Disclaimer: We don't own any
of the characters or settings or whatever u might find mentioned in the
Harry Potter book series.
Chapter
1
By: Nickzchick
Draco Malfoy
sighed in pure frustration as he struggled to turn the beetle on his desk
into a button. It was a simple spell and could have been managed by a fairly
competent second year, or even a bright first year. Somehow, even as a
fifth year prefect, he could only manage to turn it into a misshapen shiny
black button that still scuttled back and forth on it's six miniscule legs.
Deciding
it was hopeless, he set his wand back on the desk and turned to face the
less than happy expression on the face of his Transfiguration teacher,
Professor McGonagall. She was frowning down at him in her usual foreboding
fashion, obviously less than pleased at his futile efforts.
"Mr. Malfoy,"
she began. Oh no, thought Draco, here comes yet another lecture.
"I'd like to draw you attention to the fact that your grades in Transfiguration
are pitifully low. Although I don't doubt that you are already well aware
of that fact. Your abilities are lacking and you seem to be oblivious of
everything I teach you. The way I see it, you have two options. The first
is to continue this poor performance in my class, which will leave me no
other option but to strip you of your school prefect status."
Draco gaped
at her. He would never hear the end of it if he lost his prefect badge.
His father, already furious at him for his lack of intense studying for
the O.W.L.'s would surely go over the top if this were to happen. He'd
spend hours hearing about how he had dishonored the family and was not
even worthy of being born a pureblood. He opened his mouth to argue just
as Professor McGonagall raised a finger to cut him off.
"I have
not finished, Malfoy," she said, giving him a strict look. "Your second
choice, which I view as far more preferable is to be tutored by a fifth
year prefect who excels at Transfiguration, as it seems that nothing I
try to teach you is to any avail. Perhaps you will learn more from a colleague
rather than a superior."
Draco breathed
a sigh of relief. That sounded better than facing his father's undying
wrath. Although it would draw attention to the fact that though he received
high marks in every other subject, he was hopeless at Transfiguration.
Between Potter and his riff raff friends finding about that and tormenting
him and his father lecturing him and making him feel ashamed, he'd take
Potter's gang.
"So Professor,"
he started, eager to explore this option, "who will be tutoring me?"
Right then,
he could have sworn that her lips twitched at the corners, ready to draw
into a mischievous grin. But Professor McGonagall did not do things like
that. Although she did seem to relish her next word. "More than likely
I shall ask Miss Granger to help you, she's at the top of her class in
this subject."
Draco's
face fell at these words. Granger? That horse faced mudblood? "But Professor,"
he argued. "Couldn't Crabbe or Goyle help me?"
Professor
McGonagall snorted derisively at his comment, quite out of her usual character.
"Malfoy, if those friends of yours had half a brain, they might be able
to figure out how to hold a wand the right way . Really, I doubt they can
teach you anything."
Draco was
quite shocked at what she said but persisted. "What about someone from
Ravenclaw then? They're all smart."
Professor
McGonagall shot him a shrewd look. Then said decisively, "I'm offering
you an option, Malfoy. Ms. Granger is at the top of this class and if you
would rather lose your prefect badge than be tutored by her than so be
it."
Draco sighed,
seeing that he was not going to win this argument. "When do we start?"
he asked wearily.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"But… but
Professor!" Hermione Granger sputtered, appalled at what Professor McGonagall
had just informed her of.
"No buts
Miss Granger," the Professor said curtly. "You are to meet him at the empty
History of Magic classroom right after lunch, from 1:00 to 3:00. You are
dismissed"
Hermione
trudged out of her morning Transfiguration class, noticeably subdued. She
headed to lunch and joined Ron and Harry in their usual spots at the Gryffindor
table.
"What's
up with you?" Ron asked through a mouthful of food.
"You won't
believe this," Hermione muttered. "Professor McGonagall is making me tutor
Draco Malfoy in Transfiguration."
Ron and
Harry both choked on their food simultaneously.
"What?!"
Ron sputtered out.
"Malfoy's
doing bad in Transfiguration?" Harry inquired.
"Apparently,"
Hermione replied. "And I have to spend two hours alone with him after lunch."
Harry looked
happy that he had something to torment Malfoy about but sad that his friend
had to endure two long hours alone with her worst enemy. Ron, however,
looked a little fazed at Hermione's news. "I just hope that slimy git doesn't
try to pull something," he said
"Really,
Ron, I think I can handle Draco Malfoy by myself thank you very much,"
Hermione snapped. Ron sheepishly turned back to his food.
Meanwhile,
only a couple of seats away, Fred and George Weasley were eavesdropping
descreetly and intently absorbing this information. Mischievous grins already
taking root in their impish faces.
"George,
I think we may have just found the subject of our next prank," Fred announced
with a flourish. The twins whispered to each other over their food about
how to carry out their newly formulated plan, Operation make two sworn
enemies fall in love.
A/N: Ok I'll end it there.
Whew, that wasn't very long but it was probably the longest chapter I've
ever written anyway. I hope you like it. Well, Daydreamer is gonna write
the next chapter so ciao for now. Please R & R. Thanks!
