Author's Note: New story, yay! I like this story…but it's a bit weird. I'd love to know what you think about it. I think I'll add the first few chapters to start with, because I'm bored and have written them. So enjoy!
Chapter OneMalfoy scowled into the mirror. He hated his hair; there must be something they could do about it. He glared at the wizard-barber, who was hovering by the door to the back room, and shot him a cold and dangerous smile. "I hate it." He stated and the barber looked as if he had been sentenced to execution, which was possible; Malfoy toyed with ideas in his head.
"It's how you've always had it, sir." The wizard gripped his wand and played with the end.
"And I want it changed." He glared at the mirror again. "First, get rid of the wax." What had he been thinking? The wax made his head look like a snooker ball. He nodded as the wax was magically taken away and his hair hung loose in his face. "Shorten it." This was done slowly. He concentrated... "Stop." He examined the new style, it wasn't a whole lot shorter, just a few centimetres, it made if flopped slightly in his eyes, he liked it. "Good, you may go." The barber bowed low and hurried into the back room.
Malfoy yawned. It wasn't the first time he had sent adults scurrying from his presence, it came with the name. He stepped out into the Hogsmeade sun and scowled. Ergh, he hated sun, it made one hot and bothered, and, he shivered, sweaty. He preferred the night, when it was dark and cold, that was the proper weather, not this bright, horrible la-de-de, birds singing, are we all from toon-town crap.
It was too noisy as well, Hogwarts kids were running around, setting off No-heat fireworks, and laughing. It was all too much for him. He went to the three broomsticks to cool off. Positioning himself at the bar he asked Rosa for a butterbeer, when it came, he wandered over to the back of the pub to find a table to himself.
When he had found a suitably private one, he sat down and leaned back, staring at the ceiling. Occasionally sipping his butterbeer, he sat in a blissfully thoughtless silence. A while later he heard little sniffs coming from the table next to him. Annoyed that someone broke his silence, he went to investigate.
It was the Mudblood Granger. She was sitting in front of a large mug of butterbeer with her face in her hands, crying. He smirked and sat down next to her, this could be fun.
"Go away." She didn't even look up at him. "Just leave me alone."
"Fine here thanks." He leaned back on the chair and sipped his butterbeer, staring amusedly into her now upturned, furious eyes.
"Get away from me, Malfoy." She went for her wand, and he raised an eyebrow.
"Like I said, Fine here thanks." She stared at him, then buried her head in her arms on the table.
"Whatever."
"What's wrong? Weasel dump you?"
"I'm not going out with Ron, Malfoy."
"I know, I said he dumped you, it couldn't possibly be Potter, could it." She glared at him, and he laughed. "It is Potter? I knew it!"
"I am not, or have ever, been romantically linked with either Ron or Harry, except in the minds of the seriously deranged." She said it slowly and dangerously.
"Whatever you say. So what's with the crying? Got a B on a test?"
"No."
"Then what? McGonagall take away your prefect rights and kicked you out of your room for breaking the rules again?"
"Look, Malfoy, just leave me alone. I'm not going to tell you."
"Fine here thanks."
"Fine, I'll leave." She went to go, but he grabbed her wrist.
"Well, you're obviously hiding from someone, Granger, why would you want to come out of hiding?"
"I'll pick him over you any day of the week." She spat.
"Ahh, so it is a boy." He absent mindedly pulled her onto the chair next to him whilst lost in his thoughts. "And it's not Potter or Weasel? I didn't know you had that many friends."
"Let me go!" Malfoy was thoroughly enjoying the look of hatred on the Mudbloods face. He moved his face closer to hers, until there was only an inch gap. "Make me." She looked confused into his eyes as he closed the gap a little more, slowly inching towards her...
"What is going on here?" Pansy glared at the two, who were in a very incriminating position.
"Nothing." Malfoy smirked at her as Hermione twisted from his grip and ran off. He let her. "Go away, Pansy, I wish to be left alone in my thoughts."
Pansy stood hovering. "What were you and the Mudblood doing?"
"Like I said nothing." He waved his hand and took no further notice of her. She hovered for a few seconds then left.
Pansy was furious, she hadn't been this furious in a long time. Damn Draco Malfoy, Damn him to Hell. He made everything so complicated. Now he was with the Mudblood, it seemed, she never saw that coming. A secret relationship if ever she saw one. Well, she could work it to her advantage.
There she was, that Mudblood. Running behind Hondeydukes, crying. Oh, dear, is she upset that little insignificant Pansy, Draco's girlfriend, had found out her little secret crush on him? Shame.
She stalked around the back of the wizard sweet shop and came face to face with the girl. It was more like knee to face though seeming as she was sitting huddled up in a corner.
"You and me are gonna have a talk."
"What is it with Slytherins and annoying me today?" She stood up and trying to stalk past Pansy, but Pansy grabbed hold of her bushy hair and pulled.
"Owww, you freak, what'd go and do that for?"
"Like it would make a difference, you're hair is in serious need of some help." She yanked harder, bringing Hermione's ear to her mouth, "You, stay, away, from, my, Malfoy." She hissed dangerously.
"No, problem." Hermione kicked Pansy hard in the shin and the pug/girl screamed and let go of her hair. For the third time that day, she ran off. Pansy looked down at her hand, very pleased with herself. Entwined around her perfect manicure, were three strands of Hermione's hair.
That night
Pansy was the only one left in the common room. She had her cauldron out in front of her and several ingredients for a potion laid out around her. She was carefully pouring each one in, she wasn't going to muck this up, like she usually does.
The spell book told her to use "Harbitrate Grevane" She looked through her potions, and found one labelled "Harbitrate Grenvene". She looked at it, then shrugged. "Probably a spelling mistake". She added it, to her delight it turned an acid green colour. Acid green was her favourite colour, and she dropped the hairs into the potion.
It started to bubble violently, reducing itself down to nothing. At the bottom of the now empty cauldron was a silver locket, she laughed and picked it out of the cauldron. "You're going to wish you never touched my Draco, Mudblood.", in what she thought was an evil genius way, and packed up her things with a wave of her wand. Still laughing manically, she went to bed. If the stupid dint had been looking at the spell book, she would have noticed the large bold warning sign at the bottom of the page. "IF THE POTION GOES ACID GREEN, THROW IT AWAY IMMEDIATELY, IF YOU DO NOT, THEN THE LIVES OF EVERYONE IN A MILE RADIUS WILL BE IN DANGER!" It's nice to know you can always count on the stupid, little people to make everyone's lives more interesting.
It was late, really, really, late. Hermione had classes in the morning. None of this helped her sleep. In fact the idea of facing everyone made her cry more. Why did he have to go and do that? She sighed.
"Hermione?" A voice sounded, uncertainly from the door. She looked up hopefully, maybe it was just a joke. No, it was Harry.
"You're not allowed in here, Harry." She pulled her covers tighter into her chin and curled up in a little protective ball.
"You're crying." He stated, sitting down on the bed. "Why?"
"It hasn't been my day today." She laughed as she remembered Malfoy's teasing and Pansy's threatening. It really hadn't.
"Is it because of Dean?"
"Partly." She mumbled. Willing him to leave, or at least for the subject to change, no such luck.
"If it makes you feel better, me and Ron beat him up in the common room earlier."
"Badly?" She mumbled.
"He was limping." A momentary smile flickered across her lips, then the corners sank.
"And what about...her?"
"She's in Ravenclaw, so we couldn't get to her, plus, she's a girl and I wouldn't want to take away the privilege of you doing it for yourself." A full on smile hit her lips and she sat up.
"Thank you."
"Not at all, I want to see what you're going to do."
Hermione yawned. "I should go, you don't want the joy of classes to be hindered by being tired now do you?" Harry smiled at her and turned to leave.
Suddenly Harry turned around and looked at her. "You don't need Dean, you're beautiful and you'll have no trouble getting a boyfriend."
"Err... Thanks."
He sat back down on the bed and took her hand in his. "I'll always be there for you, 'Mione, whenever you need me."
Hermione was uncomfortable under his piercing stare. "Duly noted, thanks." She yawned very pointedly, and he smiled and kissed her on the forehead, "Goodnight."
The next day
Hermione came out of her room the next day, to see a very flustered Neville hovering outside. He smiled at her and went very red. "Oh, hi, Hermione, fancy seeing you here."
"Yes...my secret is out, I sometimes come out of my room." Neville laughed loudly.
"You're so funny, Hermione, I'll walk you to the Great Hall."
"Um...Okay." He grabbed her arm and started to lead her away. Every time she started to strike up a conversation, Neville laughed and went bright red. They spent most of the time in silence.
As soon as they got to the Great Hall, just before they went in through the doors, Neville stopped and looked at Hermione. "Err…."
"What?"
He looked as if he was about to have a heart attack. "Nothing." He ran all the way back up the stairs.
Hermione watched him go in a confused fashion. Something was seriously wrong with that kid.
She pushed open the doors and went to sit with Harry and Ron, who smiled widely at her. Seamus came and joined them. "Morning Hermione." They all smiled widely at her, she wondered whether there was anything embarrassing stuck to her face.
"What is going on with you and Neville?" Ginny slid next to Hermione, pushing her rather put out brother out of the way.
"Nothing." The boys had all leaned in to hear better.
"Something obviously is. I was on the stairs at the little scene in the entrance hall."
"What's this?" Ron asked innocently.
"Nothing."
"You and, Neville eh?" Seamus sounded slightly hurt.
"Is it serious?" Harry looked at her sadly.
"What?" She got up and walked away from the table. Something was going seriously wrong today. On her way around the corner, she bumped into the Weasley twins, and fell over.
"Oh, sorry there, 'Mione." Each grabbing her under the armpits, they hauled her back to a standing position. "You alright?" They started dusting her off, "No bruises or anything,"
"No, I'm fine." She didn't like the look they were giving her. "I'm just gonna go now." She started to walk off, but Fred called to her.
"Where you going?" He ran up to her side, and George followed him hesitantly.
"Just back to my rooms."
"I'll escort you there." He took her by the arm and she looked pointedly at George. "Just ignore him." And led her back to her rooms. When they got there, the Weasley pulled Hermione into a huge hug and he whispered in her ear. "If you ever need me, I'll be there." And walked off.
"Okay, that was surreal." She opened the portrait and went quickly inside, before someone else decided to escort her somewhere.