Chapter 1Only Draco's Mudblood

Hermione never expected a normal year at Hogwarts. It just wasn't really possible. They were after all, magic users, and with Ron and Harry, nothing was ever exactly normal. She had though, been looking forward to the start of the new term. Seeing her friends again after a long Summer Vacation was an exciting, but even as she was expecting things to be different, she hadn't expected what actually occurred….

…..

The welcome feast was served and Ron was unable to pry his eyes away from the food. He licked his lips and waited for Dumbledore's speech to end so he could eat, but this year, it seemed that the speech was exceedingly long… Perhaps he should listen in to see why...

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts…"

Ron's eyes widened and he turned towards Harry. "Did the speech just start?"

"Shh..." Hermione hissed at them. "Listen."

"… This year will be a bit different than a normal year…"

"Hogwarts has normal years?" Ron asked Harry. They chuckled quietly. Hermione sent them a glare but didn't say anything.

"... I have been approached by the Ministry of Magic to be a host school for a group of foreign exchange magic students that are unable to return home from summer school at the ministry..."

Hermione glanced at Harry and he frowned. "I didn't know there were summer schools at the ministry," Harry mentioned.

"Neither did I," she agreed.

"Wait," Ron glanced over at them. "What doesn't Hermione know?"

They rolled their eyes and Hermione turned her attention back to Dumbledore as Harry filled Ron in.

"… They will be placed into the houses by the hat as first years are done, but they will join their years in classes and dormitories…"

A snicker came from the nearby table caught the trio attention. A silver haired, grey haired boy smirked. "Won't that be fun… newbies."

"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry hissed.

"What's wrong, Potter? Afraid you won't be the biggest dog on the playground anymore?" The Slytherins snickered around him.

Malfoy's smiled widened and he leaned closer. "Guess what though, Potter?" His face suddenly went completely cold. "You never were."

Harry would have said something back, but Hermione pulled on his sleeve. "He's not worth it." So he turned away.

"That's right, listen to mudblood."

Ron fumed. "Why you little…"

"…So please welcome our new students!"

The door to the Great Hall burst open and people started to applaud. Ron was distracted and never quite finished his sentence. Malfoy snickered at that, before he too watched the new comers.

There were ten in all. The oldest ones strode in first and the youngest last. Malfoy sized them up with his hard grey eyes. There were four younglings. They would be of no interest, the oldest two: probably last year.

That left four. One of them was sure to be a problem… perhaps even two.

There was a young girl among them, the only girl of the four that were really around their age. She was beautiful. She had dark green eyes with beautiful wavy hair which she kept up in a wave like bun. She let one strand fall down and curls around her neck like a snake would a tree.

All the boys' eyes in the room seemed glued to her. Yes, she could be a problem, Malfoy mused. However, she wasn't the one he was too concerned about. It was the boy walking beside her that irked him.

This boy had dark brown eyes and hair. He looked very different from most boys and walked with arrogance. His skin was somewhat dark, making him appear Middle Eastern, but the truth was race didn't matter.

Now, he was going to cause a problem for sure. As far as Draco Malfoy was concerned there was only one person in this school who was allowed to walk that. Him.

As the students passed by them, Hermione could only stare. She was beautiful; absolutely beautiful. There was no way she would be able to get Ron and Harry not to drool all over her; Hermione could tell without even looking at them. There went any chance of being able to get a boy-friend this year. Hermione sighed and let that hope go out the window.

The boy beside her glanced at Hermione and then looked away. Hermione blinked. Or not.

As the took their formed a line, the sequence immediately changed. The youngest children went to the hat first. The first little boy was rather short and needed some help up onto the stool, but once he got there he sat up very proudly.

Dumbledore smiled at the young boy and shook his head. "Would you state you name for all to hear?"

"Jacque Minol; second year." His voice rang out loud and clear, but it had a very thick accent.

"And where are you from, Mr. Minol?"

"Paris, France."

Students around the room looked at each other in surprise. Many of them had never been outside of the country, save for those who were a part of well off families like Malfoy. The idea of having someone from such a famous capital was rather exciting.

Draco however, didn't share the enthusiasm. He was checking to see what this kid was made of. "Crabbe, Goyle."

His bodyguards turned to him. "Willing to make a guess on which one this runt is going into?"

They looked at him blankly. Malfoy rolled his eyes.

"Gryffindor," a slytherin hissed from down the row. "He's bold… and probably queer."

"Possible mudblood," Another agreed.

"Ravenclaw," one hissed. "He looks like a pretty boy."

They all snickered at that.

Hermione could hear them from across the aisle and couldn't repress a scowl. Stupid Slytherins, she thought angrily. They're so stereotypical.

"What do you think, Harry?" Ron asked their friend. "Ravenclaw, perhaps?"

Hermione knew Ron hadn't heard the conversation between Malfoy and his buddies but she rolled her eyes anyway. "No, Ron. He'll probably be Gryffindor."

Ron shrugged.

"How do you know, Granger?" Draco glanced over at them and glared at Hermione.

"He's bold and he looks rather intelligent," Hermione snapped at him. "Which means he can't belong to Slytherin."

Several of the Gryffindors around them smiled at that.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "We'll see about that."

The hat was raised and then lowered onto Jacque's small head. Then the familiar voice rang out through the hall, as all were silent.

"—hmm…. I see… yes… how interesting…. Much potential you have…"

"Slytherin," Draco stated and he leaned back like it was a done deal. His brutes around him nodded, never disagreeing.

Hermione rolled her eyes and faced the front. Gryffindor, please. Just to prove him wrong….