Chapter 3.1

Draco Malfoy is an enigma.

"Enemies of the heir beware!" Merlin! Does he have to shout? It's not as if everyone can't read it. It's clear as blood smeared on stone walls… literally, no pun intended.

"That's why you should put your bushy… curly head down Granger!" Right-o! Even said curly head Granger looked at him oddly. For a Slytherin, that one sure likes to attract a lot of attention.

"'Cause… You'd be next m-mudblood!"

She shouldn't be that insulted. No really, she shouldn't. The pale git didn't even sound so convincing. Lately his taunts would range from exasperating annoyance to confusing teases.

But it's the second time he's called her that. And it wouldn't just do! So she glares at him, hard, eyes full of promise. With what? She doesn't know yet, but the git has been asking for it. Probably turn him into a peacock, which would suit him well actually, then proceed to de-feather said bird boy and hand him to the elves for dinner. That's disturbingly appealing to her.

'It would be an entertaining sight.'

'Of course you would find that amusing.'

'You know child, I'm just saying, now is good a time to read up on those household charms you vow to avoid. Never know when a good de-feathering charm comes in handy. Or perhaps a knitting one? Fur is all the rage, why stop at feathers."

She must've been doing her sinister smile because the boy was too befuddled by her reaction, he just blinks away and awkwardly avoids her gaze.

However, revenge plans should be put on hold because there are far more important things than threatening blood letters - literally as she reminds herself- as the new and shiny man-of-the-hour arrives in a flourish. Chanting tales about his 'petrifying' adventures in the jungles of Borneo. Funny wordplay there, specially with the hanging, truly petrified cat on the wall.

Oh sweet sweet Nimue. Professor two-face has been replaced by a walking, talking, Gaston LeGume.

'No one fights like Lockhart, plays like Lockhart. Blinds your eyes with his smile like Mr. Gorgeous Lockhart! For there's no man in Hogwarts half as manly and perfect like Professor Lockhaaaart!' She felt more like the townsfolk or pudgy LeFou than Belle at the moment.

"Holy crap 'Mione! What are you singing? Ha ha ha!" Ron was snorting beside her.

"Ha ha! Didn't know… ha ha ha!... you have a thing for… he he he he!... for Mr. Lockhart Hermione!" Harry said in between snickers.

Holy crap indeed. Was she singing it out loud?

'Yes you did.'

'Why didn't you stop me?'

'Well, no one sings impromptu like Hermione Granger!'

'That doesn't even match the tone!'

Nevertheless, she hauls the boys out of the grim looking hall back up to their common room before she embarrasses herself more. The hero of her ballad was looking at her with akin to pride and she had to stop herself from gagging.

"Shut it Granger! Professor Lockhart is not ALL that!" She scrunches her nose in equal parts distaste and confusion. 'How is Malfoy still here?' She thoughts.

"Well, let's not be hasty there Mr. Malfoy. I'm sure Ms. Granger knows what she's singing about. I am after all Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile! Three times in a row!"

The blonde boy sneered at the professor before he left the scene. The trio too overwhelmed by the events of the night couldn't help but laugh like hyenas all they way back to the tower. Leaving a delighted Lockhart, a sneering Snape, a disturbed Minerva, and a twinkling Dumbledore. And poor Argus too, of course.

Oh Harry James Potter. The chosen bespectacled one, boy who live, youngest Seeker of the century, and now boy who hears voices.

She can't really blame Harry. Despite entering the wizarding world, she still thought it best to keep her thoughts a secret.

Everyone can agree that hearing voices is a different kind of special. It wasn't really a shock that she can hear the hissing too, but the voice told her to ignore it and so she did. She has the tendency to obey him now. Hermione won't admit it because he is right at most times.

'Well I am, aren't I?' Oh shush! She doesn't need him interfering with her train of thought.

"Blimey Harry! You're not going barmy are you?" Ron said to the troubled boy.

"Language Ronald."

"Laaanguage Rooonald. I swear mate, she's becoming to sound like 'me mum." Ronald wasn't really trying to whisper. Hell, she doesn't even have to try to overhear them. Thankfully she can tune them out like background noises. The trick to read and write essays in the middle of the Gryff's common room may not have been a natural talent of hers, but here she was, writing her essays quite meticulously.

'Well I cant! Dear Merlin child. I don't know how you can stand these hooligans, they're far too noisy. Why don't you go to the library? Better atmosphere. Less headache.'

'Well I can stand you, can't I?'

'Cheeky. I will let that one slide for now.'

She heard Harry's snicker when she rolled her eyes. Oh right, she's still with the boys.

But despite all that "practice" she's had with tuning out noises, what she can't stand is non-sense.

"I tell you! Malfoy's the heir of Slytherin!" Riiight, if he is, he wouldn't stop shouting about it. Will probably even wear an obnoxious emblem to remind us lowly commoners of Hogwarts "where we stand". But boys will be boys and their narrow pubescent minds decided the pompous git is the heir. So she nicked some supplies and brewed Polyjuice.

'This is your solution?' Again, she ignored him. What better way to practice her brewing skills AND help the boys out.

'Yes and let's not forget how dismantling the wards was soo easy...' Well he did say that a door easily opened is not really locked.

'What!? We should work on your morals, I don't think I taught you that.' Yet, she takes him in stride because she can feel the pride in his voice, especially when she doesn't get caught. Who could light a teacher on fire and get away with it. But perhaps she's drawing it too close when she tries to borrow some of his supplies.

'Again, let's work on those morals you used to have.' She should have ended up in Slytherin. Why didn't she?

'I told the hat not to.' Ahh, now she knows why that hat was too quiet.

'Well, be a stickler for rules and never be seen as a culprit. Or something to that extent… You're the one who taught me anyway.' Oh if a voice could sigh as much.

However her smug face fell when she transformed into a cat. Whiskers, tail and fluffy paw.

'You will make a great character in that Cats show. The one where that mother of yours used to bring you.'

She never wanted to punch a non-existent person until that moment.

At least the boys got a good use out of it. Turns out Malfoy's not the heir, no surprise there. He just spouted non-sense how 'Granger should watch where she's going. That monster can see her hair from throws away!' Or something like that.

See the heir was a puzzle to her, and boy does she love to channel Nancy Drew.

Salazar Slytherin apparently despises muggleborns, but the 9th century wasn't really partial to muggles, especially those born by the non-magical ones. Half of them couldn't even properly read or write. They think magic to be something paranormal and malevolent, it birthed fear in them. Unfortunately the dark wizard's solution was to set loose his monster after the muggleborn children of Hogwarts. And of course, what befits a mad man like Salazar himself than a giant basilisk, the King of Serpents. One that can petrify or kill with just a gaze.

The extermination was a disappointing solution. Salazar Slytherin should have used logic, and probably a whole dash of humanity and empathy. Instead of commanding his beast to carnage, he should've saved those muggleborns from the drowning and burning. But all he did was turn a blind eye and drove them to their gruesome death. Personally, Hermione surmise, if Salazar wanted to get rid of muggleborns, he should've adopted the lot of them to pureblood families. Nabbed them from their cots. Because she thinks muggleborns should have been celebrated! They freshen the blood, and bring fort something novel to the familial magic. It would have been better to just call them new blood, instead of muggleborns. They are after all new children of Hecate, or so the pages from Magik Ex Divina said.

He could've been the saviour. Alas, he was no messiah, and just like every dark lord willing to exterminate an inferior race, they fail and become the anti-hero. No one want to sympathise with that, well not publicly of course.

The wizarding world should have been at the forefront of scientific discoveries and engineering achievements. They could have improved technology and give answers to what science cannot. The wizards should have been the vanguard for the modern world, instead she first stepped into it on cobbled streets, fire lamps, chimneys, owls, quills and parchments. Where were the runed flying crafts, or hovering buildings, or or… inter-galactic explorations?

To hell with preservation of culture when you blindly ignore evolution and progress. It is just unforgivable and naïve. Seems the legend about the magical advancement of Atlantis, is just that- a legend. And a muggle one at that.

No matter, she will show every pureblood prejudice what it is to really deal with someone from the muggle world.

Unfortunately, today wasn't that day, because one moment she was turning the halls with fellow bookworm Penelope and suddenly she's instantly transported by a pair of too bright yellow eyes into a world unknown.

What is it with Hogwarts rendering her unconscious.