Disclaimer: The true owner of Harry Potter is J.K.Rowling, not me.
EMBER91: Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you think it's cool. I love Animorphs too - I'll watch out when your fic comes out!
"Get out."
The curt voice was unmistakeable, all of it dripping pure contempt. Hermione Granger rolled her eyes as she put her book down to glare at the sudden appearance of someone with slicked silver-blond hair. "Excuse me, but I think I sat here first."
"Excuse me," Draco Malfoy imitated her high-pitched voice filled with indignation. "But I think I am a Malfoy."
Hermione couldn't believe her ears. It was barely one week into the new school term and here was Draco Malfoy trying to act pompous and annoyingly sarcastic. In the library, of all places, where she believed peace would actually reign. It looked like this time Hermione's instinct wasn't exactly in place. She gave a click of exasperation. "I don't care if you're a Malfoy or a Weasley or a Brown or a Parkinson, as long as I sat here first, it gives you absolutely NO reason for you to chase me out. There're plenty of seats around, you don't have to irk me."
She tried to put it very calmly to him, but he merely chuckled and leant back, putting on an air of superiority. He was just out to annoy her! And he was enjoying it too. Hermione wondered why Draco Malfoy had so much time on hand to irritate somebody whom he had always looked down upon. She rolled her eyes again, then reverted her attention back to her book.
Draco Malfoy eyed his nemesis' good friend with a watchful look. He didn't treat her as his nemesis, in fact he was actually quite in awe of her on account of her intelligence. This he would never openly admit, for he believed his blood was more superior and it would do his reputation no good to actually submit to the intelligence of a Mudblood. He snorted inwardly. It was a pity she was in Gryffindor, that most repulsive house, and the good friend of that Scarface Potter and Carrots Weasley. But thinking back on the punch she threw at him most vehemently in their third year, he could feel himself boiling all over again – in awe? He chortled sarcastically to himself. I must be kidding myself.
He was being very bored since the morning because he had long finished his homework (as so did Granger) and the Slytherin room was just congested with ruddy first-years and absolutely revolting girls comparing the latest fashion styles and also the latest dark magic transformations. The only way out was to go to somewhere where he could actually find a bit of peace – he had actually planned to look up on some Dark Magic History in the library; it was by coincidence the Mudblood was here.
He fingered his Slytherin cloak thoughtfully. He had a bad dream last night – oh yes, one very bad one. He had heard the Dark Lord's voice, or so he thought, commanding a man to do his bidding and finishing him off when it was not accomplished. Somehow Draco Malfoy's head ached at the very thought of recalling the dream. Or nightmare, in this case. It was somewhat worrying to think that he had heard the sinister voice and the cutting vocabulary that accompanied it. But what worried him the most was that he had caught the word "Hogwarts" in the midst of the angry words the Dark Lord had delivered to his minion. So he wanted to find out what connection the school had with dark magic in the past. Perhaps he could uncover something in his dream. After all, Father always told him that dreams had connections to reality, however subtle they were.
And Mudblood Granger was just nicely sitting in the library. It would be really fun to annoy her a little. But Draco pursed up his lips repressedly. This would not do. This was too immature for a Malfoy – he ought to be doing his work. So he got up to browse the shelves, ignoring the scowl Granger was offering to him at the corner of her book.
As she watched him get out to look around, she couldn't help scowling at him. There wasn't peace whenever Draco Malfoy was around! And there were rumours going around Hogwarts that this was the Slytherin heir and he was going to become a Death Eater. Hermione shuddered upon that thought. She never really expected anyone in Hogwarts to become a Death Eater, but it seemed very possible when the person was Draco Malfoy. No one could fit the bill by being more scheming, more annoying, more crafty and more sadistic. Somehow, Hermione felt a little tinge of sadness for the blond boy, even though she knew she would regret that feeling later. He was going to be drawn into the Dark side and suffer the consequences there. No one really successfully completed a job for the Dark Lord and remained alive for all his life. Once they grew old, the Dark Lord would just finish them off, much less if they were incompetent. But she knew as well that it would be a choice on Malfoy's part, so why should she be feeling sad for someone who chose his own path willingly and determinedly?
Hermione shook her head in disgust, got up to return her book, and left the library to watch Harry and Ron in action for Gryffindor Quidditch practice.
How wrong she would turn out to be.