The ride to Hogwarts' School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was an uneventful one, because he was sitting with his usually stupid "friend": Goyle. Hence why there wasn't much conversation going on, because none of the 2 wanted to talk to each other. So the ride on the Hogwart's Express was a silent one as well. At last, he got to see Hogwart's lake and grounds.

"First years, first years, over here!" Was shouting Hagrid in his loud voice. He was remembering about his first year across Hogwarts' lake. He was watching the first years row and thinking it was particularly pleasant, until he got out of his compartment and spotted his Mate. He was smelling that same scent of lavender, roses and a hint of vanilla again. So deeply intoxicating to his nostrils. He could smell Her from where he was.

He wanted to go to her, until Goyle grabbed his arm and jerked him from his own thoughts :

"Draco, what are you doing? Walking towards that Mudblood?"

"Goyle, I'll have something to tell the whole Slytherin house after the school's sorting ceremony and feast, but don't you dare call Her that in my presence. Do you hear me?"

"Mate, what's the matter with you?" his "friend"asked idiotically.

"I'll tell you everything after. Do I need to repeat myself?" He asked him in his usual ordering voice. They knew they got to stop with his tone of voice.

"No." Both of his travelling companions agreed.

After all the first years rowed into Hogwarts, it was time for all the other years to get into the great Hall to enjoy the sorting ceremony, and thereafter, the grand opening feast every first day of school.

The Sorting Hat started off with it's usual song :

"Oh Hogwarts, Hogwarts…"

Draco was dozing off while it was singing it and sorting out the first years. But all of a sudden, he saw his Mate walking towards the great hall's front. "Why?" He was asking himself. Except he didn't care, all he could do was to stare at Her most graceful walking and most perfectly gorgeous body. "Get a grip of yourself and think about why she's going towards the front of the hall." He was mentally chastising himself.

Suddenly, he understood why. The Headmistress was announcing who the Prefects were, and his Mate was of course, Gryffindor's. And he Slytherin's, although he wasn't paying much attention to Mcgonagall's voice from afar until she said his name :

"Draco Malfoy, Slytherin's Prefect!"

He was smiling to himself when She congratulated him on his Prefect position with her. And he was indeed very happy about the developments. "Thank you, Headmistress, for providing an extra opportunity for us to interact civilly." He was silently thanking his Headmistress.

Then, it was the grand Feast of Hogwarts' first day of school. And per usual, there was a lot of rare dishes that the Elves home cooked for them. The food was all so delicious, but he wasn't tasting any of it, he was looking at Her, the Her being Hermione Granger, also his Mate.

Slytherin Common Room, evening

In the evening, around his friends, he was so full of those delicious dishes, however, all he could think of was how beautiful She looked when She walked in front of him. Pansy Parkinson was first to break their long silence :

"Well, I know all about your Granger problem, Draco. Your Mother wrote to me about it."

"Really, did she now? What did she tell you exactly?" He asked carefully, his mind hard at work. He wanted to pry her secret open.

"She told me everything about you. That you're a Merman and that you've got a Mate and that on the Hogwart's Express, you've identified Granger as your Mate."

"Yes, that's absolutely correct, isn't she just beautiful?"

"Draco, would please you focus? How are you planning precisely to tell her this? She doesn't exactly like you, you know."

"Do you gotta rub it in?"

"No, but I'm trying to help you, my friend." She continued, completely oblivious to his annoyance at her disturbing his peace.

"And what makes you think I need your help?" He hotly retorted.

"You'll need all the help you can get."

"Yes, I appreciate that Pansy, but I don't think your help is any necessary currently."

"What's that I'm hearing, Draco, you're a Merman and Granger's your Mate?" After the war, everybody got on last name basis, since the words "Mudblood", "Bloodtraitors" and etc got banned by the Ministry of Magic. Goyle was the only one stupid enough to use them. Plus, nobody cared much about this blood purity business any longer.

"Yes, unfortunately. So, how do I tell someone who hates me that she's supposed to be the love of my life and that my life depends on Her?"

"No idea right now, but we'll come up with something eventually." answered Nott again.

"Yes we will." agreed Parkinson with Nott.

On his first night at school, he went to sleep his heart heavywith apprehension with a very grim future ahead for him.