Chapter 2

Walking swiftly, I was trying so hard to be quite in the middle of the night. While I was sure no one else was up you never know who is watching in Hogwarts. As I made my way to the kitchens I thought about just how many other rules I was most likely going to break this year. I was already breaking on the night we came back. Then again, I don't really care. Though technically it wasn't my fault my stomach had woken me at 2 am. It was Ginny's. She just had to go and cry like a little baby, and of course I wasn't going to just stick around and listen to my friends complain how I had ruined their evening. Merlin no, so now I had to sneak to the kitchens to satisfy my hunger.

I heard footsteps walking towards me, just as I saw the kitchen door in the distance. I guess I can wait a little longer, I thought as I pressed my back into the wall and all but disappeared in the dramatic shadows. Soon two voices were heard echoing through the hall.

"Can you believe it? I almost thought I needed my eyes checked when I first saw her." The first voice drawled out slowly creeping towards her. For some reason it chilled me straight through the bone but also send a wave of pleasure racing through my heart. The wave however, was squashed as the second voice replied, "Oh come on Draco, she's still a stupid little know-it all". Bloody hell, of all the people I might run into, it has to be Malfoy. By the sound of the other voice, and knowing who's that ferrets friends, she could tell it was Zabini too. Fantastic, two vile little Slytherins coming my way.

"Oh, stop your worrying Blaise, nothing will come of it. Trust me." Says Malfoy as they come into view. I try to make myself as small as possible not even daring to think of what would happen if they caught me. I heard Zabini faintly snicker, "trust you? Says the person who has spent the last three fucking hours talking about her! I don't think so, you've even kept me up with all this nonsense." I guess Malfoy found a new girl, hopefully he'll treat her better than the last 80 billion girls that have landed themselves in his bed. "Oh please, you know me. And after all she is still a dirty little mudblood."

They had retreated out of the hall but I barely noticed. I slid down the wall and collapsed on the ground. Dirty little mudblood, dirty little mudblood, mudblood mudblood mudblood. I couldn't think of anyone else he called that. Zabini also said she was a know-it all. Oh Merlin, it had to be me. Why, oh why me? I mean he is very very very attractive, but it was Malfoy! The twitching, bouncing ferret! How could he ever like me? Well what if he's changed as well, maybe he is someone capable of loving someone else now. Someone like you, a little voice in the back of my mind whispered. I shook my head, for goodness sake he even got me rambling to myself. No, i will not let him worm his way into my mind, he still is, and forever will be, an absolute git. With this I stood up and finally made my way to the kitchens.

By the time I got out of bed, breakfast was already halfway over. I raced, putting my hair quickly into a ponytail and swiping a little concealer under the eyes, and eyeliner. Running, i burst through the Great Hall doors and quickly sat at the end of the table trying to get as much food in me as possible.

"Merlin, Hermione. You're eating like me. Which is not a good thing." Ron says as he sits across from me, while Harry sneaks in beside me. Apparently they had forgiven me, and I had been the last to know. I look up and roll my eyes, whatever I was hungry. That late night trip just wasn't enough. Trying to make conversation I ask, "so what did you two do last night?" Wrong question i guess since they both freeze up.

"We were comforting Ginny, since you were so mean to her last night." Harry responds with a glare that would have old Voldy shivering in his grave. So friendship off, again. Merlin these boys had bi-polar disorders I swear. I shrugged and looked around, trying to find something, anything, that would hold my attention. Soon though I found myself again in the gaze of mysterious silver eyes. I wonder.. NO! Hermione, I scold myself, do not, i repeat do not, let your mind wander like that! I jerk my eyes away from his and stare at my food until sealed envelopes float their way down to land beside each student.

I took a deep breath before opening mine. Please, please, please be good.. crap. Potions, Transfiguration, History of Magic, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Charms, and Ancient Runes. Good classes, but all of them happened to be advanced classes. Why did I have to be so smart? That wasn't the thing that was bothering me though, it was the fact that all of my classes were with Slytherins except for History of Magic, which seemed to be all Ravenclaws. Thank Merlin for that one class. I look up, yet again meeting that ferrets stare, yes, this was going to be an interesting year.