Disclaimer: I own nothing.

a/n: this one is kind of short, I think. Don't know if the next one will be any longer… or what it will be about now that I think of it. Lost my outline…

one extremely obvious quote in this chapter

At First Sight
"I'll see you around then,"

"See you later, Draco," said Hermione.

"Yeah, see you later," said Ron.

"See you," said Harry.

The three Gryffindors walked over to their table, leaving Draco alone. He looked to the opposite side of the hall.

Here goes nothing.

As Draco approached the Slytherin table, he noticed Hermione had been right. Most of his year was gone. A wave of hatred seized him. They were all probably plotting Harry's death right now, come to think of it.

The cowards, Draco thought ironically. He had run away; he broke free of the death grip his family held on him. Why couldn't they?

Draco sat down next to a third year who glared at him.

"What are you looking at?" he spat. The third year immediately wiped the look of distaste off his face.

Draco looked around again, satisfied. Most of the sixth years were gone, and almost every seventh year also. All of his friends had left.

I'll make new friends. Already have.

Any further thought Draco had vanished as the hall suddenly silenced. He looked to see Dumbledore standing at the center of the staff table. He stood for a couple of seconds, beaming down at the students he loved so much.

"Drink up me hearties yo ho!" he cried, and the feast appeared.

The feast had been boring and lonely. The food, for some reason, hadn't tasted as good this year. Draco, deep in thought, walked the empty halls of Hogwarts to his dormitory. Later, when he recalled this memory, he couldn't remember what he was thinking about before it happened. Whatever it was, it vanished when he realized he was sitting on the floor with a girl sitting in front of him, giggling and holding the left side of her forehead.

Draco suddenly zoned out. He watched as her highlighted brown hair swung around her currently bright read face in slow motion as he savored the moment. He longed to touch her beautiful face and look into her gorgeous brown eyes.

Plunging back into reality, Draco looked between them and saw what must have been her books scattered on the floor. Without realizing what he was doing, Draco gathered up her fallen books. He stood and helped her up. She wasn't laughing anymore, but she was still holding her forehead.

"Are you ok?" he asked. Draco felt like a puppet. He didn't realize what he was doing until it was already being done.

"Oh, I'll be fine," she said, and giggled again.

Draco removed her hand from her head. It was red where her hand was, and there was a bump. He gently ran his thumb over it.

"You have a hard head," she said.

Draco smiled. He wasn't sure what to say to that. He bent down, and handed her her books instead.

"I'll see you around then," Draco said.

"Bye."

They walked away from each other.

Draco wasn't sure how he felt. Normally he would have been furious if someone had bumped into him—male or female.

Draco reentered his realm of thought. Who was she? Draco mentally bashed himself over the head for not asking for her name. Surely she wasn't a first year. She didn't look that young. Then why hadn't he seen her before? Maybe she was new…

Draco reached the entrance to the Slytherin dormitory and banged his against the stone wall.

"Stupid freaking password," he said, and then gave up on not swearing and cursed. His mind was too scattered, thinking of that girl, he couldn't remember the stupid password.

Draco sank to the floor and put his head on his knees.

What was her name?

What is the password?

I helped her up…

Bloody Baron! No.

Is she new?

Pureblood?

I touched her forehead.

No, that was last year.

She was so beautiful.

Password…

Why haven't I seen her before?

Can't remember.

I wonder what house she's in…

"Are you ok?"

Draco's head snapped up—it was her! He opened his mouth to respond, but his mind suddenly went blank. Nothing came out.

"Um… alright… Bloody Baron." The door opened when she said the password.

A light bulb when on above Draco's head.

"Wait—you're in Slytherin?"!

She looked at him funny. "Yes, and so are you."

"Uh…" Draco stood up. "How come I've never seen you before?" She was the most enchanting creature he'd ever seen. Why hadn't he recognized her before?

"I have no idea," she said. "I'm only one year below you."

Another light bulb went on.

"What's your name?" Draco asked.

"Stephanie Berry." She smiled and held out her hand. Draco almost melted. He shook her hand. He was surprisingly steady.

"I'm Draco Malfoy." He unexpectedly just then believed that his name sounded extremely stupid.

The light bulb went out, and then exploded.

Stephanie tried to release her hand after they shook, but Draco kept a firm grip. She shook again and tried to let go, but Draco wouldn't budge.

"This is a very long hand shake," she said, and laughed.

"Oh, yeah, sorry." He let go.

Draco suddenly had the feeling they were being watched. He looked up and saw a tall skinny boy with brown curly hair glaring hat him. Draco glared back.

Who is that? How dare he glare at me?

The boy walked away.

Stephanie saw Draco's expression change. She looked behind her, but the boy had already walked away—nobody was there. Confused, she looked back at Draco.

"Draco? What's wrong?"

He could have melted again. She said his name. Despite that, his mind was significantly clearer.

"Somebody walked by and gave me a really dirty look, so I glared back," he said.

"Who was it?" she asked.

"I don't know," said Draco. "I've only ever seen him around. I don't know his name. He might be in Hufflepuff…"

"Hmm… oh well," she said, and shrugged. "Are you good in potions? That's what I've heard."

"I'm not bad," Draco said. He could see where this was going, and he liked it.

"I just… I don't know. I don't get it. Could you help me? I have an essay due tomorrow."

"Sure," he said like it was no problem. Heh, yeah, no problem.

They both turned and walked straight into the door, which closed since Stephanie said the password.

"Ahh..." Stephanie held the left side of her forehead.

Holding his nose, Draco turned to her. "Are you ok?" How many times is that question going to be asked?

"Yeah, ouch. I'll be fine. Bloody Baron."

The door opened and they walked in.

a/n: I had a really hard time capturing Stephanie's personality in this chapter. It'll come out better later. -swings yoyo- review... review...