A/N: I have a feeling that these are going to end up getting longer and longer, corresponding to the length of the books I guess. So yes, I updated faster than I ever have...Ever. So on that note, sorry to say, but don't get used to it. I don't update this fast when schools is going. Anyways, hope this one is to all of your liking. :D

Disclaimer: So, I don't own Harry Potter/characters. I don't think I could handle the responsibilities anyway. XP

Year Two

The summer had passed and it would soon be time to return to Hogwarts. But not before reveling in the smell of newly bought books, only one place for that, Diagon Alley.

She had planned to meet up with Harry and Ron, the first time she would be going there with friends, and the first time all summer she would be able to have contact with Harry. Her lips always formed a smile of amusement when she thought of Ron telephoning their friend at a place as the Dursleys.

Of course she would be seeing other classmates while there. In fact she was somewhat hopeful to see her friends from Houses other than her own.

At Flourish and Blotts she had her head lost in a book, and was walking through the shelves in the back of the upper floor; not a good idea. She crashed. Looking up about to apologize she wasn't sure if she should be annoyed by the echo this was of their first meeting. She had to start paying more attention. Or worried of what might come hurtling at her from his cruel vocabulary.

He looked irritated, but when he was her a look of indifference played on his face. "Granger." His voice was drawling and bored. She was surprised to say the least. Where was the ongoing turret of insults?

She decided to reciprocate, "Draco." He turned suddenly, now his turn to be surprised. She had voluntarily acknowledged him by his first name. This being after a complete year of the familiar 'Malfoy'.

And then there it was, that smirk. It was okay, she could look past it. "How was your summer?" she asked calmly, allowing her eyes to dart at a few titles on the shelf beside her.

She had expected the pause, and then. "Nothing out of the ordinary…er, and you?" And she answered with a brief summary of her holidays.

It had been a few minutes of exchanges, civil at that when an explosion of sound went off downstairs. Hermione and Draco heard someone announcing Giledroy Lockhart. He noticed her eyes widen and the way she became slightly fidgety with her feet, as if wanting nothing but to go and have a peek. "You've got to be joking," he denounced. The red climbing up her face had not gone unnoticed by the blonde.

"He is an amazingly competent wizard," she attempted to defend herself. Draco saw through her like a pane of glass.

"No, really," he wanted the truth.

Grudgingly, "Fine," and here her face went slightly dreamy, and he tried not to scoff loudly. "He is an amazing published author who did so much brave things. He has a dazzling smile, blonde hair, sparkling eyes…" her abrupt stop pulled Draco out of his stupor as well. He had just been thinking, 'for top of her class, she could really be thick sometimes.'

"I have to go," she said when she heard Mrs. Weasly's voice. He nodded.

"See you at school." He watched her walk away, storing her mention of attraction to blonde hair in the back of his head.

And so there on she went onward to school, being without her two best friends on the train, berating them later when she found out why, dealing with crazy blue pixies while everyone else dealt with a crazy lilac loving teacher.

Then came the quidditch practice. The moment she saw those green robes, she knew a confrontation was afoot.

As she was standing beside the Gryffindor quidditch team, she saw Draco constantly glancing at her. Her smile was thankfully hidden by a remark thrown by some Gryffindor. And then he said the word, the one everyone became disgusted by. The scathing way it was administered was what hurt the most. She didn't know what it meant. She caught his indistinguishable shake of the head just before Ron started spewing slugs. 'That depends on what the word means' Hermione thought when she had seen his slight eye contact apology.

She decided she didn't like ghost parties. She didn't think that writing on a wall could scare her so much. She decided she didn't like bludgers anymore either. She silently prayed that neither of her friends would get hurt in the duel. She was somewhat surprised at Draco's spell arsenal.

It was the night of the secret body switch, for lack of wittier phrase. Her horror of being a cat was calmed with knowing he now wouldn't have to get mad at her later, when she told the truth. Anyway, it was unneeded except to help her best friends' egos; she knew he wasn't the heir.

And so it continued, the second year: the Riddle diary, the library, basilisk in the pipes…petrification. Knowing, when she was breathing again, how much her boys had cared.

She decided to take her chances with second impressions, seeing as how well this one was going.

A/N: I can see how many people read this, and that is cool that people are interested, and now I hate to be a prick and ask, but does it really hurt to leave an opinion? It would help me know if my writing for this story is stupid or not, because I am kind of trying something different.
Hope you liked this Year. Bet you can't guess the next chapter title! :)