A/N Again I can't thank you all enough for the follows, favourites, and reviews. I hope you keep enjoying this story.
Chapter 3
Nov 6th, 1994
Draco sat in the library his crossed feet resting on the table, a good in his hands, and an almost room around him. He really did feel at peace. He was pleasantly surprised with the selection of books that was available.
It had been a week since the champions were chosen and since the school had gone into melt down over the selections. The Goblet had spit out a fourth name after the three it was meant to choose and the fourth name was none other than the famous Harry Potter.
Of course Draco knew who Harry Potter was, everyone and their toad knew who Harry Potter was and what he had done as a mere baby. Draco found himself very indifferent towards the boy who lived though, there was a time he was curious about him but after hearing his father rant and complain against Potter, he didn't feel the curiosity there any more.
A few days after the Goblet cause chaos among Hogwarts, Draco had noticed the difference in atmosphere and thank to the information Nott had provided him, he knew that Potter used to have a few friends with him at all times. These days he was mostly alone.
Nott had also told him that a Weasley and Granger normally spent their time with him. Only Granger seemed to still be his friend from what he had seen and heard. He hadn't spoke to Granger since that day, a smirk formed as he remembered how fun she was to wind up.
The doors to the library opened, bringing him from his thoughts. The thing was so loud he was surprised the rest of the castle couldn't hear it. He heard foot steps headed for his direction but stopped at the table next to him. Thankfully a book shelf stood between them so he could return to his book in peace.
/
"I came in here for a reason Ron" Hermione whispered sharply at her friend, who had followed her into the library.
"Yeah, to get away from that piece of work" Ron stated. His voice filled with annoyance.
Hermione groaned. It seemed this was still going on "Seriously Ron, I don't need to hear about this all the time" similar annoyance in her voice "Honestly I don't even understand why you…"
"Because he done this without telling us. As usual he wants all of the attention and fame for himself" Ron interrupted. He wasn't taking notice of what Hermione was trying to say but that wasn't anything new. She was currently facing one of the three bookshelves surrounding the table she decided sit at. Ron was leaning against said table, still complaining.
She had just wanted the afternoon to herself, surrounded with some books, maybe start some school work, and simply relax. For the past week she had heard nothing but negative words and accusations about Harry. How rotten and underhanded he was. It was exhausting.
Obviously she felt bad for Harry to be going through that but whenever she spent some time with him, they had to deal with being stared at and shunned. She also had to listen to Harry complain but his was understandably justified but Hermione could only take so much.
"I don't understand how he can have the nerve to do something like that and…" Ron stopped and jumped as Hermione had walked back to the table and slammed a few books down on the table. Releasing some of her annoyance.
"Ron. For a week now I have heard nothing but people complaining. I need a break from it, can you please let me have that?" her voice was dangerously low. She was nearing the end of her rope but decided to try and ask her friend one more time.
Her friend looked at her blankly. He seemed to be confused and couldn't see a reason for her to be annoyed but then his expression hardened into a glare and he said "You're on his side aren't you? I should of known you would take his side. How predictable"
Another groan escaped Hermione as she dragged a hand through her brown fizzy hair. She felt something snap in her mind but before she could do or say anything. A voice called out from the opening to their table.
"Oi' Weasley" Hermione and Ron turned to see Draco Malfoy standing there, a scowl on his face and aimed at Ron. Hermione was slightly taken aback by his appearance. Instead of his schools normal attire, he worse a white long sleeved buttoned up shirt, black trousers with black shoes. She hated herself for being momentarily distracted by how good he looked.
"In case you haven't noticed this is a library. Now, I know someone like you might not know what a library is. So let me tell you it is not a place to come and whine like a little bitch" his voice was still level but you could easily hear the malice in it.
Hermione's jaw slacked momentarily. She didn't know what to expect from the blonde opposite her but it hadn't been that. Ron stared at the Durmstrang student. All his previous negative energy now aimed at Malfoy. He took a step towards him but stopped when he noticed Draco's deminer completely change.
In a moment Draco went from angry to looking calm, his trademark smirk in place "You going to try and start something here Weasley? The library isn't a place for fighting either by the way" his voice was also calm now.
"I know what a library is for" Ron blurted out. His hand in a fist by his side, shaking with anger. He knew Draco Malfoy would be as bad as his father.
"You do? Then why have you chosen it as a place to complain and moan?" sarcasm dripping from Draco's voice. He was enjoying the reaction he was getting.
"That's none of your business"
"Actually" Draco took a seat at the table between them, not a care in the world "you have made it my business, I was sat just on the other side of that bookshelf when you came in complaining like a little girl" he then looked at Hermione "Even though the person you came in with didn't want to hear it either"
Hermione averted her eyes. She hated to admit it but Draco was right and she felt embarrassed that most people in the library probably heard her and Ron's spat.
"So here's my input, You're being nothing but a petulant cry-baby. You're jealous of someone who obviously had nothing to do with his name being drawn. It's called Tri-Wizard cup for a reason or is your brain too small to comprehend why a fourth name being drawn messes everything up? Do you really think a fourth year would be able to mess with the Goblet of fire?" Draco said it as if he was explaining something simple to a three year old.
Ron said and did nothing in reply. The silence was deafening. Ron tried to keep a hard glare at at Malfoy, while Malfoy looked at Ron in amusement. That only filled Ron's anger. Hermione was looking sympathetically at Ron but occasionally glared at Draco.
"Seeing as you seem able to stay silent now, I'm going to head back to my table to read in peace" Draco commented as he stood up and left just as quickly as he had appeared.
"Ron…" Hermione started in a soft voice. She couldn't resist the urge to comfort a friend, even if they were being difficult.
"I guess you only stick up for certain friends now" he said harshly and quickly left the library.
With a growl Hermione left the table she was standing by and went to the other side of the bookshelf where she found Malfoy reading his book "What the hell is wrong with you?"
Draco sighed "Really? The weasel leaves and now you decide to take his post of library cry-baby?"
She stared hard at him with her arms folded. He sensed she wouldn't leave until he answered her because apparently she wasn't going to answer him "Like I said, he was disturbing me and I was right in what I said to him"
"Right or wrong, that is no way to speak to someone. You made him look like an idiot" she argued.
"He made himself look like an idiot. Anyone with half a brain could see that and besides your approach of asking and saying please wasn't getting you anywhere" why did he always smirk when putting someone down or argue with someone?
"And why do you care about my approach towards my friends?" It frustrated her to no end that she couldn't think of anything to defend Ron's actions.
Draco chuckled "I don't care about that, at all. I just wanted him to quit crying. So much for Hermione Granger being the brightest witch of our age, couldn't even figure out how to shut a weasel up"
"Think you know about me do you?" she said, echoing what he had said to her about a week ago "And I have never claimed to be the brightest witch of our age"
"I've done my research on this place and it's more notable students" he wasn't going to tell her that his research was mostly talking to Nott, Pansy, and Zabini. He mentally shivered as he recalled Pansy tackling him with a hug when she first saw him. "And like it or not, you're top of your classes. All of them"
"I work hard to be top of my classes, what other people say about that isn't my concern" Draco didn't miss the pride in her body language as she said that.
"Best way to be" he whispered before leaning forward "Doesn't change the fact you should be smart enough to know everything I said was accurate"
She saw slight surprise on his face when she chose to sit down opposite him. Suppressing a victory grin she said "I do know everything you said about the Goblet and Harry is true"
"Which means you also know how stupid that weasel-"
"Stop calling him that" Hermione interrupted.
"-is being by acting like that and blaming Potter" Draco finished ignoring her interruption.
She let out a huff and was about to try a different tactic when a third voice spoke behind them "Well, look at what we have here" the voice was sharp. Hermione turned around in her chair to see exactly who she expected.
Marcus Flint, crooked teeth on show as he sent a sickening smile her way. On either side of him was his two lackeys Crabbe and Goyle. They were never too far away from Flint.
"What do you want Flint?" Hermione asked and her voice caught Draco by surprise. Though he and Hermione had been arguing, her voice towards him had always been snappy, loud, and annoyed but when she spoke to Flint, her voice was low and filled with disgust.
"I thought I would come over and warn this man!" he said gesturing to Draco "You aren't the only guy from your school she's having one on one time with you know? Saw her and Krum the other day together"
Hermione's eyes widened before she quickly gained control of her face and made it neutral. She glance at Malfoy to see he had raised an eyebrow at her and was smirking. Nothing new there.
She turned in her chair to face the three Slytherin's "Resorting to spying on me have you? Or are you just desperate to try and get Krum alone for yourselves so you can finally get that autograph?"
Flint made a sour face at that "Hear that mate? She doesn't deny it. She must be trying to make her way through the Durmstrang students, hope you don't mind Krum's sloppy seconds" Flint laughed which meant Crabbe and Goyle laughed with him.
Hermione shot out of her seat so fast that it clattered to the floor. Her eyes blazing at Flint "I would never…"
"Whoa! Watch out guys. The Mudblood is after a Pureblood man! Run" Flint shouted in fake fear and ran from the library before Hermione could say any more. His two lackeys following.
Hermione stood still. A single tear rolling down her cheek. She had reached breaking point. Her two best friends were fighting, everyone was talking about one of them in such horrible ways and actively hated him, they were using her as a messaging owl or just using her to vent at, her bully of many years suggesting she's making her way through a group of boys, and finally the familiar sting of being called a Mudblood.
Her mind went blank with hopelessness, her legs gave way causing her to land on the chair that had picked itself back up. She faced the table and kept her eyes down, desperately trying to keep any more tears escaping but failing.
A book appeared between her and the table. The hand that put it there moved away, causing her to look up and her glassy eyes met Draco's silver ones. She momentarily forgot that he was there, she expected him to tease her and make her feel worse but she saw something in his eyes that was close to sympathy.
"Read the book. Don't let them see that they get to you" he said softly. He returned his gaze to his own book.
She knew what he meant and why he had passed her the book but he had done nothing but annoy her and make her feel so irritated. Why was he helping her now? She didn't have the answer but she did what he said. She hid her face in the book and did so until she felt a little calmer.
