Episode 2- Time for classes

September and then October dragged on for Harry and Ron, but Hermione was thriving. Within the first week of class Hermione had hit her academic stride and was known by most of the teachers for being extraordinarily intelligent. All the classes were split up by house, pairing two houses per class. For their first set of classes Gryffindor was paired with Slytherin meaning there was even more competition between the houses. By the time Halloween came around most of the other students were ready for a small break from classes. On the other hand Malfoy and Hermione were still neck and neck for front of the class and pushing each other to win. The time they didn't spend on classes were spent either bickering with each other or complaining about how stupid and terrible the other one was. Not everyone appreciated intelligence the same way as Hermione and Draco. In fact there were a lot of people that were jealous of their drive and seemingly natural excellence, Ron being one of them. Ron was in a particularly bad mood walking out of class having been shown up by Hermione for the third class in a row that day. He started complaining to Harry about how annoying and competitive she could be and how she had no friends which was why she tried so hard. He felt a hard shove on his shoulder as a familiar curly haired figure marched past angrily. Hiding the tears in her eyes Hermione also shoved past another group of students headed by a blonde boy with posture as rigid as a steel rod. As she rushed past he called over to her.

"Granger! Where are you going in such a rush? Not like you're late to meet friends." Malfoy sneered, crossing his arms and rolling his head to the side.

Hermione turned on her heel and with wet lines running down her face as she snapped back at him, snapping in a shaky but furious voice

" I don't have time for you today you evil little weasel I have other things to worry about than your stupid inferiority complex". She whipped back around and stormed to the nearest bathroom to be alone and clean up a bit, leaving Draco behind with his friends frustrated and irritated. It was always a fun challenge fighting with Hermione. On most days Hermione didn't mind the fighting either. For her it was proof that even as a muggle born she was still an extraordinary wizard who was a threat to Draco Malfoy of all people.

Today it was just too much. She had spent weeks working as hard as she could, frequently falling asleep while studying for the next day, or fixing Ron and Harry's homework so they would be passing their classes, because it was clear they couldn't do it without her. After all of this hearing Ron talking about her like that just set her off. She went running to the nearest abandoned bathroom, which happened to be the one with Moaning Myrtle. The ghost didn't exactly comfort her but was kind enough to leave Hermione alone for once. She lost track of time letting all of her stress and anxiety out crying for hours on end. After that she spent another hour getting herself back together before realize that she was starving and missing the Halloween feast. She heard some rumbling outside and thought disappointedly that she had missed the feast and everyone was heading back to their rooms. Red-eyed, Hermione shuffled out of her stall only to be confronted with a large and lumpy mountain troll. Stunned, she tried to go back and hide in her stall but her shoe scuffed on a rock and the troll turned around. It let out a stupid grunt and swung his club vaguely in her direction. Face-down on the floor Hermione heard two familiar voices just behind the troll! Harry and Ron had actually come to save her!

Draco was on his way to his dormitory with the rest of his house when he saw Harry and Ron rushing off in the opposite direction of their common rooms. Draco was sure he could catch them doing something wrong and be a hero in the eyes of the teachers and other students. That would be the end of them all right. He snuck off to follow them and catch them in the act. As Draco snuck along the corridors he heard loud crashing noises from nearby. It was coming from a bathroom haunted by a whiny ghost who was, for once, not to be heard. He peered through the door which had been broken in to see something saw Harry and Ron slinging rocks and spells at the troll while Hermione sat under the sinks cowering. He almost smiled at the bizarre sight except he realized that he was frozen with fear for himself and oddly enough for Hermione. She looked up just long enough to make eye contact with the blonde figure in the doorway. Draco got himself together enough to sprint away and catch up with his house. He started loudly talking about how he heard loud noises and a troll moan from the other direction. This caught the attention of a prefect who whispered something to snape. Snape turned around quickly in the other direction to check it out. Draco felt oddly relieved and that he had just saved the people he thought that he hated the most. Draco vaguely shook his head trying to shake the conflicting thoughts while he sprinted up to rejoin his friends.

Harry and Ron seemed relieved to see Snape but he was quickly followed by McGonagall who looked angry enough to slay ten trolls without any help.

"What in Merlin's Beard is happening here?" She demanded. Snape took a step back, waiting for the pleasure of watching her punish her own house. Harry and Ron were trying not to meet her eye and Hermione knew Professor McGonagall was not going to accept anything but a full admission of guilt. She would save Ron and Harry again, to repay the fact that they'd just saved her.

"It's my fault Professor." She heard her voice and wondered how this was in anyway her fault. "I thought I could take the troll by myself. If Ron and Harry hadn't noticed me missing." She took a hard swallow. "It could have been much worse."

McGonagall and Snape exchanged a glance. Snape was going to expect a harsh punishment and he was urging McGonagall with a pointed stare. He wasn't wrong. McGonagall looked at the three of them, shook her head and grudgingly deducted 50 house points before sending them off to bed.

The next morning the Great Hall was buzzing with talk of the troll from the day before. There was a small crowd hovering around Harry, Ron and Hermione cheering and congratulating them and asking questions. At the Slytherin table the atmosphere was very different. Insults were flying around pointed at the trio. How " Of course it was the Gryffindors, it's always the Gryffindors." and " Arrogant morons.. The lot of them". Draco of course was leading the charge against them within his year. He kept glancing over to them, so he could insult them. What he never told anyone was that it was because of him that they were safe and hadn't been hit by the troll. He wanted to tell people. He wanted that attention and adoration, but he knew if he said anything it would ruin his reputation with a lot of the other Slytherins and that was one of the few things he would never risk.

Hermione couldn't help but notice Draco looking over at them. She was the only other person that knew he was the one that had helped them. While she would keep that a secret, partially because no one would believe her even if she did, Hermione couldn't help but give him a small grateful smile. Draco couldn't muster a hateful glare to throw back so his face remained neutral while his mind was in dissonance.