Hello everyone, I'll try to keep this simple so as not to bore you. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic so please forgive me and be patient if I make some mistakes.

This will be my own version of Sixth year. A few things will be different in my story but the important thing to remember is that whilst Draco is a death eater in my tale he was not given the task of killing Dumbledore.

Everything else I hoped will be explained whilst I go along- enjoy

oOoOo

Chapter 1: The Beginning or the End?

"I can't believe you Ron! I mean how could you!"

Everyone in the Great Hall's heads turned to see one Hermione Granger storm down the aisle and seat herself at the Gryffindor table in a flurry of robes.

"Give me a bloody break Hermione –It's not like I meant for the bloody thing to explode!"

Ron Weasley, directly on her heels sat down next to her, careful to leave a crucial amount of space between them.

Their best friend raised his eyes from his previously peaceful lunch, eyeing them warily from his seat across the table. "Do I want to know?" Harry asked.

If it were possible Hermione's eyes got even brighter and waves of rage that were almost tangible, rolled off of her. Pointing an accusing finger at Ron she spat, "This buffoon! – Mixed the wrong ingredient into our almost finished Incarteous potion, causing it to explode!"

"How many times do I have to tell you?! It wasn't my fault. It was the bloody correct ingredient!"

Whirling on him Hermione hissed, "Thanks to you, I'll be lucky to get an Exceeds Expectations!"

"Woah Hermione!" Harry said and made a grab for her hand. Hermione snapped her gaze back to Harry and opened her mouth in order to begin another tirade but anticipating this he was quick to cut her off.
"Just listen to me Hermione, it could be what Ron's saying is the truth."

Rolling her eyes she interrupted, "Harry that's not-"

Harry quickly drove on in order to finish his explanation. "We know things have been a bit stranger at Hogwarts then usual right?"

Eying him warily, Hermione replied "Yes."

"The constant storm over Blackwater Lake, daily seasonal changes of the Whomping Willow, solidifying ghosts, the room of requirement malfunctioning-"

Ron let out a snort, "Yeah, remember when Seamus asked for a toilet and got a…"

His voice trailed off when he saw the look Harry was shooting him.

Harry turned his attention back to Hermione and clasped her hand tighter, "Anyway, as I was trying to say, with things going so haywire around here, does an exploding potion really sound all that different?"

Hermione's mouth fell open as comprehension flooded through her, "Oh my god! How could I not think of that- I'm so- Ron I'm so sorry!"

"Just try not to jump to conclusions and explode so easily next time Hermione- It's scary." Ron voiced whilst shooting Harry a look.
Giving Ron a grateful smile, she answered "I'll try to keep that in mind. I really am sorry."

Ron smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright 'Mione, it wasn't that far of a stretch to think that's something I'd do, I'll admit."

Hermione smiled at him but when he didn't remove his hand she started to shift uncomfortably and broke their gaze. As she glanced around, she noticed Harry seemed to be staring blankly over her shoulder.

Concerned, she reached forward to grasp his hand as he had done before and asked, "What's wrong Harry?"

Shifting his attention momentarily, he met her gaze before looking back over her shoulder once more.

"Malfoy."

Both she and Ron turned in their seats to see Draco Malfoy sitting at the Slytherin table. Having not seen him when she came in, Hermione realized he must have slipped into the Hall whilst she was distracted with Ron.

She observed him closely, his paleness was even more striking than usual. He looked sick, something she noticed had progressed in the few weeks since the start of the school year.

She watched as Malfoy piled a few things upon his plate, then sitting still for a few moments as if lost in his own thoughts, before finally taking slow meticulous bites.

He always ate alone nowadays she noticed. A constant distance was now kept between the Slytherin Prince and his subjects at all times, except for the occasional times he would show up to dinner.

Sensing their stare Malfoy glanced up and immediately locked eyes with them as if already having known who was watching him. He sneered at them before tiredness washed over his face and he turned away as if deeming them not worth the effort.

"Wonder what's caused him to get all surly." Ron whispered, leaning back over the table to speak to Harry conspiratorially.

Hermione tore her gaze from the Slytherin table to glance at the boys, "Don't you think he looks ill?" she asked.

"What junior death eater wouldn't?" Harry scoffed.

She gave both boys a severe look. "Stop it Harry."

"Oh come on Hermione- are you saying it's not possible?" Harry drawled.

"I'm not saying that, you are most probably right," she admitted "But that doesn't mean we should make fun of the situation." She finished firmly.

Harry ducked his head, realizing the truth of Hermione's statement.

"Come on we better eat up, otherwise we'll be late to class and I for one don't want to be stuck on the end of another of Hermione's lectures." Ron smirked, breaking the silence.

Hermione rolled her eyes but couldn't help but let a small smile creep onto her face before reaching for an apple.

oOoOo

Hermione grunted as her hip hit another table. She moved the pile of books in her arms slightly, to try and get a better glimpse of where she was going.

Finding the shelf she was looking for Hermione quickly placed the books onto the banister and started to place them back where she had found them.

Having finished her work quicker then she planned, Hermione decided to find some books that might help Harry with his Occlumency or his effort in trying to win Slughorn's trust.

She scoured the bookshelves and having found some titles she thought were promising, she piled them under her right arm whilst holding open and reading a particularly interesting title in her left hand.

She walked forward for some time before realizing she had been walking longer then she should have been, she glanced up just as she bumped into a study table.

Having deduced she wasn't where she wanted to be, she quickly glanced around to see she was in a quiet back corner of the library, with no other occupants save for the person whose table she had bumped into. She opened her mouth to apologize only to shut it in surprise when they glanced up to reveal the face of Draco Malfoy.

"Granger," he sneered, "Why am I not surprised?"

Trying to remain civil she replied, "My apologies Malfoy, I wasn't watching where I was going."

"A trait all you Mudbloods no doubt possess."

Having sparked her anger Hermione opened her mouth, preparing to give him a good tongue-lashing or perhaps hex him into the next century, when she took notice of the dark rings beneath his eyes and his haggard face. She glanced down to see a book open on the table, she quickly recognized it as 'Revitalizing potions: Their History, Ingredients & Purposes.'

Catching her stare Malfoy slammed the book shut. Hermione returned her gaze to his face and couldn't help but feel a surge of sympathy arise within her for this lost young man.

"Try the Invitrous Potion on page forty-six, it's much more effective and is easier both to make and store."

Malfoy's eyes slightly widened and then narrowed, "Don't assume to know what I'm doing. And don't waste your time trying to trick me Granger. Your effort is just pathetic."

Surprisingly, the urge to hex him didn't arise within her this time and she even managed to calmly reply "I unlike some people Malfoy strive to help others for the simple fact that I wish too, even if they are totally rude and undeserving." She turned and started to walk towards the library's entrance before glancing back over her shoulder. "Everyone deserves a chance. The potion will help." And before she could reconsider what she'd said, she turned and walked away, heading for Madam Pince's desk, whilst trying to figure out where the sudden urge to help Malfoy had come from.

She checked out her books and disappeared out the door, all the while mentally reprimanding herself on why she shouldn't waste such emotions on people like Malfoy.

Back at his table Malfoy broke his stare away from the doors which Hermione had disappeared through. Confusion clouded his face, he sat still in his chair for a few moments before pulling the book back towards him and flipping through to find page forty-six.