Gregory Goyle had been thinking very hard that Wednesday afternoon, so much so that he was beginning to get a headache from over thinking, which was a rare occurrence to say the least. On any other day he would be enjoying his time away from classes by playing quidditch, sleeping or hanging out with his friends. But today he sat, staring into one of the Slytherin Common Room's many fish tanks, watching as the giant squid dipped it's tentacle in from the lake above to try and catch a fish. He had a question about something he just couldn't wrap his head around. It had been bothering him for almost a week now.

They had been picking on a second year Ravenclaw, the boy had bumped into them on their free period. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. They roughed him up a bit and took some Honeyduke's sweets he had in his book bag. Draco laughed the whole way back to the Common Room.

"Did you see his face? I swear mudbloods make the stupidest faces when they are scared, 'no please don't hurt me!' hahah" He said, holding his nose upwards like a pig snout. "Well it's not like they don't have the stupidest faces anyway. Filthy, stupid and ugly. Why that old coot let's them into this school is beyond me." The two large boys nodded beside him, happily enjoying their chocolates as they waited for the moving staircase to lock into place. "Oh look its Potty Potter and his pet weasel, where's your mudblood Granger today hmm?"

"Shove off, Malfoy" came Ron's red faced retort.

"Did you get tired of looking at her buck toothed bushy head?" He smirked. Goyle chuckled at the thought of her, bulbous teeth protruding out of her mouth like some sort of beaver and her hair wild, frizzy and knotted.

"SHUT UP, MALFOY!" The red heads wand was out barely touching Draco's nose.

"Ron, stop! He's not worth it, come on we have to get to class." Harry tried to persuade his friend to following him. Another detention was not what they needed, not to mention Gryffindor's house points were behind Hufflepuff and Slytherin at this point and Ravenclaw was closing in behind them fast. They couldn't afford to blow it now just because Malfoy being a wanker. "Come on." He finally managed to pull his friend away and up the stairs.

"Harry? Ron?" They heard a voice call.

"Oh well if it isn't the filthy mudblood herself." Draco spat, glaring up at her. She paid him no mind, her attention completely on her friends. She grabbed their sleeves, tugging them along behind her. With the trio gone the three slytherins continued on their way to the Common Room to enjoy their free time, though Draco's mood had soured, unable to bait the Gryffindors into a fight. The whole way to the dungeons Greg's mind switched back and forth between the image of the ugly beaver Granger and the girl he'd just seen on the staircase, drowning out Malfoy's mudblood rant, his mind too preoccupied to register what the blonde was saying. Something was wrong, things weren't adding up.

Throughout the next week his mind raced every time he saw her.

Mudblood Granger.

Mudblood.

Filthy mudbloods.

Stupid mudbloods.

Ugly mudbloods

Mudblood...

His focus returned to the fish tank as the Giant Squid final caught its next meal. He turned to his long time best friend hoping he'd be able to give him an answer that would settle his over exerted mind.

"Hey Vince... do you think Granger's really a mudblood?"

"...Uuuuh yeah." It took Crabbe a little while to reply, his focus on the magazine in his hands. "Draco said she was." The larger boy had been reading a quidditch magazine, or at least he was looking at the pictures.

"He said they are stupid too, right?"

"Mmhm" crabbe hummed turning his attention back to his magazine.

"What about Granger…. She's smart isn't she?"

"Uhh… I dunno." Crabbes shoulders shrugged.

"and… Mudbloods are ugly, right?" Greg said.

"Yeah. Ugly" He said turning once again to his confused friend.

"Grangers not ugly."

"Oh yeah…" Crabbe's face scrunched up slightly as he tried to remember exactly what she looked like. "Maybe she's only half mudblood." Goyle nodded along to his friends explanation but still it didn't seem right. "I dunno mate, why don't you just ask her or something?" He hadn't thought of that, he thanked Crabbe and left, allowing his friend to continue his 'reading.'

In the late evening after dinner few students were still out and about in the corridors, most were lounging in their common room like he had been. Those that were out were either making their way to their common rooms, studying in the library or were meeting with teachers for help or to serve their detentions. He hadn't known where to find Granger, so he ended up walking aimlessly around the castle. He tried to ask some young Gryffindors he'd seen where to go but they had all darted away when he got near them. He was about to turn back when he spotted the girl Weasley, whose name he had forgotten. 'She's Granger's friend.' He thought and quickened his pace to reach her.

"Hey Weasel!" He shouted she turned, confused when she saw just him.

"What do you want Goyle?" She had pulled out her wand upon recognising him and crossed her arms, ready to hex him if needed.

"Where's Granger?"

"As if I'd tell you. What do you want with Hermione?" She pointed her wand out at him.

"I want to ask her a question." He said, her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"What question?"

"Is she full mudblood or only half." He said, her teeth clenched, face turning red.

"What the hell kind of question is that?" She hissed. What was this all about, was this a cruel joke? Using such a hateful slur about her friend, and he wanted to say this to Hermione's face? She let out a scoff, she'd had enough of this nonsense and began to storm off in the opposite direction muttering to herself about stupid Slytherins.

"Mudbloods are ugly, so Granger can't be one right?. It doesn't make sense." Ginny froze, repeating what he had just said in her head. She turned to him again eyebrows furrowed and eyes still squinted but she didn't look as angry as she had just before.

"What...?"

"Mudbloods, Malfoy says they're really ugly and stupid. But Granger's not ugly. So she can't be one of them, or she's only half, right?...l- I don't get it, It's all really confusing."

"Muggleborn." She said watching him closely. "She's a Muggleborn." His face broke out into a smile, nodding his head like he finally understood. "Muggleborns are witches and wizards, like you and me. They aren't ugly, or stupid or any less powerful than purebloods, they just have muggle parents."

"I knew she wasn't really a Mudblood, she's too pretty. She's just a Muggleborn. Muggle parents, muggleborn. Got it, thanks Weasley!" He started to make his way back to his common room but paused for a second, looking back. "Uuuh.. Girl Weasley, I mean." He said and then continued on his way. Ginny stood in place for a few minutes wondering to herself if that had actually happened. She had one crazy story to tell when she got back to Gryffindor.

Malfoy had at some point while he was gone decided to lounge around in the common room with Crabbe.

"There you are, what were you-why are you smiling like that?" Malfoy asked as soon as he had spotted him on the other side of a fish tank. He waited impatiently tapping his foot as Goyle made his way around the tank and passed other students. "Well? what's got you so happy today?"

"Cause I get it now, Granger's not a Mudblood. She's a pretty Muggleborn." He answered walking passed the stunned blonde and towards his dorm room. Malfoy's jaw went slack and eyes bulged at the answer. Before he could say anything Vincent looked up from his magazine.

"Oh Muggleborn, that makes more sense." He said, though he didn't really understand. He nodded to Greg before returning his focus back in the quidditch magazine. Malfoy was at a loss for words and could only stare at the two of them, neither seemed to notice his expression as then went about doing their own thing.

"...pretty muggleborn... Pffsh..." He muttered to himself.

Author's Note: Thank you for reading my story. Here are some things that are different between the Harry Potter canon and my story.

Basically a lot from Philosopher's Stone to Half-Blood Prince is unchanged in this story except Voldemort coming back in Goblet of Fire. It takes Voldemort a lot longer to come back.
(just imagine instead that what happened in the Graveyard was attempted but Cedric helped free Harry and told him to get back to the cup. Cedric was killed shielding Harry and Harry returned with Cedric's body via portkey)
In Half-Blood Prince none of the Death-Eater infiltrating Hogwarts plot point happens. Voldemort has not physically returned yet and has not begun to build up his army nor is Draco pressured to join the Death Eaters yet or kill Dumbledore. In this story Voldemort is an ever present worry, but not yet a threat like he is in the books. (no one but Dumbledore knows of the Horcruxes yet either)

Dumbledore is alive yes (still cursed and dying though)
Snape's still alive and grumpy as hell (7th year DADA teacher and was not 'officially' their teacher in their 6th year - to avoid Voldemort's DADA teacher curse)
The twins are safe and unharmed (Merlin I love the twins - Expect Weasley Wizarding Wheezes products mentioned in this story)
Tonks and Lupin are happy and healthy with a baby on the way, Teddy is born in April 1998)
Sirius IS ALIVE (He did not fall through the veil and again Harry got away from the Death Eaters just in time - with the help of the Order)

If there are any questions about what is and isn't 'canon' in this story feel free to message me and I'll answer as soon as possible (that or maybe you will have stumped me and I'll have to just say 'idk a wizard magicked that event away')