Harry poured in some of the fairy dust into his cauldron and sneezed when the potion coughed it back out into his face.
"Bless you," said Hermione from across the table. Harry looked up at her and let out a little laugh. She flashed him an encouraging smile and then went back to work. He watched her for several minutes, as she worked silently, tossing ingredients into her cauldron. Harry was amazed at her ability to work like there was nothing else going on in the world. He always had been. He couldn't understand how she hadn't been picked as a prefect. She was the most intelligent witch at Hogwarts and even though she wasn't as bad as she used to be, she was still a firm believer in following the rules. She's really beautiful too, thought Harry, now positively gazing at her.
"If you could occasionally look up from Miss Granger's chest, Mr. Potter, you might be able to finish your potion today," came a cold voice. Harry snapped out of his trance at once. Snape was standing right in front of his desk and his lips were curled in an amused scowl as Harry looked at him in horror. The room was silent; everyone had stopped what they were doing to watch. Seamus let out a great "Whoo hoo hoo!" and Lavender elbowed him hard in the ribs. Harry could feel the heat creeping up his neck and the burning on his cheeks. He tore his shocked face from Snape and saw that Hermione was looking at him with raised eyebrows. Ron was staring into space, and acting as if he had not heard a word.
"No, I wasn't---," Harry stammered.
"I know perfectly well what you were doing Potter!" Snape growled, "Ten points from Gryffindor!"
Harry let his mouth gape open and closed his eyes, everyone else's on him. Snape had really done it this time and Harry was too embarrassed to argue with him. Opening his eyes, Harry began to work on his Shrinking Potion but didn't dare look up at the class. He could hear the Slytherins snickering and whispering about him, Malfoy the loudest. Harry didn't look in Hermione's direction for the rest of the hour. He knew that she probably wouldn't want him to and that she too was probably avoiding eye contact with the rest of the class. Harry threw in the newt tail and the rest of the fairy dust into his cauldron and watched as the Shrinking Potion turned a bright blue and started to bubble over. Gazing into the potion, Harry imagined himself being only an inch tall and Snape finishing him off when a quick squish of his shoe. Finally, after what seemed to be eternity, Snape announced that class was over. Harry remained in his seat waiting for everyone else to leave. Then, quickly gathering up his things he left Snape's dungeon and was startled to find Hermione waiting outside the door for him. She looked up at him questionably.
"Hermione, I wasn't, I mean I wouldn't---," Harry had started to say.
"Okay," said Hermione suddenly.
"What?" Harry asked in surprise.
"Harry if you say you weren't then I believe you," she answered.
Harry looked at her, thoroughly relieved. She believed him, it was as simple as that. Turning away from Harry, Hermione started down the corridor.
"Where are you going?" Harry called after her.
"The Great Hall for dinner," she answered. She beckoned with her head for him to follow. Harry caught up with her and they began down the corridor together. Watching her as they walked, Harry was once again fully reminded why he had fallen for his best friend.
"Bless you," said Hermione from across the table. Harry looked up at her and let out a little laugh. She flashed him an encouraging smile and then went back to work. He watched her for several minutes, as she worked silently, tossing ingredients into her cauldron. Harry was amazed at her ability to work like there was nothing else going on in the world. He always had been. He couldn't understand how she hadn't been picked as a prefect. She was the most intelligent witch at Hogwarts and even though she wasn't as bad as she used to be, she was still a firm believer in following the rules. She's really beautiful too, thought Harry, now positively gazing at her.
"If you could occasionally look up from Miss Granger's chest, Mr. Potter, you might be able to finish your potion today," came a cold voice. Harry snapped out of his trance at once. Snape was standing right in front of his desk and his lips were curled in an amused scowl as Harry looked at him in horror. The room was silent; everyone had stopped what they were doing to watch. Seamus let out a great "Whoo hoo hoo!" and Lavender elbowed him hard in the ribs. Harry could feel the heat creeping up his neck and the burning on his cheeks. He tore his shocked face from Snape and saw that Hermione was looking at him with raised eyebrows. Ron was staring into space, and acting as if he had not heard a word.
"No, I wasn't---," Harry stammered.
"I know perfectly well what you were doing Potter!" Snape growled, "Ten points from Gryffindor!"
Harry let his mouth gape open and closed his eyes, everyone else's on him. Snape had really done it this time and Harry was too embarrassed to argue with him. Opening his eyes, Harry began to work on his Shrinking Potion but didn't dare look up at the class. He could hear the Slytherins snickering and whispering about him, Malfoy the loudest. Harry didn't look in Hermione's direction for the rest of the hour. He knew that she probably wouldn't want him to and that she too was probably avoiding eye contact with the rest of the class. Harry threw in the newt tail and the rest of the fairy dust into his cauldron and watched as the Shrinking Potion turned a bright blue and started to bubble over. Gazing into the potion, Harry imagined himself being only an inch tall and Snape finishing him off when a quick squish of his shoe. Finally, after what seemed to be eternity, Snape announced that class was over. Harry remained in his seat waiting for everyone else to leave. Then, quickly gathering up his things he left Snape's dungeon and was startled to find Hermione waiting outside the door for him. She looked up at him questionably.
"Hermione, I wasn't, I mean I wouldn't---," Harry had started to say.
"Okay," said Hermione suddenly.
"What?" Harry asked in surprise.
"Harry if you say you weren't then I believe you," she answered.
Harry looked at her, thoroughly relieved. She believed him, it was as simple as that. Turning away from Harry, Hermione started down the corridor.
"Where are you going?" Harry called after her.
"The Great Hall for dinner," she answered. She beckoned with her head for him to follow. Harry caught up with her and they began down the corridor together. Watching her as they walked, Harry was once again fully reminded why he had fallen for his best friend.