Going Where No Man Has Gone Before.

Guess who's back?! That's right, after 5 years I'm back! I've been down one hell of a road, and I promise that I will share that on my profile, but needless to say, a lot has changed with me.

I have missed my lovelies so much! I'm so very sorry I have kept you all waiting like this. So to reward everyone for their patience, I am adding a chapter today!! With more on the way!

Now on with the show...

Chapter 4: Calm Before The Storm

Hermione stormed all the way down to the Great Hall, and making a scene the entire way. She passed Professor Snape, and even he raised an eyebrow at all her feet stomping glory.

"Jeez, Hermione what's your deal?" Neville asked her as she sat on the bench at their house table.

"I'm thinking about calling an exterminator for a large pest problem that I have back in the Head dorms..." She seethed outloud.

"Malfoy again?" He said as if he already knew.

"That obvious?"

"Yup. Hermione, I know it's none of my business but you're my friend, and I think that maybe you should try this thing with Malfoy from a different approach." He said with genuine concern.

"Uh, come again?" She asked not following where Neville was going with this.

"Look, all I'm saying is, you guys can't stand each other. That much is obvious to all of us. You're bloody brilliant, but sometimes, you're a little stubborn when it comes to looking at the bigger picture of things. Have you thought about trying to be nice to him when ever he makes you mad?" He asked.

Hermione just looked at him like he transformed into Fluffy the three headed dog from her first year. There was no way in fucking hell that he was serious...

"Neville I tried that approach back in our younger years if you remember correctly." She said, trying to approach her answers with caution.

"What about anytime at all since last year?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, Neville I haven't. Maybe it slipped my mind with him always calling me a, 'Mudblood,' or just being the general pain in my arse!" She snapped. Hermione was starting to get tired of this, where was Neville even going with it. Didn't he realize that being nice to Malfoy doesn't work?

"He was cleared Hermione. Everyone deserves a second chance. Even the ferret. He gets on my nerves too, but he isn't completely evil. Or else he would have teamed up with daddy dearest and you-know-who. Just something to keep in mind." With that, Neville got up and walked out of the Great Hall.

Hermione, on the other hand, sat at her same spot feeling like she was rooted there by some unknown force. Staring down at her plate, she realized that she couldn't even eat it anymore. What caused them to be this way to each other in the first place? Besides the general nastiness that came with just being around Draco, she really didn't have answer for this. She knew that she hated his horrible attitude, along with the fact that he looked down on her for her heritage. She was better than that though. The more she thought about it, the more she felt sorry for him. His friends weren't really his friends at all. They all talked badly about him whenever he wasn't around. They only sucked up to him out of fear. Fear of his tantrums, and fear of his wrath.

"Must be lonely," she mused to herself.

Still, it was no excuse to act the way he does. Like a complete and utter ass.

Lifting herself up from the table, she left and went back to her rooms. She realized that she had a lot to think about.

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Draco was livid. After that cunt walked out the door, feeling pretty full of herself, he decided that playing by the rules was going to get him no where. He knew that if he wanted to win the bet, he was going to have to do things more drastically to get her attention. With this thought in mind, he walked over to his stationary, and wrote her a quick note.

Granger,

Meet me in our common room tonight at 7:30. We have things we need to discuss.

Things that will not have any room for your version of, "Diplomatic Solutions." By the way, you may have just killed any chance for any future Malfoy heirs with that stunt, and if you have, my attorney will be interested in this for lawsuit reasons... Pain, suffering, public humiliation...

Don't keep me waiting.

D. Malfoy

He left it attached to the front of the common room door, while he went to go call in a favor from Blaise in the Slytherin common room.

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Hermione saw the note on the door and was not pleased. Couldn't he just leave her alone? Was it that hard? Apparently if you're name is Draco Malfoy, it is.

She carried herself up into her room and threw herself on her bed.

Maybe a nap would help her clear her head...

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