Hermione Granger ran through the Hogwarts halls, late to Charms. She had slept in that morning, missing breakfast, which irritated her to no end. She was hungry with no time to stop by the kitchens. Her hair and robes billowed behind her, her uniform was wrinkled and, unnoticed at the time, about an inch too short and tad too tight. She clutched at the bookbag threatening to slip off her shoulder and slipped into her seat right as Professor Flitwick was beginning class.
"Today class, we will be learning the Darkness Charm. The incantation is Nox," he said from his perch of large textbooks. Hermione inwardly rolled her eyes. She had mastered Nox the month before, trying to annoy Harry and Ron. The boys had been casting Lumos whenever she was trying to nap in the common room. She decided to master the other charm, making it possible for her to nap in peace.
"You will be partnered. It will be by ability. One partner will cast Lumos, the other will cast Nox." The students groaned at the thought of being partnered with someone from another house.
"Potter, Finnagin." Harry lucked out. Maybe.
"Weasley, Parkinson." Poor Ron.
"Granger, Malfoy." WHAT?
"They will be your partner for the rest of the semester. We will be learning more companion charms and I'd rather not have to reassign partners every week or so. Begin."
Hermione sighed as Malfoy stalked over to her desk, looking as though he had been given a death sentence. She could already tell the semester was going to be hell. As long as they didn't hex each other into oblivion, she might survive.
"Mudblood." Maybe not.
"Ferret."
"Well?"
"Well what?"
"Cast Lumos Granger." Hermione raised an eyebrow. He was giving her orders now? She didn't think so. But, for the sake of peace, she did as he demanded. Malfoy smirked at her obedience.
"Nox," he said, extinguishing the light that had emerged from Hermione's wand. There was a BANG and a puff of black smoke. The pair automatically turned towards Harry and Seamus. The two were coughing and covered in soot. Again.
"Look at that. Pothead and Finnagin have blown themselves up again," Malfoy chuckled.
"Be that as it may Ferret, we might have some bigger problems," Hermione said as she motioned to their, now clasped hands. The two stared for a moment and began to frantically pull away from each other, but to no avail. They were stuck. Hermione scowled at Seamus while Malfoy began to swear, loudly and colorfully.
"Mr. Malfoy! Language!" Professer Flitwick admonished.
"Professor, we're stuck together," Hermione held up their hands to illustrate.
"Hospital wing, now," Flitwick ordered. Malfoy and Hermione dutifully stood and walked to the hospital wing. Malfoy glanced at Hermione out of the cornor of his eye and a slow smirk began to spread on his face.
"What Malfoy?" Hermione grouched. She had noticed her uniform was too short and it felt too tight. It was made worse by the fact that she had a feeling that Malfoy had noticed.
"Well, Granger, it would appear your skirt is an inch too high and your shirt is quite small," Malfoy said. Maybe being stuck to the mudblood wouldn't be so bad.
