Hate You, Hate Me

~Chapter 4~

I hate you, Hermione

It had been a month since we arrived at Hogwarts. I hated it. I hated her... Not that I hadn't before. I had always hated Granger. All these years...

"Hey, Hermione," Potter said, walking into my common room.

I hate how you brought Potter and Weasley into the Head Common Room every chance you got.

Granger had given both Scarhead and the Weasel the password to get in. And one or both of them were always here. And I mean always. They came here during all hours of the night for homework help.

In the beginning, I had planned on being civil with my two former enemies. Actually, it was three former enemies if you counted Granger. I was doing it only because Snape said he would kill me if I didn't make an effort. I was not to bring disgrace to Slytherin that had housed my family for generation.

But now, it had gotten to the point where Potter and Weasley were annoying the Hell out of me. They would sit there on my couch and talk about me as though I wasn't there. I didn't give a damn about what they said, but it was incredibly irritating.

"Stupid Ferret!" Weasley bellowed at me out of nowhere. "Just get away from us!"

I burst into laughter. He was trying to kick me out of my common room! The red-haired freak was crazier than I had thought. He puffed up his chest and glared at me from across the room. He gave a subtle glance at Her-Granger as though he was trying to catch her attention. The sight was ridiculous.

"Malfoy," Granger said, softly. "Please, just leave us."

The bushy-haired beauty did not even lift her head as she spoke. She mumbled the words to the floor instead. Her words might have been a thousand times softer than the boys', but it seemed to anger me much more.

I hate how they treated me like shit before I had even opened my mouth.

"Why should I have to leave my common room, Mudblood?" I screamed at her.

She blinked her soft brown eyes at me looking almost... hurt. No, no... that was crazy. Granger was a strong person. I could make her angry, but not sad... That was insane. It was laughable... In fact, I almost burst out laughing on the spot.

Until Weasley came at me with his wand, that is. As I ducked, I didn't even hear what he had tried to curse me with, but by the way Granger ran over to him angrily, it must have been bad. But, why would she care? Granger should want me cursed to bits. She should have taken the damn wand and done it herself!

But, Granger... she was too good. She cared for her enemies! Even if just a tiny bit... And, I--

Suddenly, Weasley pushed Granger away from him and ran at me, infuriated. Lost in my thoughts, my reaction time was slow. He barrelled into me, and we fell to the ground. When my brain came out of shock, I shoved him away and stood in one smooth movement. Weasel knocked his head into a table and was now moaning in pain.

Potter looked from his best friend, who Granger had rushed over to help, to me. Evil swam in his green eyes. For a second they almost seemed to glow as evil as the curse that had destroyed his family so many years ago.

"Stay away from us, Malfoy!" he screamed. "We don't need your shit anymore."

Granger looked up and said in a warning tone, "Harry... don't do anything stupid."

I hate how I was going to be civil with them because of you.

Potter ignored her and came at me in the same fashion Weasley had. This time, I was ready. I jumped out of his way, and he toppled into and over a chair and knocked into the wall.

I walked towards the exit and surveyed the scene shaking my head.

"Sad... sad day," I said. "When pure bloods and defeaters of Voldemort have to resort to Muggle violence."

Granger narrowed her eyes at me but did nothing. I rolled my eyes at the three and left my common room feeling rather self-actualized.

I decided to pay my dear friend Blaise Zabini a visit. I had the password to the Slytherin common rooms, after all. Besides, it would be nice to find someone both motivated and intelligent enough to do some Gryffindor bashing with. I smirked at the thought.

It was a long way to get to the Dungeons from my common room, I realized. I stuck my hand in my pocket and began to fumble with the ring that now resided within my pocket. It seemed oddly warm considering that it was quite cold in the castle. I wondered idly at why my mother had given me it. It didn't seem so special. And yet...

Suddenly, I heard loud voices from the hallway in front of Dumbledore's gargoyle.

"I really don't know if this was such a good idea," McGonagall said. "Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger?"

I stopped dead in my tracks. They were talking about... us. I hid quickly behind a conveniently placed suit of armour and continued to listen.

"Minerva, do you not trust my judgment?" Dumbledore asked.

"Of course, I do," McGonagall exclaimed, bringing her hand to her chest. "That was not what I meant at all."

"Well, then," Dumbledore said, turning. "I do not believe we have anything to talk about."

"But, Draco Malfoy?" McGonagall said.

"Yes?" Dumbledore asked, looking back to the irritated woman.

"Hermione has told me things about him," McGonagall said. "And I cannot help but think he is turning out just like his father."

I swelled with anger. I wasn't quite sure what I was angrier about, the fact that Granger was telling McGonagall shit about me or that McGonagall thought I was just like him. The combination made me want to retch.

"Lucius Malfoy and Draco Malfoy are two completely different people," Dumbledore said, calmly.

I gaped at him. Dumbledore had something good to say about me. It was utterly shocking.

"Do remember that," Dumbledore continued.

"But, Hermione-" McGonagall started.

Dumbledore raised a winkled hand to silence the witch.

"Have faith, Minerva," he said. "And give the poor boy a chance."

Although I didn't like being called poor boy (that was a term only for Weasley), I had to be a bit thankful that one person on earth didn't see me as a younger version of Voldemort's greatest follower. Not that I liked Dumbledore now... I still hated him with a passion. Just with a slightly weaker one.

"But, do you really think he is responsible enough to put aside his differences with Hermione?" McGonagall asked.

Dumbledore chuckled.

"Minerva, I know what I am doing," he said. "Just calm your nerves and let me handle any problems that arise... if they arise."

"I just don't know, Albus," McGonagall said. "Even if Draco has nothing to do with Voldemort, he and Hermione are completely different. They will be far too busy fighting to get any work done."

"It will be fine," Dumbledore said.

"How can you be so sure?" McGonagall asked.

"I have done this before," Dumbledore said, slowly.

McGonagall looked down, confused for a moment, and then looked back up at the old wizard in front of her.

"I still don't understand," she said. "Why Draco?"

"There is always a reason, Minerva..." Dumbledore said, mysteriously.

He began to walk away and I moved, trying to see him better. My leg accidentally knocked against the suit of armour and it went crashing to the ground.

"Shit!" I hissed, jumping up and running for my life.

I fell against the portrait of Salazar Slytherin when I finally got down to the Dungeons. Amazingly, I had not been caught.

"Ah, Draco," Salazar said. "Congratulations on becoming Head Boy."

The portrait swung open before I could open my mouth to say the password. I shrugged to myself and walked inside, still panting slightly. I spotted Blaise on the couch, his face buried in a book. He seemed deeply immersed in his book so I decided to sneak up on him.

"Hey, Malfoy," he said without even glancing up.

"How did you know I was here?" I asked, glaring at him.

"I could hear your breathing a kilometre away," Blaise said, smirking.

"Wonderful," I said, rolling my eyes and flopping onto the couch beside him.

"So," Blaise said, putting his book down. "What are you doing down here?"

"Granger..." I growled, angrily.

Blaise smirked.

"So, that's why you're panting," he said.

"No!" I screamed at him. "I would never even think of sex with Herm- er, Granger."

Blaise laughed.

"Hmm, I never said sex," he said. "Must be adding in bits of your fantasies, eh?"

I glared at him.

"You have no idea what I've had to go through with that Mudblood and her stupid friends," I snapped. "Constantly barking insults at me the second they enter the room. Coming at all hours of the night for homework help..."

"Not from you, I hope," Blaise laughed.

I rolled my eyes.

"I just can't stand her," I said, pacing about furiously. "Everything about her gets on my nerves. Her perfectly clean robes, her little study habits, her stupid friends, her bushy hair, and that damn cat she pampers like a god."

"Hmm..." Blaise mumbled.

"Do you know what that beast did to my best dress robes?" I growled.

He gave a loud laugh.

"What?" I snapped at him.

"Nothing," he said, getting up.

I grabbed him by his collar and threw him back onto the couch.

"What?" I snarled.

"Nothing, nothing," he said, smirking.

I released him, too frustrated to care any longer.

"I'm just noticing that attraction again," he said, his smirk growing wider.

"Attraction!" I snapped. "To that little brat?!"

Blaise snorted. I couldn't believe it. Attraction? To Granger? That was the most preposterous thing I had ever heard. Granger was an ugly Mudblood, for God's sake. One who I sometimes had to bite my nails into my palms to keep from touching. One that-

"What ever you say, Malfoy," Blaise said. "But she looks like a fun one to break to me."

I glared at him. That was it! I was leaving.

"Attraction," I mumbled, furiously as I left. "Ridiculous!"