Not often were there new people who arrived only just after Spring Break. Hermione tucked a lock of hair behind her ear awkwardly, looking down and trying to ignore the weird stares the four were getting. They didn't know what to do. Students were either rushing off to who knew where or loitering in front of lockers and classrooms.
...
The shrill bell reverberated through the building, sounding very much like sharpened nails dragged along the surface of a chalkboard, causing Harry and Ron to flinch. They were still struggling with their stubborn lockers that were right next to each other. It was their first confusing day at Bethlem High and they had lost both Hermione and Draco 一 not that they cared very much for the boy 一 in the sea of people. Having finally figured out their lockers and shoving their unneeded books inside, Harry and Ron slammed them shut with a resounding clang. Just then Hermione popped out from behind and ordered, "Hurry up, we're gonna be late!"
"If we're gonna be late how come this crowd isn't thinning out?" Ron gestured crossly to the large crowd milling in the hallway.
"Haven't you heard the early bird catches the worm? Just hurry up!" Hermione snapped, clearly impatient.
"What's the worm supposed to be?" Ron questioned stupidly.
Hermione rolled her eyes and stormed off, muttering something rude about boys. Sighing, Harry turned to Ron and said, "Come on, we better go, we don't want the teacher to have a bad first impression of us."
...
Just as they walked in the classroom, girls swarmed them like eagles spotting their prey. Ron glowed with delight and stood riveted to the spot exclaiming, "Wow, all this just for me?"
Clearly, he was wrong.
"What are you staring at loser?" A girl who had her face coated in a ridiculous amount of make-up spat, after surveying Ron with disgust.
Realizing that all of this was for Harry, Ron quickly closed his gaping mouth, a pink tinge appearing on his pale cheeks.
"Nothing, sorry..." Ron stammered as the girl strutted over to Harry.
"Hi, what's your name?" she flirted in a sickly-sweet voice as she shoved him into a seat next to hers.
"Harry, Harry Potter," he replied cautiously, pushing away the other girls that were clinging on to him.
A silence followed, broken by a loud squeal from one of the other girls, "OMG! Just like Harry Styles!"
The girl rolled her eyes and Harry hoped this Harry Styles guy wasn't a bad thing.
...
"Turn to page 27." The voice of the teacher couldn't be heard clearly at the far end of the classroom where Hermione Granger was sitting.
It was torture to sit at the back of the class; getting the teacher's attention was difficult and the people back there were mostly the rebels who didn't listen to anything. Their soft snickering and paper-throwing annoyed Hermione; sometimes making her wonder if they were laughing at her. Stealing a glance at Draco, who was unfortunately in her class, Hermione noticed with pleasure that he was in extreme discomfort, very unused to associating with muggles in any way. She wondered if Ron and Harry were having a good time, although she knew that they definitely weren't.
These were going to be longest weeks of their life.
...
Draco Malfoy had never felt so horrible. Trudging down the crowded hallways of Bethlem High only increased the pain. The word 'cute' echoed endlessly in his head. He did not want to talk about that. He was also said to be a striking replica of Tom Felton. He didn't even have any idea who that was.
"Thud!" Books scattered heavily to the floor.
Draco rubbed his sore forehead, furious and annoyed enough to stab someone. "Filthy muggle, what're your eyes for?"
The boy adjusted his spectacles, grinning widely instead of apologizing 一 much to Draco's disgust. "Muggle? Are you a fan of Harry Potter too?"
Draco snorted. Why would he be a fan of that idiotic boy? It was barely a day since they'd set foot in the school and people already knew him. He must be getting popular.
"What, Potter? You must be kidding. I couldn't hate him more," he spat, swiping his books into one hand quickly.
...
Simon didn't take his eyes of the blonde until he turned sharply around a corner. Interesting.
...
"Harry, sit with us?" Lindsay suggested sweetly as she sauntered out of the classroom, flanked by her two cronies, Casey and Kristina.
Harry shook his head. "No thanks, I'll just eat with my other friends."
Lindsay scoffed at Harry's choice of 'friends'. "You mean the red-head loser, Donald?"
"Ronald," Harry corrected before picking his pace up hastily.
...
Lindsay's lips were pressed into a thin line as she fell behind. She was going to get that boy no matter what. Whatever Lindsay Cole wanted, she got. And he was no exception.
...
Hermione Granger rushed into the cafeteria, her eyes sweeping across the place in search of her friends. Where were Harry and Ron? She needed to talk to them desperately, the golden trio almost never separated. It didn't feel right. Spotting the duo trying to balance their trays, she whisked around only to be hit by a milk carton. Milk splattered all over her dotting her once clean face and clothes with white.
"I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" A male voice questioned, his words laced with genuine concern.
The whole cafeteria's attention was directed to the two. Blinking the milk out of her eyes, Hermione could not do anything but nod. Then she burst in an uncontrollable fit of giggles. The boy stared at her. Had she gone mad? Yet he couldn't help himself either as a string of laughter erupted from his throat. Soon, the whole cafeteria was drowned in laughter.
He offered Hermione a tissue, and she accepted it with a grateful smile. "Thanks."
The boy returned a cute half-smile. "I'm Xavier."
"Hermione." She let out a last, small giggle before Xavier was gone.
Harry and Ron approached Hermione warily, their mouths slightly open. "You've got some milk on your face," was the only sentence Ron could come up with at the moment.
Hermione laughed, wiping her face clean of milk. "I'm going to wash up first."
...
Xavier Cole had never felt so happy in his life. A girl who he had accidentally hit with a milk carton had laughed? If it were his sister, she would throw a big hissy fit. That girl, he definitely needed to know her better.
...
Ron, Hermione, Harry and Draco walked to their new apartment together.
"So," Hermione started, "how was your day?"
"Dreadful; girls hate me," Ron lamented, sighing.
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"It was okay," Harry answered with a hint of hesitation.
"That's just because girls like you," Ron muttered darkly, just loud enough for his best friend to hear.
"How about you Draco?" Hermione tried to include him and be friendly.
He hitched his bag higher up his shoulder.
Draco began, "It could have gone better. Some muggle asked if I was a fan of him." He jerked a finger at Harry. "Why would I be?"
"Well, that was weird..." Hermione agreed, "But anyway I'm sure we'll all get used to it soon enough."
A chorus of yeah-rights and sure followed.
Hermione Granger could only hope.