Hermoine hurried down stairs, through hidden passages, ducked out of hanging pictures, down more stairs and finally dashed into the Great Hall and slid into a seat next to Ron at the Gryffidor table. She smoothed her hair, hoping it was at least presentable. After falling asleep the night before in the warm purple sleeping bag, she'd been quite surprised to wake up in her own bed, in her own room, Lavender snoring loudly next to her, as always. It seemed that after thoroughly checking the castle, they felt no reason to keep the kids all clumped up together and had moved them back to their rooms by magic. "Hello." Hermoine greeted Ron, breathless from her early morning routine. "Mbn." Ron replied, his mouth full. He then gestured enthusiastically toward the sausages, "Mhab zomb, vriee jradt." "Uh, no thanks, I'm trying my hand at being a vegetarian." she said and pulled her plate forward, helping herself to some huge, warm fluffy waffles smothered with creamy butter and drowned with sweet, sticky syrup, as well as a towering glass of orange juice she could've swam in. She cut a piece off the waffle but paused before putting it in her mouth. "Where's Harry?" she asked, a bit anxious. There was always a chance they hadn't searched the castle right . . . Ron gulped down a huge mouthful of food before answering, "He was waiting for Neville. His toad got lost in the commotion and Snape wouldn't let him go look for it last night." Hermoine nodded, silently hoping for Trevor's safe return and slowly chewed the waffle. "Why?" he asked. "Oh...well, just curious, you know, you guys usually walk together." she stuttered out, hoping her embarrassment didn't show. Ron was too busy spooning something that looked suspiciously like grits onto his plate to take notice. Suddenly, Harry and Neville entered the hall, Neville holding up his toad, Trevor triumphantly. "Found him!" he cried, setting him down on the table and eagerly spooning himself some food. Harry followed suit, blushing slightly as he shot a nervous glance at Hermoine. Ron, not noticing anything odd, cleared his throat, "So Harry, first Quidditch game?" he said, clapping his hands together and rubbing them enthusiastically. "Huh? I mean, yea! I bet we can beat those Hufflepuffs, they're not lookin' so hot with that new captain," Harry said excitedly, trying to get his mind off the other matters at hand. Hermoine just eyed them silently for the rest of breakfast as they chattered excitedly about the game and pretended to listen to Neville fret about his Defense Against The Dark Arts average. Hermoine glanced repetitively at Harry during lunch, but he didn't look her way. Not even once. *** By Potions, Hermoine couldn't stand the uncomfortable silence between her and Harry. Even Ron seemed to have noticed the tension. Hermoine could hardly wait to get out of the dungeon and Potions was normally one of her favorite classes, now that they had Professor Lambert. All the Gryffidors, in fact seemed to enjoy Potions with Professor Lambert. She was calm, compassionate, patient, kind and fair-the exact opposites of Snape. Even Neville was doing better and seemed much less nervous. He still melted cauldrons, mixed up frog legs and spider bodies, but he did it all much less nervously. The Slytherins, however gave her as much trouble as possible which she deflected with grace and dignity. "Very good, Neville," Professor Lambert commented as she drifted quietly by the tables, inspecting people's cauldrons, robes swishing lightly. Neville beamed, but in his delight accidentally tipped over his cauldron, nearly sending the who concoction bubbling all over the floor. Instantly, Harry and Hermoine both dashed forward to catch it in unison and smashed right into one another. Hermoine looked up, the potion had been caught, frozen neatly in the air by one quick wave of Professor Lambert's wand. The class let out a collective sigh of relief and Harry and Hermoine stumbled back on their heels, rubbing their noses. Neville's face rather resembled a cherry tomato. "I-Oh! Oh no, Harry, Hermoine, I'm s-sorry..." he blathered, wringing his hands. "S'okay," grunted Harry, rubbing his face where his glasses had crushed into it. "Are you two all right?" Professor Lambert inquired, setting Neville's cauldron right and helping Hermoine up. "Yes." they replied quickly. "Don't worry, Harry pretends to be as tough as Neville is thick, and Weasel is poor," drawled the cold, voice of Draco Malfoy, winning snorting laughter from the Slytherins. Ron leaped at him, but Harry quickly grabbed him arm. "I don't believe that's necessary, Draco." Professor Lambert's gentle voice stated firmly, "Now. Return to your work." she instructed, retreating to her desk to grade papers. "I tell you, I can't work with all this filthy blood around here." Draco sighed, none too quietly. The three whirled around, fists clenched, "You shut your dirty mouth, Malfoy or I might just have to smack it." Hermoine hissed. "Ooh...the girl is going to hit me, I'm so scared," he said, "Why don't you hang out with any girls? Or are these the only two losers who can stand you, mud-blood?" he demanded maliciously, Crabbe and Goyle turning and growling menacingly. "We're warning you, Malfoy..." growled Ron. "Shut up, Weasel, go dig a hole and live in it....oh, that's right, you're father's already done that for your family." Ron's fist shot out, but Harry pulled him back. "Lemme at him, I swear I could take him!" Ron growled. The noise caused Professor Lambert to look up, "That's enough, Malfoy. 5 points off Slytherin. Now, please return to your work. Another word out of you, and you're going down to the Headmaster and more points will be taken from your house," she paused, "That means you three too." she looked up at the Harry, Hermoine and Ron and a glimmer of what might have been understanding flickered across her face, then died. Hermoine turned back to her cauldron, but try as she might, she couldn't enjoy the class with Malfoy hissing sneering remarks in her ear. Finally, something inside of her burst and she spun around and smacked Malfoy across his pale, insolent face. "Honestly! Shut up!" she cried, lunging at him so wildly that Harry and Ron both grabbed her arms in surprise. "Hermoine!" Ron said, "What's bloody gotten into you?!" Professor Lambert stood quickly to break them up, but before she could even pull out her wand, Malfoy shoved his cauldron right into Hermoine. The class all cried out and leaped back to avoid the angry dark orange liquid. Hermoine and Harry weren't so lucky. "Oh!" Hermoine shrieked as the bubbling potion hit her arm, sending searing pain through it, as though it were made up of sharp, tiny teeth. Harry seemed to be having the same reaction. "Oh!" she cried again and lunged at Malfoy again, but Ron grabbed her by her dry arm, "You did that on purpose, Malfoy! You big-" Professor Lambert put a firm hand on her shoulder before she could continue, "Harry, Hermoine, you too head to Madame Pomfrey's. Such behavior will lead to reduction of points;" she paused, "5 points off of Gryffidor, 10 off of Slytherin." Malfoy suddenly looked sorry and upset, "Oh, I'm dearly, dearly sorry, Professor, it was truly an accident. I was just so dazed after she hit me that it was upset in the confusion." "That may be true, Mr. Malfoy, however I don't condone the derogatory comments about Muggle blooded people." she snapped, "I, myself am part Muggle." Malfoy appeared abashed, but when she turned, he made a nasty face at her back. Harry and Hermoine marched in pain and silence to Madame Pomfrey's office. She tried out small talk, "I don't know what came over me...it was just the taunting, I suppose..." Finally, she couldn't take it any longer, "Goodness, Harry, we have to talk about it sooner or later!" she exploded as they took a seat in the waiting room. The door to the office was open a crack and Hermoine could see a first or second year getting two green fingers fixed up. She shifted her arm, which was starting to swell and itch and turned to Harry who had suddenly become quite fascinated with the floor. "Well?" she demanded. He turned to her and gulped, "Hermoine, I-" Suddenly, the kid with the once green fingers emerged from the office. Passing them, his face suddenly lit up. "Golly, are you Harry Potter?" without waiting for a response, he gripped his swollen hand firmly and pumped it hard up and down as Harry winced in pain, "It's truly an honor! My brother's told me all about you!" Madame Pomfrey came out and saw Harry. "Oh. You again. Goodness, you are a regular," she turned to the second year, "Christopher Creevy, get to class now!" "Creevey? Another?" Harry croaked as she hustled the two in, clucking her tongue and making tsk, tsk noises. Hermoine didn't answer, she was sure Harry was avoiding her.