Sorry to be updating so late, the workloads' huge here in China, especially Beijing, though I'll try to update once a week, twice if I'm lucky. My thanks to everyones that has reviewed. I wil try to update as soon as possible, though the real action will probably be in the fifth or sixth chapter, though there will be clues in the third and fourth. But if things didn't turn out right, it might even be in the eighth. And again, my thanks to all the reviewers.

Chapter Three: The First Few Days

Hermione woke up to a fine clear day. She looked at the alarm clock, and saw that it was only half past eight. So, after getting dressed in her brand-new robes, she took a morning walk before heading down to breakfast.

She was already reading her new schedule when Draco, Pansy and Blaise arrived at around seven fifteen.

"Where were you?" Pansy exclaimed as he took a seat beside Hermione, whereas Blaise and Draco plopped down opposite them. Seeing her confused look, Blaise added." What our dear Pansy-darling meant, Love (here he got an eye-roll from both the girls in question) was that when she woke up, she was woried to see that you've disappeared, and took a whole ten miinutes looking for you, before that Tracey Davis suggested that you might have gone down to breakfast."

"I didn't disappear." Hermione interjected." All I did was take a walk round the lake."

"Why didn't you tell us, or at least Pansy." Draco asked, sniggering with Blaise." It would have saved her a lot of embarrassment."

"That's because you boy were snoring your heads off like two little pigs, and Pansy needs her beauty sleep." Hermione answered, sharing a triumphant look with Pansy.

The boys shared eye-rolls. But Hermione knew they did that because they couldn't stomach the fact that they'd lost.

Just as she was about to make a comment, Professor Snape swooped down, and passed schedules to the other three.

"Do you think he's still on, you know, his side?" Hermione whispered as Snape moved on to hand schedules to some students down the long table.

"Must be." Draco answered." He's still great friends with father."

"Well you two stop whispering." Blaise huffed. He picked up his schedule, took one look, and groaned." Oh just great, exactly what we need on our first day at school. Not only do we have Transfiguration with the Griffs, but double Potions as well. And look!" He pointed at Wednesday." Flying lesson. Holy Moly. Are we doomed?"

The quarter laughed, but then Draco pointed out." Well, Blaise, Professor Snape always tend to hate Griffinders. And, with Potter in their mist, I wouldn't be surprised if he took ten points off him. At the least."

"You in for a bet?" Hermione challenged, raising an eyebrow." Cause I'll bet you anything that Snape will take off at least twenty."

"How 'bout we take some money into this, ten galleons per person." Draco asks, receiving nods from the trio.

"Sure, but I'm with Hermione on this." Pansy replied. Hermione smirked." Blaise?"

"Thirty." He grinned." At the least." He adds as an afterthought.

"I think I'll change mine to fifteen." Draco puts in.

Pansy and Hermione exchange an evil grin. It looks like a very promising day to both the young girls.

The group arrive at the dungeons with only five minutes to spare.

They had just taken seats at the front before Professor Snape swept in. Like Flitwick, he started the class by taking the roll call.

He paused as he reached Potter's name. And from where Hermione was sitting, could just make out a sneer twisting his thin lips.

"Ah, yes," he said softly," Harry Potter. Our new- celebrity."

The group snickered along with the rest of the Slytherins, as Potter glared defiantly at Snape, but he chose to stay quiet. Clever choice, thought Hermione. It wasn't a good choice for anybody to argue with Snape, especially if that somebody was a Griffinder. Though, it would be an entertaining show to call.

Snape rolls up the parchment, and walks out from behind the desk.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word- like McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort." As there little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you to understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death- if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

The class was silent after his speech. And, even though she could feel a lot of her fellow were afraid of him (namely Longbottom), Hermione couldn't help but in awe of the dangerous-looking potion's master. "Now, you will begin by reading the first chapter of your book…Ah," he stopped in front of Potter's desk, "Mr. Potter. Apparently you weren't prepared enough to get your book out of your bag before this lesson started like the rest of your classmates?" As he walked back to the board, Professor Snape called out, "Five points from Gryffindor for being unprepared. Maybe next time your incompetence won't affect the rest of your house."

"But, Professor-," Potter started, but was cut off by Professor Snape almost immediately. Looks like Potter isn't so clever. Hermione mused, watching the seen before her, barely concealing her smirk.

"Five more points for talking out of turn. Now, Mr. Potter, we can certainty go for more points, if that's what you want, or we could continue class."

Potter, cleverly chose to remain silent this time and Hermione held back a grin, glancing over to see that Draco and Blaise were both laughing silently.

"Good, now that Mr. Potter is ready, we can begin class. You have the first 20 minutes to read Chapter One. Then I will tell you where everything is and you can start your first potion. Begin."

About five minutes into the reading time, Draco poked her arm with a piece of folded parchment. When Professor Snape wasn't looking, Hermione unfolded it and read quickly.

Hermione,

Five more points and we win the bet. Not that that's a surprise, girls always win against boys.

P.

Smiling slightly, Hermione replied,

Don't be so sure, if he takes off another twenty, Blaise would. Though Draco's already lost. :p

She flicked the parchment at her, then went back to her reading.

"Pay up!"

Both Draco and Blaise sighed dramatically as Pansy and Hermione smirked in front of them. Palms up, waiting for the twenty galleons each.

"We could have a fortune if we keep winning like this. Those boys are so cocky." Pansy said to Hermione in a stage whisper, poking her tongue out as the boys in question turned to glare at her.

"We are not cocky!" They said simultaneously.

"Sure not." Pansy snorted, shooting Hermione a small wink, as the four headed down for a nice long tea-time relaxation which would certainly be waiting for them in the common room.

My longest chapter yet. Hope I could get the next up within a week. Bye people! R&R！

~ Jasmine