Draco Malfoy was not having a good day.

It was bad enough that Crabbe was in the hospital wing with Quidditch injuries, leaving him with only one minion, but now this?

He had laughed it off with his fellow Slytherins when Professor McGonagall had asked to speak with him after class, but then she had looked at him severely over the rim of her glasses and told him he was failing Transfiguration, and suddenly nothing seemed funny anymore.

Now there he sat, staring at the biscuit tin on her desk, awaiting his verdict, when there was a knock at the door of Professor McGonagall's office.

Professor McGonagall sighed. "Very well, I suppose I ought to take that one, Mr. Malfoy, seeing as I don't know how much longer you and I will have to be here."

Draco scowled. Professor McGonagall frowned at him.

"Scowling is not gentlemanly behavior, Mr. Malfoy. Please change that before I take ten points from Slytherin for sheer rudeness."

She raised her voice a bit. "You may come in."

The door was pushed open and in walked Hermione Granger, the most dreadful witch in the entire third year.

No. Draco did not have a crush on her, thanks.

"Ah. . . Miss Granger." Professor McGonagall inclined her head slightly. "How may I be of assistance, today?"

Hermione played with her gorgeously frizzy hair, a blush spreading across her face. "Uh . . . it's all right, Professor, I can just-"

McGonagall frowned slightly. "I wonder. . . Miss Granger?"

"Yes, Professor?"

"Well, this would be quite . . . unorthodox . . . but. . . I wonder, Miss Granger, would you consider tutoring Mr. Malfoy? He's fallen quite behind in Transfiguration, you see."

Draco couldn't believe his ears. Was his luck turning around?

Not that he'd want to be tutored by a filthy Mudblood, obviously.

Hermione frowned. She looked so beautiful like that. Er - that is - Mudbloody. "Well, Professor, it's just that I have a lot of work and -"

"Right, of course." Professor McGonagall nodded, and Draco sighed internally. No! He was so close! Then McGonagall raised her eyebrows. "What about . . . the way you've been managing the rest of your classes? Can you continue in that way and tutor Mr. Malfoy?"

Draco was fairly certain he heard angels sing, although that might have just been a Sneakoscope going off somewhere in the background. Hermione paused. "Well. . . I suppose I could."

"Wonderful." Professor McGonagall stood up behind her desk. "That's settled, then. Miss Granger, you are to tutor Mr. Malfoy. . . I would say twice weekly should work. Miss Granger, please inform Mr. Malfoy of where and when to meet you. I would recommend the library. Now, please leave my office."

With that, Draco Malfoy's terrible day turned into the best day of his life.

Who knew failing Transfiguration could be so rewarding?