in hand.
She almost grinned. Draco Malfoy, was attempting to be nice to her. She dropped her fork and took her goblet. "Sure." He filled the empty glass ¾ the way full with the dark purple liquid and lifted his as well. The rest of their table, quickly following suit and someone made a quick speech about having a good year or something. Hermione wasn't listening. She was too shocked. Their house never did anything like this, even if they didn't have wine. It was almost cute. She clicked glasses with everyone she could reach, laughing as the table got splashed a few times, though nobody cared. Drinking deeply from her cup, her eyes wandered back to Draco who was laughing at something that was said. She had never seen this side of him. His face was always a sneer or glare when directed to her, but this side of Draco was almost peaceful compare to his other side. His dark grey eyes lit up with laughter and he looked like he was about to fall out of his chair as he clutched his sides. Those eyes looked over at Hermione and the smile didn't fade, though his eyes quickly moved away almost scared.
"I heard there is going to be another Ball this year." He announced to the table and everyone's eyes looked towards him with authority. "Just a rumour." He quickly added and stood up.
The hall was beginning to clear out as everyone had finished eating and Hermione looked up at the main table for Snape for directions of what to do now. He had left though but Dumbledore was looking down at her and motioned for her and Draco to come up to him. "I have been needing to speak to you Miss Granger all evening. No doubt you have many questions as to what is going on. All will be explained, but first I need you to go with Mr. Malfoy and get acquainted in the Slytherin house. You will find all your belongings there. Professor Snape has assured me that no troubles will you encounter while under his care. I will join you in precisely one hour and explain what is happening."
She nodded, still confused but accepted his explanation and followed Draco out of the main hall. "I wish I could know what is going on." She bitched as they made their way towards the Slytherin end of the school. The air seemed slightly cooler, slightly darker, the smell different. "Gracomort" Draco said to the painting and it swung forwards, Hermione making mental note of the password. It had been quite a few years since Harry and Ron had snuck into the Slytherin house and it looked nothing like they had described, although she wasn't surprised. The whole castle had undergone a decorating change in her 5th year. The common room was a lot like the Gryffindor one, just in green and silver. Old coaches were strewn around the room, a large fireplace, and tons of Slytherin students gossiping.
Most of the students continued on what they were doing except the older ones who knew the history between Draco and Hermione. The could all recall the numerous fights Draco had in the past years with this Gryffindor, a Mudblood at that. Yet nobody dared say anything, just eye the pair. Hermione nervously fingered the seam of her robe and looked up at Draco in expectation. He was grinning like the cat who caught a mouse or something, and she had no idea what that meant.