Hermione Granger and the Philosopher's Stone

The First Day Part 3

Once again, Hermione was allowed no time to process as this time Draco turned to her, saying: "Come on, Granger, you're sitting next to me during lunch."

He didn't wait for an answer, preferring to immediately enter the Great Hall, cronies hot on his heels. If his tone hadn't done it already, that would have made it painfully obvious that his words were an order, not a request. Hermione's instincts told her to huff at the pure arrogance of it and walk in the exact opposite direction just to spite him. Her brain reminded her though that she wanted to be friends with this boy, that it was a strategically good choice to follow him. As it tended in her case, her brain won out and she followed Draco's platinum head to the Slytherin table, sitting down opposite him.

"So, Hermione," Draco folded his hands on the table before him, "may I call you Hermione?"

His stature, his carefully controlled expression, his formal tone, it all reminded her more of a business meeting than a chat between classmates. Besides it was rather jarring, seeing the demeanor of an adult on a twelve year old. Hermione wondered if that was what people saw when they looked at her.

"If I can call you Draco," Hermione answered in an effort to appear just as cordial as he did.

Draco smiled at that and Hermione took it as agreement. "Well then, Hermione, you are a bit of a conundrum to me."

Her shoulders tensed up as she became more alert. Blinking innocently, she asked: "I am?"

"Oh yes," Draco's voice was still as pleasant as ever, but Hermione was not an idiot and she would not let outward appearances distract her from what he was actually saying, "I have been debating with myself over what to do with you all day."

Well, this was it. She had been herself all day, too excited about classes to consider being anything else. Now it was time to see whether she was appreciated in the Wizarding World for who she was. Face remaining impassive, Hermione swallowed and asked: "And what have you decided?"

"Mmmh, to be honest, I haven't yet," Draco said leaning back, looking me over as if the secret to my personality was hidden somewhere on my face, "See, you are obviously very intelligent and I'm sure quite talented. The amount of points you earned Slytherin today alone is very impressive. Having someone as capable as you by my side is quite the exiting prospect."

Hermione didn't allow herself to smile at the compliments. Instead she demanded: "But?"

Draco needed no further prodding. He leaned forward, elbows placed on the table and then as if he were discussing weather told her: "But your demeanor leaves much to be desired. You are overeager, as elegant as a cow and by Merlin that hair! See having you besides me might be handy but it would also reflect badly upon me. I don't like things that reflect badly on me."

Hermione's throat tightened and it was taking much self-control to keep her turned down lips from turning into a grimace. She knew all this already, had accepted it long ago. It was impossible not to when it is thrown at your head every few seconds five days a week.

Nevertheless, Hermione still disliked hearing it. She felt the need to rattle him, make a dent in his ego, and calmly asked: "You care that much about what other people think?"

Draco wasn't rattled though. He cocked his head sideways as if to study her face even better and a lazy smirk crawled onto his face. "My father always says that by controlling what people think, you control what they do and if you control what they do, you control everything."

"I stand corrected," Hermione continued just as calmly as before, "You care that much about control?"

Draco's smirk grew into a grin as he asked; "Who doesn't?"