disclaimer: i don't own HP...blah blah blah

Chapter 2: In the Great Hall

A/N: it's short but it does lead up to the main part....so. R&R

Hermione and the rest of the seventh years took the seemingly horseless carriages to the castle. It had been decorated for the first day, as it always was. Hermione, once again a prefect, helped the first years settle down before the sorting.

"Please, keep quiet," said Hermione, "no shoving, shouting, pushing"

"How do you expect them to listen to a mudblood?" said a drawling voice. Hermione looked behind her. It turned out to be Draco Malfoy. "What is your problem?" she asked, annoyed. "You", he said, and turned to the Slytherin first years since he was a prefect too.

"Shut it," another voice said. Hermione wheeled around to see her friends Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. "Oh hi Harry, hi Ron," said Hermione smiling. At least her friends were here to back her up. Malfoy smirked and left.

Hermione watched him leave and join the other Slytherins. She couldn't help but notice his hair. It had grown longer, making him look more mature. "Cute," she said, almost in a whisper, "but I still hate him".

Malfoy smiled as he walked back to the Slytherins. Hermione definitely changed. Her hair wasn't as bushy as it was before, and her eyes...he hadn't noticed them before. They sparkled with energy, giving him butterflies. "Beautiful", he thought, "too bad she's a mudblood".

Professor McGonagall appeared in the doorway and led the first years into the Great Hall, which was lighted by floating candles and decorated with banners symbolizing each of the four houses: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.

Hermione, Harry and Ron took their seats at the Gryffindor table and watched the sorting. Hermione was getting bored and decided to look at who the new DADA teacher was. She was surprised to see Nymphadora Tonks (or Tonks for short) sitting at the left hand side of Hagrid. Tonks caught her eye and smiled; Hermione gave a small wave. She turned to Ron and Harry.

"Tonks," she whispered.

"Yeah,"

"--Cool"

After the sorting, they had the traditional start of term feast. Hermione ate as much as she could. It's been forever since the chocolate frogs. As she was getting fuller and fuller by the moment, she snuck a glance at Malfoy every now and then. He was laughing, probably at some rude joke someone told. His smile made him look even cuter. She felt a tingle in her stomach. Butterflies.

Malfoy ate to his heart's desire. He looked at Hermione, who was smiling at the rest of Gryffindors, and he smiled too. A crush? This couldn't be. He couldn't fall in love with a mudblood. Yet, he was falling, fast. There was something about her that made life better. There was something that made him feel, alive.

"What's wrong?" Blaise asked.

"N-nothing," Draco lied.

After the feast, Draco and Hermione each left for their common rooms with a big smile on their face. That night, Hermione couldn't sleep. She was busy thinking of him.

At the same time, Draco lay on his bed, thinking about Hermione.

Still, neither of them could accept it, that of all people in the world... why Draco? Why Hermione?