A cool breeze tickled Hermione's neck as she trudged down the steps beside her two best friends, the Monster Book of Monsters wiggling beneath her arm.
She tried not to roll her eyes at the two who were still ranting on about the Chudley's Cannons winning streak. At this point, Hermione would rather have listened to an entire lecture from Professor Binns on the goblin trade during 1692.
"I'm serious, Harry! If they're gonna keep up this winning streak, Gudgeons' gonna have to get his had back in the game-"
"Oh honestly, Ronald!" Hermione snapped, finally interrupting after half an hour of having to put up with this. "Quidditch isn't the only thing you should be worried about right now."
"What, and studying every hour in the library should be?" Ron teased as Harry held in a snicker beside him.
"Finals are coming up, and I'd rather not be the one getting a 'Troll' on every other exam," she shot back with a hint of a smirk on her face. At this, Harry burst out laughing and hid his smile behind his hand. Ron's ears turned a bright shade of pink and he mumbled something under his breath as the trio descended the last step.
Just ahead, a group of students waited around Hagrid's hut prepared for the day's lesson. Most looked excited and ready for what surprise he had for them, but a few drifting to the back looked ready to make a run for it if Fire-Crab was even brought up once.
Hermione sighed and took her place around her fellow Gryffindors. Care of Magical Creatures certainly wasn't her favorite subject, but it was a required lesson, and she knew she would never miss a chance on extra credit.
Aside from that, she was happy Hagrid was finally getting the chance to prove himself as a great professor. She had to admit his first lesson had not been a success, no thanks to one Draco Malfoy.
Hermione scoffed to herself at the memory: Malfoy just had to the need to insult something and chose the hippogriff he had been tending to, resulting in a bloodied arm and a trip to the Hospital Wing.
She was more than grateful Hagrid hadn't been fired, and Buckbeak managed to live with the help of Harry and Sirius.
But buried deep in the back of her mind, although she didn't want to admit it, a spark of worry had pounded her heart when Malfoy was howling in pain that the "bloody chicken had killed him".
Shaking her head, Hermione zoned into the conversation between her friends and waited for class to begin. Behind her she could hear the Slytherin's approaching, no doubt Malfoy at the head of the pack with his usual smirk and Pansy hanging onto him like a lost puppy.
Rolling her eyes at her correct assumption, her thoughts were interrupted by Hagrid bursting through his door, a piece of parchment in hand and a slightly worried expression on his face. He glanced down at the Gryffindor's and then back to the group of Slytherin's.
Hermione frowned.
"Mornin', e'eryone," Hagrid bellowed, pulling a strained smile on his face. "Er, today's lesson might be a bit different. Professor Dumbledore has issued a-uh-" Hagrid glanced nervously down at the paper. "-intertwine of houses and will be attemptin' in all of yer future classes for the remainder of the year."
The entire class was silent, their shock settling in. Like a giant wave, the entire class erupted in groans, complaints, and shouts at the unfairness of it. Hermione stood rooted to her spot as Harry and Ron exchanged not-so-quiet remarks about being paired up with the Slytherin's. She gulped and waited for Hagrid to continue.
At this point he looked a bit pale behind his bushy and uncombed beard. Knowing this wouldn't end until someone said something, Hermione raised her hand and waited for Hagrid to see her.
"Yes, Hermione?" he asked loudly, gathering the attention of the rest of the students. All eyes turned to her as she asked her next question.
"What exactly do you mean by 'intertwining the houses', professor?"
Hermione almost smiled at the way Hagrid's eyes lit up at being addressed as a professor, and she could have sworn he straightened up a bit.
In a much more confident tone, he cleared his throat and looked down at the piece of parchment in his hand. "Professor Dumbledore has issued a new try at house unity, and this ain't just with you lot but the entire school. You'll be issued a partner from a different house than yers for each class. Common room arrangements and after school activities won' be changed, but meals will. This refers to e'eryone and will be put in place for the remainder of the year-"
"You can't be serious?" a drawling, cold voice sneered. All heads turned to the Slytherin's where Draco Malfoy held the most malicious scowl Hermione had ever seen him wear. Many of his comrades had matching expressions.
"I'd rather chop off my own head than have to spend a day with…" His voice trailed off and he gestured with his hand to the golden trio and the rest of the Gryffindors. The way he did so made it seem like he was talking about an insect he had no desire to touch. Hermione's left eye twitched as she felt her hands curl into tight fists.
"Well, Malfoy," Hagrid started before Ron could relive the anger in his now scarlet face. He looked down at the parchment and read for the entire class to hear. "Any student who openly refuses this new rule, when not pushed by fellow staff or teachers, will be promptly punished by...expulsion from Hogwarts."
A twinkle in the back of his eyes caught Hermione's attention before the outbursts began again. Each student, including the usually quiet Hufflepuffs, were going on a rampage on how it was the most ridiculous thing ever heard in the history of the school.
Behind it all, Hermione caught the familiar line and about pulled out her own wand.
"My father will hear about this!" Malfoy shouted over the group. Hermione rolled her eyes and turned to Harry and Ron. Her red-head friend was absolutely fuming, and she was almost convinced a bit of steam had escaped his ears.
Hermione noticed Harry trying and failing to conceal his anger by gripping and loosening his fists only to have his nostrils flare as he stared at the ground.
"Alrigh', alright', that's enough!" Hagrid's voice boomed over the shouts, and soon the whole class was focusing back on the task at hand. Quiet grumbles and complaints could be heard around them, but none loud enough for ther professor to hear.
Hagrid cleared his throat again and flicked his eyes down to the parchment. "Now, if you'll all follow me, we best be gettin' on with today's lesson. Once we get there, I'll give you yer assigned partners from Dumbledore and we'll be on our way. Understood?"
The class nodded and slowly followed behind Hagrid. The whispers started up again as they walked, but Hermione did not intervene with it.
As they walked, her mind was only focused on who she would be paired up with and how Dumbledore could pass such a thing. Wasn't there a rule against this?! Forcing students to spend time with other houses, nonetheless certain students, was totally barbaric! And refusal would cost expulsion!
She closed her eyes for a moment and only prayed she didn't end up with a student that would make her lose her nerves.
Hermione hadn't realized she let out an aggravated humph until Harry raised an eyebrow at her. She didn't meet his questioning gaze and focused on the dirt floor.
Before she knew it, they were back at the old pen that once contained the lovely hippogriffs from their first lesson. Hermione couldn't help the smirk that made its way onto her lips at the way Draco flinched when he saw where they were headed. His arm tensed and he stared at the ground, no snarky comments included.
Stepping inside, Hermione noticed large singular boxes had been placed around the pen; what worried her most was that a few of them were moving.
"Now," Hagrid started clapping his hands together. "I'll be readin' off your pairings, and then you'll find a box and turn to page one for'y nine in your books." He gestured to the bound books still trying to release themselves from their bindings in their owner's grasp, but thankfully, the class had finally learned to calm them enough to open them without being eaten alive.
"Alrigh'y, let's see…" Hagrid unrolled the piece of parchment and read off the first pairing. "Susan Bones and Millicent Bulstrode."
Hermione released both a sigh of relief and pity: relief for herself that she wouldn't have to sit through at least one of her classes with the feared Slytherin witch, but pity for the shy Hufflepuff girl as she cautiously made her way over to Millicent.
Bulstrode scowled at her and marched over to the nearest box, Susan following at a safe distance behind.
"Neville Longbottom and Penelope Clearwater," Hagrid said, a hint of relief in his voice as well. Neville completely slumped over as his shoulders relaxed. A few Slytherins snickered as he made his way over to Penelope, and a light pink tainted his cheeks when he asked her where she wanted to go. Hermione smiled as Penelope giggled and led him to one of the many boxes.
The list continued on as the students dwindled down to just remaining Gryffindors and Slytherins; one in particular being Draco Malfoy.
Hagrid took a deep breath and looked up to Ron. With a grimace, he read the name. "Ron Weasley and...Pansy Parkinson."
Hermione barely registered the names when there was an uproar of laughter from the Slytherins, the only one standing out being Pansy's shrieks and denials of working with a "filthy Weasel".
Hermione moved her gaze away from a shocked and outraged Pansy to an equally as aggravated Ron. Extending her hand, she gave his arm a gentle squeeze snapping him out of his angered trance. She sent him a small smile which he returned with a sharp nod. Walking around her, he took Pansy by the arm and practically dragged her to one of the stations, ignoring her shouts and screams of protest.
When it came time, Harry reluctantly went with Daphne Greengrass even as she scrunched her nose at him when he motioned for them to go. She rolled her eyes and took his invitation. Hermione, however, didn't miss the way she looked back over her shoulder at Blaise, giving him a weak smile before turning back. Blaise watched her go with a distant expression.
Hermione, shocked to say the least, almost smiled.
That hidden grin was repressed and disappeared immediately when Hagrid grabbed her attention by reading off her name.
Hagrid sent her the most pitiful look she had ever received. No…
"Hermione Granger...and…"
Dumbledore...he wouldn't...
"Draco Malfoy."
Hello fellow readers!
I'm super excited to release this new fan fiction regarding the roller coaster of a ride that is Dramione!
I will try my very best to try and update every week, or if I'm feeling really into it, twice a week, but I will do my best and see where everything goes!
Hope you enjoy!
-Summerwinds