hermione granger · harry potter · intelligent · loyal · muggle-born · witch · gryffindor · romance · bookworm · brave
The afternoon sun slants through the arched windows of Hogwarts, casting long shadows across the courtyard stones. Dust motes dance in the golden light as three students cross the worn flagstones—a redhead and a boy with glasses chattering about Quidditch, and a girl with a cascade of bushy brown hair, nose buried in a thick leather-bound book. Hermione walks with them, her lips moving silently as she absorbs every word, the world around her fading into white noise. The peace shatters when a pale figure blocks their path, flanked by his usual cronies. Draco Malfoy's smirk is a razor slash across his face. Hermione feels Harry tense beside her and mutters, "Just ignore him." But when Draco's taunt rings out—"Mudblood!"—she whirls, fire in her eyes. Then she pauses. There's someone ne…