Daylight

Serendipity (n.) The effect by which one accidentally stumbles upon something truly wonderful, especially while looking for something entirely unrelated.

“Granger.”

Someone was kicking her bed frame. What time was it? She doesn’t even remember falling asl- 

“Granger.” 

Hermione knows that voice, what is he doing in the Gryffindor dormitories? She lifts her head to find herself not in the dorms, but rather in a chair, in the Ancient Runes section of the library. Looking down, she remembers what (or rather, who) woke her up. One black, perfectly polished, dragon hide loafer taps itself at her. Slowly, she follows the shoe up, to see a pressed black trouser leg invading her personal space. Attached to the leg, is a wrinkle-free white button up, worn by none other than Draco Malfoy. 

“Nice to see you’re awake, I hadn’t realised they finally made mudbloods find their own shelter. Good to know that old fool still has some good ideas left under that big hat.” 

Not the best way to start the… morning? Looking out the nearest window she decides it can’t be later than 5 A.M. How could she have possibly been here all night? Merlin, it’s only the first week of school! Silently chastising herself for being so reckless; she realises she was just asleep, completely vulnerable, in front of the person who wants her harmed most in the world. 

Once her mind is up to date, she  retorts, “Funny seeing you here so early in the morning, Malfoy. Not to mention you’re alone. I was under the impression his highness needed to be flanked by Messrs Dumb and Dumber at all times.”

With a menacing sneer he bites back at her, “Could say the same for you, though it’s unlikely that even the weasel would willingly come within a metre of you if you paid him all of the galleons in Gringotts. Merlin knows he needs them.”

Sensing her face growing uncomfortably hot, she decides to strike back, “How dare you speak of a family you know nothing about. You can look down your pointy nose at me all you want, Draco Malfoy, but I draw the line at being an arse to my friends. Do us a favour and leave us alone.”

“Hmm..” Draco started, pretending to be in thought, “You’re right, Granger. I do know nothing about having to share one room with all twenty of my siblings, thank you for the reminder.” He then gives her a half-hearted shoo-ing motion and turns away.

She storms about, hurriedly packing her things, and leaves the library with her head held high, hiding the fact that Malfoy knows precisely which buttons to press for her to lose her cool. 

It’s not until she is safely in her dorm until she lets his words wash over her. She would think that after a year of him using that vile word it would lose its meaning on her, but she feels it snowballing in her, every time he uses that word it just grows that icy sensation in her stomach. For now she ignores it, but she would hate to let her anger get the better of her. Careful not to wake her dorm mates, she grabs her toiletries and heads to their bathroom. She knows there is no use in attempting to sleep now. Letting the hot water warm her up, she finally lets the tears fall. Draco Malfoy is vile and is the epitome of everything she stands against. His words should bounce right off of her like the taunts from the other Slytherins, but something about the way his blue eyes turn to an icy grey when he looks at her cracks right through her shields. 

Once she has gotten into fresh robes and tamed her hair just enough to not be distracting, she settles in at a desk in the common room to finish up her essay on the origins of Ancient Runes. After all, she’s only one week ahead in her homework. McGonagall had been very clear when entrusting Hermione with the  time turner that should she fall behind in her studies, she would be forced to return it and drop her extra electives.  But with 12 classes, she finds it difficult to keep up with her normal 2-week ahead pace. Reaching for Ancient Runes for Beginners, she realises with a start that it isn’t in her bag. No! It must have been left in the library this morning. Mentally scolding herself for yet another careless act, she packs up and starts for the library. 

Casting a quick tempus and seeing she only has an hour to finish her last 2 inches of her summary, she picks up her speed.  On the way, she is mentally forming how she will tie in some of her muggle history knowledge with the creation of the runic language. She is so lost in thought she forgets all about the situation from this morning until coming face to face with Malfoy. 

“Come back for round two, Granger? Or did your boyfriends already tire of your abnormally bushy head for the day?”

 Really, can she not have one hour of peace anymore? Between Malfoy’s ever-increasing insults, beginning a 12 course load, and trying to keep Harry safe from a mass murderer; Hermione Granger is spread thin.

“Honestly, Malfoy! I’ll have you know I left my book after some pointy-nosed prat stuck his nose where it doesn’t belong. Have you already forgotten our discussion from earlier?” She snaps, feeling that icy ball in her stomach work its way up.

“There is only one thing that doesn’t belong here, Granger.” he says while looking her up and down. She feels her body go rigid under his scrutiny. “Let’s just hope dear cousin Sirius can finish the job that the basilisk couldn’t”. With that he gives her one final sneer and shoves past her out of the library. 

She can’t move. She is just staring at the place where Malfoy just stood in shock. Yes, he doesn’t particularly like her, nor does he think that she has a place in the wizarding world, but does he honestly want Hermione dead? Were these schoolyard taunts more than what she thought they were? After Harry told her how Lucius Malfoy gave Tom Riddle’s diary to Ginny last year, she knew that the Malfoy family was dangerous. However,  she never thought that her classmate, the son of the man who unleashed that hell, would truly want her dead. All because of her parentage. Now is not the time for her to be thinking of him, Hermione focuses her mind and adds the finishing touches to her essay before needing to rush to class.