The Parchment

Chapter seven: The unanticipated encounter of the Thermopytlae potion

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3 Hermione rushed to the library to do a little research for her charms paper, she didn't know why she bothered, her paper was perfect anyway, she had checked it for errors weeks before it was due.

4

5 But that wasn't the reason she was there. She left breakfast because she wanted to think. about him, Malfoy. Hermione didn't know why she was thinking about him, I mean he was the one who liked her not she who liked him, and she didn't even know if it was true. Maybe it was just a plot, planted for her so that she would think that he really liked her, she thought, but then why her. There are many girls on that list, oh, right, she was number one. She was at the bottom of the list, but she was still at the top. of his heart, or she thought she was.

~~*

Potions was getting closer. Hermione was dreading this lesson, she didn't know what she would do if their class would find out. 'What will the Gryffindors say, how would the Slytherins take it?' she thought nervously.



"Class, today we will concoct, the Thermopytlae potion" came Snape's usual drawl.

"The headmaster thought it would be appropriate for you seventh years to become skilled at how to concoct various truth serums in case you find yourself in . a situation" he uttered darkly. "The Thremopytlae serum is the simplest of truth potions and the simplest to concoct, even as, it works firmly well. The most powerful is the Veritaserum which are commonly used mostly on people who are sent to Azkaban for confessions on what they commited."

"Well, let us begin shall we, and, Mr. Longbottom, I expect to see no cauldrons melted or it will be ten points from Gryffindor". He said as he eyed Neville evily. "The ingredients are there on the board, and I suggest you take down notes on what I have to say, because, I assure you that this will not be simple. Anyway, you will be working in partners," he trailed off

"Yes, Partners. assigned by me" numerous groans were heard from the class as they dreaded Slytherin-Gryffindor partnering.

"Now then," Snape began, over the many groans and complaints over the class. He took out a long scroll out of his desk and began reading names.

"Ms. Brown step over to Mr. Goyle's seat" Lavander hesitated for a second, and then decided to obey because of the expression on Snape's face

"Ms. Bullstrode, Mr. Thomas, please"

"Mr. Potter, Ms. Parkinson"

"Mr. Finnegan, get over to Mr. Crabbe"

"Mr, Weasley, Ms. Mc Dougal quickly"

Snape kept on reading names as each went their partners furiously, until-

"Ah, Yes, Ms. Granger." Hermione looked up ". Mr. Malfoy"

Hermione's jaw dropped in horror as she heard this. 'Reveal my secrets, if you may to anyone, but him' she thought in desperation.

"Well Ms. Granger, do you plan on sitting there forever?" Snape said somewhat mockingly "Don't keep Mr. Malfoy waiting,"

The whole class watched Hermione as she strode slowly to the back of the class where Malfoy was sitting. When closing in, she could read his superior smirk on his face as he eyed her in a way she could not understand.

"Well, well seems like we're going to have some fun Granger," he said with a trace of derision in his voice.

"Shut up, Malfoy" Hermione muttered under her breath.

"Oh, Touchy, touchy today aren't we,"

Hermione ignored him and sat down on the bench, as far away as him as possible. She was almost falling over her seat considering how far she sat.

As Snape finished grouping the students, he continued explaining about the potion further.

"This potion is simple to use, but rather difficult to concoct." He said in his normal enunciation. "After the correct amount of ingredients have been added, this potion must be brewed over a mild flame in exactly seventeen minutes and thirteen seconds, so I suggest that you keep alert,"

He made incessant warnings to the students of how they should be extremely careful on how they brew the potion. Hermione was only half listening. The other half was busy keeping an eye out for what ever Malfoy had to throw at her, a trick maybe.

"You may want to pay full attention Granger, this sounds rather difficult" Malfoy said without looking at her.

Hermione just looked at him in shock. His trademark smirk yet plastered on his face again, even though she could not fully see it. She finally snapped out of it realizing that he was right. She began to take down notes on the potion as Snape explained.

"Now, I think that is enough, to get you started on your potions. What are you waiting for children? Work." Snape said firmly.

Malfoy looked up at Hermione as Snape said this, and looked at her in a way that she could not understand. Their eyes connected for a moment and then they finally snapped out of it subsequently, they turned away and blushed.

"Let us begin Granger," Malfoy started without looking at her again. Hermione felt a trace of pain in his voice. She found it rather hurtful being talked to that way, but then decided that she would emote later because she still needed to answer him.

"Yes, Let's, Malfoy" Hermione said, mimicking the hurt in his voice.

Malfoy started to chop the Mandrake roots carelessly and started to pour them in to the caldron when-

"No!" screeched Hermione as she held back his hand, too late to stop a piece of the Mandrake root to fall in the concoction and give out a small explosion that shot out to half of the class.

"You must never add Mandrake root to the basic mixture," she explained "The dungeon might have been turned in to nothing by now,"

"God, Granger, you sound like Mc Gonnagal," said Malfoy as he brushed Hermione off him.

By now, the whole class was looking at them right now, and Snape picked a rather odd time to enter the room.

"What is this? Ms. Granger, Mr. Malfoy, do you plan to clean up this mess?!" he said somewhat displeasingly.

"Yes sir," Hermione said abruptly as she stood up from the floor.

"I'm glad you think that Ms. Granger, because you will both be doing so at this nights detention," Snape continued, in a tone that terrified them. He turned to his desk and pivoted back in their direction. "and before I forget, five points from Gryffindor,"

~~*



That night, at dinner in the Great hall, Harry, Ron and Hermione were conversing inaudibly at the Gryffindor table.

"I don't believe Snape's letting you do detention tonight, and with Malfoy," said Ron

"I wouldn't worry, Herm, I mean it's only for tonight"

"Yeah thanks Harry, *that* made me feel a whole lot better" Hermione said sarcastically. "Ok I think I have to go,"

"Bye, Hermione" called Ron behind her back, she turned around or a second and sent him an angelic smile and then continued on walking to the dungeons.

~~*

Malfoy was already there when she entered the potions dungeon. He was walking around impatiently, as if looking for something, muttering things like "How am I going to live through this," or " Why the hell did I have to drink it,"

"Lost something Malfoy?" Hermione said contemptuously.

Malfoy looked up at her, finally noticing her presence.

"Even if so Granger , if I did I wouldn't be stupid enough to tell you now wouldn't I?" he said impassively.

"Well, good point," Hermione said.

Malfoy looked at unsatisfied, 'why would she correspond with what he had to say?' he thought.

"What?" he said disbelievingly

"What Malfoy?"

"Why would you want to side on what I had to say? We're arguing remember?"

"I remember Malfoy, I just."

"You just thought that I should win for once Granger? Let me tell you this, Malfoys are not to be pitied," He said firmly. 'He is very irritable today, I wonder why?' Hermione thought.

"I do not pity you Malfoy, I resent that thought. As I was trying to say I just wanted to side on your point of view because if I would think for myself, I would say the same." Hermione said, with nerve in her eyes.

Malfoy couldn't speak, he was broken, and by a mudblood. A mudblood that stood of lower standards than he, a mudblood that he could easily surpass, a mudblood; one that he loved. Maybe that was the reason he loved her, because she was the only one who could talk to him like that; who had the mettle to contradict everything he said. Unfortunately, in this situation, that wasn't the case. Malfoy mentally hit himself; he remembered that he still had to answer her.

"Oh my God, I must be dreaming, the great Draco Malfoy is speechless, catch me I'm going to faint," Hermione said sardonically. She looked at him expecting to be hit by another insult, she waited and waited and. . . she saw something that she thought she could never see. A smile; a genuine smile on the corner of Malfoy's lips. She was dazed. That was only for a moment really, eventually that same smile turned into laughter. Hermione was shocked yet again, never has she seen him like this, and to think that she had made his cold stone diamond-hard heart alleviate even if just for a while. She thought about it for a moment and then she soon found herself laughing along right with him.

"This. has. got to be a miracle," she said as she regained her composure

"What has Granger?" asked Malfoy as he stopped laughing, the smile not leaving his lips.

"You, I have never, and I mean never seen you laugh in a way that you were not laughing about another persons misfortune or about an advantage over yourself."

"Well, Granger, I could always laugh when I am truly happy, like when I see you Gryffindorks getting trampled by us Slytherins" he said with his smile changing in to a smirk.

"Does that make you truly happy Draco?" Hermione demanded.

"Granger, you. you said my name,"

"Answer my question." Said Hermione firmly, still importunately. "to me Malfoy, that does not live up to your happiness, but to your pleasure. I don't know what is the requirements of your happiness, but I'm sure you could do better than that."

Malfoy didn't speak, as Hermione turned her back to him he approached her slowly.

"You want to know what my happiness means Granger,?" he whispered over her back. His voice was cold, emotionless, as it was when she first heard it.

His head was over her shoulder now, words piercing over into her ear. She felt eerie, extremely uncomfortable, having him that close. Even so, she did not move from where she was. He was still waiting for her answer, she knew that, but somehow he would reply even without it.

They stood there in silence until-

"Yes" Hermione whispered.

Malfoy took a deep breath and then spoke.

"You."

Hermione backed away.

"S.so its t-true?"

Malfoy's face remained unchanged. He still had that smirk; his eyes were still pale gray looking at her like that.

"T-the things. written . on that piece of parchment. Their true."

Her question remained unanswered. In silence.

Suddenly Malfoy abruptly pulled his head up and shook it. He looked at Hermione once again, his face more serious, more believable.

"What has gotten in to you Malfoy?"

"So sorry Granger but. did I just say something?"

"Yes, you just. You. I."

"Oh, promise Granger don't dare mention this to anyone,"

"Yes but, what is this about?"

"The Potion, the truth potion we made."

"YOU DRANK IT?"

"Hell Granger, I don't need a sermon,"

~~*

That night, Hermione couldn't sleep. She was too busy thinking about these days' events. She never knew she could ever think about a night of detention so much, especially detention with the person she would least likely want to be with. well that was before anyway.

She had been shocked many more times than before, especially when she was told that she was Draco Malfoy's 'happiness'. She knew that he may have liked her but she never had a chance to prove it, mainly because she didn't care. that was before. Now she knew it was true, no doubt about it. He had been acting that way because he had mistaken the Thermopytlae potion that we had made in class for a sherry sample. He drank it and tonight, he just could not lie, deny that fact he liked her or may have thought to.

'Why couldn't our potion have backfired like Neville's' thought Hermione , simultaneously thinking that she never thought she would think that. Hermione could naot bsay that she didn't care right now, when she was confused, perplexed, and pathetic thinking about him in her bed.

"I can't take this," she whispered and turned to her side.

"Hermione, you awake?" whispered Lavander through the silence of the night.

"Lavander, yes" Hermione sat up and looked over to Lavander's bed. A candle was burning beneath the crimson curtains of her four-poster.

"What keeps you awake at this time?" she said.

"Presumably Lavander," Hermione began " Its who,"

"Alright then, who?"

"Its Malfoy. Draco Malfoy,"

"This seems rather serious for you to complete his name, doesn't it?" Lavander said anxiously as she creped over to Hermione's bedside.

"It is." Hermione said with desperate eyes.

"What is it?"

"Tonight, at detention he told me." Hermione was to out of breath to continue.

"He knows doesn't he?" Said Lavander finally sitting down on the scarlet coverlet on Hermione's bed "He knows that you know,"

Hermione felt herself nod somewhat guiltily, because of the fact that she thought that she liked him too.

"And tonight he told you, he finally admitted it didn't he?"

Hermione nodded yet again.

"You seem to be taking this lightly Lavander, been in this situation before?"

"No, I always knew this would happen."

"What?"

"You know, boys can't keep anything in for a long time,"

"Its not that way actually. You know of the Thermopytlae potion don't you?"

Lavander nodded.

"Well, he mistaken it for his fathers sherry sample and, drank it."

"Oh I see,"

"And It's a good thing Snape wasn't there to see the scene,"

"You mean, he kissed you?"

"No! Lavander, when I say scene, I don't mean that."

"He just."

"Oh,"

*~~