Chapter 2

Shifting uncomfortably in his seat, Draco cursed Snape for pairing him up with the mudblo--- Granger. Damn, I can't even say it! What's wrong with me? I don't deserve this. Years of tormenting others and fate suddenly decided to get back at me.

Being beside the girl he considered as filth for the past several years then suddenly realizing she has changed, was definitely not enjoyable. He couldn't think as he worked beside her. Her scent was intoxicating, a mix apple and jasmine. Glancing at her as discreet as he can be, he noticed, her hair was in a loose bun with a few tendrils loose. How he longed to run his fingers through her hair. Her crouching over the cauldron did nothing to hide her womanly form from him. Draco had to use all his willpower to keep himself from swiping her into his arms. Draco wanted to bang his head on the desk but that would probably get him some unwanted attention. This is so unlike me. This must be the effect of too many beatings. Thanks a lot, Father. You turned me into what you hated most. He couldn't stop the sneer that was coming to his face.

Hermione caught him staring at her with that unwelcome look on his face. "What is it Malfoy?" she asked looking intently at him, preparing herself for the verbal abuse that was sure to come from him.

Draco was ready to insult her but when he turned to look at her, all rational thought was gone. Her cinnamon- colored eyes immediately captivated him. Weren't they dark brown when she was glaring at me a while ago?

Hermione grew puzzled as Malfoy continued to stare at her with an unidentifiable look in his eyes. "Malfoy? Are you okay?" she asked hesitantly.

Realizing that he hadn't answered her question, he blinked. Shifting his gaze on the potion they were working on, he thought of ways to answer her without appearing too nice.

"Nothing. I was just thinking, not that it's any of your business." He inwardly groaned as he thought himself stupid for being incapable to think of a more Slytherin way of answering. Is this what I have been reduced to in that short span of time?

"Call the reporters! Draco Malfoy can think!" Hermione teased. She decided that it would be better if she got along well with Malfoy. After all, it was her Potions grade that was on the line. It also wouldn't hurt if she had a fellow intellectual as a friend, even if he was the stuck-up git who argued with her friends and called her Mudblood. Against better judgment, she resolved that it was well worth her time to set out to mend the rift between herself and Draco Malfoy. With the war approaching, they might never get the chance again, wherever their loyalties might lie.

Hiding that he was surprised at her spontaneity, he smirked. "Oh we all know I think, Granger. And I do a lot more than think, of course," he raised his eyebrows suggestively.

Hermione rolled her eyes but nonetheless surprised that he had teased her as though they were friends for a long time. "Oh, stop it. You know I was just kidding, Malfoy" Then turned continued pounding the lacewing flies.

"But I was not kidding," Draco said with a smug look on his face as Hermione wrinkled her nose at him. Draco was pleased that she had been so nice to him after all he'd done to her, surprised that anyone could forgive so readily. No one has ever treated him that way. Thinking of his fellow Slytherins, he realized that not even the people he called friends would have that kind of banter with him.

"Miss Granger, Mister Malfoy, I suggest you get on with your work. Talking will get you nowhere." Snape sneered at their work. "Miss Granger would of course hate to have another detention so early in the term. Wouldn't you, Miss Granger?"

Hermione looked at the spot above Snape's ear when she answered the, "No sir." She was afraid that if she looked at Snape, she would answer back as the Gryffindor that she is.

Draco silently cursed Snape for interrupting them. He was enjoying their little exchange. He rarely had stimulating conversation being amongst idiots that he is.

"Then get on with your work and stop talking!" he barked then went back to his seat behind his desk. Not wanting to get on Snape's bad side again, Draco and Hermione continued to work in silence.

Severus Snape cursed himself for his weakness. For the second time that day, he asked himself what the hell was wrong with him. Just as he had recognized his admiration for the Head Girl, he started going crazy. Such affections could lead a person to their destruction. He just couldn't deny that he couldn't take Draco Malfoy having a pleasant conversation with his Hermione.

Oh Gods.

Did he just say his Hermione? He MUST be going crazy. You are her Potions Professor, for crying out loud! He just couldn't stomp down the feeling of satisfaction when they stopped talking. He didn't have the right to be possessive of her. Losing his control over a mere slip of a girl at such a short period of time was pitiful. His late nights and those bouts of Cruciatus must be getting through his brain. He then completely blocked all his thoughts of her.

When it was time to dismiss the class, Severus reluctantly snapped out of his stupor and called Miss Granger and Weasley to his desk. With no more than a whisper, " I want two rolls of parchment on the effects of Polyjuice if used incorrectly. Miss Granger, Mister Weasley stay. We have to arrange your detention."

Glad that the class was over, the students scrambled to the door and hurriedly left for their next class. Being out of the Potions Master's clutches was a very good thing.

"Mr. Weasley, you will proceed to Filch at eight o'clock tonight. He will be in charge of your detention. You may go now." He had decided to take one of them out of his hands. After all, a Weasley's volatile temper would do nothing good in Potions. However, to his chagrin, the redhead did nothing to move towards the door.

"Did you not hear me, Mister Weasley? Are you as inefficient in hearing as you are in Potions? I said you may go. You can wait for her outside." Snape sneered as Weasley tried in vain to stand up to him.

"Ron, Just go," Hermione said to assure him that she would be fine.

"Okay, I'll wait for you outside." With a last glare towards the Potions Master, Weasley walked towards the door. To annoy Snape, he deliberately walked with no rush.

When Ron closed the door, Snape returned his attention to Hermione. With his evil persona back in full force, he smirked at her. "Tut, tut, Miss Granger, I did not really expect that from you. The years were not kind to your personality. You stole from me. You lied to me. Before we know it, you might be murdering your friends." Pausing for effect, Snape enjoyed watching her clench her fists. Her head was bowed so he was unfortunately spared from seeing her dejected face. "Stealing from my personal stores. Do explain yourself."

When Hermioneraised her head to look at him in the eye, he was surprise to see that instead of a miserable expression, he saw one of anger. Unleashed fury that might be it. "Sir," Hermione started purposefully. Reining her anger, she spoke rationally and even attempted to be civil. "During that time it was really necessary. If you were in our place- "

Snape narrowed his eyes and said, "And what place would that be, hmm? A place of proving yourselves to everyone in that Wizarding World that you can do anything you want even if you break the rules?"

Hermione Granger had the audacity to glare at him. "If you would just listen, sir! I advise you to keep quiet even for just a while." Snape was taken aback by the intensity of her impudence. "We were trying to solve the mysteries of the Chamber that year and I would have triumphed in my success had I not turned into a cat!" Losing control over what her mouth spewed, Hermione clapped her hands to her mouth. Horrified, she timidly looked down. She was about to apologize when something unexpected happen.

Chuckling, Snape admired her for her cheek. "I didn't believe it possible. Hermione Granger admitting a mistake. I knew what happened to you. I made the potion which turned you back. It was rather amusing really." For some strange reason, hearing Snape chuckle was more horrifying than waiting to be punished.

Hermione's jaw dropped. Stopping herself from asking why he just punished them now, she closed her mouth, resigned.

"It goes beyond my comprehension why you let your friends," he sneered at this word, "coerce you into breaking the rules. Such Gryffindor stupidity is not to be admired."

Thinking to defend her friends, Hermione shook her head. "No sir, you are mistaken. If you must know, I insisted it should be me because I had a clean record. I either of them got caught they would be expelled," she said resolutely.

Snape's eyebrow rose. "Indeed. Nevertheless, you stole from a teacher. Do you agree with me that you deserve detention?"

"Yes sir," Hermione looked down.

"Your detention will start tonight. You will be brewing another Polyjuice Potion under my careful eye. Starting tonight and every night hereafter until you finish the Polyjuice Potion on your own. You should be here at eight. I will not accept excuses if you're late."

"I will not be late," Hermione said looking up. This will definitely set back her study schedule for the NEWTs. She sighed inwardly.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Another detention? Go away. I've wasted too much time on you as it is," Snape said, impatiently waving his hand.

Hermione stood up from the chair that she had been sitting on. She turned and walked to the door. Before she closed the door, against her better judgment, she gave Snape a smile and said, "Thank you, Professor for giving me another chance." and left.

Snape cursed her for that last bit. Her smile and her words started to plague him for the rest of the day.

Insolent chit.

Pacing the Potions corridor, Ron impatiently said, "What is taking her so long?" Harry sighed, "Stop it, Ron. You've asked me that question seven times for the past five minutes." Harry being the more rational of the two, contemplated while leaning on the wall their friendship. Though it was stronger than ever, their personalities hardly changed. Ron was still the impatient one. The only thing that might have changed is their appearance. Harry, with his still messy hair, had grown to six feet and Quidditch training definitely helped his appearance. Gone was the thin boy who was bullied by Dudley Dursley. Now there was Ron, who was a little taller than Harry at six feet and two inches. Like the others, they also saw the change in Hermione over the years. Her bushy hair was a thing of the past as it had curled naturally with the weight. She was only five feet and six inches but it was a bonus to her appeal. Her curves were far more than what everyone remembered of the bookish girl who practically lived at the Hogwarts library. Her heart-shaped face which was probably the most captivating of all with its high cheek bones and aristocratic features, was always free of artificial charms and make-up. Hermione personified simplicity at its best. They both loved Hermione like a sister. Thankfully, Ron's childhood crush on her disappeared. However, they were both aware that a lot of guys look at Hermione in a way they both didn't like. Just watching Malfoy look at her w a while ago made Harry's blood boil.

The door to the classroom opened and they heard Hermione's voice, "Thank you, Professor for giving me another chance."

"What was that about?" Harry asked perplexed.

"He knows all about the cat thing," Hermione blushed, embarrassed. "And my detention is quite easy. I will be brewing another batch of Polyjuice with him. That's all." replied Hermione as they walked towards Gryffindor Tower.

"I would say you are lucky because you'd be doing something you know but I won't- being it's with Snape and all." said Ron.

"I'll manage," said Hermione.

Since Hermione became Head Girl, she was given her own quarters just outside Gryffindor Tower. Preferring solitude with her books, she spent less time in the common room. She didn't mind it much since the boys have lives of their own. Ron just broke up with Lavender thinking that she flirted with other guys too much. Harry was courting Ginny which made Hermione very happy. It was about time. But being Ginny, she wanted time to think about it. Time does change people. The younger Ginny would have jumped at the chance. Another thing she did not want to stay at the common room was because of the gossips flying around about who's sleeping with who, particularly one from the Gossip Queens, Parvati and Lavender. She was no prude. She herself lost her virginity the summer before seventh year. She slept with a muggle named William she met over the summer just to appease her curiosity. She didn't regret it much because he was very considerate. It was just that hearing about her best friends sleeping with girls made Hermione want to gag. They were like her brothers. It wasn't good imagining things like that.

Thankfully, Harry broke her train of thought. "What's your next class?"

Without pausing to think, Hermione answered, "Arithmancy. I'll just go get my books from my rooms. You have Divination right?"

"Yes. I'm glad this is our last year. I simply couldn't stand Trelawny anymore." Ron said with a smile.

Hermione smirked. "You should have dropped it like I did. Well, you guys go ahead. I'll see you at the Great Hall later." With a little wave, she left to go to her rooms.

On her way to the Arithmancy classroom, she felt eyes following her. Then suddenly someone grabbed her from behind and pushed her to an empty corridor. She was pinned to the wall and it was terrible. Looking up, she saw Blaise Zabini.

"Let go of me! " Hermione shrieked! She could feel his hands roaming over her chest, looking for the buttons of her robes.

"Hush... just keep quiet and it'll be over before you know it. I just want a piece of our lovely Head Girl" Blaise whispered in her ear huskily. With one hand covering her mouth, and the other under her robes, he started unbuttoning the blouse she had underneath. He took her mouth hard. Hermione tried to resist but Blaise was much stronger. His tongue found his way into her mouth. His hand was about to cup her breast when someone hexed him from behind.

"Expellarmus!"

(A/N: who could that be?)