Different Isn't Necessarily Bad
Chapter 2
Ron looked up from his letter and to the faces of Hermione and Harry.
"Where are you two spending Christmas?"
At the same time, Harry answered, "With Sirius," and Hermione replied, "Here."
Harry's answer was expected while Hermione's was not.
"Here? Why aren't you going home from Christmas?" Ron asked as they headed back down the stairs and out of the portrait hole. She was about to answer his question when Harry suddenly collided with Neville Longbottom, who was now blushing profusely.
"Sorry, Harry! Bullocks! I'm late to meet Ginny! Sorry 'Mione. Ron." Neville dashed through the portrait hole, into the common room and out of sight.
"Ginny, again?" Hermione blinked. Ron nodded. Neville had been pursuing Ginny Weasley since the start of their sixth year. Ron shook his head in disgust.
"So why do you have to stay here at Hogwarts over vacation, Hermione?" Harry asked.
"Well, I have to stay because I'm a Prefect and I have some Prefect duties I have to take care of-"
"So you have to stay here with that blasted Mal-"
"Yes, Weasel," started a nasty, drawling voice, "Granger has to stay here over Christmas. She must be blessed to spend some alone time with me. Of course, I'll spend a lot of time in the bathroom, disinfecting my hands. Can't have a Mudblood hanging all over me, can I?" Draco Malfoy smirked as he gave Hermione the once-over. Hermione, who had grown numb to his incessant taunting, replied, "Sod off, Malfoy, before I, Harry, or Ron land you in the Hospital Wing. Actually, I shouldn't have said that. Now you'll NEVER leave us alone. Merlin knows how much you fancy Madam Pomfrey." With that, Hermione brushed past Malfoy, hitting her shoulder against his forcefully, Ron and Harry following.
"That was bloody brilliant, Hermione!" Ron exclaimed when they reached the Great Hall to finish their lunch.
"Well, I've developed my own witty remarks this year." Harry grinned at this. "If only I didn't have to stay here planning the-" She cut herself off. Her eyes widened and she shook her head.
"That's the THIRD time you done that, Hermione. Why can't you just tell us what the Prefects are planning? I mean, Malfoy knows, why can't we?"
"Because, Ron! He's a Prefect and you two are not." Ron rolled his eyes and began to butter his roll. A brown, spotted owl flew in overhead and dropped a rolled up paper onto the table. Hermione smiled and unrolled it carefully. It was The Daily Prophet.
Hermione glanced over a few of the articles and glared at one of them.
"What is it, Hermione?"
"Rita Skeeter is writing for the Prophet again." Hermione dropped the paper onto the table and looked at Harry and Ron in disgust.
Rita Skeeter had registered as an Animagus and was writing for the wizarding paper once again.
"Blimey! Look at the time! Divination starts in ten minutes!" Harry gasped. Hermione grinned.
"I'll see you in Care of Magical Creatures, alright then?" Ron nodded and waved at Hermione. She gathered her books and headed to the library.
She had spent fifteen minutes searching for the exact book she needed when she finally found it. As soon as she stretched her hand out to pick up the book, her hand collided with another, a pale hand with long fingers attached to it.
"Granger! What are you doing here?" asked an irritated and startled Malfoy.
"Reading! You should try it sometime. But then, you'd have to know how." Hermione reached out for the book again, but Draco snatched it away.
"I was her first, Granger. Rotten luck." Draco sneered at a thoroughly annoyed Hermione Granger. Hermione glared at him and began, " My name is HERMIONE. Her-Mi-O-Ne! If you are too stupid and thick to know that, then you can just SHOVE OFF MALFOY!!!" Hermione was yelling and everyone in the library was staring.
"Mr. Malfoy! Miss Granger!" Madam Pince hissed. "Never in all these years have I asked you to leave my library, Miss Granger, but I must do so now. Such conduct is not appropriate for my library, nor for any Prefect!" Hermione glanced downwards while Draco smirked. She grabbed her books and walked through the library, running into Draco as she did.
"Granger! Watch it! Not only are you a hypocrite," he hissed, "but you're becoming ignorant as well." He sneered.
"Hypocrite? ME?" Hermione gaped at Malfoy.
"Yes. You make such a fuss about me calling you 'Granger' all the time and all the while you keep spitting out my last name as if it is a curse! My name is Draco, Hermione." He said through gritted teeth. He sulked off angrily, leaving an agitated Hermione to her thoughts.
