Hermiones POV
I looked up at the school. A new year at Hogwarts. Another year with the boy of my dreams. "Hermione!" Ron yelled. "Come quick! Hagrid wants us to welcome the first years." I woke up from the little dream in my head and trudged away. Ron always stole me from him. In my thoughts. In person. It was annoying. That little pile of filth had no manners and couldn't see when a girl didn't want to be bothered. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Draco and his henchmen, as liked to call them, bickering at each other. "You stupid boy! Why would you even say that. Accusing me of liking Granger. How disgusting!" I felt my heart flutter and sink. I supposed his feeling were simply not like my. Filled with sorrow, I trudged through the grass to Hagrid's hut to go over what he wanted.
Draco's POV
That filthy mudblood looked at me with disgust on her face. How could I even stand her? Never less love her. I had gone mad with trying to convince myself to hate her. Besides, that Weasley boy loved her, she probably loved him too. Just a sickening thought to me of course. I looked away from the idiots I called my friends to see Hermione walking through the yard with surprisingly terrible posture for her. Normally that straight backed prick had perfect posture, but instead she was slumped over as if she was sad to be back at this dump of a school. I guess it makes sense, I would hate this school if I didn't have her to look forward to seeing every year. I walked off into the school to watch the first years get sorted. I heard Weasley yell something about Hagrid wanting the trios help. Maybe I would see her up front where it was safe to watch, rather than staring behind my shoulder. People were getting suspicious, and I didn't know if she felt the same. I couldn't show any weakness towards her. If my father knew, he would tell all the other death eaters and the dark lord himself. I would be hated. Dating one of Potters best friends would be frowned upon. Thankfully, there would be some stupid dance that I could ask her in this year. If she said no, I could blame it on a stupid dare. With a feeling of hope, I walked to the sorting hall.
Hermione's POV
I walked to the sorting hall from Hagrid's without saying anything. I couldn't say what I was thinking, which I would if I opened my mouth. Draco was on my mind. He refused to leave too. Why did I love that boy? His father was a loyal death eater. I couldn't date my best friends enemies. That would only end in disaster. Besides, Draco had made it clear he would never care for me. He hated me, I could see why. I wasn't pretty, I wasn't funny, I was probably just an extremely annoying know-it-all to him. I pulled my mind away from Draco. I couldn't face him right now, even in my thoughts. Hagrid wanted us to help the first years know where they were going. What a stupid job. All I wanted to do was figure out what was going on with Draco and me. We weren't even together, but I still loved him, and that needed to stop. The sorting hall was packed, and I felt fear churn in my stomach. If I hesitated or lost my focus, Draco would see and it would be so embarrassing. I flipped the mental switch in my mind, and pulled in my focus. The children were all dressed in their robes, no coloured ties or scarves. They looked like crows. It made me happy, to see that there was no difference between us, rather than our houses. The houses separated us, and it made people think there was a difference between us, like we weren't compatible. For the next hour or so, I pointed the sorted first years to their houses. Draco came into my mind a couple times, but I pushed him out as quickly as he came.
