A Dragon\'s Gift

Chapter 1

On the Hogwarts Express Hermione sat across from her two best friends, Harry and Ron anticipating the next year that lay ahead of them. It was their last year at Hogwarts and Hermione had been made Head Girl.

She smiled as she remembered the day she had got the letter at the Burrow. Mrs. Weasley had thrown a party just for her. Everyone hade exe except for Harry’s late godfather who had died their 5th year at Hogwarts. Mundungus, Moody, Lupin, Tonks, and Kingsley Shaklebot had all shown up. Mrs. Weasley had even invited Hermione’s parents but they couldn’t make it because they were attending a dentistry class in America.

Harry and Ron both had pooled all their money together and actually bought her a broom of her own. She had always flown on theirs but now she had her own. She dissolved into tears when they had presented it to her. It wasn’t the best broom out there, it was a Comet two-ninety but it was good enough seeing as she had never owned a broom before in her life.

Harry and Ron smiled at their friend as they watched her smiling at something. But her reminiscing was cut short when Harry’s rival Malfoy slid their compartment door open and stood in the doorway with a smug look on his face.

“What do you want?” Harry spat.

“Temper, temper Potty. I’d be careful if I were you seeing as I’m Head Boy and everything,” Malfoy said pompously rubbing his new badge.

“Like I give a shit,” Harry snarled.

“Look,” Malfoy said raising his hand to silence Harry, “I’m not even here to make fun of you. Okay? I’m here to escort the Mudblood to the Head Compartment we have to have a meeting with the new prefects,” Malfoy finished in a disgusted voice.

Hermione put her hand over her mouth and gasped she had totally forgot about that. She quickly got up from her seat, bid her friends good-bye and followed Malfoy. He had matured over the years Hermione started to notice. He still had the annoying swagger in his walk but he was no longer scrawny. From what Hermione could see his arms were very muscular and he had reached about six feet something.

Not that he was surprised but Draco could feel Hermione staring at him from behind. He turned around and said, “See anything you like Granger?”

Hermione blushed and said, “I see better in a Blast Ended Skrewt!” She stalked off the corridor to the compartment.

This year Dennis Creevy had been made one of the Prefects of Gryffindor house. Hermione smiled at him and he waved back. For Slytherin Blaise Zambini had been made one of the prefects. Malfoy smiled at her as well and she blew him a kiss. She had been taken with him since the first day that she had arrived at Hogwarts.

Professor McGonagall began her spiel on good behavior and her expectations from all of them. She turned to Draco and Hermione and said, “You two will have to be civil toward each other this year,” Hermione opened her mouth in protest but Professor McGonagall raised her hand to hush her, “You two will have you own rooms this year and you will be obligated to sit at the Head Table for the Welcoming and leaving speech. You will also be sharing a bathroom,” Professor McGonagall finished with narrowed eyes because Malfoy had just scoffed at her previous comment.

“Whatever,” Malfoy spat. If McGonagall thoughtt het he was going to share a bathroom with the Mudblood she had another thing coming.

“Now, now Mr. Malfoy remember what I said about being civil? You all have a year together to settle your differences so I suggest if you want the year to be enjoyable you start now. Shake hands and then return to your friends,” Professor McGonagall said sternly.

Hermione extended her shaking hand and Malfoy took it reluctantly. She squeezed his hand and he gave hers a squeeze as well. They dropped the shake quickly and turned away from each other and walked out of the compartment.

As Hermione walked away Malfoy noticed that she had certainly grown into her body. She was no longer straight up and down. She had many curves and her chest had also grown significantly. Hermione turned around with her hands on her hips and Malfoy directed his gaze into her eyes. He glared at her and turned away.

Hermione continued her walk down to her friend’s compartment to fihem hem wrapped up in two girls that Hermione knew were Cho Chang and Lavender Brown. She cleared her throat and Harry and Ron sprang off of them. They were both blushing furious shades of red. Both Cho and Lavender were shooting Hermione death stares but Hermione didn’t care.

She sat down across the bench from them and they reluctantly left the compartment. Hermione surveyed her two best friends but said nothing. But when the silence became too much for them Harry said, “So I see you’ve found out?”

“Found out what?” said Hermione utterly nonplussed.

“That Ron and I are going out with Cho and Lavender,” Harry admitted bashfully.

“Oh that,” Hermione laughed. Harry and Ron exchanged confused glances, “I’ve known that for a long time. I heard Lavender talking to Parvati about your first kiss,” she said nodding towards Ron, “I knew that you were going out with Cho because it had been flying around the Ravenclaw Common Room and Luna told me,” Hermione said easily, “But I’m kind of disappointed that I didn’t hear it from you first though.”

“We thought that you’d be upset,” Ron said timidly.

“Upset over what you two growing up and us growing apart?” It hurt Hermione slightly to be saying this but she continued to appraise her friends with a defiant look on her face.

Harry’s startling green eyes widened at this comment but he said, “So your okay with it?”

Hermione nodded her head fervently and rose from her bench. She left the compartment door and closed it with a snap. As she turned the corner she saw Cho and Lavender hurry back in the train car. She shook her head and began wandering the train.

~*~*~*~*~*

Draco kept on shaking the image of Hermione out of his head but it wouldn’t seem to leave. How could he, a Malfoy, be having illicit thoughts about her, a Mudblood? He leaned back on his chair in the Great Hall and turned his head ever so slightly so he could stare at her some more. She was diligently watching the sorting.

When the Sorting Hat had called out the last name, “Williams, Christine!” who was sorted into Gryffindor and sat down to join her friend Amanda Tang. She turned a little so she could face Dumbledore who said, “Snippety snap!” and the tables before them blossomed with food.

Hermione’s eyes widened in pleasure and she began to help herself to some of the mashed potatoes and steak and kidney pie. As the last of the dessert crumbs melted away Draco looked at Hermione it amazement. How something that little could eat all that food amazed Draco.

Hermione felt Malfoy staring at her for the fourth time this night and she raised her eyes off her plate and looked him square in the face. He diverted his eyes quickly to make it seem as though he was staring at his goblet of Pumpkin Juice that was once again magically refilling itself.

Hermione and Draco made their way up towards their new rooms. They parted at a staircase and with one last look at each other went their separate ways.

A/N: All right that’s my first chapter. I know that Dennis Creevy and Blaise Zambini aren’t supposed to prefects from last year. But since we didn’t hear anything about the third year sorting I knew no one that was supposed to be a prefect in Harry, Hermione, and Ron’s last year at Hogwarts. Second the girls Christine Williams and Amanda Tang are me and my friend except we switched last names. Thanks! Please read, review and rate!