Chapter 3

Draco felt a little miserable following the prefects to the dungeons. A tiny part of him had hoped that a hermione would be sorted into Slytherin. But a bigger part of him had hoped at the very least she wouldn't be a Gryffindor. This just got a tiny bit more difficult.

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"It's Leviosa, not Leviosar. Honestly, she's a nightmare. No wonder she hasn't got any friends!" Draco heard the red-headed Weasley say, followed by Hermione running past them, barely holding back tears.

"I think she heard you." The blond heard Harry Potter say.

'Idiots.' Draco thought with a frustrated sigh. "I left something in the dorms," he told his friends, "see you later."

Draco followed the crying girl till he noticed her enter the girls bathroom. He quickly entered behind her, locking the door behind him after checking it was empty. "Hermione?" he called out.

"Hermione I know you're in here and I know you're crying." He called out again noticing only one closed door and figuring that was the stall that harbored his friend.

"Come on Hermione", he said sitting on the floor, leaning against the door. "if you won't come out, will you are least answer me." He said as gently as he could.

"Please tell me you're not crying about what that weasel said." Draco continued when he got no response. "he's an idiot. He's frustrated at his own incompetence and taking it out on you."

Hermione snorted at this, "He may be an idiot, but this time he's actually right. I don't gave friends. No one likes me." She said with a sob in her voice.

"But Hermione you do have friends. You have at least one. You have me." He said.

"Draco you have barely said two words to me since the day we were sorted."

"true. I'm sorry" He sighed, "the past few weeks have gone by in a blur. It feels like there's barely a free minute sometimes."

"I get what you mean. It's been crazy busy" She answered.

"Yeah," Draco laughed, "too busy answering every question in class or waving your hand around like a mad person." He teased.

"Hey! No fair." She protested.

"What?" he laughed, "it's true. But it's not a bad thing. Don't ever feel bad for being insanely intelligent. Or trying to be nice and helping someone learn a spell."

Hermione smiled at this, letting her head touch the toilet door of the stall she was in. "Thank you "

"Any time."

"Who would have thought that a trouble maker like you could actually be so nice?" Hermione teased.

"Hey! No fair." He said, mimicking her voice.

"Oh really?" She laughed, "was that stunt you pulled at flying lessons not trouble making?"

"That was trouble making gone wrong. Potter ended up getting into the quidditch team because of it." He rolled his eyes.

"He could have gotten into a lot of trouble though."

Draco snorted, "Unlikely."

"it's funny though, I thought we were getting closer, Harry, Ron and I. But obviously not."

"Maybe they saw you're horrible flying skills and we're like uh uh, she can't be our friend." He teased.

"Shut up!" She whined, "that is a soft spot. I've never been so blatantly horrible at something."

"that's because you're probably trying to learn it out of a text book. Don't think I didn't notice you reading a flying 101 book in the library. Take it from someone who's owned a broom since a baby, a training broom but a broom none the less. It's not something you can learn from a book. You just got to feel it."

Hermione huffed, "It's easier said than done."

"Maybe I'll teach you some day."

"That would be nice."

"Hey its probably almost dinner. We should get going. I'll even walk you up," he said with a light tone, "The dungeons are going to be empty soon. Wouldn't want you getting all spooked" He teased.

"Oh please," she snorted, "nothing can be as scary as that three headed dog on the third floor."

"what?" Draco asked.

"we found a ceberus. It's guarding something. I don't know what."

"hmm.." Draco said with a frown, "Well whatever it is, it's dangerous Hermione. Please don't do anything reckless.

"I won't."

"Good. Come, will you come out now so I can see your pretty face and bushy hair? Pretty please with a chocolate frog on top."

Hermione laughed and blushed slightly at the compliment and said, "Oh okay, because you asked so nicely."

"There, all red and snotty like I was expecting." He said with a wink, "beautiful."

She pulled her tongue at him, "Oh hush." knowing he was pulling her leg.

"Ready to go milady?" he asked offering her his arm.

She laughed at the blonde's antics, "No no, I'll see you up there."

He raised his eyebrow, "you sure?"

"Yes."

"Well just so you know, I will even expecting at the very least a wink from your direction at dinner. And if I don't see you, well I will personally come and drag you out of here."

Hermione laughed again, "you are ridiculous, you know that? Ridiculous and very kind."

"Only to you. Otherwise I'm the rich and handsome Slytherin bad-boy, soon to bd Slytherin prince." He said with a smirk, "see you later."

Hermione responded with a smile, watching her first, and so far only, real friend leaving. She started to tidy up her uniform and fixing her hair.

Looking at herself in the mirror she said, "Hermione, get it together."

Rinsing her face and drying it, she turned to leave, stopping dead in her tracks.

"Hermione, move!" She heard a familiar voice yell.