Prologue
Harry, Hermione and Ron have all just entered their fourth year of Hogwarts, after the last year's problems no one was sure what to expect of this year, but everyone knew it wouldn't be normal.
Along with the trio enters Draco and his larger group of friends and all of the now fourth years. Draco has always been what Hermione calls a 'cocky insolent serpent' but despite that there had been some unrelieved tension with the group of the trio and Draco.
Hermione Granger is fourteen and a half; she is always top of her class. She is kind but very fierce, and she loves her friends. Hermione is hard on herself and humble. She always tries to be the best she can be without breaks.
Draco Malfoy is fourteen; he is second in all the classes he shares with Granger. He is cocky and teasing, but he is caring for the people who matter most to him. Draco is always pushing himself to get his parents proud of him, he tries to be humble, but he is too confident. He tries his best in everything he does but his parents burn him out.
During their third year of Hogwarts, Draco was always nerving Harry, especially after the dementor attack on the train. Draco messed with Ron about his bring in his brother's shadows and how poor his family was, but despite his rivalry with the two, his biggest tension was with Hermione Granger. Hermione was always top of every class, putting Draco second, every single time.
Given their not-so-great history and past tension also built that tension up. Draco had always been horridly cruel to Hermione, and it wasn't exactly a great look. Draco and Hermione's problems were the biggest in the school. Without effort, Draco and Hermione would soon find out that their rivalry would soon be a ribbon on the floor.
