Hermione Granger was scrutinizing her potion - for it had to be perfect.
"What happened, Granger? What's gone wrong this time?" It was Draco Malfoy. His impatience radiated from him as he hurried over to micromanage her any trouble she might have.
"Nothing, Malfoy." What was up with him? She was Hermione Granger after all, she was more than capable of brewing a potion. He brushed his blonde hair out of his face. He was frustrated to no end by her constant high-and-mighty behavior. But he needed everything to be perfect.
"When will it be ready? I need to drink it before tomorrow night." He anxiously looked around the empty potions room, hoping that no one would see their strange behavior.
Hermione dropped her voice. "Look, this is VERY illegal. You're not supposed to take Felix Felicis when it comes to...doing whatever you're doing" He hadn't given her any details "Besides, you shouldn't come over here. It looks suspicious. Meet me outside the potions room tonight. It will be ready by then"
Draco impatiently shook his head. "Why is this taking so long? I had you do this because you're supposed to be the GENIUS in our school. This should have been done days ago. I wanted to test it first before the big night." However, he knew that she wouldn't give him any explanation he wanted to hear, so he stomped off before she could reply
Later that night, she waited for Malfoy outside the potions room. She was fuming, why HAD she agreed to do this? Yes, she wanted answers, but was she so stupid in believing that Malfoy would actually give them to her? She heard footsteps approaching
"Ah, Miss Granger." It was Professor Snape. "Please tell me what on earth you are doing in front of my classroom? Being in your sixth year, hardly more than an adolescent weakling, you have no excuse whatsoever to be out of bed. Explain yourself."
Hermione panicked. She had no idea what to say or do; This could lead to detention, if anything, she was lucky it wasn't worse. If only she had taken some of the lucky potion herself...
"I'm so sorry, Professor Snape. I had just realized that I'd left my notebook in the potions room and I wanted to make sure that I knew all of the material that I learned today from Professor Slughorn so I came back to try to find it but I wasn't able to-" She cut herself off. She was rambling, and, as she knew from Harry, Snape was a highly successful Occlumens, so she had to concentrate on blocking her thoughts. She didn't want to give Draco away. She didn't know why she was trying to defend Draco, but at the moment she just tried to get herself out of trouble. Thankfully, Draco did appear just then.
At first, he looked panicked, but he relied on his personal relationship with the professor to smooth things over. "Hello, Professor. Is there anything wrong here?"
"Yes, I was just asking Miss Granger why she was out of bed so late...but then here you come...Strutting along"
"So sorry, Professor. I merely asked Miss Granger here to help me with my studies. I couldn't manage to find time during the day, and although I disapprove of her very basis, I must admit that she is the cleverest witch of our age. Or so I'm told." His eyes flashed warningly at Hermione as she made movement as if to protest. Hermione nodded furiously in agreement, eyes wide. Disapproving, but not wanting to get on Lucius' wrong side (no matter how much of a coward he was), Snape turned on his heel and trudged away, glaring at the two as he left them behind.
Hermione knew she would probably regret this, but nonetheless, "Thank you" she said.
"Don't thank me, just hand over the potion and we'll be done with it." He held out his hand, unwilling to linger until a teacher he had less influence over happened upon them.
Before he was able to snatch up the potion, she asked him for the final time "Will you PLEASE inform me what I brewed this for?"
He made a small noise of discontent, almost as if he was shocked she dared talk to him in such a manner. Upon realization that this would make him in her debt, Draco simply physically overpowered her before she could ask questions again. Unprepared for such an attack, she didn't have time to defend herself, nor could she prevent him Memory Charm.
Hermione woke up the next day with no recollection of the night before. She had no idea she brewed an illegal potion - she had no idea she even interacted with Malfoy other than him calling her derogatory names. Meanwhile, Draco had awoken far before his peers. He slipped out of the Slytherin common room and into the Great Hall before anyone else in the castle had stirred. He wanted to take the potion before anybody could see him. Little did he know, Hermione was awake. Dazed and confused, yes, but awake. She was wandering aimlessly in the hallways of the castle. She bumped into him on the way of him trying to get to the room of requirement. He smiled slightly at her, showing his guilty conscience. Recognizing the sign immediately, she gave him a scathing look.
"What Malfoy? What did you do?!"
His annoyance towards her immediately returned. "Nothing! Filthy little Mudblood like yourself wouldn't understand, but sometimes it's a bit of pressure being a wizard. I just had trouble sleeping."
His words didn't even hurt anymore. Instead her eyes focused on the vile he had in his hand. "Is that... Felix Felicis?" Her eyes widened "I'll have you know it's illegal. Especially if you use it with the intention to make something happen." On and on she went on about the Laws of Magical Enforcement. She even had her wand at the ready, about to say "reducto" and break the vile.
"Stop!" His loud outburst surprised her. "It's not illegal if it's just for a little luck, is it?" As much as Malfoy would like to wipe her mind clean again, he knew the damage of multiple Memory Charms, and if the little genius wasn't as smart there would be questions. So he decided to play it safe.
"I dont trust that you're using this for 'just a little luck'"
Draco looked disgusted. "Look, I can't tell you what I'm doing. Much less, you wouldn't enjoy hearing it. Just leave me alone, I'm busy tonight." He started to walk further away, but Hermione followed him "No no no. You tell me right now or I'll report you."
"Don't you have a book to read?" he sighed, wishing she hadn't seen him.
"Malfoy, tell me what you're up to right now."
"Shove off Hermione!" She stood in his way. Not letting him pass. "Please get out of my way,"
"Not unless you tell me what's going on. Where did you get that potion from? What are you planning on doing?"
"From a friend and my business is none of your concern," he said stubbornly.
"No, Malfoy... Draco," she looked at him, eyes wide. "This is actually important." She continued before he could argue "The prime ingredient in Felix Felicis is unicorn hair, and I had a bunch of unicorn hair on my skirt yesterday..."
"What a coincidence," he muttered sarcastically.
"Unicorn hair...worth 10s of Galleons. Draco. What did you do to me?"
He smirked, "I didn't do anything to you; you helped me by brewing this"
Her eyes widened. "I...I have absolutely no memory of that" She panicked.
He looked away from her, "Really? Odd..."
She reached out and shook him by his shoulder. "Hey! What. did. you. do?!"
"I didn't do anything!" he snapped, pushing her arms off him.
"I dont believe you."
"Ok, I may or may not have erased your memory a little," he said quietly.
She was stunned. Stunned and furious. "You. did. WHAT?"
"I only erased a little!" he assured her.
"Do you KNOW what you could have done?!"
"I knew what I was doing and no harm was caused!" he shouted. She was furious. Tears of rage filled her eyes.
Draco tucked the bottle into his pocket. "Happy now?"
"Give it back."
"A deal was a deal"
"A deal I don't remember making!" Hermione practically shrieked.
He clenched his hands into fists, "You gave me what I wanted. Now ask your bloody questions"
"What are you using it for? What do you have planned? Is it something involving You-Know-Who? Are you planning on infiltrating the school? Why did you need a lucky potion?"
He slapped his face with the palm of his hand. Why did he say anything?!
She continued to look at him "Well?" She demanded
"I just needed a little luck. That's a bit personal. Has nothing to do with him. And no," he said irritably in the sequence of her questions.
"I dont believe you"
"I answered your questions. The deal is done. Now please move," he asked again but coldly.
"So if not to deal with You-Know-Who, what else do you need luck for?!" She couldn't help but call after him
"Not telling" he called back. He turned a corner. She followed him
"Tell me or I'll break the vile"
"You'd have to catch me first" he said seriously. "What I need luck for has no evil intentions" he assured her.
"How can I believe that without knowing what you TRUELY need it for?!" The desperation in her voice was apparent
"You don't, instead, you just trust me," he said, walking backwards a bit so he could see her.
"That's just it! How can I trust you?!"
"You tell me when you figure it out," he smiled, turning around.
"Unless I preform an illegal curse on you there's honestly no way I could know!" She called out after him. She had considered veritaserum, but it took six months to brew. Goodness knows what Malfoy could have accomplished by then. She sighed, why did so many of her potions revolve around Malfoy anyway? The Polyjuice Potion, possible veritaserum, and now...Felix Felicis...
"You are NOT cursing me"
"Then TELL me!"
"Take it first then tell me, if you must, at least then by a stroke of luck I may not murder you!"
"You'd never have the guts to" he smirked as he was almost to the Slytherin common room.
She would never admit he was right. Instead, she ran in front of him - blocking his path. He sighed in frustration, "Get out of my way Granger"
"Tell me what's going to happen! Don't you understand? It's on MY conscience if something bad happens"
He shouted in frustration. "You really want to know why I wanted the potion?"
"Yes. Yes I do, Malfoy"
"I knew I'd never be able to tell you I liked you so I wanted a bit of luck that would help me tell you that I'm in love with you!" he said furiously.
Whatever Hermione expected it wasn't this.
"Oh, that wasn't what you were expecting, huh?" he said bitterly.
She opened her mouth. Then closed it. "I...really thought you were going to do something evil," she said quietly.
"Maybe I actually HAVE a heart. Now if you will PLEASE excuse me," he said, slipping past her.
"Wait." she called out after him
He didn't even know why he listened but he did. Stopping, he turned around to look at her.
"Can we talk about it?" She sighed. "If you feel the need you, you can ingest the lucky potion" she rolled her eyes
"I already know what you're going to say."
"Yeah? Tell me what I'm going to say,"
"I know you absolutely despise me, so it would be a 'no' ," he summed up.
"I dont...I don't despise you" He raised an eyebrow at her.
"I dont" she reassured him. He looked at her, dumbfounded.
"Really?"
"I mean, I know I should, you're absolutely foul" She smiled "But...I just...can't bring myself to loathe you"
"uhh, thank... you?"
"Don't mention it?" she replied awkwardly. He stood there awkwardly, really unsure as to how to go with this. She seemed to mirror his awkwardness. He stepped back towards the common room door, only a few feet away from him. She didn't know why, but she followed. He rubbed his forehead as he practically ran for the door.
"Wait!"
Again, like an idiot, he froze by the door. She didn't know what to do, but following her instincts, she ran up and kissed him.
He looked at her wide-eyed. She, she kissed him. He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her. She only hugged him tighter
"Hermione, you feeling ok? You just, kissed me," he said in disbelief.
She nodded. "what did you want me to do?"
He smiled, "That"
So she did it again.
He pulled apart "Obliviate." He cast the spell on her again, but not before he kissed on the forehead. Poor, sweet Hermione. She would have no recollection of this. He actually made her believe that the potion was brewed in order to confess a silly schoolboy crush. What an idiot. He felt the vile in his pocket, and he turned swiftly back to the room of requirement. Any minute now, the vanishing cabinet would have been repaired and the Death Eaters could swarm in the school. He glanced back at Hermione, who was still in a daze. He hoped she would be okay, being muggle-born and all. There was a soft spot for her in his heart, but at the moment, the spot on his right arm was more important.