The next morning, Hermione woke in the same green and silver dormitory she had fallen asleep in, under the same silky green sheets. Her hair was familiar and messy around her neck, and the sheets were just as soft and cosy as the red ones in the Gryffindor dormitories. With her eyes shut, she could tell herself that things were not so different to how they had been twenty-four hours previously, but then she opened her eyes, and things were most definitely not the same.
Slowly, Hermione sat up and looked around. Tossing in the bed to her left, was a girl with short auburn hair. The girl was called Clover. At first, Hermione had thought it was a strange name, but it soon seemed normal. Clover was quiet, but cunning. She didn't say very much, but Hermione had gotten the impression that when she did say something, you had better listen- because Hermione could tell that Clover had a terribly short temper, and she was more like the Slytherin Hermione had always imagined than Daisy was.
Clover was petite and small, with a brown-red bob and hazel eyes. She wore dark clothes and prescription eyeglasses with thick tortoiseshell frames. Hermione had thought to herself that if she had to wear glasses, she wouldn't look nearly as good as Clover did. Hermione would look much more nerdy, and much less stylish.
Hermione began to pull herself out of the bed and stood at the foot of the bed; looking from side to side nervously.
On the wall, opposite her bed, was a full length mirror. Hermione had tied her hair up in a haphazard bun the night before, but throughout the night, her hair had fallen down, and loose curls framed her face. She rubbed her eyes and pulled down her pyjama top a little. The pyjama set was made up of a blue and yellow floral camisole and a pair of black shorts. Hermione was feeling self-conscious, but as Clover stood from her bed, she felt a little better. Clover was wearing only a sports bra and a pair of girl's boxer shorts. Hermione was sure that no Gryffindor would ever dress that way. Well, maybe Faun would if she thought Harry would see it. Hermion scolded herself, old Hermione wouldn't even think of that!
Clover was shrugging on a green silk robe that fell to her ankles when a loud thud came from downstairs.
Clover and Hermione shared a curious glance before hurrying down the stairs, Clover a few steps behind Hermione. Hermione blinked as she stopped at the foot of the stairs. Clover collided with her, apologising and standing on her tip-toes to see over Hermione's shoulder, since Hermione was the taller of the two girls. There was a second of complete silence, before the two girls began to laugh.
A certain blond boy was sprawled on the floor at the foot of the stairs to the boy's dormitory. Hermione and Clover weren't the only ones laughing. A boy, the same age as Draco, was standing near him. Beside him stood a girl, and the boys arm was draped casually over her shoulder. The girl had caramel skin and brown eyes. Those eyes were wide and terrified, focused on someone behind Hermione- Clover. Her chocolate brown hair was messy yet still fell perfectly to her waist. Hermione was admittedly jealous of the girl as she thought back to her own appearance in the mirror.
Hermione clasped a hand over her mouth, cutting off a giggle. Draco scrambled to his feet, resembling a deer in the headlights. Draco stared at Hermione, a light blush flaming his cheeks.
Clover stared coolly at the girl and the boy across the room. "Mia?" Clover asked coldly, "What are you doing? Why are you with Christopher?" The auburn haired girl asked, raising a judgemental eyebrow. Mia was wearing a pale blue cotton nightdress that ended above her knee and her hair was half over one shoulder and half trapped under the Christopher's arm.
The girl stared at Clover, wide eyed. She stuttered and threw Christopher's arm off her. "N-nothing," Mia glared at Christopher, "Why would I be doing anything with him?" She asked before she walked away, towards the stairs. She hesitated beside Clover, "I'm going to get dressed."
Christopher stared after her with a hurt expression. He swore under his breath. He was lean and tall, with short dark brown hair and tan skin. His lips were pulled into a frown and his eyes were green pools of bitter annoyance. He looked at Clover like he wanted to say something, but he didn't.
Christopher apologised to Draco, only partly meaning it. Draco nodded, resting his hand briefly on Christopher's shoulder as Christopher walked past him, and slowly took the stairs, shaking his head and dragging one hand through his hair.
A giggle passed Hermione's lips and she saw Draco, dishevelled, embarrassed and flushed pink. To say it was an amusing sight was a colossal understatement.
"What's so funny?" He asked, trying to recover himself.
"I'm sorry," Hermione mumbled, still smiling and not sounding very apologetic at all, "But there is something really funny about seeing someone like you…" she let her voice trail off, presuming that he would understand. He didn't.
His face fell in clear disappointment, "Suffer? I don't blame you." He looked away, down at his feet.
Hermione frowned, "No, not suffer." She didn't quite know where he had gotten that idea from.
Draco looked up and moved closer to her, "Then what's so funny?" he was looking up at her through his eyelashes, and Hermione's breath caught in her throat. Even now, in the early morning, he was very handsome. His eyelashes were devastatingly long, and the light emitted from the white lights above the two teenagers made his lashes cast spider web shadows on his high, defined cheek bones.
He was trying to intimidate her, but he couldn't anymore. He didn't have the ability to scare her anymore, not since he had revealed his kind ways to her; not since she had become a Slytherin. She realised now that the scariest thing about Draco Malfoy had always been his reputation, and now that she knew must of that was either never true, or no longer true, he was like a tame kitten. Hermione winked and spun on her heel, walking back to the girl's dormitory; she was quietly proud of how she had held herself and refrained from blushing until she was out of his sight. Clover had already left her position on the staircase.
Upstairs, she showered, brushed her teeth, changed into her school clothes, cast a spell on her hair- to dry it- and pulled her hair into a ponytail before she slipped on a pair of shiny black shoes. Since her hair was long, it hung to her shoulder blades in loose messy curls. Hermione grabbed her black satchel bag and hurried down the stairs, to the common room.
When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she saw the boy from earlier, Christopher, tying the laces on his shoes.
"Hello." Hermione greeted, determined to be as nice as possible. Her Gryffindor self was in there somewhere, and if Draco's idea was going to work, she needed to find her inner lion cub.
"Hello, Hermione Granger." He said with a wide smirk, "I'm Christopher Reynolds." His eyes were bright with secrets he didn't care to tell her, and a curiosity that almost unnerved Hermione.
"How do you know my name?" Hermione grimaced, "Am I already that infamous?" She groaned, earning a chuckle from Christopher.
"No, no. I know a lot of things about a lot of people." He smirks again, "Don't feel too special."
Hermione bit her lip, "What do you know about me?"
Christopher stood and towered over Hermione, "I know you have a cute laugh." He suggested with a smug smile.
Hermione bit back a laugh, "Well, that was particularly funny earlier."
"Yeah, hilarious." entered a bored voice.
"Draco." Hermione greeted.
"Good morning, Hermione." Draco spoke dryly.
"Enjoy your trip?" Christopher asked mockingly, raising an amused eyebrow at Draco.
Hermione giggled, raising one hand to cover her mouth. Had she really just done that? Hermione Granger didn't giggle… she was forced to wonder what the hell was wrong with her. She had been reduced to a giggling Slytherin.
Draco spoke dryly, "Your maturity never fails to amaze me, Christopher." Draco rolled his eyes, still frowning, "Besides, it's because of you that I tripped in the first place." He scowled at Christopher, "Next time you and Mia sneak off together, don't sleep at the bottom of the stairs." Hermione finally understood what had happened, or at least, she kind of did. So Christopher and Mia were sleeping at the foot of the boys stairs, and Draco came downstairs in the morning and tripped up on them.
"Ahh, don't be too embarrassed, Draco." She smiled softly at the awkward blond boy. Without really thinking about it, she hugged Draco but when he froze, things quickly became uncomfortable. It wasn't about why she hugged him anymore; it was about whether he would actually get over his prejudices and let himself be friends with a mud blood; whether the two could be anything more than mere acquaintances.
Hermione's heart dropped, her throat dried, and she pulled back. Draco was gaping at her, his grey eyes wide and unsure. "I- sorry," She stepped away, carefully avoiding his gaze. She waved to Christopher and hurried out of the room. She walked straight to the great hall, and spent the entire walk regretting her stupidity. Draco was a Malfoy, first and foremost, and that wasn't going to change after only one day. How absolutely idiotic of her!
She frowned. It wasn't because she was muggle born that Draco didn't like her- he was perfectly happy to be friends with Daisy and the other "mud-bloods". It was because she was a Gryffindor, and that was one thing she wouldn't apologise for.
She spotted Ronald Weasley sitting across the room. He raised one eyebrow, and she nodded curtly. Game on, sorting hat. Hermione granger was a Gryffindor- and she would regain her Golden Gryffindor title soon, and judging by the smile Ron wore, she would have his help.