A/N: okay here's chapter 2! sorry if it's a little short, i just needed to get it out so that the story could keep moving. please R&R! your comments are very helpful! Enjoy!

Chapter 2: A Little Satisfaction

I breathed a sigh of relief as I entered the common room, thankful that DADA had been my last class of the day. Now I could relax until dinner. I dropped into one of the arm chairs by the fire, letting my bag land on the floor by my feet, and closing my eyes. My headache was still throbbing painfully in my skull. What a day. It was only the first week of term, and I had already been humiliated by Snape and Zabini.

I frowned, pulling his image to the front of my mind.

Blaise Zabini. He stood a good few inches taller than me, with dark caramel skin, very short black hair, and dark eyes. His expressions were usually cold, but when he smirked or was amused, the coldness melted away. When he was concentrating, like in class, his nostrils flared slightly. My frown deepened. When had I started paying such close attention to him?

"Kylie," Hermione said, pulling me from my thoughts. "How's your head?"

"Fine," I replied, keeping my eyes shut. "Nothing a little relaxation can't cure."

"I can't believe Snape," she huffed.

"Have you met the man?" Ron asked, sounding shocked. "Where the bloody hell have you been the past five years?"

"Oh, Ronald," Hermione sighed.

Finally I opened my eyes. Hermione was just taking a seat on the couch across from me, and Harry and Ron were setting up a game of Wizard's Chess on the floor between us girls. I had never been a part of the Golden Trio's group of friends, not like Ginny Weasley or even Neville Longbottom. But we were on good terms with each other, and just like all Gryffindors, when someone was being bullied by Slytherins, they felt a strong need to step in and help. I fully understood that. I had stepped in on bullying a few times, at my own expense of course because they immediately turned their attention to me and forgot about the poor kid before me.

I had actually grown accustomed to it. After five years of it, most of their words just rolled right off my back. But there were still days when they really hit home. It was usually the days when I was preoccupied with something and didn't have my defenses up.

Shaking myself out of my thoughts, I pulled out some homework and started working on it. I didn't want to stay up late again and risk falling asleep.

The next morning, I was one of the last ones out of the tower for breakfast. I just really didn't feel like getting out of bed! But it was Friday, which meant that I could sleep late the next day. Just as I was hurrying across the entrance hall toward the Great Hall, something caught my foot and I tripped and fell. I threw my arms out to brace my fall, wincing when I hit the floor. My book bag was flung off my shoulder. I inhaled slowly, trying to calm myself, and then I heard it.

Laughter.

Turning, my eyes fell on Zabini, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle. It looked like they had just come up from the dungeon. I clenched my jaw when I saw Zabini slipping his wand back into his robes. That prick.

I pushed myself to my feet, letting my anger flow freely. I hadn't been lying yesterday. I was not going to let them bully me anymore. "You stupid, bloody prats!" I snapped, glaring at each of them.

Zabini raised a surprised eyebrow, but looked slightly amused.

Malfoy on the other hand stalked toward me, his face scrunched slightly in annoyance. "What did you say, mudblood?"

"Sod off, Malfoy," I said, bending to scoop up my bag and slinging it over my shoulder. "I'm not in the mood to deal with you lot."

I tried turning to head into the Great Hall, but he grabbed my arm roughly and whipped my around to face him.

"Let. Go," I hissed through clenched teeth.

"Don't you ever talk to me like that again, you filthy mudblood," he snarled, his gray eyes narrowed.

"You need to get that stick out of your arse," I said heatedly, meeting his glare with one of my own. I ripped my arm from his grasp and stepped back, suddenly a little apprehensive. I hadn't expected to say that much. I had only planned on calling them prats and then going to sit down. But my mouth seemed to have a mind of its own all of a sudden.

"You filthy, little –"

"Yes, Malfoy, I'm a mudblood!" I said loudly. "And I'm damn proud of it!" With that, I again turned to walk away. I hurried into the Great Hall, not wanting to cause an even bigger scene, and took my usual place at the end of the table. I gave Hermione a little wave when she waved to me from the middle of the table, and then piled food onto my plate and began eating.

The hairs on the back on my neck stood on end when I suddenly began feeling like I was being watched. When I glanced back, I saw Zabini staring at me from the Slytherin table, his usual cold expression in place. My eyes dropped to the floor and I returned to my food. A little voice in my head started whispering in my head, telling me that if I didn't tone down my sudden attitude, this term might end up being hell.

And I agreed with the voice.

But. . . a part of me really enjoyed telling Malfoy and them off. And that same part didn't want to be buried under shyness again. I felt very satisfied with myself.