Chapter Ten:
"First day of class, talk about depression."
"How can you say that, Ron? First day of class, new subjects, new teachers, old subjects, old teachers…"
"Old Snape. Oh yea, I really feel like rejoicing."
"Okay, besides Snape."
"McGonagall…I'm so thrilled."
"Professor Sinistra."
"Astronomy? Oh yes, I'm jumping in joy."
"Of course you are. It's got to be the best we have this year."
"Oh thanks, Hermione."
"What?"
"You just killed the little hope I had of a better teacher."
"Well who said school had to be fun," said Harry, taking a seat next to Ron.
"Hermione," answered Ron.
"Oh come on you two! It'll all pay off in the end…I don't know about you, Harry…but I'm very excited for today."
"Well, I'm curiousto know who the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is…but I'm not excited."
"Well, you're probably not thinking properly…eat your breakfast."
"Why?" asked Ron, looking down to the plate of food in front of him.
"Because it's the most important meal of the day…duh."
"Really Ron. I have no idea why you're complaining. You love eating!" said Harry, but his comment was absolutely ignored.
"Don't go all mother on me, Hermione. It's too early," said Ron, answering back to Hermione's previous comment.
"—Excuse me, I just said something—" said Harry, but no one was listening.
"Don't go all childish on me Ron. It's too early."
"—Is no one listening to me?—"
"Well it's not too early for you to stop being an old lady," said Ron, twisting his mouth into a frown and turned his voice into a weak squeaky one. "Now Ron, why don't you start on your homework? Why don't you eat your eggs? Finish that pumpkin juice! Don't do this…don't do that. Why don't you—"
"Shut up?" interrupted Hermione, giving him a pointed look.
"—Hey guys. I said something very important—."
Ron's face returned to neutral and looked at her blankly. "You are no fun, Hermione."
"—Hello-o? Am I invisible or something? God! I've been talking and—."
"Pleased to know…now hurry up. We have to get to class in less than 15 minutes," said Hermione in response to Ron.
"…but if you guys want to ignore me, then that's just fine! See if I care!"
"What did you say, Harry?" said Ron, in realization that his best friend had been talking.
Harry sighed. "Oh now you hear me?! I'll see you guys later," said Harry, secretly laughing lightly as he gathered his books and left the hall.
"What's bugging him?" asked Ron.
"Don't know," answered Hermione, looking after Harry…then returned her attention to her food and schedule, while Ron merrily stuffed his face with food from both his and Harry's plate.
"Open your textbooks to page 3. Read the first three chapters, then answer the questions on the board, and if you finish by the time the period ends…you may start on your homework. As for now, just copy it down," drawled Gryffindor's favorite teacher. Professor Snape.
Ron slightly shifted his weight to his right and whispered to Harry. "This is too much for homework!"
"Care to share your conversation, Mr. Weasley? Surely it must be important if you dared to talk in my class."
Ron looked around the classroom. At the snickering Slytherins, at the 'please-don't-cost-us-any-house points' look from his house mates, and finally at Snape sitting at his desk in a superior manner.
"Well, Mr. Weasley? We're waiting."
"I…I…I was—."
"Talking…we know. What were you talking to Mr. Potter about? I do believe it had something to do with the homework. What was it that you said about the homework, Mr. Weasley?"
You could have fried an egg on Ron's face at that very moment.
"I—I didn't—."
"Mr. Weasley I will not tolerate this, nor will I ask you again."
"I said it was too much," said Ron in a low, yet hateful whisper
"Ahh. Too much," drawled Snape, a malicious smirk growing on his face. "That was it, was it?"
"Yea."
"Yes Professor Snape," demanded the Potions instructor.
"Yes Professor Snape," repeated Ron, his stare glued to the parchment in front of him.
There was a moment of silence where hardly anyone dared to breathe, taking note of Snape's slowly curling lip.
"That's the thing with weasels such as yourself, Mr. Ronald Weasley. You have to train and tame them from the wild."
Ron's head snapped up, his eyes wide in realization and slowly narrowing at Snape, whose head was elegantly and gently relying on his pursed index fingers as his elbows leaned on the desk.
Harry looked at Hermione, who was sitting on the other side of Ron. The message was clear between them.
Ron's going to blow.
"I may not have all the money in the world, Professor Snape, but I'm already twice the man you'll ever be…and my family's honor is triple the amount yours ever has and ever will have!"
"Temper, temper Weasley," said Snape, a smirk growing once again. "Would I have known that you were such a hotheaded weasel, I would have used that weakness of yours against you and your house much before today. But better late than never…many say."
Snape stood up from his desk and walked to the board. Taking out his wand…he added to the homework. There was a big murmur of frustration and complaint in the process, but once done he quickly turned around and looked at Ron.
"Is that better Mr. Weasley?"
"I said it was too much, not too little!" answered Ron automatically, causing Snape's eyebrows to rise in both surprise and challenge.
"Oh well in that case," said Snape, turning and adding more to the homework.
Another murmur as everyone once again added more to their personal list of homework.
"Is that more satisfying, Mr. Weasley?" asked Snape.
"Yes Professor Snape."
"I'm glad. Now all get back to work!"
"The nerve of him! Calling my family a bunch of wild animals. I'll see that McGonagall hears about this one! I've tolerated a lot before, but this is crossing the line! I'll make him regret ever—."
"Ron!" yelled Hermione.
"What?!" answered Ron, twirling to his left to meet her.
"You act as if it's the first time he's done this to you! Lord knows he's called you worse and humiliated you in more harsh ways than this. And he wasn't completely wrong, you know."
"Oh so you agree with him?!"
"Well, you are hotheaded."
"Hotheaded? Hotheaded?! You think I'm hotheaded?!?!"
"Well just look at your reaction!"
"What about my reaction? You find it to be the quality of a hotheaded man, do you?"
"Not of a man. Of a hotheaded boy."
"I'm seventeen. I'm of age. I'm a man," said Ron, furiously pointing at himself.
"Then do me the favor and start acting like one!" yelled Hermione, storming off farther down the hallway, and leaving behind a very frustrated Ron and a very bored Harry.
"Hermione's been getting on my nerves lately," said Ron, his right hand quickly running through his hair in a frustrated manner.
"I'm sure Hermione feels the same way about you," answered Harry, turning to walk down the hallway, opposite direction in which Hermione had taken.
"It's just that…she thinks she knows everything. That she's alwaysright. That she knows better than everyone else. She's—."
"The Hermione we all know and love," finished Harry, stopping to wait for Ron to catch up.
"But doesn't she get on your nerves?"
"No. I don't fight with her all the time."
"It's just annoying."
"I thought you'd be used to it by now. You know you and Hermione always argue."
"Doesn't mean it's fun."
"Why?"
"Cause she always wins!"
'Who does he think he is? He's so rude! He thinks he's grown…ha! A seven year old could be more mature than Ron. I can't believe I liked him once!! What was going on in my head?!'
Hermione took a stronger grip on her books and hugged them to her chest as she descended a few steps.
He's such a stupid, good-for-nothing Pratt that doesn't know left from right! A hotheaded weasel. Always crashing into unnecessary things…like trouble. If only he'd listen once in a while…he wouldn't find himself in such—'
"Well what do you know. Who's to come my way but the smartest witch in our year, I must be truly the luckiest man on earth."
Hermione looked up an odd expression forming on her face. She looked behind her, and surprisingly realized that no one was there.
"I'm talking to you Hermione Granger."
"Oh," laughed Hermione, shifting the weight of her books onto one arm, and with her free hand nervously pushed a lock of hair behind her ear.
"So how have you been Miss Granger?"
"Oh you can call me Hermione."
"I'm honored," said Terry Boot, slightly bowing. "And it would be to my pleasure if you would call me Terry."
"Um…okay. Terry."
"So what's Hogwart's best doing here in Ravenclaw?"
Hermione furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and looked about her. "Oh…I was. I was…"
"Lost?" offered Terry, a charming smile forming on his face.
"It's a possibility," laughed Hermione.
She looked around her again. "You know, I really don't see much of a difference between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. The hallways are pretty much the same at least."
Terry looked around as well. "I wouldn't really know, Miss Granger—."
"Hermione."
"Hermione. I've never been to Gryffindor."
"Is that so?"
"Oh it is. I've been to Hufflepuff and unfortunately Slytherin, but never to Gryffindor."
"Perhaps you could visit us one day. You know, we don't bite."
"Good to know," laughed Terry. "That lion's got us all fooled I suppose."
"A fair excuse," answered Hermione, wondering to herself why she was having such a formal conversation at age seventeen.
"I'm glad you think so. Say, do you need any help with those?" asked Terry, starting for the books that were now occupying both Hermione's arms.
"Oh no, that's quite—."
"No, please. It would be my pleasure."
"Well if you insist…I mean…I don't believe there'll be any harm with receiving a little help," answered Hermione, realizing there was nothing she would be able to do against it.
Terry gave her an admirable smile of reassurance, and freed her arms from the burden of her books. It made Hermione wonder weather she had ever talked to this young man before.
"So where to Miss Hermione Granger?"
"Actually I was going no where special. Would you mind taking me to the library? I find myself no where familiar and I'd really be grateful if—."
"Say no more, Hermione. I'd be more than glad to take you to the library. Is it not your landmark?"
"Well it's where everyone would find me most of the time."
"Don't you get teased?" asked Terry, walking next Hermione as he led her through Ravelclaw and towards the library.
"Oh yes! Every breathing second if possible. By Slytherins and Ron."
"Ron? As in Ronald Weasley?"
"The very same."
"Admirable family. All Purebloods, but blessed bunch. Don't let that fact get to their heads."
"No, they don't. Have you ever met them personally? Gone for dinner or tea?"
"Never had the honor," said Terry, shrugging his broad shoulders.
Hermione turned her head so that she had a clear view of his profile. He wasn't ugly.
Flawless light skin, dark hair, silver-rimmed glasses, tall, lean but slightly muscular, and when he moved his head to look at her she realized his amazing deep black eyes.
Fierce
"What's wrong?"
"Oh nothing. Nothing at all. I was just…well…we haven't ever really talked before."
"We haven't ever really met properly. But who doesn't know the smartest witch of our year?"
Hermione laughed and blushed lightly, biting her bottom lip wondering where this was leading.
"Well, that's the thing. Everyone knows me for my brains. Never for my personality."
"Perhaps I'll be the privileged one."
"You?" asked Hermione incredibly.
"Is there a problem with that?"
"Well…why would you want to? Not even Harry or Ron like to hang out with me anymore."
"That's a lie. Hogwarts Trio no longer together? I can hardly believe it!" said Terry, turning a corner.
"Well, it's more Ron's doing that anything else. You see, he and I have plenty arguments. There isn't a day where we don't disagree on something. And Harry and Ron always go everywhere together. They have more in common. Harry still hangs out with me a lot…but he and Ron have that male bonding."
"I see. But I am not like Mr. Potter or Mr. Weasley. I am Terry Boot. And I would be very privileged to get to know such a focused woman."
'Woman?…I could work with that.'
"And I would be honored if you and I became close friends," said Hermione, her mouth twitching into a broad smile.
"You should smile more, Hermione. You're beautiful when you do."
"Beautiful? Me?!" laughed Hermione. "Now I'm starting to see the sense of humor in you."
"You don't believe that I am serious?"
"No," came the blunt answer.
"Well I am. Hermione Granger, you're not ugly. I've seen worse."
"Like who? Who could possibly be uglier than me?"
"Lavender Brown."
Hermione stopped in her tracks. "You've got to be kidding! She's gorgeous!"
"Perhaps physically. But on the inside…she's an ugly troll."
Hermione laughed heartily and continued walking.
They reached the library.
"After you," said Terry, politely stepping aside from the library's entrance.
"Thank you," said Hermione, unable to stop the light blush from rushing to her cheeks.
Hermione led him to her usual table at the very back of the library.
"Don't like to be interrupted I presume?" said Terry, looking around at the secluded area she had led him to.
"Most of the time it doesn't work. People still find me here."
"If I may…who are such people?"
"Oh just Harry, Ron, Ron, Ron, and…Harry."
"No one else goes to look for you? How strange. Such beauty hidden in the farthest desk in the library."
"Terry I am not beauty."
"Has no one told you so before?"
"Only my mother. Everyone else is quite satisfied with proving otherwise. Especially Ron and the Slytherins."
"The Ron you here talk about so much…doesn't seem of pleasant nature."
"Oh but he is! He is of kind heart…just likes to tease me and we disagree far too much."
"Then why are you hardly ever seen without him?"
"Lately…I've been seen alone a lot."
"Is that so? A lady should never be alone."
"Well lately, I am."
"And Mr. Potter does nothing on the matter?"
"On what matter?"
"You and Mr. Weasley fight far too much…from what I'm hearing."
"But what can he do? He can't make us agree with each other."
"But he can't just stay with Mr. Weasley the whole time either. He has to share himself with you."
"Oh no! Harry and I are like siblings. We play fight, we argue like children, and we laugh like lunatics. He and I are Headboy and Headgirl, so there's plenty of time to talk and all of that."
"I'm glad."
"As am I," said Hermione, smiling at the discomfort of the formality.
And everything would have been perfect. Ended like a fairytale's first encounter between the prince and the future princess if it weren't for…
"Oh how sweet. Looks like Granger found herself a little boyfriend," came the deep and hideous torment.
Hermione turned around and out came a hidden figure from the bookshelves.
"Malfoy what do you want?" asked Hermione, rolling her eyes at his smirk.
"Nothing. Just congratulating Hogwart's geekiest couple," said Malfoy, standing next to Hermione, and facing Terry.
"We are not a couple Malfoy. We're just—."
"Friends?" offered Malfoy, a hideous scowl forming. "That's how it all starts. First you're friends, then you have sex and if you're good enough…the guy will keep you for about another week or so. Till he gets tired if you know what I mean."
"I will not allow you to talk to a lady in such rude terms!" said Terry.
Malfoy snorted. "A lady? Granger's no lady. She's some ugly creature that popped out of the forest."
"Sorry to say, but not all females are like your mother," answered Terry.
"Excuse me?" asked Malfoy. "What did you just say about my mother?!"
"Sorry Malfoy. I don't like repeating myself."
"You don't?" asked Malfoy, and in a flash reached over the desk and grabbed Terry by his robes. "Well you better before I beat the shit out of you."
"Malfoy, let go of him!" said Hermione trying to pry Malfoy's fingers off Terry's robes.
"Get off you stupid bitch!"
"Get your filthy hands off me, Mr. Malfoy…or we'll deal this matter like wizards."
Malfoy instantaneously let go of his robes and reached for his wand. "I'm not afraid of you, Boot. What's a Ravenclaw to a Slytherin?"
"Malfoy would you stop?! This isn't the time or place!" said Hermione, but she soon saw that Terry had too reached for his wand.
"Terry?!"
"My deepest apologies if this decision is of offense to you, but I shan't be a coward and turn my back on the chance to fight for something I believe in."
Hermione ran around the desk and next to Terry.
"Please. Just put the wand down. You won't be a coward to me. I don't want you to get hurt."
"I don't mind pain in this world. You could always heal it."
"Please Terry. If you don't do it for your sake, please do it for me," said Hermione, stepping in front of his wand and slowly pushing it down.
Terry put the wand back into his robes and reached for Hermione's hand.
"It is truly an honor to have met you today, Hermione."
"Oh so it's Hermione now?" asked Malfoy, but he was ignored.
"It has been to the full extent of my pleasure. Hope we can meet again sometime."
"On my word, we will," said Terry, bowing down to kiss her hand.
Malfoy snarled in annoyance, and put away his wand back into his robes. "Are you done Prince Charming?"
"I'm quite doubtful of whether I should leave Hermione alone here with you," said Terry, looking at Malfoy over Hermione's shoulder.
"Terry I'll be fine," said Hermione, giving him a friendly smile…her back still facing Malfoy.
"If anything is to go wrong, do not fear in consulting me or any other member that is not from the house of Slytherin."
"Nothing will go wrong. Now please, before anything else starts…go."
Terry smiled fondly at her, "Take care."
"I will," said Hermione, and Terry turned around and left.
Once Terry was out of sight, Hermione sighed deeply and turned to face Malfoy.
"Why?" she whispered.
"Why what?"
"Why do you always have to ruin everything good that happens to me? Why couldn't you just leave and let Terry and I get on with our business?"
"Which was…?" asked Malfoy in sarcasm.
"Which was something that shouldn't matter to you! You don't see me bothering you when you're playing with other girls. You don't see me interrupting you when you're talking to other students of the opposite gender. Why do you do it to me?"
"Granger you're pathetic."
Hermione walked around the desk and infront of Malfoy.
"Pathetic? Pathetic?! Why pathetic? Because I don't go around with a flight of boys after me? Because for the first time in my life I actually have someone that can like me for being me? Because for the first time I have found someone that sees beyond looks?! Because even if I don't get a boyfriend out of this, I may still get a really close friend? And here you go ruining it?"
Malfoy, taking a strong hold of Hermione's arms, used all his weight to push her against a bookshelf, and stayed there…keeping her against the hard wood.
Hermione closed her eyes and winced in pain as Malfoy took a stronger grip on her arms.
"Ruining what? Or did you forget about what's going on between us? Our little game?"
"Malfoy get off, you're hurting me," whispered Hermione.
She turned her head so that it didn't face Malfoy, but he moved his so that it never left her sight.
"Why would I do that? I'm quite comfortable where I am."
"Well I'm not. You think I forgot what happened the last time we were this close? I don't want to repeat it."
"Are you holding me guilty?"
"Malfoy, do you not understand?!" yelled Hermione, making Malfoy look beyond the shelves to see if she had attracted any attention.
"I never want to see you again! You're nothing but a stupid, conniving idiot who doesn't care about anyone's feelings but your own. I don't think you even have feelings. You care about nothing but benefits! Nothing at all! Now if you'd just let me go—"
Malfoy smirked and leaned closer to her. "Why are you making such a scene? C'mon. I just want another chance."
"Another chance?! What do you want from me?! Why can't you just let me live! Why can't you just go back to teasing me now and then? Why the sudden interest to go beyond that?" asked Hermione, pushing Malfoy with all her might.
"I just want to get to know you better," said Malfoy, hardly able to hold back the snort threatening to escape.
Hermione stopped her attempt at pushing him and looked straight into his eyes.
And out of nowhere, she burst into laughter, and Malfoy was not able to hold his snort any longer and joined the laughter…Slytherin style.
"Gosh Malfoy. You've got to come up with a better excuse than that!" laughed Hermione, looking at Malfoy slowly turn red with laughter.
God he's gorgeous. The cutest jerk alive. Too bad he's such a conceited asshole.
Hermione bit her bottom lip trying to prevent herself from smiling at her thought.
And as if he had just noticed that he had been laughing with Hermione Granger and not at her, he abruptly stopped and stepped away from her.
What the fuck's going on with me? First I stare at her in the dark and now I'm laughing with her?!
It seemed to have hit Hermione as well, and resumed her serious and angry manner.
. . .
. . .
"I'll be leaving now," said Hermione starting for the desk to pick up her books.
"But I'm not done Granger," said Malfoy in superiority.
"But I am. Now if you'd move out of my way…"
Malfoy smirked at the ceiling, and in a flash brought his arm firmly around the small of her back and brought Hermione closer to him.
"Malfoy get off!"
Malfoy's lips pressed aggressively against hers, but she wouldn't have it.
She turned her face so that his lips slipped to her cheek instead, and tried to push him off.
"What's wrong, Granger? It's nothing we haven't done before," smirked Malfoy.
"Malfoy get off! Please just leave me the hell alone!"
"Is that a plea?" asked Malfoy, slightly struggling to keep her in place.
"It's anything you want it to be if you'd just permit me to leave!"
Malfoy took hold of her arms and held her in place.
"Ouch, Malfoy…you're hurting me!"
"I'll let you go today, Granger. But know that I don't like to share what's mine."
"I'm not yours!"
"And you better not be anyone else's either."
"What?! Why? What am I to you?"
"…property…"
A.N: I know…I TOOK SOO LONG IN UPDATING! But I was away for a week…and well, it's a long chapter, no? Please review. If I reach 200…I'll update. I love you all!!!! Hope you liked it!!!!
Mwahhzzzzzzzzzzzz