Author's Note: Greetings, fellow readers! Well, there is your update. Enjoy. See you at the bottom.

Disclaimer: I don't owe anything.

Chapter – 3

Buzzing of noises liven up the entrance of the Hogwarts grounds as the carriages slowly stuttered to a halt. Gradually, students started to crowd the grounds, as everybody hopped out of the carriages before they started to make their way towards the main door of the castle. Hermione and her friends looks up to admire the place which they had grown to love and cherish for years.

Getting off, the boys helped the girls of the carriages and letting the trunks to levitate in the air and zoomed past them and across the ground, where they vanished behind the wall; probably to settle along with the rest of the trunks. Marching steadily towards the gate, Harry and Ginny lead the way while the rest trailed behind them, chatting away. Except for Hermione, who chanced a look around the place; re-living memories after memories.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry looks the same.

Except for some of the still missing boulders of pillars which has built around the building, and all of the things which had rejuvenated back into new ones. The towering form of the school seems just as elegant and breathtaking as ever while the castle gleams brightly. Looking welcoming, and seems to be holding an ancient secret sort of story to be re-told once again.

And a new wave of aura that glinted slightly under the pale beams of moonlight, which protected the school.

Hermione shivered slightly when she passed by the huge gates of the castle. Feeling a strange sense of magic around the place as it washes over her body. It was as if thousands of buckets full of cold water were been poured over her head, leaving her to gasp once at the weird feeling. Stunning her brain for a minute. Before a warmth so comfortable and soothing replace the sensation, leaving a pleasant feeling of goosebumps on her flesh in their wake.

Murmuring of voices echoed around her as she walk behind the trailing lines of the troops of students, marching ahead and watching, as the line thinned with the students entering through the great heavy oak door, and inside the castle.

Slowly climbing up the podiums towards the door, she cast a look around herself, and smiled slightly when noticing the awe and wonder-filled faces of the first years. Who were standing aloof to the side of the door in a neat straight lane, waiting for the teacher to escort them to the Great Hall for their sorting. Turning back, she notices as her friends slipped past the main door. Sighing lightly, she resume her journey up the stairs. But at the last landing, somebody rushes by her fast and bumped into her. Unsettling her. Hermione started as her foot missed the intended step on the podium and slipped. Eyes widening in shock, her hands flailing around in the air to catch and hold onto something; her left feet twisting, and she felt herself tipping backward and about to fall on her behind.

Good Merlin! Not again! She thought in panic, her hands coming up empty handed as she felt herself getting closer and closer to the ground. Her ears prickling as several people gasps around her. In defeat, she slipped her eyes closed. Surrendering herself to her fate at last.

But, just in time, something warm enclosed around her left hand and halted her momento. Abruptly.

Shocked and bewildered, her eyes popped open. And when she figured out what was the reason behind her impromptu halt in her supposedly fast approaching fall at once; she could barely resisted the maddening urge to gasp out loud.

Creamy and long pale fingers were firmly wrapped around her left wrist. A pristine black cloak clad right arm was stretched out wide as Draco Malfoy stood just two podiums above her. His blond hair falling in front of his steely grey eyes as he watches her, his pale handsome face was void of any emotion.

It was as if everything stood still for a moment. Everything except just for them.

Before everything tuned back to life.

"Never the one to not flaunt herself." Malfoy voiced out in an ironically humorous tone. The side of his lips tilting slightly at the end – a ghost of his infamous smirk. While his steely grey eyes remained the same, as they scanned her dangling form on the podium below him; held suspended in the air with the sole support of his right hand.

Red tint of specs colored the apple of her cheeks as Hermione bristled at his comment instantly. She felt that it was not enough embarrassing already to have an almost fall down from the carriages in front of the whole school on her first day back at Hogwarts. But now, hearing that she is deliberately trying to show off in front of them again is humiliating.

And to top it all, this is coming from the person who is the bane of her existence. And also The One who won't – in Hermione's perspective – let her live it down for the rest of her last schooling year from now onwards.

For her—It is a disgrace to everything and anything she may be or belief in.

A horrible disgrace, indeed.

"I should have applied that to myself, if I were you," she bit back scathingly, glaring up at him. Feeling mortified beyond belief. But angry to hear this from him at the same time.

In a flash, Draco's eyes darkened a little; all signs of humor gone from his face. And in no time, he was glaring back in retaliation as well.

"You should be taught some manners, you filthy little mud –" he abruptly paused in his heated remark; an odd look cross his face while he stopped and stared down at her in silence.

But Hermione was quick to complete his comment.

"What!?" she demands, almost mockingly. She had flinched when he had started to say the infamous word. Deflating like a hot air balloon as the hurtfulness washed over her body at hearing his nearly scathing tone. But now, she stared up at him in renewed anger, offense and wonder. Anger and offense because it had reminded her of the words which are now embedded on her left arm forever. But also wondering as to what has caused the Slytherin Prince and the former Death Eater to trail off so suddenly.

Yet, she didn't stop the rush of words that spewed forth from her mouth in the heat of anger, "Go on!" she encouraged him dryly. "You what, Malfoy?" she provokes him. Scowling heavily up at him from her place.

He didn't answer, just continued to stare down at her. His face expressionless; yet his eyes betraying him as they continue to stare down at her with that still odd look.

Getting all the more worked out, she continues,"You filthy little Mudblood! That's the thing you wanted to say, no?" she asked him once again.

This time, instead of answering, he tug on the hand with which they were both connected, jerking her towards him so that she smacked against his hard form with a soft thud. And before she could even gasp, he was directly in her face.

Hermione's breath hitches up in her throat as she realizes the lack of personal space between their bodies. Immediately, she turned her head down, looking to the side as she tried to fight off the heat that was now a permanent residence in her cheeks. Malfoy chuckled darkly, and she suppressed the urge to shiver when his warm, moist breath softly cascaded down from across her cheekbones and to her neck.

"Five points from Gryffindor for inappropriate use of language."

Hermione blenched and she turned to gape up at him. Aghast.

She watched as Malfoy smirked. But was puzzled and thoroughly self-conscious when she notices the way his steely grey eyes raking her face lazily.

"You!" she breathed furiously. Feeling blood rushing up to her brain while her ears started to ring strangely, making her feel light-headed. But that was all she could say at that time. As such was the anger of her that she could only glared up at him in utmost loathing; wishing he could just melt away under the intense heat of her gaze alone.

However, Draco's smirk only widened as he continues to stare down at her in silence, looking thoroughly smug and amuse.

But the things weren't just finished yet.

Because Draco suddenly darted forward and snapped at her face with her teeth mockingly; making Hermione to squeal in surprise and alarm and backing away from him in an instant.

"Bite me, Granger," he said arrogantly; his eyes twinkling as his smirk widened to an almost cocky look. Before he let go of her hand and sharply pivoted to skip past the main door along with the rest of the students.

Leaving Hermione to gawk at his back. Outrageous. While the people – who were still coming from behind her and were waiting for them to clear the area so that they could slipped inside; watching their exchange – burst into murmurs and laughter from behind her.

A/N: So, here I am – back to this site. I know it been so long and this update doesn't even cover for the long awaited waiting. And for that – I'm sorry. Yet, I do hope you won't be so cross with me and read & review this story. I'd noticed the attention this story is getting, and believe me, I'm so excited. Meanwhile, I know I shouldn't get this happy, but I can't help it. Anyways, to the more brighter note, I'm back – sorta'. So, yeah. Yet, I make NO guaranties, whatsoever, that my update is going to get quicker or sooner. So, bid your time and you'll be rewarded. DO know that I love my stories and I AM going to complete them, no matter what.

I don't really know if I'm doing this story a justice; Or if I'm even putting the characters in their places. I'm new in this narrative Author's style way. So, I won't mind if you'd tell me if I am doing right or not. Moreover, DO tell how is it and what do you'd all like to see happens next? R&R. I'm waiting over here!

- S.P. Tripathi