The Muggle Project
By Ceri Blackheart
A/N: Yes, my style has gone from extremely long, to extremely short. But do bear with me for now for these are only the minor chapters. The good ones come in soon... especially next the next chapter. –grin-
Chapter Two: Chop the fucking potatoes
"I'd be damned if we were asked to bring our luggage the muggle way." Ron groaned as he pushed in the last of his luggage into the compartment. They seemed to be filled with countless of sweets, and Hermione thought, 'Ugh, Ron.'
"Ron, don't be such a git, muggles do things without magic, and they're far from becoming extinct." Hermione snickered and took a healthy bite off her sweetened pumpkin stick.
"Bloody fuck!" They could hear Draco's curses from outside, apparently still not taking the news flippantly.
"Honestly, at least you're stuck with somebody normal," she rolled her eyes at the much-too-pleased Lavender Brown. "I'm stuck with a mad monkey." She sighed and popped her head out the window to see a group of professors who seemed to see them off. They were waving to somebody, and as she looked to her left and right, looking for somebody who would wave back, she realised that they were waving to her. Professor Dumbledore gave her a nod, while other professors, including Hagrid and excluding Snape, were waving to her. She waved back and she saw Professor McGonagall mouth a 'Good luck'.
She got distracted as the sound of loud, heavy, and almost angry footsteps emanated from outside their compartment which was growing louder and louder by each second. Hermione popped her head back in.
"Granger," the sliding door was furiously opened, revealing a pink faced Malfoy, evidently livid.
"The doors are too fragile to break, Malfoy, try a wall instead." Hermione hissed. Ron growled at the new comer, while Lavender blushed at the sight of Draco Malfoy.
"Watch your mutated dog, Granger, he might have rabies." Draco retorted as he brushed his sleeves off of imaginary dust.
"Bugger off, Ferret, you've got no business here." Ron hissed.
"What are you here for, Malfoy? I'm trying to enjoy my last few hours of non-Malfoy-hood. So go away." Hermione spat.
"Granger, you have got to tell me there are elves or muggles to do my biddings in there." He ignored Ron's seething glares and Hermione could tell that he tried to say it the calmest possible way he could.
"Malfoy, if you'd like to kill the very point of our grade, then we can go ahead and get a maid so when we get home, we'd have a big, fat failing grade stuck on our faces." She said sardonically.
"Fine, then during the project, you'll be doing my biddings." He said contentedly as he swung his arm around the pole.
"Malfoy, you of all people, should know by now that I am not one you can just order around. So go away and sit down with your friends, whom by the way, are considered the beautiful people." She smirked.
"Time to go, keep tight in your seats." The conductor shouted.
~*~
"Professor, don't you think that Professor Snape chose the wrong students to be together? I mean, Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy... are both teenagers. What's more is that Draco Malfoy has had rumours floating around him..." Professor McGonagall said anxiously.
"Minerva, I'm sure Severus had a very good explanation for this." Albus Dumbledore smiled and sipped on his tea happily.
"But Professor Dumbledore, There is a risk of physical attraction... and might lead to..." Once again, her voice trailed off, apparently too embarrassed to say the word.
"Are you afraid that these students might actually engage in sex, Minerva?" Albus chuckled, and put down his teacup. He stared at the slightly blushing woman who nodded.
"The rumours... Are you not worried of this?" Minerva finally blurted. Of course why wouldn't she become frightened? There had already been news of students doing unimaginable things behind their backs even in Hogwarts! What more if they were outside? And the period of seclusion... The thoughts popped in rapidly and swirled inside her already vexed mind.
"Minerva, these things are normal and out of our control. We can only act if something else happens or rather, is conceived—which is less likely." Albus smiled at the witch's concern, but given the most unlikely pair to develop something, as of the moment, he could probably worry less.
"Please be mindful of the rumours, I somewhat believe that these are true, of course I have no proof—but by the way his actions are executed..." Minerva McGonagall sighed, there was such hesitation in her that she could not even convey what she wanted to say properly.
"Minerva, we are speaking of Miss Granger and Mister Malfoy in here. Yes, Mister Malfoy may have intentions, but I believe that Miss Granger is far more responsible than you take her for. And due to Mister Malfoy's great dislike for her blood impurity, I think that it is safe to say that we can rest out minds and hope for the great outcome of this project." Albus popped a lemon drop in his mouth and revealed a small smile.
"Albus... Draco Malfoy is persistent. Also, the period of seclusion. Six months, six months to develop something." Minerva shuffled in her seat.
Albus gave Minerva a nod, and she immediately fell silent, letting him pour her another cup of tea.
~*~
"Absolutely not!" Draco Malfoy, the prat, huffed. He crossed his arms and refused to move from the sofa.
"Malfoy, unless you want to order yourself your own dinner, then I suggest you get your lazy arse up here and help me chop the potatoes!" Hermione was furious, no, she was beyond furious. Not only did the brat refuse to help her with HIS luggage.
"You brat!" She snarled at him, yes, she snarled.
"I'm busy, Granger. Talk to someone else who would bear to hear whatever you've got to say."
Hermione was a very composed woman. She believed to be headstrong and would not just step down to other people's whims. Which is why she believed that in order for her to live harmoniously with Draco Malfoy, she should be able to compromise with him. But in order for her to compromise with him, he should be willing to work with her, and that does not mean lazing around sitting your arse on the damned sofa.
"I've done the cleaning, I've brought your luggage to your bloody room, and I've even writted out our report for the day without your help. The only thing I'm asking you to do is chop the fucking potatoes. What I do not understand how it is so hard to get up from that chair so you can just help me chop the fucking potatoes. I'm not asking you to cut it symmetrically, hell! I don't even care how you do it. JUST CHOP THE FUCKING POTATOES!"
At that point in her life, she finally cracked. The ultimate statement of profanity and redundancy just easily found its way out her mouth like fresh, warm spit.
"Get a grip, Granger, if you're that desperate, then I guess I have no choice but to chop your fucking potatoes." He chuckled and left for the kitchen.
Hermione, not only furious, but stood there flabbergasted. Not only has she been vulgar, she also has been ridiculously redundant. To top it off, she was called desperate.
She had made her mind.
From then on, she would see Draco Malfoy from a different perspective.
Because Hermione Granger absolutely hates Draco Malfoy.
And after seeing how he chopped the potatoes in a way that even a baby would do better, she screamed at the top of her lungs, "DRACO MALFOY!!!!!"
A/N: Yes, quite short. Do wait for the next one. This chapter is only a warm up. The next one will get quite... steamy? Perhaps. –cough-