Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I don't earn money from this.
Written for the 34 Stories Competition. I've skipped Round(s): 1, 3, 5. There are 34 rounds in total. 7 Skips are allowed.
Round 2: Hermione Granger/Blaise Zabini
Hermione Granger speed-walked into the library, desperate to get started on her research before anyone else. The flap of her bag flipped open. Yanking the flap back in place, she did not notice the dark-haired teenager reading a book with his legs stretched out in her path until she tripped over his legs. With a scream, she fell flat on her face.
"Shit!" The stranger said. He has a really familiar voice, Hermione thought. Putting his book down, the stranger offered Hermione his hand and she found herself staring into the face of non-other then Blaise Zabini.
"You okay, Granger?" Blaise inquires.
"Fine, you?" Hermione asks.
"I'm good, but I don't think you are," he says.
"Why wouldn't I be, I feel fine," Hermione retorts with a frown creasing her forehead.
"I think you might just be falling for me," Blaise says chuckling
Even though the joke was neither the funniest nor the most creative one Hermione had ever heard, his deep baritone laughter was musical, genuine and infectious; she couldn't help but start laughing along.
"Well, if you're sure you're okay, then I guess I'll see you around," Blaise sat back down.
"That would be … nice, thanks," Hermione picked up her bag and left.
Walking through the crowds of people seated at tables, Hermione's thoughts wandered towards what just happened with Zabini. Why didn't he make fun of me like a normal Slytherin would? Why did he help me up, sort of apologize and make a joke? What did he mean by 'I'll see you around'? Oh forget it, this kind of nonsense is pointless. I need to study!
"Come on Ron, we're going to be late for Transfiguration!" Hermione bounced up and down on her feet.
"Okay, okay," Ron crammed the last of his toast into his mouth.
Hermione, upon seeing Ron done with breakfast, grabbed her bag and immediately sprinted down the busy corridor, leaving Harry and Ron to chase her. She accidentally bumped into a couple of first years desperately looking for the right class. Dashing down the Charms corridor and turning into the Transfiguration one, Hermione arrived just as the bell rang. Hurrying into her usual seat at the front of the classroom, she tried to catch her breath before the Professor arrived.
Harry and Ron drop into the chairs beside her just as Professor McGonagall walks in.
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, do not be late next time. Now, if you have done your reading, you would have known that we will be attempting the human to animal transfiguration today. Can anyone tell me the dangers of attempting such a transfiguration?"
Seeing that no one else raised his or her hands, Hermione tentatively raised her hand. She has mellowed out slightly after third year and no longer needed or wanted to bounce in her seat in order to gain a teacher's attention.
"Ms. Granger," Professor McGonagall calls.
"If done without enough intention or power, the target will merely remain in human form or have some minor attributes of the animal they attempted to transfigure into. For example, you might have a dog's ear or a pig's tail. However, if done purposely with a malicious intent, the person will be stuck with whatever attributes or the animal itself for a few hours. " Hermione said.
"Excellent, take 5 points to Gryffindor," Professor McGonagall tapped on the board with her wand. "As you can see, if done with malicious intent, the person might have to go through processes that will cause them severe pain."
The entire class with the exception of Hermione and a few Ravenclaws who had done their research winced at the image of a man who had a rat's body and a lion's head, which kept breathing fire. He had to be petrified and bound.
"Now, let's begin," Professor McGonagall gave her wand a flick and the tables and benches were banished to the side of the classroom.
"Please pair up and decide on an animal that the both of you agreed to practiced with. " Professor McGonagall said.
Harry and Hermione immediately paired together as they usually do. Ron and Dean, Seamus and Neville, Lavender and Parvati.
"Okay, Harry, what animal do you want to be transfigured into? I'm not sure what I want, but a cheetah would be exciting." Hermione said.
"I want to be transformed into an eagle, would you like to go first?" Harry asked.
"Yep," Hermione took her wand out and cast the spell.
Hermione pictured an eagle with wings spread wide open, flying gracefully through the wind and concentrated on it, "Animalis Transformare."
Harry sprouted a yellow, curved and pointed beak where his nose and mouth was.
"Whoa! That is so cool!" Hermione said," I didn't think it would have worked the first time."
"Regredi," Hermione pointed her wand at Harry's face.
Immediately, the beak disappeared and his nose and mouth reappeared.
"Wow! That was beyond cool!" Harry said, "It was like my mouth was trapped in the Eagle's beak, yet the beak was also mine.
"That sounds really cool. Do you think you'll be able to fly like an eagle? I'll like to run as a cheetah." Hermione said.
"Maybe, lets try," Harry raised his wand, brow furrowed in concentration, thinking deeply about a cheetah mid-run.
"Animalis Transformare," Harry said.
Hermione's entire head became cheetah like, from the yellow eyes to the spots. All the Gryffindors burst out in applause while the Slytherins continued on as if nothing happened.
"Yea! Go Harry!" Seamus yelled.
"Regredi," Harry said, smiling at Hermione.
"Well done, Mr. Potter, 10 points to Gryffindor," Professor McGonagall said.
"Damn it! Blaise! What happened!" a loud indignant voice rang out.
Malfoy's voice caught the attention of the entire class who immediately burst out laughing upon seeing him. He had sprouted feathers all over his body. His entire face was covered in stripes of blue and red. It was not an actual animal.
The look of fury and embarrassment as Malfoy glared at the Gryffindors rivaled the one Severus Snape gave Neville Longbottom. However, his partner, Blaise Zabini did not even flinch.
'Wait, Blaise Zabini? Wasn't he the nice Slytherin I tripped over in the library? I completely forgot about that,' Hermione thought.
All of a sudden, Malfoy bent down and roughly yanked his shoes off. Even though only his feet could be seen, it was thin, pointy and a bit scaly. Malfoy had chicken's feet.
Seeing the aggravated look on Malfoy's face caused the whole class to laugh even harder.
"Quiten down!" Professor McGonagall gestured to her table, "Mr. Malfoy, if you please?"
The few remaining people who were still giggling had to stuff their firsts into their mouths to keep from bursting out in laughter seeing Malfoy awkwardly wobble to the teacher's table.
"Mr. Zabini, would you like to explain what happened?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"Well, I was thinking about the quidditch math where the Falmouth Falcons completely annihilated the Chudly Cannons, when Malfoy suddenly started screeching." Zabini said with a bored expression.
"What? I so do not screech!" Malfoy exclaimed.
"Mr. Malfoy, if you could refrain from screeching in my class." Professor McGonagall said.
"Yes," Malfoy glared at Professor McGonagall.
"Yes what? Mr. Malfoy," Professor McGonagall had an evil glint in her eyes.
"Yes, Professor," Malfoy drawled.
Professor McGonagall muttered and waved her wand a few times, however, nothing happened and Malfoy remained feathery. Frowning, she performed a complicated series of waves and incantations.
"I'm sorry Mr. Malfoy, but Mr. Zabini did put neither enough effort nor intention into the spell, resulting in you having to remain in this form for approximately a day.
Listening to the Professor, Malfoy's face started to contort in fury.
"You what?" Malfoy rounded on Zabini, "How could you not get this right? Don't you know you have to focus when you do magic this hard? You're almost as much of a swot as - Are you okay?" Malfoy asked looking at the faraway look on his friends face.
"Just give me a moment," Zabini grabbed his bag.
"Excuse me Professor," he turned to face Professor McGonagall.
"Malfoy, give him the homework later," Professor McGonagall gave Zabini a curt nod.
With that, Zabini practically ran rout the door, almost tripping over a chair on the way out.
"Class, please continue practicing," Professor McGonagall announced.
Harry and Hermione practiced on until the end of class. Neither managed the full transformation.
"For your homework to be handed in next week, write a 2 feet essay about your transformation and what you can do to improve on it. Class dismissed." Professor McGonagall said.
"Mmpf, gees mak pokeko ah goo," Ron said.
"How many times have I told you not to take with your mouth full Ronald!" Hermione rolled her eyes.
Ron took a large gulp of pumpkin juice and repeated," I said, these mashed potatoes are good."
"Do you ever think about anything other then food?" Harry asked.
"Ummm, yup! I think about chess sometimes," Ron answered and grinned naively.
A sharp bang of the great hall doors drew their attention. A very smug looking Malfoy strutted towards the Slytherin table proudly displaying his feathers. However, instead of the horribly clashing bright blue and red feathers, they were now Slytherin colors.
Most people were torn between bursting out loud laughing at how ridiculous he looked and wanting to rip out his feathers out of jealousy at having such an opportunity to show that much house pride. Hermione noticed that the chicken feet were not visible beneath his expensive shoes.
"Argh, I can't believe anyone would charm his feathers for him to parade around like that! Whoever did that must be insane." Hermione ranted to Harry and Ron.
"Granger, can I talk to you for a while?" Zabini suddenly appeared.
"Sure," Hermione replied..
Ron and Harry look as though they wanted to follow her, but cowering under Hermione's glare, they had not choice but to leave.
"What is it?" Hermione asked once Ron and Harry were out of hearing range.
"I heard you rant about Malfoy, and I wanted you to know that I did charm his feathers." Seeing Hermione's look of complete outrage, he continued," Malfoy guilt me into it, he said that it was my fault that he had to walk around like an ostrich-chicken. But, I can't stand him strutting around the school like he owns it. It embarrasses Slytherin. Not all of us are evil, arrogant gits you know.
I need your help with a plan that I came up with. I want to charm his feathers into Gryffindor colors to spite him and force him to not leave the dormitory. But I can't do it on my own, malicious intent take much more magic energy, especially to charm a spell that's gone awry. Will you help me embarrass Malfoy?" Zabini tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for Hermione to stop gapping at him and answer.
"Against Malfoy? Gryffindor colors? What happened to house pride and all that?" Hermione finally snapped her mouth close.
"Well, all's fair in love and war," Zabini said, smirking, "This is war, as for love, well…"
Hermione blushed.
For the second time that day, the great hall burst open with a great band. Malfoy, yet again, strutted in with an arrogant look and a smug smile, however this time his feathers were different.
The entire Gryffindor table had their jaws on the table. Malfoy, noticing their shock, smirked even more, thinking that they were jealous he got to show that much house pride. However, as he walked to the Slytherin table, he noticed that they were sneering and glaring at the general direction of his head. Just in case his feathers were messy or sticking up the wrong way, he ran his hand through his hair. Nope, the feathers were still soft and supple.
However, as he ran his hands through his feathers, a stray one fell out, he was shocked to see that it was a red feather. 'Did the charm wear off?' Malfoy thought. He grabbed a spoon off the table and checked his reflection. Not sure what to expect, Malfoy choked when he saw that his feathers were bright red and shining gold.
Things started to make sense, the Gryffindor's look of astonishment, the Slytherin's glare.
"Who? Who did this to me?" Malfoy gestured to his head.
"We did," Zabini and Hermione said simultaneously.
"You? Blaise?" Malfoy demanded.
"Yup, me," Zabini got up and gave Malfoy a smirk of his own, walking to the Gryffindor table, he asked, "May I, Ms. Granger?"
"Of course," Hermione moved aside to give Zabini enough room to sit. Blatantly ignoring Harry and Ron's incensed look.
"Why is he sitting here?" Ron demanded.
"Because, we bested Malfoy. Come on, you can't say that you haven't wanted to do that yourselves." Hermione replied.
"Well done Hermione! We did it," Blaise picked up his butterbeer. Clinking it with Hermione's, "To us!" He took a swig.
"To us!" Hermione repeated, putting down her butterbeer and enveloped Blaise in a hug. "Thanks."
"I didn't do this for you." Blaise said, amusement clear in his voice.
"I know, but still, thanks," Hermione kissed his cheek.
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Authors Notes: Please note that this story is constantly being updated.