First day of classes were normal as any other. Though they were always my favorite. I loved the introduction to each class. The teacher's usually gave an outline of the class and all of the topics, giving me notice in advance of what I should study. It was also the day that we usually didn't have homework, allowing me time to go to the library and get started on the subjects.
It was probably the first time I ever dreaded going to the library. Usually I almost skipped down the familiar corridor, today I was dragging myself. Instead of having some downtime with books I was going to have to teach one of the foulest men ever to walk the planet.
"Good afternoon Miss. Granger," Madame Pince and I had become well acquainted over the years, seeing as I always spent so much time in the library.
"Afternoon," I said as I started through the shelves and shelves of books that magically moved about. I decided to sit furthest away from the main area, I didn't want people to see us together. I just wanted this hour to be over. I took a seat quickly and took out the course outline that Draco had.
He was even dimmer than I though. Though his schedule seemed to be remarkably close to Ron and Harry's. Could he too be pursuing the road of an auror? The thought made me laugh out loud. It sounded odd though, there wasn't really anybody in the library. But who else would be here on the first day? Every Gryffindor was getting ready to go and watch tryouts. I knew that I could make it before it was over, but only if the stupid ferret hurried to the lesson.
I lost track of time as I pulled a few books for my own interest. Ancient Runes looked like it was going to be particularly hard this year. I would have to brush up on some of my vocabulary. Transfiguration seemed like a cinch but this year also seemed like it would give me a challenge. As I flipped through the pages of some old books I eyed the time. Malfoy was over twenty minutes late.
I stood up and shoved everything back into my bag. I was not going to wait around all day for some foul git to show up. I didn't have to wait for him, without me he would fail. He rightfully deserved it too.
"Miss Granger," Madame Pince stopped me on the way out.
"Yes?" I pulled the sweetest look I had.
"The Headmistress asked that I see to it that you do not leave the library unless you are with Mr. Malfoy," she said, motioning to the desk I had just left. I bit back the urge to scowl and nodded as politely as possible. Malfoy was going to pay big time for this.
It was only ten minutes later when the stupid Slytherin decided to show up. I had expected him to be accompanied by one of his sniveling friends, but he came alone. He had his books in hand, but he looked more annoyed than ever.
"Granger," he spat my name with such hatred it made my blood boil.
"Malfoy, where the hell have you been?" I demanded as I stood up from my seat.
"Relax you…"
"Save the insults you stupid…" I took a deep breath to calm myself, "All right, can we just get this over with?"
"You're the teacher," he said with a smirk. I rolled my eyes and took a seat once more. First he took out his potions book. That was the last class I thought he would need help in. Then he took out his defense against the dark arts.
"Let's start with that," I said, seeing as how I loved that class. It was always Harry's favorite class and since half the time he studied with me I had grown a bit attached.
"Like I need your help in dark spells," he said with a small sarcastic laugh.
"Sorry Mr. Death Eater," that struck a nerve as he whipped out his wand. I wasn't sure if he was going to aim it at me or he was just emphasizing his anger. His cold eyes bore into me for a moment, challenging me to say another word about his dark past.
"Move on," he said in a low growl. I took out my own wand wordlessly. I looked over the book to see what they were starting.
"All right," I said looking over towards him, "Why don't we start with some of the newer stuff?"
"Granger… are we really going to do this?" he sounded… exhausted.
"Excuse me?" I said, freezing for a moment.
"Can't we just sit here, not talk, you can say you tutored, I can say I learned and we can both move on with our lives, without actually having to do anything?" he said as he leaned back in his chair. He fixed his dark Slytherin robes. I frowned. I wasn't usually one to try and trick the teachers. I liked being a student they liked.
"No," I said firmly, "the way you act will be an affect as to how I teach. I can't let all your professor's think that I am slipping." This was going to cause a bad reputation for me and I knew it.
"Seriously?" he snapped angrily, "I would rather do anything than learn from a mudblood, who so obviously thinks she's better than her superiors."
"You qualify as a superior?" I laughed in his face.
"Shut if you dirty…"
"Look we only have to deal with each other for an hour every day until the holidays…" I said quickly interjecting, "And you might actually learn to not fail. Malfoy will you just work with me, please?"
"No," he said pulling out a piece of paper. "I would rather keep the spell casting to a minimum. Could you just look over this essay or something?" I snatched the paper from his hand. He had summer make up work he still had to hand in? I took it quickly out of his hands as he took out some more parchment and ink.
Dear Draco,
It is amazing that the guards here would ever allow me to write this in the first place. I don't have much to say to a traitorous person like you. I just have to say-
"Malfoy," I looked up, "This is a letter."
"I gave you the wrong thing," he jumped up to grab the paper out of my hand. I held it further away from him so he couldn't grab it.
"Give it!" he threw his hand over me and tried to grab it.
"Why can't I read it?" I teased.
I heard about your mother. And as much as I don't think I could stand the sight of you, I have to say that I am sorry. You were the only reason that she lived. She hated the fact that I was what I was…
"Your mom's dead?" I said it a little louder than I meant. He froze, his face paled. His hands snatched the paper out my hand and he turned to put it away but his elbow knocked the ink over. It splashed onto his fancy robes. He let out a small scream, alarmed for a moment.
"Malfoy!" I started to laugh.
"Granger!" he yelled.
"Calm down I can fix…"
"You ruin everything. This is personal and now my brand new robes are ruined!" he screamed. I rolled my eyes, "Don't be a drama queen!"
"You have to keep your nose out of other people's business…"
"Calm down!" I stood up
"Mr. Malfoy!" Madam Pince snorted in a high pitched whisper. Quickly he shoved everything into his bag and pulled it over his shoulder.
"I am sorry!" I started to laugh.
"You think this is funny?" he demanded. I tried to stifle my laugh. Ok maybe reading the letter was a bit… immature of me but the robes could be easily fixed.
"I hate you. The whole lot of you!" he said as his hand smashed into my books sending them flying to the floor.
"Malfoy!" I screamed angrily. He smirked, though he obviously wasn't content yet. Quickly he turned around. I gathered my stuff with a flick of my wand and started after him. We left the library faster than the blink of an eye.
"Malfoy, we still have to…"
"Shut up!" he screamed. His eyes boiled with anger. It only got me more annoyed at him. He had the largest temper of anyone I ever met.
"I'm sorry I read your letter," I said quickly.
"I'm going to make your life a living hell!" he screamed over his shoulder, "Mark my words Granger!"
I sighed as I went the opposite way. I headed for the Quidditch pitch wondering just what it was that he had that could ruin me. There was nothing. It wasn't like I was trying to be egotistical, but come one. I was best friends with the Harry Potter. I was the smartest witch in our grade, in the school I was told. Besides anything he said about me couldn't hurt me, since my real friends would know what was true or not.
It didn't take me long to realize that wasn't true. It was dinner time, Ron's favorite part of the day. Classes were over, and we could just spend the rest of the night talking and relaxing wherever we wanted. We could go out for a little while, perhaps enjoy a stroll near the lake, visit Hagrid. We could go back to the common room or maybe even head bed early.
I flipped through a few pages of my new Charms book as Harry spoke.
"…then we… hi Ginny," We all looked up from what we were doing to see the usual bright faced red headed sister of Ron. She nodded to each of them.
"Ron… Harry…"
"Hey Hermione," Ginny smiled as she took a seat beside Harry. Ron frowned as their hands joined even at the dinner table. He took another bite out of his mashed potatoes and continued to stare, convinced that if he showed annoyance long enough, they would stop.
"How was first day of classes? Sixth year again, a little tough huh?" I smiled.
"Not too bad." She obviously had something else to say.
"Ginny you ok?" Harry asked, sensing it as well.
"Well… no…" Ginny said looking between her brother and I.
"What is it?" I said as I leaned across the table.
"Rumor has it…" she paused looking at Ron.
"Spit it out Ginny," he said annoyed. Ginny gave me a sorry look before going on, "Hermione is cheating on Ron with you..." she looked over at Harry.
"WHAT?" the three of us shouted out all at once. Ron's face went a ghostly pale as he looked at me.
"It's not true!" I let out a nervous laugh.
"Ginny, come on. You don't think…"
"Calm down!" she cut in, "Come on… it's a rumor," Ginny shrugged as she picked at the food on Harry's plate. "Really stupid. Besides it was Malfoy that started it, so it's not like it's true."
"We haven't spoken a word to Malfoy this year," Ron said as his whole face flushed a violent red, "Not even an insult to that little ferret and he thinks…"
"Let's not start another war here," Harry said as he looked over his shoulder at the Slytherin table. Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson were laughing about something. There was that ugly disgusting Slytherin smirk pulling across their cold and pointed faces. Everyone turned back to their dinner, slowly eating in the awkward silence.
I knew this had to stop. I was going to have to take fifty nine more days of it, and that just wasn't bearable. Draco Malfoy was going to learn a lesson, in more ways than one, if I had anything to say about it.
Author's Note: Thank you for all the reviews! Also sorry about repeatedly spelling McGonigall wrong in the last chapter. Thank you for pointing out a few other mess ups as well. I really appreciate all your thoughts so please review again :)