Chapter 4:Valentines to himself

The summer went by quickly now that Hermione had someone to hang out with who understood her "world". She visited Draco's house and got lost in the process, only to wind up in Lucius' study. It took her several hours to be found by a very startled Lucius. Draco went to the beach with her and she discovered he was an excellent swimmer and could play beach volleyball, sort of. They double-dated with Harry and Cho, who was starting to get along a little better with Draco. Then on the train back to Hogwarts…

"We should buy more Frogs," Ron said as he grabbed the last Chocolate Frog, "We should really buy more Frogs."

"Yeah," Harry said, "Especially since YOU ate them all."

"You ate five," Ron argued.

"Well, you ate ten! We were supposed to get five each."

"Honestly," Hermione said, " if you two are going to fight incessantly, I'm going to go to another compartment. In fact, I think I will. Bye, see you all later." She got up and slid the door shut.

"Was 'er pwobwem?" Ron asked with his mouth full.

Hermione walked down the narrow hallway to another compartment and opened the door.

"Ooh, look it's chipmunk girl!" a voice said. Immediately, Hermione regretted her decision. Pansy Parkinson still called her "chipmunk girl" every opportunity she got even though the incident had happened two years ago. Draco had hit her in the mouth with a spell that made her teeth grow.

"Uh, hi. How was your summer, Pansy?" Hermione asked weakly, then noticing a large girl next to Pansy she added, "Hello, Millicent."

"Well, what do you want?" Pansy demanded, "Just 'cause you're a prefect doesn't mean you can barge in on us. You can't take points from us, yet. Why don't you just-"

"Hi, Hermione," Draco smiled, "D'you want to come in?" He gestured to an empty seat next to him. Crabbe and Goyle were nowhere in sight. Hermione wondered where they were, "-Crabbe and Goyle went to go get more food," Draco said as if reading her thoughts.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Pansy screeched, "YOU REALIZE THIS IS HERMIONE GRANGER YOU'RE INVITING IN?"

"Oops, I didn't realize this was Hermione Granger, I thought it was Professor Flitwick," Draco said in an angry voice, "Of course, I know it's Hermione, idiot. Deal with it!" He was turning a slight shade of pink, "Just because you have problems with her doesn't mean no one from Slytherin can like her."

"You don't," Pansy sniffed. Hermione was just standing in the door, wondering if she should leave. Pansy obviously wasn't too happy, but Millicent looked oblivious to the fact that Hermione was there.

"You know what," Hermione said in a false cheery voice, "I'll just go."

"No," Draco got up, "You can stay here. If anyone else has a problem with it the can leave-" He glared at Pansy, "Crabbe and Goyle can sit over there," pointing to two seats towards the back.

"Okay, as long as it's alright," Hermione said meekly. She sat down next to Draco, who, she noticed, smelled like cinnamon. Crabbe and Goyle came in with armfuls of food, and, when they noticed one of their seats were occupied, they looked confused and just stared around the room until Draco showed them where they could sit. The entire time, Hermione's stomach was in knots and she thought one of them would come over and strangle her.

She, Draco, and, oddly, Millicent, had a lively conversation about the teachers at school.

"Lockhart was a self-absorbed lying git," Hermione announced.

"He probably kissed himself good night!" Draco laughed.

"He probably wrote valentines to himself," Millicent said, giggling. Meanwhile, Pansy sat and sulked the entire trip.

Hermione looked out the window to watch the landscape pass by for a while, and when she turned around, Draco had dozed off. She sat and watched him sleep for a while, studying his face.

"We will be arriving at Hogwarts in five minutes," a loudspeaker blared. Draco stirred and finally, stretched. He turned around to face Hermione and a look of surprise passed over his face.

"ACK!" he shouted and jumped, but quickly calmed down, " Sorry, I forgot you were here. You startled me." He blushed and got up, "We should be there." Hermione listened and could hear voices of students getting off.

"We better go," she said, "Pansy left a few minutes before you woke up, along with Millicent, Crabbe, and Goyle." She walked out and followed Draco.

"OY! HERMIONE!" Hermione heard Ron's voice as she stepped out onto the platform. She saw him waving at her. She grabbed Draco's hand and led him over.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Draco inquired, "I mean, the guy would love to kill me and then burn my body, all while singing 'The Barney Song'."

"Ron's a jerk at first," Hermione said remembering her first year at Hogwarts, "But he's sweet once you get to know him. Sort of like you." Draco cocked his head to one side, "Like me?"

"Yeah," Hermione said softly, "Like you." Ron and Harry were walking towards them and Hermione said loudly to them over the buzz of students, "Hello, Ron, Harry! Have you seen Hagrid, yet?" Ron walked up to her then stopped.

"No we haven't-" he stopped, "WHAT THE BLOODY IS HE DOING HERE?" He looked at Draco he were a spider, fear and hatred, "Hermione, what's the big deal? Where were you?"

"With him," she pointed at Draco.

"MALFOY?" Ron spat out, "YOU DITCHED US FOR MALFOY?"

"Well, hallo there Harry, Hermione, Ron… and Malfoy?" A gruff voice said from behind Hermione. Hermione turned around to see Hagrid. She promptly hugged him, leaving Draco and Ron staring at each other with a mix of loathing and fury.

"I'm so glad to see you again," Hermione said happily, "I missed you!"

"Well, those two obviously aren't glad to see each other," Hagrid replied gesturing to Draco and Ron, "Someone ought ter pull 'em apart before they TEAR each other apart." Hagrid turned and faced Harry, "And how are ya?"

"Great! I have so much to tell you about!" Harry said, "There's Cho, I gotta go! Hey, that rhymed!" He dashed off to Cho and much to Hermione's disgust, kissed her.

"Well then," Hagrid muttered. Speaking louder, he turned to Hermione, "Come visit me today after yer first lessons, okay?" Hagrid walked off to gather the first years.

"Come on, you two!" Hermione dragged Ron and Draco off to a boat, "The feast'll be over before we even get there."

"Yeah," Ron grumbled, "And Draco'll be dead before we get there."

"Don't be so sure, Weasley," Draco snarled.

"Oh, you two are so immature," Hermione turned around, "Can we just get there in peace?" The only reply she got was a grunt from Ron and a shrug from Draco.

The Sorting Hat began its song, which no one could catch except for the end:

And Hufflepuff sure know their stuff,

Gryffindors will not be bores

Here at

Hoggggggg-Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarts!

Dumbledore rose up from up from his chair and raised his hands, "I have two things to say to you. One, when you fall in a bottom-less pit, you die of starvation; and two, dig in!"

"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Where do you think?" Ron said in a disgusted tone, "He's at the Ravenclaw table probably eating Cho's face."

"Oh," Hermione said in a flat tone, "Can you pass the turkey?"

Ron and Hermioen kept flicking glares in Harry's direction. Harry was too wrapped in a conversation with Cho to even notice.

"Hello Ron, Hermione. Where's Harry?" a familiar voice asked. Hermione and Ron turned around to see Professor Lupin standing behind them. "I'm teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts again."

"That's great!" Hermione said, " You were the best one! Well, except for Professor Moody, he was okay but it wasn't really him. The last Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we had tried to take over our school."

"Well then," Lupin smiled, "Why's Harry sitting with the Ravenclaws?"

"He's got a new girlfriend," Ron in a mocking voice, "Cho Chang."

"Really? Hmm… Anything else new?" Lupin inquired.

"Yeah, all my friends are going out with the weirdest people. Hermione's going out with the biggest git in the whole school!"

"Which would be?"

"Draco," Hermione said as Ron spat out, "Malfoy."

"Ah, I see, Draco Malfoy, intelligent boy, especially in Defense Against the Dark Arts." Lupin replied cheerfully.

"Wonder why?" Ron mumbled.

"Sorry?" Lupin faced Ron.

"Never mind."

"Oh I've got to go! It's been nice seeing you. Tell Harry I said hi, okay? I'll see him later." Lupin walked away to the teacher's table.

"Hi Hermione," another familiar voice said, "and Weasley…"

"What do you want Malfoy?" Ron turned to face Draco, "Can't we eat without you butting in?"

"Where's Potter?" Draco drawled, "Ditch you for someone else, Weasley? Or is he's just tired of pretending he's your friend? Maybe he's rather hang out more, say, well dressed wizards?" Draco stared at Ron's tattered robe.

"Draco," Hermione said, "Can't you just- RON! NO!" Hermione tried to stop Ron but it was too late. Ron tackled Draco and knocked him to the floor. Draco punched Ron hard in the face with a sickening crunch. Ron lashed out and scratched Draco hard, leaving three lines of blood on his face.

"Oh my, my. Weasley, what do we have here?" Professor Snape pulled Ron off Draco, "Not fighting are we? Detention Weasley, you too, Malfoy. Ten points from Gryffindor and Slytherin. I am very disappointed, Mr. Malfoy. Come with me." Snape led Draco away with him.

"Wow," Harry walked up behind them, "What did Snape get you for?"

"Fighting," Ron said and started walking to the Gryffindor common room; Hermione followed him leaving Harry standing alone.