Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to JK Rowling and Warner Bros™. Nothing is mine but the creativity and storyline.

Obliviate – Unwilling Students

1

"You wanted to see me, Professor?"

Albus Dumbledore looked up from his desk and up at the entrant through his half-moon glasses. "Ah yes! Miss Granger, take a seat." He greeted, with a welcoming smile, which Hermione returned, if not a little nervously.

Hermione hadn't been in Dumbledore's office for a whole year – well, not for anything bad, anyway. It seemed as though this year at Hogwarts was going well for her so far, and she honestly didn't want to ruin her record. Although she couldn't recollect anything that she might have done wrong to land herself in the Headmaster's office, but she couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. She tried not to show it though, but even she herself knew that it was a lost cause with the greatest Wizard in the Wizarding World.

She stepped across his office and her footsteps echoed around the large room. Fawkes made a gentle clicking sound with his beak (Hermione hoped it was his way of a greeting) before she sat down on the chair Dumbledore had gestured to, her eyes subconsciously dropping to her hands in her lap.

Dumbledore smiled at her knowingly. "There is no need to worry, Miss Granger," this soothed her immensely, and she outwardly relaxed, "I only called you in here today to ask a favour of you."

At this, Hermione tensed up again. If this favour was anything like the favours Dumbledore asked of Harry then she was in for trouble. She swallowed the developing lump in her throat and moistened her lips. "Favour, Professor?" She asked, her voice a higher note than necessary and her hands clasping around the hem of her skirt.

Dumbledore chuckled whole-heartedly and continued, "Nothing dangerous, I assure you." He stood up and manoeuvred around his desk until he came to a shelf on the wall adjacent to his chair. He picked up a small tin from the shelf and opened it. Then, sharing a private smile with himself, he removing a small black and white sweet from the tin and popping it in his mouth. He then turned the tin towards Hermione, "Humbug?" he asked, smiling.

She looked up at him and noticed what he was offering. She paused. "Uh, no thankyou, Professor."

Dumbledore hummed gently, before placing the tin back on the shelf and taking his seat at his desk once more. "Miss Granger, I am aware you have a free period before Dinner on Monday and Tuesday every week, is that correct?"

The brunette nodded. "Yes, sir."

"And you use that period for studying purposes, yes?" Hermione only nodded in response this time. Dumbledore mimicked her gesture before continuing, "Well, I understand from Mr Weasley that you are talented with the piano." The headmaster observed her over the tops of his glasses and smiled knowingly. Hermione felt her face burn. She avoided his gaze. "And," he went on, "I want you to use your free period as time to teach First Years the piano, is that alright?"

Hermione took a second to absorb this information, and snapped her head up to look up at him once more. Then, her eyes widened and she leant forward in her chair, almost immediately thinking of nothing other than, "But, Professor, what about my studying?"

The bearded man chuckled again, "I will grant you permission to study in the library at any other time you wish, even after hours." Hermione's face visibly lit up. "Is that alright with you, Miss Granger?" He repeated, the tone in his voice suggesting this was no longer a request.

"Oh, definitely!" Hermione replied without hesitation, obviously much happier now, "I won't mind that at all, Professor!" She sat back in her chair again; content but still a little unsure, "As long as I am still able to study, then that's absolutely fine."

Dumbledore nodded once, a small smile on his elderly lips. "Good, I'm glad to hear it," the Professor stood up and began walking towards his office door. Hermione's eyes followed him around the room. "I shall escort you out Miss Granger, I am afraid I have a lot of Headmaster duties to attend to," He chuckled a little to himself, and continued walking as Hermione stood up from her chair and skipped a little to catch up with him, her eyes on her shoes. "However, if you ever feel the need to speak to me about anything – anything at all –," he stressed this last part vigorously, "then just remember the hard sweet I offered you earlier."

Hermione looked up to him and smiled gently, knowing exactly what he was talking about. They both came to a stop at the door, "Of course. Thankyou, Professor." She said curtly, before the door magically opened and let Hermione slip out. Just as she began stepping down the steps, she heard a click and some footsteps behind her. When she turned, she noticed that Dumbledore had also left his office and had locked it behind him.

"Like I said," the elderly man began as he stuffed his wand back into his robes, "I have Headmaster duties to attend to."

2

Draco sighed – long and thorough. From beside him, Crabbe snored loudly and hoarsely. The sound irritated the blonde boy immensely, but he would much rather listen to Crabbe's snoring than the mindless drabble that Professor Trelawney was spewing out. He hated Divination. What would Divination be used for later in life anyway? He wanted to be a Healer, not a crackpot old school Professor. Draco came to the conclusion that Dumbledore must have felt sorry for her to give her this job, because she most certainly was not good at it. Second sight? Draco snorted in derision under his breath. Maybe she should spend less time working on her vision and more time working on mending her dead brain cells.

Well, on second thoughts, it was probably too late for that.

He sat up slightly, and looked at the back of Blaise's head. Why he was so intent of sitting infront of him every lesson was bewildering, but in Divination Draco really couldn't care less what he could and could not see. At this point, Blaise's skull was much more interesting than Professor Trelawney. Has his hair gotten darker?

Draco sat back in his chair, resting his chin on his arms folded across the desk. He sighed once more, and felt his teeth grind in his jaw as another rumbling snore emerged from Crabbe on his left. Suddenly, Crabbe jolted awake, followed by a loud wail of surprise, which made Draco jump as well. It didn't take him long to realise that the wail hadn't came from Crabbe, as he looked over and saw Professor Trelawney staring intently at the lump of lard beside him. Draco just scoffed, before he turned back to rest on his arms again, paying no attention to whatever it was the teacher had to say.

Only seconds later, however, Crabbe nudged him to get his attention. Feeling his irritation grow again, he turned to Crabbe and snapped, "What?" but when he looked at Crabbe, Crabbe wasn't looking back at him. Crabbe was fixated on Trelawney who was stood beside him, immensely still. Draco followed his gaze and looked up at the woman. He noticed that behind her glasses, her eyes had welled up with tears. She was staring right at him. Why him?

He couldn't lock his gaze with the teachers any longer, so he averted his eyes to his fellow classmates. They were all staring in his direction, some at him and some at Trelawney. His eyebrows knit, both with confusion and with frustration. What on Earth was this batty coot doing now?

As he thought this, she moved and suddenly came to stand beside him. He looked up at her and saw her blinking away her tears, seemingly snapped out of her 'trance'. She placed a hand gently on his shoulder. "My boy," she said in a voice so low it was almost a whisper, "I am indeed very sorry for any misfortune that shall be placed upon you." Although her voice was gentle and reassuring, Draco only found that it frustrated him further. It was of course nothing serious, just Trelawney being her crazy old self.

Sneering, he snatched his shoulder from her grasp. He still watched her, and she seemed to compose herself immensely, and tore her gaze away from his to face the rest of the class and give them a watery smile. "Now, where was I?" She mumbled to herself, slowly making her way back to the front of the classroom.

Draco heard Crabbe snigger from beside him. He growled lowly in his throat and turned to hurl a sharp insult, "What do you find so funny? Has dear old mummy bought another gallon of lard for you–,"

There was a knock at the door that cut him off. The whole class looked up to the source of the sound, and saw the door open to show Professor Dumbledore standing there, his hand absent-mindedly stroking his beard.

"Terribly sorry to interrupt Sybill, but may I take Mr Malfoy for a moment?" At this, all eyes were on Draco for the second time that lesson.

"W-why yes, of course." Trelawney said, nodding vigorously. Dumbledore turned to smile at Draco welcomingly. It didn't make him feel any better.

He stood up promptly and swaggered across the classroom. As he passed the woman Professor, he could have sworn that she shrunk inside herself a little as he walked past. Without looking back, he closed the door and was alone with Dumbledore outside in the corridor.

"I suppose you're wondering why I called you out of your lesson, Draco," the Headmaster said, his voice low and somewhat sombre, yet it still had its optimistic undertone.

Draco just shrugged and dropped his gaze down to the floor. "I suppose," He said, stuffing his hands into his pockets, "But anything is better than Divination."

"You don't care for the subject?" Dumbledore asked sincerely. Draco just shook his head. "What is it you wish to do when you leave Hogwarts, Mr Malfoy?"

Draco looked up at the old man. The tone in his voice suggested he expected a certain answer from him, as if he already had a good idea of what Draco wanted from life. Draco knew that he had no idea. He had no idea about him at all.

Wise? Ha. Draco thought, solemnly.

He glared the man straight in the face. "Malfoy is just my family name, Professor. I have my own mind; not the mind of my family." Dumbledore just looked at the boy, his eyebrow slightly raised. Draco continued. "I wish to be a Healer when I leave Hogwarts, and I'm sure a man like yourself must know that I don't need Divination to become a Healer. Does this have anything to do with why you brought me out of lesson, sir?"

The corner of the latter's mouth turned upwards slightly, and his eyes gleamed. Quickly, he shook his head. "No, pardon my curiosity Mr Malfoy, I was prying. My apologies." Although his expression seemed sincere, Draco said nothing. The headmaster pressed on, "The reason I called you out of lesson was to offer you the chance to engage in some extra-curricular activities." Draco's interest plummeted immediately. Sensing this, Dumbledore added, "During the school timetable, of course."

The blonde was intrigued. During school timetable? Didn't that mean he got out of lesson early?

"However, I am regretful to say that it would mean you miss your Muggle Studies lessons on a Monday and Tuesday."

Only one lesson of Muggle Studies a week? What had Draco done to deserve such rewards? He praised Merlin silently, before looking up at the Professor before him. "What are these extra-curricular activities?" He asked, finally interested.

Dumbledore smiled to himself in triumph. He cleared his throat in mock-anxiety. "Well, when I say activities I do only mean one lesson twice a week instead of Muggle Studies. It would include you taking piano lessons."

"Piano lessons?" Draco asked, somewhat put out, yet elated at the same time. Piano lessons? That was all? Dumbledore nodded. Draco shrugged. "Well, I have always been interested in learning piano."

"Excellent!" Dumbledore said with glee, clapping his aged hands together. "Shall we go meet your teacher?"

Draco was a little taken aback. He'd never heard of Dumbledore taking someone out of their lesson like this before. It did seem a little odd to him, but something that was going to favour him for the best. He misses the end of Divination and he gets out of two lessons studying filthy Muggles – what could be better?

Without looking back at the classroom he had just left, he said, "I think we shall, Professor."

3

The two Wizards ended up outside another classroom some far away across the castle. Draco couldn't recollect a time where he'd spent this long with Dumbledore alone before. He wasn't always in and out of his office like Potter, Weasley and Granger. It was beneath him to suck up to people, like they did. Even the thought of those three made his teeth grind in his jaw. He couldn't even remember what made him hate them so much, really. Except that Potter was a flouncy show off, and Weasley was a Blood Traitor (and just a Weasley in general) and, of course, that Granger was a filthy little Mudblood.

Oh, it seems he could remember after all.

But the thought of missing out on his lessons was enough to make Draco ease up a little, and he turned his attention to the elderly man now peeping into the door of the classroom before them, much like he had done in his Divination class to collect him. So his 'teacher' was another student. Draco hummed to himself thoughtfully.

Peering around Dumbledore, he caught a glimpse of some of the students in the classroom. He saw Padma Patil and Loony Lovegood sitting a few seats from the front behind that other Ravenclaw girl who hangs around with Potter – the one with the dark hair. Chang, was it?

He didn't particularly care. He was just glad that he wouldn't be getting taught by another Slytherin; he would never hear the end of that. Or a Gryffindor by that matter, he doubted he'd hear the end of that one either.

Suddenly, he saw Dumbledore begin to back out of the classroom with a student in tow. "It seems I have bothered you twice in one day Miss Granger, I do apologise."

Miss Granger?

"That's quite alright, Professor. I can't wait to meet my first student. I'll try to make it as comfortable as possible for them, being a First Year and all."

Miss Granger?! Asin, Hermione Granger?!

"Well, that is considerate of you, Hermione."

At this point, Dumbledore came to a standstill, and Hermione came out from behind him. Upon seeing Draco, Hermione's smile quickly melted away, replaced by a sneer worthy of the one that Draco was throwing her at that precise moment. It only lasted a second, however, as Hermione turned back to the Professor and asked, "Professor? Where is the First Year student?"

"You're looking at him." Draco said, his voice monotonic and with a cruel edge. He folded his arms across his chest and stood up a little straighter, "A few years further along the evolutionary scale, though."

Hermione laughed sarcastically and retorted dryly, "I think you'll find you're a few years behind, Malfoy."

"How dare you–,"

"Now now, Mr Malfoy, Miss Granger." Dumbledore interrupted sternly, his gaze switching between the two livid students, "If you two are to take piano lessons together you must behave civilised."

"Take piano lessons together?" Draco snorted, "You must be joking!"

"But Mr Malfoy, you agreed–,"

"Yeah? Well I don't anymore." At this, Draco turned to leave, but after just a few paces, he heard Dumbledore speak.

"Mr Malfoy, need I remind you of our lesson plan agreement?"

Draco continued walking. "I don't care." He called over his shoulder, "I'd take Trelawney over a Mudblood any day."

Dumbledore's voice turned grave and his expression grew darker. "Detention, Mr Malfoy."

Draco stopped in his tracks and spun around on his heel. "What?!"

Hermione smirked. Draco Malfoy with detention? She felt positively delighted.

The headmaster replied to the boy, his tone matter-of-factly, "You have detention today and tomorrow during fourth period." Dumbledore suddenly grew more cheerful, "Which just so happens to be during the time of Miss Granger's free period, in which she agreed to give piano lessons."

Hermione's smirk faltered immediately and she looked up at the Professor beside her with pleading eyes. "But sir, I thought I would be teaching First Years."

Dumbledore's cheeks turned a darker shade of pink than usual. Whether it was genuine or just a trick for effect, Hermione wasn't sure. "Well, I am afraid I told you a little white lie there, Miss Granger. In fact, Mr Malfoy is the only person you will be teaching."

"Like hell she will!" Draco snarled from a few feet down the corridor, his face an absolute picture of anger. If Hermione wasn't so angry at him for being a spoilt little brat then it might have frightened her – or amused her.

Dumbledore's ambiance darkened once more. "I think you'll find she will be, Mr Malfoy."

"You can't force me! Detention or no detention, she's not having anything to do with me." He switched his gaze from Dumbledore and Hermione and saw her heated expression. He returned it with an enraged face of his own, and turned once more to bound away from the old man and the brunette. Hermione said nothing in retort.

"Oh, Mr Malfoy?" Dumbledore called after him, his tone still dark but lighter in a way that made Hermione suspicious. Draco kept walking. "Need I remind you of the upcoming Quidditch match against Gryffindor in a few weeks?" Draco stopped dead in his tracks. Hermione couldn't help but smirk at the nerve that Dumbledore had known he would hit. But it still lessened her heart to know that she would have to teach Malfoy. But she wanted the extra studying permissions – and a job that is hard is a job worth doing.

Draco said nothing, nor turned to look at the Professor, but he knew he was listening, "You will attend your detentions this week, and every lesson on Monday and Tuesday fourth period, including today, or you give up your Quidditch permissions." Dumbledore turned to Hermione. "Good luck," He said, winking a wrinkled eye at her.

Hermione couldn't even muster a smile. She watched Dumbledore walk away before he disappeared around a corner, and looked from him to the boy who was still stood in shock at the bottom of the corridor. Her face dropped into a grimace, and she felt her insides churn with disappointment. Draco Malfoy was to be her student? She groaned outwardly. These few weeks were going to be terrible.

As the pair stood there, the silence around them was quickly filled with a small rumble of chatter and footsteps, and the two classrooms around them opened and streams of students poured out. Both Draco and Hermione sighed.

Only one more lesson prolonged the time between now and the lessons they were being forced to indulge in.

A/N: YAY! Okay so this is a LOOOOONG one, I hope you all enjoy it! I know it's rather slow but I couldn't think of any other way to write it. Anyway, you got to see a lot of our beloved Headmaster. What could his intentions be? Why begin these lessons?

THIS IS ONLY CHAPTER ONE, OMG.

The next will come shortly! Reviews please?

Kelly xxx