I own nothing!

Chapter 3

I opened my eyes, only to instantly shut them again. I'd forgotten to pull the curtains on my balcony doors and now sunlight was blinding me. I rolled over and looked at my watch.

"Accidenti!" I yelled, jumping out of bed as fast as I could. I was so late I wasn't going to make it to breakfast to get my schedule. I wouldn't even be able to have my usual cup of coffee. Why was I cursed to be late my whole life? Thank Merlin for magic.

Ten minutes later my hair was in a ponytail and I was in my uniform. I grabbed my bag and ran down the steps, but paused when I saw the coffee table. There were three pieces of paper lying beside an apple. I picked up the first one.

Granger,

I read McGonagall's note. Apparently, you're late a lot. Guess you're not perfect. Who knew? Enjoy the apple. It's not poisoned. Promise.

Malfoy

I read the note three times in an attempt to understand it. He'd given me the apple? Why in the name of Merlin would he do that? I put his note to the side and picked up the second one.

Ms. Granger,

I don't believe that in the last three years you have ever made it to breakfast on time, so this year I thought ahead. Here is your schedule. If you have any issues with it, come see me.

Professor McGonagall

Headmistress

I smiled at her thoughtfulness. Sixth year I'd missed most of my first class since I had to actually go to McGonagall for it. Was that why Malfoy had left me an apple? He knew I'd miss breakfast? That didn't seem very… Malfoyish. What was wrong with this boy? I shrugged it off and looked at my schedule.

I was taking transfiguration, defense against the dark arts, ancient runes, charms, potions, arithmancy, herbology, care of magical creatures and astrology. I had charms first, meaning in five minutes, and it was half a castle away. Without a second thought I grabbed the apple and raced for the door. Four minutes and fifty-five seconds later I was sitting between Harry and Ron, giving them each a kiss on the cheek. Thankfully, they knew I'd want a seat at least near the front so that's what they'd got me.

"Hey. Where were—" Harry stopped talking to chuckle softly. "You're hair." I groaned.

"What's wrong with it this time?" I asked.

"Let me help." Ginny jumped up from the other side of Harry and started pulling at my hair. I'd completely forgotten Ginny was going to be in some of our classes since she was technically in our year now.

"Thanks. Woke up late."

"You always do." Ron said affectionately. Professor Flitwick got up on his pile of books and started teaching.

"We're going to review today. I know some of you in this class haven't been in school for a year so I want to make sure we are all on the same page." He flicked his wand at the board behind him and the chalk started writing.

I took down notes despite knowing everything up there. A girl's got to keep her reputation, especially when it's one of the only things keeping her from getting killed. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy school, I just didn't enjoy it with the same fervor as Hermione Granger did.

"At least you got an apple." Harry whispered, completely uninterested in what Flitwick was talking about, "Where did you get the apple?"

"We have a small kitchen. I didn't exactly look through it, but Malfoy left the apple for me on the coffee table." I whispered back since I didn't really have to pay attention to what was being said either. I'd learned this kind of wand work at the beginning of my training, so around the time I was seven.

"Malfoy gave you that?" Ron asked, a tad bit loud. Some of the kids around us were instantly interested. "Are you sure it's safe to eat?" I sent him a glare, but it was already too late.

"Would you three like to share your conversation with the class?" Flitwick asked. I flicked my gaze over to where Malfoy was sitting and, predictably, he was smirking at us.

"Oh, um, I, uh, well, it's, uh—" Ron spluttered. I sighed.

"He was asking me where I got the apple from, Sir. The boy's stomach is a black hole." The class snickered and Flitwick shook his head.

"Try to keep your hunger to yourself during my class, Mr. Weasely." Ron, slightly red, nodded.

As Flitwick started teaching again I could feel Malfoy's magic pressing against me. I could feel that he… approved? That was probably the best way to describe it. He approved of my cover up. I was pretty sure he approved of anything that turned Ron red.

My stomach gurgled softly while I was taking notes so I picked up my apple and took a bite. My eyes widened as the flavor filled my mouth. It was the best apple I'd ever had. Where had he found this thing? I swiveled my gaze back up to him. He was looking at me with that smirk of his. I held up the apple and the smirk deepened as he inclined his head.

"Ms. Granger, can you tell me what the salvum altramento charm does and describe the proper wand movement?" Flitwick interrupted. I turned around, quickly chewed and swallowed.

"Um, salvum altramento picks up spilled ink and puts it back into an empty bottle without leaving a mark. The wand movement is a circle over the ink spill and a tap on the bottle." Flitwick smiled tightly.

"It seems your knowledge has not diminished with your year off. Five points to Gryffindor."

"He expected it to diminish?" Harry whispered. I smiled at him. I could feel Malfoy's amusement. I had to admit, this was going to be a rather strange year if I was going to be able to feel Malfoy's emotions like this.

Then, rather suddenly, I couldn't feel him anymore. I snuck a glance back at him and noticed he was no longer looking at me. I really needed to talk to Riccarda about this. She'd know what was going on. Maybe the books in my room could help.

After charms we had double potions, again with the Slytherins. As a group, though with a large separation between the houses, those of us doing the NEWT in potions walked down to the dungeons. The door was already open when we got there and Slughorn was waiting for us with that slightly creepy smile of his.

"No, don't sit down just yet. You have assigned partners this year." Harry, Ginny, Ron and I exchanged looks. I knew I'd only been going to the school for two years, but I was pretty sure that partners hadn't been assigned in the whole history of Hogwarts. Or at least not as long as these students had been here.

"Why, Sir?" Harry asked, probably because he was the only person Slughorn wouldn't punish for asking that question.

"Inter-house relations, my dear boy. They're important you know." He smiled that slightly creepy smile again. "The pairs are up on that board. There will be no switching allowed. Do you understand? No switching." We all moved over to the board and found our names. Of course. I would be with Malfoy, now wouldn't I? Harry was with the Greengrass girl, Ginny with Nott, and Ron with Zabini.

"Well now we know the hat inspired at least one person." I said, facing my friends.

"You got the worst of it." Ron said, "I don't think I've ever had an issue with Zabini. Except for that time he flirted with you right in front of me." He looked at Ginny, who just shrugged.

"He flirts with any girl he sees."

"That's true." Nott said, coming up behind Ginny, "Blaise can't help himself. He's a walking love potion."

"I thought that was Malfoy." Ginny said, smiling slightly. Nott let out a bark of laughter.

"No. Draco only cares about sex. Blaise wants to make you fall in love with him."

"Isn't that worse?" I said, frowning.

"You've never had sex with Draco." the Greengrass girl said, popping up by my side without a sound, "To have sex with Draco Malfoy is to be in love with Draco Malfoy."

"Why thank you, Daphne." Malfoy practically purred from behind me. I rolled my eyes. I saw Zabini glide up next to Ron. Why were Slytherins suddenly being slightly friendly to us? Especially these Slytherins? "Come, Granger." I could feel Malfoy's magic around me again, demanding I follow.

"Is he serious? What about please?" I asked the Greengrass girl, apparently named Daphne. She shrugged.

"He's never been one to ask permission."

"Nor forgiveness." Harry added.

"At least he's back to normal. Last night was strange. Not to mention this morning." I said just before I heard him yell, "Granger!" I rolled my eyes. "I'm coming!" I yelled without turning around.

"What do you mean by strange?" Zabini asked me, eyebrows furrowed.

"He actually ap—"

"Granger!"

"You are infuriating!" I yelled back, turning to give him my best glare. Then I noticed where he was sitting: my favorite table. Right up in the front. He'd even left my favorite, non-wobbly stool for me to sit on. He smirked as my glare fell.

"Talk to you later." I grumbled at my friends. I went over to Malfoy, not completely happy about this but not exactly unhappy either.

"Took you long enough."

"I was talking to your friends, you know."

"They'll get over it." he shrugged. I was suddenly wishing I had nice Malfoy back, the one from the train and last night and had left me an apple this morning. Normal Malfoy was a pain. Or maybe I was just starting to get grumpy from not having coffee. Before I could think of some scathing reply, Slughorn started talking.

"Today we are going to brewing a laughing potion. It will, if finished of course, be tested by one of the partners. Don't worry. I have the antidote. You will only be laughing for a minute. The instructions are on page fifteen of your books, and the ingredients in the cupboard. Go ahead and start."

"You get the ingredients. I'll start heating the water." Draco once again ordered me. I thought about arguing, but my mother had always taught me to pick my battles, so I kept my lips shut tight and headed to the cupboard. I was joined by Ron and Ginny.

"Nott actually seems pretty easy to work with." Ginny murmured quietly to me as we filled our arms with ingredients.

"Zabini has barely said a word."

"That's because you aren't a girl. Watch, he'll get bored and start flirting with Hermione."

"What? Why me?" I asked, annoyed at the idea.

"We're right behind you." Ron answered, looking a little cross at the idea too. Sure, he wasn't dating me anymore, but that didn't mean he liked people flirting with me. It was the same way he felt when guys flirted with Ginny.

"Great. A snarky blond and a ridiculous Italian. Just what I needed."

"You didn't get any coffee this morning, did you?" Ron asked, smiling like he thought it was funny.

"No. I didn't. And now there's people purposefully trying to annoy me." I tried my hardest not to be snippy but I was pretty sure I'd failed.

"But you know Italian, just shoot it back in his face and he'll leave you alone for the most part." Ginny suggested, "It's worked before. I think he thinks those girls are too smart for him."

"I sort of already promised Malfoy I wouldn't."

"Why?" Ron asked, as if completely dumbfounded I would do anything for Malfoy.

"Well, I don't exactly spread the information around so it doesn't hurt me to not tell Zabini. Malfoy said it would be a laugh."

"For you or for him?" Ginny asked dryly.

"At this point I think we all know the answer to that." I finally gathered all the ingredients and headed back to our table. I sat down, interrupting Malfoy and Zabini having a hushed conversation.

"Ciao, bella." Blaise said in a deeper voice than usual as Malfoy turned back around.

"Ciao. Chop these into fine pieces." I handed Malfoy the knotgrass and a knife. Malfoy stared at me for just a second too long, as if he was surprised I actually had the audacity to order Draco Malfoy to do something. Ron rejoined Zabini and they started getting things ready, too.

"Why?"

"It says to." I grabbed one of the beetles and squished it with the flat side of my blade. "Or were you too busy flirting to read the instructions." Now that left both Slytherins speechless.

"Well, aren't you just a spitfire." Blaise finally said, smirking a little.

"We weren't flirting." Malfoy said, an edge to his voice. His magic was all offended and angry. I rolled my eyes.

"I'm aware how straight the both of you are. I was just dishing out some of what you give. Can't you take it, Malfoy?" I met his eyes and they narrowed with my challenge.

"Of course, Granger." He started chopping up the knotgrass with vigor. I smiled to myself. That's what happens when you order Hemera Gervasio around. Or Hermione Granger. Whatever my name is, I still love to get even.

"Is Granger always that sexy?" I heard Zabini ask Ron. For a second I thought Ron was going to pummel him, but then:

"I think you'll have to figure that out for yourself." I was surprised out how good of an answer that was. "Do you want to chop the grass stuff?"

"Sure. Are you saying that she isn't with anyone right now?"

"No. She's—" I spun around, leveling them both with my worst glare. Both of them shut their mouths. Ron swallowed hard.

"Would you two shut up about my love life? I'm trying to work here." I asked in a sweet voice.

"Sure thing." Ron answered quickly, "Sorry. I forgot. No coffee." I threw them another glare before picking my knife back up.

"Lei è sexy arrabbiata." I heard Zabini murmur. What? I was sexy when I was mad? I opened my mouth to retort when I felt a hand on my bare knee under the table. I felt his magic swirling around the place we touched and it tingled ever so slightly. I looked over at Malfoy and he shook his head once. I spared a moment to wonder if he was feeling what I was feeling, but then his hand was gone and I was focused back on the task at hand.

After that Malfoy and I worked with almost perfect synchronicity. I only to murmur I needed something and it was there a second later, and he would only need to start looking and I'd put it on his side. We actually made a good team. We were done first.

"Well done, you two. I thought that if I put the two of you together I'd get a wonderful team." He filled a vile with out potion and sniffed it carefully.

"Ready to drink, Granger?" Malfoy asked, smirking again. I sighed. I should have expected he would refuse to drink it. If I asked he'd probably spout some stupid thing about how Malfoy's don't laugh in public.

"Actually, Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Granger won't be able to drink this. I'm afraid you'll have to do it." Slughorn said, smiling lightly. I noticed Zabini and Ron stop working behind us when they heard that. Malfoy didn't look happy at all.

"Professor, I'm perfectly okay with drinking it." I said.

"This, yes. The antidote, no." And I suddenly understood where he was going with this. I looked down at the book for the list of ingredients on the antidote side and found it quickly. Rue.

All who become Sacerdotessa are allergic to an herb called rue. The herb itself is a healing herb, meant to speed up the process of healing. But for us, the herb interrupts the connection we have to the magic around us, which we become dependent on for our very survival. We can build up a tolerance to rue, and the more magic we have in our bodies the more we can resist, but it takes a long time. More time than I'd been working at it.

It's a secret we keep pretty close to our chests, but I'd been forced to tell Dumbledore so I wouldn't die in a potions class or the infirmary. Madame Pomfrey and Slughorn knew and they knew they had to keep it to themselves on pain of death. Meaning my death. They thought it was some odd muggle thing they couldn't cure. Snape had known as well, but I knew for a fact that he'd figured out it was something more than an odd muggle thing.

"Oh." I said, looking back up at Slughorn.

"What?" Malfoy asked, looking between us.

"I'm allergic to one of the ingredients in the antidote." I admitted. I heard Ron's sharp intake of breath. This was the first he was hearing of this. Malfoy's magic swirled around me stronger, a slight edge of… worry? Concern? I had no idea. It was too strange to think about.

"But you're a witch." he said, brow furrowed, "You shouldn't be allergic to anything magical." I took a split second to appreciate the fact that he'd actually admitted that I was a witch instead of making some gripe about it being because of my dirty blood. Not that I have dirty blood, but that didn't matter at the moment.

"Doesn't seem to stop me from reacting. Sorry, Malfoy." The room went silent to watch this momentous occasion. Slughorn handed him the laughing potion. Malfoy glared at it for half a minute before grabbing the bottle and taking a swig. We stared at him, waiting for it to kick in.

"If feels odd, but I don't feel the urge to laugh." He tried to smirk, but it came out as a half smile. A really sexy half smile. I shook my head to clear it. No need to think about that, Hemera. He's a piccolo furetto bianco, remember? A white little ferret.

"Funny. It seemed perfect." Slughorn said, leaning over the yellow liquid and taking another quick sniff.

"It is perfect." I assured him, "He just needs something to laugh at." I looked Malfoy square in the eye, reached up and gave his nose a hard poke. There was a second of complete silence before Malfoy started laughing harder than I'd heard anyone laugh in my life. It was deep throated and actually a quite pleasant sound. His magic shimmered around me. The rest of the room started laughing, including Slughorn.

"A-ant-t-ti-d-do-ote." Malfoy laughed out, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes.

"Oh! Right." Slughorn handed him a vile full of green liquid he downed as fast as he could under the circumstances. A few seconds later Malfoy straightened up and wiped the tears away, frowning and sending me a glare. Slughorn walked over to where Harry and Daphne were waiting for him to answer a question. Malfoy was still frowning at me when I looked at him again.

"I really am sorry." I said, truly meaning it.

"I suppose I can't blame you for being allergic to something." Malfoy sat down with a sigh. So he was being Nice Malfoy again? "What is it, anyway?"

"What is what?" I sat down on my stool and gave my wand a wave to start the clean up process.

"What are you allergic to?" he replied as if I was five. I gave an inward frown at his tone. This flipping between Nice and Normal Malfoy was going to give me a headache. If being caffeine deprived didn't do it first.

"Rue." Malfoy's eyebrow went up.

"The healing herb?"

"Does something to me."

"What, exactly?" Zabini asked from behind me. I turned to give him a glare. Why was he listening? He should be working on their potion. Merlin, I needed a cup of coffee.

"I have an allergic reaction."

"So hives." I narrowed my eyes at the Italian. What was he getting at? His eyes were sparkling like he suspected something.

"Basically. My throat closes up and I get hives all over."

"Oh." He looked slightly disappointed. Did the boy know about Sacerdotessa? How? I was positive I had never heard the name Zabini tied to any Dinastia. I would have been a lot more wary of him if I had. Thankfully, it was time for lunch so he couldn't ask me any more questions.

"So," Harry started as soon as we sat down, "How'd Malfoy end up drinking it?"

"I couldn't. I'm allergic to the antidote. Coffee. Now. Please." A cup appeared in front of me and I drank it down greedily. The house elves knew exactly how I liked it: blacker than black. I could still feel Malfoy's magic around me as he walked passed with Zabini and Nott. It was gone again as soon as it was there. That was really going to bother me.

"What?" Ginny asked, "Why?" Food appeared in front of us and everyone started in on it. I grabbed a turkey sandwich and set it on my plate, choosing to focus on my coffee first.

"Pompfrey said it probably has something to do with my muggle heritage." I said, choosing not to lie outright. She had said that. She was wrong, but she had said that. "What do we have next?"

"Free period. Why didn't you ever say something?" Ron asked. Just then Luna sat down on Ron's other side. I noticed him trying to fight back a blush as they smiled at each other.

"It wasn't important. The right people know so I'm not in any danger of dying."

"You're dying of something?" Luna asked, peering around Ron.

"No. That's the point. I'm not."

"I bet Malfoy wasn't happy." Harry said, smiling slightly, "How'd you get him to do it?"

"Slughorn didn't give him a chance to say no." Ron said, smiling too.

"Like he would." Ginny added, "He'd never make Hermione drink something that could kill her."

"I'm lost." Luna said, looking at me with concerned eyes, "Malfoy had to drink something meant to kill you?" I shook my head before draining the rest of my coffee. Ron started telling her the story so I didn't bother trying to add anything.

"Another coffee, please." A second cup appeared in front of me. Ginny started asking me questions about the Heads' dorm so I spent the rest of lunch trying to describe it to her, eventually just inviting them all over to see it that weekend. I made a mental note to mention it to Malfoy so he wouldn't be upset. I was pretty sure Normal Malfoy would attack with a vengeance if Harry and Ron showed up unannounced. Maybe I could convince Nice Malfoy to stick around, or at least hide in his room.

"What should we do for free period?" Ron asked the group, which now included Neville, Dean and Seamus too, once lunch was over.

"Let's go outside. It's nice out." Seamus suggested.

"You guys go ahead. I've got some research I've got to do." I fully intended to look through the books in my room to try to figure this Malfoy thing out.

"We only have two classes worth of homework, Hermione!" Ron protested, looking aghast that I would want to do something like work, "What could you have to do already?"

"It's just something that's been on my mind and I have the resources to figure it out here. You all have fun." I kissed his cheek and reached over to ruffle Harry's hair before heading to my dorm. I felt the tiniest wisp of Malfoy's magic before I left the Great Hall.

I spent the next two hours looking for an answer without finding one. Not even a single clue. I tried to get Riccarda's attention several times but was met with the same silence I'd gotten for the last two and a half years. I closed my books with just enough time to get to arithmancy. Thankfully, Malfoy wasn't in this class with me or I would have gone crazy.