Sorry I haven't updated sooner than asked for! I've been away on Christmas break and unfortunately could not bring my laptop with me. (Goodness those parents! ") So here I am, the hermit in my room, bringing you entertaining literature! Hope you like this chapter. It is a start for more to come! :)

Disclaimer: It depresses me that I do not own this dashing series. *weeps*

One week later.

"Hermione Granger I cannot believe you. It seems I cannot come to terms that you are guilty of… of this; to be the culprit of such...such…hostility."

The Professor motioned his hand to two first years that were sitting behind me. One girl was holding an ice-pack to her knee and the other was holding up her arm while a charmed bottle of ointment was pouring its contents on her hand. Both were first years, both had been 'accidentally' tripped while walking to lunch.

"But Professor," I protested, "There is no proof that I tripped these girls!"

He gave me a sharp look, pushing his glasses up. "It appears that I do, Ms. Granger." His eyes shifted past my head to the door, from which, entered Draco Malfoy.

"Mr. Malfoy, come join us will you."

"It would be my pleasure, sir" he said slowly and coolly, looking at me with every word.

The Headmaster, noticing Malfoy's behavior cleared his throat and folded his hands on the wooden desk. "Let us not waste any time. Mr. Malfoy, did you or did you not see Ms. Granger trip these two young ladies?" Again, the hand motion to the two victims.

"She did I tell you! People don't just fall that dramatically!"Grace Maltin, the one with the ice-pack on her knee, shouted out. I turned around to see her pathetically raising her hand to speak.

"Calm yourself, Grace." Professor Dumbledore turned his glossy gaze towards Malfoy who was now seated next to me in the crowded office. "Mr. Malfoy, I don't need to repeat the simple question."

"Well, sir, I myself was walking to lunch when I noticed Ms. Granger here waving her wand which was pointed at the feet of the two first-years." He gave a smirk as if reminiscing on the crime I did not commit. "I immediately saw that she was up to no good so i tried to warn these two ladies, but unfortunately got there too late." Malfoy looked down to his hands as if he really cared.

"So you think Ms. Granger tripped these girls with magic?" Dumbledore was already wearing the visage of disappointment and discontent. The aged Professor turned to me.

"Ms. Granger," he said with a long pause, "Do you have anything to say?"

I wanted to scream, 'No I did not do it! I am Hermione Granger! I do not lower myself to the standards of tripping first years! Actually… I am only a mere visitor to that standard since this is all a con! This whole week has been a lie… a scam… a setup! Malfoy tripped those girls and has framed me! All because I can't back out of a dare! Because I don't turn down a challenge! You know what today's challenge was? Survive being sent to the headmaster's office… looks like I'm doing pretty well doesn't it? Wrong. This is only part one of the challenge.' That is what I wanted to scream, but as you can imagine… I did not.

"Ms. Granger? I unfortunately do not have all day." Everyone had their eyes on me, even the portraits hanging on the walls of the office.

"No sir, I have nothing to say besides..." I turned to Malfoy who looked like a scared firs-year stuck in the Headmaster's office, kind of like the two first-years behind me. "Besides the fact that I am glad I tripped those two." I folded my arms across my chest and leaned back in my chair. No one spoke.

"Well…" Professor Dumbledore fixed his spectacles on his nose, "You all may leave and uh… Ms. Granger… I will let you off with a warning, only because I know you and that you can do better…much better." With that he got up from his chair and walked out to the back chamber of his office, leaving the rest of us students to file out the front door.

"Next time you won't be so lucky" Malfoy sneered the minute we exited the room. He grinned as he began to walk proudly down the corridor. It almost seemed as though he wanted me in trouble. It was as if he was just as disappointed as Dumbledore.

"Where do you think you're going?" I said cutting him off. I stared in his eyes and I think he saw how that one challenge pained me. But what pained me more was the emotionless, gray eyes I stared into. "You owe me for that one" was all I said as I walked down the hall, not turning back once.

While making my way into the Gryffindor common room, I found Harry and Ron waiting for me to no surprise in all.

"Are you in trouble? Have you been punished?" Ron spat out.

"No and no." I said while sitting myself on the sofa by the fireplace.

"Dumbledore was mad wasn't he?" Harry said moving beside Ron.

"No, he wasn't. I'd say he was just disappointed."

"And you are ok with that?" He said under his breath, his scar shimmering with the glow from the fire. The question was hardly a question at all.

I took my time in answering. "No…."

My best friends looked at me with concern blazing in their eyes like the fire erupting in the fireplace. As I stared from my friends to the fire, there I saw the emotionless, disappointment; the emotionless disappointment from those gray eyes.

"No… I'm not ok with that."

Please Review! I like hearing encouragement, happiness, dislikes, hatemail, whatever! I just like getting that little notification in the form of e-mail! :D

(As you can see, Christmas has made me a happy girl! haha... Oh! And Happy Holidays!)