First encounter-1
It has been two months since Draco has started his first year, again. He can confidentiality say that whoever said that a child's life is easy is an absolute twat. Since he did not believe so, what he thought would be an easy school life is freaking hell.
Not only he has to play a role of 11 year old, listening to the rants of professors who lecture him for his disinterest in class. Who can blame him? Try to make a college graduate sit in 1st standard and then make him try to focus on classes, he dare say. Coupled with the constant gazes of Dumbeldore and Quirell are rather nerve-racking. Especially Dumbeldore, he look at him as if he can peer into his soul with his gaze alone. Again a reminder of how much ignorant he was with this man. People say 'ignorance is bliss'. No one can relate with this sentence more than him. He can blissfully be unaware of the situation and can enjoy his school life. But then nothing will change. Even if that's for the future, how can he forget that there is a homicidal dark wizard latched into his teacher's backhead.
Today Draco is very excited, he finally got a permission slip for the restricted section of the library, from MCGonagall no less. Seeing his progress in the last months she is impressed. He has talent in the subject coupled with his diligence makes it more appealing to the Gryffindor head. Talented students with lazy attitude is only a waste of potential. He could easily get the slip from Professor Snape with his past relationship but he didn't do it. First he don't want Dumbeldore to get suspicious of his intentions. The teachers praise create a perfect model student persona of a student who thirst for knowledge. With everyone's persuasion even Dumbeldore has to concede. Secondly these backdoor tactics only work for a short while. Soon everyone will point fingers at him and Professor Snape. No one can say that if the head of the rival house gave him the slip. Thirdly earning something himself without his family name is gratifying.
"Is this such a big thing?" Pansy asked, not understanding his happiness while eating her sausage.
"It's not like you have win a house cup or a freaking firebolt" Theo said disapprovingly. He took a sip of coffee afterwards to look more adult like.
'Men his friends can be so childish sometimes'. Well they are children technically.
Draco scoffed. It is never too late to arm your asernal with multiple spells.
"You all don't understand. Books impart knowledge and knowledge is Power"
"I think you should take your plate over there." Blaise pointed to Ravenclaw's table.
....
After the last Herbology class, Draco rushed to the library gleefully.
"I really don't know if there is a problem with the sorting." A group of Ravenclaw students are whispering. "If he is in our house, then the house cup this year, it should be ours." Obviously this news has spread to several houses.
"What's so good about being a bookworm, don't you just get better grades?" Ron sitting in Gryffindor's lounge was a little bit upset.
"I think we should think about how to apologize to Hermione. This is the most important thing at hand." Harry changed the subject.
"Apology? Wingardium Levio-o-osa!" Ron mimick Hermione and shouted suddenly: "Did you see her like that? We seem to be a mentally handicapped in her eyes."
"Ron, enough, you know she doesn't mean that."
Harry interrupted Ron. "I think you must have seen her crying just now."
"So what?" Ron's face was uneasy. Obviously, it is not a proud thing to make a girl cry in any situation.
"Let's go and apologize to her at the Halloween party. I know you are just talking hard," Harry said.
"Fine" Ron grumpily agreed. Obviously he is unwilling to apologize to that know-it-all.
....
Draco is walking through the bookshelf at this time.
The history of Hogwarts is so long that wood bookshelves have begun to decay in some places giving the smell of rotten wood, and some books have been unkempt for too long and have been covered with dust.
He is looking for some of the rituals he wanted. He glanced quickly at the row of books. His feet followed his gaze constantly.
He stopped and stood in front of one of the oldest bookshelves.
"This is?" Pulling out a book, the cover of the book is a little fuzzy with a thick layer of gray on it, making it difficult to see the title.
"Scourgify!"
This book looks better, but the blurred words due to the erosion of time are still not clear.
"Let's browse later after this one." he thought.
"By the way, everyone go back early to dinner. It seems to be an important day." He doesn't usually care about these activities, but today everyone seems to be a little excited. He has forgotten the 'Halloween day'- the day when it all started.
Both the teacher and the students were discussing heatedly. Pansy seemed to hint him a few times in the morning. Did she say something like candy pumpkin?
"Halloween!" he seemed to remember something suddenly.
"Is it the time already, the start of the fairy tale of 'The Adventures of the Boy-who-lived', written by Albus Dumbeldore and co-authored by Severus Snape" He suddenly felt a headache while walking towards the dining hall.
Suddenly he bump into someone.
"I'm sorry." A familiar female voice rang in his ears.
"Isn't this the key player of today?" Malfoy looked back, and his unkempt curly hair came into his eyes. Who else would be Hermione? Her eyes were a little red, obviously she just cried just now.
"Isn't this Gryffindor know-it-all? It seems that you are in a bad mood today. What happened?" he asked knowingly with a little humor in his voice.
Some people tended to hold up in front of familiar people but break down in front of unfamiliar people. It seems to be confirmed today.
A thin mist suddenly appeared in Hermione's eyes. She chokingly said: "They all said that I like to please the teacher. Ronald also said in the charms class that I am like a nightmare. I am just trying to help him by reminding him of his spell. It's not right. Why did they say such nasty things to me?" Hermione seemed to burst out suddenly.
"And what kind of mud kind that the people in your house have been calling me, this nickname is annoying!" She seems to be unaware of that slur.
"Do you also see me as a joke now? The only thing I am proud of in front of you is gone!"
Draco is dumbfounded at her outburst as he is just a bystander here. But Hermione's fragile appearance compels him to console her.
"Cough." he coughed trying to grab her attention
"Listen, I am sorry for what happened to you. As Slytherin's best first year, I think I can apologize to you for those students who misbehave in our college. Believe me when I say this that it is not because of your behavior but them envying you. They are jealous of your talents and learning capabilities such that you are ahead of them in such a short time despite being a muggle including Weasely. Don't let them get on you and I am saying this from experience." He speak softly raising his brows as if to show off. Her mood lifted a bit from his words.
"Come on cheer up. No need to sour your mood for those jackass(Weasely). How about we go to Honeydukes, my treat? Today is Halloween." 'This is what seems to have a younger sister' he thought.
Hermione froze for a while. Apparently she said those words in the heat of the moment just to vent her emotions. Contrary to her expectations he didn't lash out at her but instead apologize to her on behalf of his house. She suddenly felt shameful and confused at his response.
"Aren't you angry?" Hermione's voice suddenly sound timid.
"I think since a Gryffindor has the courage to apologize to a Slytherin, then I can't be too stingy. Isn't it?" he obviously mentioned the last stunt.
She is silent for a while, and suddenly whispered, "Hogsmead can only be visited on Saturday for third years and above."
"There are only places in this world that I would choose not go to, but no places I cannot go." Seeing her still hesitant, he spoke-
"The courage of Gryffindor should also include breaking the rules."
"Or is it only for show, huh?" He said the last sentence in a teasing tone.
'It should be alright after all she has not break any role if no one knows, right?' After some self convincing, it seemed like Hermione has made up her mind, she stomped her legs and followed the Malfoy heir.
'Gryffindor students are born to take risks, right?'