Chapter 2

He's A Prince

I rub my ribs tenderly. They're still sore from when Granger ran into me that afternoon. I smile as I think back to the look on her face. As though I was the last person she'd want to run into at that moment… Well… I probably was. Huh… you'd think that that would make me happy. Well it doesn't. That stupid bitch. Thinks so high and mighty? That look… as though she thinks she's better than me. As though I'm the scum beneath her feet. What does she know? She doesn't know anything about me, who I am or what I've been through. I lay on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. She's the one who was on the ground. She's beneath me… dirty mudblood. The sudden thought of Hermione, in a bikini, mudwrestling a Slytherin girl flashes through my brain. I shake my head quickly and try to think of something else. Proffessor Sprout is such an idiot as though she thinks she can reprimand me right in the middle of Hermione legs in a short skirt with a tight top and… Argh! I get up off my bed and begin pacing around the boys dorm. Quidditch… Crabbe… Potions essay… Anything to get her out of my head. My father would castrate me if he ever found out what I've been thinking. Like it could ever happen anyways… she's a halfblood. I mean mudblood! Yeah. A filthy mudblood. I'm better than that. Better than her. God… GET OUT OF MY HEAD HERMIONE! I pick up a water glass on my side table and hurl it at the door. Zabini opens the door a second later.

"Everything alright, Draco?" He asks, catching glimpses of broken glass out of the corner of his eyes. I run my hands threw my hair and compose myself before answering.

"Pffft, who asked you to care?" I give him a cold stare and he shrugs and slinks out of the room, closing the door behind him. I pull my wand from under my pillow and point it at the shattered glass, littering the floor. "Reparo!"

Headed back down from the hospital wing where Madame Pomfrey has just finished shrinking that nasty bump on my head. As I get to the bottom of the staircase I see Ginny talking to blonde girl from Ravenclaw that I don't recognize. She sees me and waves, saying goodbye to her friend and hurrying over to me.

"Hey Hermione. How's it going?" She asks pleasently. I sigh, reluctant to repeat the days events knowing she'll have something to say in Ron's defense.

"Good. Everything's fine. How are your classes going?" I ask quickly as I see the look that tells me she doesn't quite believe my statement. We talk for awhile about nothing in particular but my mind can't seem to concentrate on what she's saying. I keep thinking about my encounter with Draco, his cool blue eyes and smooth blonde hair…

"…and then she ate my entire arm and I had to sew it back on during Divination." Ginny finishes and looks at me with raised eyebrows.

"Huh…? Oh yeah… that's nice, Ginny." I reply solemnly.

"Hermione, have you even heard a single word I've said?" She asks incredulously. I look at her again the fact that she just asked me a question finally registering in my brain.

"Uhh… yeah. Divination is cool."

"Ok. That's it" She stops suddenly and stands in front of me. "What is going on Hermione?You just said divination is cool. I know there's something wrong."

"It's nothing…" I start slowly, but then, seeing the look she's giving me I change my mind. "It's just that… I don't know how to phrase this… What do you think of Draco?" No sooner is the question out of my mouth that I start to regret it. Ginny laughs loudly at stares at me with an understanding look.

"Boy trouble huh…?"

"What? No! I just…" I start to try and explain but she holds up her hand to cut me off.

"I completely understand. Draco is a complete babe. Every girl in school has got a thing for him, even if they don't care to admit it. I'll tell you even I've had a few X-rated dreams about that boy. And don't you dare think about telling Ron about that!" She says hurriedly as my eyes open wide in surprize. "What can I say, Hermoine? Draco is a prince, whether he's legit or not. I don't blame you one bit. Anyways I've got to go meet Janis in the main hall before curfew. Good luck with your little problem." She gives me a small wink before hurrying off, clutching her books tight to her chest. Leaving me standing in the middle of the hall with my mouth hanging open slightly.

That night it's hard to sleep, tossing and turning with scattered dreams of Ginny kissing that girl from Ravenclaw, who then turns into Draco. Then Draco is kissing me and Ron is watching, holding my potions essay. The whole dream dissolves into red swirling mist then I'm lying on a bed of dark silk sheets and they are wrapped tightly around me. They're choking me! I can't breathe! I CAN'T BREATHE! My eyes open suddenly and I take in a deep breath.

My blankets are wrapped around me awkwardly and as I try to unwravel them I fall off my bed rather ungracefully. I stand up quickly in hopes that none of the other girls around the room in random stages of undress notice. I slip off my night dress and pull on a tight white t-shirt and jeans. Thank god there are no classes today I think to myself. I run into Harry in the Common room and we head down to breakfast together. Ron is already there waiting for us. He hands me bag without saying anything and averts his eyes when I mumble a quick "thanks". We eat breakfast without saying much and afterwards Harry invites me down to watch his Quidditch practise. I make some excuse about not having finished one of Flitwick's charms essay and take off right after eating my cereal.

I can feel their eyes on my back as I leave the great hall. I don't know where I'm going but the idea of spending another awkward minute with Ron is almost unbearable. I know it's not his fault. He's just not that great around girls. He probably doesn't even realize that I have feelings for him. Stupid git. How can he just ignore all the signs I've been sending? I don't know why I waste my time on him. He's not even a real man yet. I'll bet Draco would noticed if I flipped my hair and batted my eyes in his direction. Atleast I know he's had a girlfriend. He'd know what to do with a girl and… I stop and look around.

At first I don't recognize where I am. And then, as it registers I'm almost shocked to discover that I'm standing right outside the Slytherin portrait. I didn't recognise it at first because I'm hardly ever down here. I have no reason to be. Oh my… what if someone sees me lurking outside the Slytherin portrait? They're going to think I'm spying or worse… that I'm here to see someone… I turn to leave and find myself staring into the collar bone of a tall, grinning Draco Malfoy.

"One more incident and your behaviour may be considered stalking." His smile widens.