Chapter 9

The Malfoy Experiment

There wasn't another attack in the next week, but that didn't mean much to Hermione. The Heir took a week to attack his first student after the message. It wasn't like he was punctual or anything.

Dumbledore's pep talk still rung in her mind. What did it mean? What did he mean? He acted as if he had settled everything and shooed her out of his office. It most certainly did not settle anything.

Hermione decided to follow her own 'path' to learn to defend herself, but she hit a road block with her independent study. Apparently even Ravenclaws were on edge about Slytherins after the attack. Padma didn't want to submit to being a punching bag for Hermione, not that Hermione would be punching her, of course. No, Hermione would have to brainstorm another solution.

As Hermione finished breakfast, she finally decided that the best option available to her was to convince Professor Flitwick to have the disarming charm practiced during Charms Club. Hermione was surprised she didn't think of it earlier. It was a charm, like the shielding charm, though probably more likely affiliated with Defense… Lockhart. Well, let's just forget about that option.

Hermione started off to the Charms classroom to see Flitwick before Potions. She'd have enough time, she thought. But as she walked out of the Great Hall, she noticed someone walking besides her. A certain blond boy.

"Off to Potions early, Granger?" he said cheerfully.

"Go away, Malfoy."

"I thought I'd join you."

Hermione stopped. She didn't want to lead Malfoy to Flitwick. He might show up at Charms Club with his cronies.

"You what?"

"I finished breakfast," he said innocently, a small smile playing on his lips.

"What makes you think you can walk with me?"

"I thought you'd be honored," he grinned.

"You're not worried you'll be gotten by the Heir? What if he tries to get me and hits you?" Hermione egged him on. He was up to something, or maybe he thought she was up to something. He'd be right.

"I think not, Granger. I'm a pureblood," said Malfoy confidently.

"That doesn't change my question. I'm not, as everyone has so nicely reminded me. He could attack me."

"Ah, but you're Slytherin," he said as if he had stumbled upon the answer to a riddle.

"So what?"

"So, if the hat put you in our house, he did so for a reason. I doubt the Heir would attack a Slytherin."

Hermione narrowed her eyes and stared at him. After a moment, Malfoy sighed and leaned back against the wall to wait. Hermione kept her gaze. He would break. Eventually.

Malfoy must have attended Daphne's school of cuticle care because he was intently inspecting his nails for any imperfections. "So…" he said after a minute. "If we don't go now, we'll no longer be early. Kind of defeats the purpose, don't you think?" Hermione declined to respond. Malfoy returned to his nails.

There was a small chance he wouldn't follow if Hermione walked away. Small. One percent? He was rather insistent. Probably wanted to see her die first hand. He was sadistic that way. Probably would dance with the Heir in a pool of her blood. But the joke was on him. Malfoy would be accessory to murder and spend the rest of his life in the wizard prison, Azkaban. Nasty place, that.

Hermione decided to take the one percent chance and started off without any warning. Within a second Malfoy was at her heals. Not to charms, then. "You still afraid of the Heir, then?" he said, and Hermione knew he had that superior little grin on his face.

"Go away," she said.

Malfoy sauntered beside her, hands tucked in his pockets in a nonchalant way. "For a Slytherin, you sure are quite dull."

"Why are you following me?"

"We're walking side by side, Granger. No possible way I could be following you," he brushed it off.

"You're being creepy."

"You're being hostile."

Hermione stopped outside the potions classroom. "You're an entitled little brat."

"You're a bitter little shrew," he threw back at her, jaw tense.

"You're childish."

"You're bookish."

"How is that an insult?" Hermione exclaimed.

That little twitch was back. While he paused to think, Hermione pushed her way into the room and stomped up to her seat at the front. Something was up with Malfoy, and Hermione didn't particularly want to find out. Maybe his father had heard about his unfortunate Quidditch game, and Malfoy wanted to take it out by tormenting Hermione. Certainly a possibility.

She was pulled out of her thoughts as Malfoy dropped his bags on her table and sat down. Hermione glared at him. "I thought we settled this. Get away from me."

"Get away from me," Malfoy mimicked. "Honestly, Granger, you don't seem to notice when a good thing happens to you."

"Oh?" Hermione said skeptically. "And what is that?"

"Me," he replied smugly.

"Do enlighten me."

"You've just become my new potions partner."

Hermione blinked. "I don't think so."

"Well, let's just see what Snape says," Malfoy leaned back in his chair. "He won't say no to me."

"Oh, let's not be hasty, Malfoy. Snape likes me."

Malfoy raised his eyebrows. "Does he now?" he laughed.

"Yes." The blond boy only widened his smile. "What?"

"Oh, it's just… Well, Snape doesn't like anyone. Especially mudbloods. Gryffindors, too, but that is beside the point."

"Snape gave me points for the troll last year," Hermione said pointedly.

Malfoy shrugged. "To spite McGonagall."

Hermione thought it over. That was believable were it not for the context of their conversation, and Hermione didn't want to delve into that with Malfoy. She went another route. "He always punishes Weasley for getting in my hair."

"Gryffindor. He really shouldn't, though. It must be tough getting stuck up there."

"I always score higher than you in Potions."

"A matter of effort."

Hermione tried thinking of another example but couldn't find one. The majority of her evidence was held within his office that night. Everything else… well, everything else could be explained away by his intense hatred of Potter, Gryffindors and immature children. There really wasn't much there. Snape treated her much like the other Slytherins.

"What do you want, Malfoy?"

"Me? An O in Potions," he shrugged.

"You can get there without me. Go away."

"Sure. But it would be easier."

"Have Goyle make your potion. Simple."

He grimaced. "Simple is right. He doesn't seem to understand that a knife can have a sharp side and a dull side."

"I'm sure Pansy wouldn't mind chopping your roots."

Malfoy shook his head. "She'd rather blab about… something. I don't pay attention."

"You're a Malfoy. Figure it out."

"I have. You."

"Would it really be easier?"

"With Flint making us practice every night and all weekend, I think it would pay to have a competent potioneer. You know, in case I miss some reading."

"You mean skive off?"

Malfoy's face went intense. "Hey, Quidditch is not skiving off!"

"Flying around on a broom tossing a ball to each other. Couldn't get more absurd."

"Hold on a minute. Quidditch has been the wizarding sport for hundreds of years. It is our heritage, our culture, our – our – our–"

"The scoring doesn't even make sense. You've got twelve players fooling around for the ten percent chance that they get to decide the game, while two others spend an hour watching them goof off until they catch the snotch."

"The snitch."

"Isn't that what I said?"

"No. You said–"

"Whatever."

"Whatever? You don't even know what you're talking about. You're such a – a…"

"A what?" Hermione prodded. "A mmmm…?"

"Such a mudblood."

"There it is," Hermione sighed.

"You are such a mudblood. You don't care about our history."

"I so do. I don't care for this… sport."

"Quidditch is part of our history."

"An insignificant part."

"Mudblood."

"You keep calling me that and it loses its meaning."

"You keep being one and you'll be called it."

"I wasn't aware I could stop being one."

"You can't. But you compensate."

"Oh, I can compensate for my dirty blood? How? Do I drink bleach?" Hermione laughed.

Malfoy frowned. "What is bleach?"

She rolled her eyes. "You are such a pureblood."

A lough cough echoed from behind them. Professor Snape stalked around and leaned over their desk, his robes draping over his arms like a bat's wings. Hermione was suddenly acutely aware that the classroom had filled in behind them, and everyone was staring. "Do we have a problem here?" Snape's voice was silky smooth but it didn't disguise the steel beneath.

"No, Professor. Only a heated debate," Malfoy provided. "About potions…" he added meekly.

"I should hope so." Snape stood tall. "I thought I made myself perfectly clear last time, Mister Malfoy." He turned his black eyes to Hermione. "Miss Granger. Have you made any progress on willing a potion into existence?"

"No, sir," she mumbled.

"Then I expect today you will begin brewing immediately after receiving instructions?" Hermione nodded and heard a muffled snicker from the back. "A point from Gryffindor,"called Snape without looking up. He held her gaze for a moment, then swept to the front of the classroom. "You will brew the Sleeping Draught this morning. It is a simple potion. I expect the results to reflect that. Begin." With a flick of his wand the instructions appeared on the blackboard.

Malfoy began to gather his materials, but Hermione stayed where she was. "Aren't you going to help, Granger?"

Hermione watched him for a moment, mulling things over. "What do I get out of this?"

"You really are a Slytherin, then?" Malfoy smiled. For all appearances, a genuine smile. "Let's say I can get Pansy off your back?" he offered.

"More than Pansy," Hermione said coolly.

"Oh?"

"If anyone from Slytherin harasses me, I will make it my personal mission to fail your Potions grade."

"An ultimatum. How interesting," he waggled his eyebrows. "What makes you think I control the whole of Slytherin?"

"You're a Malfoy. Figure it out."

His face went from amused to bemused to thoughtful. "I'll come up with a few ideas."

Hermione sighed.


Most Slytherin (and pureblood-)Hermione stories pair her with Draco. I find it curious that so far there have been calls for Hermione/Fluer,Daphne,Harry, but no Draco...

That being said, let me be clear: This is not a Dramione story nor is it a romance story, this is a Hermione story. Draco will feature when Hermione allows it.

(Changing circumstances...)