A/N: Yeah – another chapter! I'm getting good at this one-a-day thing! (I would have had this up yesterday, but my stupid 'puter was giving me some problems… - goes off on a rant on computers) I'm sorry to have left you guys hanging and the end of the last one, but, as you will see, I LOVE cliff hangers! – evil laugh – now, on a happier note, I'd like to say a GIANT thank you to my BETA, who happens to be a good friend of mine, so THANK YOU!

Muse-Ninka: Thanks for the nice reviews! I hope you like this chapter – I think you will…

Sarah Queen of the Goblin: Thanks again for reviewing! Here's the update you asked for!

Mrs. Fawkes: Thanks for reading! It's always good to know that someone likes my story – its even better coming from a friend! Great job on your own story by the way! Keep it up!

elektrikstorm: No, I guess I wasn't 'typical' – here's your spin!

twitchy-tennisplayer: Thanks! Here you go!

seamermaiden: Hey – good guess! Also, I'm glad you like my story, but she's not going to 'meet' Severus… at least not in that way… (read on and you'll see!)

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing Harry Potter, only this plot, and a few new characters, when I make them, but everything else belongs to the very talented JKR.

"SLYTHERIN!" the Sorting Hat yelled to the waiting crowd. The table on the far right from Hermione gave a muffled sort of applause, while the other three tables looked at Hermione with what could only be described as disgust – but Hermione saw none of it, due to the fact that she felt frozen to her seat. Slytherin? Hermione thought desperately. Anywhere but……… SLYTHERIN! Hermione, not realizing that she was still wearing the Sorting Hat, was startled when the voice from the hat laughed and said, well, there you go! This should be interesting!

"Miss Granger," prodded McGonagall, "you may go and join your table now." When McGonagall removed the Sorting Hat, Hermione gave her a frightened look, then got up and made her way slowly towards the Slytherin table. She could feel the eyes of the entire Great Hall on her, and it was no wonder why. Everyone that Hermione could think of who were in Slytherin had wanted to belong there – she, however, was walking as if she was dead. When she finally made it to her table, after what had seemed like ages, to her at least, Hermione noticed that the talk had gone back up. Hermione took a seat between what looked to be a new first year, and a sour – looking seventh year. She ignored the food that appeared in front of her, she felt too queasy to eat anything – she decided to have a look around. From her seat, she could see almost all of the Great Hall; at the staff table, there were a few faces she recognized, namely Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Vector, and, on a second glance, Professor Binns… a very alive, Professor Binns.

She could also see the other three house tables; Gryffindor was against the opposite wall, next to Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw was in-between her table and theirs. She noticed that some of the students still eyed her with curiosity, while others threw her looks of hatred. The later looks caused Hermione almost physical pain. She had never expected anyone from her own (albeit – old) table to look at her as if she was a piece of dirt – a very dirty piece of dirt that needed to be brushed out right then. Although she was distraught, she understood their feelings. She knew that they felt that anyone in Slytherin wasn't worth the time, the fact that the Sorting Hat had placed her among children of Death Eaters, and probably some Death Eaters themselves, was enough of a reason to look at Hermione that way.

Hermione felt a shove from her left, caused by the seventh year. When Hermione turned, she was surprised to find another look of hatred on the girl's face. "Listen up, mudblood – I know what you are – so do the rest of us. I don't know why you're here," the girl said with an arm waving over their table, "but you're gonna regret it – you got that? We don't want you to taint us with your filthy mudblood self – so you'd better watch yourself." Hermione looked around her, seeing many others nodding their heads at what the girl had said. One boy even yelled, "You tell her, Violet!"

With as much bravery as she could muster, Hermione turned back to the Slytherin, Violet she supposed, and snapped, "Watch my back? Watch my back? You have no idea what you're talking about! Before I came here, the last thing I saw was of one of the greatest men I have ever known, lying on the ground nursing a bloody arm, and trying not to scream from pain from the 'crucio' curse that was upon him! Don't tell me to watch my back, Violet! You'd better watch yours!" When Hermione was done ranting, she felt a hand on her back. Looking up, Hermione was startled to be seeing a pair of shockingly green eyes – eyes she had looked into many times…

"Hi, Hermione?" asked the owner of the green eyes. "My name is Lily Evans," said the girl when Hermione nodded. "I was asked to help you around for the first few days, so I thought that I'd come over and introduce myself – just so you wouldn't think that I was some sort of creep the next time you saw me," continued Lily with a smile on her face.

"Oh! Of course!" agreed Hermione, ignoring the snickering and laughing coming from behind her from the Slytherin table.

"Would you like a quick tour of Hogwarts before you go to your dormitories?" asked Lily.

Hermione, realizing that it would be better to act like she had no idea how to get around her 'old' school, quickly agreed to Lily's offer. When Hermione got up, Violet grabbed her arm, forcing Hermione to turn around and look at her, and hissed, "You're getting out easy this time, Granger, but next time you won't be so lucky."

"I'll keep that in mind," replied Hermione sarcastically, rolling her eyes. When she turned back around, she was surprised to see amusement in Lily's eyes.

"Alright, I guess we'll just start with the 'basic' tour for now," said Lily when they left the Great Hall. "Can I ask you a question, Hermione?" Lily asked after a moment's hesitation.

"Sure – what'll be?"

"Well, I don't want to be rude or anything…" trailed off Lily, "but… oh – I'll just say it!" said the obviously flustered girl. "You looked really upset to be in Slytherin – I mean, your shoulders slumped the second the Sorting Hat called out the house, but I've been told that the Sorting Hat never makes mistakes, so I guess, what I want to know is… why were you so upset with that choice?" asked Lily with a look of pure curiosity on her face. "Oh, wait, before you answer – this is the Library," commented Lily with a wave of her arm.

Hermione stifled a laugh at the irony of this girl showing her the room she had visited often, and had even spent a few nights in as well. "Well, I guess because I don't fell like I belong there," replied Hermione after her humor had died down a bit. "I mean, I know all about what type of people they are, and," continued Hermione with a slightly lower voice, "I have a grudge or two against those people… for what they did to my friends…" Hermione and Lily stopped walking to let Hermione dry her teary eyes.

Lily put a comforting arm around Hermione and spoke to her quietly. "I know you don't know me very well, Hermione, but if you ever need to talk, I'll be there for you. I understand how you feel – well, I can't say that, I have no idea of how you are feeling, completely, at least, but I'd like to know." With a small smile, Lily turned Hermione around and added, "Well, I guess I can show you the rest tomorrow, but not until you've seen the Owlery and the Kitchens!" Hermione laughed and allowed herself to be steered towards said locations.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hermione tanked Lily again when she was dropped off in front of the entrance to the Slytherin common rooms. It was only then that Hermione realized that she didn't know the password into the rooms. Groaning in frustration, Hermione started mumbling, not really noticing what she was saying. "Damn Slytherins…think they are so great! Why they can't learn to appreciate everyone, I'll never know! GODS!" cried Hermione, rounding on the suit of armor blocking the door into the dungeon-like rooms. "Just let me in – will you! Just because I'm not a pureblood, doesn't mean that I don't get to go to bed like everyone else! I mean – " but what Hermione did mean, the suit of armor never found out, for Hermione noticed the door was open.

Of course, thought Hermione, pureblood! How stupid could I be? With a sigh of relief, Hermione stepped into the Slytherin common rooms. At a first glance, the only thing Hermione saw was green – everything was green – the chairs, the wall, even the fire in the fireplace had a green twinge to it. However, Hermione soon realized that she wasn't alone in the rooms. She heard a slight cough that startled her, so she turned around to find out where it was coming from, only to immediately regret it.

In one of the corners of the common room, Hermione saw four people standing there, two female, two male. One of the males sneered at Hermione and walked out of the shadows. It took less than a second for Hermione to recognize the almost bleach-blond hair, the piercingly blue eyes, and the infamous smirk. Her heart sank the few spaces it had climbed from bring with Lily, when the man started to speak.

"Malfoy," said the blond, "Lucius Malfoy." With a flick of his wrist, the three other people came out the shadows, allowing themselves to be introduced one-by-one by Malfoy. "Violet McNair, I believe you've already met," Malfoy said while nodding towards the girl who she had 'had words' with before. Continuing with the introductions, Malfoy nodded at the other girl while saying, "Dolores Umbridge." Hermione gave a small gasp as she looked at the young Umbridge standing in front of her. So she's the one who coughed – I guess she has yet to 'perfect' it, thought Hermione bitterly. While pointing at the last person in the group, Malfoy added, "Finally, my good friend, Severus Snape." Hermione let out another gasp as she stared into the eyes of her future Professor. Her gasp was met with only a look of loathing, and a small snort from the future 'Potions Master.'

"Now, Miss Granger, I'll be needing your wand," whispered Malfoy, while slightly flicking his wand…

A/N: -very evil laugh – yes, I know… I'm a 'meanie' – oh well, you'll learn to love it! What will happen next? You gotta wait to find out! – hehehe – runs and hides from all the angry readers…