Chapter Two

Before leaving with Harry and Ron to hunt for Voldemort's Horcruxes, she would meet the boys in the common room every morning to go breakfast. It was the oddest sensation, to walk out of the girls dormitory and not see them. She did see Neville, who waited patiently for her.

"Thought you may be missing them," he said.

Her heart warmed for him as it had done many times in the past. Neville was a sweet boy and grew to be a sweet man. Together they had breakfast in the Great Hall, and they went to their first class of the day, which happened to be Potions.

Professor Slughorn decided to keep his position as Potions Master and he didn't seem as though he could be more happy about it. His cheeks were rosy and he greeted them all with enthusiasm, welcoming them to his class. He beamed at Hermione and Neville, and like Neville was she was hoping that she wouldn't be invited to the SlugClub. She had to focus on her studies, surely he would understand.

Professor Slughorn clapped cheerily. "Lets mix things up, shall we? Try for a little inter-house community. Now... Lets see... Longbottom and Nott, Thomas and Parkinson, Finnigan and Bulstrode, and... Yes, Malfoy and Granger."

Hermione didn't hear the rest of his speech, her eyes instantly locked on two steel grays ones across the classroom. Dread doused her in ice. She thought the year would be lonely without Harry and Ron but she didn't count on it being miserable.

People shuffled about, mumbling their displeasure, but Hermione and Malfoy didn't move. Someone touched her arm and she jumped out of her thoughts. Neville's brows were pulled, concerned. "Alright there, Hermione?"

"Yes, yes, I'm okay" she answered without certainty.

Professor Slughorn clapped his hands again. "Hurry, now."

"Good luck," Neville wished in a groan when the Professor eyed his loitering.

"You too." She looked back to Malfoy and saw that he still had not gathered his ingredients to join her.

Malfoy then jerked his head, motioning it in a way as a welcome. According to him she was supposedly meant to join his table. Not feeling up to an argument she picked up her case of ingredients and her potions book and slowly went to his table. She stood across from him so the cauldron was between. He seemed amused by her actions, although she couldn't fathom why.

"For today brew me a batch of Polyjuice Potion. This will take a month so get to know your partner!"

Redness crept into Hermione's cheeks, remembering when Harry, Ron and her drunk it in their Second Year to infiltrate the Slytherin common room. It had been Malfoy they were interrogating and there she was, brewing the exact potion with him. A month seemed like an awfully long time.

Face down she prepared the needed ingredients as Malfoy silently opened his book to the page. He took the small cutting knife and Hermione handed him the Boomslang skin. Their fingers met, his colder than the dungeon itself and she sharply retracted.

"Sorry."

Hermione glimpsed up. His gaze was set on the Boomslang in his hand, his mouth set as if he hadn't said what she thought he said. Then, his lips moved. "I am sorry."

This appeared to pain him as his whole face contorted. Twisting the knife, he watched the glint from the torches play off it.

"I forgive you."

He met her eyes, astonishment to sincerity. They were suspended there, the knife hung limply from his fingers, and Hermione's hand on the page of the book. They were close together, nearer than they ever had been. She could see the small cracks in his lips and the bright speckles of silver in his eyes; she could smell him, the musk and patchouli. It smelled familiar. Something that edged its way around her brain and sat on the tip of her tongue, but no matter how she strained she couldn't remember.

Returning to her ingredients, he returned to his book. They worked silently together for the rest of class, but it was different. It was better, because she knew that Malfoy would probably not stab her with his cutting knife.

At the other end of the room there was an explosion. Professor Slughorn pushed past his students and took a hold of Neville who was barely standing, his brown hair on end, his face blackened.

"Dear boy! Who added the wolf's fang?"

Nott kept his face passive, but this did not fool the professor.

"Fifty points from Slytherin for your antics, Nott."

This only caused a twitch in Nott's eye.

"Take him to the infirmary."