Note: I did notice I haven't put Harry and Ron in this as much as I probably should (they aren't in this chapter either, lol) but this story doesn't really focus on them. So I don't really bring them in a lot. Does that make sense, because I feel like I'm rambling. Tell me if you want more Harry and Ron; I'll try to work them in. Okay. Read and enjoy.

Chapter four:

The problem with stars

Listen closely to your enemies. They tell you your faults

Hermione stood waiting for Ron and Harry to get their asses up to the astronomy tower. She leaned against the stone wall, fingering the hem of her robes and staring up at the ceiling of the hall. She began to idly tap her foot on the step. Would they hurry up? How long does it take to talk to a teacher? She glanced at her watch. Five minutes later than they said. Just as she dropped her arm and it hit the wall, making a small sound from her watch; she heard footsteps. The soft clinking of a man's dress shoes. Maybe it was Harry or Ron, she smiled to herself as she pushed away from the wall.

But the person who came around the corner was neither who she expected or who she had wanted to see. It was the new guy. Lavender and Parvati had been talking about him non-stop. He was supposed to be a Slytherin –which he was. He was supposed to be hot-Hermione could give him that too.

He wore all black underneath his robes from his dress pants to his plain crew-neck t-shirt. Around his neck was a silver cross and on his black robes was the Slytherin crest, gleaming in all it's serpent arrogance. She scowled. He was also supposed to be cruel and a complete, utter jerk. Hermione could tell he was just that by the symbol that donned his robes. He was evil. Plain and simple.

"What are you looking at?" he barked as he made his way to stand next to her. "Something you like?" he didn't give Hermione more than two seconds to answer, before he growled. "Well, speak up."

Another face appeared that Hermione absolutely loathed. Draco Malfoy. His blonde hair was in a different style. It was gelled in a bed-ruffled look. It was odd seeing him out of his normal guise. "Liam, don't waste your breath. It's a Mudblood."

Liam turned back to Hermione, "You a Mudblood?" he asked like he didn't believe Draco.

"I prefer to call them non-purebloods," Hermione stated with confidence even though she was surrounded by serpents.

Liam's hand slammed into the wall directly next to Hermione, his icy blue eyes flashing. "Don't talk back to me, Mudblood," he drawled. His black hair brushed her forehead.

"Don't talk to me like that." Hermione didn't even bat an eyelash. She experienced many a verbal bullying from knowing Draco all these long years.

Draco leaned next to Hermione, "Liam, I said don't even waste your breath. She's stubborn as a mule and," he glanced to his side at her profile, "every word you say goes in one ear and out the other."

Liam pulled back from Hermione, "You sticking up for her, Draco? Your dad would love to hear about that."

Draco looked at his watch, "No, I am not sticking up for her. I just didn't want to be late for astronomy."

Liam smiled. It was a slow, evil smile. "Okay, Malfoy." Liam nodded, "No more fooling around. It won't waste my time." He mocked, turning to go up the stairs.

Hermione shook her head. "I do not like him."

Draco glanced over at her, and then continued up the stairs not saying anything.

Hermione lowered herself into the chair, just as the astronomy teacher stormed in and announced, "Everybody up!" Hermione stood up, rolling her eyes. "Now, class we are going to do a group activity today."

"That's all we seem to be doing," Hermione mumbled under her breath.

"Now, I'm going to pair you up, Harry, Jacob and Blaise. Ron, Catherine and Chase…." She continued to drone on and on. "Draco, Liam and Hermione." Hermione heard her name called, with the two Slytherins.

"Great, today is just my day," she mumbled, picking up her things and making her way over to where the two boys leaned against the stone way. They were about as different as night and day, in every way but one. Their evil nature.

Hermione dropped her stuff next to them and turned back to the teacher. "Ok, we're going to make charts. The planet has turned on its axis and the sky has obviously changed since last year. Consider this a review," she smiled. Most groaned making charts of the sky was long excruciating task.

Hermione just took the paper handed to her and set to work, ignoring her two partners. She began to draw each star onto her paper and label them.

"That's wrong," Draco stated and pointed at her paper. "Don't you remember how to do it?" Draco showed Hermione his paper and it did look different. Hermione was about to take the offered sheet to see what she had done wrong and it was snatched away before her fingers closed around it. "No Malfoy, she's a Mudblood. She might contaminate you or something."

Hermione switched her gaze to Liam as a cruel smirk danced across his features. Draco shrugged and said simply, "ask the teacher how to do it, Granger.'

Hermione raised her hand and the teacher came over to her side. "Malfoy says I'm doing this wrong," Hermione handed her teacher the paper.

"Yea, dear, you are. See this star right here which is part of the Dove constellation; it belongs here." She pointed to a part a few inches from where she had it. "This star right here was the one that confused you," another star was pointed out.

Hermione smiled at her astronomy teacher as she clears her paper with a simple spell. She glared at Draco and Liam or not telling her where she had messed up and started to redo her whole sheet.

Liam laughed sardonically, "What is the Mudblood mad?"

"Leave me alone, Liam," Hermione said forcefully.

"Who's going to make me?" he questioned stepping forward, "You?"

Hermione's eyes darted to Draco for a mere second. He was leaning against the wall, eyes watching them with an emotionless face. He wasn't going to help her and she could tell. Why would he care anyway? She didn't even know why she had looked. She shook her head and started to work, again.

"What's with you anyway?" He flicked her hair. "I just met you and I can already tell you're a perfectionist. Of course, Malfoy told me, but you can see. You are no better than the servants that clean my house," he drawled.

Hermione looked up at him, "Don't touch me again," she growled.

Liam laughed and back away, but he didn't comment on it. He got back to work on his project.

Hermione glanced at Draco, who was fiddling with his quill; a far off look donned his features.

He seemed to register that she was staring at him and went back to work on his project.

Present day…

"Ok, I'm sorry I have to interrupt again." Chloe brushed a strand of her hair away as she sat up from her relaxed position on her back.

"Aw, Chloe. It was just getting to the good part," Haley moaned from the floor, where she was resting.

"How would you know?" Chloe glanced down at her sister.

"Just get back to what you were saying," Haley snapped.

"Oh, yes as I was saying. I have to comment. I do not like that guy," Chloe said with passion.

"No, nobody really did. Most everybody, except your daddy-dearest here was afraid of him."

"Were you?" Haley questioned.

"Not at all," Hermione declared.

"Dad!" Haley exclaimed, "I cannot believe you did not stick up for mom."

"I had my reputation to keep."

"Screw reputation, dad! Your future wife was getting yelled at by some punk. You should have stood up for her."

"Well, I didn't love your mom at the time. I didn't even like her as a friend."

"Which comes as a shock. When I pictured you and moms relationship; I pictured true love at first sight, to shy to tell the other they loved them, so you just stayed friends. You know that sweet, child-like love," Chloe smiled at the thought. "How sweet."

"Nope that wasn't us at all…"

"It's so simple to look at every little thing I do wrong...it's so simple to overlook every little thing I do right." -Deftones

Note: Well, I have to say, I purposely did not mention the astronomy teacher's name because I couldn't remember it. Sorry. I am SO bad with names. I'm sorry again. Also the Dove constellation, incase you didn't know, is a real constellation. I looked it up. Hey, if you didn't know, you learn something knew everyday, right? I've been trying to get this out as fast as I can. I didn't really mention anything about the letter and the conflict in this chapter I was just trying to get the new kid out, Liam. So in the next chapter the plot might thicken. I'm still trying to find out a really good way to have them fall in love. I think I have my idea, but I don't know yet. It's still all swirling around in my head. I need to get a firm grasp on it. So anyway, please review. I would appreciate any comments on my story.