Pure As Blood?

The warm days of summer were winding down, but judging by the smile that spread across Hermione's face, she wasn't disappointed. Hermione had seated herself under the tall oak tree in her backyard to think about the school year to come. She really missed her friends and could barely wait another day to see them again. Laying her head down on the freshly-cut grass, Hermione wondered what Harry and Ron looked like now and how they might have changed over the months. Or if they'd think she changed. Over the summer Hermione had received a few comments from her mother saying she appeared taller and looked older, but she couldn't tell the difference. Whenever she glanced in her bedroom mirror Hermione thoughts were like a broken record - unchanging:

"I don't know about looking older, I look the same as always..." But there was a difference in Hermione, it had just been so gradual that she couldn't detect it.

Hermione also looked forward to the piles and piles of schoolwork she would get assigned. She knew other students dreaded each essay and paper due, but Hermione depended on them, loving the responsibility. And she treasured each hour spent in the library, scanning through various books in search of the right answer, then checking and double checking her work. It was almost like heaven on earth for Hermione. She felt safe there and knew she wouldn't be bothered. She could go there and just be alone with her thoughts. It was just one of the many things she loved about Hogwarts.

___ __ _ __ ___

The next morning Hermione awoke to the sun creeping in her window. She smiled as this new alarm clock warmed her face, gently edging waking her up.

"Oh no!" Hermione said aloud as she peeled the covers off and jumped out of bed. "I cannot believe this, I am so forgetful," she told her cat. Crookshanks just opened his eyes as if to acknowledge her then went back to sleep.

Hermione began folding her clothes and placing them into the suitcase. A few shirts, some skirts, a scarf, and her long, black Hogwart's robe were just a few items she would bring. Then, walking to her bookshelf, which covered almost her entire wall, she scanned through her book collection. Their gold titles sparkled back.

A soft 'meow' came from her bed where Crookshanks lay, plump as ever.

"I know, I know so many books, I wish I could bring them all..."

She finally decided on five main books she wished to bring, they were her favorites and just happened to be the heaviest ones she owned. She threw them, with a bit of difficulty, into her suitcase then buckled it up and set it by her door.

"Now where did Crookshank's carrying cage go?" Hermione scanned the room looking for the cage. Clothes, books, and other materials littered the floor. Her eyes fell on a pile of blankets that had been dumped in the corner. Pushing the blankets aside she found the missing cage. "I really have to clean this room..." she thought, "Well, I guess when I get back... yipee."

Hermione then scooped up Crookshanks, put him in the carrying cage and locked it. "Meeooow!" Crookshanks let out a deep, low growl, showing his disapproval. Hermione knew Crookshanks didn't like the carrying cage and checked it one more time, just in case, since her cat seemed to have ways of getting out. How? She would never know.

The night before her dad had offered to prepare her breakfast. When she came down the stairs she saw it lying on the counter top: orange juice and waffles. Both of her parents had to go to work early this morning and couldn't say good-bye to her today, but the family did say their farewells the night before. Mrs. Granger had cried over the fact that her baby was leaving home again. Hermione reminded her that she'd be sending letters each week updating them on what was going on. That seemed to cheer up her mother a bit or at least slow down the flow of tears.

The orange juice and waffles looked great. She took a bite. But they unfortunately didn't taste great. Hermione made a failed attempt to wash away the taste with orange juice, but it tasted equally bad. She could only smile. "Now I see why Mum gets nervous whenever Dad makes her breakfast in bed." Glancing at her watch Hermione realized she had to go anyway. The train would be leaving soon.

___ __ _ __ ___

Outside, on the sidewalk, drivers sped by as she waited for a taxi cab. They were obviously in a rush because she couldn't make out the face of a single driver. A taxi cab halting in front of her, looking as if it could brake down at any moment. The driver was a short, plump woman. Her hair tied back in a bun, made her appear strict. Hermione threw her luggage into the back seat then got in herself.

"Where to, Miss?"

"King's Cross Station please. I've got to be there soon, I think I'm late already as it is," Hermione said with a smile.

"Right away," The driver told her. Then, trying to make conversation she added, "Can I ask where you're traveling to?"

"Oh, just to..." Hermione was caught off guard, "...to see a few friends." she finished, hoping the woman wouldn't notice her pause.

She didn't.

"Well, I tell you, you would not believe how many people are getting on the train today. I say tons - tisk tisk - how cramped it must be. And some of these people are wearing the strangest things. I mean there's strange people out there, but then there's strange people...." The lady continued babbling away much to Hermione's disappointment as she went through every single detail she could possibly remembered.

"Oh look, we're here already," The lady in the front seat told Hermione. "My, time does fly."

"Oh, thank God!" Hermione whispered, glad to get out of the cab.

"What was that?"

"Oh, uhh, just praying to arrive safely," Hermione lied.

___ __ _ __ ___

The Hogwart's train was a welcoming sight. Few people were there though, not at all like the cab driver's description. Although there was a small crowd of girls chatting in the corner, but other than that it looked almost deserted.

"I must really be late," Hermione thought as she hurried to board. Nearly running down the aisle she quickened her pace to get to her usual compartment, then as she came around the corner she collided with someone. Hermione fell backwards, everything she was carrying in her arms spilled out around her, as she tried to catch herself.

"Sorry about that," she muttered without looking up.

"You should be. Next time watch where you're going, Mudblood," a voice growled down at her. Hermione didn't have to look up, she knew who the voice belonged to.

Draco Malfoy glared at her as she hastened to pick up her things. She knew better than to argue with Draco, as she had learned early on that got her nowhere; it only made her angry and upset. Getting the last of her things she made her way towards where Harry, Ron, and she normally sat. Though the whole time she could feel Draco's cold eyes on the back of her head, watching her leave.

Hermione opened the compartment door and there sat Harry and Ron with candy sprinkled about around them. Harry was just taking a bite of the jelly worms when she came in.

"Honestly, do you two ever go a day without sweets?"

"Hermione! You're finally here!" Ron said with a smile.

"Yeah..." Harry gulped down the rest of his jelly worms, "...we thought you might not make it."

"Oh and the answer to your question is yes I have. I have gone a day without sweets- Wait no," Ron said hesitantly, looking a bit embarrassed "that was a nightmare."

Hermione just laughed.

Both Harry and Ron looked taller. Ron looked older, less boyish, and his eyes seemed to sparkle with each new prank he told them, that Fred and George had pulled over the summer. (Most of them on Percy.) Hermione loved how Ron was always so happy. He would cheer her up when she was down, and she counted on him for that. She looked at Harry whose hair looked almost maintained. And Hermione actually stopped to wonder if it was just the lights playing tricks on her eyes or if he had got his unmanageable hair finally manageable. She had to admit it, he looked better than last year, and she thought he'd be fighting off more girls this year than last. "That's just great," she thought bitterly. "As if it's not hard enough getting his attention." No she had to be happy for him, after all, it wasn't his fault he had turned extremely good-looking over the summer.

While Hermione watched Harry, she didn't notice Ron's eyes watching her.

___ __ _ __ ___

Hermione hardly remembered the Sorting Hat ceremony or going to her dormitory that night. The events that took place were just a blur in her tired mind. All she really remembered was how exhausted she felt and her head hitting the pillow, then she was asleep.

Lavender had woken her up the next morning with not-so-gentle shoving.

"Hermione, you'd better get up. You'll miss Potions!" Lavender persisted. "It's with the Slytherins," she added as if that was something that mattered.

"Yeah, how could I miss class now?" Hermione said through the covers.

"I knew that would cheer you up," Lavender laughed.

Hermione dragged herself out of bed and changed into her robes. A lot of the other girls were already dressed and waiting in Gryffindor common room. She brushed her teeth and hair and went downstairs just in time to see the group leave.

The Potions classroom was cold and damp. Hermione wrapped her robes tighter around herself, wondering how the Slytherins ever got use to this. In the front of the classroom was Professor Snape lecturing on about how vital the antidote they were making was.

Hermione's eyes darted from the boiling cauldron in front of her, to Draco Malfoy, sitting across the dimly lit room. Lately, her eyes seemed to wander towards him. In hallways, classrooms, and even the dining hall. Where she was suppose to be listening to her two best friends, Harry and Ron. And she tried to, she really did. Especially in her classes, where her grades depended on it most. But it was becoming more and more of a struggle; it was becoming ridiculous. Yet even more ridiculous was the fact that she didn't know why this was happening, why things had changed so quickly. Because just before school had begun, she'd absolutely detested Draco and the things he did. Yet now - now that all changed. There was something about him that caught her attention, that told her he couldn't possibly be all that bad... And to her, Draco was was beginning to seem - dare she say it? - cute.

Suddenly, realizing what she was doing, Hermione scolded herself. She couldn't be distracted during class, not by anything, especially not by Draco Malfoy. Anyway how could she possibly think of him that way? After all he was a Malfoy, wretched and nasty whenever possible. He was always so obnoxious to poor Harry and Ron, not to mention the comments he made about her, her family, and her appearance. "No," she thought, "I am not going to be falling for him." She turned her attention back to her potion, which had begun to trickle down the side and got back to work. She was just seconds late as Draco's gaze lingered on her then moved away, not seeing her brown eyes staring back.

An agonizing twenty-five minutes later class was over. Ron and Harry nearly jumped towards the dungeon-room door, relieved that Potions had ended for the day. But Hermione trailed behind them, not talking, just lost in her thoughts.

"Hermione, is something wrong?" Harry asked as soon as they were out the door.

"Oh, umm, it's nothing Harry just the-the," Hermione stuttered, looking for an excuse, "the exam thats coming up," she replied. "I haven't studied enough. And I'm just worried about it, that's all. I've got to go. But I'll see you both at dinner tonight. Bye!"

And with that she turned on her heel and sped away for the girl's dormitory.

"Okay, bye," Harry and Ron said in unison as they watched Hermione disappear down the corridor.

"Something's up," said Ron said as soon as she was out of hearing range.

"How can you tell? She probably just has to study like she said," Harry asked.

"Harry, exams. Don't you get it?" Ron said almost frantically, "We don't have exams now. Everyone's too busy getting things prepared for Winter Ball...."

___ __ _ __ ___

Hermione rushed down the corridors, nearly dropping the stack of books she grasped in he arms as she bumped into random students, only stopping to mutter a weak sorry before rushing on. All she wanted to do was get back to her dorm as quickly as possible, pretend to study, and think over the whole Draco situation.

Finally at her dormitory, Hermione let the heavy books she was carrying fall out of her hands and scatter in all directions across her bed. She then picked up the closest one to her which read Hogwarts: A History (she had originally planned to read it over again, just in case) and opened it to a random page to make it at least look like she was studying if anyone happened to come in.

"How can I possibly like Malfoy? I mean he's rude and arrogant and.... cute. Did I just say cute? Uhh, this is unbelievable! Why does my mind drift back to that? This is ridiculous! Besides Ron and Harry would kill me they knew that I had even the tiniest feeling towards him. Wouldn't they?" She felt a pang of guilt in her chest. "No, no, Hermione," she thought to herself, "you have to stop this now."

Because a certain Slytherin had kept her mind in constant conflict, Hermione was too distracted to notice the tiny box placed delicately under her pillow. Only a small corner of the box was noticeably protruding from under the pillow case, revealing the red wrapping paper that encased it.

Hermione laid back on her pillow, with her hands behind her head to get more comfortable while she thought the situation over.

"What is that?" She asked herself as she reached under her pillow and pulled out the small, red box. Hermione moved it around in her hands, noticing that it wasn't much bigger than her thumb. Since there was no card or note attached, she busied herself with tearing off the wrapping paper, thinking that what was inside might reveal a clue to its sender. Hermione pried the lid off the box and, to her surprise, found a heart necklace inside. The heart was pure silver with one clear diamond placed in the middle of it, then she turned it over to find a faint 'S. A.' scratched on the back. Hermione sighed. She knew perfectly well what this was. It was a gift often given to girls when a boy had a crush on them, but was too afraid to tell. Only this one was different, most of the heart necklaces didn't have any diamonds, but this one had a tiny heart-shaped diamond in the center of the necklace. Unfortunately, rather than revealing the identity of the sender, it only raised more questions. She took the necklace out of the box and strung it around her neck. Maybe she could get a reaction from whoever gave it to her if she wore it to dinner... "Oh no, dinner!" She'd completely forgotten about it in the excitement of getting a gift.

"No wonder no one came into the room," she thought as she scrambled off her bed. Then threw the door open and she rushed down the steep, stone steps that lead to the Gryffindor common room, trying desperately not to fall in her hurry.

___ __ _ __ ___

Ron hardly noticed Hermione as she slipped into her usual seat between him and Harry. He was too involved in a heated discussion with his sister, Ginny, to take any notice. Apparently, Ron was mad that Ginny was getting so much attention from guys and naturally, Ron's brotherly protectiveness took over. Hermione knew that Ron was still thinking of Ginny as his little sister who needed protecting from the monster under the bed or troll in the closet. She didn't know how, but she could sense that Ron was remembering the many times Ginny had woken him up during a thunder storm just to get the reassuring hug that everything would be alright.

"Hello, Hermione, what took so long?" Harry asked, jolting Hermione's attention away from the Weasley argument.

"Well, I was just a little preoccupied with studying," she said trying to make herself sound believable, "and I accidently lost track of time."

"Oh, studying right. I forgot," Harry said then began to shovel the food around on his plate.

A thought suddenly struck her: "Does he think that I'm lying to him? It was at least partially true. Besides, I couldn't tell him the truth, he wouldn't understand."

Harry stopped shoveling the food around on his plate and tilted his head up slightly. He wasn't looking into Hermione's eyes, but at the heart necklace she had strung around her neck. Then he said:

"Hermione, can I talk to you?"

"Sure Harry, what about?"

"No, I mean alone," Harry added quickly.

"Of course," Hermione replied as she looked into his eyes. Usually she could tell what Harry was feeling by his eyes alone and today was no different. He was worried about something.

"How about we meet in the library at seven o'clock?"

"Alright," Hermione agreed.