Sorry for the wait everyone!
I have not given up! I am just a bit sporadic with my writing and posting, apologies for that.
I have a long ol' chapter for you to make up for it! With a little twin bonus at the end :D
Thank you for all the comments and follows they have encouraged me to finish this chapter and get it too you! Once again I do love suggestions on what you would like to see!
My beta is going through all my chapters for me, but alas I am impatient and will post this early XD
Sorry for any mistakes!
Have fun in potions.
"Hermione please stop!" Ron groaned, "Nobody cares about some monk-wolf plant! Give it a rest!"
Hermione snorted sharply through her nose. Rearing back and staring at Ronald wide eyed, nostrils flaring. "It's monkshood and wolfsbane, and its the same plant. And plenty of people care, I think our Potions teach would argue with you on that!" She said the first part loudly, eyeing Harry to make sure he was paying attention. He watched her warily -like she was a bit mad- but it seemed as if he had been listening.
Honestly, trying to help the boy was a thankless job. Granted she knew she could be a bit pushy, but it was for the best. She would just have to be patient with them; they were only children after all…
"No duh! Teachers have to say that, it's their job." Ron scoffed at her, folding his arms and smirking as though he had won.
Well there goes the patience she had. What a little snot.
Choosing not to respond –lest she say something she'd regret- she glared haughtily at him.
Ron's smirk dropped at her continued silence, and he sent a questioning glance to Harry, who shrugged. He shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, the tips of his ears tingeing pink.
"Um…I think it's very interesting Hermione," Neville spoke quietly from behind Ron, "It's probably best to be prepared and stuff…" He shot her a small smile, which she returned with one of her own.
Harry mumbled something noncommittally, and moved his head in a weird little motion that could be taken as a nod of agreement. She narrowed her eyes and watched him from her peripheral. He seemed to be quite uncomfortable, eyes darting, body tensing.
Hermione realised that it was probably something to do with his upbringing. From what he had told her, if there were any sort of discord he would usually be blamed for it. He once even joked that he had his aunt's frying pan to thank for his quick seeker skills.
"Why thank you boys." She spoke directly to Harry and Neville, trying to put them –mainly Harry- at ease. "It's good to see others value their education." She hummed happily to herself, spinning on the spot and entering the potions classroom.
The door had opened -by itself- whilst she was talking. Taking it as a cue to enter, the rest of the students trailed in wearily after her. Heading towards the front of the class, Hermione was jolted unexpectedly as someone barrelled into her.
"Bagsy Granger!" Draco shouted loudly, pulling her with him to a table against the wall. He pushed her onto a stool, before perching on his own. He was looking about quite smugly, obviously pleased with himself.
Hermione let out a sigh, rolling her eyes and shaking her head at Draco. Honestly, she had already agreed to be his partner. What a child.
Neville looked a bit lost, as he had been following behind her. Blaise went over to him and steered him towards the table just behind her own, where they both began unloading their equipment.
"It's alright Neville," Blaise said, shooting her and Draco a sly look. "We don't need either of them. You can be my potions partner." He said proudly, puffing out his chest. "I'm rather good at potions, Mother taught me some things."
I'll bet she did. Blaise's mother wasn't known as the black widow for nothing. The witch certainly had some skill in undetectable poisons, if rumours were to be believed.
"Thanks Blaise, yeah that'd be cool. I'm probably no good at any of this, I'm a bit lost already and it's only the first week!" Neville was nodding his head and smiling brightly as he spoke, clearly happy to have a comrade.
Leaving them to it, Hermione turned her face back to the front of the class, hair bouncing at the movement. Placing her cauldron and first year potions set onto the desk, she organised her workspace meticulously. After a few moments she became aware of Draco watching her intently.
"Good morning Draco, how are you today?" She spoke quietly. Her eyes flicked over the room rapidly, checking for Snape and eavesdroppers.
"Yeah, I'm great…listen." He paused, glanced around shiftily before leaning towards her, "I just realised something and it's a little unnerving."
"What?" Hermione could feel the anxiety building. Was there something wrong? Had they done something irreversible? "What is it?"
"I'm- we're older than Snape!" his voice was hushed but his arms were jerking agitatedly.
Hermione felt a rush of irritation; he had her worried for a second. There was her thinking it was something serious. "Yes…" She said slowly, "and?"
"And?" He paused in his flailing, "You knew? WHY!" He stopped suddenly, checking round and leaning in further to whisper. "Why didn't you mention this to me?"
"It's not that important!" She hissed back. "Plus I thought you already knew!"
"Not that important?" He looked flabbergasted. "Don't you get it Hermione?" He was watching her imploringly. "I can tell him to 'listen to his elder' or 'now look here young man' or 'when I was your age' and he can't say anything!"
Draco looked as though his birthday and Christmas had all come at once. She didn't see the big deal; it wasn't like Professor Snape knew about them, yet.
"You're an idiot." She deadpanned, rolling her eyes at his giddiness. Honestly what a thing to be happy about.
She resisted the temptation to smack him, as he sat next to her, whispering things like 'whippersnapper' and 'young rapscallion'.
He stopped talking entirely however, when Professor Snape entered the classroom. Sweeping across the stone floor, robes billowing behind him, Snape glowered at them all as he went to his desk.
His eyes swept over the room calculatingly and Hermione saw the exact moment he did a double take. Not to look at Harry, no, to look at the pair of students sitting happily next to each other in the front row. One in a Gryffindor tie, the other a Slytherin. His gazed then shifted behind them, to where Neville and Blaise were amicably setting up their table.
It was hard to keep her face straight and innocent, as she could see Draco grinning next to her. It was only when Draco shot a wink at Professor Snape, that the man continued his appraisal of the class.
He called out the register pausing at her name, obviously a muggle one, and giving her a strange look. He did follow history by pausing at Harry's name, proceeding to mock the poor boy. This time however, no Slytherins laughed.
This only seemed to irritate the potions master. He finished off the register, his dark eyes coldly passing over them all.
His voice was barely above a whisper when he began his speech- 'the subtle science and exact art of potion making'- the complete silence of the students made it easy to hear.
It'd been such a long time since seeing the man; Hermione had forgotten how intense he was about brewing. Leaning forward on the table she hung on his every word. He loomed in front of them impressively, hands twisting as though he was creating magic in the very air. She sighed softly. If only he wasn't such an arsehole.
As Snape finished talking, the class held their breath, each afraid of drawing the potion masters attention.
Hermione caught Draco watching her, face scrunched up and eyebrows furrowed. She raised an eyebrow at him, tilting her chin up defensively. He responded by raising both his eyebrows and giving her a wide-eyed look of disbelief.
"Potter," said Snape suddenly. Jolting them both from their silent conversation.
"What would I get if I added powered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
Hermione's arm twitched, she held it down with force. Draco caught the movement and gave her an encouraging nod. She waited on tender hooks as Harry stammered slightly, his face scrunched in confusion. Suddenly, his eyes flicked to her before lighting up.
"Um…Draught of the Living Death?" Harry's voice rose uncertainly, "Sir." He quickly tacked on as Professor Snape's eyebrows rose slightly.
You could have heard a pin drop, the room was so silent. Ron had edged away from Harry slightly, as the Professor continued to stare at him.
"Correct." Came the harsh reply. "And where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" Confident that Harry couldn't get this one right, Snape was smirking down at him.
Once again Harry's eyes darted towards Hermione, this time filled with shock. "The stomach of a goat, Sir." He said tentatively - holding himself very still - as he sat there under verbal assault.
A murmur passed across the class, students twisting in their chairs excitedly. Snape silenced them immediately with a vicious glare, his lip curling disdainfully.
"Very good, Potter." It looked as though that admission was painful for the Professor, his face pinched and tight as he spoke. Judging by the way Draco had pursed his lips together; he had also noticed the expression on Snape's face and was trying not to laugh.
"Let's see if you get this one. What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?" Snape was now fully looming in front of Harry, arms folded as he sneered down at the small first year. It was starting to piss Hermione off.
Harry however seemed perfectly all right, his bright eyes focused on Snape's, refusing to lean back or be intimidated. "Only the name. It's the same plant, sir." He said steadily.
Snape was seething. Breathing deeply through his nose and clenching his jaw, as though he was chewing on words not polite enough for his first year company, he turned to the rest of the class.
"Well?" He snapped viciously, "Why are you not copying that down."
There was a flurry of movement as each student scrambled for their quills and parchment, each one surreptitiously avoiding Snape's gaze as he prowled to the front of the class. His face was pinched and he looked ready to murder someone.
"Blimey" Whispered Draco, "I remember it taking Potter a lot longer to get him this angry the first time."
"Well, he did have help." She shot him a smug smirk. Listening to Harry prove Professor Snape wrong, was just so satisfying. "Is it bad to say I took some vindictive pleasure from that?"
Draco snorted in response and shook his head. "Possibly, but I knew you had a mean streak Minister, so it's not much of a surprise."
She could deny it -of course she could- would be a lie though. "Remind me to tell you about Rita Skeeta some time." She said with a flash of teeth.
Draco mock shuddered and held his palms up, "You know what Minister? I'm not sure I want to know." He lowered his hands and turned his focus to the front of the class, nudging her to do the same.
Professor Snape had put the instructions for the most basic of all boil cures on the black board and students had started to collect ingredients from the cupboards on the edges of the room.
"Merlin," Draco hissed, as he elbowed his way through their classmates. "Going to be totally honest with you Granger, not sure I can do seven more years of this. Boil cure! Urgh!" He groaned with disgust. "My brain is going to rot."
Rolling her eyes, Hermione gathered the slugs and nettles for the potion before gently kicking the backs of Draco's legs to get him moving. "Your brain is already rotten."
"Ah ha ha, so funny." He deadpanned at her, "I'm serious Granger, It's going to melt out my ears and then what good will I be?" He reached their workbench and dumped his half of the ingredients down.
"At least you'll look pretty." Perching daintily on her stool, Hermione quickly weighed out the ingredients and separated them into piles.
"True, I can be a trophy Husband." He laughed, setting up the cauldron with precise and practised movements.
"Be a dear and crush the snake fangs for me would you." Hermione asked as she added the nettles and prepared the horned slugs. She glanced at the black board, double-checking the method just in case. Of course she had already read it and committed it to memory. Even though she knew a more effective cure that had been created about five years ago, in her own timeline anyway.
"Yes Minister" He drawled, sweeping the fangs into the mortar and starting to grind them. "Potter's been trying to catch you eye, by the way." He said side eyeing her.
Stilling her movements, she glanced around Draco and saw that Harry was indeed watching her. Upon catching her eye he gave her a thumbs up and a grin. She smiled at him excitedly and returned the gesture.
She quickly stopped though, as Snape prowled across her view giving her a scathing look. Sighing she turned back, just in time to watch Malfoy add the powders snake fangs to their bubbling potion.
"Did you finish my slugs?" She could see them stewing nicely and gave Draco an affectionate shove. "Aw, thanks Draco."
"Your welcome. Quills." He said holding out his palm, as he lowered the flame with the other.
She placed them into his hand, watching as he removed their pot from the flame and began adding the quills gradually. Confident in Draco's ability to handle the potion, she took the time to gaze about the class.
There were varied states of confusion. Harry and Ron seemed to be doing acceptably; they had begun stewing their slugs. Neville and Blaise were also doing well, which was rather surprising given Neville's history. Blaise was a rather good instructor, and was explaining every step carefully. He wasn't kidding that he had some knowledge, rather impressive for a first year.
Crabbe and Goyle looked lost. She could just see into their potion from here, and it was not looking pretty. Grimacing slightly, she resisted the urge to go help them; it'd look a bit weird.
"Miss Granger."
Snape's voice jolted her from her observations. He had been rather quiet this lesson, no scathing comments on the potion prep at all. She spun sharply in place to find him standing right in front of their desk. Malfoy was watching her with an amused expression on his face.
"Yes Professor?" Adorable first year smile in place, Hermione looked up at Snape as innocently as possible.
"Finished already are you? Although," he paused for dramatic effect, "it seems you have left Mr Malfoy here to do the work."
Nobody was talking now, the whole class was watching with morbid fascination as Snape spoke to her. Each one probably thankful it wasn't them.
Hermione returned his cool gaze, with one of her own. She was Minister of Magic for Morgana's sake; he'd have to do a lot better if he was trying to intimidate her.
"I assure you Professor, I did my half of the brewing." She kept her voice level, maintaining eye contact. "Draco here," she patted Malfoy's arm gently, "Simply finished off the final step. Unless, you are implying that he is not capable of working with out supervision?" She quirked her head questioningly, eyes flicking to Draco, who was now looking at Snape with his own innocent first year face.
It looked like Snape was having a hard time deciding if she was being disrespectful or not. His eyes narrowed suspiciously at her. He obviously settled on not, as they received two points apiece for 'a perfect boil cure'.
Despite earning house points, Hermione was still irritated with Professor Snape. He forced three advanced questions on Harry, trying to make the poor boy look like a fool. Plus he didn't give Harry any house points for the correct answers. Forcing the frown from her face, Hermione thrust her hand into the air staring straight at Professor Snape's head.
"Yes, Miss Granger?" He drawled, probably rolling his eyes internally.
"Sir I was wondering, seeing as you didn't give Harry any house points earlier, despite answering three questions correctly, if you had a different system of giving out points? For future reference."
In what looked to be a very painful few moments for professor Snape, if the grinding of his teeth - which could be heard across the classroom - were anything to go by.
"How remiss of me," He hissed out lowly, nostrils flaring oh so dramatically. "Allow me to rectify that immediately." His gaze drifted slowly across to Harry, who shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"Three points to Gryffindor, for your passable potions knowledge."
It sounded a little bit like an insult, but Harry didn't seem to mind. He was smiling happily up at Professor Snape, who was looking a little ill.
"Thanks Sir!"
The lesson passed by very quickly after that, and before she knew it they were all heading to lunch.
"You know," came a soft voice from amongst the crowd of potions students, "I thought Professor Snape was supposed to be real nasty. That wasn't too bad."
Hermione turned, in sync with Draco, to stare wide eyed at Neville Longbottom.
"He's a bit intense isn't he?" They both twisted round to see Ron looking thoughtful. "But he seems fair enough."
Draco let out a strange sort of squeaky noise, and she promptly stomped on his foot.
"I don't think he likes me very much," Harry sighed.
"Still got house points though, didn't ya mate?" Ron chuckled, "can't be all bad then can it?"
"Oh yeah!" Harry was grinning. "Thanks for that Hermione. It's almost like you knew what he was going to ask."
"Yeah" she laughed nervously, "Maybe he overheard us?"
"Yeah!" Ron exclaimed "that's gotta be it! Wow, Snape might actually be a softie on the inside."
Harry and Ron quickly made their goodbyes after that and headed out to Hagrid's hut for lunch. The rest of their class had proceeded into the great hall as Hermione and Draco waved the two boys off. As soon as they were out of sight Draco whirled on Hermione.
"My Gods, what have you done!" His face was part horrified and part joyous.
"Well that wasn't my intention, I just thought it was unfair of him to treat Harry so shamefully. I will not be putting up with it again."
"Snape's got a fan club!" Incredulous, Draco began walking to the great hall.
"He does not have a fan club, you're overreacting."
"He has a Gryffindor fan club." He whispered, eyes glassy and unseeing.
She let out an irritable sigh. "It's not a fan club, at most they think he has some human decency."
"The Snape club, club Snape, Snape's Lions, potion pioneers." He suddenly let out a gasp and clutched at her shoulder. He turned to her with a very serious expression on his face. "Hermione, you don't think… I mean do you think they'll."
It was a little unsettling; he was staring at her really intently. "What?" she whispered. The entrance hall was now completely empty but she glanced around quickly just in case. "They'll what?"
"Do you think," he took a steadying breath, "They'll need badges?"
Hermione received her first detention that night and lost the two house points gained from Professor Snape's class. Her voice was heard across the great hall as she screamed something beautifully obscene at Malfoy. Needless to say, Professor McGonagall was none too pleased with her.
She over heard George and Fred telling Harry and Ron later that evening, as she sat by the fireplace, that it was wonderful.
They were a bit put out that they'd missed it and complained to her that she should have waited for them to be there. She answered that with a sniff, a pout and stormed out of the tower to serve her detention.
She knew from experience that Minerva let you do homework in her detentions, so it wouldn't be too bad. At least she would have an excuse for wandering the corridors late at night for her midnight meet up with Malfoy, little git. Letting loose another long-suffering sigh, she headed down the stairs towards transfiguration. Honestly that man just got under her skin. Not even a week into the school year and he was already winding her up.
Without realising, Hermione was smiling fondly and humming as she walked down the corridor. A spring in her step, she passed a large ugly portrait of a goblin. The image was so ugly that it was difficult to focus on and so your eyes would just slide right passed it.
If you were able to focus however, you would notice that the eyes followed you as you passed by. Why is this unusual? Why, all the portraits move and watch you as you go! This is true, however have you ever seen a goblin with bright blue eyes, bright blue, human eyes?
"Bit cheery for detention, don't you think Fred?" Said the eyes, before disappearing into the darkness.
Another pair of identical blue eyes pressed themselves into the portrait. "I'd say so George."
"Think we should keep an eye on her?" George whispered, as he leant against the rough-hewn rock of their alcove. He was twirling a large folded piece of parchment in his hands.
Fred leaned away from the wooden back of the painting, carefully placing the eyes back on the goblin and shunting the wooden panel into place. He hummed thoughtfully before leaning against the other side of the alcove.
"Ickle Ronnikins told me something very interesting today." He looked at his brother and smirked. "It seems our Miss Granger coerced Snape into giving points to Gryffindor."
George flung himself against the wall clutching his heart, "what is this wizardry?" He gasped, "Maybe the world is coming to an end?"
"Quite." Fred whispered back solemnly. "I have noticed though," He tipped his head towards the parchment in George's hand, "She's never in our dorms at Midnight."
"You been spying on people Freddie?" Folded arms and a disapproving look from his twin, caused him to roll his eyes in response.
"Just keeping an eye out, I like to know where people are. For safety, of course."
"Course, noble of you." George grinned cheekily at him from the gloom.
"Think of the children and all that."
George chuckled lightly and crouched to the floor to lie out the parchment. "Breaking curfew, loosing points and a detention."
"All before the first week is up." Fred said shuffling down the wall to peer at the faded yellow paper.
They caught each other's eyes, "Sounds just like…"
"Someone we know…"
"Doesn't it?"
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good." Echoed through the small alcove, as two sets of identical bright blue eyes started following a tiny inked set of footprints, as they entered the Transfiguration classroom.
"Bertie bot Fred?"
"Don't mind if I do George."