I was watching the field. It was a wasteland, full of children and garbage, all the same crap. I don't really understand why this stupid school had to give grade 8's recesses, only kids need that. Besides, we get into more trouble when were outside.

My name is Hermione Granger, and this is my story. I go to a public school in Pickering; it's called John A. Macdonald Public School. It takes children from kindergarten to Grade 8, and it's all a load of shit. I'm a grade 8 student, and I have a brother in Grade 4.

I can be quite protective of my little brother Carl. While my father and I strive to make him into a man, my older sister and my mother spoil him with all the girlish things you can imagine. As a result, my brother is a male chauvinist wimp: he's all words. It's called worst of both worlds. Sometimes I just want to hang him upside down until he learns his lesson, but my dad wouldn't allow me although he wants to do it himself.

Today, Carl got a new football. I watched him as he played, searching for bullies who might try and go near my precious wimp of a brother. Who wouldn't try to bully him? He had a very weak frame and from the looks of it, he won't be having any growth spurts anytime soon. I was standing against the brown brick wall, glaring at nothing in particular. I heard my name and was called inside. I had to help with the photocopies for the flyers that are going home; they were about the raffle going on. While I was working the photocopying machine I had to listen to the dull droning my supervisor was throwing my way. I wished I could've stayed outside; at least I could scare off some kids with my mean looks. Besides, even though my face was a fixed scowl, my mind was a swirling mess of thoughts, dreams and goals. My two best friends Harry and Ron were probably somewhere hidden, exploring each other's tonsils out. We're always here for you, eh? I wasn't able to go back outside: I was wishing my heart out that no one touched my baby bro. I went inside the classroom and doodled until the bell rang for lunch.

The next time I saw my brother was when we were going to go home for lunch. He was sporting a bloody lip, a cut cheekbone and a black eye. I was incensed. No one touches my brother.

"Who did this to you?" I ask. Carl wasn't saying anything; it seems as if he was staring blankly into the space behind me. I turned to look at his object of distraction. Bam! That's when it hit me. My brother was looking at his unsuspecting assailant, that new kid in my class named Draco Malfoy. I told my brother to go ahead and tell Mom that I was staying; I figured that I could just sneak food into the class. I always do it anyway.

I approached the mysterious kid and picked up a conversation.

"Hey," I greeted him.

"Hey," he curtly answered back. He glanced at me and did a double take. "Hi!" he said with more enthusiasm.

What was that all about? Anyway, I let it go and continued talking to him. "I heard you beat up a little kid today." said I with gritted teeth, trying to restrain myself from punching him without hearing an explanation. This took a lot of willpower.

His face fell when he heard this. "Oh, that." He looked really disappointed; it's as if he was waiting for me to ask him out or something. Puh-lease, like I would ever do something like that?

'Yes," I confirmed. I wanted to hear the whole story, my brother could've done something stupid, or he could've been just a pick for that day. Either way I'm going to make him pay. "Tell me everything."

He cleared his throat and fidgeted. "Well, he was playing football. His ball hit me square in the face, and took it from me without apologizing, He actually gave me dirty looks, he looked at me as if I took his ball from him. I let it go, but this kept on happening. He kept giving me the dirty looks, until it pushed me over the edge. Besides, I was quite cranky on that particular period of time. I'm not used to wasting my time with recesses." He spat the word recess, as if it was a cursed word. "I could say that I took my anger out on him, but I don't regret it."

My blood boiled. That arrogant motherfucker! I tried to regain my composure, but as I spoke I breathed heavily. I must have sounded like an aroused tramp, I wasn't really proud of that. I wale over to the 2 foot brick wall that separated the field from the kindergarten waiting area. I sat down and he followed suit, sitting inches from me. "They say that he has a big sister. When she heard what you did to him she swore to bash your fuckin' head to pieces. She swore to make you yell out with pain and humiliation, seeing how you took advantage of my little brother!" I was losing it, but at least he didn't notice the 'my little brother' slip.

"Well," he started smugly, "I would gladly take on that lesbian bitch right now if she was here." He must've said that to impress me, but it ain't gonna work buddy!

I stood up and faced him. "Well," I said, trying to impersonate him, "that lesbian bitch is right in front of you!" I finally let go of the 'keep calm' crap and punched him in the face.

"I don't understand-"

"That kid was my brother!" I said, throwing another punch into his face. "YOU. CANNNOT. TOUCH. MY. BROTHER!" I shouted, punching him every time I said a word, not letting him regain his poise. A light of comprehension hit him and he tried to apologize.

"I didn't mean to say those things about you! I just thought that-" he stopped in mid sentence as I punched him in the stomach, knocking the breath out of his lungs.

"Well, that's called backstabbing, isn't it?" I bellowed.

I got him pinned onto the ground, and I was pummelling his face with my fist, getting even angrier after every hit. He finally let go of his Mr. Nice Guy approach and started hitting back. I stood up and we wrestled for quite a while. He had some pretty painful hits, but it's nothing I can't handle. I finally got the courage and momentum to knee his nuts, and he was once again on the ground.

"Please," he pleaded.

"Please? Didn't see this coming when you were beating my helpless brother huh?" I hit him in the stomach, making him arch his back. He growled and the next thing I know I was pinned on the ground.

Now it was his turn to pummel his fists onto my face. So this is what it feels like to be beaten up. I can't believe that all those years I had been doing this to guys bigger than me. What wimps. I snapped back to reality and got him pinned on the ground. We rolled around on the pavement in this fashion, until we reached the grass field where it was soft and damp. I shouted profanity at him, lecturing him as we fought. I reached down and wrapped my fist around his member. I felt it stiffen, I heard him moan, but I ignored it. I squeezed and he shouted in pain.

"Oh fuck!" He reached down to protect it from further pain, so I was able to turn him back down.

I continued covering every bit of his face with bruises, and then I heard heels clicking on the pavement. I stopped and remained silent. Realizing that it was a false alarm, I turned back to my opponent, not realizing my mistake. Draco had regained his composure, and he was now sitting on my waist. I anticipated for the painful shower of fists onto my face, especially now that I hit him in a predominantly tender spot for the second time. But that shower of fists never came. Instead I felt his lips crash onto mine, bruising it painfully. What the heck was he doing? I tried to scream, but I still had twenty minutes until help could come. He bit my lower lip and the world melted. I t was the most sensational kiss I have ever tasted, if you called that a kiss. I gave into him, until I heard some chatter. Reality called me back and I bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. I was hoping that it would make him shout in pain, which would make him breakaway from my lips. I was mistaken. It made him more determined to take me on. In the end, I can't take it anymore so I squealed from my throat. I heard shouts of 'hey' and 'get away from her!' until I recognized the voices. It was Harry and Ron, my best friends, who were going out with each other. Ron pulled Draco from me and punched him in the face before turning him in. Harry, the effeminate one, gave me hugs and some of the chocolate he never runs out of. He and Ron tried to ask me what happened, but I told them that I was too tired. They got off the subject. I also asked them to never tell anyone about the squeal part. I had a reputation to protect.

We were called into the principal's office, and he gave us our punishments. Our principal did not believe in the power of suspension so he made us do community service work for 10 hours with the kindergarten and grade 1 kids. We were placed into separate classes so we can refrain from fighting each other, actually to restrain me from killing him in front if the kids.

I also had a talk with Carl. It turns out that he and his friends were hitting him on purpose, because he saw the way Draco looks at me. So that's why he sounded disappointed when I asked about his drabble with my brother, he had a crush on me! This is getting weirder and weirder by the minute. Carl could get protective of me and my sister when it comes to boys. It's just that he's seen me get hurt once, and knowing how hard it was for me and everybody (I was REALLY cranky), he didn't want to see it again. Same goes for my big sister, who used to get her heart broken every six months.

Draco disappeared for quite a while. It was two weeks after the fight that he came back. One morning I found a large box on the top of my desk, and when I opened it and a golden retriever puppy came tumbling out. It was wearing a heart-shaped silver necklace frosted with diamonds, and a note came with it.

I'm sorry. Start over again?

DM

(P.S The necklace is for you. The puppy is potty trained and

all the documents concerning his adoption and shots are in the box.)

The neat handwriting said it all. The girls crowded around the puppy, but I took with me when the bell rang for recess.

I waited until everyone was gone and I set the box down in front of my open locker. I sat with my back on the locker next to mine, and I let the puppy out. I petted it lovingly; I always had a weakness for puppies although I won't admit it. I heard footsteps and fought the urge to look up. Who cares? The footsteps stopped and I heard someone get settled beside me in the next locker. I saw another set of pale and dainty hands start petting the puppies.

"Have you thought of a name for him?" said the sultry voice of my sworn enemy.

I glared at Draco. "Is this a bribe?"

Draco shook his head. "Nope. It's more of a peace offering. Look, I'm tired of this painful charade. Will you forgive me?" he was kneeling in front of me. He was looking straight into my eyes, I stared back.

"Well, I guess I did make you pay." I murmured softly.

He took the necklace from Bob (I named him already, after my imaginary friend when I was 5) and gently fastened it around my neck. He slowly inched his way towards me. I felt his lips press onto mine once again, this time ever so softly and tenderly. I kissed him back and let go of my past angst towards him. We parted slowly and smiled at each other.

All my life
I've prayed for someone like you
And I thank God that I, that I finally found you
All my life
I've prayed for someone like you
And I hope that you feel the same way too
Yes, I pray that you do love me too