New Beginnings
By Fiery-chan

A/N: Thanks to all the great reviews! IMPORTANT!!! There were some things in the prologue that were unclear, pointed out to me by my brilliant Beta. They will be cleared up in this chapter. Read and Review!

Dedicated to my incredibly brilliant Beta-Reader, close school friend, and fellow HP worshiper, LyssaQuill. Go read her fantastic stories! I love all of them!

Disclaimer: No, I do not own Harry Potter *grumbles about the unfairness*, even though I would like to. I do, however, own the actor who plays the gorgeous Slytherin badass, Draco Malfoy, and his name is Tom Felton.

Fiery: Mine! All mine!
Lyssaquill: Yeah right, in your dreams Jackie!
Fiery: No one asked you! Hehe, just kidding. Tom is under my bed, patiently waiting for me to bring him pizza and soda. We're gunna play some poker! In the meantime, you can read this story!

Chapter 1

Draco awoke the morning after he received the excellent news of his parents' upcoming departure and his residence for the remainder of the summer to find that he was being shaken awake by a house elf.

"Master Draco! Master Draco! You must be waking up now!" The house elf cried.

"Argh! Get off of me, you dirty little creature!" Draco flung the house elf from his arm and walked into the large bathroom that was connected to his bedroom. The previous evening's events suddenly flooded back to him.

Just great, He thought. Now I get to spend the rest of my summer with a bunch of muggles and that filthy Mudblood know-it-all Granger.

Draco took a quick shower and upon getting out, he wrapped a towel around his waist and wiped away some water vapor from the steamed-up mirror. Draco admired his own reflection. His wet blonde hair was plastered to his face and he pushed it out of his eyes. Over the past month he had changed considerably. While he was nowhere near as buffed up as his cronies Crabbe and Goyle, he was now taller and more muscular; probably from the many hours he spent training for Quidditch. Beads of water dripped down his chest as he adjusted his soft white towel and--

LyssaQuill: Jackie!
Fiery: What?
LyssaQuill: Is this fanfiction or soft-core porn?!?!
Fiery: Geez sorry. He's just so sexy, I can't control myself.... every time I think about his--
LyssaQuill: Jackie!!!!
Fiery: What? I was talking about his.. um.. sense of humor. He's got a great sense of humor!
LyssaQuill: Sure.
Tom: Yeah. Jackie, Lyssa, shut up. It's poker time!
Fiery: Oh you're so cute... back to the story then!


Draco walked into his room and opened his polished oak wardrobe. He pulled out a black t-shirt and a pair of khakis. Drying his hair with a quick flick of his wand (Draco's father had gotten special wards put around Malfoy Manor so that no magic could be detected by the meddling Ministry), he got dressed. Pulling on his socks, he contemplated whether or not to gel back his hair with some of his Sleak-Eazy hair solution, but after 10 minutes of deliberating he thought better of it.

Why should I waste my energies trying to look good for that Mudblood? He thought looking in his full-length mirror with a sneer. Anything looks good compared to the bush she calls hair...
"Fabulous Draco, you look gorgeous!" The enchanted mirror told him. Draco wore a smug grin and let his light blond hair fall naturally in front of his eyes. The mirror added, "Just stunning."

At the adoring and high-pitched sound of the mirror's voice, a mostly-black cat with random yellow, white, and light blue markings awoke and stretched, yawning silently.

"Morning Coela." Draco said massaging the cat's head. Coela purred and rubbed her head against Draco's calf, "Today you and I going off to the Grangers. I can't wait"

Fiery: Oh I just love his sarcasm, don't you?
LyssaQuill: Uh, yeah it's great and everything but don't you think the readers are getting tired of us interrupting them every five seconds?
Fiery: Right. Sorry!

Draco descended the stairs into the Dining Room where he sat down for breakfast. "Good Morning Draco, dear." His mother said with a pleasant smile.

"'Morning, Mum." At home, Draco's mother was a lot more bright and caring than one would expect by her public persona. Of course, she had to act snobby and detached in public, Draco's father wouldn't have it any other way. Unlike his wife, Lucius chose to be cold and uncaring both in and out of the home.

After all, wouldn't want to damage the family name with a bit of decency. Draco thought resentfully.

"And a good morning to you too, Coela." Draco's mother cooed at the cat who was now purring and slinking about between Narcissa's ankles. She bent down and pet the feline on it's spotted back, they were very close. In fact, it had been Mrs. Malfoy who had rescued Coela. When her previous owner died, leaving the beautiful cat homeless, Narcissa decided to take her in, much to the delight of Draco and the disappointment of Lucius. Narcissa turned her attentions to the figure that had just walked through the doorway, robes billowing behind him as he stalked towards the table. "Good Morning Lucius."

"Narcissa, Draco". Mr. Malfoy nodded curtly at each of his family members as if they were nothing more than acquaintances. "The chauffeur is waiting outside Draco. When you have finished eating, wash up and tell the elves to bring your things to the limo."

"Why a limo, why not just use the floo network?" Draco asked
.
"Because the Grangers are not connected to it." Narcissa replied.

"And why do I have to stay with a mudblood? Why can't I just go and stay with Crabbe or Goyle?" Draco whined. Personally, he thought he sounded rather juvenile when he whined but going on past experience, it usually seemed to get him what he wanted. But not this time.

"You are staying with the Grangers and I do not want to hear any more objections." His father replied sharply. "The Crabbes and the Goyles also need to floo to Italy."

"Vincent and Gregory will be staying with relatives." Narcissa added seeing the look on Draco's face, and open mouth, obviously about to ask where his friends would be staying in their parents' absences. "Draco, the Grangers were the only ones able to take you in on such short notice, and you should be grateful for that."

Grateful my arse. Draco thought, finishing up his biscuit and rising from the table The only thing I am grateful for about staying with those muggles is being able to copy their bookworm daughter's holiday assignments.

"Well, I suppose I will see you at Christmas then." He looked to his parents.

"Yes. Have a good term. Now go, the limo is waiting." Lucius said.

"Yes sir." Draco replied.

"Goodbye, son" Draco's father lightly patted his shoulder briefly.

"We'll miss you while we are in Italy dear. I'll bring you something from Venice." Narcissa said, walking around the table to give Draco a hug.

"Thank you mother." Draco replied simply, returning the hug.

"Yes, treat your hosts as you would treat, well, just don't do anything illegal." Lucius added with no hint of humor whatsoever.

"I'll be thinking of you, enjoy your summer." Narcissa smiled. Draco nodded and turned towards the staircase.

Yeah right, you won't think about me. You'll be too busy kissing Voldemort's arse and going at it like rabbits on viagra. Draco thought as he ascended the stairs to his bedroom.

Fiery: Arse? I thought I put ass?
LyssaQuill: Yeah well, I changed it.
Fiery: How come? This is my story! You're just supposed to Beta it! Not re-write the whole thing!
LyssaQuill: Arse is what they say in Britain. And well excuse me! I just thought the story needed a little.. well, ok, a lot of work. Don't shoot!
Fiery: Oh fine, whatever. Arsehole.
LyssaQuill: Hey!
Fiery: What? It's your word, not mine!
LyssaQuill: Oh Merlin.. just get on with the story!
Fiery: Fine, I'm goin'............arsehole.

Draco returned to his room, washed up in his own bathroom for what would be the last time until December, and summoned the House-elves to bring his things to the limo. Draco scooped up Coela, who had followed him from the Dining room and with a last look at his bedroom, headed for the stairs.

Once outside, the house elves loaded Draco's school trunk, and other belongings into the trunk of the car and bowing to him before scurrying back toward the Manor. Just as he was getting into the car himself, Narcissa hurried over to him and gave him another hug and a quick kiss.

"Good bye dear, take care of yourself."

"Thank you mother, you too."

"I love you." Narcissa whispered into her son's ear. A genuine non-smirking smile appeared on Draco's face, it meant a lot to him to know that somebody actually cared.

"Love you too, Mum." He whispered. Narcissa bid her final goodbye and returned to the house to get some floo powder. Lucius, who believed showing emotions showed weakness, did not return for a more heart-felt goodbye to his son, as did his wife, who had to literally sneak away from her husband just to go see Draco again in the first place.

Draco climbed into the back of the limo where Coela was curled up waiting. The chauffeur closed the door, got into the driver's seat, and drove away from the manor through the large iron gates. Draco watched as his house got farther and farther away until it finally sank under the horizon.

Good Bye civilization, he though gloomily, Hello Mudblood.

***
By the time they had reached Hermione's small village near Oxford, Draco had had enough time to take a catnap and read a book.

Fiery: Aw, he's so cute when he is napping.
Tom: Just shut up and deal the cards Jackie! I want to play some poker!
Fiery: Alright, alright, calm yourself.
Tom: Calm? Calm!?!? You're holding me hostage in your bedroom, forcing me to live off nothing but pizza and 7-up and you expect me to be calm?!? I have a half a mind just to--
Fiery: Oh Tom, you're so sexy when you're angry.
Tom: Stuff it.
LyssaQuill: Um, hello! Back to the story?
Fiery: Oh yeah.

"Can the mudblood live any farther away?" Draco looked out the window and examined the houses. As much as he was dreading his stay with the Grangers, Draco really was not a fan of muggle transportation and wanted the ride to be over as quickly as possible.

The limo pulled over and stopped. Draco assumed they had arrived. He looked out the window. The house was a two stories high and had a quaint little garden of Azalea bushes in the front yard, which were in full bloom as it was late July. A family sized SUV sat parked in the driveway and although the place paled in comparison to the vast estate that was Malfoy Manor, Draco supposed it would just have to do. The chauffer opened the door for Draco and then proceeded to remove Draco's belongings from the trunk of the limo. Draco got out of the car, walked up to the front door and knocked. The door opened and a cheery woman stood in the doorway. She had curly brown hair and brown eyes.

"Hello! You must be Draco. Pleased to meet you. My name is Anne Granger. I'm Hermione's mother. Come in." The woman smiled a friendly grin and opened the door for Draco. He noticed that her teeth were all perfectly straight and pearly white.

Dentists. He thought rather. Wonder what they thought of me making their daughter's teeth grow even larger.

He smirked but apparently it had been mistaken for a return-smile and the Muggle woman went on to admire what a handsome young man he was. Draco fought back a sneer.

"I'm afraid our guest room is undergoing a bit of construction at the moment. This was such short notice. So, you'll be staying in Hermione's room with her, on the extra bed we've set up. Just go up the stairs and take the second door on the left. The bathroom adjoins to Hermione's room, but you can also get in from the hallway. Make yourself at home."

Draco nodded and thanked Mrs. Granger with as much sincerity as he could muster (which wasn't very much) and turned to face his trunk, which was sitting on the top step outside the door. Without thinking he flicked his wand and muttered "Wingardium Leviosa!" The trunk levitated and flew up next to Draco, but unfortunately for him, so did a large barn owl. It dropped a letter on Draco's head and swooped out of the window, just as quickly as it had come.

"Oh dear!" Anne Granger seemed shocked and a little worried. "Well, go on, open it." Draco tore open the envelope.

'Dear Mr. Malfoy,

We have received intelligence that a Hover Charm was used at your temporary place of residence this morning at six minutes past eleven.

As you know, underage wizards are not permitted to perform spells outside school, and further spellwork on your part may lead to expulsion from said school (Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, Paragraph C).

We would also ask you to remember that any magical activity that risks notice by members of the non-magical community (Muggles) is a serious offense under section 13 of the International Confederation of Warlocks' Statute of Secrecy.

Enjoy your Holidays!

Yours sincerely,

Mafalda Hopkirk

IMPROPER USE OF MAGIC OFFICE

Ministry of Magic'


Draco read the letter to himself and seeing the look on Mrs. Grangers face he said, "Just a warning. I suppose I was not thinking, it's been a long drive."

"Quite understandable." Mrs. Granger assured, "Just don't do any more magic until school begins. You should go on and get settled now."

Say no more. Draco thought. A whole month without magic. Honestly. The least father could have done was set up some Undetectable Wards around this hut, but I suppose that would be too much to ask.

Draco lifted his trunk and lugged it upstairs, counting doors, (one and two). He found himself in front of a white-washed oak door with a pink flower painted on it and a sign that read "Mione's room, Go away."

This must be it. Draco concluded and opened the door without bothering to knock. His jaw dropped at the scene. What the....?

Inside the room was girl of about 15, wearing a pink tank top, short hip-hugging denim shorts and brandishing a hair-brush in front of her face like a microphone. She was dancing wildly and rather suggestively around her room singing to music that was blasting from a strange looking black box on her night table. She was so caught up in the music, she didn't even notice the shocked-looking blonde boy standing in her doorway.

"Baby I don't understand, just why we can't be lovers. Things are getting out of hand, Trying too much, But baby we can't win." At this point she started dancing around, and shaking her arse as she did so, in a manor that would make even Sir Mix-a-lot proud. "Let it go. If you want me Boy, let me know" Now she had jumped to the floor, her hair fluttering about behind her as she crouched on the ground and began gyrating rhythmically.

Woah. Was all Draco could think. Woah. She continued singing.

"I am down. On my knees. I can't take it anymore!" she jumped back to her feet and really started to get into the song (as if she hadn't enough already), and began bouncing around more energetically and pointing at inanimate objects as if they were the target of her lyrics. "It's tearing up my heart when I'm with you. But when we are apart, I feel it too. And no matter what I do, I feel the pain with or without you." With that she jumped right around to point and sing to her mirror, but when she saw what was reflected in it, she shrieked and dropped her hairbrush to the ground. She spun around angrily, very red in the face. "Malfoy!!" but Draco was still to shocked to respond, his jaw still dropped and his eyes still glued to a now very flustered Hermione who slammed her fist down on the black musical box which gave a shudder and ceased to play. "What the hell do you think you are doing?" She advanced on him, rapping a robe around her scantily clad body, "Just thought you'd enjoy the show did you? The least you could do is knock! Well? What do you have to say for yourself?!?!"

"Woah." Was all he could manage.

"Oh shut up." Hermione mumbled, pulling the robe ever tighter around herself. Draco noticed that she turned even redder at his response, but he was still unable to say anything more than 'woah' so he did not comment on this.

She sat down on her bed and picked up a magazine, staring very intently on the random page she opened, obviously trying to ignore Draco's presence. Draco could see she was still blushing madly and as he regained his composure, he put his trunk, which he had not realized he was still holding, down on her violet carpeted floor and leaned against the wall. Hermione still appeared to be reading.

"Magazine's upside-down Granger." He smirked.

She blinked her eyes furiously, closed the magazine and slammed it down on the small table beside her.

This is too funny. Draco thought, not trying to hide his grin. He walked towards Hermione.

"You use that bed." She pointed immediately to a bed across the room at his movements. "This one is mine, keep away."

"Gladly."

LyssaQuill: Wow I'm good.
Fiery: Shut up! This is my story!
LyssaQuill: Not after I'm through with it.
Fiery: Oh yeah? Well-
Tom: Shut up! Both of you! I've had enough!
Fiery: Oh T--
Tom: Shut up Jackie! I know, I'm sexy when I'm angry. I have the mot dazzling blue eyes! My shoes are so big! I've heard it all before and I am sick and tired of-
Fiery: Uh actually, I was just telling you that you had a bit of pepperoni on your chin, but have it your way. Back to poker!
Tom: *groaning* I'd rather be fishing...
LyssaQuill: Um, can we just finish this chapter, please?
Fiery: Uh-huh.

Hermione turned the black box back on but this time instead of letting it blare out into the room; she attached a little wire to it that branched off into what looked like a pair of very small ear-muffs. Draco was curious about all of it but decided he'd rather talk to her as little as possible and kept his questions to himself. She picked the teen Muggle magazine back up, this time facing the right direction, and started reading.

Oh what a warm welcome. Mudblood's really outdone herself as a hostess.

Draco sat down on his bed (If you could call it that, he thought disgustedly. This is barely a third the size of my king sized bed at the Manor. Pathetic.) and read some of the headlines off of the front of the magazine.

"100 Back 2 School Looks, Crazy-Cool Party Hair, 'Oh Baby' Eyes, Great-butt Jeans, The Pill 101, Zit Zapper and How to Tell If a Guy is Just Playin with You, or Should Be Stayin' with You." He read aloud. She looked up. He noticed her blush was gone but she was still clutching the robe around herself protectively and was now looking at him expectantly as if she was waiting for some snide remark, but none came.

"I'm not even going to bother." Draco mumbled. "This is going to be one hell of a summer."

Fiery: That's it!
LyssaQuill: That's it?
Fiery: It's done!
LyssaQuill: Really?
Fiery: For now, I will have the next chapter up soon.
LyssaQuill: Oh I see, well not before I'm through with it.
Fiery: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Tom: That's it?
Fiery: Yep.
Tom: It's done?
LyssaQuill: Haven't we been over this?
Tom: I'm free!

*With this, Tom leaps out of Jackie's bedroom window and heads for the sea. He can be heard shouting happily and laughing maniacally in the distance "Fishing! I'm going fishing! Fishes, here I come!"*

Fiery: We lost him! No! He was so cute!
LyssaQuill: Yeah well, I think we drove him over the edge...
Fiery: Hm, I suppose. Well, I'll just have to get me a new celebrity hostage before the next chapter.
LyssaQuill: Mm-hhm.


A/N: Good? Bad? Your comments are necessary! Now please click the little button that says "Submit Review" and submit one! Ok? Get it? Got it? Good. Ok well that's all for now!

Luv'n'stuff!
Fiery-chan