As Hermione walked to McGonagall's office the last day of her detention, she couldn't get out of her head the thought of how far from uneventful that week had been. She knew it would be stressful since her meeting with Professor Dumbledore, but not even Trelawney could claim to have known just how stressful it had been.
Every professor seemed to think that the best way to get their students to pass their NEWT examinations was to bombard them with piles of homework. They had papers, charts, logs, potions to hand in, enchantments to perfect, chapters to read. They even had a potion's test that week! Ron and Harry had to keep a dream journal for Divination class. The amount of work the sixth-year students were receiving was unprecedented.
Hermione was drowning in so many assignments that the Gryffindor students were using her as an example, when trying to explain to their teachers that not even she could get all her work done it time. To which professor McGonagall responded that she would have time to complete her work if she hadn't been locked up in detention every night of that week… which of course, she was right.
Her week of detention hadn't been completely awful, despite Malfoy's threat that she would pay for what she did. So far, four days of their detention had gone by and he hadn't so much as looked at Hermione. Hermione didn't mind. They had been tasked with helping a different teacher each day of the week to organize old books and materials in their classrooms. So far, they'd gotten done with McGonagall's, Flitwick's. Sprout's and Snape's things.
The worst had been Snape's, the night before. It's no secret that the Head of Slytherin house favors his Slytherin students above all others. So, while he chatted up Malfoy, who only pretended to be doing some of the work, about the new potion's professor, and how Snape had finally been granted the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts, Hermione did all the rearranging. It wasn't easy either. Snape seemed to think that the previous five teachers had all been dim witted and was determined to throw away anything that had been left behind… which was, in fact, a lot.
He also never seemed to pass up and opportunity to comment on how irresponsible it had been of Hermione to get herself landed in detention on the first day back at Hogwarts. Professor Snape smiled every time he got the chance to remind Hermione that she shouldn't be getting any more detentions because if she would miss any more meetings with him, he would simply stop meeting her.
Why he was saying these things in front of Malfoy? She didn't know. Was Malfoy, the son of an openly declared Death Eater, supposed to know that she was having lessons with Snape? Of course, he probably thought she needed extra lessons for her incompetent muggle-born brain to be able to produce the simplest of shield charms.
That night had droned on for what seemed like forever, and when she was finally done with all the work, and the fowl professor finally dismissed both of them, it was well past curfew. She hoped none of the prefects would find her, because Snape had refused to give her a note, saying if she had finished late it was because of her own laziness. The audacity! She did all the work. If she finished late, it was because Malfoy didn't help at all and left her doing it all herself.
And to top of her night, she was caught halfway to the Gryffindor common room by a Ravenclaw prefect who seemed ecstatic about finding none other than Hermione Granger out of bed, after hours, and took 20 points from Gryffindor, before sending her up to bed. Like she wasn't on her way to bed anyways!
When she finally reached Professor McGonagall's office, she knocked on the door. Her head of house was alone, it was the first time she had arrived at her detention before Malfoy, and prompted her to sit down. Hermione did, letting out a relieved sigh.
"How has your week been, Miss Granger?" Asked Professor McGonagall after taking a look at Hermione's messier than usual hair, the bags under her eyes, and taking note on the girl's wrinkled robes.
Hermione groaned. "Awful."
"I had been meaning to speak to you all week." She peered at Hermione to see if she was going to say anything. The girl straightened up in her chair. "I heard about your stroll after curfew last night. On top of your detention, your late assignments, and your overall behavior, I'm worried. Is something going on?
"I've had the week that came from hell, Professor. It's been exhausting. And last night, Snape didn't let us leave until well after curfew, so I wasn't breaking the rules because I wanted to."
"Professor Snape, Miss Granger. I don't need any more of Potter's behavior rubbing off on you." Professor McGonagall corrected her calmly and she smiled at her student. "I wanted to let you know, Miss Granger, that you are our strongest Gryffindor candidate for the Head Girl position next year. I expect it something that you aspire too, but given your… unusual start to this new school year, which is crucial when taking the decision, I feel compelled to let you know that those behaviors need to end. Now."
Hermione looked at her professor in shock. She was being considered for Head Girl next year? Now that she thought about it, she knew it to be obvious… who else? But still… And her week had already put a dent in her application. She needed to get her act together. She hadn't said anything to Professor McGonagall, when there was a knock on the door.
"I'll do better, professor." She said in a low voice. "I promise."
"I know, Granger. Come in, Mr. Malfoy." McGonagall waited until Malfoy was standing right in front of her desk to continue speaking. "Your task tonight was left for the last, because it will be the most difficult one. Professor Slughorn needs help sorting, labeling and counting his ingredients inventory. He also needs some cauldrons scraped. I expect you to finish quite late." She looked at Hermione. "Ask for a note, if you finish after curfew. He's expecting you now."
Hermione got up and smiled at her professor. She whispered something similar to a thank you and started towards the potion's dungeon. It took them a while of silence to reach the office, and when Professor Slughorn greeted them, he couldn't be more excited to be spending time with the young lady who had answered all his questions on the first day, and the heir to the Malfoy fortune.
Hermione was tasked with counting and labeling all of the ingredients, and she did, as quietly and efficiently as she could. Professor Slughorn had told her that as soon as he was done grading papers, he would go to the cupboard to help her. Malfoy was scrapping the cauldrons. This made her grin. Draco Malfoy doing what he considered to be house elf work? This was the perfect punishment for his slacking last night.
After the first hour, she had already labeled most of the ingredients, but there were a few she needed help identifying. She was good at potions, but it wasn't her best work. She walked to the professor's desk, but Malfoy was speaking to him first. Great, he's getting out of his cauldron work, she thought.
"I cannot believe you finished cleaning all these cauldrons so quickly, Draco." Professor Slughorn seemed to be excited about clean cauldrons. "Go into the cupboard to help Miss Granger."
"Actually Professor, I need your help because I cannot seem to identify these potions." She interrupted, hoping to get help from the professor, and not from the ferret.
"Well, perfect dear, Draco here is a young potions master! He could surely help you classify all of those." Slughorn continued, oblivious to the hatred in Hermione's eyes. "Could you, Draco?"
"Yes professor, it would be my pleasure to help Granger." He turned to her smiling his evil twisted smile. She didn't let it show that the look on his face made her terrified to be in a small cupboard full of deadly potions with him, and so she turned around and walked in.
He quickly started labeling different potions and setting them down in rows for Hermione to count and write down in the potions master's inventory book. A few minutes went by before Professor Slughorn walked back inside.
"So Miss Granger, I have to tell you, I was very impressed with your paper on the Draught of Living Death. The amount of detail you went into, when explaining the proper manner of cutting each ingredient is exactly what will allow you to perform a perfect brew next lesson." Said the small professor happily.
"Thank you, professor, but I merely followed the details of the book, when preparing my paper."
"Nonsense, everyone else has the book, and your paper was the best of all! Followed closely by Mr. Malfoy's here! I am very impressed with your work." Said the professor, as he turned to Malfoy. "How are your parent's dear boy? I've heard all that's been going on with them. I taught them you know, had them both in my classes."
"My parents are well, professor, thank you for asking. This situation has been difficult on them, especially my mother, but we are Malfoys after all."
"Yes, you very well are! You remind me so much of your father, boy, except, he was not as talented for the art of potion making as you are." Hermione saw Draco stiffen at the mention of his resemblance to his father, and noticed he was quiet after the professor's comment.
"Thank you, professor." He finally said after a while, without looking up.
"Now dears, I ask for you to excuse me for a minute, I will be right back." Professor Slughorn said as he waddled outside of the cupboard.
Hermione noticed how Malfoy was still tense and couldn't help but laugh.
"What are you laughing at?"
She looked up at him.
"It's none of your business."
"Don't get smart with me, Granger, I remind you, I'm stuck here because of your little stunt. You still owe me."
"We're here because of me? I seem to recall you started insulting me in class!"
"Oh please, I only said the truth. But poor little Granger's feelings are too fragile."
"My feelings are fragile? You're the one that got all tense when Professor Slughorn just told you that you're just like your father. What? You didn't like being called a Death Eater?"
He stopped what he was doing at stood glaring at her. She glared back at him, determined to not be intimidated by him. She eventually got tired of the stare off, and decided to keep working.
"You seem to feel very brave since your little trip to the Ministry last June, Granger." Malfoy finally said after a long silence. "Might I remind you, you lost."
"Look Malfoy, your opinion on what I do or not isn't relevant."
"Oh really, so you-know-who's followers getting away, and that blood traitor's Black death doesn't count as a loss?"
Hermione was doing everything she could to keep her cool. But she couldn't. She was shaking in anger. He was pushing her buttons again. She gripped the vial she had in her hand with such strength she thought it would break. She didn't release it, though.
"That's what I thought." He sneered. "Because in the end, reading books doesn't make you talented Granger. It only makes you an annoying know-it-all."
Hermione felt a searing pain in her hand when she noticed that she had broken the vial with the strength of her grip. She looked down at her hand and she could see the blood, but the cut wasn't what hurt. Her hand was felt like it was on fire. Her skin starting bubbling like boiling hot water and she started to scream.
Malfoy looked up at her scream. At first he wanted to laugh, but then he saw her hand and his eyes widened in shock. He knew what that was, the potion was designed to literally burn the skin off a person. He had to do something
As she fell to the floor screaming and clutching her hand, he pointed his wand at her hand. "Aquamenti! That's going to wash of the excess potion." His voice was panicked.
He walked to the stand where the professor kept antidotes and looked for the healing potion that would stop her skin burning. He finally found it and walked over to her.
"Get… away..." She growled through her teeth.
"Stand still! This will help!"
"I don't need your help!"
"Stop moving and let me help you! If you don't, you'll die, and I don't want to be held responsible."
She looked at him unconvinced, but the pain in her hand was so awful she felt like she didn't have a choice. He let her pour the potion over her hand and instantly felt the relief. Her skin still burned, but not to the degree it had been burning seconds before.
She couldn't believe how her hand looked. The skin had started to burn off, and it was red and bloody in most places. She used her other hand to wipe the tears off her face when Professor Slughorn walked in. He took a look at her hand and dropped the tray he had with tea.
"What happened?"
"She accidentally broke a skin burning potion, Professor." Malfoy spoke before Hermione could say anything. "I was able to wash away the effect, and gave her an ice protection potion, but it had already started having its effect."
"We need to get her up to the infirmary." Professor Slughorn said. "Miss Granger, can you walk?"
She nodded while starting to stand up, but she felt lightheaded from the searing pain. She started to fall back again, when Malfoy grabbed her by the arm. She was able to stand up and the Professor started to help her out of the classroom.
"You may leave if you want to Mr. Malfoy, I'll take Miss Granger up to the infirmary." Professor Slughorn said.
"Thank you, professor." Malfoy said, he gave a flick of his wand and cleaned the mess of water, potion and tea from the floor before leaving the girl and the professor.
Professor Slughorn kept saying how unfortunate the accident had been all the way up to the hospital wing, but Hermione didn't speak. She still felt pain in her hand, and she still felt lightheaded from the blood she was losing. Despite that, she couldn't help but think of how Malfoy had reacted. He had insulted her a moment before, and then he had helped her.
Well, he had said she would die if he didn't let him help her. She knew what went through his head, if Hermione Granger had died in the potion's chamber and they were the only two people there, nobody would believe it to be an accident. Everyone would think it was his fault. He was only saving his own skin.
Mrs. Pomfrey was tending to a few first-year students who had too much to eat at dinner, when they walked in. She quickly started dabbing Hermione with potions for skin growth and pain. She felt relieved. She had said it would take her at least three days to grow her skin back.
"Lucky you were with her to give her the ice potion, Professor." Said the medi-witch as she dabbed a fifth potion in her hand. "That will help reduce scarring. It might not look like she had an injury at all."
"Why, Madam Pomfrey, it was Mr. Malfoy who gave her the potion, not me!"
"Well you were lucky Mr. Malfoy was there to help you, Miss Granger."
Hermione scoffed. She was not lucky Malfoy was there. This was all his fault, she had been in detention because of him, and he had made her break the vial with his stupid comments. Yet, he helped her… she couldn't believe it, but he had. Whatever, it was Malfoy.