"Minerva? May I speak with you for a moment, in private?" Professor Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They often spoke in private, and Professor McGonagall saw nothing different between this situation.
"It has come to my attention that one Hermione Granger has been conducting paternity tests in her spare time."
A worried look came over Minerva's face at the news. "Well that's atrocious, why ever would she be doing that Professor?"
"Seems a little brawl broke out between herself and a Pansy Parkinson. Pansy's cat Mittens has had a litter of kittens, and she believes Crookshanks to be the father."
Relief spilled over her face. "Then what is the problem, Professor?" There surely must be more to this than a simple litter of kittens.
"The potion she has decided to use is called Exertus Contradico. It tells in words who the parents of the subject in question are."
Again a horrified look came across Professor McGonagall's face. "Well, has she only tested the kittens?"
"So far, yes." A sign of relief came from the female teacher. "But," Oh know, there is always a but, she thought. "The girls have carelessly left the potion in the dungeon, where Draco Malfoy found it. I believe he has plans to prove Hermione isn't the muddge-born witch everyone thinks she is."
And with that, Professor Dumbledore left, leaving Minerva shocked and angered at the thought of Hermione's past becoming public knowledge.
~*~
Twenty minutes prior to the Professor's discussion, Hermione and Pansy were in the potions lab, finishing up their tests on the littler of ginger kittens.
"The dam of this kitten is Mittens!" The cauldron shouted.
"We already knew that!" Pansy snapped back. "Tell us who the father is!"
"Very well. The sire of this kitten is-" The door swung open and Professor Snape, the Potions teacher, stormed in.
"WHAT are you two doing in here! With those animals no less. 10 points from each of you!" Snape growled, and then walked away into his office.
"As I was saying," The cauldron continued. "The sire of this kitten is Croockshanks!"
"I told you! Your mean old cat had his way with my precious little Mittens. Here!" Pansy shoved the box of 6 week old kittens over to Hermione and ran away crying, holding a very upset Mittens under her arm.
"Now what are we going to do?" Hermione asked, but nobody answered. She picked up her things, and her new litter of kittens, and headed back to the Gryffindor common room.
~*~
Things weren't as bad as they seemed. The entire Gryffindor house loved the kittens, and played with them at any passing moment. Neville had even adopted one, and named it Trevor after his late Toad. Everything was going well until the following morning..
"Well if it isn't Hermione Granger," A familiar voice said. "The smartest Mudblood Hogwarts has ever seen! Or so we believe."
"What on earth are you talking about, Malfoy? Of course I'm a mudblood, you've seen my parents!"
"Indeed I have, but I have reason to believe they aren't who you think they are. I like that, Granger. If it turns out you aren't a Mudblood, there could be hope for us." A slight smile was beginning to form on Draco's face, but Hermione didn't notice.
"I don't know what you are up to, Malfoy, but frankly I don't care. Now if you would excuse me, I'm late for Transfigurations."
"I wonder what has gotten into him?" Whispered Harry to Ron, who were following Hermione on the way to class. "The way he was talking, you'd think he had a crush on our Hermione! Yuck!"
~*~
The conversation with Malfoy was replayed countless times in Hermiones head through the course of the day. 'What exactly did he mean when he said my parents weren't who I thought they were?' Finally, she decided she would talk to Professor Dumbledore. Maybe he could straighten some things out for her.
Hermione walked to the entrance of Dumbledore's office, gave the password ("Jawbreakers!") and entered his office. She watched him for a moment, trying to chew the small muggle candy, and then made her presence known.
"Professor? I was wondering if I could have a word with you."
A little startled, Albus stood up and agreed, and they both had a seat around his desk.
"What's on your mind, Miss Granger? It's not often that you come to see me."
"You see Professor, Draco Malfoy mentioned something earlier that has been stuck in my mind all day. I was wondering if you could sort out the matter for me. He told me he had reasons to believe that my parents aren't who I think they are."
"Hmm, I see. Well, as you know, Draco Malfoy has a tendency expose thruths that people do not want discovered."
"Truths, sir?"
"Yes, dear. Truths. I suppose I have no choice but to tell you now. You are not a muggle-born witch, Miss Granger."
"It has come to my attention that one Hermione Granger has been conducting paternity tests in her spare time."
A worried look came over Minerva's face at the news. "Well that's atrocious, why ever would she be doing that Professor?"
"Seems a little brawl broke out between herself and a Pansy Parkinson. Pansy's cat Mittens has had a litter of kittens, and she believes Crookshanks to be the father."
Relief spilled over her face. "Then what is the problem, Professor?" There surely must be more to this than a simple litter of kittens.
"The potion she has decided to use is called Exertus Contradico. It tells in words who the parents of the subject in question are."
Again a horrified look came across Professor McGonagall's face. "Well, has she only tested the kittens?"
"So far, yes." A sign of relief came from the female teacher. "But," Oh know, there is always a but, she thought. "The girls have carelessly left the potion in the dungeon, where Draco Malfoy found it. I believe he has plans to prove Hermione isn't the muddge-born witch everyone thinks she is."
And with that, Professor Dumbledore left, leaving Minerva shocked and angered at the thought of Hermione's past becoming public knowledge.
~*~
Twenty minutes prior to the Professor's discussion, Hermione and Pansy were in the potions lab, finishing up their tests on the littler of ginger kittens.
"The dam of this kitten is Mittens!" The cauldron shouted.
"We already knew that!" Pansy snapped back. "Tell us who the father is!"
"Very well. The sire of this kitten is-" The door swung open and Professor Snape, the Potions teacher, stormed in.
"WHAT are you two doing in here! With those animals no less. 10 points from each of you!" Snape growled, and then walked away into his office.
"As I was saying," The cauldron continued. "The sire of this kitten is Croockshanks!"
"I told you! Your mean old cat had his way with my precious little Mittens. Here!" Pansy shoved the box of 6 week old kittens over to Hermione and ran away crying, holding a very upset Mittens under her arm.
"Now what are we going to do?" Hermione asked, but nobody answered. She picked up her things, and her new litter of kittens, and headed back to the Gryffindor common room.
~*~
Things weren't as bad as they seemed. The entire Gryffindor house loved the kittens, and played with them at any passing moment. Neville had even adopted one, and named it Trevor after his late Toad. Everything was going well until the following morning..
"Well if it isn't Hermione Granger," A familiar voice said. "The smartest Mudblood Hogwarts has ever seen! Or so we believe."
"What on earth are you talking about, Malfoy? Of course I'm a mudblood, you've seen my parents!"
"Indeed I have, but I have reason to believe they aren't who you think they are. I like that, Granger. If it turns out you aren't a Mudblood, there could be hope for us." A slight smile was beginning to form on Draco's face, but Hermione didn't notice.
"I don't know what you are up to, Malfoy, but frankly I don't care. Now if you would excuse me, I'm late for Transfigurations."
"I wonder what has gotten into him?" Whispered Harry to Ron, who were following Hermione on the way to class. "The way he was talking, you'd think he had a crush on our Hermione! Yuck!"
~*~
The conversation with Malfoy was replayed countless times in Hermiones head through the course of the day. 'What exactly did he mean when he said my parents weren't who I thought they were?' Finally, she decided she would talk to Professor Dumbledore. Maybe he could straighten some things out for her.
Hermione walked to the entrance of Dumbledore's office, gave the password ("Jawbreakers!") and entered his office. She watched him for a moment, trying to chew the small muggle candy, and then made her presence known.
"Professor? I was wondering if I could have a word with you."
A little startled, Albus stood up and agreed, and they both had a seat around his desk.
"What's on your mind, Miss Granger? It's not often that you come to see me."
"You see Professor, Draco Malfoy mentioned something earlier that has been stuck in my mind all day. I was wondering if you could sort out the matter for me. He told me he had reasons to believe that my parents aren't who I think they are."
"Hmm, I see. Well, as you know, Draco Malfoy has a tendency expose thruths that people do not want discovered."
"Truths, sir?"
"Yes, dear. Truths. I suppose I have no choice but to tell you now. You are not a muggle-born witch, Miss Granger."