Oops, I forgot the disclaimer! This applies to the prologue as well. Disclaimer! I do not, I repeat, NOT own the Harry Potter books, or any of the characters in this story (as of yet). This includes, but is not limited to, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Lisa Turpin, Mandy Brocklehurst, and Ginny Weasley. I did, however, come up with the plot for this particular fanfic, so don't take that! Anyway, without further adieu... I give you, Chapter 1. Happy reading!

Chapter 1: "We Meet Again"

Two years earlier...

It was a sunny day in Spring, just four years after the "Golden Trio" had left Hogwarts (A/N Their 6th year... in case some of you didn't get that... sorry for the spoiler!), and three years after Voldemort had been defeated.

Hermione Granger had woken up at dawn to collect the Daily Prophet and pay the delivery owl. Afterward, she retreated back to bed.

She woke much later, to the sound of laughter.

"Goodness, Herm, aren't you EVER gonna get up?" her roommate, Lisa Turpin, asked. Her other roommate, Mandy Brocklehurst, was standing in the doorway laughing.

"Where's Ginny?" Hermione sleepily queried.

"Still sleeping," Lisa stated.

"Then why'd you feel the need to wake me up and not her?" Hermione asked, aggravated.

"You're funner to wake first. Also, Gin got home late. Thus, she went to bed later than you did. She can sleep a little longer."

"Well that's her problem, innit? For stayin' out late SHE deserves to be woken up early!"

"You call," Lisa paused, looking at her watch, "...11:48, early?"

Hermione's eyes widened. "You serious?" she asked, disbelieving.

Lisa chuckled. "No, I just make up random times. Just for the hell of it."

"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit," Hermione scolded herself, stumbling out of bed and running around to get clothes.

"What's the hurry, Herm?"

"I HAVE AN APOINTMENT AT 12:30, THAT'S WHAT'S THE HURRY!"

The other two girls watched in fascination as Hermione flew around the room, cleaning.

"Hermione..." Mandy timidly started.

"What!" Hermione snapped.

"You... know you're a witch, right?"

Hermione stopped all movements and stared at Mandy. "Right." She then located her wand and flicked it once, twice, thrice. Just like that, Hermione's room was clean, she was clean, and she was ready to go.

"All you need now is food!" said Lisa cheerfully.

Hermione shook her head forcefully. "No," said she, "No time for that. I'll grab a snack beforehand, then I'll get some real food after. Wish me luck!" And with that, she apparated out of the room.

Hermione arrived at Diagon Alley, in a small doughnut shop that not many people knew about. She ordered her doughnut and left. She started walking aimlessly down the street.

"Watch it!" she heard, before being rammed into. She fell over backward, and her doughnut flew out of her hands.

"There goes breakfast," she muttered grumpily to herself.

"Wow, I'm sorry. I thought you were paying more attention and would move out of the way," came a deep male voice from somewhere above her.

She grumbled and looked at her assailant. "Fucking fuck my fucking luck," she muttered. She had looked straight into the face of Draco Malfoy.

He reached a hand down to help her up, which she took with a muttered "thanks."

Something clicked in his brain.

"Granger!"

"The one and only," Hermione said dryly.

"Well. So we meet again," Draco responded.

Hermione glared at him. "What do you want, Malfoy?"

"Well, nothing. It was merely coincidence that we, er, ran into each other."

"Listen, Malfoy. I don't care if you 'changed sides' or whatever during the war. I don't care that you weakened dear old Voldy before Harry came an' killed him. I don't care that you saved my ass from those rabid Death Eaters. I don't want anything to do with you. I thought, before now, that I'd never see you again. And I'm going to be late for an interview if we don't cut the chat here. Okay? Okay," she said angrily before turning on her heel and promptly apparating away.

She apparated to the phone booth that was the entrance to the Ministry of Magic. She entered, and soon found herself in the office of the Junior Head of the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. She heard a chuckle behind her; someone was entering the office. "Never woulda thought YOU'D be here... not after your... what was it? Ah yes, 'spew'" She stood, turned around, and groaned when she saw the unmistakable features of Draco Malfoy for the second time that day.

"Fancy meeting you here, Granger."

She was stunned. "Please tell me you're not the junior head of this department, who's interviewing me for the position of... your secretary..."

"The one and only," he mocked, highly amused.

"FUCK MY GOD DAMN LUCK, I TELL YOU! Someone's out to get me, I swear."

"Well, well, Granger. You got quite a mouth on ya. Where'd you learn this stuff? Surely not the golden boys."

"Well... apparently not, considered that since you 'helped' defeat Voldy, you're a golden boy too."

"Hardy har har, Granger. Now, shall we begin?" he asked, rubbing his hands together and walking to the opposite side of his desk.

Hermione stared at him. "So you mean you're still gonna interview me after everything I've said?" she asked stupidly.

Draco grinned. "Of course. You got spunk, kid. I like that in a woman. Or, in this case, a secretary. Now, please sit."

Half an hour later, Hermione walked out of the office. The interview had gone surprisingly well. The two had even laughed a couple of times.

Hermione emerged onto the busy street where the Ministry was located. Suddenly, she was pulled into a dark alley. She was, naturally, scared shitless. "P-please, I-I'll give you an-any-anything you w-want, just l-let me g-go," she spluttered.

A/N bwahaha! The end of the chapter! Naw, I'm just jokin' with y'all. KEEP READING!

"What if it's you that I want?" her captor asked in a low voice.

...so it's a man that abducted me. Oh shit, I'm about to get raped! Wait... he didn't cover my mouth! Hermione thought. And without another thought, she screamed as loud as she could.

"Fucking hell, woman! We're just gonna have a little fun, don't worry so much!" he said, after covering her mouth and turning her around, so she was faced toward the wall. Hermione wimpered.

Her captor leaned toward her. "Stop making noises, if you know what's good for you," he whispered in her ear. Hermione nodded slightly in acknowledgment. "Good," he said, "Now, these clothes will have to go." He started pulling off her shirt, when suddenly he was thrown back from Hermione with such force that he slammed into the opposite wall. Hermione dropped to the ground sobbing, in a fetal position.

"Hermione, are you okay? Did he do anything to you?" came a deep male voice over her. Hermione only sobbed more, when she was lifted by a pair of strong arms. She nestled into the torso of her savior, feeling protected and safe. Subconsciously, she remembered the smell of this man. She turned her tear-stained face to look at her savior.

Draco Malfoy.

He looked down at her. "We have got to stop meeting like this," he said, laughing softly.

"What, where you save my ass from being raped? Yeah, it'd be nice if that didn't happen again," she murmured.

"You mean you don't wanna be saved then? Well, okay, if that's what you want," he said, starting to put her back down.

She clutched at his shoulders and scrambled to stay in his warm embrace. "No," she said defiantly, "I meant I don't want to almost be raped again. By the way... how did you find me?"

He chuckled and shifted her to a more comfortable position. "My Hermione senses were tingling," he responded. She laughed lightly. "No but really, I'm amazed no one came sooner, after that ear-shattering scream you gave. I didn't know it was you, but hey, I'm a good guy. If I hear a damsel in distress I'll come to her rescue," he said, winking down at her.

"Thank you, Draco," Hermione murmured into his chest.

end Chapter 1

Ending A/N: Yeah, well, I know it's not that long (it's longer than it was, though!)... the next chapter will be longer, I promise. I'll get it out ASAP. I hope this is to your liking! But yeah. Sorry for the shortness!