A month. That's how fast little Y/N had managed to climb high in the social ranks. In fact, our little Slytherin's popularity had increased so much in that time, he knew almost everything about every first year. Older students? He's still working on that. It wasn't that he had ulterior motives in socializing with his peers, it wasn't his fault he was so easy to get along. Everyone found it easy to trust him and to speak with him and he enjoyed it. In fact, Y/N was in the midst of chattering at this moment.

"Yeah- So like, rumor has it that Professor Dumbledore makes bets on-" Y/N was in the middle of speaking when Professor McGonagall burst through the doors.

Today was the day they'd get their results back from a quiz. Y/N, of course, had no fear. He knew he had done well. So did Draco. Despite his nasty personality and lack of motivation for studying, Draco was actually pretty clever. Not more clever than Y/N of course. 

"I will admit, this quiz was fairly difficult for your first month, however, I see that it didn't stump..." Professor McGonagall locked eyes with Ron before continuing.

"Most of you... In fact, one of you had managed to get full marks."

"It'll definitely be our Y/N." Draco smirked, turning to the boy.

Y/N puffed out his chest, beaming with pride. It was obviously going to be him. He didn't know anyone smarter than himself. That's something he took pride in. Everyone knew that whenever Y/N Malfoy was not with Harry Potter or chatting away with random small groups, he'd have his nose stuck in his books. Draco even joked that he'd need to wear reading glasses sooner than anyone would think.

With a flick of her wand, Professor McGonagall handed out everyone's quiz. Y/N didn't even have to look at his paper, he leaned back on his chair, closing his eyes, waiting for praise. But it didn't come.

"98 out of 100?!" Draco spat out in shock, if his eyes could pop out, they probably would have.

"What?!" Y/N slammed his hands onto his desk.

That was impossible. Who else could it be? Unless...

"Woah! Well done, Hermione! Full marks!" The mention of her name instantly caught Y/N's attention.

Hermione Granger. Her name popped up more often than not. And never in a good way. How could a Muggle-born possible best a pureblood Malfoy? He knew she was more talented than most, but more than him? Absolutely not.

"The filthy Mudblood must've gotten lucky." Draco glared at her from across the room.

In his eyes, Y/N was the smartest boy he knew. At least in their year level. Y/N tried to play it cool, brushing it off like it was nothing. But Draco knew better. Y/N was absolutely bothered by this. There was no way he'd let himself get beaten again.

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"Y/N! It's time for lunch!" Draco yelled for Y/N who sat on his bed, nose in book.

The blonde's bed was littered in books and pieces of parchment, it was hard to tell it was his.

"Go on ahead, Draco. I'm going to the library!" Y/N yelled back before scooping up his books.

He stuffed each and every book into his enchanted messenger bag. The bag was basically a bottomless pit. There was a lot money could buy you. It had only been a week since his second place ranking was announced and boy was he more bothered than he thought. That whole week all Y/N did was study. Everyone had worrying for the boy. Dark circles had started forming under his eyes. There was not a chance he was losing to Hermione Granger again. He was his father's pride. The talk of all parties along with Draco as soon as the two could hold a wand. There was no chance he was failing his family now.

Y/N wobbled his way through the halls, barely able to stay awake. His head ached. Maybe it was the lack of sleep, or food. It hurt. But that didn't stop him. Draco had the attitude his father was so proud of, and Y/N had the brains. He will make them proud.

"Bloody hell." Y/N muttered to himself whilst his vision began to fade.

He shook his head, trying to fight it. A few more steps were taken. His eyes closed. Then back open. He trudged along until. THUMP!

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"You're finally awake." The voice spoke as Y/N slowly began to rise up.

That voice. Y/N knew it belonged to none other than;

"Granger?!" Y/N sprung up instantly from the couch he was once laid on.

"Shhh!" Hermione put a finger to her lips, scolding the blue eyed boy.

"We're at the library, can't you see?"

Y/N looked around. He was exactly at the place he wanted to be, but how did he get there? Hermione seemed to pick up on the question Y/N asked in his head because she answered with;

"I found you on my way to the library. This was the closest I could take you." Hermione started, folding the book in her lap.

"You are pretty heavy, you know?"

Y/N furrowed his eyebrows, scrunching his nose. Carry him? If he was passed out in the hallways, why didn't she call for someone? Again, Hermione seemed to read his mind, she began speaking again.

"I thought you wouldn't want anyone to see you... Like that." Hermione looked away, was she more thoughtful than Y/N had thought?

She was right. Y/N wouldn't have wanted anyone to see him weak like that. That would be embarrassing, fainting after studying too much? His face turned a slight shade of pink.

"Shouldn't you be eating with your friends?" Y/N checked his watch, it was still lunch time.

"I don't have many of those..." Hermione quickly opened her book, shoving her face in it.

Y/N didn't have to say anything more. A Slytherin will never forget those who have helped them. Muggle-born or not. He grabbed a book from a nearby shelf before inching himself closer to the bushy haired girl. Not a word was shared between the two for the whole lunch time. They quietly read their books next to each other. Perhaps Muggle-borns were not as pathetic as his father made them seem. Hermione Granger was definitely good enough to be the rival of Y/N Malfoy.

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"One of a wizard's most rudimentary skills is levitation or the ability to make objects fly." Professor Flitwick, their charms professor, explained to the class.

Every student's eyes were locked onto the professor. Y/N, however, took occasional at the brunette who sat across the room from him. He wasn't sure why, but he didn't make an effort to stop.

"Do you all have your feathers?" Professor Flitwick asked, prompting Hermione to hold it up without missing a beat.

"Good!"

Y/N found himself stifling a laugh at that. The Muggle-born was very amusing to him. Apparently he wasn't the only one that thought so because Draco let out a giggle as well.

"Now! Don't forget the nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" The professor emphasized on the r on 'wrist'.

"The swish and flick. Everyone."

Y/N promptly grabbed his wand, following the movement.

"The swish and flick." All the students repeated.

"Good! Oh, and enunciate. 'Wingardium Leviosa.' Off you go then!" The last instruction was made, leaving the students to practice on getting it right.

Draco wasted no time in trying it first, Y/N watched.

"Wingardium Levio-SUH!"Draco pronounced wrong, causing the spell to fail.

"You're saying it like one of those muggle 'surfers' Granger talked about once." Y/N giggled, resting chin on his palm.

"You actually speak to the Mudblood?!" Draco gasped, placing a hand over his heart.

Being dramatic ran in their blood. For all Draco knew, Y/N just studied in the library more often than before.

"Absolutely not!" Y/N nearly stuttered, his face turning red.

"I just... overheard..."

Draco eyed Y/N before choosing to believe his lie. He changed the subject.

"Well... Go on, it's your turn!" Draco huffed, crossing his arms.

Y/N scoffed. Never underestimate Y/N Malfoy.

"Wingardium Leviosa." He casted it perfectly on his first try, causing the feather to float.

Draco pouted but let it go soon after. Y/N's achievements were basically his, they were twins afterall.

"Well... You've got the brains and I've got the looks." Draco bargained, grinning whilst shooting a playful finger gun at his brother.

"You wish! I've got both!" Y/N smiled, one of his signature cheeky grins emerged on his face.

Draco punched his brother's arm before retrying the spell. Y/N took this time to have a look around the room. More specifically at how his friends were doing. As if the timing was perfect, he happened to look just as Ron swung his wand down repetitively like it were a sword. Y/N laughed while Hermione stopped him.

"Stop! Stop! You're going to take someone's eye out!" Y/N could hear her voice from all the way across the room.

"Besides, you're saying it wrong. It's Leviosa, not Leviosar." Hermione spoke sassily, shaking her head as she spoke.

Ron rolled his eyes before taking a deep breath. 

"You do it then, if you're so clever. Go on! Go on!" Ron prompted Hermione.

The whole interaction reminded him of the one he just had with his own brother, only, not so friendly. Hermione rolled her own eyes, smugly getting into position.

"Wingardium Leviosa." She cast the spell, having it work first try just as Y/N did.

"Oh well done!" Professor Flitwick, having watching the whole interaction, praised.

"See here, everyone! Miss Granger's done it! Splendid!"

The ginger made a sour face before plopping his head on top of his books.

"Wingard- Leviosa!" A Gryffindor casted, causing a big explosion next to Harry.

Y/N recognized him as Seamus. One of Harry's friends. Both he and Draco laughed amongst a few other students when the smoke dimmed out. His hair stood up all fuzzy and his face was covered in soot. 

"I think we're going to need another feather over here, Professor." Harry spoke quietly, his body frozen in shock.

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Y/N walked outside of class with Harry and his friends. Though at first skeptical, Y/N managed to earn Seamus and Dean's trust. At least. On the outside it seemed like it. They were just kids after all and Y/N hadn't done anything bad asides from being in the family he was born into. Being a social butterfly had it's many perks.

"It's Leviosa, not Leviosar." Ron mocked, gathering the laughter from Harry, Seamus and Dean.

Y/N, however, did not. He didn't understand. Ron was clearly doing it wrong and Hermione was helping him.

"She's a nightmare, honestly! No wonder she hasn't got any friends! Even Malfoy thinks so!" The red-head turned to Y/N, clearly thinking he'd agree in a heartbeat.

"What?" Y/N's face just screamed shock.

"How could I possibly agree with that?!"

Ron raised an eyebrow, he didn't expect that answer. At the time, even Y/N didn't know why he reacted like that. The Malfoys were known to be strongly against Muggle-borns, rival or not, that didn't mean Y/N would defend her.

"I-I mean-" Y/N stuttered upon realizing his own tone.

"Draco's waiting for me."

Before waiting for a response, Y/N's feet were already moving, speed-walking away. He couldn't believe himself. If his father had heard about that, he would have been given a long talking about the 'Malfoy Morals' as Y/N and Draco called it.

Y/N made his way to the great hall where Draco fortunately was already. Draco never asks where Y/N has been. He didn't need to.

Not long after the feast began, the gigantic doors flung open. Y/N was cut off mid sentence to Draco.

"Troll! In the dungeon! Troll in the dungeon!" Professor Quirrell, a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, ran straight through the hall, squealing.

Everyone went silent, immediately looking to Professor Dumbledore who stood up.

"Thought you ought to know." The professor dressed in purple muttered before passing out right then and there.

Panic suddenly settled into all the students, everyone started screaming, dropping food and getting up. Scrambling to their feet.

"Silence!" Dumbledore yelled, making the students stop in their tracks.

"Everyone will please not panic! Now... prefects will lead their house back to the dormitories. Teachers will follow me to the dungeons."

Y/N had other plans. He wasn't sure when he noticed it. It was always subconscious whenever he'd notice if she wasn't in the room or not. Hermione Granger was not there. He made a beeline to the only people who could know.

"Y/N!" Draco tried to stop him, but was ushered out by the Slytherin prefect.

"Harry! Weasley!" Y/N panted, finally catching up to the two.

"Where's Granger?!"

The blue-eyed boy did not have time to question his own concern for the girl. Harry could see the panic in his face.

"She doesn't know!" Harry wasted no time, grabbing Y/N by the sleeve and leading him with Ron following behind.

The trio ran through the empty halls until they heard loud stomps. Thunder roared as lightning struck around. The light from it illuminated a shadow. A shadow that belonged to something they had forgotten about.

"I think the troll's left the dungeon..." Ron gulped before Harry pulled him and Y/N behind a pillar.

Y/N's eyes widened when the troll stomped it's way through the hall, dragging it's giant club along behind it.

"It's going into the girl's bathroom!" Harry pointed out.

Y/N assumed this was where Hermione was. He almost immediately sprinted towards it, chasing after the troll. Ron and Harry were close behind. Hermione's screams echoed through the empty halls just as the boys burst through the door.

"Granger! Watch out!" Y/N yelled while Harry threw pieces of the rubble at the troll.

"Hey! Pea brain!" Ron threw a piece of wood right at the troll's face.

This bought time for Hermione to start crawling away. However, it was not enough. The troll quickly directed it's attention back onto Hermione, bring up it's large club up to then bring it down onto the sink Hermione was under. She screamed. The troll missed.

"Help!" Hermione looked at the three boys who's minds raced around.

What were they to do?! Y/N was the first to act, grabbing his wand and flicking it right at the troll. He couldn't even mutter an incantation. It was in panic. He did it over and over until a small blue fame emerged out from it, hitting the troll's hand. They had no time to question what it was. The troll had dropped the club. It was Harry's turn. The raven-haired boy raced towards the club, grabbing onto it just as the troll picked it back up. He quickly mounted it's shoulder before stuffing his wand up it's nose. The troll was angered and began shaking around to try and get Harry off until finally grabbing him by the leg and waving him around.

"Do something!!!" Harry screamed, were they about to die today?

"Y/N do the fire thing again!" Ron squealed, turning his head towards him.

"I don't know how!" Y/N panicked, waving his wand around to try and get the same reaction.

It was to no avail. The troll swung it's club at Harry again, making him scream. The troll missed.

"Swish and flick!" Hermione instructed the boys.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Ron casted as soon as she said the words, aiming at the troll's club.

The club hovered above the troll slowly before the spell ran out causing the club to fall right on the troll's head, knocking it out. Whilst Ron was too busy admiring his own work, Y/N ran straight ahead to catch Harry.

"I've got you!" Y/N dove, sliding across the floor making it just in time for-

"Ouch!" Harry landed on his back.

"Sorry!" Harry winced, helping Y/N up.

Hermione warily got out from under the sink. The three boys came closer. They inspected the troll. It was out cold.

"Is it... dead?" Hermione asked, standing next to Y/N.

"I don't think so... Just knocked out." Harry confirmed, looking Hermione straight in the eyes. 

Y/N dusted his robes and hair. This was probably the worst he's ever looked, all dusty. Harry bent down, pulling his wand out of the troll's nose. It left a snot trail, making them all groan in disgust.

"Rancid!" Y/N grimaced, taking a step away.

"Troll bogies." Ron also took a step back from Harry, watching as he wiped the snot on his robes.

A multitude of footsteps echoed throughout the hall. Through the doors came three professors. McGonagall, Snape and Quirrell. Professor McGonagall gasped, holding a hand over her heart upon seeing the troll on the ground.

"Oh my goodness! Explain yourselves, all of you!" She exclaimed.

"I-" Y/N began to speak.

"It's my fault, Professor McGonagall." Hermione cut him off, speaking with no hesitation.

All three boys exchanged the same confused look. Was she defending them?

"Wha- Miss Granger?" Even Professor McGonagall seemed to be surprised.

"I went looking for the troll. I'd read about them and thought I could handle it." Hermione lied so perfectly, if Y/N didn't know, even he'd believe her.

"But I was wrong. If Y/N, Harry and Ron hadn't come and found me, I'd probably be dead."

Y/N furrowed his eyebrows. She covered for all three of them. Harry, who disliked her due to her knowing about him, Ron who basically bullied her, and Y/N, a Malfoy who also disliked her. She defended them.

"Be that as it may..." Professor McGonagall took a deep breath, it was clear her words came from concern.

"It was an extremely foolish thing to do. I would've expected more rational behavior on your part and am very disappointed in you, Miss Granger."

Hermione's gaze dropped to the ground. She didn't like disappointing people. She and Y/N were more alike than the two realize.

"Five points will be taken from Gryffindor... For your serious lack of judgement." Professor McGonagall clicked her tongue before looking at the three boys.

"As for you three gentlemen... I just hope you realize how fortunate you are. Not many first-year students could take on a full grown mountain troll and live to tell the tale! Five points!" It was their turn to be scolded.

Y/N looked down. Was this news going to make it's way to his father?

"...Will be awarded to each of you... For sheer dumb luck!" 

His frown had instantly turned upside-down upon hearing that. However, Y/N did believe that what they had done was not luck. Actually, he thought they were kind of skillful in that success.

Professor McGonagall tapped the other two professors on the shoulders before turning and leaving. Snape followed behind.

"Perhaps you ought to go. It might wake up." Professor Quirrell instructed the students with a nervous laugh.

He stayed behind to deal with the troll. Y/N wondered why it was him who stayed behind. He seemed to be very... weak? On the outside, at least.

"He's very odd, isn't he?" Y/N questioned the other three as they made their way down the hallway.

"Quirrell?" Ron asked, turning to which Y/N nodded.

"Thanks, by the way, Granger." Y/N turned his attention to the bushy-haired girl.

It was her second time saving him from shame.

"Yeah, good of you to get us out of trouble like that." Harry added with a smile, his opinion of her was starting to change.

"Mind you, we did save her life!" Ron spat out, he clearly was not as easy going as Harry.

"Mind you, she might not have needed saving if you hadn't insulted her." Harry snapped back.

Y/N put two and two together. If Hermione heard Ron's insult, does that mean she heard him defending her? Hopefully not...

"What are friends for?" Ron accepted defeat before finally smiling at Hermione.

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(A/N: Old version of this chapter only had 1985 words, this rewrite has 3169 despite having the same content! By the way, I've had a poll out for which ending we would have on discord, I've decided to ask here too. No spoilers, only ending title, comment which one you'd like. Birds of a Feather, Parting Ways, Lone Wolf and Seasons.)