Hermione folded her arms across her chest and walked as far away from Malfoy as possible. Her gaze was fixed on the floor and she walked into at least 3 people without apologizing before Malfoy finally stopped her.

"What's on your mind?"

Hermione looked up from the floor and a look of shock came across her face. But soon, the look of shock turned into a scowl.

"Since when did you care?" Hermione hissed quietly and turned her gaze back to the floor.

Draco sighed. This was going to be way harder than he though. "What's so interesting about the floor?"

Hermione looked up again, irritated and frustrated. "Nothing!" She exclaimed and stopped herself from returning her gaze back to the floor.

Draco growled. He really was getting impatient with Hermione. "You know I'm trying here."

Hermione simply looked at Draco with those big brown eyes. Draco balled his hands into fits beside his body and clenched his jaw.

"Why must you be so difficult?" Draco asked again, his voice harsher this time. He wasn't used to people treating him like he was nothing more than pond scum. Especially when he was nice to them.

Hermione stopped walking all together and turned to face Draco. Draco wasn't expecting that.

"Why must I be so difficult?" Hermione cried out, her eyes wild with fury. "Why do you care so suddenly about me Malfoy? Since when did you care for muggleborns?"

Draco stepped back from the furious girl. Obviously, she wasn't just angry about the way he treated her, but about the way he treated all the muggle borns around the school.

Draco shrugged. What could he say to defend himself at the moment?

"Well I thought my letter had made it obvous." Draco frowned. "I didn't get a reply, did you not get the letter?" Draco's blood froze at the thought that maybe his father had somehow intercepted the letter.

But Hermione scoffed and laughed. "Is this some kind of joke? Since when was the oh-so-great Draco Malfoy friends with muggleborns?" Hermione put extra emphasize on the oh-so-great part and Draco's name and caused him to wince.

"Look," Draco grabbed Hermione's arm to get her to look at him. "We're supposed to be role models. How would it look if we're bickering and biting each other's head off all of the time? What time of example are we setting?"

Hermione's eyes softened and Draco let go of her arm. "It's just friends Hermione. It's not going to kill you."

Hermione bit her lip.

"What do you say?" Draco asked. His heart pounded in anticipation, and he didn't even know why. Draco couldn't understand his sudden desire to be friends with Hermione Granger. All he knew was that he wanted her friendship and would do absolutely anything to gain it.

"Not friends." Hermione said cautiously. Draco's heart dropped, how could someone be so resentful towards another? "But, not enemies either." Hermione placed a hand on the door of the Heads room, where she knew McGonnagall would be waiting for them.

"The friendship…you have to earn. I don't give my trust away that easily." Hermione said, her eyes dark and face grim. She opened the door and stepped into the office.

Draco followed and was quite content that he was at least halfway there. Something about the Hermione said the last sentence made Draco see that she was serious about what she said.


"First 'yers! First 'yers! O'er here!" A booming loud voice called out over the heads of people leaving the Hogwarts Express.

"Hagrid!" Harry called out, grinning from ear to ear.

"'Ello there! How was yer summer?" Hagrid asked, as he pulled Ron, Harry, and Hermione into a big bear hug.

"Pretty good. Yours?" Harry replied, scanning the crowds for Isabella.

"Good, good. Who's yer new friend there?" Hagrid gestured to Tonia.

"This is Tonia, my cousin from the States." Hermione answered, while pushing Tonia to greet Hagrid.

"Well Tonia, it's nice ter meet ya. I'm Hagrid."

Tonia smiled and stretched out her hand. "Great to meet you. I've heard tons about you."

"Ehh..well I hope tis all good things." Hagrid smiled and winked at the trio.

"And Head Girl I see there, Hermione." Hagrid smiled and patted Hermione on the head. "I always knew you'd come out good."

Hermione blushed modestly and replied, "Thanks Hagrid."

"Draco!"

Draco turned at the sound of his name being called.

Blaise Zabini meandered towards him through the thick sea of people. "How was your summer?"

Draco shrugged. "As good as it can get."

Blaise laughed. "Have you decided yet?

"That's not really any of your business is it?" Draco snapped. Blaise smirked, that answer clearly meant that Draco hadn't made up his mind about whether or not he was going to be a Death Eater yet.

Draco looked at the smirk on Blaise's face and he just wanted to punch his lights out.

"Crabbe! Goyle!" Draco called out, as he saw the two rather large boys walking blinding in the crowd.

Closely following Crabbe and Goyle was Pansy Parkinson. Draco should have known Pansy would be close by.

"Oh Draco! It's so wonderful to see you." Pansy gushed as she ran up to meet Draco, she threw her arms around Draco's neck and attempted to plant a kiss on his cheek.

However, Draco pushed her off, utterly disgusted at the thought of her pig lips on his skin. Pansy pouted, in what was supposed to be cute, but came off as constipated looking.

Without a word, Draco pushed his way into the castle, closely followed by his crew. He was going to make the best of this year, no matter what happened.


"Harry! It's so good to see you!" A bright light flashed in Harry's face and he blinked, trying to get the bright colored lights to go away.

"Hi Colin." Harry said back politely, while directing his friends to sit somewhere else.

"Who's that?" Tonia asked.

"That's Colin Creevy. He's in the "Harry Potter Fan club". He takes that camera everywhere he goes, and takes pictures of Harry. It's kind of disturbing." Hermione whispered and Tonia laughed.

The sorting ceremony and the feast all passed very quickly, with people chatting away about their summer.

Many times, Hermione found her thoughts drifting off to Draco. Every time Harry or Ron asked her why she was just staring off into space, she would just smile and say nothing.

Of course, Tonia knew why she kept dazing off, but she was smart enough to not say anything.

As the night grew long, the Hogwarts was scattered with kids racing up to their dormitories and exploring the castle. Hermione walked down the halls of Hogwarts, listening to the laughter of kids and happily hummed to herself.

When she reached the Head's room, Hermione suddenly realized that she didn't have the password.

"You have got to be kidding me." Hermione muttered to herself, and sat down on the floor against the wall. "Stupid Malfoy." Hermione sighed and prepared for a long wait for Malfoy to show up.

"I thought name-calling was ruled out." Malfoy said, and popped his head out of the portrait.

Hermione stood up. "How did you get here so fast!" She had left right after the feast; there was no way Malfoy could have gotten here first.

Draco smirked. "Let's just say I have my ways."

Draco held the portrait door open, while a bedazzled Hermione walked in.

Hermione couldn't believe her eyes. The common room was beautiful! There was a fireplace and half of the room was Slytherin colors, while the other half was Griffindor colors. It was lavishly decorated, with portraits of Gordric Griffindor, Salazar Slytherin, and all the other Head Boys and Girls during the past years.

From the common room, lead two stairways. It was easy to tell which was which because one had red and gold colored carpet on it and the other had green and silver carpet on it.

Hermione ran up the staircase and opened the door to her bedroom. It was absolutely breathtaking. A double canopy bed was right in the middle of her room, with red and gold bed sheets.

There was a vanity table across from her bed and a huge walk-in closet. Hermione saw that her stuff had already been brought up. She walked to the bathroom and was delighted.

The ceiling was covered in mermaids and mermen, her favorite sea creatures. They were sitting on rocks and swimming in the sea. When Hermione listened closely, she could hear their beautiful voices float softly throughout the bathroom.

"Wow.." This was defiantly more than Hermione had excepted.

"You like it." A voice said from behind her.

Hermione spun around to see Malfoy, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed across his chest. His blond hair was brushed smoothly to one side, causing one of his gray-blue eyes to be hidden. A smirk played on his lips.

Hermione's heart sped up against her will, but he looked so attractive, just standing there, in his own nature and having his intense gaze on her. "Didn't you ever hear of knocking?"

Draco shrugged and uncrossed his arms. "Sorry."

Hermione pulled back. Shocked. Did Malfoy just apologize to her?

Draco studied Hermione's expression, and chuckled slightly. "What?"

Hermione shook her head and smiled. "Nothing."

Draco narrowed his eyes, but a smile was slowly spreading across his face. Hermione bit her lip and walked past Malfoy and down to the common room.

"It's not that surprising you know." Draco was behind her every step of the way.

"Hmm" Hermione replied and sat down in front of the fire.

She pulled out her wand and lit a fire. "Incendio." Hermione muttered quietly and enjoyed the feel of the fire on her skin.

Draco stared at Hermione as she hugged her legs close to her body. The flames played on her skin and made her glow. Her honey brown eyes light up and her lips seemed more rosy and irresistible.

"Can I sit?" Draco nodded to the spot beside her. Hermione looked up, shocked, but she smiled and nodded.

Draco sat down beside her and leaned back on his arms, his eyes fixed on the flames in the fireplace.

"What changed?" Hermione suddenly asked her voice soft, but firm.

Draco stopped moving. He didn't know how to reply. What could he really say, when he himself didn't' know. All he knew was that he wanted her friendship, maybe even more, and he was even close to desperate to getting it.

"What do you mean?" Draco muttered lazily, turning to face Hermione.

"Why are you so nice to me?" Hermione asked, captivated by the depth in Malfoy's eyes. They seemed to be so full of sorrow, and for the first time in 6 years, not with malice and hatred for her.

Draco sighed and fell back on the floor with his hands clasped behind his head. He closed his eyes and was quiet.

"Well." Draco opened his eyes to see Hermione staring at him. Hermione blushed and looked a way immediately. "I'm just, sick of being hated around the school."

"You're not hated."

"I was- by you." Draco said, quietly, still on the ground.

Hermione turned her body so that she was facing Draco. "It's not like I wanted to hate you." Hermione could feel the heat rising up to her face.

"Hermione," Draco and sat up, so that they were facing each other. Hermione blushed deeply and tried to turn away. But Draco placed a hand tentatively on her cheek and held her eyes with his.

She looked scared. Her brown eyes were wild and lost.

Hermione could feel her heart hammering against her chest. What was happening? Why was she feeling like this? This was Malfoy. But, when he placed his hand on her cheek, it was warm and gentle, apposed to the cold and harsh skin Hermione was expecting.

His eyes held her tightly and made it extremely hard for Hermione to look away. Hermione could see the flames reflecting in his eyes.

"I'm sorry." Draco said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Hermione stared intently at Malfoy's face. Something about the way he said the two words made it so genuine, like it was from the heart.

Hermione smiled, but pulled away from Draco's grasp. "It's ok."

Draco smiled back. He seemed relieved that she chose to forgive him.

"It's getting late." Hermione said and stood up. "Aren't you going to bed?"

Draco turned back to the fire and shook his head. "Nah, I think I'm just going to stay here for a bit."

Hermione shrugged. "Ok, well don't forget to put the fire out when you leave."

Draco nodded and turned to watch Hermione walk up the stairs. What was this he felt for her? He started out, wanting nothing more than friendship, and now, he couldn't keep this building desire for her away from his heart. But could he? Would he ever pursue her? Would Hermione ever feel the same way about him?

The thoughts crowded Draco's mind as he continued to stare at the flames. This was defiantly going to be an interesting year.


"Harry!" Ron called out. Harry however, did not respond. Ron picked up a pillow and aimed it at his best friend.

"Oy!" Harry snapped out of his trance as the pillow hit him square in the face. He turned to look at Ron, who was standing in the doorway of their dorm. "What?"

"She's downstairs." Ron said quickly and a grin spread across his face as Harry jumped up.

"I'll be right down." Harry muttered as he ran to grab his pants.


Tonya grabbed two bottles of Butter Beer from Fred and George and made her way to Isabella, who was sitting on a couch, waiting for her.

There was a party going on, in the Griffindor's common room. It was a welcome back party; which was thrown by Fred and George. It was a rather good idea; it made people loosen up and become very friendly towards one another.

Tonya McBride and Isabella Rioling were best friends. Both were purebloods and came from very respectful families in the wizarding world. Tonya had blonde hair and green eyes, and acted fairly ditzy at times, while Isabella always had an aura of gracefulness and elegance around her.

"Here." Tonya handed Isabella a Butter Beer and sat down beside her. "What's on your mind?"

Isabella sipped her Butter Beer and smiled. "You know, I think it's finally coming true."

Tonya's eyes brightened. "Really? How? I mean, it's been 6 years and well. Are you sure?"

Isabella rolled her eyes. "Of course I'm sure. If I wasn't would I be telling you?"

Tonya shrugged. "Was it HoneyDukes?"

Isabella smiled at her best friend. "Yeah, didn't you hear it?"

Tonya nodded and her eyes floated to the stairway. "Well, look who it is." Isabella followed Tonya's gaze and was happy to see Harry Potter.

"Are you going to do it?" Tonya asked, excited for her best friend.

"Mmm hmm." Isabella muttered, and smiled when she caught Harry's gaze. However, her smile faltered when he turned and headed towards Ron instead. No matter, soon, Isabella would have Harry all to herself, and there was nothing more she was looking forward too.


"Ron." Harry said, as he grabbed a Butter Beer and stood beside Ron, who was busy entertaining a rather amused looking Tonia.

"Harry! What are you-why aren't you with Isabella?"

Harry sighed and shrugged. "I..really don't' know what to say to her."

Ron chuckled. "Well you better think fast mate, here she comes."

Harry spun around to see Isabella slowly advancing towards him, a small smile on her face, and looking as beautiful as ever.

"Whatever you do, keep looking at her face-not anywhere else ok?" Tonia laughed and gave Harry a piece of advice before disappearing into the party with Ron.


"Herm!" Within the first 5 minutes Hermione stepped into the Great Hall, Tonia was all over her.

"So?" Tonia asked, her eyes beaming and a huge grin spread across her face.

Hermione stared at Tonia and laughed. "So what?" Hermione yawned. She had woken up extra early today and went to the library so that she would not have to deal with Malfoy.

Tonia winked. "You know what I'm talking about."

Hermione sighed and sat down. "Actually, I don't. Where are Harry and Ron?"

Tonia shrugged; she was disappointed that Hermione changed the subject so abruptly. "Probably still sleeping. Harry was-"

"What was I doing?" Harry cut in, as he yawned and took a seat beside Hermione.

Tonia chuckled. "Having loads of fun last night, isn't that right?"

Ron had sat down beside Tonia and began to fill his plate with an abnormal amount of food.

Hermione's eyes widened with amusement. "Uh huh, and uh, who were you with?" Hermione playfully jabbed Harry in the ribs lightly. "That, you were having so much fun with? Or should I say what were you doing?"

Hermione looked at Tonia and the two burst out into laughter. Harry sat, mouth wide open, staring at Hermione in shock.

"So? Who's this mystery girl?" Hermione persisted, still laughing.

Harry shook his head and began to fill his plate with food as well. "Girls." He muttered under his breath and started to feed his hungry stomach.

Hermione and Tonia finally calmed down and looked at their timetables.


Draco entered the Great Hall, and the first sound he heard was the clear laughing of Hermione. He looked at the Griffindor table, and there she was, sitting with Harry, Ron, and Tonia, laughing.

She has such a great laugh. I wonder why I never realized before. Draco knew that Hermione was trying to avoid him. He had heard her get up at 5:30 in the morning, shower and leave the Heads room.

Draco dragged his tired body to the Slytherin table, where Crabbe, Golye, Pansy, and Blaise were waiting for him. Reluctantly, he ripped his eyes away from Hermione's laughing form and took a seat next to Blaise.

"Oh Drakey! How was your night? Did you sleep well? Did that mudblood cause you a lot of trouble?" Pansy showered him with questions the second he sat down. Her high, fake bubbly voice ringing in his ears and it made his head hurt. I don't deserve this so early in the morning. His head throbbed from the loud screeching of Pansy's voice.

"Yeah, yeah fine, fine." Draco muttered absentmindedly and grabbed some food.

Pansy looked hurt, her big brown eyes watered up and she began to make disturbing sobbing noises, which reminded Draco of a cross between the sound of a pig being slaughtered and a woman faking her orgasm.

Draco looked up from his food, disgusted. He wanted nothing more than to punch her in the face and shut her mouth up.

People from the other houses were being to look over and Draco could hear some people snickering.

"Kind of makes you wish she had a mute button doesn't it?" Blaise asked, while finishing off his eggs. Draco nodded, grateful that somebody understood how he felt.

"Well why don't we take a look at our timetables when you're done eating?" Blaise asked.

Seeing that she was getting no attention from Malfoy, Pansy finally quieted down and pulled out her own timetable moodily.

"Oh look Drakey!" Pansy gushed and Draco secretly groaned. Did the woman ever shut up? "We've got potions with Griffindor first period! I wonder how Snape will humiliate them this year!" Pansy leaned over the table and batted her fake eyelashes at Draco.

Draco looked down at his food, careful to see if there was an eyelash anywhere and saw a few, scattered over his scrambled egg and bacon. Draco put down his fork. He had officially lost his appetite, Draco prayed that this wasn't going to happen at every meal, or else he would sure lose a lot of weight.

"It doesn't' matter how Snape humiliates them Pansy, they still win House Cup every year." Draco said, irritated that he had to stop eating his breakfast.

For the second time that morning, Pansy looked like she was going to break down in tears.\


"Well, I think we've got Potions first." Tonia said; she wasn't quite used to the way their timetable was laid out.

"Potions!" Ron said; his eyes wide and he quickly swallowed his food. "With which house?"

"Um.." Tonia squinted at the timetable, trying to figure out the answer to Ron's question. She giggled when she heard Ron's muttering beside her. "Please don't let it be Slytherin, any house but Slytherin, Merlin, not Slytherin, please!"

"Oh I think I've got it!" Tonia exclaimed, her green eyes flickered with laughter. "We have it with Ravenclaw."

Ron's entire body relaxed as a look of relief spread over his face.

"Oh wait!" Tonia said again. Hermione turned her head and hid her face behind her hand to keep from laughing and ruining Tonia's fun. She knew that Tonia had a perfectly good idea of which house they were with.

"Oh we have it with Slytherin. Sorry to get your hopes up Ron." Tonia apologized sweetly, batting her eyes at Ron while laughing.

Hermione finally burst. She grabbed onto Harry's arm, while trying to keep herself from falling off the bench. Ron's look was absolutely priceless. The pieces of scrambled eggs were hanging from the corner of his mouth as his eyes filled with horror.

Other people at the table found it rather gross, but Hermione and Tonia thought it was hilarious.

"Well," Ron wiped the scrambled egg off his face with a napkin and brightened a little. "Maybe Snape got fired."

Harry chuckled. As much as he wanted that himself, he knew that Dumbledore liked Snape and wouldn't fire him for no reason. "I highly doubt that Ron."


The dungeon was cold and dark, like it was every year. Tonia quickened her pace to walk beside Hermione. "Is it always so eerie down here? If this was at night, I'd feel like I was in some horror movie."

Hermione grimaced. "Yeah I agree with you."

The dungeon doors suddenly slammed shut. "Take a seat quickly."

Tonia turned and saw a tall, greasy haired man walking quickly down the rows of tables and chairs to the front of the room.

Hermione and Tonia quickly sat down at the table closest to them, Harry and Ron sat behind them.

Professor Snape began to lecture them about how to act in his class, when Hermione felt somebody nudge her from the side.

Sosososososososo?

Tonia slid her a note.

Hermione looked at the parchment and quietly took out a feather quill quietly.

Sosos? Do you need help or something? Hermione wrote back. She knew what Tonia was asking, but SOS was known for the muggle way of saying help was needed.

You know what I'm talking about. He keeps looking at you, you know. Tonia wrote and handed the parchment to Hermione, but was caught….by Snape.

"Ms.." Snape said, while raising an eyebrow at Tonia.

"Cathcart." Tonia finished for Snape and clutched the note tightly in her hand.

"Hm. New." Snape muttered to himself. "What do you think you are doing? Passing, notes in my class?"

"I'm sorry. I won't do it again." Tonia said, but that wasn't enough for Snape.

"Hand me the note."

Tonia shook her head. The dungeon went quiet. Nobody moved at all. Tonia was the first person ever, to not listen to Snape.

"Did you not hear me Ms. Cathcart? Give. Me. The. Note. Or I will have to take it form you by force." Professor Snape sneered; an obvious dislike for Tonia was instantly developed.

Thinking fast, Tonia took the note and stuffed it down her shirt.

The class filled with gasps and a few people laughed out loud. Snape was so angry that his nostrils flared, causing the people in the front rows to laugh even harder.

"Detention, Ms. Cathcart, and Ms. Granger, you too." Professor Snape hissed, turning his hateful gaze to Hermione.

"Me? But I didn't-"

"The note was obviously being passed to you, and you did not even try to stop it. 10 points from Griffindor, thanks to you and your big mouth." Snape said and turned back to the blackboard, where he had written the instructions for that day.

Hermione sighed and sent a look at Tonia, who looked back and mouthed sorry. Wasn't this just the perfect way to start the day? Not the mention the year! Detention!

Draco felt himself laughing out loud as that Tonia girl stuffed the piece of parchment down her shirt. He saw Snape's nostrils flare, and that only caused him to laugh harder.

"Detention, Ms. Cahtcar, and Ms. Granger, you too." Draco heard Snape say. Draco leaned over his desk to try to get a better look at Hermione. Her face was red and anybody could tell she was more than upset. She was furious.

Draco leaned back on his chair and listened to Snape go on about the rest of the lesson. He would have to make a note to check up on Granger later, just to make sure she's ok.


Reviews plz! and yeah i made a mistake-Honeydukes is in Hogsmead not Diagon Alley, sorry! it wont happen again.