A/N: I know I'm a bad updater, and I really have no good excuse. This chapter's short, but I'll try to update soon.

Chapter 6: First Encounter

"Good practice Slytherins, same time tomorrow. And no excuses. We will be undefeated this year! Am I right?"

"RIGHT!" the team roared.

Draco Malfoy, the gorgeous Slytherin seeker and captain, grinned approvingly at his teammates. As the team headed into the locker rooms his eyes lazily searched the stadium. With the bludgers and the quaffle safely in the box, he was in search of the trademark glimpse of gold.

'Oh damn, I have patrols tonight,' he thought as he flew about 'Hmm, maybe I'll have Pansy do my homework…'

Suddenly, something caught his eye and broke his train of thought. The snitch whizzed right across the stadium and seemed to be headed…towards the lake?

Surprised, he sped up and followed the snitch's trail. When he reached the lake, he had lost sight of it. He flew about a bit, thoroughly confused. 'Why would the snitch come here?'

"Looking for this?" he heard a voice say. Coming to a sudden halt, Draco looked down to see a girl with blue gray eyes and a cute little nose. He studied her for a bit. She seemed familiar…but he couldn't really place her.

"It just flew by and I automatically caught it," she said sheepishly as she handed him the snitch. He couldn't help but notice the dimple that formed on her left cheek.

"Do I know you?" he said hesitantly, studying her for a bit as he put the snitch safely in the box.

"I don't think so…I'm a Fifth year."

"A Fifth year…are you a Gryffindor?" asked Draco suspiciously. Were the Gryffindors plotting something? Maybe the she was planted to steal the snitch or to hurt Draco so that he couldn't catch the snitch on Tuesday for the big Slytherin vs. Gryffindor match! How very…Slytherin of them.

"No no, of course not," she said with a nervous laugh, "I'm a Ravenclaw."

"A Fifth year Ravenclaw…hmm." Draco looked at her for a moment and then said decisively, "No, you couldn't be."

"I c-c-couldn't?"

"No no, that night there was…" Draco seemed to be mulling something over as he began to mutter to himself, "she was too short, her hair was blond, she had green eyes, she had…" he looked at her again, "are you that girl who was acne ridden last year?"

"Oh, I guess you caught me!"

"Well," he said appreciatively, "you sure do clean up nicely."

Hermione blushed scarlet. Had Malfoy just…complemented her?

"Thanks," she squeaked, not really sure what to say now. She had never had a real conversation with Malfoy. It had always been an exchange of insults of some sort. But now…she almost felt as if he was human.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself," Malfoy said with a smirk. As if he needed an introduction. "Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

She shook his outstretched hand. "I'm Nia, Nia…Turner." Where had that come from? Oh well, at least she hadn't said Nia Granger.

"Well Nia," he said slowly, leaning on his broom as he looked at her again once over, "it seems to be getting dark out…care if I accompany you back into the castle?"

"Why thank you," said Hermione, a fake smile plastered on her face. But then her smile turned to a look of utter horror as Malfoy mounted his broom and floated in place, waiting for her to get on.

"I – I – I'm not…" Hermione trailed off, trying to figure out a way to talk herself out of this. Maybe this was a good time to call out the reinforcements? Hermione looked behind Malfoy to see Lavender and Parvati encouragingly give her the "thumbs up" sign from where they hid. Looked like she wasn't going to get any help from them.

"What, are you scared?" Malfoy smirked.

"I'm not scared," Hermione said defiantly. How dare he suggest that she was scared!

"Well then," Malfoy cocked his head to the side, waiting expectantly.

Hermione took a deep breath, fervently wishing that someone would just command her not to be scared of flying. Gingerly, Hermione mounted the broom in front of Malfoy and began to pray.

Draco watched as she mounted the broom, and knew instantly that she was utterly frightened. She trembled slightly and her hands had a death grip on the handle. Yet she resolutely sat tall and proud and kept her eyes open. He had to give her some credit for that.

With a quick wave of his wand, he spelled the box of Quidditch balls safely away where it belonged. Leaning forward, Draco grasped the broom. Their hands overlapped and Draco noticed that Nia visibly relaxed.

'It must be my comforting charm and charisma,' thought Draco smugly. What girl wouldn't feel safe in his embrace?

With that thought, he kicked off. He felt her tense up again, and, keeping her fear in mind, he kept close to the ground. Pulling up in front of the castle's entrance, Draco jumped off, ready to help Nia as a true gentleman should.

But Nia didn't notice him. In her haste to get off, she stumbled and fell, right where Draco was able to catch her.

There was a pause, a moment where everything went silent. Draco looked into Nia's exotic smoky blue-gray eyes and fell hopelessly in love.

A/N: Awwww, isn't that cute:) I just want to thank all my reviewers, your reviews really make my day.