Brave New Girl

Tiffany.

Chapter 2. Narcissa and Mrs. Granger

Hermione had to ride with Lavender squealing how good she looked the whole time. By the time they got to Kings Cross Hermione had a splitting headache and she really wanted to slap Lavender but she had a reputation as a good girl and she didn't want to loose that. Then again, the clothes might ruin it for her. Hermione sighed and as she got out of Mrs. Brown's car and looked down at her clothing.

First, she was looked down at the skirt she was wearing. A Truck Pleated Denim Mini skirt. Yes. A mini skirt! How could Lavender make her wear this? Hermione shook her head and looked down at her shirt. It was the most...most...well she didn't know what it was but she defiantly wasn't used to. One whole arm was bare and the other was covered! Lavender had called it a One Shoulder Polka Dot Top since it was black and had very tiny white polka dots here and there. Hermione hated it. It made her feel half naked. Well, she didn't hate it since she thought she looked good in it...but she wasn't going to let anyone know the truth. On her feet she had Bongo Combat Boots. She was going to kill Lavender.

"Come on Mione! Wait till everyone sees you and your new hair!"

Hermione rolled her eyes. New hair? She had liked her hair just the way it was but ten Lavender put this product that she had bought at Hogsmeade in it and now it was no longer bushy. Just soft wavy chocolate curls. Ok, so fine. Hermione defiantly liked her hair like this way better and would probably do it like that by herself from now on. She should at least thank Lavender for her new hair. Her new clothes? Yeah right. Hermione sighed and followed her, trunk dragging behind her. So people wouldn't immediately know who she was, she tipped her head down so that she was looking straight down at her boots.

"Hermione?"

Hermione's head shot up as she heard Ron and Harry both say her name in unison. They looked shocked and Lavender was holding onto Harry's arm giggling. Hermione glared at her and then looked back over at Harry, who was just looking shocked and Ron who was looking well, very happy about something. His face was turning bright red, which made Hermione even madder. She shot all three of them a glare.

"Don't say a thing. I'm going to change."

Lavender looked hurt and she let go of Harry and latched herself onto Hermione's arm and she started whimpering.

"Please don't go change! Please, please, please! I spent so many exhausting hours shopping for you and your not going to even try and get used to this?"

For once Lavender sounded like a normal girl speaking and Hermione suddenly felt very bad. Sighing, she looked over at Lavender who was shooting her a pleading look. This made Hermione feel guilty, very guilty. Letting out a sigh of defeat Hermione threw her hands up in the air as a sign of defeat.

"Fine...fine. Let's just get on the train."

Lavender let out a whoop and ran back over to Harry. Hermione had a feeling that Lavender had a thing for him over the summer. Lavender would never shut up about him. Harry this, Harry that, how's it like to be best friends with Harry, Do you think he would want to be friends with me too? It had been an ongoing thing. Hermione nearly ran away just so she wouldn't have to answer any more questions about Harry.

The four of them walked through the barrier one at a time. Hermione had gone first because Lavender had pushed her in. Hermione had tripped through and had a very hard time catching her balance. Actually, she didn't catch her balance at all. She headed straight down to the hard ground. That was until someone had caught her. Hermione let out a sigh of relief and looked up to see who was holding her at this very moment and then she cringed.

"Get your hands off me Malfoy."

Hermione looked up at the smirking face of Draco Malfoy. Hermione's archenemy for seven years.

"Gladly mudblood. But shouldn't I even receive a thank you? I could've let you fall."

Hermione noticed that he was right and took a small step away from him. What should she say to that? Hermione let out an annoyed sigh and nodded. Crossing her arms over her chest she gave him the gratitude that he...deserved.

"Thank you Draco. I'm very glad that you didn't let me fall."

Her voice was stiff and she had decided to use his first name for more dramatic effect. No, her voice wasn't sarcastic like she had been hoping it would be. It was emotionless and could you blame her? No. That was when she felt a hand wrap around her arm and she looked over to see Lavender goggling at Draco. Another one of his fan girls was what he was probably thinking.

Draco Malfoy hadn't even meant to catch Hermione when she had tripped through the barrier. He had known it was her though there had been a dramatic change in her appearance. He could still make out the big cinnamon eyes. There was only one person that he knew who had those eyes. Hermione 'fucking mudblood' Granger. It wasn't that Draco paid attention to people's eyes, especially mudblood's eyes, but it was just one of those things that you knew. Like everyone could tell Draco was Draco by his stormy gray eyes and platinum blonde hair. It was just something you knew.

Draco glared down at the girl and rolled his eyes. At least she had actually said thank you like he deserved. Draco crossed his arms over his chest. His father was in Azkaban Prison. Actually, he was dead. He had died there after two years. Ever since Potty had put Lucious in there in their fifth year he had been growing steadily and steadily weaker. Then just this year he had keeled over and Draco had attended his funeral. Was he sad about it? No. Draco was glad that his father was dead. He deserved it. Now Draco didn't have to join the band of Death Eaters. He could have his own life. And he did. His band was his life. His mother? Well, she was a crazy woman that now lived at St. Mungo's. It was bound to be in the Dailey Prophet any day now.

Breaking his thoughts he looked over to the other girl. Lavender Brown. She was hot but extremely stupid. Draco smirked at how she goggled at him like an idiot. Oh how he loved his little fan girls. Wait. How come Hermione didn't act like that? She was the first not to goggle at him like he was an image of perfection. Well, he was an image of perfection. Interesting. Oh well. He couldn't have every girl, not that he wanted mudblood but you get the point.

"Your welcome Granger. I'm glad I ran into you, well not glad but it's a good thing because Mcgonagal wants you. She's with Dumbldore. She has something very...important to tell you. I'm sure you'll be very...surprised at what she has to say."

There was something about the glint of amusement in his eyes that made Hermione very curious to see what Prof. Mcgonagal had to say. How did Malfoy know what she had to say anyway? Well, if it was about their Head duties then Hermione was disappointed. She already knew what to do as a Head Girl. It couldn't be that hard. Hermione raised an eyebrow and looked at him curiously.

"About Head Duties?"

A small chuckle escaped from somewhere deep inside Draco's throat. She guessed she was wrong about Mcgonagal wanting to talk about Head duties.

"Oh no Granger. This is about...something way more interesting."

With that Hermione watched Draco's retreating back with great curiosity. Interesting? That was good right? Of course it was. Hermione quickly pulled herself from Lavenders grasp and bounded onto the train. She ignored the calls from friends and just had one thing on her mind. Find out what Mcgonagal has to say. Hermione walked as fast as possible in her mini skirt to the back of the train. Hermione knocked on the compartment door that said Staff and it slid open. Hermione was surprised to see Dumbldore there as well. Prof. Mcgonagal and the older wizard both smiled at her. They seemed strained though. Very strained. Hermione frowned. Ok. So maybe this wasn't good news.

Hermione sat down across from them and folded her hands in her lap. What was going on? Had someone died? Had one of her parents died? Oh no! What if something went wrong with the divorce between her parents? Hermione's eyes widened at the thought and her foot started tapping the floor in anxiousness. Dumbldore cleared his throat and folded his own hands in his lap and then started.

"This will come as a shock to you Ms. Granger."

Hermione said nothing and she saw Mcgonagal give him a look that told him to get going with what he had to say. Dumbldore nodded and turned back to Hermione.

"You are seventeen now and at the proper age to marry. As you don't know, is that your parents are not who you think they are. Mr. And Mrs. Granger are not muggles. They are a pair of very powerful wizards."

Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"What? What are you talking about? Why didn't they tell me?"

"I asked them not to."

"Why?"

Dumbldore sighed.

"Hermione, I asked them not to because I wanted to see how everyone, preferably the Slytherins, would react if there was a witch that was smarter and more powerful then themselves."

Hermione suddenly realized what was going on.

"That's how bad you wanted house unity? You lied to a student!"

Dumbldore seemed very depressed at what she had said. Hermione was boiling with anger. She wasn't mad about being a pureblood but she was mad that she had been lied to for seventeen years. It hurt her. It wasn't fair how she got made fun of for sixteen years for being something she wasn't. Hermione was raging with anger. Prof. Mcgonagal sighed and moved over so that she was now sitting next to Hermione, an arm across her shoulder.

"Hermione dear, there's more that will be even...more of a shock."

Dumbldore rubbed his temple before started up again. Hermione was so angry that she was shaking. She wanted to get out of the compartment and break down in tears by herself.

"Hermione. Your parents are also friends with Narcissa Malfoy. Mrs. Granger and Narcissa agreed that once Lucious was in Azkaban and not a harm to you, since he was under the impression that you were a muggle-born, that they would wed you to Narcissa's son. Draco Malfoy. Narcissa has known about this since the time that she had Draco, who was born two weeks before you were. Mrs. Granger and Narcissa were old school friends. They made this vow while they were still here at Hogwarts in their seventh year when Narcissa was to be married to Lucious. Now that Lucious is deceased this act can be carried out. It has to be carried out."

Hermione stared at him dumbfounded. There was no way that she was going to marry Malfoy. Nope. She would rather die first. Hermione shook her head and pulled herself away from Mcgonagal. Her fists were clenched as she stormed out of the compartment and into the empty aisle. Well, it was empty except for Malfoy who was looking at her with a smirk upon his face.

"Oh look. It's my lovely Fiancée."

Hermione squeezed her eyes shut to keep herself from punching him in the face right then and there. Drawing in a deep breath and then let her eyes open to look at his amused face. Hermione glared at him.

"You right. Now excuse me while I go kill myself."

With that Hermione strode past him and walked into the first empty compartment that she found. Hermione wasn't going to kill herself. She wasn't one that supported suicide. Hermione slid open the door and then slammed it shut. She threw herself on the maroon seat and looked out the window. Then came the tears. Hermione sobbed, burying her face in her hands. This wasn't happening. It was a bad dream! It had to be! Hermione didn't notice it when the door was again, slid open.

Draco wasn't sure if Hermione actually meant it when she said she was going to go kill herself so she slowly walked over to the compartment that she was sitting in. Although she was a pureblood he still didn't have any appeal towards her. After hating her for sixteen years, it was hard for someone to just love the person. Draco sighed and slowly slid open the door again and was almost relieved to see that she hadn't tried to kill herself. She was crying. He didn't blame her.

Sighing again, Draco walked fully into the compartment and sat across from her. She hadn't notice him obviously. If she had, she would probably be screaming her head off and telling him to get out of her bloody compartment. Draco ran a hand through his shaggy blonde hair and rested his stormy bluish/gray eyes on her.

"There's no use in crying over it Hermione."