AN:Sorry abt the confusion...Hope you like the chapter...I'm sorry i am so blurrr!!!!
Malfoy was utterly shocked when he saw Hermione. She looked different. Very different. When he felt his jaw drop he silently cussed at himself; Malfoys never showed emotion. Her hair...she had definitely done something to it. It was straight and had bronze streaks in it. He felt like reaching out and...wait this was a mudblood he was thinking about. He shook himself.
He then looked at her eyes and again felt their magnetic pull. "Ew...What the hell is wrong with me? She is a MUDBLOOD!" he chided himself.
She was wearing makeup, he noticed. The accentuation if her features made her look...different. He was lost for words wondering how his worst enemy had such an effect on him.
Hermione smirked at him and then icily, "We have to discuss the prefectorial duties before going to the meeting." She had got him back. The expression in his face itself was enough by its own. She knew that he was shocked. Who wouldn't be? She asked herself. She realized that she had been a book worm and all everyone expected of her was good grades.
No one knew her well, maybe Ron and Harry knew a little about her but even they didn't know about her dreams and wishes. She guessed that at first joined them due to the need of acceptance then they grew and her and she viewed them as the older brothers that she never had.
Sighing slightly she focused and saw Malfoy staring at her as though she had and axe stuck out of her head.
When he saw that Hermione had snapped out of her lala land or wherever her mind had wandered to, Malfoy smirked the traditional Malfoy smirk at her.
He smirked right back at her and replied, "And what makes you think I would pull myself to your level. A Malfoy, working with a mudblood. Sheesh that was a good one Granger." He said, his words meant to sting and he wondered for a moment why he was so high because of the fact that he was tormenting her. She didn't look hurt as he had expected her to be.
His guess was that she was so used to his verbal torture that she just took in his stride. He leaned against his doorframe and crossed his arms in front of his chest looking at her as though she was scum. In fact he was finding the fact that she was the only one who dared to speak back to him, throw him insults even when they were alone amusing. No one stood up to a Malfoy especially not a mudblood.
Hermione closed her eyes and told herself that she should just ignore him. "Mind you Malfoy if you don't do your share Professor McGonagall will hear about it," she replied as calmly as she could manage. Malfoy rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath that sounded vaguely like, "Filthy mudblood."
He knew she knew. Professor McGonagall was the only other person after Dumbledore that he respected in the school. Her prim and proper behavior and expectations of her students being exactly like that didn't make him comfortable. He knew that she was not someone to cross from the very day that they had met which was of course his first day in Hogwarts.
He remembered that he had offered to be Harry Potter's friend but when Harry turned his friendship down and sided with the snot nosed Weasly, that was the makings of a enmity. No one turned a Malfoy down. No one.
Professor McGonagall was extremely no-nonsense when ushering the students in and the way she handled the fear stricken first years made Malfoy respect her grudgingly of course. Unfortunately his respect for her didn't extend to doing as she said most of the time. He had never like Professor McGonagall you see he just...respected her as a person, something rather rare as the only other person he used to respect was his father.
And even now, he had lost that. His father was despicable in his eyes but at the same time the respect that came from him naturally when he was younger was now forced out of him by inducing pain and causing fear. He never let his father see how much he hated it when he went home and was forced to spend time with that; that monster for the lack of better words.
Deciding that he might as well go instead of anger the only teacher who would dare give him detention, he just walked out not bothering to even hold open the door for Hermione. Apparently she was too lowly to expect that of him. Hermione sighed, shook her head and followed the guy that had made her life hell for the past six years. She wondered why Malfoy always went out of his way to make her life hell.
She remembered her conversation with her foster mother at the beginning of the summer, when she had asked her why Malfoy behaved so horrendously towards her. She had snorted and dismissed her mother's words as they seemed too unlikely. Hell it wasn't just unlikely that what her foster mother said would happen it would be out right unexpected if it happened anywhere this millennium.
Her mother had told her that Malfoy was just teasing her because he had a crush on her. Thinking of that she rolled her eyes. Malfoy definitely didn't have a crush on her; he just had a bad case of prejudice. Hermione thought it was utterly revolting that he so blindly ignored what was right in front of him, choosing to believe the stupid notions that his father had drummed into his head.
He didn't want to waste time with the mudblood, instead wishing to ponder the interesting letter that had just arrived for him, thus he strode forward quickly, letting her lag behind. He stuck his hands in his pocket and thought back. He wondered if it would really happen. He then shrugged knowing that there would be nothing he could do.
Hermione's thought's drifted to her new found heritage. She knew that there were only very few pureblood families in the world and she hoped that she would find her real parents. She regretted not finding out who her parents really were when she had the chance. She wondered why she was so apprehensive to know.
She had written a letter in her head, asking her parents who her real parents were. But she did not know if she would have the nerve to know, what is they were like the Malfoys or worse...she thought as she looked at Malfoy walking ahead of her.
Shaking her head she rid herself of those thoughts and forced herself to think about the task on hand. Again she mentally whined about why Draco Malfoy of all people had to be the Head boy. She wondered how Dumbledore could have allowed for that to happen seeing that Malfoy was just untrustworthy scum.
She wondered if it would be like that throughout the year and asked herself if she would be able to keep her cool. She was already losing patience with him and they hadn't even been together for more than a day. Finally they reached the Transfiguration classroom and she walked in to find Malfoy sitting on a chair with his feet up on the table, deep in thought.
He looked different without the malice that usually shone in his eyes whenever she was present. His eyes instead held a clam but at the same time seemed impenetrable as though no one could reach him and no one would ever understand. Emotions swirled around his usually emotionless eyes. It seemed like he was a completely different person when not in the presence.
Of course that would be regular Slytherin behavior as none of the Slytherins behaved like they really were in front of others. They always put up walls in front of themselves and never let anyone see the real them.
Suddenly he snapped out of it and realized that she was there. "What mudblood?" he spat annoyed that she had seen him at his most vulnerable. Hermione jerked out of her funk only to see that Malfoy's eyes were back to normal; cold and full of malice. He nearly murdered himself for letting himself slip into the place in his mind where no one could touch him even when he was aware that anyone could barge in on him. He never wanted that mudblood of all people to be the one to see him like that.
He knew that she would definitely use that against him. It would be hilarious for her, to tell everyone in Gryffindor that the heartless Malfoy could actually have an emotion other that malice and anger. He smirked to himself when he thought of that as he knew that no one would believe Hermione and instead send her to St Mungos.
"Nothing," she snapped before she started discussing what the prefects should do. He seemed still distracted and just nodded in her general direction whenever she paused. He was still distracted by an idea that had just struck him. He would have to find out who it was, I mean it would be the person he would have to...
"Malfoy. Are you even listening? You aren't making this any easier you know?" Hermione shouted. Then she got up and stormed out of the room after hissing "Why don't you do it yourself." She let the door slam after her knowing that this was very unlikely behavior on her part.
Malfoy stared after her. He was shocked at her behavior. Whenever he had seen her with Potter and Weasly he assumed that she was hiding behind them but in a time span of a day he realized that she was in fact the brains of most of their operations. He had never seen self-confidence of such height in anyone. She had dared defy a Malfoy; of course for that she would pay but still he couldn't help admiring her courage. No one out of his family had ever treated him like that, like they were his equal, maybe even like he was unworthy to be in their presence.
Sighing he decided that he might as well shake out thoughts of his father's letter until later and start on the duty assigning. He moved lethargically, took a quill and charmed it before lying back in the chair and dictating what he wanted the quill to write. I soothing scratching filled the air as the quill scribbled over the piece of parchment.
Hermione stopped stomping half way and started walking calmly. She decided that this would be a good time for her to start her letter to her parents. Walking into her room she picked up a piece of parchment and a quill. Hesitating for a moment she stopped to think if she really wanted to know. It would be a huge blow to her if she found out if her parents were dead or worse, like the Malfoys.
She did not want to live in the world of the elite or those that thought they were elite and be married off as soon as her school ended. She had read that all pureblood families married their children once they graduated. Hermione had dreams for herself, dreams that she would never be able to reach while juggling a family.
Another part of her chided herself saying that is was now or never. She dipped her quill into ink and started.
Dear Mom and Dad? Mr. and Mrs. Granger,
I'm sorry for being mad at you when you told me about me being adopted. I guess I was just...Never mind. Well even though I said I didn't want to know who they were well now I do. Please write to me soon and tell me who they are and what they're family name is. Well could I still call you mom and dad? I'm sorry for running off, I hope you didn't worry
With Love, Your daughter? Hermione
P.S: Can still come home during the summer holidays?
Hermione read the letter over and finally decided that she was satisfied. She leaned onto the couch and thought back to when her parents had told her she was adopted.
Sunlight streamed into her window and hit her directly in her face. She lazed about in bed until finally getting out and padding over to the bathroom. She walked over to the bath and turned on the tap before starting to brush her teeth while the tub filled up. The bubble bath was nothing compared to those in the Hogwarts prefect bathroom but she loved the vanilla smell. Her mother had gotten it for her birthday last year but she had left it at home, forgetting to bring it back to school with her.
The smell of waffles wafted up the stair and she quickly took a bath, changed and ran down the stairs. She adored her mother's cooking. She especially loved her mother's special recipe for waffles with ice cream and chocolate fudge sauce.
It seemed like any normal day. Her mother was baking the waffles and father having his daily cup of coffee while reading the newspaper. When she entered the kitchen her father put down the papers and her mother looked at her misty eyed.
"Hermione darling we have something to tell you," her father said and her mother moved behind his chair and held his shoulders. Hermione looked at them quizzically and wondered what they were getting at.
"Don't tell me. Oh my god you're expecting aren't you mom," she exclaimed when it finally hit her. Hermione broke into a grin, knowing that she was going to have a little sister or brother, as she had always yearned for. Her mother smiled sadly and averted her eyes as though the scene about to occur was too much for her.
"No honey, your mother's not expecting. We just decided that it would be a good time to tell you..." he said trailing off.
"Tell me what?" Hermione asked.
"Well dear. You're adopted. Your family got in touch. They're one of the oldest pureblood families in the world. Honey, don't cry, we still love you with all our hearts. We wanted to find out who they were so we could tell you when the time was right but when we saw that they were wizards we thought you might want to know..." Her father rambled from nervousness, noticing tears leaking out of her eyes.
"Don't you ever think that we don't love you dear? It's just, we thought you had the right to know, so you wouldn't be taken by storm when they came," he whispered.
Hermione felt numb as though this was all a dream but she knew it wasn't. She rose from her chair and suddenly rage like no other possessed her, "Why did you tell me? I would have been much better off not knowing!" she screamed before swiftly turning around and walking back to her room.
She was thinking clearly despite the raging inferno that was consuming her heart at that very moment. She couldn't cry. She WOULDN'T cry. She had to be strong. But still a lone tear managed to escape her brimming eyes and hung at her cheek bone, neither falling nor going away. For moments she was occupied by that tear. Staring at it, trying to distract herself so that the information would not sink in.
From the corner of her eyes she saw her father stand up but her mother retrained him telling him that she most probably needed time on her own. Using her finger she flicked away the tear and ascended the steps to her room.
Even though she was raging Hermione knew one thing. She had to get out of there and that she should never tell a soul. Once in the solace of her room she threw all her things into her trunk helter-skelter. Finally after double checking every thing she shrunk the trunk and put it in a pocket. Leaving a note telling them that she was gone but she was safe and not to come looking for her, she taped it onto her desk and then stealthily tiptoed down the steps.
Realizing her parents were still in the kitchen she snuck out of the back door but not before she heard her mother say, "Do you think we did the right thing Sweet heart?"
Even as tempted as Hermione was to shout at their face a big fat no, she couldn't as she knew that if she stopped now, she would never get away and she would have to join her pureblood parents something which she wasn't ready for and she never believed that she would ever be ready for.
She hailed the knight bus a few blocks away from her home and asked them to take her to the burrow. Before she was there she wiped away all her tears and put on a huge fake grin. She knew she wasn't ready to tell anyone not even her best friends. Especially knowing their tendency to worry about her. She would just have to fake being happy; she told herself and never let anyone know what had happened.
When she had arrived at the burrow, they greeted her with open arms and all the while she pretended that she had to live with them as her parents were away on a trip and as they all believed her she had no problems.
"The prefectorial board meeting starts in ten minutes," the cool voice announced. Quickly Hermione stuffed her letter in her robe pocket and dashed out of her common room saying a quick goodbye to Ella.
"Looking good," Ella called after her. Hermione reached the Transfiguration classroom just in time. There were only four fifth year prefects, six sixth year prefects and eight seventh year prefect that year. She nodded at them and went to stand at the front of the classroom. Snatching the list out of Malfoy's hand she quickly skimmed through is. As everything seemed in order she charmed it to enlarge into a screen.
Using her wand as a pointer she explained everything to all the prefects. After a few minor changes were made due to quidditch practice she told the prefects that they would be having a Valentines Day ball.
At this Parvati Patil a seventh year prefect shrieked, "Oh my god. That is so cool!" Malfoy smirked condescendingly at all the female prefects who immediately started gossiping about the upcoming ball. He knew for a fact that they would all swoon and die on the spot if he asked any of them, and the fact that his father would probably kill him if he went out with anyone who had not passed the Malfoy test. Suddenly there was a rap at the door. Dumbledore strode in with Professor McGonagall behind him.
"That went very well for a first meeting and yes; there will be a Valentines Day ball. The prefects will be in charge of everything, from decoration to food. This will be a test of your responsibility. Congratulations on making the Prefectorial board. Goodnight," he said but Professor McGonagall didn't leave instead she told the heads that she needed to use the room to prepare her lessons for Monday.
"If that's all, thank you for coming. We're adjourned for today," Malfoy said before striding out of the classroom toward the common room. As Hermione walked out of the classroom she heard Ginny and Paravti talking among themselves. As she walked up to them, they stopped talking with very guilty expressions on their faces.
Hermione was stricken. She right away assumed that Ginny was talking about what she had told her that day. What else could it be, seeing that Ginny had nothing else against her. Her eyes widened and tears brimmed in her eyes.
"How could you. Of all people I thought that you would never tell!" she screamed at a very confused Ginny and ran off to her portrait; tears pouring freely down her face. Ella took one look at her face and asked her if she was alright but instead Hermione just shook her head and muttered the password before practically shoving herself into the common room. She like Ella and was getting quite fond of the lady but at that moment she felt so betrayed that she couldn't deal with anything at all at that moment.
There Malfoy lay on the couch and he saw her crying. "Been bawling your eyes out because your parents don't want you Granger," he spat.
"Shut up you...you...you ferret. I have had enough of your snide comments. Just leave me alone. So you now know about my parents aren't really my parents. Why haven't you gone to tell the whole school? Huh Malfoy. I would have expected you to announce it during dinner. You go out of your way to get me. Is it a need to see me at my weakest huh? Well you have and now you can be happy right!" she screamed, tears plopping onto the floor, letting all the rage she had felt for weeks to come out. She then crumpled onto the floor in a heap of sobbing mess. Her parents weren't her parents, her friend couldn't be trusted and her enemy had seen her at her weakest.
"Are you done Mudblood?" Malfoy said nonchalantly as though she was not worth his attention. At that she stood up, strode up to him and raised her hands as though to slap him but he caught it and used it to pull him close to her. His eyes were so close and all she could see was hate and malice. Suddenly she was extremely frightened of what he would do to her.
"You don't know me Granger," he hissed before pushing her away and stalking into his room.
AN:Well guys here's the chapter that was deleted by accident. I will try iron out all probs by weds this week ok? Oh yeah read and review