Chapter 1
Hermione Granger was normal. Well, as normal as any smarty-pants, teacher's pet witch went.
"Here." She said, handing her two bet friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley each a copy of the same book. "I'm sick of telling you guys the same things over and over." The train moved along smoothly toward the school the three of them called home for most of the year. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
"You're not serious are you?" Ron said, cocking an eyebrow at Hermione.
"Well of coarse I am!" She zipped up her bag and set it in the seat next to her. She stared at Harry and Ron, who were sitting across from her. Ron and Harry looked at each other bewildered.
"But it's so much easier to just hear it from you! This," Ron said, brandishing the book at her, "means I have to read, and remember stuff." Harry nodded.
"Ron, lets just keep it." Harry said, looking at the cover of the book. Hogwarts, a History. "Just consider it a souvenirs from the time Hermione tried to make us actually read this thing." Harry put his copy away in his book bag sitting near him. Ron did the same.
"Very funny Harry." Hermione said.
"Lighten up!" Harry said smiling at her. Hermione gave an angry cry and headed toward the compartment door. "Where are you going?" She stopped in the doorframe and turned around.
"To the prefects compartment!"
"Oh, let me come with-" Ron started.
"No," Hermione said, "You just stay here with Harry." And she closed the door. She was surprised Ron listened to her. Furious, she stormed off toward the front of the train. 'How can they not care!' she thought. O.W.L.s were coming this year and neither of them seemed to have cared. She thought giving them that book would be a nice gesture. 'Maybe I'm just over reacting.' She thought, 'I can't actually expect them to read anything anyway.' Rolling her eyes to the ceiling she slid open the Prefect's compartment door, and noticed no one there.
"Must be patrolling the train." She thought. "Well, there are enough of them, they don't need my help." Sitting herself down at the window, she sighed. She defiantly expected too much from Harry and Ron. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Relaxed, she didn't even hear someone else step into the compartment.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"I should go with her," Ron said, getting up. Harry grabbed the back of Ron's robes and pulled him back into the seat next to him.
"Not a good idea." Harry said, "Just let her have some time alone. She's just stressed."
"How would you know?" Ron asked.
"Ron, what year are we in?"
"Fifth," Ron said, looking like it was the dumbest question Harry could ask.
"Right, now, what very big, very important tests do we take in fifth year?" Harry said, still hanging onto the back of Ron's robes, in case he decided to sprint for the door. He watched Ron closely.
"O.W.Ls," Ron said. Harry raised his eyebrows at his red headed friend. "Ohhhh." Ron said, settling into his seat. Harry let go of his robes.
"Yeah those." Harry said. "I don't blame her for stressing."
"Harry, O.W.Ls aren't for another 6 months or so, why is she stressing now?" Ron asked.
Harry rolled his eyes, "Because it's Hermione, duh?"
"Oh yeah." Ron said. Harry rolled his eyes.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hermione sighed. She heard the compartment door rattle, and looked up at it. No one was there, so she closed her eyes and went back to her rest.
"Hello Granger." Said a slimy voice. There was someone sitting across from her. Her head snapped up to meet Malfoy's eyes, and was stunned. They weren't gray; they were a beautiful shade of light blue. A knot formed in the pit of her stomach.
"Malfoy." She whispered.
"That's my name." He said.
"What are you doing here?" She said, sitting up straighter. He pulled at his robes to show her a shinny prefect's badge. "Oh." She said.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Same reason you are Malfoy." She said, narrowing her eyes at him.
"I know *why * you're here Granger, but why are you here alone?" He asked. 'Why is he using that tone? Why is he being nice to me? What is that look in his eyes?' A million thoughts raced through her head, wondering why Malfoy wasn't insulting her. Then she realized, Crabbe and Goyle were missing.
"I needed to get away." She said honestly. "And you're certainly not yourself Malfoy. What made you come up here?"
"Dunno," He said, relaxed. He settled into the chair, not losing eye contact with Hermione, "Same reason I suppose." This was confusing Hermione. Why wasn't he being mean? Why was he acting so civilized?
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"You think I like hanging around those two idiots *all * the time?" He said.
"Well, I guess not." Hermione said.
"So I just bought a load of sweets from that old lady with the cart, and gave them to Crabbe and Goyle. Should keep them busy for a while." He smirked. The knot in Hermione's stomach tightened.
"I have to go." She said, getting up fast. She felt a hand close around her wrist before she got a chance to get to the door. She stared down at Malfoy's hand.
"Why leaving so soon?" He asked simply.
"I need to patrol the train, it's my responsibility as a Prefect-"
"There are enough of them out there. You're fine. Sit down." He said coolly. Hermione wanted to get as far away from his eyes, and from him altogether. She wanted the knot to go away, and the thudding of her heart to return to its normal pace.
"I need to see Harry and Ron," she said, looking him directly in the eye.
"I'm sure they're fine too."
"It's not a matter of how they're doing Draco," She snapped.
"Suit yourself." He released her wrist, "And you just called me Draco." There was a gleam in his eye to match that smile.
"Yeah? So?" She said. He shrugged, and stared at her. Her heart wouldn't calm down, and the knot wouldn't loosen. She had to get out of there.
"I thought you were leaving?" he smiled.
"I am." She said, turning back toward the compartment door.
"Bye then," She heard him say as she closed the door behind her. She headed back toward her compartment, her heart still racing from the look in his eyes. The tense knot in her stomach had faded when she left him behind. 'What was that all about?' she wondered, 'What was he playing at?' She slid open the door.
"Hi," she said, rather breathlessly.
"Hello." Said Harry, "Feeling better?"
"Huh?" she said, taking a seat, "Oh, yes I am, thank you." It was a semi lie, but she wasn't about to tell Harry about her encounter with Draco. 'No,' She thought, 'Malfoy, not Draco. He is Malfoy and will always be a Malfoy, remember that.'
"Are you alright?" Harry asked.
"Yes, fine. Where's Ron?" Hermione said, just realizing her other friend wasn't there.
"Went along on his Prefectly duties." Harry said, jabbing a thumb at the door. "I also think he went to look for you."
"Well, I didn't see him on my way back."
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yes Harry I'm fine. Will you drop it?" Harry didn't want to be snapped at again, or yelled at for that matter, so he shut up. He finally got bored enough to pull out the book Hermione had given him, and starting flipping though the pages. Hermione sighed. She looked back over at Harry a few minutes later.
"Harry," she said.
"Hmm?" he answered, looking up from the book.
"Sorry I snapped at you." Said Hermione.
"It's alright," he replied, "I know you're stressed. with O.W.L.s coming up and all."
"Oh," She said, "Well yes. of coarse." She stared at the window. She was still in puzzlement over Malfoy's behavior. Dare she go back to the compartment to talk to him some more? She had to strangest urge to do so. But, she thought better of it. That could be dangerous.
A few hours, and a few chess pieces later, (For Harry and Ron anyway) the Hogwart's Express pulled into Hogsmeade station. Hermione and her friends stepped off the train into a crisp, clear, and cool night. Hermione breathed deeply. They heard Hagrid's usual shouts, and headed to the carriages that were waiting for them. The three got one to themselves, and then the carts moved slowly up the bumpy hill toward Hogwarts.
Hermione Granger was normal. Well, as normal as any smarty-pants, teacher's pet witch went.
"Here." She said, handing her two bet friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley each a copy of the same book. "I'm sick of telling you guys the same things over and over." The train moved along smoothly toward the school the three of them called home for most of the year. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
"You're not serious are you?" Ron said, cocking an eyebrow at Hermione.
"Well of coarse I am!" She zipped up her bag and set it in the seat next to her. She stared at Harry and Ron, who were sitting across from her. Ron and Harry looked at each other bewildered.
"But it's so much easier to just hear it from you! This," Ron said, brandishing the book at her, "means I have to read, and remember stuff." Harry nodded.
"Ron, lets just keep it." Harry said, looking at the cover of the book. Hogwarts, a History. "Just consider it a souvenirs from the time Hermione tried to make us actually read this thing." Harry put his copy away in his book bag sitting near him. Ron did the same.
"Very funny Harry." Hermione said.
"Lighten up!" Harry said smiling at her. Hermione gave an angry cry and headed toward the compartment door. "Where are you going?" She stopped in the doorframe and turned around.
"To the prefects compartment!"
"Oh, let me come with-" Ron started.
"No," Hermione said, "You just stay here with Harry." And she closed the door. She was surprised Ron listened to her. Furious, she stormed off toward the front of the train. 'How can they not care!' she thought. O.W.L.s were coming this year and neither of them seemed to have cared. She thought giving them that book would be a nice gesture. 'Maybe I'm just over reacting.' She thought, 'I can't actually expect them to read anything anyway.' Rolling her eyes to the ceiling she slid open the Prefect's compartment door, and noticed no one there.
"Must be patrolling the train." She thought. "Well, there are enough of them, they don't need my help." Sitting herself down at the window, she sighed. She defiantly expected too much from Harry and Ron. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Relaxed, she didn't even hear someone else step into the compartment.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"I should go with her," Ron said, getting up. Harry grabbed the back of Ron's robes and pulled him back into the seat next to him.
"Not a good idea." Harry said, "Just let her have some time alone. She's just stressed."
"How would you know?" Ron asked.
"Ron, what year are we in?"
"Fifth," Ron said, looking like it was the dumbest question Harry could ask.
"Right, now, what very big, very important tests do we take in fifth year?" Harry said, still hanging onto the back of Ron's robes, in case he decided to sprint for the door. He watched Ron closely.
"O.W.Ls," Ron said. Harry raised his eyebrows at his red headed friend. "Ohhhh." Ron said, settling into his seat. Harry let go of his robes.
"Yeah those." Harry said. "I don't blame her for stressing."
"Harry, O.W.Ls aren't for another 6 months or so, why is she stressing now?" Ron asked.
Harry rolled his eyes, "Because it's Hermione, duh?"
"Oh yeah." Ron said. Harry rolled his eyes.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hermione sighed. She heard the compartment door rattle, and looked up at it. No one was there, so she closed her eyes and went back to her rest.
"Hello Granger." Said a slimy voice. There was someone sitting across from her. Her head snapped up to meet Malfoy's eyes, and was stunned. They weren't gray; they were a beautiful shade of light blue. A knot formed in the pit of her stomach.
"Malfoy." She whispered.
"That's my name." He said.
"What are you doing here?" She said, sitting up straighter. He pulled at his robes to show her a shinny prefect's badge. "Oh." She said.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Same reason you are Malfoy." She said, narrowing her eyes at him.
"I know *why * you're here Granger, but why are you here alone?" He asked. 'Why is he using that tone? Why is he being nice to me? What is that look in his eyes?' A million thoughts raced through her head, wondering why Malfoy wasn't insulting her. Then she realized, Crabbe and Goyle were missing.
"I needed to get away." She said honestly. "And you're certainly not yourself Malfoy. What made you come up here?"
"Dunno," He said, relaxed. He settled into the chair, not losing eye contact with Hermione, "Same reason I suppose." This was confusing Hermione. Why wasn't he being mean? Why was he acting so civilized?
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"You think I like hanging around those two idiots *all * the time?" He said.
"Well, I guess not." Hermione said.
"So I just bought a load of sweets from that old lady with the cart, and gave them to Crabbe and Goyle. Should keep them busy for a while." He smirked. The knot in Hermione's stomach tightened.
"I have to go." She said, getting up fast. She felt a hand close around her wrist before she got a chance to get to the door. She stared down at Malfoy's hand.
"Why leaving so soon?" He asked simply.
"I need to patrol the train, it's my responsibility as a Prefect-"
"There are enough of them out there. You're fine. Sit down." He said coolly. Hermione wanted to get as far away from his eyes, and from him altogether. She wanted the knot to go away, and the thudding of her heart to return to its normal pace.
"I need to see Harry and Ron," she said, looking him directly in the eye.
"I'm sure they're fine too."
"It's not a matter of how they're doing Draco," She snapped.
"Suit yourself." He released her wrist, "And you just called me Draco." There was a gleam in his eye to match that smile.
"Yeah? So?" She said. He shrugged, and stared at her. Her heart wouldn't calm down, and the knot wouldn't loosen. She had to get out of there.
"I thought you were leaving?" he smiled.
"I am." She said, turning back toward the compartment door.
"Bye then," She heard him say as she closed the door behind her. She headed back toward her compartment, her heart still racing from the look in his eyes. The tense knot in her stomach had faded when she left him behind. 'What was that all about?' she wondered, 'What was he playing at?' She slid open the door.
"Hi," she said, rather breathlessly.
"Hello." Said Harry, "Feeling better?"
"Huh?" she said, taking a seat, "Oh, yes I am, thank you." It was a semi lie, but she wasn't about to tell Harry about her encounter with Draco. 'No,' She thought, 'Malfoy, not Draco. He is Malfoy and will always be a Malfoy, remember that.'
"Are you alright?" Harry asked.
"Yes, fine. Where's Ron?" Hermione said, just realizing her other friend wasn't there.
"Went along on his Prefectly duties." Harry said, jabbing a thumb at the door. "I also think he went to look for you."
"Well, I didn't see him on my way back."
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yes Harry I'm fine. Will you drop it?" Harry didn't want to be snapped at again, or yelled at for that matter, so he shut up. He finally got bored enough to pull out the book Hermione had given him, and starting flipping though the pages. Hermione sighed. She looked back over at Harry a few minutes later.
"Harry," she said.
"Hmm?" he answered, looking up from the book.
"Sorry I snapped at you." Said Hermione.
"It's alright," he replied, "I know you're stressed. with O.W.L.s coming up and all."
"Oh," She said, "Well yes. of coarse." She stared at the window. She was still in puzzlement over Malfoy's behavior. Dare she go back to the compartment to talk to him some more? She had to strangest urge to do so. But, she thought better of it. That could be dangerous.
A few hours, and a few chess pieces later, (For Harry and Ron anyway) the Hogwart's Express pulled into Hogsmeade station. Hermione and her friends stepped off the train into a crisp, clear, and cool night. Hermione breathed deeply. They heard Hagrid's usual shouts, and headed to the carriages that were waiting for them. The three got one to themselves, and then the carts moved slowly up the bumpy hill toward Hogwarts.