Disclaimer: Blah, blah, blah, Harry Potter is not mine, he never was and he never will be because God hates me and life's a bitch. Amen.

A/N: The prologue was basically what was happening NOW. Any chapter after that is basically a flashback leading up to the prologue. So chapter 2 and 3 are basically what happened BEFORE Hermione's battle with Lucius. Hope this explains everything!

"I know that you just can't control yourself from showing off in front of your friends but, c'mon! Now they're bound to ask you where you learned that from and how are you going to explain yourself? I thought you were smarter than that Hermione!" Draco continued scolding Hermione, his face turning blue from not drawing in any breath.

Hermione's face was also changing color but it was for different reasons. A furious red seemed to spread across her cheeks as flames seemed to burst in her eyes.

"Well, I'm SORRY! ALL RIGHT! It was instinct! I just saw the spell and didn't think and my legs just jumped!! How was I supposed to know you would shoot a spell at me!"

"Well I had to act as if nothing had changed between us! I couldn't just take your hand and go skipping into a field of daisies singing Kumbaya!!" Draco retorted!

"Well you could have gone by it a different way!" Hermione's voice was growing shriller by the second.

"If I recall, YOU were the one who drew your wand first!" Draco shot back.

"Well I couldn't help it!" Hermione's eyes clouded over and a sadness seemed to settle into her body. Her shoulders slumped, defeated.

"That parent comment was low." She whispered sadly. Immediately, all the fight left Draco as he saw her standing there like a drowned kitten. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Hermione's head dropped onto his shoulder and a small tremor shook her body.

"Hey, it's okay." Draco whispered soothingly. "Don't cry."

Immediately, Hermione's head shot up and a look of defiance and determination seemed to gleam in her eyes.

"I don't cry anymore." She announced. "Crying doesn't do shit. I promised myself a long time ago that crying was futile." Steel seemed to lace her voice. It scared Draco a little bit to see Hermione, warm and friendly Hermione, act so cold. He decided to change the subject.

"How's your training going?" He asked lightly. The look of steel left her eyes, to Draco's relief.

"Not bad. Professor Snape isn't exactly the most tolerant teacher in the world, but I must admit that he isn't the greasy-hared sick fuck I thought he was." Hermione replied.

Draco chuckled. A small smile spread across Hermione's lips.

"I'm doing advanced swordsmanship now." She announced. Draco's eyebrows reached his hairline.

"What?!? That took me two years to learn!" He exclaimed. He could tell Hermione was trying very hard to not look smug.

"Well, I DID have more help than you…" She reasoned. Draco sighed.

"Nah, it's okay. Don't sugarcoat it. I mean, you're the smartest witch in the entire school. What else should I have expected?" He smiled at her. Hermione smiled back but then a serious look descended on her features.

"Soon, we can finally do what we've wanted to do for the entire summer." Hermione glanced at Draco, whose face resembled hers in solemnity.

"Yes. We can finally kill my father."

(A/N: Dun…dun…DUN!! So now you know why Hermione and Draco are friends and why Hermione's such a cool ass-kicker! Wanna know what happens next? Then REVIEW!!)