Eyes of Silver, Heart of Gold

Hermione's seventh school year had started without much incident. She knew it was going to be the busiest and most important of her years at Hogwarts. She had prepared thoroughly the summer before for it. She had prepared study schedules for each class, brought all the necessary books from her small home library, and reviewed every last bit of material she had found useful since her first year of Hogwarts. Which in her opinion was everything. Hermione was a lot more vigorous and enthusiastic about this year in particular though, because for the first time in a long time, Harry's well being and the well being of the wizardry world wasn't hanging like a black cloud over her head. During their sixth year, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were thrust into the fight of their lives at the ripe age of sixteen. The dark lord had risen, had prepared, and had attacked. After an antagonizing battle, Harry came out successful over Voldermort. All three of the friends were alive and together. And Hermione was finally, for once, worry free. She only had to worry about her NEWTs. But that was something she would gladly fret about. Worrying about normal things in life like grades was a pleasure compared to worrying about staying alive.

The war had left the wizardry community with a sense of happiness and fulfillment. Voldermort's prime days had been darks ones for everybody- muggleborn and pureblood alike. For the first time the sense of prejudice had disappeared among most people, no matter what their background. Most people were glad to be living in peaceful times. Some extreme cases, like elite blueblood pureblood families, were merely tolerant of muggleborns but with the events of the war still fresh in their minds they didn't generally attack unless provoked. Harry Potter was of course as famous as ever. He was enjoying his last year of Hogwarts...maybe a little too much. He was currently in a big row with Ginny, his girlfriend, over accepting chocolates from a couple of admirers.

Hermione was watching the discussion in a nearby sofa. She was smiling secretly to herself over Harry's discomfort but not getting involved. It was late January and the mention of Valentine's Day was circulating the school. There was going to be a big ball this year. She was happy to attend one last big ball of Hogwarts with all her friends. However, at the moment she wasn't romantically interested in anyone. Her infatuation with Ron had ended in sixth year after he became good friends with Lavender Brown. Ron and Lavender were currently still dating. Since their initially honeymoon phase had passed it was more bearable to be around the couple. They weren't on top of each other at all times. Hermione's life was normal for once. She was happy. She felt blessed. She wrote an entire foot longer than required for her charms essay that night due to her good mood.

The next day Hermione entered the Great Hall for breakfast. She got up pretty early each day and today was no exception. She enjoyed the tranquility of a mostly empty Great Hall. Today the enchanted roof was showcasing a vast periwinkle blue sky. The kind that seemed to go on forever. She sighed contently and grabbed a bagel, scrambled eggs, and jam and placed them on her plate. She ate slowly, taking sips of her pumpkin juice, while she read one of her textbooks. After a few paragraphs she heard a few giggles from across the room. A small group of third year Slytherin boys and girls were sitting at one end of the Slytherin table having breakfast but laughing excitedly, talking loudly, and taking peaks at all the other tables of the hall. Hermione thought this behavior to be odd since Slytherins didn't display great mirth often, unless they were humiliating someone. And thirteen year old third years never came to the Great Hall this early. Hermione expected to hear some kind of explosion to go off at any of the non-Slytherin tables any second now. None came. After another fifteen minutes of so, more students started appearing in the Hall and sat at various tables but nothing odd occurred. After five more minutes the group of third year Slytherins got up and left. Hermione's guard softened a bit. Usually Slytherins liked witnessing their harassment personally. She had probably been paranoid for no reason. After five more minutes of no bangs or booms going off, Hermione closed her book and got up from her seat. She usually waited for her friends, but the third years had distracted her from her reading and she wanted to review a bit more at a quiet place for the history exam she had first period.

She picked up her bag a walked towards the giant wooden double door entrance of the hall. She looked up at the beautiful enchanted ceiling one last time. It still looked incredible. For some reason the ceiling was even more wonderful now. It seemed glossy and shiny to her. Absolutely wonderful. Just as she was reaching out for the slightly opened door and exiting the hall, she found herself face to face with Draco Malfoy. His hand which had been reaching for the same exact spot of the door had brushed her. Hermione had grabbed back her hand immediately. She couldn't help but be aware of the sensation of his hand on hers. She didn't like to be anywhere near him. And right now he was looking at her with narrowed silver eyes, as if she had meant to touch him or even get in his way. She narrowed her eyes too.

"Get out of my way, Granger." His voice was cool and disdainful.

"I wasn't trying to get in your way, Malfoy. I will gladly distance myself from you if you stop blocking the exit." She retorted.

"What? You can't figure out how to open a door?" He asked with arrogance, motioning at the other heavy wooden door that wasn't ajar.

"I can't push a door that heavy open and you just have to step back for a second!" She exclaimed starting to lose her temper. She couldn't believe she was standing there, wasting her time, talking about doors with Draco Malfoy.

"Well, I don't see how that's my problem and I'm not going to move for someone like you." He said, putting a clear implication on those last three words.

Hermione bristled. She couldn't believe she was still getting this sort of drizzle from ignorant pricks like Malfoy. "It is clearly your problem because unless you move, we'll be standing here until graduation! But since your ignorant little mind apparently can't comprehend that, you'll have to excuse me." And with that, Hermione barreled her 5'5'' body past Draco's 5'10'' frame, brushing roughly against his side and making him lose footing for a second.

"You'll be sorry you did that you little priss." Draco drawled in a low yet menacing voice that carried down the hall. Hermione didn't bother looking back. She hurried away, clutching her book. She hated that she had to touch him just now. She now knew how hard his body was and that her head came just to the start of his pointed chin. She could still smell his musk and hear the low tones of his last threat. And she ust couldn't forget the look of disgust in his narrowed silver eyes.