So here's the first chapter! Thanks so much for the reviews and story alerts that have been added!
Disclaimer for the entire story: I don't know HP or anything related to it.
Chapter One
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting in front of the warm fire in the Gryffindor common room. It was the start of their Seventh Year, and they were comparing schedules.
"Well, I've got Advanced Transfiguration, Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts, Advanced Potions, Astronomy, Ancient Runes, and Arithmancy." Hermione said, reading down her list. She looked up and saw Harry and Ron staring at her, open-mouthed. "What?"
Ron answered her, "Oh nothing really, just the fact that you're taking all advanced classes this year!"
"No, I'm not!" Hermione replied indignantly. "My Astronomy isn't advanced."
"Oh excuse me," Ron muttered under his breath.
Hermione narrowed her eyes. "Well, let's see your list then." Leaning forward, she snatched it from his hands. "Transfiguration, Potions, Herbology, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Care of Magical Creatures, and – what's this? Divination?" Hermione looked up, incredulous. "Why are you taking Divination?"
Ron shrugged, turning red. "An easy grade."
Hermione exhaled loudly, shaking her head. "Well I guess if you don't want to live up to your potential, then that's up to you. But I'm going up to bed so I can get up early and start going over my books." She stood up and started up the stairs to the girl's dormitory.
She reached the door leading up to the Seventh year girl's room and went inside, going to her bed and lying down. She closed her eyes, sighing, and curled up under the covers, falling asleep.
Hermione woke the next morning, and sat up to stretch. She jumped up out of bed and got dressed in her robes. Leaving the room, she joined the other students heading down to the Great Hall for breakfast.
Harry and Ron waved her over to where they were sitting, already stuffing their faces with food.
"Morning guys," said Hermione as she sat down across from them. She grabbed a few things, put them on her plate, and started eating. "Are you guys ready for classes today?"
Harry and Ron just nodded glumly and patted their book bags beside them. "We've got double Potions first with Slytherin," said Ron, stabbing at his plate with his fork.
"Oh, well, it can't be that bad," said Hermione, trying to cheer them up. "I've got Advanced Transfiguration first. I'm so excited; I heard this year Professor McGonogall is letting us change larger things into more complex mammals." Too excited to sit still much longer, Hermione jumped up and gathered her things. "I'll see you guys for lunch!" And with one last wave, she was gone.
"Where the bloody hell does she gets that kind of energy so early in the morning?" Ron asked Harry, who shrugged. "Do you reckon she got hold of a Pepper Up Potion? I could use some."
Hermione sat down in her Transfiguration class, and got out her book, opening up to the third chapter. The class this year was much smaller than normal, as you had to have top grades to be in Advanced classes.
Too soon, Professor McGonogall came in the classroom and started talking. "Today, we will be transfiguring your desks into cows." Hermione was writing as fast as she could to keep up with the lecture of how complex a cow was and the training and concentration needed to transfigure one.
Hermione come out of class later, glowing with all the knowledge she had gotten. She made her way down to the dungeons for her Advanced Potions class. Putting her books on a table in the back, she pulled out her cauldron and set it down, pulling out her potion ingredients too.
"Oh great, the Mudblood's in this class? I was hoping this class wouldn't be tainted with her presence. When my father hears about this…" Draco Malfoy drawled as he strolled into class and went to the table next to Hermione's, Blaise Zabini at his side.
Hermione turned to him. "Well, seeing as how I've beaten you in all the Potions exams, I'm surprised you're in this class, Malfoy." She smirked.
Malfoy's face clouded over, and he took a step forward.
"Now, now, Miss Granger, watch your tongue." Professor Snape walked into the room, his usual sour expression on his face. "You wouldn't want points taken off on the first day would you?"
Hermione didn't bother replying, knowing it would only make it worse. Instead, she rolled her eyes and took her book out.
"Today, we will be learning about the Voice Strangling Potion. It allows the user to control what another person says if they so wish. In addition, it controls what that person says. If the user does not wish someone to talk about a certain event, he or she can use this potion to censor their words, choking them off. Hence the name of the Potion." He waved his wand at the board. "All of your ingredients and instructions are listed here. Begin!" With that, he went to his desk and sat down.
Hermione went up to get the ingredients she would need. She was about to reach her desk when she fell down, spilling her ingredients on the floor. She heard somebody sniggering nearby and looked over to see Malfoy and Zabini laughing as Malfoy pulled his book that she had tripped on out of the aisle.
"Is there a problem with your balance today Granger?" Snape said, with the hint of a smirk on his face.
Hermione's face burned as she picked up her potion ingredients. "Not at all sir," She said, placing them on her desk.
"Well then be more careful, or I'll take points off for disrupting my classroom," said Snape.
Hermione took a deep breath, determined to stay calm. She looked up at the instructions and started on her potion. She was halfway through it when she felt something flick the side of her head. She looked up at Malfoy, but he and Zabini had their heads bent over their cauldrons. Going back to her potion so she could stir it, she felt something hit her head and reached up to pull a small beetle out of her hair.
Before she could react, another landed on the desk in front of her. Looking up, she caught Malfoy smirking at her, and imitating her fall earlier. Scowling, she pushed it away and tried to concentrate on her potion. The fact that Malfoy kept tossing things at her didn't help.
Finally, Hermione gave up being civil. Grabbing a handful of scorpion legs, she flung them at Malfoy, a few landing in his cauldron. She made a face at him and turned back to her potion.
This proved to be a mistake, however, when Malfoy's potion started bubbling over, turning bright green. Malfoy and Zabini started backing away when BANG!,it exploded. Students shrieked as it landed on them. Hermione gasped as it fell on her arm and started burning.
Snape walked over and looked into the cauldron. He drew out the scorpion legs, now burnt. "Who put these in here?" He asked, holding them up.
Malfoy pointed at Hermione saying, "She did it, sir. She sabotaged my potion. And it was going so well, too." Malfoy got a fake sad look on his face as he looked at Snape.
Snape turned to Hermione with an almost gleeful look on his face. "Well, Miss Granger, I think one month's detention should let you think about what you've done." He started to walk back to his desk.
"But, sir!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Do you need two months?" asked Snape viciously.
"No, sir." Answered Hermione, face burning in anger. She looked over at Malfoy, who was smirking at her, and went back to her potion.
Later that day at dinner, Hermione told Harry and Ron what had happened in Potions.
"But that's not fair!" exclaimed Harry. "Go to McGonogall, she'll fix it for you."
Hermione sighed, shoveling food around on her plate. "No, she won't. She'll back up Snape's decision." She threw her fork down. "A month's detention! Me! This has never happened!" She looked up at them. "I'm going up to my room."
She made her way out of the Great Hall and up the staircase. Turning the corner, she saw Malfoy standing there, searching through his bag. Too infuriated to keep her composure, she marched up to him and grabbed his shoulder, turning him around roughly.
"What is your problem Malfoy? You know as well as I do that you deserve to be in detention as well." Hermione was fuming.
"Too bad, Mudblood." Said Malfoy with a smirk. "It's not my fault that you can't control your emotions."
Hermione whipped out her wand, keeping it pointed at the floor. "Let's see how well I can control myself now." She said with a snarl.
Malfoy narrowed his eyes and pulled his wand out, pointing it at her. "Let's see it then, Mudblood."
Before a duel could ensue, a shout was heard down the corridor. "Mr. Malfoy! What in Merlin's name are you doing?" Professor McGonogall was running down the corridor towards them, looking distressed that two students were about to duel.
Malfoy looked startled, and lowered his wand, trying to hide it. "Well, um…see…" he stammered.
"It seems to me that you were about to duel Miss Granger. Twenty points from Slytherin and detention. You can join Miss Granger for her one-month detention. Hopefully that time together will let you see past each other's differences." She turned around and walked off, muttering to herself.
"Yeah, right." Said Draco. "Thanks a lot Granger. I ought to-"
"Ought to what, Malfoy?" Asked Hermione, as she pointed her wand at Malfoy. She took a step toward him, pleased to see his eyes widen. "You know I would whip you in a duel any time, any day."
"Whatever, Granger." Malfoy said. "Like I would lower myself to dueling a filthy Mudblood like you."
"Whatever, Malfoy." Hermione imitated his tone. "Think what you like."
Malfoy scowled at her before walking off. Hermione let out a slow breath, shaking slightly. She may have been the top student, but Malfoy was not far behind. Beating him in a duel would have been hard.
Hermione put her wand back in her bag and continued to the Gryffindor common room. Reaching it, she said the password and went inside. She went up the stairs to the girl's dormitories, put her bag down, and collapsed on her bed, drained from the day's events.
"Tomorrow will be better!" She thought before she drifted off to sleep.
Hermione met Ron and Harry in the common room to walk to breakfast together. She got them up to speed on what had happened with Malfoy.
"That's great Hermione!" Ron exclaimed; his face lit up. "I mean, you know, its rotten luck to be stuck with him for a month, but I wish I could have been there to see it." He got a faraway look on his face.
Harry grinned as they sat down and started eating. "Well, I for one am glad he finally got what was coming to him." He said around a mouthful of toast.
At that moment, the morning post came in. Not expecting anything, Hermione was surprised when a gray owl landed in front of her wit ha letter. She took it, wondering who it was from, and opened it:
Dear Miss Granger,
You and Mr. Malfoy will be starting your detentions
tonight. Meet me in the Entrance Hall at 8 pm.
Professor McGonogall
Hermione paled. "I have to start my detentions tonight." She showed them the note.
Harry sighed, and handed it back over. "That sucks Hermione. Maybe McGonogall will let you off easy and give Malfoy the hard stuff."
"Yeah, right." Muttered Hermione. "The day McGonogall does that is the day I start taking Divination again. As in never." She put her food back down, too depressed to eat.
On their way to their first classes, they saw Malfoy approach. "See you tonight, Mudblood." He hissed as he rammed into her shoulder as he passed by.
Harry and Ron glowered at him, but Hermione stopped them from doing anything. "It's okay guys. I can deal with him. Let's just forget about him."
With that, Hermione made her way upstairs to Advanced Ancient Runes as Harry and Ron went outside to Care of Magical Creatures.
She soon found out though, that she could not concentrate in any of her classes. Her mind could not forget about Malfoy, no matter how much she had advised it. She was not looking forward to spending every day with him, doing who knew what.
Finally, lunchtime came. Hermione joined the throng of students going to the Great Hall. She sat down, started eating the turkey and mashed potatoes that had appeared.
She glanced around, wondering where Harry and Ron were. Finally, when Hermione was almost done eating, they came straggling in.
"Where were you guys?" She asked, as they started scarfing down food.
"Had a bit of a run-in with Malfoy." Explained Harry through a mouthful of food.
"Yeah, he was making fun of you being in detention and we had to stick up for you." Ron added.
"Guys, I'm flattered, but you must not get yourselves in trouble too!" Said Hermione. "I can handle Malfoy."
Later that night though, she was wondering about that when she left the common room and made her way down to the Entrance Hall. Professor McGonogall was already there. Her expression softened when she saw Hermione.
"I know you do not really deserve this detention dear, but I'm unable to do anything about it. I'm just hoping Mr. Malfoy will learn something from this experience." Said Professor McGonogall.
Hermione seriously doubted this. She was sure she was about to live through a month of hell.
This was confirmed when Malfoy came swaggering into the Hall, ten minutes late. McGonogall's stern face became even more serious.
"Follow me." She said. She started up a staircase, not checking to see if they were following.
Hermione glanced at Malfoy.
He smirked. "Filth before wealth." He gestured grandly.
Hermione rolled her eyes and started up the staircase. She could already see how this month was going to be.