Another Face

By: Evol Nogara

Chapter Three: First Intentions

Summary: Draco and Hermione go mad touring. Draco uses magical hair gel. The usual.

Disclaimer: I own only the plot and the pervy-ness.

*

"How much more madness do I have to stand?"

"What are you talking about? We haven't even started."

"Oh, right. I knew that."

Hermione and Draco walked in front of the first years and headed for Snape's class. They figured if they get the children scared first they'll shut up for the rest of the tour.

"Aren't you Draco?"

"Why yes I am. I'm so glad to be noticed."

"I thought you were supposed to be handsome. My sister fancies you."

"What? I'm not handsome? Why?"

"Your hair is all mussed up and your clothes are strange."

Draco scowled at Hermione and resisted the urge to punch out every single one of those whiny little brats.

"Draco, we weren't this bad when we were young were we?"

"Well, I never insulted anyone's appearance. Much."

"Let's just hope they'll shut up after they visit Snape."

They reached the potion dungeon and all the first years gapped and gasped.

"Uh, Professor Snape?"

"What is it? I'm in the middle of a class here."

Hermione mumbled something to Snape and handed him a letter.

"Oh, very well. If Albus does this one more time..."

The Hufflepuff third years, currently in class, were delighted that someone interrupted their lesson.

"Mr. Malfoy. Would you be so kind as to perform a remembrance potion?"

"Of course. I'd be delighted to."

Draco put on a fake smile and gathered the ingredients. He started staring the ingredients in a cauldron. Hermione snorted at the sight of Draco. He was smiling and stirring and he didn't seem to like it one bit.

"Ms. Granger, why don't you go help Mr. Malfoy."

The grin from Hermione's face disappeared and she slowly walked toward Draco. After a few moments the potion was finished.

"Now which one of you first years want to try the potion?"

The first year backed away. Snape suddenly had an evil plan.

"All of you will step up now! And you will all drink the potion!"

The first years scrambled up and stood in a single line for the potion. Draco and Hermione handed out the potion. Good thing they made a lot. All the first years stood silently and some even shook with fear. They left the class and Hermione could've sworn Snape was laughing.

"Now they'll have to remember this day forever. Poor first years."

"When does the madness end?"

"It ends ...now!"

"Really?"

"No, I was just raising your hopes and then dragging them down."

"Draco, sometimes I really want to strangle you."

"Really now? Why don't you try?"

"I don't think the first years could handle it."

"They've gone through Snape. They can go face anything now."

"Now you're pushing it Malfoy."

"Oh, back to last names are we?"

"Why yes. I'm so glad you noticed. I thought your hair was too mused for you to notice anything."

"Oh stop it with the hair jokes. It's all your fault you know."

"What? I'm sorry I can't hear you. Your hair is too loud."

"Shall I kick you now or later?"

Hermione pretended not to hear anything and started answering questions from the first years.

*

"The madness is over!"

"Too tired...to be happy."

"Oh, cheer up Draco. Now you can go do your hair."

"What? Wait, I can go do my hair. What am I doing here then?"

Draco ran off to his room leaving Hermione quite disturbed. Hermione went inside the Great Hall for dinner. Harry and Ron were sitting together and talking with Seamus.

"Must eat food. First years are mad."

"Are you okay Hermione? You look a bit tired."

"Just pass the bread, Ron."

Dinner seemed slow and even more tiring. She had missed all her classes and began to worry about her work. She needed to keep up with the work. She must get assignments from everyone. She must go...to sleep. Hermione almost fell asleep on her mashed potatoes but Harry saved her and gave her a violent shake.

"What was that for?"

"You almost turned your mashed potatoes into a pillow!"

"Oh really? That's fascinating. Well I have to go do work now."

Ron and Harry stared at Hermione wonder if their good friend had finally lost it. Hermione walked, or rather stumbled, across the Great Hall and headed into her room.

*

"Granger! What happened? You look worse then you usually do."

"Oh, thanks Malfoy. Could you give me the assignments for today?"

"What makes you think I have them?"

"I just do."

There was a pause.

"Damn. I thought I could sneak in with these and let you miss out on all the assignments."

"Nice try. I'm never wrong."

"Really now?"

"Yes."

"Then you must be able to tell me if I'm dead sexy now that I've done my hair,"

"You're not."

"Then you're a liar and you're wrong. I -am- dead sexy."

"Don't forget conceited."

"Just take the assignments already. You're ruining my day."

"Good. I'm happy I ruined your day."

"No, wrong again. I said you were ruining my day but you did not ruin it yet."

"Just give me the assignments already."

"What's the magic word?"

"Give-them-now-or-I'll-curse-your-hair?"

"Close enough."

Hermione walked happily into her room with the assignments. Why had Dumbledore give the assignments to Malfoy instead of her? At least now she could start on her homework, but something was distracting her. Malfoy. Hermione almost fell off her chair when she realized that she kept on thinking about Malfoy. That slimy git even got inside her head. Damn him and his magic hair gel.

*

Draco was lying on his bed when Hermione knocked on his un-defective portrait. He took his time getting up and opening the door.

"So here to officially ruin my day?"

"Perhaps."

"Why are you really here?"

"Homework. I need help."

"The know-it-all Granger needs -my- help? That means Potter and Weasley have finally snogged!"

"I regret coming here."

"Good, my evil plan to make you regret you ever lived is working."

"Be serious Malfoy. I really need help."

"Me, serious? You must be kidding me. It's too much fun being the humorous bad guy."

"You're not all that bad."

Hermione could've died right there, but surprisingly she didn't. Damn his magical hair gel once again.

"Is Granger falling for me? Or is it just my magical hair gel?"

"Magical hair gel? What are you talking about?"

"Well, the label on it said that it would make any regular girl swoon for me. Not that I need anymore swooning girls."

"First of all, stop being so conceited. It's disgusting. Second of all, I am not like other girls."

"You aren't like other girls. You're more like a boy."

"I want to mess up your hair so bad right now."

Draco backed a few steps away from Hermione.

"Don't you dare. This hair is sacred."

Hermione lunged forward and reached for Draco's hair. She mussed it up and stepped aside, in awe of what she had just done. Even Hermione couldn't find words for what she had done. Draco sat on the floor, still not believing that Hermione had messed up his hair. He got up slowly walked into the bathroom and came out in a matter of seconds with perfect hair again.

"I will not have you ruining my day."

He sat down in his chair and stared at Hermione. Who did not know what to do.

"Will you or will you not help me?"

"I will. If you promise never to lay hands on my hair again."

"You drive a tough bargain but I'm obviously desperate for help."

"What is that suppose to mean? Wait, don't answer that. What do you need help on anyways? I thought you knew everything and then some."'

"I need help on Arithmacy."

"You're the top student in that class. I can't possibly help you."

Draco got up from his seat and started to go through his trunk.

"Aren't you going to come in? Or am I going to have to go to your room?"

Hermione walked in the room. It was similar to hers except with green and silver colors. It actually seemed better than red and gold. She looked at some of the things that Draco had. Pictures of people, supposedly family. She noticed that everything in the room looked expensive and not just anything that could be bought from a shop. Draco did come from a wealthy family but Hermione never knew the full meaning of coming a wealthy family.

"If you're done looking around, I've found a book that can help you."

Draco stood by his bookshelf with a large leather covered book, "The Age of Arithmacy."

"Here, take this and read it. It should help. I never gotten to reading it but I assume it's helpful."

"Thanks. Can I just ask you something?"

"What? I have to get my beauty sleep soon or I'll start throwing things."

Hermione laughed at the side comment. Draco didn't seem like Draco right now.

"I just wanted to know why you're being so nice to me."

The smile from Draco's face turned into a serious look, making Hermione regret what she has said.

"Why are you asking me that?"

"Well, after all those years of calling me names and being against my friends I got a bit suspicious about why you're being so nice."

"I never changed my attitude toward you. If you had ever had a conversation with me in the past you would know that. Me being mean to your friends makes no difference in what I do to you. I dislike you, but I don't hate you. Mudblood."

"You just had to say that didn't you? Well, it didn't work. I've become immune to it."

"I noticed. Damn the shortage of insulting words in the wizarding world."

"See. That's what I'm talking about. You're funny and sarcastic. You're not mean and evil."

"Was I mean and evil? You must have caught me in a bad mood. I'm always like this."

"I guess I never really had a real conversation with you until this year."

The book in Hermione's arm was getting heavy and her arm was sore.

"You should go. Oh, and never call me mean and evil again."

"Why?"

"I don't want to be like my father."

And with that, Draco shut the portrait door and leaned on the wall ending with a deep sigh. He had not talked to anyone like this in a long time. If he did not have Hermione to talk to he would've gone crazy and turned mean and evil. It was true that he did not want to be like his father. He did not want to have power over everything and twist the lives of innocent people. It wasn't him. He would rather be a stand-up comedy guy in some underground club.

*

Hermione spent the rest of the night thinking about what Draco had said. She never knew that Draco was so unlike his father. When she woke up in the morning she dressed and went out. It was about time that she had spent some time with Harry and Ron. Her first class was Arithmacy. She did not read the book that Draco gave her. Arithmacy was just an excuse to go visit Draco. Hermione found Draco outside her room, again.

"Defective door?"

"Nope. This time I'm actually waiting for someone."

"Who?"

"Do you have to be so oblivious and modest? You! You stupid git."

"Oh, well thanks for waiting for me."

"I just wanted to know if you had a chance to read the book yet."

"No, it was late and I just went to sleep."

"Well when you do, give me a good review."

"Sure."

Draco stared at Hermione. She looked like such a bookworm with her bag full of books and her normal length skirt. He closed in on the space between them and gave Hermione a good snog. Hermione's eye widened and her heart started beating faster. Draco leaned back with a smug look on his face.

"W-what was that?"

"A kiss you prat."

Draco walked off and left Hermione slightly dazed.

*

A/N: A longer chapter to make up for the last. A bit of fluff. I don't really like extreme fluff. It scares me.

Turquoisetears: Thanks for the reviews. I like that kind of Draco too. But niceness has its qualities. :D

Maiden Waterfall: They stared, the snogged, but did not get carried away. Yet.