THIS STORY IS CURRENTLY UNDER REVISION. I wrote this story a very long time ago and I am planning on continuing it but, before I can, a lot of changes need to be made and the whole storyline needs to be reinvigorated. I highly advise you do not read it at this point in time. Of course, I can't force you to click away but be forewarned: If you keep reading, the story won't make much sense. This note will be removed when revisions are finished. (Written 10/22/19)

This story will not follow the original storyline so there will be no Voldemort, etc. Draco and Hermione are 16/17. Also, let's pretend Ron met Lavender already and [SPOILER] Draco's not a death eater. Also, some OOC in this story, mostly on Draco's part. But really, we can't get him and Hermione to fall in love if he always acts like a jerk, can we? Enjoy and remember to review!

Chapter 1: Encounter

Hermione walked down the quiet hallway. She gazed up at the walls, the dark night sky pouring in through the grand windows lining her path back to her dorm room.

She had just returned from detention. Undeserved detention, she felt. The only thing she had done was be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It served her right though. She knew she shouldn't have said yes to Harry and Ron when they asked her to accompany them. She knew they were planning to sneak out of their dorms and practice spells. She knew it would end badly.

By the time she had wised up and went to leave, it was too late. Ron had wasted no time in trying out a spell and of course, failed and caused an explosion. Accompanied with a loud bang that brought Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore front and center in no time.

Just as expected, detention was served to all three of them for disturbing the peace and being out of their dorms after the school hours.

Well, at least she was guilty for being out of her dorm room after hours. Not a completely unfair accusation.

'That is the last time I help Ron and Harry in their shenanigans.' She mentally agreed, sighing grumpily and continuing her walk to the Gryffindor dorms. She was almost to the forever changing stairs. She was beyond ready to go to sleep. It was her last day of detention, having served it for three consecutive days.

As soon as she rounded the corner, her eyes landed on a peculiar scene. She quickly scampered backwards, ducking behind the edge. She pressed her back up against the wall, sliding against it and peeking around the corner.

Three boys wearing Gryffindor colored ties and robes surrounded one boy. She peeked out further and saw in a crack between the boys that it was a Slytherin, due to the dark green material showing underneath the black robe.

She narrowed her eyes. More specifically, bright blonde hair told her it was none other than Draco Malfoy. He seemed to be the only one strutting about Hogwarts these days with that shade of blonde hair.

Draco was surrounded by three boys; one on his left, one on his right and one directly in front of him. It seemed odd to her. Draco wasn't the type to be a victim. He was usually the one bullying others.

"Give me my wand back!" Draco demanded with a venomous voice, jumping up in order to snatch it from the boy in front of him. The Gryffindor boy lifted it higher, just high enough for the Slytherin to miss it.

It wasn't that Draco was short. Actually, he was the same height as Ron and Harry, possibly a few inches taller. These three were just unbelievably big and Draco's wand was just out of his reach.

"My father will hear about this!" He hissed at the boy, staring him straight in the eye.

'That's why he can't defend himself. They took his wand.' Hermione thought.

It was weird though, they must've caught him off guard. There was no way they could've taken it by force. She was sure that boy would've glared them down and scared them off well before they could get within ten feet of him.

The boys started laughing, obviously unafraid now. The one on his left stepped in closer.

"What are you going to tell your father? That you got bested by a couple Gryffindors?" He asked, laughing.

Hermione pulled back, pressing her back against the wall and pondered whether to do something or just watch. She knew damn well that that rotten Malfoy deserved this but, on the other hand...

Something just didn't sit right with her standing by and watching her own kind stoop so low.

She nodded to herself, coming to a decision. She slowly reached into the pocket of her robe, pulling out her wand quietly. She peeked back around the corner.

"So much tough talk, yet you can't do a thing when your precious wand is taken." The boy on the right of Draco said. He smirked, and then broke into laughter.

The one in front of him shook Draco's wand above his head. Draco grimaced, glaring at the boy in front of him again.

Hermione couldn't take this any longer. Even if Draco was a jerk and very much deserved this, she still didn't like it.

In a way, as much as she hated to admit it, she and Draco were sort of alike. She could probably scare people with her threats and words but, without her wand she was almost helpless. Almost. Of course, she did know how to use her fists. She demonstrated so on Malfoy's face.

She carefully pointed her wand at the boy holding Draco's wand and casted her spell.

"Laconum Inflamare!" She whispered fiercely.

Much like when she used it on Professor Snape, a burst of fire landed on the boy's robe. First small and then growing in size until the boy turned around and noticed his robe on fire.

He shrieked and dropped Draco's wand and began to run in circles.

Hermione actually began laughing quietly. The boy didn't seem so tough now.

She watched as the three ran down the opposite end of the corridor, disappearing behind a corner, their shrieks of fright echoing after them. She giggled, quite amused by what she had done.

She looked back at Draco who was bent down, picking up his discarded wand.

She proudly walked out from behind the corner, stopping a few feet from Draco. When he stood back up and saw her smiling face, his eyes widened and he lifted his wand, pointing it at her.

She took a step back and stared unbelievably at the Slytherin. Her brow's furrowed, her cheerful smile disappearing.

"Some thanks!" She shouted in disbelief, glaring him down. "I just got that back for you!"

Draco took a moment to register what she had said and then stiffly put his wand down, shoving it into his pocket. His menacing glare still stayed put, which Hermione could understand. He did just go through quite the ordeal.

"Are you alright?" She asked, concern growing as soon as Draco put his wand away. She completely forgot he was her enemy and began searching his pale face for any signs of harm. She reflexively reached out to him with one hand.

"Do not touch me." Draco snapped at her. She drew her hand back quickly, her body rumbling at the echo that bounced off the empty hallway.

"Shouldn't you be assisting your fellow house mates?" He grimaced at her, jerking his chin towards where the Gryffindor boys had disappeared to moments ago.

She took a step towards him, infuriated that he was treating her as such when she had just saved him.

"In case you didn't know, Malfoy." She spat at him. "Just because you don't like me, doesn't mean I don't like you."

Draco's face went blank. So did Hermione's. She definitely didn't mean to say that. She fumbled with her words, shaking her head.

"I mean, I do dislike you!" She hissed. "What I meant was, even if you wouldn't lift a finger to help me, I can't do that. I can't be a bystander."

Draco just glared at her, not appearing the least bit grateful. He backed up from her, dusting his robes off.

"I didn't need or ask for your help." He said gruffly.

Hermione bit her lip, shaking her head in disbelief.

"You… you are so vile and ungrateful!" She yelled.

"Back off, mudblood!" Draco yelled back.

Hermione's mouth closed immediately. Silence filled the air between them. The disgusting word echoed in her head.

She couldn't say anything, too shocked to utter a single word. Her eyes stayed locked onto his angry, grey blue ones.

She backed up, blinking, not breaking eye contact.

'No one asked your opinion, you filthy little mudblood.' The memory played in her head.

The last time he had called her a mudblood, she was twelve. She had cried her eyes out. She had never been called that to her face. It had caught her off guard.

Now… hearing it again… in that tone… now sixteen… by the same person… it cut deep.

She looked down, blinking furiously. She felt the tears begin to well up in her eyes. As much as she tried, she couldn't help a tear from rolling down her cheek.

Why was she crying? She was so sure that the term didn't hurt her anymore. She had grown and matured and learned not to give words power but…

Still, she found herself crying, staring at the ground instead of sneering at Draco like she wanted to. She wanted to look up at Draco and punch him again. She wanted to smirk in his face and act like it didn't hurt her at all. But she couldn't. She couldn't stop the tears.

Footsteps sounded behind her and she could see that Draco had stepped away from her, craning his neck to see who it was.

"Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger, what are you doing here? Detention hours ended a while ago." It was professor McGonagall. Not her again. She was the reason she was here in the first place.

"Go to your dorm rooms now." She ordered. "Quickly, and I won't give out detention."

Hermione attempted to sniffle quietly, trying to quickly pull herself together so that professor Mcgonagall wouldn't suspect anything.

She failed, and knew it as soon as she sniffled. It was loud and scratchy, not gentle and quiet like she had wanted.

"Ms. Granger, are you okay?" Professor McGonagall asked.

Hermione looked up, knowing there was no point in trying to hide it. Her eye's met with Draco's.

"I'm fine." She lied.

As soon as she spoke, she walked around him and broke into a brisk walk, heading towards her dorm. She wondered what Draco was thinking.

She turned her head around, curious to see the look on his face. As soon as she turned, she noticed Professor McGonagall was gone and Draco was well on his way down the opposite end of the hallway.

Just then, Draco turned around and they made eye contact.

For the couple of seconds that it lasted, Hermione swore it was guilt she saw in his eyes.