From The Beginning (Dramione)

Perseverance

The food magically disappeared from the platters when breakfast came to an end in the morning. Professor McGonagall made her way around the Great Hall, handing out schedules to the students. They wouldn't have the opportunity to choose their courses until Third Year, but that was alright with Hermione. She never would have been able to narrow down her options.

She waited eagerly for her schedule. When finally McGonagall handed her the schedule, her eyes quickly scanned over it. Her first class of the day was Potions.

Immediately after receiving her schedule, Hermione raced out of the Great Hall and down to the the dungeons where Potions would be taught. Upon her arrival, Hermione noticed that any of the students who weren't clad in red and gold instead wore green and silver. This class was taken with the Slytherin students.

Draco leaned casually against the wall outside of the Potions classroom. When he arrived, every other student in the area was dressed similarly to him. But when a Gryffindor arrived, Draco silently rejoiced. That meant that Hermione would be here. Draco's plan fell into place inside his mind. All he had to do now was wait. And he didn't have to do that for long.

Hermione tried her hardest not to notice Draco. She trained her eyes carefully away, but it seemed that no matter which direction she looked in, she could see him out of the corner of her eye, and not once did she see him look back at her.

Stupid Draco Malfoy, she thought in frustration. Just standing there looking so effortlessly attractive... No! He's nothing but a prat who thinks he's better than everybody. Now stop looking at him!

Luckily, right at that moment, Professor Snape, a man whose greasy black hair fell in curtains on the sides of his face. "Silence!" he demanded, and the children obeyed. It was not for the same reason they obeyed McGonagall. Snape was not stern, he was threatening. Some children were nearly cowering in fear.

The professor lead the students into the classroom, and many seemed reluctant to follow.

The room was filled with desks made for two people. Harry and Ron sat at a desk together almost automatically. Hermione took the desk across the aisle from them and waited for somebody to take the seat next to her.

Draco stood in the back of the room and waited for the rest of the class to pick a seat. He knew he couldn't let it look like he was sitting next to her willingly. He had to make it look like he didn't have a choice. As he had predicted, none of the Slytherins took the seat to her. Just as he had hoped, every other seat in the room filled. Finally, he sat down.

Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione saw movement as someone finally took the seat next to her. She glanced over to see who it was and almost did a double take when she saw the white blond hair. "Malfoy?"

Draco looked over as if he'd just noticed her. "Hello, Hermione," he said politely, but quietly.

"What are you doing here?"

"Taking Potions, as that's the class I was assigned."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Why are you sitting next to me?"

Draco shrugged. "Why not?"

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "I thought you were too good to talk to me," she said, her anger bubbling up again even though she had fawned over him moments ago. So many things Hermione knew, yet she couldn't seem to decide how she felt about this boy.

Draco sighed. He should have known it wouldn't be that easy. "Look," he whispered. "I'm really sorry about that. It's just that-"

"I don't need your excuses," Hermione cut him off. "You made your point very clear. I'm simply not good enough for you."

"It's not that-"

"What is it then?" In her anger, Hermione's voice raised slightly, and Snape heard her.

"Silence!" He shouted. Hermione and Draco both froze.

Snape approached the desk they shared. "You," he said to Hermione, his face inches away from hers. She leaned back uncomfortably. "What's your name?"

"H-Hermione, sir," she whispered. "Hermione Granger."

"Granger," he snarled. "Tell me, Miss Granger, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

"A sleeping potion," Hermione told him. "A sleeping potion so strong it is known as the Draught of Living Death," she recited what she had read.

Snape was taken aback. He clearly had not expected her to know the answer. He pressed on. "Where would you look if I asked you to find a bezoar?"

"Bezoars are found in the stomach of the goat, sir," Hermione said, more confidently this time.

Searching for something that she would not know the answer to, Snape asked. "What is the difference between Monkshood and Wolfsbane?"

"Nothing. They are the same plant, which is also known as Aconite."

Snape raised his eyebrows. "Looks like you've read your books. Very admirable."

"Thank you, sir."

But Snape did not stop there. "However, it does not give you the right to talk while I am teaching. Five points from Gryffindor."

Hermione's face turned red. She muttered a meek apology, but Snape completely ignored it and strode back to the front of the classroom.

Hermione spent the rest of the lesson sitting miserably listening to Snape's lesson. When the bell rang, signaling the end of class, she nearly chased Draco out of the room.

"You ignorant little git!" she shouted.

"What have I done?" Draco asked defensively.

"You distracted me!" Draco rolled his eyes at this, but Hermione didn't stop. "I had every intention of listening to that lesson, but I couldn't because you wouldn't leave me alone with your fake apologies and petty excuses!"

She spoke so quickly, Draco was taken aback, but he shouted back at her all the same. "My apology was not fake, and you didn't even listen to my reasons!"

"I told you before, I don't want to hear them!" Her angry voice echoed through the hallway. "You've made it very clear that I'm not worth your time, and therefor you are not worth mine. Yet somehow you still feel the need to cost my house points for no good reason? I will not tolerate this! I will not talk to you! Isn't that what you wanted? Now go!"

Her voice was so stern, he obeyed. They were headed in opposite directions anyway, and all her lecture had done was make him late. Draco told himself these things all the way to his next class, trying to make himself mad at her. This was unsuccessful, as was his attempt to make himself believe that it was over now. He wasn't giving up on this girl. He was sure that if he could make her listen, she would understand. She had to feel the same way he did. There was no way something this strong could only be felt by one person.