Author's Note: For those of you saying that you don't really know what to think about this story...I don't know what to think either lol the idea just came to me and I knew if I didn't write it out I'd drive myself crazy so yeah. We're kind of on this adventure together to see where this goes. But I am glad you're enjoying the ride!

Chapter Four

Draco Malfoy started his day by first grooming himself in the mirror. He needed to be sure he looked especially nice today. Not only it being the first day of school, but his first day at their plan to destroy Hermione Granger. Even the sound of her name in his head felt like nails on a chalkboard. Draco tried to remind himself that this would all be worth it once she was gone from Kingswright for good. He squirted some gel into his palm, rubbed his hands together, and ran the gel through his hair. Then he pulled on his tight black t-shirt and dark-wash jeans. He'd worn a jacket yesterday, and checked his reflection in the mirror for any visible marks now that he was just in a t-shirt. He found none. Lucius had been careful. Never leave any bruise that would be visible or not fade in time if going to be visible in the future. This reminded Draco to examine his ribs. The bruise was fading and changing colors, but every breath felt like a fresh kick in his side. All for forgetting to put the orange juice back in the fridge.

Draco ran his finger tips along the bruise, wincing at the touch. It hadn't always been like this with his father. Things had gotten worse when his job became more stressful. Draco had been about twelve when Lucius had decided Draco wasn't the little boy he'd been able to get along with in the past. Draco was older, developing into his own person. Things Lucius hadn't been able to stand. So he tried to control Draco as much as he could. And that included the beatings. Draco pulled down his shirt, thanking his lucky stars he was at Kingswright and not at the manor - that prison.

His heart went out to his mother though. She was still locked up there with no escape.

This was all the more reason to want to preserve Kingswright Academy. It was the only home Draco had known for a long, long time. His companions there were the only family he felt like he had. The last thing he needed was outsiders mucking that all up. Kingswright was founded on bloodline and tradition. Going to Kingswright made Draco feel connected to his grandfathers whom he never got to met - fathers he never knew. Kingswright was more than just a school. Kingswright was a way of life for him. A way of survival. And Hermione Granger and other outsiders were tying to take that away. But he'd stop them. He'd see to that. Starting with Hermione, he'd make them leave with their tails between their legs.

After finishing up his grooming, Draco threw his Prada backpack over one shoulder and headed out the dormitory to Humanities. Humanities with Doctor Stein and Hermione Granger.

Draco made his way across campus. When he found the correct building and room number, he opened the door and found that Hermione was already there. She was sitting front and center. Draco groaned. Of course she'd be. Where else did brownnosers sit? Sighing, Draco threw his backpack at the legs of the desk next to hers, and slipped into the chair. God, she was already reading out of the textbook. Draco rolled his eyes. Pull it together, Draco. Everything you're doing is to destroy her. Now, get at it!

"Hey," Draco leaned towards her, "Don't tell me there was assigned reading I didn't know about."

Hermione's eyes lifted off the pages and towards him. At first she just blinked at him. Draco soured. Was she really pretending not to know who he was?

"Draco," Hermione finally said, "What are you doing here?"

"Uh...waiting for class to start?"

"I meant why are you sitting with me?" She asked, folding the book shut, "Last night at dinner you made it evident you wanted nothing to do with me. So...what are your motives, here?"

"Motives?" Draco ran a hand through his hair. Okay, so she was smarter than he'd originally given her credit for. No problem. He loved a challenge.

"Motives." Hermione repeated plainly.

"No motives. I just thought you might appreciate a familiar face. But if you'd like, I can go sit some place else..."

Hermione sighed. It was just one class. She could live with Draco sitting next to her for one class, right? Besides, once Doctor Stein came in, they'd begin lecture and she could focus on that. "Fine," Hermione tapped her pen against the textbook, "Stay there. Once class starts it'll be easier to ignore your presence."

"Have I offended you?"

Hermione let out a laugh, "That's rich, Draco. After what you said last night at dinner, and how you and your friends were treating me. Yeah, you offended me. It happens though. You aren't the first person to hurt my feelings, Draco Malfoy, and you probably won't be the last. But I'm not going to give you the opportunity again. I'm keeping myself guarded from you, Draco."

Well, shit. Okay, so this was going to be harder than he had originally planned. Draco pulled his own notebook out of his backpack and dug around for a pencil, "I just think we got off on the wrong foot. I'm not as big a jerk as I tend to come across," he shot her one of fake-genuine glances, "Really. Let me prove it to you."

"God," Hermione cringed, turning away from him, "How many girls have you used that on?" Who was he kidding? Did he really expect her to just fall into his arms or at his feet after the way he'd behaved last night? He hadn't been able to stand her sitting at his table. And now here he was trying to charm her. Well it wasn't going to work. Whatever his game was, Hermione was not going to play. She folded her arms over her chest, determinedly.

"I'm not going to bite at what you're dangling, Draco. Find some other way to entertain yourself."

Draco opened his mouth to say something else - wanting to scold her and really tear her down for speaking so boldly to him - but Doctor Stein was now standing at the front of the class, tapping a stack of loose leaf papers on to the wooden podium in front of him. God. Draco hated teachers. Couldn't he just go sit at his desk and grade something and leave them to their conversation? He needed to dig into Hermione...but if he did that, it'd be going against the plan. Draco coolly sat back in his seat, propping his pencil behind his ear, and waited for Doctor Stein to begin the lecture. He'd just have to try again with Hermione after class. He wasn't miserable looking. He was really quite attractive. He had hundreds of girls phone numbers in his phone - all under names like "Redhead from Chemistry" and "One Night Stand 6/10." He could have any of those girls. He already had those girls. But he could have them again tenfold. But Hermione...she was different. She wasn't buying his bullshit.

Come on, Draco. The lion doesn't give up on his prey without a little bit of a fight first.