Chapter One:

Hermione Granger had been furiously taking verbatim notes given by Professor Slughorn's lectures on the project due shortly. Mind potion. Of course she's heard of it before; there was hardly anything she hasn't heard or read of before. But information of this potion was harder to get a hold of due to its complexity in direction in material. Plus, there have been instances where it caused dangerous situations. Hermione tried to sneak her way into getting a book that held some information on it during her fourth year, but it didn't end up as she hoped.

"This bloke just keeps droning on, doesn't he?" a voice muttered from beside her.

Without looking, she hushed him and continued her focus on the lesson.

The bell rang and students began departing from their seats to the exit. She rose along with them and turned to the boy next to her.

"The library, five o'clock. Don't be late this time, okay Malfoy?" she said.

"I'll try," the blond boy said in sarcasm and sniggered away.

She grimaced. What a horrible potion year. To be stuck with that git as a lab partner, and for her last year too! She put her stuff away and trotted to the exit where she was greeted by Harry and Ron.

"Another day closer to not working with him," she sighed as they headed out of the dungeons.

"I know how you feel," said Ron. "My oaf of a partner isn't doing so well either."

"Hey!" cried Harry shot Ron a look of disbelief. "What are you talking about? I'm doing all the work!"

"And still no progress…" Ron said. "How typical."

Hermione laughed. "Why do you insist on working together if you just bicker about it?"

Ron gave Harry a look and then Hermione. "We don't bicker, do we Harry? We just, um, like to have positive arguments that help us do better next time we work together."

Harry chuckled. "Yeah, okay."

Once they reached the Main Hall, they parted their ways as Hermione made her way to her next class as they made theirs. She took her seat next to Elizabeth Litte, a fellow Ravenclaw student, and prepared for their lesson in Transfiguration.

"Hi Liz, how's your day been so far?" Hermione asked.

"As good as it can get, I suppose. The weather is nice and the classes haven't been dull and hopefully this won't be either," she said with a shrug.

Hermione just smiled. Why even bother talking to her? She's tried to talk to her every day this year and with the year over half done, it doesn't surprise her that this would be all Liz say to her today.

The door opened and a cat with black outlines around its eyes walked towards the professor's table and leaped on it but leaped off and transformed itself to Professor McGonagall.

Students clapped in praise.

"Thank you," she said stiffly. The crowd died down before she continued. "For the next few weeks, we will be studying the art of Animagi. You will learn what it takes to become an animagus."

Professor McGonagall peered around. "It is not an easy thing to do, and is certainly not for everybody. The time and dedication you put into this skill will be crucial and must not be taken lightly. I can teach you to become the animal you are to transform to. But I will not force you into doing it if you feel incapable in learning or if you're passive in this. I do not want to waste my time. Therefore, I will be handing a list around in which you can either sign up to be taught or to pass this lesson. It is up to you.

"For those who wish to pass, you will learn another topic, much less harder and more – passive." Again, she peered around the class. Then started handing the list to a student who passed to the next student without putting her name on the list. McGonagall looked at her. "Yes, choose wisely for we don't want any tears to those who signed up wrongly."

When it reached to Hermione, only one had signed up, Neville, and she instantly jotted her name down and then passed it to Liz who gave the list to the Hufflepuff next to her. Once it had finished around the room, the list floated back to its owner. Professor McGonagall read it and instantly looked at Neville.

"Mr. Longbottom, are you sure you are capable of performing the task?" she asked sternly.

Neville jumped slightly at being mentioned but answered his teacher with the nervous stutter. "I-er, yes, Professor. I think…my grandma wants me," he added lowly.

The teacher pressed her lips. "Remind me to speak to that lady," she said. "But I'm not surprised Ms. Granger has signed up. Further more, I'm not too surprised no one else dared to sign up. With the exception of these two, the rest of you will bring all your class material to the next class. Mr. Longbottom, Ms. Granger, you will not be needing anything. Good evening." With that, she left the room.

As always in perfect timing, the bell rang and the students hurry out of the class with no disregard in forming a line. Hermione waited for the mob to pass by before leaving her seat and walking out.

It was lunchtime and she was in an appetite to eat, and was anxious to tell her friends the news. Learning Animagi was a pretty big deal, considering there was a little over a dozen known animagus. She was sure there were unregistered ones, like those of Harry's father and his friends, but it was also uncommon to see in everyday scene.

Once she reached the Great Hall, she instantly plopped down across from Harry and Ron who was discussing their History studies.

"Did you hear Seamus? He couldn't have snored any louder," whispered Ron who tried to compress his laughter as much as possible.

Harry, though, just laughed as loud as he could. And they kept on laughing. Ron's face actually turned beet red from trying not to laugh too hard. Hermione, who didn't find this nearly as funny as them and who was trying patiently for them to finish so she can tell them the news, sat there drumming her fingers on the table.

But she couldn't take it anymore. She coughed loud, but when that didn't work, she hissed, "you guys!"

It took them a while to calm down and when they did, they found themselves facing an upset Hermione with hands folded against her chest. That shut them up.

A second later, she smiled broadly. "You will never guess what I'll be learning in tranfiguration class."

"Er-."

"Animagi!" she shrilled.

Harry's and Ron's mouth dropped while a few eyed them with curiosity.

"What?" Ron whispered.

"I know! I couldn't believe it either when I heard her say it, but it's really happening!" And so, she explained the class lesson and how it was only Neville and herself who would be taking the lesson.

"Not fair. The only year we don't take that class and you do something fun! Just great," Ron mumbled.

"I told you that you should have taken it. But when do you ever listen to me," Hermione said with sympathy.

Harry acted just as bad as Ron, pouting and muttering under breath. At this point, it was hard to enjoy her excitement.

"I'll tell you what," she said in an undertone so that only they can hear, "after every class, I'll teach you the lesson."

In an instant, their heads shot up and their face was filled with hope.

"You mean it, Hermione?" Harry asked. "You'd really teach us?"

"Of course, Harry. I know how much you would love this lesson. Besides," she said and glared at the two of them, "this could be really useful against You-Know-Who."

They nodded their heads and continued with their meals, with smiles plastered on their faces.

"What do you think my animal would be?" Hermione asked them. "Maybe it'd be a hare, or maybe a butterfly. Oh, that would be so pretty if it was a butterfly!"

"It'd be pretty but what if you get squatted on? That wouldn't be so pretty. Gross actually," Ron said as-a-matter-of-factly. "Personally, I'd want to be a great animal, like a fox, or an owl, or something. That would be pretty cool to be able to fly. I'd stop if I turned out to be a spider, though, wretched thing."

"Yeah, an owl sounds pretty nice. I wouldn't mind being a dog, like Sirius," replied Harry. His face turned grave at the mention of his godfather's name, but he washed it away quickly, only to become slightly chipper again.

As the bell rang, Hermione went to her final class of the day, Ancient Runes. There she studied a new topic, wrote a long parchment of notes, and exited the class.

It was four o'clock when she entered the library, an hour earlier than her meeting with Malfoy was supposed to be, but her time in there is like sanctuary to her.

She bid Madam Pince the Librarian good evening, and went to her usual table located in the farthest and most secluded table in the library to ensure than no one interrupts her during these times of relaxing. Hermione reached into her bag and pulled out her fictional book called Into His Eyes, a romance novel about a girl who starts falling for her enemy. Although she found the storyline ludicrous, the writing itself is very convincing.

She was halfway through the book, trying to read as much as she can during her spare time. It wasn't a thick book, and she'd only start reading it yesterday, so it must be something good.

However, too consumed in her book, Hermione didn't realize someone had sat down across from her and leaned against his chair.

"In his eyes? What the hell are you reading, Granger?" he said with a tint of disgust in his tone.

Hermione's eyes widened slightly and roughly tossed the book back in her bag. She couldn't help but blush a little, embarrassed to be found reading a romance book.

"Right, you're," she said as she checked her watch," fifteen minutes early? Is my watch right?"

She held her wristwatch to her ear and shook it. The ticking sound was still audible.

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Yes! I am fifteen minutes early. Is that a problem or something? Or did I interrupt your reading the description of them kissing?"

He snickered to himself. Hermione, meanwhile, kept blushing but turned grim.

"Lets just do our work, shall we?" she said.

"And after this, there won't be any more meetings after class," Malfoy added. "Can't wait."

"You read my mind," she muttered.

"And guess what, Granger? I didn't even take the damn potion! That's how brilliant I am," he said. "Now, aren't you glad you got me as a partner?"

Hermione sighed. "Whatever, Malfoy. Let's just get the work done, okay?"

"Sure, sure, Granger. Then you can continue on reading about the passionate kiss the guy gave the girl. I bet you're really looking forward to that. I even bet that its as close as its gonna be for your experience in a kiss, isn't it?" He leaned his head forward and raised his eyebrow.

"Shut up and get to work." The look on Hermione was inexpressible, but the rise of color on her cheek was noticeable. She tried to compress it, to work instead of be tantalize. It's not worth it. Get to work. Get the grade you deserve and you don't ever have to speak to the ferret again.

"Fine. But I did win that bet, didn't I, Granger?"

Malfoy went to work, reading passages about the Mind Potion in the few books lent to them. Sometimes he'd care to read it aloud, and sometimes he kept it to himself.

"Lasts as long as the how strong the potion is brewed…has a small amount of odor…yaddi yaddi ya…"

Hermione, on the other hand, couldn't concentrate as she normally would. After reading the same sentence ten times without absorbing its content, she'd given up and started pondering in frustration on Malfoy's retort.

She had kissed someone. And that someone wasn't just anyone, too. It was Viktor Krum, the international Quidditch player. She wanted to tell this to Malfoy, just to clear the air, but that would be stooping down to his level, wouldn't it? Did she need to kiss and tell?

"I have had a kiss before." Her voice was so soft, she wasn't sure if Malfoy would have heard.

But when he looked up from his reading, it was clear he did. "What?"

Hermione bit her lip. She shouldn't have said that. What was the point in proving to him that she'd kiss before? And who is he to her that she'd tell him one of her secrets?

She started shaking her head, "nothing. I didn't say anything," and went back to bury her head in her book.

"No, no. You can't do that. I heard you say something. Spill it," he urged.

"I didn't say anything," Hermione replied, not wanting to look at him in fear he'd see she was blushing as hard as ever.

"I heard you. What did you say?"

Beaten, she whispered even lower, "I said I have had a kiss before."

Malfoy moved back, with a little paler than before. After a few moments of utter silence, he broke it.

"Well," he said, coughing a little, "that was quite a late reply."

"That's because I didn't want to tell you," she said upsettingly.

"I suppose. Why? Did you snog Longbottom or something, because if you did, I completely understand."

Hermione's eyebrows furrowed. "No, I didn't kiss Neville, but don't talk about him like that. He's a very nice guy and any girl would be lucky to be kissed by him."

Malfoy made a choking sound. "You're kidding right? Who could be worse than him?"

"You."

Malfoy laughed.

"Who was it that you kissed, Granger? Because for you to say that I'd be the worst guy to kiss must make your guy an idolizing guy. Go on, who is this bloke?" he asked with a smirk.

"I don't think you'd want to know," Hermione said. "Because if I tell you, you'd be demoralized about your so-called kissing ability."

Again, Malfoy laughed. "Surely, you're not talking about the Weasel, are you?"

"Go to hell."

"Ah, so it is him, is it? It's okay Granger. You guys make a lovely match," he shuddered.

"Ron is a very nice guy and any girl would be lucky to be kissed by him," she replied hotly. "But no, it wasn't him. He's one of my bests and nothing more."

Across from her, she could tell his amusement became a bit serious. She smiled.

"You know him, though. Everyone knows him," she teased.

"I don't believe you. Tell me who it is."

"I will, I will. Merlin, Malfoy, you don't have to be so impatient."

Wait for it, wait for it. Malfoy growled. Score.

"Viktor Krum."

"Liar."

"See, I told you that you'd know him, didn't I?"

"Do you honestly think I'd believe that? He's an international Quidditch player. Girls are dying to go out with him and you're supposed to be one of the lucky few? Come on, you could do better than that," he said in disbelief, although it was clear he knew she was telling the truth.

"Fine, Malfoy, don't believe it. But I know you know it's true."

With that, she continued her reading. This time she got passed the sentence that was bothering her.

"Was he a good kisser?" Malfoy suddenly asked, much later after the conversation had ended, or at least that was what Hermione thought.

"Are you being serious, Malfoy?" she asked.

"I just want to see if he is better than me. You never know. These famous guys could be deadbeats on kissing," he shrugged.

"Sorry, but I don't kiss-and-tell," she said.

"I'm just wondering, you know…," but his sentence was cut off by the alarm on Hermione's wristwatch.

She tapped it and ringing was silenced.

"Well this meeting was productive, I should say." She said in sarcasm. "What a great way to end our one-on-one. Oh, I just hope we hadn't missed anything we were supposed to catch."

She began putting her stuff away and walked off with disregard on her partner. She was halfway to the exit when out of the corner of her eye, Malfoy walked beside her.

She gasped. "Malfoy! You nearly scared the pants off of me!"

"Another time, perhaps," he muttered.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing. I just wanted to know about Krum," he said.

"Malfoy, aren't you afraid of what people might think when they see you walking next to me?" she asked and raised her eyebrow.

"I just want to know, that's all."

"Know what?" she asked irritated. She was actually more worried of what people might say when they see her talking to Malfoy. Fellow Gryffindors could be quite vicious.

"About Krum kissing!" he nearly shouted.

Hermione stopped dead in her tracks. "Are you serious? You're risking your image just to ask about him? What, are you obsessed with him or something?"

He started to shake his head and Hermione's eyes dramatically opened.

"You're in love with him, aren't you?"

"WHAT!" he shouted, shaking his head and hands frantically. "No, of course not. It's nothing like that!"

She started walking again. "It's alright, Malfoy. I won't tell anyone your secret."

"Granger!"

But she had already stalked off out of the library.

Once securely in her private room at the Gryffindor tower, seeing as she's Head Girl, she laughed out loud. Malfoy, gay? Could she have been more insulting to him? Obviously, he isn't since he prides himself with the many beautiful girls he goes out with. And the face he'd made when she told him about Krum was priceless.

She laid on her bed.

It has been almost a month that she has had these library meeting with Malfoy, and on top of being his lab partner for the year, they've gotten to be more relaxed around each other than before. She wouldn't call their relationship friendship, but they can talk more openly.

Only when they're in the library, mind you.

They both have reputation to uphold, and friends to satisfy.

What would Harry and Ron say when they've heard her talking to Malfoy about kissing? They'd obviously go ballistic, asking her who in their right mind would want to have a conversation with that git.

Malfoy would be the same way.

She doesn't look forward to their meetings, but the more time she spends with him, the more she's found him decent. They would have random talks, like today's, and forget about it the next, in which they'd spring up a new topic. Yesterday's was house elves.

At the beginning of the year when they'd been assigned as lab partners, she and he couldn't keep the witty remarks to an end. They'd go on and on. But by half the year, the remarks had died down. What else could one talk about? They'd grown tired of it.

They hardly spoke a word, and when they did, it was remarks towards other people. Hermione would never laugh at his jokes, although she did find some funny. He would never tease her about writing so much again.

She doesn't look forward to their meetings, but when he enters and sits down, she forgets her uneasy feeling and they share an almost friendly bond.

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