A/N: so this is a weird update. my muse wanted a class-like chapter...

Chapter 5

Ginny had to go to Defense Against the Dark Arts and Hermione made her way through the fields to the greenhouses for Herbology, alone.

It was a beautiful sunny day, regardless of how dark and cold she felt inside; she was approaching the class that would have Lavender Brown, and Merlin, did her stomach felt queasy. She would most likely be sitting beside Ron, which of course would be like sixth year all over again, except way more complicated.

"Hiya Hermione!" chirped fellow Gryffindor, Neville Longbottom, who had sprinted up the hill from Hagrid's hut.

Hermione gave him a small smile in return, "Hey, how was class?"

Nevile huffed a breath, "Tiring. We were dealing with dragons. That's our pet-project for the semester."

Hermione raised her brows in surprise that McGonagall would allow such fiercesome beasts in the grounds.

"Dragons?" she said with awe. She knew dragons were the one thing that Hagrid truly enjoyed so she felt the class itself would've been like enduring one of Lupin's Dark Arts class.

"Ya, bet yer regrettin' not takin the class now, eh Hermione?" said a voice from behind Neville. It was Seamus.

"Well..." she trailed off in a sigh. Even though she took every class she could (aside from Divination of course) she felt the need to know about caring for creatures a little less important. She would rather use the free class to study.

Seamus just grinned at her, shaking his head, "Nah, can't say I really blame ya, most of the classes were a bit boring, but we figured with NEWT year, we'd be gettin into the real fun stuff!"

"Especially when we don't have Malfoy, it makes the class all the more enjoyable!" beamed Neville. "He's not around to screw it up for Hagrid"

Hermione smiled weakly, watching as Seamus knocked Neville in the arm, "Say what kind ya got anyway? Mine was really feisty, I tried ta feed him, but he wouldn't let me get near him at all! I reckon he's a Hungarian Horntail, ya know like that beastly one Harry fought against in the Tournament all those years ago"

Neville raised both his brows, "You got a Horntail? Blimey, I just got a...well...not sure really, it's got a Ridgeback, but with a head of a Short Snout...Hagrid reckons it's a Ukrainian Ironbelly"

Seamus smirked, "I'm sure you'll figure it out soon enough, those beasts grow like locus. Anyway, where're Harry and Ron? You guys have Potions together don't ya?"

Hermione dropped her gaze and frowned. She hadn't planned on telling anyone aside from Ginny, but she knew the secret would get out eventually, as any secret does in Hogwarts. "Well yes, but...um, we're...we're not talking. Ron and I...we broke up"

Both Seamus and Neville were beside themselves, "What? Ya two broke up?" Seamus said as they approached the doors of the greenhouse. "When did that happen?"

Hermione straightened her shoulders and raised her chin defiantly, "This morning. I'm surprised you didn't hear us shouting, Ronald was being awfully loud"

Neville opened the doors for them as each of them filed on in.

"What? Are ya serious? But I thought-" Neville looked down sheepishly. "Well, I don't know what...um..."

Hermione shrugged her shoulders, "Look, it's okay. I mean it happens."

"But...you're okay? I mean-" He broke off when Seamus knocked him in the ribs.

"Mind your manners, Neville"

Hermione gave the young Irish a small smile, "Um yes, I am fine thanks guys" she placed her items on the table.

Seamus patted her back, "Of course ya will, Hermione, ya have us!" her eyes darted between the two of them, noticing for the first time that Dean wasn't with him. She was ready to comment on it, but a fellow student had interrupted her.

"Hey, Hermione!" hissed a voice from behind her. Startled, Hermione turned to see, a boy with shaggy black hair and blue eyes, Michael Corner, from Ravenclaw, walking his way over to the other side of the table.

"You alright? We heard Malfoy say some pretty nasty-" Michael got cut off as fellow Ravenclaw, a boy with short brown hair and blue eyes, Terry Boot, knocked him in the ribs.

"Oi! What the heck was that for?"

"Shut it, don't be so rude," Terry hissed.

"Actually, I was checking to see if she was alright, you know cause Malfoy was such a prat saying those things. Slughorn actually gave him a detention for all that, you know?"

Hermione raised her brows, genuinely surprised, she thought McGonagall would give him the detention. "Did he?"

Michael nodded, "Oh ya, called him despicable and landed him with a whole load of homework"

A ghost of a smile twitched on her lips as Seamus leant toward her, "Malfoy's taunting you again? Ugh man, what's his problem?"

"Cause Hermione beats him at every test" added Terry with a smirk, "It's a blow to a Pureblood like him, to get beat by...no offense, Hermione, a girl"

Michael winced, "Well actually he-"

Terry nudged Michael in the ribs again, "Shut it,"

Hermione just smiled, "Yes, well, he got what he deserved, and that's all that matters"

Both Michael and Terry exchanged uncomfortable looks, as Neville and Seamus were just confused. Hermione whirled her hair and welcomed the small vase Professor Sprout was handing out.

Neville bit on his lip, worried on how to ask her, but Seamus elbowed him to stop him. Hermione just smiled at the two of them, and then looked over to the two Ravenclaws.

"That'll teach him to use Occlumency..." she muttered as she watched as the vase shifted about the table.

Michael smirked, "So that's why you slapped him!"

Terry shot his fellow-housemate a cold look. Michael shrugged, "What? It's funny! I mean, the room was quiet and then just out of the blue we hear this loud SMACK!" - he emphasized the sound using his own hands - "I gotta say, that must've been one heck of a backhand, Hermione. It's just a shame I didn't see it..."

Hermione's lips twitched to a grin, "Yes, and looking back now..." she gave a very brave look over her shoulders, "It felt really good"

Draco who was in the opposite corner of the room with fellow Slytherins, Pansy, Blaise, and Theodore Nott, narrowed his eyes as he caught her flash a glance in his direction. He made a fist on the countertop and sneered, glaring at the quintet of classmates he now knew were talking about him. Mocking him, even, and he will be damned to submit himself to apologizing to her now!

"Hey Drake" said Pansy as she tapped him on the shoulder, "What's-"

"Don't touch me"

Pansy retracted her hand as though burned, "Whoa, what's it to you?"

Blaise straightened his posture, "Granger, of course." he said with a smirk, and casting a knowing glance to Nott.

Draco flashed a dangerous look over to Blaise, "Shut it," Draco hissed with a sneer.

Pansy narrowed her eyes at Blaise, "Seriously? You two give that Mudblood way more attention than she deserves, it's disgusting"

"Jealous, Pansy?" sneered Nott.

"No. I am stating a fact." she shot both Draco and Blaise a nasty glare, "You hate the filthy shrew! Why do you need to bring her up in every conversation?"

Theodore Nott, barked a laugh, "HA! You really are jealous of her!"

"AM NOT! She's got nothing on me!"

"Except for ol' Draco's attention," he retorted with a wicked grin.

"Will you two shut up!" snapped Blaise.

Nott just shrugged, "What? I'm just calling it like I see it." he motioned toward Draco, who was once again, staring off toward the quintet at the front of the class. "He can't take his eyes off her,"

Pansy smacked her house-mate in the arm with great force, "How dare you say such a thing!"

"Drake doesn't seem to mind. In fact, I doubt he can even hear us" Nott licked his lips and whistled before tossing the lid of the vase to the white-blond wizard across from him.

Draco jumped from the sudden attack, "What the hell, Theo?"

"So glad you could join us, Drake,"

Draco narrowed his eyes at the curly-haired brute, as Nott motioned over to where the three Gryffindors and two Ravenclaws were, "Enjoying the view?"

Inwardly, Draco cussed. He was being stupid. This wasn't like Potions, Herbology had at least double the number of seventh years. He scowled at the black and gnarled viney creature poking out from the vase. It had tiny arms and legs that of a spider (each had three long fingers with long razor-sharp blades) and a long snake-like body coated with thorns.

"What is that?" he sneered.

Hermione knew that looking at him was a mistake. Once again, she could feel his eyes on her with every move she did; but she will be damned to let him in her mind again. Sure the distance was in her favour, but she couldn't take any chances; she had to be guarded on all times. Even though she never took an Occlumency lesson in her life, Hermione had a faint idea of how to do it.

Michael cleared his throat, having caught a certain Slytherin staring, "Although, I gotta say Hermione, I don't think Malfoy is all that happy. I'd watch myself if I were you..."

"Hmm, thanks Michael." Hermione whispered as she gazed down at the pair of gleaming purple eyes from the viney creature.

"Now be careful everyone," said Professor Sprout, "Kutless is a nasty piece of work, you do not want to anger it. Make sure you have on your Dragon Hide Gloves as their claws are quite sharp and laced with a deadly poison; you'll be dead in seconds. Your task today, is to remove their claws; a very useful ingredient for Slughorn so be careful to not lose any!" She made her rounds again passing out a pair of sharp pincers used for cutting the claws and a bowl to put them in.

"These things have claws?" choked the timid voice of Lavender Brown.

Hermione snapped her head over, to see ex-dormmate partnered with best friend Parvati Patil, Hufflepuffs Ernie MacMillan, and Hannah Abbott, and Padma Patil from Ravenclaw. She wasn't going to deny she felt rather conflicted; happy to not having to witness the old/new love birds being all obnoxious, and annoyed that the old/new love birds make it seem like nothing is going on. 'So, the coward wants to keep it a secret, huh?' she wondered as she cast a long glance around the room, being mindful to not look at the small group of Slytherins.

Her heart ached once she saw the familiar red-headed boy. Seeing him partnered with Harry, Susan Bones and Justin Finch-Fletchly of Hufflepuff, and Anthony Goldstein from Ravenclaw. 'Hmm, still no Dean...'

Draco's eyes flickered over to what had drawn her attention; Potter and the Weasel. He was off in his own world, minding his own business as he and the others tried to tackle the growing plant.

"Growing?" squeaked Pansy, "Wh-Why is it growing?"

"It happens when Kutless gets scared" said Professor Sprout, as she rounded the Slytherin table. "You can sing to calm it down. Eyes on your own table, Mister Malfoy!" she said with a smile before she sauntered off.

Once again, Draco beat himself for being careless and returned to the table; thankful that his table-mates were too busy with the Kutless creature to even notice. Out of the corner of his eye, Draco shifted his gaze to the table at the front.

"Sing?" Pansy said in an appalled tone, "No way! Theo, you can do it for being so annoying to me"

"You're the chick, you sing. Blaise and I got this thing down, and Drake, you cut the claws"

"What?" Draco said turning his focus to the viney creature. Theo motioned toward the pincers that were off on the side of the table next to a small clear bowl.

"Cut the claws and put them in that bowl," Theo had his hands on the creature, pinning it to the table, "Blaise and I will hold it steady for you. Pansy calm the thing down, sing"

"You've got to be kidding," Draco said with a scowl.

It wasn't until when Seamus gave her a slight nudge did she move her eyes away from Ron and Harry to return back to her task.

"For what it's worth, Hermione, I can knock some sense into him for ya, if ya want?" Seamus said with a smile.

Hermione smiled, "No, that isn't necessary..." and then began humming as the Kutless creature turned its focus to her.

As Herbology neared its end, Professor Sprout made her rounds again, collecting the vases and then the bowls of claws with the pincers.

"I say, today's class was real fun!" chimed Neville as he removed his gloves and used the Scourgify Charm to clean them off from the poison.

"Speak for yourself, Longbottom," chided Michael, "You weren't the one clipping the claws!" he slugged his bag over his shoulder, and flexed his hand, "Using those pincers cramped my hand up!"

Terry smirked then turned to Hermione, "See you in Ancient Runes, Hermione" he gave her a pat on the shoulder and then made his exit out of the class with a wincing Michael along behind him.

Seamus gave a cautious glance to Ron and Harry and then turned back to Hermione, "Say ya want ta join Neville and I for lunch, Hermione?"

Hermione who just finished off Scourgifying her own gloves, just smiled, "Oh um, I was already going with Ginny, but you're welcome to join us, if you want"

Seamus gave Neville a look and then shrugged, "Ya sure it's not a problem with us."

"What about Dean?" Hermione said, looking from one boy to the other. "Normally you have lunch with him, don't you?"

Seamus looked around as though he expected to see him, "That's strange...he was in Care of Magical Creatures with us..." he looked over to Neville, "Did you see where Dean went?"

Neville shook his head slowly. Seamus furrowed his brows and frowned, "Odd, oh well, then I guess we won't have lunch with him. It's probably better that way since we'll be with Ginny anyway..."

Hermione nodded knowingly, 'yes that wouldn't be good at all' "Alright well I'll see you later then?" she said, packing up her things as the rest of the class filed away. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a certain blonde hugging a certain red-head that just joined her table.

"Ron!" Lavender hummed as she hooked her arms around his arm and nuzzled her head against his shoulder, "I missed you!"

Hermione felt her stomach somersault as she heard the familiar light chuckle from the freckled-faced boy. The sound that used to make her weak in the knees now made her heart cramp.

"Well you didn't have to sit with Parvati..." Ron said between chuckles.

"That's not what I meant, silly!" she said with a giggle. "I meant this morning. The bed gets awfully cold with just me..."

Hermione felt the unpleasant queasy feeling in her stomach, yet she was glad at the same time. Disgusted of how shameless Ron was acting, and glad that she never had to deal with his empty emotions for her again.

"Ya well things got a little well, complicated" she heard Ron say.

"Hmm, why doesn't that surprise me?"

Hermione heard a pair of clipping of heels approach her. Hermione huffed a deep breath as she turned to face the young blonde.

"Please don't even bother" Hermione sneered, casting Ron an evil glare, "He's all yours"

She knocked the girl in the shoulder hard and sauntered out of the greenhouse, all to collide with the door, and now face to face with Draco Malfoy. He was leaning up against a nearby tree, with his arms folded and his face expressionless.

E/N: I'm such a tease, I know! also, Kutless is a creature I made up.