"Hey, Granger!"
Hermione jumped and only just managed to stop herself from walking straight into the person in front of her, "Watch where you're going, would you!"
Draco was frowning at her and behind him his Slytherin friends were sniggering childishly. Hermione set her shoulders and stepped sideways, allowing the group to pass her in the packed corridor, wincing as the cold stone wall scraped her elbows and wondering if she had imagined that Draco Malfoy had ever been nice to her.
Hadn't it been only two nights ago he'd chased her down to hand over her Arithmancy book? And then the next morning at breakfast there had been a very odd moment when it appeared he had deliberately waited upon entering the Great Hall to hold the door open for her, and not just so he could slam it in her face. Whatever had overcome his sense of ill towards her, had apparently run its course.
She had been lost in her own thoughts as she'd left Harry and Ron in the common room enjoying one of their free periods. To her great annoyance she felt the threat of tears and swallowed against the rock at the back of her throat, quickly she ducked into the girl's bathrooms to avoid the group of Ravenclaws that were coming up the corridor, and once the door was closed she lent her head against it and took a deep breath.
Life at Hogwarts, while on the most part wonderful, did have its moments; between exams, homework, dealing with Harry's ever-dramatic quests and dramas, Ron's mood swings and the occasional bought of home-sickness was difficult enough, but for years Hermione had also been sharing a dormitory with a group of girls she had nothing in common with. In their first year she had hoped they would eventually bore of teasing her love for studying and accept her for her bushy hair and lack of interest in fashion and Witch Weekly, however as they grew up she began to understand that there were just some people she'd never fit in with. Things were especially tense at the moment, the way that Lavender and Pavarti kept whispering behind their hands and dissolving into silence whenever she walked past, and Hermione knew it had something to do with Ron… which made her feel both angry and a little sick. And there wasn't really anyone she could talk to about it, usually she would confide in Ginny when the boys were being, boys, but how could she sit down and explain that the thought something might happen between Ron and Lavender made her go cold to her core, when Ginny was Ron's sister?
The bell rang, jolting Hermione out of her miserable daze and she scurried back into the busy corridor and headed towards Arthimancy.
On her way she heard loud laughter and re-encountered the group of Slytherins that included Malfoy, who were loitering by the staircase, clearly not caring whether they made it to class on time or not. Pansy Parkison saw her coming and elbowed Malfoy, "Oh what's wrong Granger," she cried, "Did you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror in the bathroom?"
Her friends laughed nastily, and Hermione resisted the temptation to rub her eyes, which must have given her away. She ignored Pansy and tried to brush past Crabbe, but he threw out a gorilla arm to block her way.
"What's the hurry, Mudblood?" Blaise asked menacingly from behind her.
"I'm late for class," she was pleased to hear that her voice barely wavered, "Unlike some of you, I actually care about having a successful future, and that requires passing these things called exams."
She turned her head and glared at him, annoyed to see his broad smirk and wishing she weren't so outnumbered.
Pansy sneered, "Now that the Dark Lord has risen again, filthy little Mudbloods like you won't live to see it anyway, so why bother?"
Hermione gaped at her, she couldn't believe she had been so bold, so publically. She regained what composure she could muster and said in a low voice, "Well, whatever the future holds for me, Pansy, I'm not going to sit back and give in. All I can hope is that I'll be duelling someone as inept as you, because if all Voldemort's followers are as incompetent at Defence Against the Dark Arts, I'm not worried."
Pansey drew herself up as if she were about to strike, until a sharp voice cut across the tension, "That's enough. Move your arm Crabbe and let her pass."
Hermione didn't look back at Draco or his friends as she ascended the stairs, and despite being shaken, and late for class, she refused to rush. When she reached the landing she heard them move away and let out a gasp of relief. Hogwarts was beginning to feel like a very different school, one where she wasn't accepted, one where she didn't feel safe.
Okay so not all the chapters are this short, but as the story progresses the stolen moments and fast-pace will hopefully come together really well. Love to hear your thoughts.
-H