Hogwarts' Hero

Chapter 3

Draco had always felt at home in the Slytherin dungeons. The harsh stone walls and the stark leather furniture always seemed to comfort him. Not to mention, he looked dashing in green. But tonight wasn't a normal night. Everyone was watching him and whispering. To tell you the truth, it was a bit unnerving. Usually he did things for attention, but tonight they were just staring for no reason.

Draco sat in one of the armchairs that faced the fire, brooding. Normally, Draco was a very calm person. He took his anger in stride and then plotted his revenge, but if everyone continued looking at him, he was likely to commit suicide, and he'd take the whole common room with him.

'If they don't stop, I'm going to rip out their bloody intestines and use them as a jumping rope!' Draco thought insanely, while shooting a withering glance at a group of fourth years who'd been getting closer and closer as the night wore on.

'Honestly! It's not like I did anything important. I was in the right place at the right time, and just happened to see that display of Maureen's Magical Makeup guides start to tip—'

"Excuse me?"

Draco was frightened out of his thoughts. Once he regained his composure he glared up at the boy standing before him.

"What could a sniveling little second year have to say to me?" Draco sneered, hoping the little brat would get the hint. He didn't, and Draco silently cursed Salazar Slytherin for not ensuring that his house would be safe from brainless dunderheads. After all, that's who Hufflepuff was for.

The boy shifted nervously under Draco's gaze. "Well?" Draco asked impatiently.

"I was just wondering if it was true about the bunny," the boy explained quickly.

Draco looked blank. "What bunny?" he asked cautiously.

"The bunny you saved from being crushed by that falling bookcase. You know, in Flourish and Blotts," the boy encouraged.

Draco looked at him incredulously. He couldn't possibly be serious. 'This has to be some kind of joke,' Draco thought. No one in Slytherin would believe a story about a bunny in Flourish and Blotts.

Draco looked around the common room, and noticed that everyone was looking at him, not even bothering to hide their curiosity.

Oh, bugger.

Draco snapped. He could take being called an evil bastard and he could take being called a minion of the Dark lord, but no one accused Draco bloody Malfoy of saving a bunny.

Draco jumped up from his chair, startling the second year. He narrowed his eyes into dangerous slits, and glared at his peers in the common room.

"I never realized how sick and twisted the Hogwarts rumour mill could be, but seriously, bunnies?" he asked.

The Slytherins had the decency to look ashamed.

"I have endured enough of the whispers and looks for one night," Draco continued. "And if I have to hear one more person talk about me like I'm a hero," he spat, "I'll rip out their fingernails one by one, and shove them down their throat!"

Everyone watched as Draco stormed across the common room, stomped up the stairs and disappeared through the entranceway to the dormitories. After a couple of seconds, the Slytherins heard a loud bang coming from upstairs and they shared a look. He was such a drama queen.

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Hermione loved the first day of classes. There was so much excitement and anticipation in the air. It was the only day of the year that Hermione wasn't the only one looking forward to lessons, so she could share her excitement with Ron and Harry.

"Double potions with the Slytherins!" Ron called out in disappointment. He'd been serving himself a portion of eggs, while Hermione announced their first class of the day.

"A double lesson is bad enough, but on the first day and this early in the morning?" Harry asked, a note of dismay in his voice, while he put a slice of bacon in his mouth.

'Well, their unhappiness doesn't seem to be affecting their appetites,' Hermione noted wryly, grinning at the boys stuffing themselves across from her.

Ron got up to serve himself another slice of ham. He leaned over the table and managed to knock his pumpkin juice with his elbow, spilling it all over Lavender Brown.

Lavender looked down at her robes, shocked. She looked back up, and glared at the freckled boy.

"Ron Weasley!" Lavender bellowed. "I spent days making these robes look just right, and then you had to go be your clumsy self and spill juice all over them. Now I have to go and change!"

Lavender shot a scornful glance at Ron's dumbfounded expression, got up from the Gryffindor table and marched out of the Great hall. Ron had gone as red as his hair.

Hermione, who'd been surprised by Lavender's outburst, turned towards Parvati who'd been talking with Lavender before she walked out.

"What's wrong with Lavender?" Hermione asked, concerned.

"Oh, it's just," Parvati sighed, "Lavender altered her robes a little so they'd look just right. She was telling me about it. She said she wanted to look devastating for the first day."

"Why?" Harry asked, joining the conversation.

Parvati grinned impishly. "Oh, you know," she said, looking straight at Hermione.

"Um, actually," Hermione clarified, "No, I don't." She grinned weakly.

"Oh, honestly!" Parvati cried. She leaned in closer to Hermione, Ron and Harry. In hushed tones she announced, "She wants to impress Malfoy."

"Impress Malfoy?!" Ron yelled, his voice rising in surprise.

"Shhh!" Parvati admonished.

During Ron's exclamation, Hermione snuck a glance at the Slytherin table. Her eyes sought out the tell-tale silvery blond head, but it wasn't there. She looked again, and this time she noticed that nestled between Crabbe and Goyle was a rather large pile of letters, a pile of letters that seemed to be moving.

Hermione tried to get a closer look, but her attention was brought back to the Gryffindor table when she heard Harry call out her name.

"Hermione?"

"Yes, Harry," Hermione answered turning back towards her friends.

"We lost you for a moment," Ron explained, while serving himself another plate of eggs.

"So, why does Lavender want to impress Malfoy?" Hermione asked, once again addressing the dark haired girl.

Hermione noticed immediately that Parvati got the same wistful look in her eye that Ginny had yesterday. She braced herself.

"He's such a star," Parvati breathed. "He risked himself to save that poor old woman . . ."

Hermione interrupted. "But I thought you told Ginny—"

Unfortunately, it didn't seem to faze Parvati, who was on a roll.

"And he's so handsome. Those silver eyes and white blond hair are so ethereal, and that physique." Parvati gave a contented sigh. "I sent him a letter telling him how great I think he his. Do you think he'll notice me?"

Hermione, Ron and Harry looked like they were going to be sick.

"Right," Harry grunted. "Well, best be going. Classes are going to start."

"Right, classes," Ron agreed.

Hermione glanced down at her watch. "Gods, Harry! You're right! We've only got ten minutes. We're going to be late!"

Hermione got up and ushered the boys out of the great hall, leaving Parvati alone to her thoughts.

'She'll have a lot of time to think in St. Mungo's,' Hermione commented to herself. 'I must be the only girl in our year who remembers what a prat Malfoy is.'

Hermione sighed, and walked out the big oak doors.

A/N: Woo hoo! Another chapter, and this one sort of moves along the plot! : : does happy dance : : Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I especially loved the bunnies. Big thanks to horseluver13 and mel62 for reviewing. Hugs to Melein who reviewed both chapters. If you liked it, tell me! Otherwise, I may not be able to carry on : : dramatic sigh : : Toodles!