The Lion and the Snake

Chapter 1: First Day Back.

"Ron! Honestly!" gasped Hermione, rolling her eyes.

"What? Well now that You-Know - I mean V-Voldemort." Ron shuddered.. "Well, now that he's come back to power, you never know the fate of Hogwarts."

"Ron, Voldemort wouldn't take over Hogwarts. Well, at least not as long as Dumbledore is Headmaster!" said Harry.

"Oh- right, sorry." The tips of Ron's ears started to turn red.

As the conversation turned to Quidditch, Hermione rolled her eyes and poked her head out of the window of the horseless carriages that always smelt faintly of mold

"Look!" she exclaimed as the familiar sight of Hogwarts approached.

The trio got out of the horseless carriages and started up the great stone entrance steps to the familiar oak doors.

"Harry, I'm telling you, Puddlemere United doesn't stand a chance against the Chudley-" Ron began but was quickly cut short.

"Well, if it isn't Pothead, Weasel, and the Mudblood," sneered a familiar voice that belonged to no other than-
"Malfoy!" Ron glared with clenched fists.

"Oh, hello Malfoy didn't see you there! So, how is your father doing in Azkaban?" Harry asked him.

A flash went through Malfoy's steely silver eyes.

"You will pay Potter. He won't be in there for long." Without another word, Malfoy swept up the entrance steps with his cronies, Crabbe, and Goyle.

Hermione watched Malfoy, and his "cronies" go up the entrance steps.

"I swear I am going to kill Malfoy, the little git," Ron said, with his face flushed.

"Yeah, no kidding. Don't worry Ron we'll get him," Harry said with hatred in his voice.

Hermione stopped, she knew Ron and Harry's dearest ambition was to do something to Malfoy, and he was not a person to mess with

"Ron, Harry, please don't do something stupid!" Hermione begged.

"What? To Malfoy? What's he going to do? Even if he does do something I'll turn him into a bouncing ferret!" Ron laughed.

After the feast, Hermione led the new first years to the common room.

"Keep up everyone, watch the staircases," Hermione uttered sharply, ushering them up the staircases.

They approached the familiar picture of the fat lady in the pink dress fanning herself, in a very elegant way.

"Password?"

"Bouillabaisse," Hermione grinned.

The portrait opened revealing the warm, inviting, common room. After directing the first years to their dormitories, Hermione went up to her own. She found the familiar circular dormitories just as she had left them the year before. All her things, as usual, had already been brought up. Hermione then found her bed and snuggled deep into the bed under the warm crimson, silk bed sheets. Well fed, and tired, she drifted off into a deep sleep....

Hermione found herself sitting in the library; it was dark and only the stubs of the candles remained emitting little light. She was wearing a long, lilac, silk dress that felt cool up against her skin. Footsteps echoed through the empty library. Hermione looked around from whom the footsteps belonged to. A full moon shone through the windows, making shadowy patterns on the floor.

"I've been looking for you," whispered a voice playfully in her ear.

Hermione looked around.

"MALFOY!" she shouted in disgust. Standing there, Draco Malfoy looked deep into Hermione's brown eyes.

"Shhh, don't say anything," he said bringing his fingers to her lips. He took them away softly. Their faces edged closer and closer together. She could feel his every breath on her face. Malfoy leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips.

Hermione woke with a start. Usually she dreamed about school, homework, and books that she read. She had never had one about Malfoy! If Malfoy was in her night visions, it wasn't a dream, it was a nightmare! Looking at the clock she saw it was four o'clock in the morning.

"Ugh. I'm never going to get back to sleep now," she groaned.

She got out of bed, making her way towards the showers. She tiptoed silently across the room, so she wouldn't wake up her sleeping dorm mates.

Hermione slipped into the showers and let the warm water cascade down her. Where did that dream come from? She thought, even though she knew perfectly well. Malfoy, although a jerk, had looks, and a certain charm to him. However, Hermione would always deny her self of this. She spent at least an hour in the shower; lost in thought until it hit her she had to get ready for the day. She got out of the shower and wrapped a powder blue robe around her. She was just drying her hair when Lavender and Parvati came in laden with make up bags.

"Oh, excuse me Hermione," Lavender said, spreading out all her beauty supplies. Hermione decided it better safe to just leave, and go change.

~*~

Pansy Parkinson sat idly on the couch twirling a section of her black hair between her fingers.

"Draco," she said sweetly as he walked into the room. "Good Morning, I missed you last night," she said in-between kisses.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Good morning Pansy."

This was Draco's usual morning routine at Hogwarts. Wake up, take a shower, slick his hair back, and kiss Pansy.

"Well see you later Pansy," he said.

"Whoa, Whoa, where do think you're going? I'm not finished with you," she replied, pulling him back with his tie. She wrapped her arms around his neck and started to kiss him again, putting in a little tongue now and then. Malfoy slid his hands down around her hips.

"Hmmm," she giggled.

Malfoy then started kissing her neck, but spotted Crabbe and Goyle watching them with awe.

"Draco?" Pansy asked.

"Not here Pansy, meet me in the library tonight at eight."

Draco walked out of the common room. He was getting tired of Pansy, she had lost her appeal. She had nice curves that would make any boy drool from the mouth, but she was annoying, and would nag him. He was just in it for the "study dates".

~*~

Hermione sat down at the Gryffindor table.

"Morning 'Mione. Schedules," said Harry handing Hermione the new schedules.

She looked and saw she had Transfiguration first. She finished her breakfast and the three started to make their way towards the Transfiguration room. Hermione was eagerly anticipating transfiguration this year, it was easily one of her best subjects.

Ron, Harry, And Hermione walked down the corridors to the transfiguration classroom. As Harry and Ron were discussing things they would like to do to Malfoy, Hermione checked her book bag for her Transfiguration book

"Oh no!" Hermione moaned. "I've forgotten my book back at the common room!"

"Would you like us to go with you?" Ron asked.

"No, you go ahead."

Hermione ran all the way back to the Gryffindor Tower. Slightly out of breath she found her book, and made her way back out. She walked swiftly through the deserted hallways. Hermione turned down another corridor and started to jog. Not paying attention to where she was going she ran into something solid and fell on the floor.

"Watch where you're going you filthy Mudblood!"

Hermione looked up and saw Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson looking down at her with equal faces of disgust. Pansy lapsed into a fit of giggles.

"Oh, is the little know-it-all late for class?" Pansy said.

Hermione felt a rush of rage.

"Pansy! Shut-up! Just because some of us know how to open a door knob, does not make us know-it-alls!"

Pansy stopped laughing, and replaced her smirk with a very confused look. Hermione giggled, and started to get up to walk towards the classroom.

"Excuse me? Don't say that to me you dirty-blood," Pansy sneered, a little late, pushing Hermione down again.

"Come on Pansy. Let's not waste our time on her, she touched me, I have to go burn my robes now," Malfoy said, shooting a nasty look at Hermione.

As Malfoy and Pansy walked away, Hermione got to her feet. She felt a hot surge go through her, and tears began welling up in her eyes. She ran through the halls thinking. It's OK Hermione, No biggie, he's called you a Mudblood before, don't give him the satisfaction of hurting you! She couldn't help it though; tears began running down her face. She burst through the classroom doors and apologised to Professor McGonagall, and took her seat in the back by Ron and Harry. Professor McGonagall looked worried, but continued what she was saying to the class. Hermione hurriedly whispered the whole story to Harry and Ron, tears still streaming down her face. Once she had told them everything, both boys' faces held expressions of deep disgust.

"OK, one ferret coming right up!" Ron said angrily as Professor McGonagall swept past them.

As the day progressed it got better for Hermione. After Transfiguration, they had Herbology with the Hufflepuffs, then a quick wash-up before lunch. As Hermione ate her lunch, her good spirits soon dimmed once she found out she had N.E.W.T potions with the Slytherins. Harry and Ron miraculously made it in to N.E.W.T potions with Hermione, and they were both less than thrilled.

"You know, I really don't think Potions is for me," Ron said with a looming terror in his voice. "Maybe I'll transfer into Muggle Studies instead."

"Yeah, I'll transfer in with you!" Harry chortled as the three entered the damp Potions room.

The trio headed towards their usual seats at the back, Hermione looked around and saw the Gryffindors were way outnumbered by the Slytherins in the class. Professor McGonagall was talking privately to Snape, and he stared a furtive look at Hermione. The Gryffindors sat in a close, tight group talking quietly, and wondering how Crabbe and Goyle ever made it into N.E.W.T potions. Hermione's heart sank, if Crabbe and Goyle were in here, so was Malfoy. Sure enough walking toward them was Malfoy with a smirk on his face.

"Well, look who we have in NEWTs! The dream team," he sneered, as Crabbe and Goyle laughed stupidly. Hermione looked down trying not to make eye contact with Malfoy.

"But how? Well we know Weasley didn't buy his way in, obviously." He grinned. "And everyone knows Potter is the headmaster's favorite boy. And Granger of course is a know it all."

Anger welled up inside Hermione once more. And she didn't want to take Malfoy's crap anymore.

"Malfoy!" Harry laughed. " Well it's good to see you're actually somewhat good at something, since Quidditch doesn't quite work out for you!" The Gryffindors erupted in laughs.

Malfoy's smirk quickly disappeared. He took out his wand and pointed it at Harry. The Gryffindors all turned silent, and Hermione's rage was still rushing through her. Malfoy started to utter a spell, but Hermione lunged across the table and punched a clenched fist into Malfoy's face. A sickening pop was heard, and blood started to cascade down Malfoy's robes.

"Maybe your scumbag of a father didn't teach you anything Malfoy, but some things are better left to yourself!" Hermione yelled, voice shaking, and adrenaline pumping through her. Hermione knew she would pay for that comment, but right then she didn't care.

"You little filthy Bi-" Malfoy began, before Snape interrupted.

"Ms. Granger," The potions Master said in a voice that made the hairs stand up on the back of Hermione's neck. "I will not tolerate any punching or for that matter brawling in my class. You will meet me on Friday night at 7:00 for your detention."

Professor McGonagall, who was still in the room, cleared her throat. "Severus, you do remember what I told you? And if you do not recall Malfoy started this whole thing."

Snape set a stony face. "Mr. Malfoy, you to will have detention, now get to the hospital wing." Malfoy went from the class covering his nose and trying to stop the bleeding.

Hermione didn't care if she had detention; she had forgotten how good it felt to hurt Malfoy!