Disclaimer: Don't own it.

This is for the 100 times challenge on HPFC. Various 'times' Draco/Hermione. There will be twenty chapters; these are basically drabbles for Dramione love :)

Some of these will be canon, others, not. They do not form a story, and they are not all about one relationship. As in, the next drabble after this won't be part of the same story of this one. They're merely random moments, from twenty different views of a Draco/Hermione pairing. Many will be angst, but some will be lighter. I hope you enjoy. :)

1. Noticed.

He never knew how it would end, but, strangely enough, he knew where it began.

She was so very different from him. He hated her. He hated her with everything he had. But that wasn't the point.

It was just a day – an unobtrusive day. A natural, typical, ordinary day.

He was walking to Transfiguration, a class he shared with her. He could remember every detail now, even though it was nothing then. It had been so very much of nothing.

The corner on the east wing, with the windows showing the courtyard. The scene of the – well, not crime. The scene where it all began.

Tuesday morning, 9:07. The bell would ring soon. He was very nearly late.

He was thinking about Quidditch, which was normal enough. And, as he was considering Ravenclaw's standing in the tournament, she ran into him.

This was unexpected, because, really, she was never late. But today, she evidently nearly was. He just froze sort of, looking at her. She was out of breath, her cheeks were rosy pink. Her hair was wild, like always, but the way that it fell around her, like curly ribbons of chestnut, was enthralling. And her eyes, amber and gold and dark chocolate coloured all at once, were looking at him, with no hate.

She was apologizing profusely, or had been, until she had seen who it was. At that point, she had frozen. She merely looked at him. She was expecting something. A cynical word, a biting comment.

None came.

He remembered helping her pick up her bag, and walking by her.

There seems, almost, like there is nothing of consequence that day. Surely, that night, he would not recall the encounter. But years later, he did. Years later, he knew exactly what had begun that day, that day where he had seen her, and almost thought her to be beautiful. That day when he didn't insult her, when he helped her without one cruel word. That day when, although he never realized it, he noticed her for the first time.