Sweet Sixteen

Chapter One

Hermione woke to find herself staring at an orange room filled with Chudley Cannon posters. She stood up to leave; they were all supposed to go look at the new Qudditch supplies. As she was about to turn the handle she saw a deep cut at the side of her head. She touched it only to feel the smooth liquid of blood on her hand. Instead of turning the handle in front of her, she chose the right door that lead to the bathroom. It wasn't fancy or big but it was definitely attractive. The color was a light blue that seemed to glisten, probably by magic. The counter tops were a pale cream with specks of little sand and the mirrors were that of a French design. The object Hermione liked the most however was the brass antique knob of the faucet. She opened the cabinets to find washcloths. Hermione pressed it to her head to stop the bleeding. The oddest thing was that Hermione's head did not hurt one bit.

Once the bleeding stopped, she walked back into Ron's room and the realization of what happened before entered her mind. Viktor was.... Dead? After all they have been through together. Viktor and Hermione started "going out" when she went to visit him in Bulgaria during the summer after her fourth year. They really started to hit it off, too. He would take her on romantic strolls around his garden, and talk all night about nothing really particular. Of course it all went down hill since he kept suspecting Hermione of liking Harry, no matter how many times she continued to tell him she didn't care for him that way. Pretty soon the endless fights just became too much for the both of them that they called it off.

She felt cold tears on her cheek. Hermione, however, did not know why she was crying. Sure she liked him, but she never loved him. The only reason she could come up with was the fact he made her feel special. Not that Bushy haired, know-it-all, Mudblood she got dubbed only too often. He saw her as smart, pretty, and successful. Sure Harry and Ron were always there for her, and supported her, but at times she thought they didn't really understand her, how could they? Besides, in the case of Ron all they did was make fun, as everyone else for her thirst for knowledge.

She knew it sounded selfish, but she couldn't help it, she liked people telling her she was special once in a while. After all, it took Ron three years to learn her birthday was not in fact on September 1st, as that was the day school started. It took him just as long to figure she was of the opposite gender. Or Harry.... He never once looked her way, and when Ron abandoned him during the Triwizard Tournament, she was there for him, but just as easily dismissed. Or at the second task when Harry picked Ron over her for the person he could not live without. Hermione's thoughts were interrupted however by a loud tapping on the door.

" Hermione, are you coming with us, or are you staying here?" echoed Harry's voice through the door.

"Yes, Harry just give me a moment." Hermione replied.

All her thoughts were put out of her mind as she prepared for what she hoped was a great time at Diagon Alley.

Diagon Alley was flooded by hundreds of witches and wizard's making an early buy for their school supplies, or enjoying a nice lunch out. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were looking around at all the sorts of new things that the Qudditch supply store received. They spotted a few of their classmates such as Seamus Finnigan, Justin Finch- Fletchly, and Ron's new girlfriend, Parvati Patil. Whom by the way, he told no one about. So with the added member of the group they departed to get a Butterbeer. There they found another peer: Draco Malfoy.

"Guys how about I get the drinks, you four just sit down," Hermione started.

"Are you sure Mione? I could come with you," asked Ron.

"Ron, I don't think it would be a good idea to get in a fight when school hasn't even started yet. Don't worry, I will be back in just a few minuets."

As Hermione walked to Madam Rosmerta she felt the familiar gray eyes upon her.

"Move aside Granger, I believe the pure blood was here first," Malfoy sneered.

"Stuff it, Malfoy, I'll just be here for a moment," retorted Hermione.

"Yeah, well a moment is too bloody long to look at you. See you in school Prefect meeting's Granger." With that said he took his Butterbeers and left.

As soon as all the glasses were expelled from any liquid, the five friends left in search of new books for the next year. As expected, Hermione was already looking through her new book for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Since their fifth year the "curse" on the job was lifted, and the person who filled it was Professor Lupin. The next place they visited was the Potions shop. Unfortunately for Hermione she ran into Draco Malfoy for a second time, but he was not alone.

"Mr. Potter, we meet again." Lucius Malfoy's eyes twinkled maliciously. "Ah, and the Weasleys are back, but where is the rest of your clan?" Then his eyes darted toward Hermione, not for one second losing they're cold stare. "Miss Granger, how lovely it is to see you again. But where exactly are your parents? Did they finally ease up on how unimportant their existence, as is yours, to our world? If only the basilisk could have done more damage. Pity really."

Hermione was not about to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry. But Ron and Harry were about to give him the satisfaction of wiping the smirk off his face.

" Well, Mr. Malfoy, that all depends, did you finally realize that no one in the Wizarding world no longer fears you, since you couldn't even capture a fifteen year old boy? Honestly Mr. Malfoy, maybe you should get another hobby."

Everyone just stood there, staring at Hermione. Did she really just say that? Unfortunately Mr. Malfoy gained his composure first, and if it was possible he got even closer, his eyes turned into slits, almost snake-like.

"Listen you little Mudblood, the only reason you're even in this world is a mistake, nobody wants you. The only reason your friends are your friends is for free homework help, and a pass to get out of trouble, the only thing your good for is..." Mr. Malfoy, however, was cut off.

"Father, come on she's not worth it, lets just go home," said Draco Malfoy.

Just then they heard a loud popping sound, then silence. Hermione noticed the bottles around them glowing a deep red. Then the glass around them shattered into a million deadly pieces, soon everyone was running in fear of getting sliced by the flying debris.

Then a tall man stood up and uttered a spell, when he did so the glass around them stopped in mid- air, and floated to the ground. The clerk apologized, he had lit a match, and apparently fire and this kind of glass don't mix. Harry looked around for Lucius and Draco, but they were not to be found.

"Let's just hope Snape does not get a hold of this, he could wipe out all the Gryffindor's with no trouble," Ron smirked. He thought he was being funny.