FORBEARANCE

Author: Enitsu Emria

Author e-mail: [email protected]

Genre: Romance, Mystery, Angst,

Rating: PG-13

Pairings: Draco/Hermione

Summary: Of different worlds, bound by beliefs and loyalties, Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger have hated each other ever since. However, when put together in responsibilities either of them would have accepted if only they each bore them alone, there forms a string of fatal attraction that draws them to each other which defies the notions of their placid minds of knowing better.

Things grow worse when the entirety of the sixth year population is sent to a remote castle in the north of France. Prophecies, snogging, death, wild identity crises, a love triangle, extreme self-denial, a demented Dark Lord, and all in all an outlandish D/H twist.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter, names, characters and related indicia are copyright of Warner Brothers and JK Rowling. They're not mine… well, I wish Draco was (the wonderful heaven sent creation of the gods to fulfill the craving of every young woman on earth!) but he's not, so there!

~~*

I struggle,

For still, I remain trapped in my solitary confinement.

I crave to surrender, to this anguish and be free of all the pain…

But, I am a fool, because I refuse to give up this sweet torment.

I listen,

But I am deafened, by the throbbing silence of my senses.

I speak,

Because I refuse to remain silent,

But, in mid-sentence, I cease, for I fear that I would end up defenseless.

And in that momentous broken stillness, my voice is drowned in to the abyssal darkness of oblivion.

I choose to weep; I set free an emotion my tears convey flawlessly. Loneliness.

~~*

Chapter One: And so it Begins

Behind the dark curtains of the young boy's bed, the dark colored satin covers shifted and moved incessantly. The boy lay wide-awake; he did not want to close his eyes, for he knew the horror he would see… It would be an endless realm of unpleasantness; visions too vile… even for him. He feared though discreetly for the experience of envisioning such things were nothing to the fact that it was reality, all that he was seeing. The dreams were signs, signs that were beckoning him to his fate.

He was sixteen, and in a year; he would be imprisoned in a cell far worse that his current one, his own home… the Malfoy Manor.

He sat up. He ran a hand through his soft silver-blonde hair. Like nights before, he woke up bathed in cold sweat running down his pale face.  He knew very well that it was a dream, but yet it seemed all too real.

He had been having those kinds of dreams for the past years and he knew he had no one but his father to blame for all it.

Sitting up in frustration, he flung the black sheets off his body. Cursing under his breath, he climbed out of his four-poster bed and strode over to the large oak study table in one corner of his wide room. A dim lamplight burned in the far angle of the table. Pulling out a piece of parchment out from the desk's drawer, he began to scribble on with his long albatross quill an endless clutter of words, telling of the horrors his dreams showed him. 

It was an outlet for him, when he couldn't sleep; when he felt miserable. He put everything down on paper and after he sensed a change in his mood, he burned all he had written down. It seemed useless, but somehow, for him; it worked.

He had never wanted his life, more specifically, the way it was; the atrocious way it was set. He could have never lived for all he cared. But since he was a child, he had bound himself to a belief that he would be something one day, and what he would have to set his mind to, to be just that. According to his father, he was to be great.

As a child he idolized his father, he thought him as every thing a man of honor was. He was the quintessence of what he could pass off as a respectable man; an epitome of honor and greatness. Yet, as he grew older, he began to realize that nothing, absolutely nothing his father ever did was honorable. He knew that such a man never deserved to be praised as he was. He began to ask what was the sense of following such a man, who speaks of things in words too big to even comprehend its true meaning, when he himself cannot even live up to half of what he pushes others to be. He knew only a fool could be stupid enough to follow on.

He once mocked all those who thought he was lucky, for it was true that he did have everything. He was brought up in a life of luxury and lavishness, and everything he wanted was dropped into the palm of his hand just like that. Now he pitied them, they were envying a child who had nothing real, who lived in an illusion.

He grew up bitter and unfeeling. He did not let any emotion ever be visible on his face. It was just as he had been taught, just as he was told to do. He had found this to his advantage however seeing the outside world clearly; looking into someone else's eyes and seeing their disappointment that they could not read him. No one would ever be able to read him, because he would never show anything ever. Not a trace of emotion, he was certain of it. Little did he know, the Gods were laughing.

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted as the door of his room suddenly creaked open. He did not think twice about crumpling the piece of parchment he had previously been writing on.

"Draco?" said a soft voice.

He breathed a sigh of relief; it was only she.

"What are you doing up this late an hour?" asked his mother. The tall woman pushed open the large door of her son's quarters and entered the room slowly. He shifted in his seat, turning to face her. She was radiant as she always was. Her blonde hair that was a shade darker than his father's and his own was glimmering in the torchlight of the hallway. Her lively blue eyes were looking at him with concern. Even her own son did not know how she could retain such elegance and beauty, and life even, after eighteen years of being married to someone like Lucius Malfoy.

"I couldn't sleep mother," he explained unwilling to meet his mother's gaze.

Narcissa Malfoy stepped in to the room. She dragged the train of her amethyst shaded robe in to the enormous quarters of her son. Closing the door behind her, she focused her attention on his face.

"Is there something bothering you?" she asked softly. She had sensed that something was wrong with him.

Draco looked up. "It's…" he stopped at his mother's look of concern. "It's nothing mother… nothing at all" he said finally. It was a lie, but he had never depended on his mother to ever understand him fully.

She looked at his pale face, which was as expressionless as his father's; she knew he was lying. She was just not one to persist on the subject.

Narcissa smiled a sweet, sympathetic smile. A kindly gesture that would get her killed if her husband ever saw it.

She glanced at Draco for a moment and felt a pang of pain. When she looked at him, she remembered the man she had married, the man that he was then; the man whom she had loved and whom she believed had loved her as well, and then there was the man that he had become; a man blinded by power and wealth. She sighed; the man she had loved was long gone. Yet her love, it was impossible to lose, no matter what she did, she knew that she was bound to him.

It hurt her to think that the same should happen to her son; he would become as bitter as his father and at such a young age, he would learn to let go of every single emotion that ran through his body. He would be impassive, he would learn not to care, and he would learn to kill, and not regret.

And she would be there to witness it all, she would have nothing to do but to mourn for him in her despair.

She knew she had been foolish. Of course, she knew of the consequences that she would soon face when she had wed the Malfoy heir. But there was something that kept her alive all these years; it was a lost memory reminded her that once, a long time ago, he had loved her. And though Lucius Malfoy would never admit it, he knew that he loved her.

"Return to bed Draco, if that is that. You must get some sleep. Tomorrow we shall be at Diagon Alley, to get your books. You know very well…"

"Yes, mother I do," said Draco as he stood up from his chair. His mother turned to him with a mild smile.

"I am sure you have the enthusiasm to enter your sixth year, it will be the last year after all before the your seventh. See Draco, see how you are so close to growing up?" she said. Draco retained a look of impassiveness.

"And you would be proud when I do… yes yes mother, I have heard it before," Narcissa laughed mildly.

"You know it is not only I but also…" She stopped for a moment and observed her son's face, she wondered if he approved of Lucius' plans for him. The boy had been so adept at hiding his emotions that it was almost impossible to interpret his expressions. "your father…"

"What about father?" Draco asked pursing his lips and turning away from his mother.

Narcissa turned around to open the door. "I'm sure," she started "That he will be proud of you as well…"

Draco snorted inaudibly. He will just be delighted that he would be able to serve me to the Dark Lord on a silver platter now that he's returned.

"Yes mother, where is father anyway," said Draco with very little enthusiasm.

Narcissa winced. "He left for Cornwall this morning. Upon his return, you will be at Hogwarts,"

Draco nodded, not another moment passed and Narcissa left the room.

Draco closed the door behind her. He slid down its crafted hinges and mused. He thought that he had been foolish to have ever believed that his family was perfect. To the outsider, the Malfoy family seemed to be the epitome of a faultless wizarding family. But Draco knew the truth; it was within the stonewalls of the estate where he had learned that power and influence had nothing to do with being perfect as a family. The Malfoy family was not perfect. To describe them as perfect would be a crime… Perfect was a word reserved for families who lived without secrets, or in their case… dark secrets. Apparently, the Malfoy's wallowed in that sort of thing and therefore was in appropriate to compare with perfection; they were tremendously far from that.

 ~~*

Rising almost automatically from her bed, Hermione Granger looked up from the darkness of her dark room.

She willed herself to calm down. Her eyes were wide open as they adjusted to the light of the dark bedroom. She felt like she had just woken up from a night out she had spent watching horror movie. Regaining her senses, she repeated over and over in her mind that it had only been a dream, a nightmare… about…

She contemplated in her mind and required herself to remember what exactly had she been dreaming about.

Realizing soon after that it was useless, she pulled off the covers off her body and got out of her bed.

It had to be three in the morning, but she knew very well that sleeping wasn't a very good thing to do at that moment. She did not really want to wake up from a nightmare that she could not remember.

Hermione raised her hand to her face. She felt a moist trail of tears running down her cheeks. She comprehended that she had been crying in her sleep.

Entering the marble tiled bathroom she rushed to the mirror and cringed at the sight of her own face. She looked dreadful. It was as if she had been tortured; her face was almost covered with tearstains and her eyes were unusually reddened. Her lips were swollen; she figured that she must have bit in to them without knowing why.

Hermione immediately turned on the tap, and splashed a handful of water on her face to wash away the tearstains.

It scared her to see herself like this. She had to know; what had her dream been about?

~~*

"Hermione, Hermione darling. Get up. It's almost nine," Called Mrs. Granger from the kitchen of their house.

Of course Hermione had been up, even dressed. She had been reading silently in her room ever since she had woken up that morning.

It was a wonderful August day, and the day she would go to Diagon Alley and get her things for the sixth year. It would be a wonderful year she thought. She had been chosen as one of the Gryffindor prefects last year along with Parvati Patil and Harry Potter. Harry (foolishly; according to Hermione) turned down the position.

But then again, taking the position would interfere with his busy Quidditch schedule, as he had been voted captain just this year. Hermione figured it was not a bad decision.

Ron had been chosen as the new Gryffindor Keeper just last year to Harry's delight. Finally, his best friend was on the team. Yet, though life was not that easy for Ron when he first entered the team, Hermione knew that he was making an effort. Ron's surprising save of last year's game was a vital event that boosted his confidence from then on.

Hermione smiled at the thought of her two best friends. To her, no one could ever take their place in her heart.

"I've been up since three," said Hermione as a matter-of-factly as the entered the kitchen.

Mrs. Granger smiled at her daughter.

"Since three? What have you been doing?"

Hermione stopped; she remembered that it was her nightmare that woke her up. But she certainly did not want her mother to worry about her.

"Studying, school is in two weeks. I really wanted to get some advanced reading done," she said hastily.

"That's nice dear," said her mother. "Well, it's quarter to nine, we must be off if you want to get to … to, what was that place again?"

Hermione smiled. "Diagon Alley mother, really. We've been there five times already, how could you forget?"

Mrs. Granger gave her a sympathetic look. "Dear, I'm not exactly a witch like you are…"

"Mother…"

"Alright, hurry off to the car. We better get going… I'll just pack some snacks,"

Packing up a few sandwiches, Mrs. Granger and Hermione headed to the family car and were off to Diagon Alley. 

~~*

Flourish and Blots was almost packed, mostly with Hogwarts Students. After paying off his schoolbooks, Malfoy headed over to a favorite part of his in the bookstore: the dark arts history section. He was thankful that the Department of Wizarding Literature at the Ministry had not banned the publishing and distribution of Dark Arts reading materials in various bookshops within the Magical community of England. He mused; books in the Malfoy Library, which was comprised of a wide variety, yet not exactly comprehensive, would not at all content him.

He walked up the stairway and made his way to that section, browsing over every new title he saw. He saw a few interesting titles and took almost all of them.

'One last one' he thought.

Browsing over a few other books, one finally caught his eye. It was entitled The Rise of the Dark. He smirked mirthlessly.

'This should be interesting…'

Finally done with his selection, he glanced down to the first floor; which one could view almost entirely when you were where Draco was standing.

He could recognize a few Hufflepuff girls huddled in one corner. Ironically, it was the Witch Weekly magazine stand. What a pitiful lot.

He could not see a single Slytherin, and he knew exactly why. Like himself, those of his house did not want to associate or even catch sight of members of the other houses; which is why they came to purchase their books early. Four or even six weeks before classes started. Draco however, was late. His father had kept him at the manor for the entire summer, and he was to leave only when Lucius would leave Wiltshire himself for business in Cornwall.

Draco immediately tore his thoughts away from his father. He did not even want to think about what he had been doing all summer.

He continued scanning the store. A streak of russet caught his eye. He leered with mirth when he realized who it was.

There, in the middle of the store was the lone Gryffindor; Hermione Granger.

~~*

Hermione picked up a thick history book. She read its title: The Transylvanian Magical History.

Hermione smiled, she had found another book that she would use to pass time when she was at Hogwarts. Harry and Ron would occasionally boar her to death when they were together by talking of nothing but Quidditch. It was quite annoying sometimes. Hermione smiled at the memory of her friends. In a few days, she would see the two of them again…

"Well, well look who we have here. Famous Potter's sidekick; Mudblood Granger…" said a very familiar voice behind her. Hermione closed her eyes not willing to believe it. So much for her happy thoughts. She turned to glare at him. She was almost taken aback when she saw Draco Malfoy standing tall before her. He had certainly grown taller over the summer. But still that would not scare her.

"A very unpleasant day to you too Malfoy," she spat at him. "And may I say that you have done a perfect job of ruining my day…"

Draco laughed mirthlessly. "Thank you for the complement, Granger… Now isn't this nice?"

Hermione looked at him with a look of faint confusion. "What?" Hermione asked.

"You and I meeting… on this lovely day, and no sight of your ever loving body guards…"

"I don't think that is lovely at all Malfoy, and if you would excuse me… I would like to be somewhere else; away from you…" and with that she turned her back to him and strode over to the novel section. It was a very boring section, but she'd rather be there than anywhere near Draco Malfoy.

He however, had never had a woman turn her back to him and walk away. It annoyed him, and so, he followed her, to her revulsion.

"I wonder if your good for nothing muggle parents taught you that walking away like that is rude," he said. Hermione glared at him.

"You don't know anything about my parents Malfoy! And for all I know, you don't know the definition of rude,"  

Draco eyed her for a moment, and then smirked.

"I do Granger, don't worry…" he said.

She looked at him and raised an eyebrow. Draco laughed cruelly; his ivory white teeth were revealed, her annoyance grew greater.

He then turned his back to her and started to walk away. She glared at him hatefully.

Almost at the end of the isle, he turned his head back to her and looked at her for a moment.

"By the way, don't read that book," he said as he eyed the book in her hands. Hermione looked the Transylvanian History Book and turned her gaze back to him. "It's too tedious… even for you"

He walked away from her and made his way to the counter.

She stared after him in shock.

~~*

Hermione looked over her selection before paying for the lot. Satisfied, she approached the counter and the clerk rung her up. Fingering a few galleons in her pocket, she pulled her money out. The store was almost empty now, had she really been in there for so long?

The clerk was now holding the history book she had first picked. It was the black leather clad History book. Strangely, she remembered the words she had heard a few moments ago. "Its too boring…" She glanced at it for a moment and then turned to the clerk.

"Wait, I won't be getting that one," she said.

~~*

What the hell was I thinking, telling that mudblood something like that? Thought Draco as he left Diagon Alley in the enchanted carriage with his mother. Well, It was a boring book and he had already read it… It would merely be a waste of her time. Bah!  What did he care? Granger could boar herself to death reading that book; and he would not care…

"Draco… Draco,"

"Huh? What?"

"What is wrong with you? Have you been listening to a word I have been saying?" asked Narcissa impatiently as she looked at her son with speculation.

"Nothing… what is that you have been saying again?"

"We're almost over the Manor. I suggest you pack your things when we get home. Kimby, your house elf is assigned to the kitchen for the ball at the Manor tomorrow afternoon,"

"Ball? Is that how father asks you to refer it as mother? If that is so, our occasional death eater conferences should be referred to as tea parties," he said sarcastically.

Narcissa smiled. "It is a meeting for the many prestigious dark arts royalties Draco, if we were to refer it as that, the ministry would be on higher guard… and we wouldn't want that to happen now, wouldn't we?"

"Maybe I do…" sighed Draco.

"If your father only heard you now…" she said choosing not to continue mentioning the consequences that Lucius would impose on his own son for such a comment.

The enchanted flying carriage started to descend as the Manor came in to view. The many courtyards and fields of the Malfoy estate was a sight for soar eyes… the vast ranges and verdant hills that were glistening with the afternoon sunset. Draco's foul mood was slightly raised.

"Drop me off at the Quidditch pitch Higgins" Draco called to the ghost coachman.

Narcissa looked at her son. "Quidditch at four in the afternoon? Isn't it too late?"

"It is never late for Quidditch mum," Draco said firmly as he pushed the carriage door open as it landed by the broom storage house.

"Be at the dinning hall by eight," called Narcissa from the stagecoach as it rode away to the front courtyard.

Draco nodded.

~~*

Hermione looked from her books to her robes as they were now neatly packed in her trunk. She sighed with relief.

"Perfect… all done," she said.

She sat down on one of the chairs by her window and glanced outside. It was almost seven o' clock in the evening and the night sky was glistening with stars. The moon was nearly full, in a few days it would be, and the sky would be it's brightest that month. Hermione stood up and walked over to the glass door leading to her room's balcony. Pulling the sliding door to the right, she walked in to her room's balcony. She pulled her jacket tighter around her as she leaned on the balcony's railing looking up at the dark purple night sky.

As a child, Hermione adored stargazing. It was a wonderful hobby she loved to do with her cousins when they slept over at her house.

And because of her youthful delight; when she was seven, her father decided to move her in to the only room in the house with a balcony, so that she could have a perfect view of the sky each night. Hermione was elated of course, but as she grew older, her interests began to augment and her favorite task on nights at the Granger home was slowly forgotten.

Hermione grimaced at that childhood memories, it was a shame she never found time away from schoolwork at Hogwarts to do something as simple as take a gaze at the night sky. Tonight was a strange exception; the quiet town bellow seemed non-existent as she lost herself in the beautiful assemblages of glimmering lights.

For a brief moment, she wondered if anyone else was watching this beautiful clear night sky like herself, similarly endowed by the quiet night and the bright stars.

~~*

Draco ran his hand through his platinum blonde hair. He had just landed on the center of the private Quidditch pitch at the end of the manor grounds. He could see that the sky was clear, He had evidently picked a perfect time to practice. Also, maybe, by the time the Quidditch season started, all the practice would pay off and he could show Potter that he could be as great as him.   

Like Harry, Draco was also Quiddtich captain that year; the Slytherins had obviously set their preferences for him, and had voted for him. Lucius had told him that he had been proud that Draco had made it on his own without him having to pay they other students off just to get the best for his son. Draco hated him for that, of course, he could have made it on his own, and he had been trained to be great and strong after all. But even though he did live up to all he had been trained for, to his father, it was never enough. Draco was always weak in his eyes.

As the moon rose slowly in the sky, Draco decided to do another round of flying before entering the manor for dinner.

Draco ascended in to the sky; he had flown like he had never flown before. He had not cared what anyone would say if they would see him. His broom crashed in to the gathering clouds as he flew higher, rising to a sky, which slowly began to resemble the color of ink. He flew fast, and for once, he flew recklessly, but non the less, with precision.

As he took a turn from one of the goal posts, he realized that he had been flying carelessly. He smirked; it felt good.

~~*

Taking a deep breath, Hermione tightened her grip on her trolley and ran towards the barrier at full speed.

On the platform, she took a moment to catch her breath. The sight of the anxious Hogwarts students was a sight for soar eyes. Not once in her entire summer had Hermione been given the chance to see her two best friends, or any other Hogwarts student for that matter.

The Weasleys had gone to Romania for the summer to visit Charlie along with Harry who had been graciously invited.

Hermione had been invited as well, but she had spent her summer in Denmark with her aunt Azira; her mother's sister. She had badly wanted to go, there was no way she would let Harry and Ron have fun without her. Though, she thought; maybe they did not for the fact that she wasn't there… Hermione smiled; then again, she had been too vain to say that.

She grinned to herself, she had to conclude that nothing would ever compare to the friendship the trio shared.

Hermione moved her cart towards the train as she allowed the conductors to load her trunk in to the baggage compartment.

"Mione!!!" shrieked someone behind her. Hermione turned to come face to face with a young redhead running towards her.

"Ginny!" she exclaimed. She dropped her bag to greet her young friend with a warm embrace.

"How have you been this summer?" Ginny asked with a gleeful expression. Her flaming red hair wonderfully glistened in the light and her warm features were evident. Hermione had to admit that Ginny had grown rather beautiful. But according to Lavender and Parvati, she was still too naive to notice. 

"Oh, Denmark was wonderful, how about you? I bet Romania was a blast!" exclaimed Hermione.

"Yes it certainly was, Ron talked Charlie in to giving him one of his marble dragon figurines, the ones that spit golden balls of smoke when you tickle them. Of course I had one too and so did Harry" she took a breath in before continuing. "A-and we went hiking in the dragon breeding pits. We practiced flying as well, Charlie was impressed I had an interest in flying," she said, and lowering her voice a little, she moved a bit closer to Hermione. "He told me that my flying skills would be much use to Ron if only I could give them to him," Hermione smiled. "It was a lot of fun! I wish you could have been there Hermione,"

"So do I, have I really missed that much fun?" said Hermione smiling at Ginny's attempt to relay all the wonderful experiences they had in Romania.

"By Merlin you have Hermione, you should really come along the next time…" said a voice behind her. She turned around and found yet another redhead smiling at her.

"Ron!" she exclaimed and she jumped to hug him. Ron had grown very tall over the years and had definitely filled out in all the right places, Hermione was sure that was because of tireless Quidditch practice sessions with Harry the previous summer. Ron was determined to improve after his first fifth year, when he had first joined the Quidditch team, and Harry was also determined— to help him.

"Ooff! Hermione *cough* gerrof!" Ron sputtered out.

"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, he was sent to Hogwarts early by three days. Dumbledore's orders. I'm surprised you don't know, didn't Harry write you?" said Ron.

Hermione frowned. "No… B-but I'm sure he just forgot,"

"What do you think that could be about Ron? I mean Harry being called for…" asked Ginny.

"You know Dumbledore, maybe it's about You-Know-Who… I mean, he hasn't been active for about two years. Do you think Dumbledore is putting some extra protection on Harry?"

"Most likely," said Hermione. Her perfect smile returning to her warm features. "But let's not worry ourselves just yet, Harry can handle anything the dark side throws at him,"

"Guess your right Minie…"

~~*

Being called in the end compartment of the Hogwarts express, Hermione walked straight in that direction. There was to be a prefect's meeting, it was called by the current head girl; Cho Chang. She glanced behind her for a moment, wondering if Ginny was following closely. Ginny Weasley had been chosen as a prefect also for her year to Mrs. Weasleys delight. Of course, she knew that Ginny would make an excellent prefect just like Percy. Well, maybe not as bossy as Percy but she would certainly do as good a job.

Hermione sighed; Ginny would certainly be a lot longer than expected so she continued walking to the end compartment by herself.

She passed the lady with the snack trolley on the way and bought a few chocolate frogs for Ron. They were already in the sixth year and still, Mrs. Weasley had him pack corned beef sandwiches. Hermione swore that he had the right mind to throw them out of the train and would not care a bit if he were to go hungry for the whole trip. 

On the way to the end compartment, she saw one of the doors open and to her revulsion; from it emerged the renowned king ego-trip of the Slytherin house: Draco Malfoy.

He looked unusually pissed; Hermione could not suppress a smile. That however, disappeared when Draco turned to look at her.

She stopped, as she saw his expression. His gray, blank eyes staring at her with such intent, overcome with an unreadable emotion she could not comprehend. She tensed, Hermione never wanted to be looked at the way he looked at her then, by anyone.

But as quickly as she had entered it, that moment was over. It had slipped away from her as if it had never happened, because as he looked at her, a dastardly smirk touched his lips and she snapped out of her reverie.

"Well, well, if it isn't the mudblood, I despise so much…" he said with a sneer.

Hermione glared at him. He would allow a moment to pass between them where in he did not call her that filthy name did he? She focused on walking past him to the end compartment without a word. She found out eventually that it was not such a good idea.

Draco grabbed her arm as she walked passed him. He shook her vigorously willing her to look at him.

Hermione winced. His fingers were digging in to her skin beneath her black robes; it hurt her. His grip was extremely strong, and she was sure that she would not be able to merely pull away from him. He pulled her closer to him so that their faces were inches away. His gray eyes darkened as he looked in to her cinnamon colored ones.

"I really don't appreciate women walking away from me like what your doing Granger. Especially when they have done it for the second time," he said with a very hard expression showing his anger, his hot breath fanning across her cheek.

Hermione looked at him with utter distaste. She did not hamper her struggle to break free of his grip as she shook her arm forcefully.

"As I did the first time, and as I am still doing; I do not or don't have any plans of respecting your presence Malfoy. I would not lower my self respect to the likes of you," she hissed. "Now let me go!" she screamed.

"Well you should Granger," he said a little more lightly. He loosened his grip on her arm a bit, but refused to let her go. "Mudbloods, should know their place…" Hermione levelled her gaze with his, and for a moment she thought she saw something… it was something like regret… or was it… fear? What ever she thought she saw, was forgotten when his eyes darkened once more. He could sense her reading him through his eyes. He could never allow that.

Hermione shook his hand off and pushed him away from her. Draco smirked and took another step towards her. "And that's grovelling, at the feet of purebloods,"

"Being a self-centered bastard is not one of your ambitions now is it Malfoy?" she asked sarcastically. "Because if it is, I assure you that you have mastered the art so perfectly,"

Draco laughed mockingly.

"I already am Granger…"

Hermione's eyes narrowed as she took this in. Her eyes trailed off to his prefect badge.

"You don't deserve that Malfoy…" she spat, eying the badge. "Regardless of how highly you think of yourself, you really don't deserve that honor,"

"And you do? Mudblood? A filthy muggle-born slut like you deserves more than I?"

"Perhaps I do Malfoy… compared to you," she said.

Draco looked insulted. He had hated her so much for what she had said. In utmost anger, he raised his hand to strike her but then lowered it slowly as he took a deep breath.

Hermione cringed; she could hardly believe that he was enough of a git to have the nerve to hit her if he had decided to do so. She took a step away from him. That moment passed with the both of them standing before each other.

"Are you afraid?" Hermione asked as she broke silence.

"What?" asked Draco with a slight hint of exasperation in his voice.

"Are you afraid, that if you strike me… something would hit would hit you back?" she asked without thinking.

"What are you talking about? I'm not afraid…" he said firmly.

She raised her gaze to his. She saw what she thought she would see… coldness. Hermione was mentally kicking herself for asking such a stupid question of him. Of course he was not afraid…

"There is nothing I feel for you, but pity" he continued with finality.

Hermione grunted. She gave him her snottiest look and turned her back to him. She walked away extremely infuriated with him.

Strangely, he let her. Draco looked at her small figure walking away from him.

Was he afraid?

~~*

If it were not just for duty, Draco wouldn't care less about Cho Chang's bossy ranting. He looked at the quiet head boy beside her and smirked. He might be as bored as the rest of the prefects were.

Draco looked around him; he doubted if any of the people in that compartment were listening to a word Cho was saying. Even the Ravenclaw's were evidently bored. For how could anyone not be? Cho was ranting about facts that were already discussed last year. Everybody was looking like they were listening to a tape recorder that had been played for the hundredth time.

And then Draco saw her, sitting at the end of the compartment; almost close to the door. He realized he spoke too soon; of course she was listening.

Hermione Granger, the bushy-haired know it all, quill in hand, note pad in the other; she was busy, taking down notes on what was being discussed in the meeting.

Hermione's legs were crossed tightly and her pad was atop her lap as she scribbled the details of the meeting.

Draco looked at her with sheer aversion. He was extremely irritated with her. She walked the halls of Hogwarts like she was a queen, just because she had the highest grades ever recorded in the history of the academia. Draco ranked a close second of course, but still it was never enough. He tried to obscure that truth by always remembering the fact that she had made that mark was no excuse for what filthy blood ran through her veins; the blood of muggles. Draco had the odd feeling that somehow, it was not a belief anymore; it was becoming an excuse.

But ever since the second year Draco could not help but be insulted, he could not accept the fact that something as lowly as her had proven to be better than him, and though he would rather kill himself than to admit it, he knew that it was true; he was jealous of her. He was jealous of her perfection, not only in her academics, but also in things more important than that. He was jealous of the friendship she shared with Pothead and Weasel… It seemed like something so firm that could never be broken… ever, even by him. He was jealous of her intimate connections with almost everyone in the school except the Slytherins, jealous of the respect almost everyone had for her, and he was jealous of her family… Though he had never seen them all together, he knew; that mudblood's family was perfect. No matter how filthy their muggle blood was.

~

Hermione looked up at Cho, she was sure that there was nothing more the head-girl needed to discuss which is why she pocketed her mini note pad and her quill. She scanned the room as the other prefects began to stand up. She looked towards the other end of the compartment and could not help but be distracted by the shock of blonde hair that met her eyes so vividly. Hermione looked at his face, and caught him staring at her. A chill ran through her spine, as their eyes met for a moment.

Hermione had almost forgotten that Draco Malfoy was also a Slytherin prefect. When she had seen his badge in the hallway, moments after she had been surprised, or even awed. But still, she could not help but think how wrong she was when she had said that he hadn't deserved it. Draco had worked for that achievement. It was one thing Hermione knew he hadn't bought. He ranked second to her at Hogwarts in every subject except Potions. Yet, that was no excuse for how much of a git he was to Harry, Ron and her.

She had been annoyed at seeing him once again, just after their unfortunate encounter in the train hallway.

Hermione's gaze was now locked with his, and though she could not help but be afraid of his murderous gaze, she found that she could not tear her eyes away from him. There was just something about his eyes; they were like pools of delicate silver, which sucked you in to their realm of nothingness. They were cold, unfeeling, but strangely… beautiful.

Hermione shut her eyes and turned away, beautiful? Had she just used beautiful in association with Draco Malfoy? Where did that come from? She asked herself. I must be truly loosing my mind.

"Alright there Mione?" asked Ginny beside her as she stood up to leave.

Hermione turned to her friend and smiled.

"Yes, of course," she said as she stood up. "We really must be getting back to the compartment, we'll be reaching Hogsmade soon.

Ginny nodded, and they both exited through the partition.

~

Draco looked after her as she exited the compartment. He could not think of nothing else but his detestation for the Gryffindor prefect…

I hate you…

~~*

"DRAAACCO!!! I cannot believe I was able to survive an entire summer without the sight of you!!!" Draco swore as he heard the shrill voice of the Slytherin girl as she came running to him. Pansy hugged Draco tighter than a mountain troll could ever grip his club. He growled in annoyance as he shook her off.

"Would you mind? We're at a train station! The least you could do is level down your impropriety for about an hour Pansy…" Draco said curtly as he motioned for Crabbe and Goyle to follow him in to the carriage they had reserved.

Pansy frowned and had gone quiet. She followed behind them silently.

Draco took a step in to the carriage when he realized that the four of them would never fit in such a small sized transport. He turned to his two overgrown 'friends'.

"You two, take the carriage up back, I'll meet you at Hogwarts," he told them commandingly.

The two fools grunted in agreement and waddled off to the next carriage. Draco looked at Pansy and had seen that her frown had disappeared. She was now smiling happily at him to his disgust. He knew why, he knew that though she was dumb, she was thick enough to realize that they would be sharing a carriage, together… alone.

He was utterly appalled. He obviously did not like Pansy, though she was on her hands and knees for him day and night. He did not know why she could not stuff it through her puny little brain that he did not like her. Not the slightest bit.

Maybe she still had the notion that Lucius had set his preference for her as the one to be Draco's wife. But Draco knew and he had confirmed, that Lucius would stand for any wife of his son's preference, as long as she met his conditions which were; fortune, heritage, family honor, and purity of wizarding blood.

For that, Draco was thankful. He would not be bound to Pansy; he would find a pureblooded witch more worthy of him.

"Excuse me,"

Draco turned to the voice what had just spoken. It was she.

Standing next to Pansy, she looked radiant. Her auburn curls cascading down her back shone in the moonlight, and her cold azure eyes contrasted with her hair perfectly. Next to her Pansy looked like a pickled toad.

Blaise Zabini turned to Pansy, "Is it possible that I could ride with you? Millicent and the others are rather congested in that carriage,"

Draco breathed in relief. "Of course Blaise I- we would be happy to oblige" he said. Pansy grunted in resentment and sent Draco a hateful expression.

"Of course" she said with gritted teeth forcing a smile.

Draco smirked and stepped out of the doorway to alloy Blaise to enter first.

Blaise smiled at him as she stepped in to the carriage. Draco followed her leaving Pansy to follow behind him.

"Wench," she muttered before climbing in to the carriage.

~~*

"Harry!" Hermione squealed as she spotted her best friend in the hallway leading to the great hall.

The black haired boy turned and greeted her with a warm embrace.

"I've missed you," she whispered as she pulled her arms tighter around his neck.

"Same here…" he replied.

"Harry," she whispered as she melted in to his firm embrace. Hermione almost regretted pulling apart from his arms as he smiled merrily at her.

"Hey, I'm sorry you missed Romania. It was an absolute blast," said Harry.

Hermione sighed. "Me too, Ginny has told me so much. So has Ron,"

"Where are Ginny and Ron anyway?" Hermione turned to glance behind her and instantly spotted Ginny and Ron rushing towards them.

"There they are…"

Harry grinned as Ron came towards them. Hermione stood aside as Ron came to hug Harry firmly with a strong pat on his back.

"You won't believe how long that bloody train ride was Harry," exclaimed Ron.

"I'm sure it was…Let's get in to the Great Hall, the sorting is about to start,"

And with that, the trio made their way in to the hall. With Ginny sighing sadly behind them.

~~*

Draco was thankful that he was able to get to Hogwarts without Pansy having to cling to his arm the whole way. Strangely, he had found that she had disliked Blaise and would not stand to be near her. Then all Draco had to do was to stick to Blaise and Pansy would be out of his hair.

The sorting had begun a few minutes before and Professor Mc. Gonagall was now reading the students with R for surnames. Suddenly, the long-contemplating hat roared "GRYFFINDOR" at a young blonde haired girl, and instantly, the Gryffindor table erupted in cheers and laughter.

Draco heard his housemates groan in annoyance as the young girl marched happily to the Gryffindor table.

Draco rolled his eyes, 'Poor kid' he thought at the young girl. He had this inkling that that child would be the next Hermione Granger of Hogwarts.

Behind all the cheers and groans of the two houses, the young Slytherin heard something out of the commotion.

It was a sweet sound, a crystal clear sound vividly ringing in his ear. It was the sweet sound of laughter. Draco never knew that he would ever refer to laughter as sweet, in his opinion, 'irksome' sounded much better with it. But then, at that moment, through all the different noises of the large dinning hall, he knew exactly who it was.

It was puzzling and yet irritating that he could always hear her laughter so clearly.

Granger.

Draco turned to where Hermione was sitting, across the room. It annoyed him to see her so happy like that, and that went for Potter and Weasel who sat beside her like two bodyguards. It was because he never wanted her to feel so gleeful while he sat miserably in his seat in between two gigantic pigs.

She was a mudblood. To Draco, she didn't deserve to feel such happiness.

After the sorting had been done with the entire student body endorsed in the feast. Hermione, clearly endowed in conversation, was completely unaware of the cold eyes upon her the whole time.

"Draco, you haven't touched your food. Are you certain you are alright?" asked Blaise across from him.

Draco turned to her and nodded, he then stood up and threw his napkin on the table. "I'll be in my room," He said scornfully.

Blaise was surprised at his behavior; in front of her Draco had always acted well… pleasant… Well, as pleasant as he could be anyway.

 ~~*

Looking up from her food, Hermione caught sight of the Slytherin leaving the hall in anger.

"What could be up his arse?" she thought.

~~*

Hermione pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear as Ron began to ramble on to Harry about Quidditch. They were in the Gryffindor common room, which was brightly lit and crowded with students.

Hermione had been reading one of the books she had purchased in Flourish and Blotts a few days before, she was rather absorbed in it though when she took it out of the bookshelf she highly doubted that she would even read it. It was a novel, about a magical realm similar to the wizarding world. It was entitled: The Land of Nall. In but a second, it was snatched out of her hands.

"What the… RON! Give that back to me!" Hermione exclaimed at the sight of Ron turning the book's pages curiously.

"What is this, Kepheran decent? Nireth—" Hermione reached and took the black leather clad book right back, and glared at Ron.

"This, is non of your business Ron, really…" said Hermione matter-of-factly as Ron raised his eyebrow at her.

"Minie, I never knew you were in to this stuff, Ginny is the one fond of reading sappy novels like that…"

"It's not a sappy novel Ron, its about a magical realm, just like ours… for that matter, who are you to care what I read,"

Harry stood up between the both of them.

"Hermione is right Ron, give it a rest," He said.

Ron's studious expression turned in to a smile. Hermione returned his gesture.

"By the way Harry, what did Dumbledore want when he called you back to school early?" asked Hermione as she sat back down on the chair.

Harry turned to her. "He- he was wondering if I would consider the prefect job again, I don't know where he got the notion that I could do the job…"

Ron looked at him. " Harry, you're a born leader. What do you have to be doubtful of? Being a prefect will do you some good,"

"Yes, and it would keep the lot of you *out of trouble*" said Hermione.

Harry gave a slight laugh, "Who would want to be? I rather enjoy our misadventures Hermione… trouble is what beckons them to us,"

"Anyway, what did you say? Did you accept it?" Hermione asked with interest.

"I said I'd think about it," said Harry.

"Gods Harry! What do you have to think about? This is an opportunity dancing before your eyes. Just quit with the thinking and grab it," said Ron as he looked at his best friend in disbelief.

"Well, I'm not sure…"

"I am, Harry" said Hermione "And I have all my confidence in you. You for one will make an excellent prefect. I might even nominate you for head boy,"

Ron laughed. "Harry, head boy? Your hopes are too high Hermione…"

Harry glared at him. "Oh sorry," Ron grinned.

Hermione stifled a laugh, and glanced at Harry. Their eyes met, and they stared at each other for a moment. Hermione found Harry's eyes alluring ever since she had met him. They seemed like pools of liquid emerald. They were almost as absorbing as Malfoy's. Malfoy, Hermione remembered her little encounter with him a few days ago. She remembered the uneasiness he caused her when he held her arm tightly on the train. She feared him then, because she was not sure of what he would do to her. But then, he remembered looking in to his eyes and seeing an emotion. A painful, mortifying emotion which she could not construe. Though what ever it was, she was sure that it had been there. Why am I thinking about him? She thought as she looked away from Harry. She was so caught up in her thoughts to see the way Harry had been staring at her intently.

~~*

Draco turned to the blazing green fires on the wall of his room. He smirked, he was glad he was a prefect. The job came with the pleasures of peace and serenity. He had his own room in the Slytherin dungeon, the place was secluded and very difficult to find… his smirk grew wider; that should keep Pansy out of my hair.

The banquet in the Slytherin common room was ongoing at that moment. He was sure of it, it was to welcome the first years; the new generation of minions of the dark; they said. Draco would not miss it, though he would certainly prefer to remain in his room. It was his obligation, oh how he hated such things.

He hated how Pansy would come up to him in the Slytherin public and cling to him like a Quidditch Player grasps his broom and proclaim herself as his queen. Draco hated her. He never actually had been interested in women but it was one of his father's desires for him. Draco remembered Lucius' very words: "Find a woman, any woman, you need not to love her but she has to love you; and look upon you as the face of her salvation, and wed her…"

He sighed angrily, he would never want to end up like his father and live his life. All the years he had seen his parents together, he had never seen love. Though he could see his mother crave for it. Maybe that's why he never came to know it… the love that he should have had was replaced by bitterness. All that, he blamed on his father.

"Draco?' said someone from the door. Draco turned and saw Blaise staring at him with wide eyes.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"They're all waiting for you… I suggest you show yourself as soon as possible," she said scathingly matching his ungrateful tone.

"What, the party doesn't start without the great Malfoy?"

Blaise looked at him sweetly. Draco crossed the room and approached her, he cornered her setting his arms on the wall beside the door and on both sides of her head.

"Great? Is that how you envision yourself?" she asked him. Her gaze levelled with his. She really did not want to be there at the moment. Her intention was to merely convene him out to the party. But who was she to deny that she rather enjoyed him pinning her to the wall like he did.

"Do you have any objections?" he asked as his eyes darkened.

She could not speak; her voice was lost. But somehow, that's how she wanted it to stay. She did not regret that decision either as Draco's lips met hers. Engulfing her in to a realm of nothingness, and awakening a long latent sensation in her that threatened never to be awakened.

After a while, he broke the kiss. As she gasped for breath she managed to sputter:

"You're not great Draco Malfoy… You're just a git,"

"You're lips don't agree Blaise, I'd do it again if you want…" he said, a smirk tugging at his lips.

She laughed, a cruel, mocking laugh as she pushed his arm away from one side of her head.

"What about Pansy?" she asked him.

Draco glared at her. "What about her?" he said gritting his teeth.

"She's your lover, is she not?" she said, with a lack of seriousness in her tone.

"Certainly not. I'd rather wed Goyle, Blaise you know that…" Draco spat.

"And if I shall be so, you will meet my conditions?"

"I shall, I promise," He said

"Slytherins don't keep promises Draco…" she said waving a finger in the air. "because promises, are made to be broken,"

Draco rolled his eyes, "You have my word then,"

Blaise smiled at him "Then it's official," She said finally taking a step towards him and wrapping an arm around his neck. Malfoy did not hesitate; he pulled her in his embrace and passionately kissed her once again.

~~*