Hermione Granger had taken a liking to Ron since the first day she saw him. She didn't know what it was exactly that she liked so much about him. She only knew that when he was mean to her it hurt like hell and that was probably the reason why she thought she loved him.
Harry, on the other hand, had always been nice to her. Of course, he'd had his moments of rage where he knew neither friend nor foe - but those were rare and she always stood by him because she knew he'd calm down and be sorry about it. Besides, Harry was an orphan and had faced Voldemort twice. Ron had a huge family that loved him and did not have such a burden on his shoulders.
It wasn't like Hermione knew many boys. At home, she grew up as the only child of parents who adored her - but who weren't exactly keen on having her socialise with "boys". Especially her father had been overprotective about it. Somehow, he didn't see her best friends as "boys", because she'd assured him so many times she didn't want to be either one's girlfriend - and even though this was true about Harry, she had lied about Ron, imagining a life in which he was slightly less mean to her - she would put up with everything, had he but given her a sign he liked her more than just a friend.
- So, Mione, - her father said on the eve of her departure for the Burrow. - Any one in particular you would be glad to see again?
Her mother coughed and made eyes at her father, but he didn't seem to notice.
- You mean besides my best friends, - chuckled Hermione. - No, dad, I think I'm all right there.
- Oh well... I just wanted to warn you... You've always been a handsome young lady, but you're all grown up now and some boys might start paying a little bit more of attention to you - and you have to be...
- On my guard, yes, dad.
- Exactly. They say good girls fall for bad boys, but I don't want that to be the case with you.
Hermione nearly spat out her coffee.
- Oh, I can assure you I would never fancy a bad boy. It's just not my style.
When she said the words, she immediately thought of Draco - being the baddest boy in the school. In fact, he was so bad, he was pathetic. He ran away from danger and he snitched and he talked about people behind their backs... Besides, he was Harry's worst enemy and had insulted her many times, nearly got Buckbeak killed... Draco. Yeah right. As if that would happen in a million moons.
Entertained by the thought, she smiled quietly to herself.
Maybe, just maybe, she'd meet someone nice this year. Someone who wasn't Ron.
***
Lucius gripped Harry by the ankle with his stick and muttered...
"Enjoy yourself... while you can".
Such outrageous behaviour would normally have made Hermione cry out - and she had never previously been scared of Lucius before. In her second year, she had stood up to him and called him out on cowardice when he had looked afraid to say Lord Voldemort's name. But now, somehow, she was afraid. There was actual menace in these words... And she was scared for Harry, scared beyond reason and beyond her own judgement.
The pale-haired man had let go - and Harry still stood there, breathing a little quicker than usual. But then, without exchanging a word with her, he gripped her by the hand again and pulled her after him- and looking up, Hermione met the eyes of Draco Malfoy.
So put off she had been by the sudden attack, she did not at first acknowledge the fact that it was Draco and that her first reaction should have been to either turn away either look at him with despising. Her mind, still whirring and trying to protect Harry and quiet her own beating heart, only saw a white-haired tall boy, dressed in black, with finely lined eyes and an unreadable expression on his face.
Was Draco actually gazing at her?
She was suddenly aware of how exquisite he looked compared to her. Her hairdo had practically been blown away by the wind and she had not put any make-up on that day. Her pale pink sweater was just presentable enough - and Mrs Weasley had told her this was no "dress up" occasion.
Yet Draco looked as if he'd just come back from a royal ball.
Hermione turned around hurriedly and walked off quickly after Harry, annoyed and disbelieving of herself. Had she actually thought Draco more handsome than usual?
Of course Draco was handsome. You'd have to be a fool not to see it. It wasn't his appearance that she had a problem with - it was his attitude and his cruel and cowardly nature.
For a split second, she wished the outside fitted the soul. But then they found their seats and she was squeezed in between George and Fred who cheered so loudly she had to cover up her ears.
The game was all right. She could never understand Harry and Ron's obsession, but nevertheless, she tried to be supportive. Only one thing had caught her eye - or rather one person.
The young Seeker Viktor Krum, whose face had appeared on the ginormous banner in front of them, looked a tiny bit like the actor she'd had a crush on when she was younger.
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Fanfiction"How does it feel, Granger? How does it feel to know you were wrong? That all these years, you were wrong about Malfoy?" Cover made by the lovely @HolyDraco
