Return to Eden

Return to Eden

Chapter 1: The Chance Meetings

Hermione Granger, a sixth year student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was sitting in her Charms class, muttering an incantation while she pointed her wand at the book in front of her. She watched with barely contained boredom as the book grew larger in size until she stopped it; the perfect Engorgio Charm. She gently laid her wand down on the desk and leaned back in her chair, waiting for her fellow classmates to figure out the charm.

Having done so much reading during her first few years at Hogwarts, Hermione found that the last two years seemed to get easier. She had absorbed so much knowledge that if she didn´t come to class, she would still get top marks. Not a day went by that Hermione had to make an effort to not appear bored out of her mind. The only class that still kept her attention was Potions because of Snape.

Snape had decided that he was going to assign more partnered projects and assign partners for the entire year. It was just her luck that she was partnered with her enemy for this. Draco Malfoy.

Malfoy had been nastier to her this year than before. Just the other day they had been mixing a Healing Potion, and Malfoy had purposely spilled bat´s blood down her uniform. Snape had refused to let Hermione return to Gryffindor tower to change so she ended up sitting through the remainder of the class, her uniform soaked. Malfoy had had a self-satisfying smirk plastered on his pale, ferret face that she desperately wanted to slap off.

Hermione snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of the bell, signaling the end of classes for the day. It was Friday and a free weekend was ahead of her. Hermione collected her things before making her way back to the Gryffindor common room. Harry and Ron were walking beside her, deeply immersed in conversation about one of Hermione´s least favorite topics: Quidditch. She rolled her eyes skyward as she shuffled through her Transfiguration notes not watching where she was going. She didn´t notice anything in her way until she bumped into it.

Hermione fell back and her stuff scattered across the corridor. She glanced up from her spot on the floor and her chocolate brown eyes connected with Malfoy´s cold, gray ones. She returned the glare he sent in her direction.

"Why don´t you watch where you´re going, Mudblood. You almost stepped on my new shoes. I don´t want them dirtied by your filth."

Hermione narrowed her eyes. "Don´t worry, Malfoy." She spit his name the same way he said `Mudblood.´ "I wouldn´t want anything of yours to touch any part of my body. I would have to cut it off."

"You just know that you´ll never require anything as good. Being a Mudblood."

Harry and Ron glowered at Malfoy from behind Hermione as they helped her gather her things barely containing the urge to pound Malfoy´s face. They knew that Hermione wished to win her own fights so they kept out of it.

Hermione continued to stare at Malfoy with complete and utter hatred written all over her face. "Well if I was a Malfoy, I would have to kill myself."

Malfoy took a threatening step forward, his voice a venomous whisper. "You wouldn´t know the first thing about having to be a Malfoy."

She also took a step forward closing the space between them and stepping up to his unspoken challenge. "Is that so?" Her eyes were throwing sparks. "I couldn´t care less. Even for all the Galleons in the wizarding world. You don´t deserve my sympathy, but I pity you for what you undoubtedly are."

"Well, at least I´m not the Gryffindor whore. Probably fucking both Potter and the Weasel." He sneered at her.

Something in her snapped, and he could see the pure fury burning in her brown eyes. He had never seen her look so fierce, like she could spit nails. It was almost unnerving and he wondered, what if she had dark power. The thought left him for later pondering when he felt her hand connect with the side of his face.

"Don´t you ever, EVER speak to me that way again, Malfoy. I promise you will live to regret it if you do," she said in a clear whisper to not be mistaken. Her eyes never leaving his.

Harry and Ron, her things in their hands, came up behind her and led her away from Malfoy and in the direction to Gryffindor tower. They didn´t want the situation to get any worse than it already was and have a teacher come to find them.

Malfoy smirked after them as he watched the two lead her off in the opposite direction. He headed off to the Slytherin dungeons congratulating himself on being able to push Mudblood Granger´s buttons. He didn´t know that he would later be obsessing over his earlier thought and what could become of it. He would eventually start forming a plan that Hermione would serve the center of. If he could get her away from the Wonder Twins.

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Hermione quickly forgot the encounter with Malfoy in the excitement that took place in the common room later that evening. Everybody was bustling about for it was the last Hogsmeade weekend of the year. Final exams were only two weeks away, and then everyone would be back on the Hogwarts Express heading home for summer holidays.

Hermione had decided not to go to Hogsmeade. Harry and Ron were already thinking of what sweets they could buy at Honeydukes. She preferred to stay at Hogwarts to get some last-minute reviewing in. She knew she had already learned all the material, but it wouldn´t hurt to look over it again. She didn´t have anything else to do anyway. She had everything she needed to get her through the rest of the year, so a trip to Hogsmeade was not necessary.

She quickly finished her homework for the day in the common room that night, and then climbed the stairs to her dormitory. Being a prefect for the last two years, she had her own room. She fell asleep with thoughts of studying on her mind. Her fight with Malfoy completely forgotten.

Malfoy, at that moment, was thinking of nothing else. He lay awake in his bed in the Slytherin dorm staring up at the ceiling. How can I make her see that she´s on the wrong side? Father would be pleased if I convinced the top witch of our year to side with the Dark Lord. He has told me that I will receive the mark sometime next year. I wonder what Potter would say if his precious Hermione became a Death Eater with me. His enemy.

He fell asleep with thoughts of plans and revenge swirling around in his head.

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The next day broke without incident. Hermione awoke late to a quiet dormitory and an empty common room. Most everyone had already left to go to Hogsmeade. She got dressed in Muggle clothes for the day. A red button-up top and a pair of faded jeans with black boots. She pulled her hair up into a loose ponytail.

She studied her reflection in the mirror for a minute. The once bossy, bushy-hair girl was no longer evident in her current appearance. She was petite and now had sleek, straight brown hair with natural auburn highlights. She had filled out last summer and now had very womanly curves. Her large, chocolate brown eyes peered out at her fringed with long, dark lashes.

She was glad that boys now noticed her for something other than her brains. Her and Ron had dated briefly in fifth year, but decided they were better off being friends. Since then, Hermione had not been involved with anyone else, but it wasn´t because nobody was interested. She was just very picky.

Hermione left the dorm and made her way towards the library. She entered the double doors and walked towards a back table that she frequented. She set her stuff down and went to start pulling books off the shelves. She returned with a stack of books in hand and started flipping through them. She was soon lost in her studies.

Two hours later, Hermione was still sitting at the table, but she had ceased studying. Something kept nagging at the back at her mind, and made her lose her concentration. If this keeps up, I won´t get anything done. Maybe I should take a break and clear my head.

She returned the books to their proper shelves and left the library as quietly as she had come. She went back to the dormitory, but no one had gotten back yet. I´ll go take a bath in the prefect´s bathroom. That will make me relax.

She gathered up everything she would need and headed to the bathroom. She arrived on the fifth floor at the statue of Boris the Bewildered and muttered the password, "squeaky clean." She went inside and started turning on the taps. The huge tub was filled in no time with different colored bubbles and scents. She was about to slide in when she heard the door open behind her.

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Malfoy had also decided to not go to Hogsmeade. He thought it was a waste of time when he could just owl his father to get whatever he needed. He had much more important things on his mind.

He had risen late, and the dorms were almost completely empty. He went down to eat lunch after getting dressed. Afterwards, he decided to just roam the castle looking for anything else to do. He had been passing the fifth floor landing when he saw Granger slip into the prefect´s bathroom. This was his chance. Potter and the Weasel weren´t lurking about, and they couldn´t get into the bathroom. At that moment, he was thankful for being made a prefect.

With the grace of a cat, he tread silently down the corridor and came to a stop in front of the statue. He could hear her running the taps, so he waited. When he heard the taps shut off, he said the password and went in.

The sight that met his eyes made him hard almost instantly. All thoughts of her being a mudblood vanished from his mind. Granger was standing naked before him, and he could make out her full, supple breasts before she screamed and covered herself up with a towel.

"Malfoy! What are you doing in here?!"

Malfoy smirked. The towel was not doing her justice because it was so small. It only covered up part of her. He could still see her long, creamy legs and the underside of her round ass. He pulled his eyes away from her luscious body to answer her question. "I am a prefect you know. I came to take a bath, but seeing you here makes me want to do other things."

Hermione flushed a red envious of a Weasley. "You wouldn´t have a chance in hell with me, you fucking, elitist bastard!"

Malfoy raised an eyebrow. "Did I just hear Miss Perfect Gryffindor say a curse word? Call the Daily Prophet!" he mocked.

"Whatever. I´m getting out of here. I don´t want to be around you any longer for fear of having to kill myself." She started gathering up her things and made her way to the door, but Malfoy was quicker. He grabbed her by the arm and swung her around to face him.

His voice was just above a whisper. "I don´t think so. I´m not done with you yet."

She lifted her hand to slap him again, but he caught it in mid-air. He could tell that she was furious. "Get your pureblood hands off me, Malfoy."

He was thoroughly enjoying this. He was in control of the situation, but she continued to throw fierce insults. He admired her spunk if nothing else. She was trying to wiggle out of his grip, but he held tight. She looked so sexy to him. Standing there in nothing but a towel, and still trying to fight him off.

His voice came out a husky whisper. "If you stay still for a moment, you might find out what I want with you."

She ceased struggling and looked up to meet his eyes. The normally ice cold eyes were now misty with desire and something else she couldn´t quite place. "Whatever it is, if it involves you, I don´t want to be a part of it."

He was starting to lose his patience. He pushed her backward until she slammed up against the wall. He brought his mouth down upon hers in a rough kiss. She tried to pull away at first, but finally gave in. She was kissing him back when he bit her lip to let his tongue slip into her mouth. He felt hers return the favor, and they battled with their mouths more than they ever could with words.

He pulled away gasping for breath and looked down at her. Her swollen lips and flushed face only added to his desire for her. The fight had gone out of her eyes and was replaced with a desire that matched his own.

"What do you want with me?" she asked breathlessly.

Instead of answering her question, he leaned his head down to place hot kisses with his lips over the bare skin of her shoulder. He watched as she closed her eyes and let her head fall back exposing the creamy skin of her neck. His tongue trailed down the slender column and he kissed his way back up. Then went to the base, letting his mouth bite and suck at the soft, flawless skin. He smiled against his ministrations as he heard her moan from the back of her throat.

He ceased his pleasant torture and stood at his full height towering over her petite form. She opened her eyes and looked up into his face. She had certainly not been expecting this from Malfoy.

He pressed his body full against hers. She gasped as she felt the evidence of his arousal against her. "See what you do to me." He smirked down at her. "I think you quite enjoyed what I did to you."

She frowned. She was barely willing to admit to herself the effect he had on her. She had always thought he was handsome with his gray eyes, silver blonde hair, and translucent pale skin. He had grown out of the sniveling, scrawny boy he was to be a tall, muscular young man. But his personality had always outweighed his looks. He was still cruel and liked to insult anyone he thought he was better than.

He chuckled at her silence. A sound completely foreign to her from his baritone voice. "So, not willing to confirm your desire for me? Fine." He pulled away from her slightly leaving a space between them, but maintaining his hold on her. He lowered his face towards hers before speaking again. "I have a proposition for you."

She cocked an eyebrow. "Oh? And what would that be?"

He contemplated for a moment before replying. "Let´s just say this. You´re on the wrong side."

"The wrong side of what?"

"Don´t tell me you´re that dense to not know what I´m talking about."

"Okay. I know your father´s a Death Eater. Is that what you´re proposing?"

"In a way. I want you to join our side. You could use your natural gift for magic and become more powerful than if you stayed with do-gooder Potter."

Her mouth fell open. "You´ve got to be joking!! Why would a join up with people who want me dead?!"

"They wouldn´t want you dead if you were on their side. I want you on this side."

He finally let go of her and took a step back. She crossed her arms in front of her and calculatedly studied Malfoy. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you want me on the dark side?"

"I thought that would be easy. And there is no dark side. There is only power."

She scoffed at his last statement. "I guess that´s their excuse for killing innocent people. And you still haven´t answered my question."

"You are the smartest witch of our year. Probably the best to come out of Hogwarts in the last ten years. I think that´s reason enough. Believe it or not, Voldemort´s interest in you has nothing to do with Potter."

"That makes some sense. But, why do you want me on the dark side?"

He closed the gap between them and took her in his arms planting a kiss that was an exact opposite of the first. It was gentle and tender as he moved his mouth on top of hers, and she responded by snaking her arms around his neck and pressing her body against his.

He broke away and gazed down into her eyes filled with questions. "I don´t want you to die," he stated simply.

She appeared confused. "Why would I die?"

He stepped away from her and ran his hand through his silver locks. "Don´t be stupid. Something´s going to happen. Something big and soon. If you keep hanging around Potter, then you will surely be killed."

"What would you do about it? I can´t just betray my friends."

He stopped pacing in front of her and looked down at her. His face more serious than she had ever seen it. "I would protect you. But I can´t until you choose. Potter and Weasley can defend themselves. I want to save you."

She gazed at him with disbelief. On one hand, she would never betray her friends and become the very thing they despise. On the other hand, Malfoy was offering her a chance to save herself and gain power. Maybe also to be with him. He stirred feelings in her she never knew she had, eliciting a response she didn´t know she was capable.

He watched as a hundred emotions passed across her face. He thought it best to leave her alone with her thoughts. She would come to him when she made her decision. He leaned down and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead before heading towards the door.

He turned back before leaving. "Please think about it, Hermione." Then, he was gone.

She was left alone in the prefect´s bathroom confused beyond reason. Final exams the furthest thing from her mind.