An Eventful Morning

Hermione's POV

I yawned and wake up from my dreamland, eager for the first day of lessons to start. First day of a peaceful year. With a smile gracing my lips, eyes half-lidded with drowsiness but a skip in my steps I headed towards the bathroom humming a tune. Dressed in my school robes I looked at my ginger-headed friend still fast asleep in her comfortable bed with no signs of waking up in the near future.

"Ginny..." no response.

"Ginny!" I raised my voice.

"GINNY!" Still no difference. Not even a movement.

"I swear both brother and sister are exactly the same." I grumbled under my breath.

Picking up my wand I gently poked a book kept on a shelf. The book fell on one side of a ruler and a ball balanced on the other side bounced and tipped a glass half- full with water kept beside Ginny's bed, causing the contents to be poured on the poor, unsuspecting girl. The red head jerked awake trying to find the cause of the sudden downpour.

"Bloody..."

" Good morning Ginny! " I cut in so as to not have the misfortune of an encounter with her colorful choice of words.

"Hermione Granger...!" and I fled the room before she could finish her sentence and hex me into oblivion. That girl is quite gifted in the hex-ing department.

Still chuckling I commenced towards the Gryffindor common room where I found Harry sitting on a couch near the fireplace reading a quidditch book.

"Morning Harry." I announced my arrival.

" Good-morning 'Mione!" He wished back with a smile, "Shall we head down for breakfast?" He asked.

" Sure but where's Ron?"

"Still sleeping and I am guessing so is Ginny?" He shook his head grinning.

"She was but not anymore, oh, and remind me to avoid her until she calms down!" I chuckled and made my way towards the exit.

"Huh! What do you mean?" he asked incredulously following after me.

_______________________________________________________________

We reached the great hall when I saw Ivan sitting on the Gryffindor table. Ivan Valkov is a Russian student who moved to Hogwarts after his school was destroyed completely in the war. His dark blonde hair and baby blue eyes with his pale face make him look stunning. We talked yesterday at the welcome feast and he was nothing short of a charmer, his unique accent never failing to make my heart flutter.

He became good friends with Harry, Ron and Ginny as well through their same interest: Quidditch.

As Harry and I moved to sit beside him he turned around to face us and greeted.

"Hi Harry, Hello Hermione."He chirped in his accented deep voice.

We greeted him back and sat down on either side of him.

"An early riser I see." I stated.

"Out of habit." He laughed and started a conversation with Harry while I took a toast and spread butter on it. Suddenly I felt this heavy urge to look towards the gates of the hall and when I did my gaze got stuck on those same silver orbs which were shinning with deep unknown emotions.

Draco's POV

I slicked my perfectly jelled hair back with a comb, checked myself in the mirror for the last time and placed the hair tool on the dresser placed beside my bed in the dormitory.

Last night was quite enlightening.

Peering at myself for the last time in the mirror I turned around to welcome Blaise fresh from the shower fastening on his robes.

He still seemed pretty drowsiness as he followed after me. I lead us towards the great hall for breakfast.

No more Granger, no more mudblood, instead Hermione. Even just her name sounded like a rhythmical melody to my ears. A strange, fuzzy feeling blossomed in my chest thinking about her. She has become the sweet elixir to my poisonous life and she doesn't even know. I chuckled remembering her pudgy face when she had sped up her chewing to answer the weasel something.

'Oi.'

I ignored the galling twat beside me and continued to stray in my thoughts.

'OI!'

'WHAT!' I snapped back, not happy at being disturbed from my dreaming.

'And he speaks.' Blaise rolled his eyes and rested his one arm on my shoulder as we continued walking.

' Have you thought of what you're going to do about your Granger problem?' His voice sounded ridiculously loud as it resonated in the deserted corridors.

WACK!

'Not so loud you daft idiot! Walls have ears, especially these ones.' I suspiciously waved my gaze back and forth making sure no one was around us. I didn't want my secret to become a hot topic of the various giggling galas!

I stretched my hand to grab the idiot's collar, who was still rubbing his head, and fastened my pace as I saw us nearing the great hall. My veela seemed to be dancing with joy as I felt Hermione before I saw her.

She must have passed by not long ago, I thought, inhaling her lingering scent outside the double doors.

Ever since last night it was like my senses had been on high alert with anything concerning my darling mate. I let go of Blaise's collar and with a small smile and a grumbling friend I made my way inside.

The sight I saw shattered my mirage into a million pieces.

Of course I scoffed mentally. Why did I ever think the golden Gryffindor princess could like me, a Slytherin snake? What would I even say to her ? 'Hi Hermione ! I am sorry for having been the monster of your life until now but as it turns out you are my mate and we both could die if you don't accept me , so...'

I laughed bitterly even though it wasn't funny. She would rather be with her new blonde angel. Anger erupted inside me as I saw that scumbag lifting a tissue and wiping something off her cheek with it. My chest started heaving up and down with laboured breaths as my fists clenched into tight fists, begging to come in contact with that worm's eloquent face and disfigure it. I could feel my fangs elongating, grazing the bottom of my lips.

As if of their own accord, my feet started moving, towards them. My mind stopped thinking and red coated my vision as I conjured up ways to kill that arsehole for touching my girl.

Just as I was about to complete my fifth step towards the Gryffindor table, my trusty friend grabbed a hold of my robe and pulled me back with all his might. Only because he caught me by surprise did I stumble back by his side otherwise I might have just dragged him with me, HMMPH!

"What are you doing?" I asked him angrily.

Instead of answering me he dragged us outside and into a hidden corner seeing as we were garnering quite some attention.

"What are you doing?" He screeched in a high-pitched voice, a habit of his when he gets nervous, as soon as we were alone.

" Your whole demeanor changed, your eyes started turning purple, anger evident in them and it seemed as if some powerful magic was encircling you!"

I tilted my head in confusion.

"Really?" I asked incredulously, but then sneered , " That rat seems to be getting too close to Hermione."

"Draco, I may not understand what is happening with you, but mate" he continued seeming quite entertained as a lopsided grin played its way onto his lips," It's barely been his first day here. Let him live. You cannot go rampaging down Hogwarts hallways beating every male for just existing near granger. " he finished laughing.

I just nodded my head, not trusting my mouth.

'That is exactly what I intend to do.'

Narrator's POV

Hermione couldn't wrap her genius mind around the fact how one moment he was there in front of her, fire dancing in his pupils as his pretty face was twisted in a sneer and then he was being pulled away by Zabini in the next second, both disappearing to who knows where.

She was pulled out of her own world as Ron and Ginny joined them at the table. Ron still looked half asleep but awake enough to pile up food in his plate and shove it in his mouth eating like a starving pig. Ginny chewed on a marmalade toast which Harry had handed her, while lowkey glaring at Hermione to which the brunette could only reply back with a sheepish smile, hoping her best friend was not in the mood for hexing the life out of her. That girl valued sleep like the goblins valued their gold!

"Hermione.." she turned around to face the speaker finding blue eyes staring at her, a glint in them she couldn't quite recognize. She morphed her face into a blank, questioning expression urging him to continue.

" I was thinking that maybe, since we both have potions right now, we could sit together and you could help me with the lesson for I am quite awful in potions and from what I have got to know, the lessons here seem very intimidating. Potions is not my strong suite, and my old school didn't give much value to it either. So what do you say?" Ivan asked with a hopeful expression.

Hermione perplexedly bit her lip, not knowing what to do. She was going to sit with Ginny, a plan set like the path of a river. But she did not want to turn Ivan down. He seemed to have gathered a lot of courage to ask her the simple question. She turned slightly when she felt a nudge on her elbow.

"Say yes...! If you don't, I'll hex you!" Ginny whispered excitedly trying not to be very obvious with her intentions but she was like an open book.

"Why are you trying to set me up with him?" Hermione hissed, asking Ivan to wait for a sec with her stare.

" Well, because he's good-looking and charming and cute. He seems quite interested in you, which you would've noticed if you didn't have your nose down in a book all the bloody time." Ginny replied exasperatedly. "Now quickly say yes to the poor boy already, 'mione. I'll sit with someone else." she whined.

"Fine..."Hermione grumbled. But she had to admit that Ivan did make her feel things she didn't know how to describe. His voice though not very deep, had a melodious tinge to it and made her heart flutter like never before. Except last night when Mal..

NO...!

Hermione slapped her forehead mentally. Don't think about him. Turning her gaze back towards the patiently waiting blonde, she answered "Alright no problem. But just so you know I am quite a menace when it comes to studies. Don't expect me to go easy on you." she added playfully.

"Absolutely not." he replied with a grin showing off his cute dimple on the right cheek.

AWWwwww.....! Hermione cooed in her head.

_____________________________________________________________________

Draco entered the dungeons with Blaise both reaching for the back seat before sitting down. Potions had always been the easiest subject Draco liked and he relished the relaxing time he could have here. Also seeing Potter , Weasley and Longbottom mess up always added to the pleasure.

But this time he could only remember the times Hermione had finished her potions perfectly, how she whispered instructions even though she got caught, how her messy tangles fell on her face while brewing and she huffed cutely pushing them back with the back of her hand.

Earlier Draco hated her being the top of every class. Hated that a muggle-born was better than him. But now he felt proud that his mate was so smart. He was whipped. Try as he may he couldn't escape the spell that mate bond had cast on him. Its not like he wanted to either.

He heard her melodic laughter before he saw her. But what he saw made red hues dance across his vision. For the second time, on the same day because of the same person. That bloody blond rat!

His hands clenched and unclenched as he held in his fist of fury lest he may attract attention to himself. That was the last thing he wanted when he was planning a murder.

Blaise sensing his friend's distress tried to distract his attention.

"Hey mate, do you remember when Pansy tried to...." ugh wrong topic.....wrong timing. Blaise thought furiously, for call the demon, NO, Demoness and she shall appear.

Pansy strutted towards their desk, one hand on her hip while the other was being waved aimlessly in the air with Astoria behind her like the loyal pet she is.

" Draco," she purred. "Blaise "she greeted without looking towards the boy.

"How are you this nice morning? Did you have a good night?"

Blaise blanched at the hideous expression on Pansy's face and he quit trying to figure out her intentions as she leaned on her right hand she had placed right in front of Draco's face on his desk.

But Draco pointedly ignored her, continuing to stubbornly stare in a different direction refusing to acknowledge Ms Prissy pants presence much to her dignition. The girl hated being ignored, very used to being the centre of everyone's attention. Which is why when she followed Draco's gaze and found him looking at Granger she grew livid.

How dare she?! How dare that no-good , lowlife mudblood ruin everything!

"Leave Pansy." Draco's rumble was heard as he spoke for the first time since he had entered the dungeons, barely controlling his anger for he had seen the nasty glares projected towards Hermione by the girl who was now looking surprised and a bit scared.

Swallowing hard, she stumbled back to the corner she had emerged from with Greengrass hot on her heels.

"Hey mate!..." Blaise tried to soothe his furious friend down " breathe in..... and out. You got this. Don't let the anger get the best of you and make you do things you will regret later."

Draco followed his friend's words and felt himself calming down just a tad bit which was enough for him to gain back control on himself.

"Thanks mate." Draco replied in a rough voice, gratitude clear in his voice to which Blaise only reply back with a nod as he turned around to face the front when Professor Slughorn walked in with a painfully bright smile.

__________________________________________________________________________

Getting started on their potions lesson for the day, one student from each pair got up to collect the ingredients enlisted in a cursive on the blackboard. Draco watched as Hermione stood up from her seat from beside that blonde foreigner, and gracefully made her way towards the back of the classroom. Unknowingly Draco stood up, his eyes not leaving Hermione and just followed his legs as they took him to follow behind her.

Blaise looked up confused at the sudden movement but shrugged it off with a slight smirk when he saw Granger by following his friend's line of sight.

Hermione had gotten up because by the looks of it Ivan didn't even recognise the basic ingredients of the potion and not willing to take on a suicide mission by making him collect the ingredients for their potion which looked quite high level she took the task upon herself.

Oblivious to the eyes following her Hermione made her way, picking up the ingredients ,storing them between her arms, humming a tune. She turned around shockingly getting greeted by the striking silver orbs which had inhabited themselves in the back of her mind without her consent. Her heart leapt to her throat as a small yelp escaped her and a couple of the stuff in her arms tumbled out from their cage spilling onto the floor. Blinking rapidly Hermione prepared herself for the sneering remarks which never came. Instead she was met with a deep, throaty voice resonating power and dominance with a noticeable tenderness uttering out an apology.

" Sorry for scaring you. I didn't mean to." Malfoy spoke out looking straight in her eyes capturing her gaze, with a small apologetic smile. Not a meaningless or condescending apology, but a sincere one which made Hermione question her sanity.

Has the sun risen from the west today? or have Slytherin and Gryffindor renounced their unnamed centuries, old grudge turning into best of friends to the moon and back!

Still trying to figure out this unimaginable sorcery, Hermione missed the ash white haired boy bending down and picking the fallen ingredients, handing them back to her. Taking in the hand suspended in air towards her, waiting patiently for her to claim back her materials Hermione snapped out of her trance and reached out her fumbling fingers forwards to take the stuff from those large, veiny hands. In the process both of their hands brushed lightly causing sparks to travel down their spines and they both jerked their hands back breaking the long, awkward eye contact.

" I was just coming to.... walking I just to.... to get the ingredients.....yes, the ingredients for the potion." Draco randomly explained tripping over his words. Hurrying to establish the fact he picked the first thing his gaze landed on collecting it in his arms.

Hermione nodded in acceptance of his apology and in understanding, too weirded out to notice he had picked up a wrong ingredient. She moved forward to leave when Draco called out to her making her stop.

"Hey! I just wanted to say. I was wrong. I was stupid and have no reasons to justify my actions, but I have to admit my mistakes and say sorry. I am sorry, Granger. For everything." He did it. He said the sentence he had been so scared of saying but he didn't regret it once.

The simple heartfelt apology had Hermione widening her eyes. Noting the sincerity she answered back with three simple but meaningful words which made all the difference.

" I forgive you."

Smiling softly she nodded at him and turned around going back with a light heart and a skip to her steps leaving behind an ecstatic Veela .