Chapter 2-Partnered
I pushed open the heavy door of the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey was sitting at her small desk, writing hastily on a piece of parchment.
"Excuse me?" I said feebly. Her head looked up and she peered over her large spectacles.
"Already?" she exclaimed and stood up with a huff.
"I stumbled when the train stopped. I hit my head and woke up on the ground. I thought I should come, but if it isn't-" I said quickly, reacting to being chasten.
"You were unconscious?" she asked sharply. I nodded slightly. She led me over to an empty bed and felt around my head with her gentle fingers.
"Oh my!" she squeaked. I closed my eyes and willed my stomach to stop flipping.
"You have a concussion. You'll have to stay overnight so I can check on you." She said and I opened in my eyes in horror.
"But I have to study and prepare for classes tomorrow!" I said, my voice rising slightly.
"Honey, it's the first day back. I'm sure a witch as smart as you will not fail the year by sleeping here for one night." Madam Pomfrey said, trying to comfort me, but I was still angry.
"Can I at least go to the feast and then come back?" I pleaded with wide eyes. She hesitated then took a deep breath.
"Very well, but it you feel dizzy or sleepy you are to come straight here. After the feast you need to come here anyway." She said and I nodded, still put out. I watched as she made wand movement on the tender spot where I had been injured. I winced but the pain all but disappeared, except a slight soreness.
"On the first day, my word." She muttered under her breath. I smiled weakly but a sudden thought pooped into my head.
"Do you like being a Healer?" I asked her. Madam Pomfrey looked a little stunned for a moment before she recovered.
"Why do you ask?" she said avoiding the personal question.
"I wanted to be an Auror, but I recently decided that Healing might be a better career for me. I wanted to know if you liked it. I don't know how I would feel watching sick people die every day." I shuddered slightly, but she didn't notice.
"I have a different perspective. Instead of seeing it as watching them die, I think of the people I save. I used to work at St. Mungos, but I got too old for the fast paced workers. I'm happy here where I don't ever see much death." I noticed she didn't say any death.
"Were you the one they took Moaning Myrtle too?" I asked and she dropped her wand in surprise.
"How did you know about that poor girl?" she asked, looking slightly upset.
"I'm Hermione Granger, Harry Potter's best friend." She didn't look any less confused so I continued.
"Harry went into the chamber of secrets! My gosh! We used her to find the entrance! She was the only death that I know of here."
"Well, yes she was brought to me. I think you would make a fine Healer Hermione. If it's the deaths that worry you, I can tell you that being an Auror isn't the job for you. Their whole lives are filled with death. They protect the wizarding world, but at a big price." She said, in a soft whisper.
"Well, go on you'll miss the entire feast. Make sure you eat enough!" she said as I moved back out the doors.
I chuckled as I made my way down the familiar halls of Hogwarts. The Great Hall was still buzzing with noise and I saw Dumbledore nod discreetly in my direction.
The moment I sat down next to Harry, Ron advanced on me.
"Where the bloody hell have you been?" he yelled loud enough to cause the entire table to look at him.
I glared at him. "If you must know Ronald, I was in the infirmary." I said sharply. He paled and looked at me more closely, searching for any injury.
"There isn't anything wrong with you." He protested, still too loudly for my liking.
"That would be because I was already healed. God, you are so thick." I said venomously. Couldn't he just mind his own business and stop being so possessive? Harry finally looked up and gave my hand a gentle squeeze.
"Ron, mind your own business. Hermione, what happened?" Harry said, distantly.
"I was clumsy and hit my head. I have a concussion and Madam Pomfrey is making me stay overnight." I huffed out; trying to make sure Ron didn't hear. He did anyway and turned red, weather from embarrassment or anger I didn't know.
"Why didn't you just say so!" He demanded, and several people laughed. I was glad when the feast finally arrived and I ate as much as my stomach would allow. Ron however inhaled everything in his sight. Harry only ate three bites of his mashed potatoes. This made me ache in the middle of my chest, but I decided I would talk to him later tomorrow. I didn't need Madam Pomfrey hunting me down.
I calmly said goodbye to Harry and pointedly ignored Ron. He need to grow up and realized he didn't own me, or control what I did.
Madam Pomfrey looked relived when I came in. I went straight to sleep more than a little anxious to go to classes the next day.
"Miss Granger!" I jerked awake and took a deep breath in. I was in the hospital wing. Oh duh.
"Am I late!" I asked frantically. She chuckled, actually laughed at me! That wench!
"No, you have thirty minutes left till classes start. You are free to go." She said and happily headed back to her desk.
30 MINUTES? I couldn't believe the audacity of that woman. I usually needed 2 hours to get ready!
I hurriedly ran down the halls to the girl's dorm to find my school robes. I managed to be ready with five minutes to spare. It usually took me a whole hour to tame my hair in the morning, but this morning that wasn't an option.
I had transfiguration first so McGonagall wouldn't give me detention but she might deduct points. I wasn't going to be the first one to get any taken away.
I was the last person in but Professor McGonagall hadn't arrived yet. I took my seat and saw that someone had come in behind me. Strange I hadn't heard anyone behind me… I felt my eyes widen when I saw Draco Malfoy taking his seat in the desk behind mine. Blaise, his fellow Slytherin, was sitting next to him, looking dejected and rather pale. Draco eyes met mine and his face softened before hardening into a sneer that seemed half-hearted.
"Take a picture, it will last longer." He snapped and I flushed before turning back to the front of the class.
I listened intently for the rest of the lesson, so I wouldn't be tempted to look behind me.
Charms was next and I felt happier knowing I wouldn't have Draco as a distraction in this class. Wait Draco? When had I started calling him Draco? He was Malfoy not Draco!
Fifteen minutes into the lesson something hit the back of my head. I looked around for the culprit but everyone was taking notes, or pretending too. Except Malfoy. My god was he in every class of mine?
He stared back defiantly at me, and then his lips mouthed, 'Mudblood'. I flushed with anger.
'Fuck You' I mouthed back and turned back to my notes, forcing myself to once again forget his overwhelming and infuriating presence.
I knew he couldn't possibly be in my Defense Against the Dark Arts class. It was ridiculous that he would in two of my classes, let alone three. I always sat in the front, so I wouldn't see anyone make fun of me when I raised my hand to answer questions.
Professor Snape walked in. I frowned. What was he doing in here?
"I am your new defense against the dark arts teacher. I have taught most of you in Potions; let us hope that you are more competent in this subject than you were in that one." He said with a sneer. I couldn't help myself; I raised my hand.
"Miss Granger?" He said stiffly, turning his large nose up with distaste.
"If you are the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher than who is teaching potions?" I asked timidly. Some of the student may have had Potions already but I wanted to know.
"Professor Slughorn. He will tell you more about him when you have his class, now on with the lesson. I will partner you up and they will remain your partner for the rest of the year." I sighed deeply and frowned. What if I was stuck with a Slytherin for the whole year?
"Blaise and Miss Parkinson, Seamus and Miss Brown, Draco and Miss Granger…" My ears clogged after he said my name. He couldn't be serious! I turned to look at Malfoy, to make sure I had heard right. He grinned evilly at me. The class room quieted and everyone moved to be with their partners. I remained in my seat completely still. Why would Snape do this? He thought Malfoy was perfect and wonderful. He wouldn't punish him this way!
My thoughts were interrupted when I felt the chair next to me slide backwards and he sat next to me.
"Why is he doing this to us! He likes you!" I asked in desperation to understand. He sneered at me and I rolled my eyes.
"Professor Snape doesn't like anyone. He knows that with our smart combined we make the best pair. You should be mature enough to not bicker with me like a child." He said slowly as if I would have trouble following his words.
"Do not talk to me like I'm three years old!" I protested. He rolled his eyes and turned back to the front of the room.
"I want each of you to practice disarming and projecting a shield. I know a fair few of you have accomplished this, but it will just start us out for today." I swallowed my distaste when his eyes landed on Draco only when he spoke. I could do both of those things! I had been doing them since fourth year!
Draco and I went to a secluded part of the room and I waited for him to disarm me. He just stood there and stared at me. I finally was bored and disarmed him myself.
"What did you do that for!" He yelled and retrieved his wand from the floor.
"You supposed to block the spell, Malfoy. Weren't you listening?" I snapped. He flushed and nodded.
"Of course, go again." I didn't think to hard about his reaction, and just tried to disarm him once more.
Tried being the operative word, I fumed as he blocked every advance with a skilled grace.
"Okay, you try and disarm me." I said finally after the 17th failed disarm. He smiled ruefully.
I waited and before I knew it my wand flew out of my hand.
"Hey you didn't say you were going to use nonverbal magic!" I said and bent to pick up my wand.
"I'm going to use nonverbal magic." He said seriously.
"Smartass." I hissed. He disarmed me again, but I managed to block the next one, also using nonverbal magic. He was so good! I was taught by harry and with all my extra studying I was rather good, but he was almost better than me!
"Did you ever go to the hospital wing?" He asked suddenly. I looked up in surprise.
"Yes I did, and that wench made me stay overnight!" I snapped, remembering my anger with the looked at me sharply.
"Why?"
"Because I had a concussion, apparently." I shrugged and we carried on in silence until my curiosity got the better of me.
"How are you doing that?" I asked curiously. He blinked and looked around to make sure I was speaking to him. Honestly who else would I be talking to?
"Doing what?" he asked defensively.
"I've never had anyone block me that well except Harry. I was taught by him, but you weren't." I said and he laughed loudly.
"You wondering why I'm better than you!" he asked incredulously. I frowned. Why was that so funny?
He stopped laughed and advanced on me. He was only two inches away, so close I would see his intense, beautiful grey eyes. Yes they were beautiful. They showed everything.
"One because I have been learning magic sense I was three, and second because you are a Mudblood. Of course I am better than you." He hissed and stepped away. I felt a sting in my chest. How could I forget? His eyes suddenly weren't so beautiful.
"Bastard." I said and walked away even though the class wasn't done.
"Granger!" He called and I turned to tell him off but he was closer than I expected. His eyes held regret and frustration.
"I told you we needed to be mature about this and not bicker like children!" he said exasperatedly.
"No, you told me to be mature and not act like a child." I snapped, but his regretful eyes pleaded with mine.
"Whatever, but if you call me a Mudblood again, I will hex you." I warned, but continued with our partner work.
"Why didn't you just then?" he asked, and stepped closer to me. I felt uncomfortable and confused. Couldn't he mind his own personal space?
"I wasn't expecting it, since you had been civil up until that." I replied honestly. He winced but hardened his face so I couldn't read what he was thinking.
"Well, I won't do it again, in this room at least." He said with a grin and weakly, as thought I didn't want to, I grinned back.
A/N:I worked harder on this chapter and i just want to say that if you are reading my story and you like it, if you review the chapters will come faster.
