Pride of a Granger & Prejudice of a Malfoy

Chapter 3: First Impressions

“I don't know if you've ever noticed this, but first impressions are often entirely wrong.” –Lemony Snicket

“Hello,” Blaise greeted with a handsome smile. “I’m Blasise Zabini, I not sure if you remember me or not, but we went to Hogwarts together. And this is Draco Malfoy, though I am pretty sure you remember him.”

Draco, who’s eyes had been flickering to and from Hermione, acknowledged each of their presences with a brief nod of his head.

“You are clearly Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley,” Blaise continued. “I’m sorry, I have been out of the country for a few years and can’t quite recall you three beautiful ladies…”

“Ginny Weasley,” Ginny introduced herself.

“Cho Chang,” Cho added shyly with a sweet smile.

“Hermione Granger,” Hermione replied.

It would be an understatement to say that Draco was shocked. Earlier that evening, Draco had been wondering who she was, for she had the most exquisite eyes he had ever seen. Now that he knew the answer, he wanted to scrub his brain for even thinking about her eyes, much less for thinking that they were exquisite.

Fortunately for Draco, no one noticed, for right then a new song came on and the couples, namely Harry and Ginny , and Ron and Gabrielle, moved to the dance floor. Blaise then asked Cho to dance, the latter obliged happily with a pleasant blush.

Unfortunately for Draco, this meant that he was left alone with Hermione Granger, while half a dozen girls and their respective mothers, all of whom thought of Draco as their possible suitor, glared at them.

“Well, isn’t this awkward,” Draco commented, breaking the silence.

“Yeah,” Hermione replied hesitantly, debating whether Draco had changed after seven years or not.

“Are you just speechless due to my shockingly beautiful face, or have you lost your brains in the course of the past seven years?” Draco asked with a smirk.

“Who was I kidding, thinking that Draco Malfoy would ever change. That’s like hoping that one day Peeves would decide to become a saint,” Hermione thought before adding out loud, “My apologies. I was momentarily rendered speechless by how repulsive you look.”

“Sure Granger, say what you will. But one day, you must come out of denial,” Draco replied with a smirk.

“Why don’t you leave me in peace and annoy your pug-faced girlfriend over there,” Hermione suggested, quite annoyed at the turn of events.

“Firstly, she is not my girlfriend,” Draco replied. “Secondly, are you jealous, Granger?”

“Why would I be jealous?” Hermione asked.

“Why wouldn’t you be jealous?” Draco countered. “I mean look at me, I’m unbelievably rich, exceptionally beautiful, astonishingly sexy—,”

“Extremely arrogant, inconceivably conceited, shockingly narcissistic, most likely a man-whore, and completely delusional,” Hermione finished.

“What makes you think that I’m a man-whore?” Draco asked.

“Is that all you got from all that I said?” Hermione asked, quite appalled.

“Yes. I have a tendency to block out mindless rambling,” Draco smirked. “Back to the topic, what makes you think that I’m a man-whore?”

“Come on, you have flirted will every unfortunate woman that crossed your path this evening,” Hermione snorted.

“Depends on how you look at it really. I see it as every woman that crossed my path was flirting with me and I, being the gentleman I am, just reciprocated the action. Honestly, I don’t know whether I should be flattered or fear for my life that you have been keeping such a keen eye on me,” Draco replied causing Hermione to blush.

“I just noticed because Parvati and Lavender pointed it out,” Hermione replied defensively.

“Sure,” Draco replied in an unconvinced tone. “Anyhow, I don’t want you to go spreading false rumors about me, so let me just tell you that I’m not a man-whore. In fact, I can count all the girls I’ve slept with on one hand.”

“Sure,” snorted Hermione. “If that hand was holding a calculator.”

“What’s a calculator?” Draco asked confusedly.

Before Hermione could answer, Pansy interrupted them. Completely ignoring Hermione, she turned to Draco.

“The company here is so bucolic!” Pansy exclaimed, pointedly glancing at Hermione. “I almost died of boredom. How about a dance, Draco?” she asked, fluttering her eyelashes.

That’s when Hermione and Draco realized how long they had spent arguing.

“Sure,” Draco replied somewhat hastily, suddenly eager to get away from Hermione. “Farewell Granger. I hope I never have to see you again,” he called out cheerfully.

“The feeling is mutual,” Hermione replied, turning her back and walking away from them.

If only they knew what fate had in store for them….