Hey all, welcome to my new fanfiction, it'll probably end up being the
first one I ever finish, so, without further ado, may I present The Turn of
the Tide.
Episode One The Train
It all started one rainy Monday morning on Platform 9¾. Seventh-year Hermione Granger was the first there, beating even the train. She sat her things down on the cold, damp platform floor and perched herself on her trunk. She poked a finger in at her new miniature owl, Athena, an early birthday gift from her parents, then pulled out her pocket mirror.
Her reflection was quite different from what it had been the first year she sat waiting for the train, her bushy hair chopped bluntly at her shoulder, her face plain and pale, her eyes a thick, boring brown.
But now the mirror showed long, straight chestnut locks, with beautiful honey-wine eyes beneath them, set in a face of porcelain, lightly tanned from her holidays in the Mediterranean.
And, finally, her lips were curved in a smile, a true smile, not a know-it- all's smirk. She was content. She was marrying Ron Weasley, who gave her everything she could possibly ask for: comfort, security, happiness, care.
She could already see her life before her. And it was OK. But it lacked the passion and fire she desired. She knew of only one man who could give that to her, but he was forbidden to her.
As she thought of him, her eyes misted over. She sighed to herself as her thoughts roamed over his soft lips, his sultry eyes, how soft his skin was under her lips that one crazy time she pecked his cheek.
Oh, if Ron knew, he would be so angry. But Ron didn't know. There were many things about her that Ron didn't know. Her inner beast, her secret passions, the man whose presence haunted her dreams night after night. He was within her reach, but so far from her grasp.
Far-off footsteps in the mist awoke her from her reverie. Her heartbeat quickened as a tall, broad shadow moved toward. Could it be him? Would they finally have one single moment alone?
The man stepped out of the mist. It was Draco Malfoy. He was no longer a small, skinny boy; he was tall, pushing six foot five. Quidditch practice through the summer had ripped hard new muscles through his chest and arms; she could see them straining against his robes. His pale blond hair had gone platinum. But the greatest change was in his eyes.
A year before, Hermione could have looked at Draco's eyes and seen hard gray irises, like tiny chips of ice embedded in his face. But now as she looked up at him, she saw pieces of dark silver, with faint blue shots. They were no longer squinted in dislike, but softened, and calmed.
"Hello, Hermione," he said with a smile, not a smirk.
But she couldn't ignore his past torture and horrid attitude toward her. She reacted. "I have a name now, eh? No more 'Granger' or 'Mu-'"
He put a few fingertips on her lips to stop her rant. He was now squatting directly in front of her. His fingertips slid to grace her cheek. "I really had hoped we could put all this behind us," he muttered softly.
"Six years, Draco," she uttered in reply. "Six years. One can't easily forget six years of being bullied."
Draco backed up from her. "You can't change the past, nor can I. I regret what I did, I really do. It was wrong to put at an understatement. Instead of embracing what could have been three great friends, I shunned, just because of poverty and being Muggle born. I'm not trying to cast the blame off me, but it really is -"
"- Your father's fault. I know, Draco. And you're right. There's nothing you can do about your father. He's influenced you to be the way you are. or rather, the way you were. You've changed."
"You really think so?"
"I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it."
"You've changed a lot, too. You're not as. as clever as you were before. You're more. wise beyond your years. And you're more open and forgiving."
There was a long pause before Hermione spoke again. "So why all this change?"
"Well, we're going to be spending a lot more time together, aren't we?"
"Whatever are you talking about?"
"Haven't you seen my lovely new badge?" He puffed his chest out and she gasped in what he thought was surprise. He was wrong.
"Oh no! This is all wrong! All wrong!" she cried.
Draco was flustered. "But, b-, I- I thought- I thought you'd be happy! I thought this would make you happy!"
"I am. I'm very happy for you Draco, congratulations, But. Ron's supposed to be Head Boy!"
"Ron?!" Draco asked incredulously.
"Yes! We're getting married, and Dumbledore said that he had set up a special dorm for us, so it has to be Ron! Why else would he do that?"
"I don't know, but here's my letter with my name on it, and Dumbledore himself signed it!" Draco said heatedly.
Hermione scanned the letter quickly. She read it over and over, saying, "This can't be. this can't be."
Draco grabbed her by the shoulders. Her head snapped up. His face was glowing in anger. "I think Dumbledore meant that dorm for you and me!"
Catching full his implied meaning, Hermione's face fell in shock. She pulled away from him. "Mister Malfoy!" she began indignantly. "If you think for one moment that you can treat me in this manner, seducing me with your feign kindness, then you need to get another idea in your-"
A loud train whistle interrupted her tirade as the Hogwarts Express pulled to a stop in front of them. "Very well then," she said in the same indignant tone. "I will be on the train in the Head cabin, awaiting the Prefects. When you decide to check your attitude, you can join me, but not until then."
That said, she grabbed Athena's cage roughly, upsetting the bird and boarded the train. Draco sighed, then started heaving their trunks (she had left hers in her furor) on the train.
By the time he had stowed them, Hermione had already locked the compartment door. He pounded it. "Hermione?" he called through the door. "Hermione, please, you know I have to sit here." It took a full twenty minutes of pounding and pleading for her to open the compartment door a hair and allow him to squeeze through.
But she was still enraged. She was huddled in the window seat, staring at the empty platform, her lips pursed and her brow furrowed. He sat down gingerly across from her.
"Hermione, I want to apologize for what I did. It was really wrong," he said tightly.
"You were leading me on the entire time. Seducing me so I sleep with you. Another addition to your collection of love affairs. Don't think I don't know about that, Draco."
He got up and gingerly sat down next to her. She didn't recoil or lash out, so he put his hand on her knee so gently it floated on her skin. He felt her leg tingle beneath his touch.
He lowered his voice and crooned into her ear. "I'm so sorry Hermione, but I've wanted you for so long. I wasn't trying to seduce you. I told myself going in that you would be different. I told myself I wasn't going to push you. I don't want you for sex, I want you for love. I want to make you mine for all eternity. but you're getting married. you're engaged."
What will happen next episode? Will Hermione refuse Draco and stay true to Ron? Or will she allow her secret passions to control her? Find out in the next episode of The Turn of the Tide!
Episode One The Train
It all started one rainy Monday morning on Platform 9¾. Seventh-year Hermione Granger was the first there, beating even the train. She sat her things down on the cold, damp platform floor and perched herself on her trunk. She poked a finger in at her new miniature owl, Athena, an early birthday gift from her parents, then pulled out her pocket mirror.
Her reflection was quite different from what it had been the first year she sat waiting for the train, her bushy hair chopped bluntly at her shoulder, her face plain and pale, her eyes a thick, boring brown.
But now the mirror showed long, straight chestnut locks, with beautiful honey-wine eyes beneath them, set in a face of porcelain, lightly tanned from her holidays in the Mediterranean.
And, finally, her lips were curved in a smile, a true smile, not a know-it- all's smirk. She was content. She was marrying Ron Weasley, who gave her everything she could possibly ask for: comfort, security, happiness, care.
She could already see her life before her. And it was OK. But it lacked the passion and fire she desired. She knew of only one man who could give that to her, but he was forbidden to her.
As she thought of him, her eyes misted over. She sighed to herself as her thoughts roamed over his soft lips, his sultry eyes, how soft his skin was under her lips that one crazy time she pecked his cheek.
Oh, if Ron knew, he would be so angry. But Ron didn't know. There were many things about her that Ron didn't know. Her inner beast, her secret passions, the man whose presence haunted her dreams night after night. He was within her reach, but so far from her grasp.
Far-off footsteps in the mist awoke her from her reverie. Her heartbeat quickened as a tall, broad shadow moved toward. Could it be him? Would they finally have one single moment alone?
The man stepped out of the mist. It was Draco Malfoy. He was no longer a small, skinny boy; he was tall, pushing six foot five. Quidditch practice through the summer had ripped hard new muscles through his chest and arms; she could see them straining against his robes. His pale blond hair had gone platinum. But the greatest change was in his eyes.
A year before, Hermione could have looked at Draco's eyes and seen hard gray irises, like tiny chips of ice embedded in his face. But now as she looked up at him, she saw pieces of dark silver, with faint blue shots. They were no longer squinted in dislike, but softened, and calmed.
"Hello, Hermione," he said with a smile, not a smirk.
But she couldn't ignore his past torture and horrid attitude toward her. She reacted. "I have a name now, eh? No more 'Granger' or 'Mu-'"
He put a few fingertips on her lips to stop her rant. He was now squatting directly in front of her. His fingertips slid to grace her cheek. "I really had hoped we could put all this behind us," he muttered softly.
"Six years, Draco," she uttered in reply. "Six years. One can't easily forget six years of being bullied."
Draco backed up from her. "You can't change the past, nor can I. I regret what I did, I really do. It was wrong to put at an understatement. Instead of embracing what could have been three great friends, I shunned, just because of poverty and being Muggle born. I'm not trying to cast the blame off me, but it really is -"
"- Your father's fault. I know, Draco. And you're right. There's nothing you can do about your father. He's influenced you to be the way you are. or rather, the way you were. You've changed."
"You really think so?"
"I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it."
"You've changed a lot, too. You're not as. as clever as you were before. You're more. wise beyond your years. And you're more open and forgiving."
There was a long pause before Hermione spoke again. "So why all this change?"
"Well, we're going to be spending a lot more time together, aren't we?"
"Whatever are you talking about?"
"Haven't you seen my lovely new badge?" He puffed his chest out and she gasped in what he thought was surprise. He was wrong.
"Oh no! This is all wrong! All wrong!" she cried.
Draco was flustered. "But, b-, I- I thought- I thought you'd be happy! I thought this would make you happy!"
"I am. I'm very happy for you Draco, congratulations, But. Ron's supposed to be Head Boy!"
"Ron?!" Draco asked incredulously.
"Yes! We're getting married, and Dumbledore said that he had set up a special dorm for us, so it has to be Ron! Why else would he do that?"
"I don't know, but here's my letter with my name on it, and Dumbledore himself signed it!" Draco said heatedly.
Hermione scanned the letter quickly. She read it over and over, saying, "This can't be. this can't be."
Draco grabbed her by the shoulders. Her head snapped up. His face was glowing in anger. "I think Dumbledore meant that dorm for you and me!"
Catching full his implied meaning, Hermione's face fell in shock. She pulled away from him. "Mister Malfoy!" she began indignantly. "If you think for one moment that you can treat me in this manner, seducing me with your feign kindness, then you need to get another idea in your-"
A loud train whistle interrupted her tirade as the Hogwarts Express pulled to a stop in front of them. "Very well then," she said in the same indignant tone. "I will be on the train in the Head cabin, awaiting the Prefects. When you decide to check your attitude, you can join me, but not until then."
That said, she grabbed Athena's cage roughly, upsetting the bird and boarded the train. Draco sighed, then started heaving their trunks (she had left hers in her furor) on the train.
By the time he had stowed them, Hermione had already locked the compartment door. He pounded it. "Hermione?" he called through the door. "Hermione, please, you know I have to sit here." It took a full twenty minutes of pounding and pleading for her to open the compartment door a hair and allow him to squeeze through.
But she was still enraged. She was huddled in the window seat, staring at the empty platform, her lips pursed and her brow furrowed. He sat down gingerly across from her.
"Hermione, I want to apologize for what I did. It was really wrong," he said tightly.
"You were leading me on the entire time. Seducing me so I sleep with you. Another addition to your collection of love affairs. Don't think I don't know about that, Draco."
He got up and gingerly sat down next to her. She didn't recoil or lash out, so he put his hand on her knee so gently it floated on her skin. He felt her leg tingle beneath his touch.
He lowered his voice and crooned into her ear. "I'm so sorry Hermione, but I've wanted you for so long. I wasn't trying to seduce you. I told myself going in that you would be different. I told myself I wasn't going to push you. I don't want you for sex, I want you for love. I want to make you mine for all eternity. but you're getting married. you're engaged."
What will happen next episode? Will Hermione refuse Draco and stay true to Ron? Or will she allow her secret passions to control her? Find out in the next episode of The Turn of the Tide!
