The Winding Road

Chapter One: What's Wrong With Draco?

September 1st

For the past few days I have been living at my friend's house, which is more commonly called the Burrow. Ever since that day everyone has been treating me differently. I try not to let it bother me, but in the end it always does. I can still remember the way they looked that day.

The Hogwarts Express is about to pull out of the station. I have been made Head Girl this year, but it doesn't make me as happy as I thought it would. I boarded the train and looked for an empty compartment. I went to close the door just as my four least favorite people in the whole school walked in. Pansy Parkinson, Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had just invaded my privacy, and I knew they wouldn't leave until I had been insulted....again.

"Poor Granger. I guess now you have even more in common with Potter," Pansy said with a smirk. "Here you go, filthy little Mudblood." She had the nerve to throw a week old newspaper at my face. What a bitch!

I picked up the newspaper. I was curious as to what they would want me to see in there. The second I saw the date, I knew what it was they wanted me to see. It was dated August 24th, the day after the accident. What accident you ask. Well it's like this.....

Deadly Accident: Kills Two, Leaves One Survivor

Yesterday, August 23rd, a deadly accident occurred in the county of Surrey. The accident took place some time between the Five and Six o'clock hour on Mirror Drive. There were no reported calls on the accident, but eyewitness claim that the car suddenly swerved off the road into a barricade and burst into flames. Charlotte and Phil Granger and their sixteen year old daughter, Hermione, were in the car at the time of the accident. Charlotte was instantly killed in the collision. Phil escaped from the car but was burned so severely that he was immediately sent to Saint Mungo's Hospital where he died earlier this morning. Hermione, the only survivor of the wreck, escaped the accident with only a fractured wrist and a few minor burns. The farewell services for Charlotte and Phil Granger will be held at Schliterbon Funeral Home on August 29th.

It was hard not to cry after reading the article. I never knew the details of the accident, and now I'm sure I did not want to. I looked away just as Pansy burst into laughter.

Pansy signaled to the others, and she, Crabbe, and Goyle left my compartment. Draco stayed, for some strange reason. He sat down next to me and put his arm around me. I was shocked. No wait, shocked is an understatement; I was completely and totally caught off guard. Since when does Draco Malfoy show emotion, and since when does he hug a Mudblood? I guess there is a first for everything. It was weird to say the least, seeing Draco sit there next to me. I could really get used to this. I mean, come on, he's the rich, snobby, albeit extremely sexy, Pureblood, and I'm a hopeless orphan, know-it-all Mudblood.

"Are you okay, Hermione?" he asked me quietly.

"Since when do I have a first name, Malfoy?" I screeched at him. I wasn't even aware that I could screech that loud. "But since you asked, I don't think I'll ever be okay again. I lost both my parents in one day, my house was taken from me because I couldn't pay the mortgage, I have no family left, Harry and Ron are being weird around me, and now you think you can just come in here and call me Hermione! But yeah, I'm having the best day of my life," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Draco, sweetie, where the bloody hell are you?" Pansy shrieked from the hallway.

"I'll be there in a minute Pansy. You know I never miss out on an opportunity to annoy the Mudblood." He smirked at me, but it wasn't the normal "I hate you with a passion you could never imagine" smirk, it was an "I'm joking and just want her to get the bloody hell away from me" smirk. Once again, the git extraordinaire was confusing me, and I didn't like it. In fact, I hated it. I can't stand not knowing something before someone else. I hated it so much, that I kind of loved having him here to make me think outside of my bubble, more commonly known as the classroom.

"Pansy's a heartless bitch. She has no feelings whatsoever about anyone but herself and my money. "

"Then why are you always with her?" I couldn't help it, I was curious.

"I don't choose to be with her, I have to be. My father and her father are old friends, and they thought it would be a great idea to make us be together all the time. I can't even stand her. She's a little too annoying for my tastes."

"Just out of curiosity, what are your tastes?" I asked him with a small smile, all thoughts of my parents and the accident were now completely out of my head. Oh my bloody God, did I just smile at Draco Malfoy, man's man, lady's man, man about town? What the bloody hell is wrong with me? I think I hit my head a little too hard when I fell down the stairs at the Burrow. I wouldn't even have fallen if it hadn't been for Fred and George. Sometimes I really hate those two, but at the same time, you've got to love them.

"Well, she has to be intelligent; I can't stand trying to have intelligent conversations with Pansy. She has to be brave, loyal, and everything that is the complete opposite of Pansy."

"Wow, you really don't like her do you?" I asked with an amused smile on my face.

"You have no bloody idea." We both laughed. Oh my God, I actually heard Draco Malfoy laugh a real laugh, not a maniacal one. And I laughed with him. Oh my God, what is this world coming to?

"So what are your tastes Hermione?" That was the second time he called me by my first name.

"Well, he has to be intelligent, loyal, friendly, energetic, and trustworthy. I just described a dog didn't I?" We were both laughing at my stupidity. Wait a minute, since when do I say something that's stupid?

"Do you like ferrets too, or just dogs?" He asked with that oh so sexy smile.

"I can't resist ferrets. I had one when I was thirteen, but he died while I was at school." Did I just tell him I can't resist ferrets? Now he's going to think that I'm attracted to him just because he was once turned into a ferret. But I think what I said might be true. I don't know how much longer I can resist him. I hate the bloody smile of his!!!!! I hate it!!!!!!!

"Draco Lucius Malfoy, get that adorable arse out here this instant!" Once again, Pansy was shrieking for him to leave.

"I'll see you later Hermione, I'm being summoned by the Queen Bee."

"Since when do you read Muggle books?

"Since I started Muggle Studies." I was shocked to say the least. Since when do rich muggle born hating Purebloods take Muggle Studies? He was full of surprises.

As he left my compartment he slipped me a small piece of parchment with a short message on it. It read...

Meet me in the Great Hall at 10:30, we need to patrol. Don't be late, or else.

Everyone's favorite Ferret

I changed into my robes and exited my compartment, we had arrived at Hogwarts.

I managed to get a carriage with Harry and Ron, both of whom looked a little upset that I hadn't sat with them on the Hogwarts Express. If they knew anything about what had happened between me and Draco, I'd be dead meat. Ron would defiantly kill me. Harry would hold him back while giving me death glares. Ginny would understand. She knows how drop dead sexy Draco Malfoy is. In the carriage I sat next to Harry, who put his arm around me immediately. I'm sick of the sentimental shit, but when if comes to Harry Potter, it's alright. He understands what I'm going through, and it doesn't hurt to get a little kiss here and there.

"Hermione, isn't it going to be hard managing S.P.E.W., studying for N.E.W.T.s, doing your homework, and making sure you fulfill your Head Girl duties?" Ginny asked. She was always concerned, just like her mother.

"Yes, but I'll manage," I replied quietly.

We reached the castle and got out of the carriage. We made our way to the Gryffindor table and sat down. I couldn't help but glace over at the Slytherin table, and that sexy piece of man. Did I just think that about Draco? Since when do I call him Draco? What the bloody hell happened to me?!?

Dumbledore stood up when everyone was seated and made his usual speech about the Forbidden Forest being forbidden, hence the name Forbidden Forest, not using magic in the corridors, new Head Boy and Girl (me and Draco), and he introduced the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Mathers. After the speech, Professor McGonagall began to call the new first years forward to be sorted. This left plenty of time to drool over Draco. Thank God Ron didn't notice.

"Adducee, Renee-Hufflepuff..." I didn't pay any attention to the whole sorting ceremony. I was too distracted by Draco's enormous...never mind. They ended with "Zimmerman, William" becoming a Slytherin.

I led the way to the Gryffindor common room and, when we go to the portrait of the Fat Lady, said the new password, canary creme.

At 10:20 I left Harry, Ron, and Ginny in the common room and went to meet Draco in the Great Hall for patrolling. When I arrived there was no one in sight. Ten minutes later Draco came down the stairs out of breath.

"Sorry, I couldn't get away from Pansy. I went to the library and hid behind bookshelves until she left." Oh my God did he look sexy all sweaty and out of breath. We should defiantly patrol together more often.

"That's okay; I've only been here for ten minutes."

"Dumbledore told met o tell you that he wants us in his office before we patrol tonight. He said the password to the office is Orange Peels and that we should just walk in."

We walked in complete silence to Dumbledore's office, and after giving the password we walked up the stairs and waited for Dumbledore to arrive. We didn't have to wait long. Within five minutes Dumbledore was seated behind his desk.

"Now that everyone is here we can begin," Dumbledore began. "I called you here to tell you that you will no longer reside in your respective common rooms. You will be sharing a common room and each has your own bedroom. Your new room is located on the seventh floor. Your portrait hole will be the portrait of Sir Cadagen. All of your belongings have already been moved to your new common room. If needed, condoms will be located in the jar next to the fireplace. If you need any more please see Filch."

And with that, I left on a good note, although I was a little unsure why Dumbledore mentioned that. Did he know something I didn't? I hate it when people know something I don't. Seeing Filch for that kind of issue is completely sick and disturbing, and not to mention extremely wrong. I'd rather see the house elf. Maybe they can smuggle me some.