A/N: Woot reviews :D. Wanna hear a story (besides the one about Draco and Hermione)? I fell, no was thrown off a see saw today. I luckily landed on my shoulder and face. Yeah no I was unlucky. I am in very much pain. I definitely did not plan on starting college with a swollen face and unable to move my shoulder. BUT THE SHOW MUST GO ON! Thank you for the reviews and reading of course it cheers me on.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

My decision was made for me when Blaise Zambini walked in. He handed Slughorn a late note and took a seat next to Malfoy. Justin gave me a friendly smile and slipped in the chair next to me.

"Alright Hermione?" He said pulling out his book.

"Fine Justin, can you go get the ingredients?" I asked getting straight to work. He nodded and headed to the storage closet.

I filled the cauldron water and began to read over the instructions, it seemed like a simple potion, it just took time, and you had to cut the snakeweed very careful.

Justin returned with the ingredients, and I did a double check.

"You forgot the bloodroot," I noted.

"Oops, sorry." He said getting up.

"No, its fine. I'll go get it," I said, "Start the fire and add the Eel eye after one minute of boiling."

I had just reached the closet when-

BOOM!

I heard a scream and turned around to see that the fire had exploded and Justin's robes were on fire. Everyone watched in terror too shocked to move.

'Aguamenti!'

A jet of water shot from my wand putting the water out and soaking Justin. He gave me a greatful look and Slughorn took control of the class.

"Z-zambini, take Mr. Finch-Fletchley to the hospital wing immediately." He said.

Zambini escorted a shocked Justin out of the room and everyone started speaking at once.

"Do you think he is alright?"

"What happen?"

"It just exploded when he was lighting the fire."

"Madame Pomfery will be able to fix him in a jiffy."

Slughorn waved his wand and a bang went off bringing the class back to order once more.

"Settle down, settle down. I will personally figure out what happen, it was most likely an accident, but I assure the rest of you that you are safe. Now, Ms. Granger pair up with Mr. Malfoy and continue on with your work."

Malfoy smirked and winked at me as I sat next to him, "It's your lucky day Granger. Pay attention and maybe you will learn something."

I snorted and began cutting the snakeweed carefully. I gestured towards the snake eye.

"You can add that now."

He gave me a blank stare and I glared.

"Well…?"

The corners of his mouth were slightly pulled up into a smile. I fought the urge to throw the dragon liver into his face. Sensing my frustration he sighed, pulled up his sleeves, and began to help.

We finish the potion in record time with twenty minutes to spare. Professor Slughorn checked our potion, tasted it and with a serene smile gave us an O.

"Did you learn anything Granger?" Malfoy asked looking over my transfiguration homework that I was perfecting.

I ignored him and continued looking over my work.

"So I was thinking-"

"Oh! Draco Malfoy was actually thinking?" I asked in mock awe.

He glared at me and began tapping his wand against the table in irritation. He ruffled his hair and I bit back a laugh.

"What were you think?" I asked finally.

"What if the fire wasn't an accident," He whispered, "What if someone meant for it to happen?"

"Who would want to hurt Justin?" I whispered leaning closer, "I could see maybe, Hannah after he broke up with her, but she doesn't have this class."

He rolled his eyes, "What if it wasn't meant for Justin?"

I raised my eyebrow, "Me? Why me?"

He nodded to Lavender who was muttering to Parvati and shooting dark looks in our direction. Parvati gave me a uncertain look when we made eye contact then turned back to their potion which had turned into a deep green color and was whistling.

"No, Lavender doesn't have it in her," I concluded watching Slughorn try and help them fix their potion.

"You never know what people are capable of." Malfoy mumbled.

Malfoy's smug look had turned serious and he was flicking through his Potions book, not really focused on the words in front of him. The bell rang and he looked up suddenly.

"I've got an idea, wait for me after class," He whispered quickly before I could object.

"Did he try anything?" Ron said angrily as we left class.

"Uh, no, he was civil." I said walking slowly.

"Since when is Malfoy ever civil?" asked Harry ruffling his hair.

"Oh Merlin's Beard!" I exclaimed pretending to look through my bag. "I forgot my transfiguration essay! I will catch up with you guys in class!"

"YOU'LL BE LATE!" Ron yelled after me as I scurried back down into the dungeons.

Malfoy was waiting just outside of Slughorn's classroom with a furious expression that made me reluctant to approach him.

"So?" I asked bravely, trying to seem like his anger didn't faze me. It did. I couldn't help but feel a bit terrified whenever I saw Malfoy angry. It's not because I was tortured by him until I threw up and passed out, all with a blank look on his face. It's not because he was a Death Eater that followed Voldemort's every orders without question. It's not because I have seen him beat up a 7th year boy when he was only a 2nd year and win. It's plainly because Draco Malfoy gave off this aura that could make babies cry.

"What?" Malfoy asked wearily as I studied him.

"With a look like that you could make babies cry, Malfoy." I said voicing my thoughts.

His expression softened a bit, but he still looked murderous.

"What happen?" I asked after a few minutes of unbearable silence.

"I was right," He spat, "There was a rebound curse on the cauldron and when Finch-Fletchley tried to set the cauldron on fire….."

"…it set him on fire." I finished breathlessly.

It was hard to believe that prissy princess Lavender had tried to hurt me. She always struck me as the type to just let 'fate' take care of things. Maybe Professor Trelawney's fumes had finally muddled up her brain.

"So what are you going to do?" asked Malfoy angrily.

"What do you mean?"

"You're not just going to let her get away with this are you?"

"What do you want me to do, murder her in plain sight?"

"Not in plain sight," He mumbled.

I clenched my fist and resisted the urge to hex him.

"Sorry, Malfoy, but unlike a fabulous Death Eater like yourself, I haven't quite mastered the coldness you guys seem to have when it comes to human life—"

My words were lost to me as he grabbed the front of my robes and pushed me against the wall. He grabbed my arms and pushed up the sleeves roughly, exposing them. He pushed up his and his Dark Mark gleamed against his pale skin.

"Notice anything, Granger?" He spat, "You're not in the position I am in. You don't know what I feel, what I think, or what I even do when we don't have class together. Do not pretend for a moment that you can fathom the kind of person I am, and don't even for a second place me in the same group as the rest of them. I am not asking you to kill her. I am telling you to take care of her, because if she is a burden to you then she will be a burden for me."

He released me and stormed off. I sank to the ground and stared at the flawless, mark-less skin on my arms. Do I even have what it takes to take things that far? I thought.

"Miss Granger?"