A.N I know this is talking so long. I know I need to update more. I'm so sorry. Life just gets away on me a little. I'm working on wrapping up this story and my x-men story, "Falling Flat on You Arse". Nothing else until they are done. Then I will put effort into "Hermione Grangers Unexpected Life After School" and possibly another x-men one. Until then I promise this is my main focus. It needs to finish so I can move on. I would also like to apologize for the weirdness of some of the previous chapters. I slightly lost my point in those last two. Ill bring it back now and try to get it to make sense.

Chapter 24: Crashing down around your ears.

Hermione Granger was slowly losing control of the situation. Blaise had avoided her for a week after their kiss and the aftermath. Then after her explosion at them, Draco had followed suit. Theo still kept up with her, but the other two avoided being alone with her at all costs. Classes with Savage were going appallingly and their Healing Classes were becoming far too personal for Hermione's liking. Especially with the three Slytherins' in her group. As another week rolled by, with Hermione and the two Slytherin males avoiding being alone in a room at any given time, tension was high and Hermione was starting to wonder if both men regretted their actions. They came finally to Friday, a day of torturous double classes and the promise of a weekend full of stress, homework, heads duties and ministry work ahead, for Hermione at least. Not to mention the Hogsmead trip which she was going to be forced into going to.

So it was with a heavy heart and a tired mind that Hermione rose on the Friday. She went through her usual routine, getting ready and avoiding Blaise with now practiced ease. Trying to add a bit more spark to her day she dressed in a pair of skin coloured stockings and a pleated red skirt. A long sleeved, white v neck top followed and robes of a dark gold to top it off. The necklace Fred and George had given her was hung around her neck and she used her wand to put her hair into ringlets, framing a few around her face before tying the rest up with a thin gold ribbon. Feeling that she at least looked better than she felt, Hermione packed up her books, pocketed her wand and made her way to breakfast. Of Blaise there was no sign

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The Gryfindore's all greeted her cheerfully as she sat in a spot between Dean and Ginny. Ron had finally come around and waved easily as he stuffed his face full of food opposite her. Grimacing slightly at the sight, Hermione placed a few bits and pieces on her own plate, but felt very little inclination to eat anything.

"You look nice, Hermione." Dean smiled down at her easily, "Any occasion?"

She shrugged easily, filling her goblet with steaming tea, "Not really, just felt like it."

"Fair enough." He stabbed some food with his fork. "Well it suits you."

She lowered her head and smiled slightly, "Thanks."

Ginny jumped in then, drawing her into conversation. She continued that way for a few minutes, toying with her food and sipping tea as she listened to her friends. A quick glance at the Slytherin table however showed her a surprising sight. Theo and the Greengrass sisters sat in a crowed of first and second year students, seemingly helping to answer homework questions, which were spread between the plates and goblets. Calista and a few of her friends had taken charge of a group of fourth year girls and were entertaining them with spells and charms as they chatted over their food. Even Pansy and Millicent seemed to have perked up, Pansy was helping a 5th year girl learn a charm to straiten her hair while Millicent looked one. Draco and Blaise were holding court with a lot of the male Slytherin's while others were in small friend clusters. The most noticeable change in Hermione's mind however was the smiles.

Ginny's voice brought her attention back to her own house, but not before the the two Slytherin princes, sensing someones eyes on them, both looked up and across the room, straight into her eyes. Warming slightly under their gaze, she quickly pulled her eyes back to Ginny, trying to ignore the tickling in her spin that told her their eyes remained after she looked away.

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It was with some dread that her year group entered DADA for a double lesson that day. Since his and Hermione's confrontation his lessons had been conducted ruthlessly, and his treatment of Hermione harsh. Blaise however was treated like the rest of the class, although Savage did have a habit of asking more from the head boy than the rest. It was a wary group that entered the room that day. Each had learnt the hard way to always be on guard when entering Savages lessons. Harry and Ron lead the way today, with Hermione and Dean following close behind.

They did not relax as they took their seats, even as Savage watched them from his own desk at the front of the class. Books and wands were laid on their tables as the class settled and waited for Savage to begin. Hermione sat with Harry and Ron on either side, chatting quietly as they waited for class to start. Savage seemed in a good mood that day, if his small smirk was anything to go by, this in its self made Hermione nervous. He remained curiously silent as students trickled into class. The group of Slytherins bring up the rear. Hermione tried her hardest not to look around at the sound of Blaise's smooth tones and Draco's answering chuckle. Harrys support at her side helped more than he knew.

"Good morning class." Savages deep brooding voice washed over them and Hermione mused, not for the first time, how attractive he would have been if his personality matched his voice. "Today we will be going over a sub-classification of magic called Grey Magic."

There was a ripple of sound throughout the class, quickly snuffed out by Savages sweeping gaze. Hermione felt her stomach clench. She was well versed in the area of spell work, which was termed grey, due to her and the orders constant use of it during the war to combat the Voldemort and the death eaters dark magic.

"Grey Magic," Savage continued as the noise ebbed. "Is a highly debated range of charms, curses and spells. Many believe some of the magic in this classification should, in fact be categorized as dark magic. Others believe that because the magic its self can often be used for good as well as bad, they should simply be placed with magic of the regular nature. Grey Magic was the compromise."

Silence followed his explanation and Hermione's feeling of dread increased. True, she knew and had used many grey spells in her time, especially during the war, but that didn't mean she was always comfortable with the spells and curses . Many she would never have dreamed of using in the school, especially not during class, most were taught later in life and depended heavily on the career one chose.

"Now, who can give me an example of grey magic?" Silence followed the question, many either did not know of were un-willing to say. "No one at all? Well then how about you Miss Granger, I'm sure you have many ideas in that head of yours."

There was a slight bristling around the class as Hermione met his eyes.

"Of course, Professor." Her voice held a slither of contempt even as she gave him his title. "I can think of many, as I'm sure you know, but so can most sitting in this class. One of the most common one Expellere Aer which is used to make the target breath the air out of their lungs, its extremely helpful in the case of a drowned victim as they would then expel that water they had inhaled. However when used and help on a victim, the person can not breath in and can therefore die from lack of oxygen."

"Correct, as always Miss Granger." Savage seemed neither pleased nor annoyed about this, in fact he was strangely neutral about the lesson as a whole. As the class went on Hermione and her year mates became increasingly puzzled about Savages less than ruthless approach. Hermione began to wonder if Kingsley had had a word to him, maybe asking him to tone down his approach. He was dealing with war veterans after all, and young ones at that. The first of their double period went with out incident, Savage had them take notes on different grey spells and curse and set them an assignment on why such spells existed in use rather than being made either unforgivable or limited to a select few, which was due in two weeks. Things seemed to be going to well in Hermione's opinion and it was with a mixture of relief and annoyance that she received their orders for the second part of their lesson.

"Now that the theoretical side of this lesson is done." Savage gave a cunning smile. "We can move onto the particle. Everybody stand and draw your wands."

The class stood immediately, wands in hand and there was a nasty scrapping of wood on stone as the chairs and desks slid to the sides of the room. 'He could have lifted them' Hermione thought sourly, rubbing an ear.

"Now I will divide you into pears and from there you will practice a range of Grey spells against each other."

"Potter and Goyle!" Savage's voice held the smoothness of delight as he began to pear up the class. "Malfoy and Goldstein! Weasley and Thomas! Zabini and Brown! Faucett and MacDougal! Granger and Parkinson!"

Hermione sighed as she found a spot beside Pansy. The Slytherin girl sneered at her as they faced off, waiting for the rest of the class to be sorted into their pears. Finally everyone stood beside a partner. Hermione was frustrated to realize he had paired them up by not only gender, but by those who they would be least happy to work with. She was beginning to wonder if Savage kept a close eye on his students, just so he knew who was up set with who and pair them up together. Sighing again she turned to face Pansy, knowing already it was going to be a very uncomfortable experience for everyone.

"Ready Parkinson?" She asked tiredly.

"Oh I'm ready Granger," Pansy snarled. "By the time I'm through with you your going to wish you had never been born."

"That was cliché." Hermione commented dully, she was truly not in the mood for this.

"Begin!"

Pansy raised her wand, a spell already on her lips. Hermione dropped low, wand raised in preparation.

'Let the fun begin.'

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A.N And thats all for now folks, hope you enjoyed it. Will have the next one up as soon as I can. Sorry its so short.