Chapter 2: Still brand-new

Hermione woke up early and made her way to the Great Hall for breakfast, only to find it remotely empty. Harry and Ron were already waiting for her. They took a stack of toast each and decided to go for a walk.

Finally, Ron found his voice. "Hermione...I...um.... that is to say Harry and I are really sorry for you going into Slytherin...and hope that we can still be...friends."

It sounded unconvincing but Hermione did not blame them. It was too sudden. After all, Slytherin house had a reputation.

"Look, it wasn't my choice to go into Slytherin. I am also surprised at the notion." She wondered briefly whether she should tell them about what Dumbledore said. She decided to let them in a bit.

"There's something I need to tell you guys. Yesterday, Dumbledore talked to me. He said that it was a surprise that I became a Slytherin. But he also said that the hat have its reasons. I know we won't be as close as before but I really hope we can still be friends."

"So friends?" Harry asked uncertainly.

"Friends" All three of them responded.

"So what did Slytherin dorms look like?" Harry inquired as they strolled on the banks along the lake.

"Green and windowless. Depressing. The head suite is really nice though." With that, Hermione described her chambers and dorm almost gloomily.

Ron and Harry looked jealous. If only those colours are Gryffindor colours, she thought wistfully.

It turned out that Ron and Harry shared a room with Terry Boot, Ernie MacMillan and Andy Lake. They were nice, in Harry's opinion. Ron complained that they were still lacking in Gryffindor spirit.

They were greeted by an unfriendly sight as three people came in their way. It was Malfoy, Nott and Parkinson.

"Well, well, well...If it is not Potter's famous gang. What are you doing there Granger? You are one of ours now. Foolish to join them now isn't it, mudblood?" He emphasized on the word mudblood, which made Ron extremely furious. Hermione is too used to these type of treatment to bother.

"Sod of, Malfoy." Harry threatened. With Crabbe and Goyle gone, Malfoy certainly looks less terrifying.

Ron had whipped out his want and looked at Malfoy threateningly. Hermione was torn between laughter and exasperation. Six years and they haven't changed a bit. She had to agree that Malfoy was a git but sometimes, Harry and Ron has a tendency to let their emotions control them.

"Go away, Malfoy. What we do here is none of your business." Hermione finally settled on sending him off with an even voice. Her Head Girl badge glinted as it caught a ray of sunlight, as if giving Malfoy a warning. He left grudgingly, knowing that she had higher level of authority than him now that she is Head Girl.

"Cool one, mate." Harry said.

"I'd like to see him try again. If only Moody had turned him into a ferret permanently." All three of them laughed at the memory.

"Hey Hermione!" Ron exclaimed. "Since you're now in Slytherin, any misbehaviour in your part, points will be deducted from Slytherin. Can you..."

"No way. That'll be cheating. Anyway, I am a Slytherin now, so I shall have to help Slytherin win the House Cup don't I?"

"Spoilsport."

The bell rang and they separated from class.

O#O#O#O#O#O#O#O#O#O#O#

In potions class that day, there really was a difference. Usually, Snape ignored Hermione thoroughly, even if her hands have reached the ceiling. However, today, he seemed almost eager to call on her to give answers and awarded Slytherin points generously, to the displeasure of Ron, who sent her a glare.

They did not have a chance to sit together. Hermione was paired up with Blaise Zabini, who is polite enough, but ignored her most of the time. She was rather silent, not because she was shy, but because she did not really find the need to talk. At first, Hermione was rather hurt as she thought it was due to fact that she was a former Gryffindor. However, upon seeing the cold way she treated Malfoy, she changed her views.

After potions, both of them went to Arithmancy. Hermione didn't see a reason why they shouldn't be friends. She was sure Blaise knew who she was. So, instead of introducing herself, she started out by small talk.

"What do you think Professor Vector is going to teach us this year?" Hermione asked her silent housemate.

"I am sure you have read the textbook. Though I think there'll be something different. He hinted as much at the end of the year." Blaise said somewhat nonchalantly.

Hermione winced at the coldness but it was better than a one-word answer.

She made a few attempts and finally came to one that they are both comfortable with.

"I am not a very good flier. Its more of Harry's business." She told Blaise.

"Well, I have to agree he is. Pity I am still stuck here. In Slytherin, you have to buy your way into the Quidditch team. I could have played better as Chaser but they decided I don't play dirty enough and did not make much contribution to the team. And besides, I really cannot stand Malfoy. I'd rather not be in the same team as him." Blaise said.

"At least we agree that he's a git." Hermione frowned. "I thought all of you Slytherins suck up to him, if you don't mind me being rude."

Blaise looked at her somewhat shrewdly and finally said, "Almost all. He is rich, comes from an old pureblood family, and has a respectable father, Ministry Official or Death Eater."

"His dad escaped Azkaban. What about you? What does your family do?"

Blaise bowed her head for a while and said, "Well, here we are. I'll tell you, someday. Come on, let's get good seats."

Arithmancy was fun, more so with a partner. Blaise had opened up from their conversations. She was also extremely smart, not unlike herself academically. Both of them had an enjoyable lesson and went to lunch in a friendly debate of the day's Arithmancy class.

And were greeted by...

"So, have tried to friend mudblood? Aren't you afraid she'll make you dirty?" Malfoy sneered.

"Shove off Malfoy. You can't make me lose house points. And I don't care if I lose you house points. One more word and I'll..." before Hermione had a chance to finish her sentence, Zabini had joined her.

"It doesn't mean anything to me Malfoy." With that, she linked her arms with Hermione and walked down the table.

Awkwardly, they let go of each other's hands and Blaise muttered, "thanks."

From then on, Hermione had a Slytherin friend.

#O#O#O#O#O#O#O#O#O#O#

As she plotted the Prefects Patrol Chart, Hermione heard a knock on her door. She sighed, not wanting distraction at that moment. She had put up a few wards around her rooms to prevent people from breaking and entering. She removed them one by one and got the door.

It was Blaise. She carried a large parcel and a letter.

"These are yours. The owls came late due to a storm. Can I come in?"

It was the first time she had let anyone in her bedroom in the three days that she was here. Hermione nodded and motioned for Blaise to come in.

Hermione unwrapped the parcel and discovered it to be delicious treats from her Uncle Max who visited yesterday. She was delighted.

"Some room you have." Blaise sighed.

She went around to explore while Hermione read her letter. She unwrapped her bubble gums and offered Blaise one. She took it and soon, both of them were hanging around on the couch talking, Patrol Chart forgotten.

Hermione learnt that not all Slytherins were Malfoys. Many of their parents were Death Eater. Some of them were dead while others like Blaise, were wealthy old families, who weren't as powerful as the Malfoys. The Zabinis did not dabble much in politics. Their money came from various wizarding businesses. They were pureblood, which is why Blaise had ended up in Slytherin. Her parents weren't very caring towards Beryl, Blaise' sister, which resulted her in joining the Death Eaters and ended up in Azkaban. Blaise, in contrary, did not want anything to do with Death Eaters and the only ones she trusted are dead ones.

All in all, she had a good life, except for attention from her families. Due to her lack of involvement in Death Eater discussions, Blaise is considered an outcast in the Slytherin house. That was what made her maintain a cold façade and seldom talk. She wasn't the only one. There were a few others. Some of them had been transferred.

Contrary to popular belief, Hermione found that not all of Slytherin were Malfoys. Some of them get in because they are from prestigious old wizarding families and are cunning enough to do so.

She learnt a lot from Blaise. She learnt not to look at things in only one perspective. She learnt to look at Slytherins in different ways, as some of them really have another side to them instead of the usual Malfoy attitude. She stopped viewing them using the Gryffindor' bias and instead became more alert and aware of her surroundings.

So far, she had gotten along fine with her housemates. They did not cross her as she kept mainly to herself. Malfoy was often a pain in the arse but she ignored him.

However, she still longed for the days when she would be at the Gryffindor tower, sharing jokes with Harry and Ron while mothering them, forcing them to do homework. For Blaise, there was no need for that. She was always punctual in doing her homework and never revised last minute for tests.

#O#O#O#O#O#O#O#O#O#O#O#

Hermione walked to the library alone. She had just finished her patrol and decided to borrow a book for light reading. As she walked, she thought to herself. Was she really turning into a Slytherin? Has her views changed because it was part of growing up? Or is it because she had been more accustomed to the Slytherin way of thinking.

Her thoughts made her bump into one black figure of a Snape, who nearly fell down and reacted very peevishly...

"Miss Granger! Where do you think you are walking? Be alert on your patrol!" He nearly yelled.

"I am sorry sir. I am out of patrol now." She said as respectfully as she could. She did not hate Snape like Ron and Harry did but she did not exactly like him either. To her, he was a mystery. She simply did not know what to make of him. Dumbledore trusts him as a spy. Yet why did he become a Death Eater in the first place?

"I need to arrange lessons for you Miss Granger. Proceed to my office in fifteen minutes time." He said curtly and stormed off.

"Yes sir" she replied. Looks like she would not have time for a leisurely browse. She quickened her steps to the library and entered the restricted sections. There were parts of what Dumbledore told her that she did not understand. She knew that the war was important. But why learn Defense Against Dark Arts at all? Did that mean she would be involved in fighting? Is there a need to protect herself?

Of course there is you silly girl, she thought. That's what DA was formed for. She decided to pick up a book titled "A Dueler's Handbook", where she discovered many useful spells and techniques.

Now, she needed to face Snape. She made her way into his office.

O#O#O#O#O#O#O#O#O#O#O#O

Snape was, as a matter of fact, glad that Hermione Granger was in his house. He did not know for what reasons. He was worried for her safety. Yet, she was something with brains at least. He had found many excuses during Potions class to award her points for Slytherins.

He sighed. Slytherins were not made of the horrible group that he's got on his hands now. They used to be good. Many famous and important witches and wizards used to come from Slytherin. Yet, it had always been rumoured as the Dark House and many refused to go there. His batch of Slytherins had certainly been much better than the lot on his hands now.

Many of them had Death Eater families. They were even some who is Death Eater In-training. He did not want his house to be full of those. However, he was the spy. He couldn't really put down those who were his ex-death eater mates' children, especially Malfoy. It would just look suspicious and he couldn't afford that in his double agent role.

He didn't like Malfoy, both father and son. Malfoy jr. was not as bright as his father, nor as foolhardy. They had been spoilt rotten, most of them. He knew he was hard on the students except Slytherins in general. He wanted to spoil them rotten. Make them weak and vulnerable. After all, all these filth were going to be Voldemort's army in future. If they were weak, Voldemort's army would be easily toppled.

Oh, there were few exceptions all right. There was Blaise Zabini, too shrewd, cunning and clever at once, while cold and unassuming. Those should be the real Slytherins. Like himself. He had to admit he was a Slytherin through and through.

He heard a sharp rap on his door, only to reveal a disheveled Hermione Granger as she mumbled something intelligible and passed out.