Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything in his really cool world.
Summary (Chp. 1-3): Dumbledore announces a new class to prepare for a two- week sailing field trip. Class will be taught by Dr. Gavin Branefeld, avid Quidditch fan, and Arithmancy genius. Gryffindors are paired with Slytherins; secondary Professor for class is Professor Sinistra (witch). Hermione and Draco are paired up
Chapter 3: A Temporary Breakdown
"Well, well," drawled Draco. "I get the pleasure of being paired with the super Mudblood."
"Shut up, Malfoy. I certainly don't want to be paired with you," Hermione hissed, turning her back on him as Professor Sinistra called the last pair of students.
"Please take your seats," Professor Sinistra said, turning to write on the chalkboard.
Reluctantly, Hermione sat on the furthest edge of the bench at the table which she was to share with Draco, and prepared to listen to the professor.
"Tonight I will be giving you a brief outline of what the next few months holds for you. However, first things first. Tomorrow all third year students and above will be given a half-day in Hogsmeade. Your main purpose in being given this privilege is to purchase the necessary textbooks you will need for your class.
"You will be able to pick up prepared packages at Dervish & Banges. Seeing as only third years and above are allowed in Hogsmeade, Headmaster Dumbledore has asked the fifth years to be so kind as to pick up two extra packages each for two of the first and second years in your house. Obviously, the money will be provided by the students in question.
"The list of items you will be picking up are: The Anatomy of A Ship, by Beau L. Gibe Knots Made Easy, by Clive Hitch On the High Seas, by Vunder Vater
These will be our main texts. You will be expected to read them thoroughly, as well as write a five-foot report on Vunder Vater's text. The other two texts will be used for the more practical side of our class.
"Headmaster Dumbledore has worked out a bargain with Dervish & Banges. Whereas the books would normally have cost 7 Galleons, your cost will only be 4 Galleons, 11 Sickles and 4 Knuts,," she continued. (A/N: $34.16 instead of $51.31, for those who are interested. Info gleaned from the Harry Potter Lexicon)
"I wonder where the Weasel will come up with that type of money," Draco chuckled into Hermione's ear.
"Leave me alone, Ferret Boy," she hissed back.
Professor Sinistra continued to discuss the course for another thirty minutes, the longest thirty minutes of Hermione's life. Throughout the class, Draco assaulted Hermione with a whispered barrage of comments about her parents, Harry's fear of Dementor's, Ron's unfortunate habit of turning red in the face, etcetera, being careful to pepper his comments with plenty of derogatory terms.
When Professor Sinistra dismissed the class, with a final reminder to find two students to purchase books for, Hermione darted from the room. She practically ran back to the Gryffindor common room, not even waiting for Harry and Ron, tears threatening to explode at any moment.
"'F.fairy rings'," she gasped.
"My, my dear, you look awful," gasped the Fat Lady, turning to a visiting Queen. "Doesn't she look just horrible?"
"Terrible," agreed the Queen. "My dear young lady, you really should take a look at yourself in the mirror."
"I said, 'fairy rings'," Hermione repeated.
"Well!" sniffed the Fat Lady indignantly, allowing her supple frame to swing open.
Hermione stumbled into the common room, thankfully noting that it was empty. The rest of the Gryffindors were apparently still in their respective classes. She fell onto the red couch in front of the fire, finally giving in to her tears.
She didn't know how she was going to make it through the next eight months; not with that pretentious pinhead as her partner. There had to be someway out of this circumstance. As she concentrated on this dilemma, her tears slowly dried, and her breathing returned to normal. She'd just have to go see Headmaster Dumbledore, she decided.
She got up, just as the portrait opened, expelling a concerned Harry and Ron into the common room, along with a trickle of other students.
"Hermione, what's wrong?" Harry asked, moving across the room.
"Nothing. I just needed to check on something," she answered, the flimsy excuse sounding even worse as it came from her mouth.
"When you ran out of class, we got worried," Ron said. "We would have gotten here sooner, but Professor Sinistra forgot to pass out our homework, of all things," he continued, annoyance dripping in his voice.
"Homework? What homework?" Hermione questioned.
"Well, before Monday morning," Harry began, leading Hermione back towards the cheery fire to sit on the couch, "we have to get together with our partner and."
He didn't get any further than that before Hermione burst into tears once again. This time, she didn't let herself think. She just knew that this was further proof that this would be the worst year of her life.
Harry and Ron exchanged worried glances over the prone, sobbing figure. They had never seen Hermione lose control of herself like this.
"Hermione, what's the matter?" a female voice questioned.
The boys looked up to see an apprehensive Ginny watching them. She came around to the front of the couch, pushed Ron over and sat down, gathering Hermione's weeping form into her arms.
"What are you doing, Ginny?" Ron asked, angrily.
"Well, you two don't seem to be doing anything for her. Why don't you guys just go away for now. She obviously needs a female friend right now," she glared at her brother, until he and Harry got up to leave.
"Hermione," Harry said gently, touching her shoulder, "we'll be around if you want to talk to us."
She managed a nod as Harry and Ron moved to the other side of the room, where they got out some cards to play Exploding Snap.
Ginny gently rocked Hermione as her sobbing calmed, and she began to hiccup. Ginny let go of her when Hermione slowly pushed herself into a sitting position, rubbing her fists in her eyes.
"Th.thanks Ginny," she hiccupped. "I don't know wh..why I'm crying."
She took a deep, steadying breath as Ginny sat patiently waiting.
"Well, may.maybe that's not entirely true," she mused.
"Do you want to tell me what's wrong?" Ginny gently prodded.
"I suppose. You probably know that my year was grouped with the Slytherins for our field trip and classwork," she paused as Ginny acknowledged that she had heard. "Well, that I could handle. I mean it's not like I'm not used to being with the Slytherins. I've had classes with them every year during the last four years," she continued, as Ginny nodded her encouragement.
"Well, Professor Sinistra has paired us each of us up with a Slytherin," she said.
"Yeah, Hagrid paired each of us up with a Ravenclaw," Ginny explained.
"I guess it must be what each class is doing," Hermione mused.
"Probably. So what's the problem?"
"Ginny, Professor Sinistra paired me up with Malfoy!"
"Well, we all know that Malfoy is a jerk, but why is that so bad?"
"You should have heard the things he said to me. It was horrible. He called me 'mudblood' and a whole variety of other things, as well as saying terribly mean things about Harry and Ron. I'm usually made of tougher stuff, but when I realized that I would have to put up with him and his comments in much closer quarters for the next sixth months, I just lost it," she explained.
"Yeah, I can see your point," Ginny agreed.
"Well, thanks for listening, Ginny. I think I'll be okay now. I'll just have to be determined to not allow Malfoy to annoy me," she firmly resolved.
"Anytime you need to talk, Hermione, you can always come and talk to me. I can always lend a sympathetic ear," she said, as the two girls hugged each other.
"I guess I'd better go and see Ron and Harry. Let them know that I'm okay," she said, standing and smoothing her robes.
"So, who are you getting books for?" Ron asked Hermione as the three students passed through the gates to Hogsmeade.
"Natalie and Jenna. How about you?"
"Travis and Ned."
"Let's make a stop by The Three Broomsticks before picking up our books," Harry suggested. The other two nodded their agreement and they picked up their pace.
They entered the establishment, ordered their butterbeers and found a empty booth in the far corner.
"So, now that I am calm and have complete control of myself, what exactly is our homework?" Hermione asked, after swallowing a mouthful of butterbeer.
"You have to choose a famous ship from history and write a two foot report on it. Something to do with knowing the past can help us in the present, or some such nonsense," Ron explained.
"Well, that shouldn't be too bad," Hermione said. "How long could it take to right such a small report?"
The three finished up their butterbeers, spent some time in both Honeyduke's and Zonko's, purchased their books and headed back to Hogwart's. When they entered the castle, a familiar drawl interrupted their laughter.
"Hey, Mudblood," Draco said, leaning against the stairwell railing, Crabbe and Goyle nowhere to be seen. "Did you think you could get out of doing our homework by avoiding me?"
Harry and Ron stepped in front of Hermione, shielding her from view, Harry whipping out his wand.
"Leave her alone, Malfoy," he snapped.
"Hey, it's not like it's my decision to spend time with her," Draco stated taking a step forward, flicking his wand up.
"Harry, let me take care of this, please?" Hermione said, pushing Harry's aside with one hand, while forcing his wand down with the other. "I was not avoiding you, Malfoy, I was in Hogsmeade picking up the required text. However, since you're here, why don't we plan on a meeting time?" she continued, forcing herself to remain calm.
"Fine, it's not like we have a choice," Draco muttered. "Meet me in the library, after lunch today," he said, turning and stalking down the hallway.
"I suppose we should go and drop our stuff off," Hermione said, turning to head to the Gryffindor common room.
"Do you want one of us to go to the library with you, Hermione?" Ron questioned. "I wouldn't mind hanging out in the library all afternoon, if it would help."
"No, I'll be fine. I'm going to have to learn how to deal with him somehow over these next eight months, I might as well start now," she said, shifting her packages in her arms to get a better grip.
"Well, just let us know if you ever need any help with the jerk," Harry told her before saying 'duffer doofer', the new password, to the Fat Lady.
"I'll go drop my packages off, then I'll meet you two back here," Hermione said, heading towards her dorm.
"Meet us here? For what?" Ron asked.
"Lunch!" Hermione called over her shoulder.
"Oh, yeah, that's right, lunch," Ron muttered, following Harry up to their dorm to deposit their own heavy loads.
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REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!!!
Summary (Chp. 1-3): Dumbledore announces a new class to prepare for a two- week sailing field trip. Class will be taught by Dr. Gavin Branefeld, avid Quidditch fan, and Arithmancy genius. Gryffindors are paired with Slytherins; secondary Professor for class is Professor Sinistra (witch). Hermione and Draco are paired up
Chapter 3: A Temporary Breakdown
"Well, well," drawled Draco. "I get the pleasure of being paired with the super Mudblood."
"Shut up, Malfoy. I certainly don't want to be paired with you," Hermione hissed, turning her back on him as Professor Sinistra called the last pair of students.
"Please take your seats," Professor Sinistra said, turning to write on the chalkboard.
Reluctantly, Hermione sat on the furthest edge of the bench at the table which she was to share with Draco, and prepared to listen to the professor.
"Tonight I will be giving you a brief outline of what the next few months holds for you. However, first things first. Tomorrow all third year students and above will be given a half-day in Hogsmeade. Your main purpose in being given this privilege is to purchase the necessary textbooks you will need for your class.
"You will be able to pick up prepared packages at Dervish & Banges. Seeing as only third years and above are allowed in Hogsmeade, Headmaster Dumbledore has asked the fifth years to be so kind as to pick up two extra packages each for two of the first and second years in your house. Obviously, the money will be provided by the students in question.
"The list of items you will be picking up are: The Anatomy of A Ship, by Beau L. Gibe Knots Made Easy, by Clive Hitch On the High Seas, by Vunder Vater
These will be our main texts. You will be expected to read them thoroughly, as well as write a five-foot report on Vunder Vater's text. The other two texts will be used for the more practical side of our class.
"Headmaster Dumbledore has worked out a bargain with Dervish & Banges. Whereas the books would normally have cost 7 Galleons, your cost will only be 4 Galleons, 11 Sickles and 4 Knuts,," she continued. (A/N: $34.16 instead of $51.31, for those who are interested. Info gleaned from the Harry Potter Lexicon)
"I wonder where the Weasel will come up with that type of money," Draco chuckled into Hermione's ear.
"Leave me alone, Ferret Boy," she hissed back.
Professor Sinistra continued to discuss the course for another thirty minutes, the longest thirty minutes of Hermione's life. Throughout the class, Draco assaulted Hermione with a whispered barrage of comments about her parents, Harry's fear of Dementor's, Ron's unfortunate habit of turning red in the face, etcetera, being careful to pepper his comments with plenty of derogatory terms.
When Professor Sinistra dismissed the class, with a final reminder to find two students to purchase books for, Hermione darted from the room. She practically ran back to the Gryffindor common room, not even waiting for Harry and Ron, tears threatening to explode at any moment.
"'F.fairy rings'," she gasped.
"My, my dear, you look awful," gasped the Fat Lady, turning to a visiting Queen. "Doesn't she look just horrible?"
"Terrible," agreed the Queen. "My dear young lady, you really should take a look at yourself in the mirror."
"I said, 'fairy rings'," Hermione repeated.
"Well!" sniffed the Fat Lady indignantly, allowing her supple frame to swing open.
Hermione stumbled into the common room, thankfully noting that it was empty. The rest of the Gryffindors were apparently still in their respective classes. She fell onto the red couch in front of the fire, finally giving in to her tears.
She didn't know how she was going to make it through the next eight months; not with that pretentious pinhead as her partner. There had to be someway out of this circumstance. As she concentrated on this dilemma, her tears slowly dried, and her breathing returned to normal. She'd just have to go see Headmaster Dumbledore, she decided.
She got up, just as the portrait opened, expelling a concerned Harry and Ron into the common room, along with a trickle of other students.
"Hermione, what's wrong?" Harry asked, moving across the room.
"Nothing. I just needed to check on something," she answered, the flimsy excuse sounding even worse as it came from her mouth.
"When you ran out of class, we got worried," Ron said. "We would have gotten here sooner, but Professor Sinistra forgot to pass out our homework, of all things," he continued, annoyance dripping in his voice.
"Homework? What homework?" Hermione questioned.
"Well, before Monday morning," Harry began, leading Hermione back towards the cheery fire to sit on the couch, "we have to get together with our partner and."
He didn't get any further than that before Hermione burst into tears once again. This time, she didn't let herself think. She just knew that this was further proof that this would be the worst year of her life.
Harry and Ron exchanged worried glances over the prone, sobbing figure. They had never seen Hermione lose control of herself like this.
"Hermione, what's the matter?" a female voice questioned.
The boys looked up to see an apprehensive Ginny watching them. She came around to the front of the couch, pushed Ron over and sat down, gathering Hermione's weeping form into her arms.
"What are you doing, Ginny?" Ron asked, angrily.
"Well, you two don't seem to be doing anything for her. Why don't you guys just go away for now. She obviously needs a female friend right now," she glared at her brother, until he and Harry got up to leave.
"Hermione," Harry said gently, touching her shoulder, "we'll be around if you want to talk to us."
She managed a nod as Harry and Ron moved to the other side of the room, where they got out some cards to play Exploding Snap.
Ginny gently rocked Hermione as her sobbing calmed, and she began to hiccup. Ginny let go of her when Hermione slowly pushed herself into a sitting position, rubbing her fists in her eyes.
"Th.thanks Ginny," she hiccupped. "I don't know wh..why I'm crying."
She took a deep, steadying breath as Ginny sat patiently waiting.
"Well, may.maybe that's not entirely true," she mused.
"Do you want to tell me what's wrong?" Ginny gently prodded.
"I suppose. You probably know that my year was grouped with the Slytherins for our field trip and classwork," she paused as Ginny acknowledged that she had heard. "Well, that I could handle. I mean it's not like I'm not used to being with the Slytherins. I've had classes with them every year during the last four years," she continued, as Ginny nodded her encouragement.
"Well, Professor Sinistra has paired us each of us up with a Slytherin," she said.
"Yeah, Hagrid paired each of us up with a Ravenclaw," Ginny explained.
"I guess it must be what each class is doing," Hermione mused.
"Probably. So what's the problem?"
"Ginny, Professor Sinistra paired me up with Malfoy!"
"Well, we all know that Malfoy is a jerk, but why is that so bad?"
"You should have heard the things he said to me. It was horrible. He called me 'mudblood' and a whole variety of other things, as well as saying terribly mean things about Harry and Ron. I'm usually made of tougher stuff, but when I realized that I would have to put up with him and his comments in much closer quarters for the next sixth months, I just lost it," she explained.
"Yeah, I can see your point," Ginny agreed.
"Well, thanks for listening, Ginny. I think I'll be okay now. I'll just have to be determined to not allow Malfoy to annoy me," she firmly resolved.
"Anytime you need to talk, Hermione, you can always come and talk to me. I can always lend a sympathetic ear," she said, as the two girls hugged each other.
"I guess I'd better go and see Ron and Harry. Let them know that I'm okay," she said, standing and smoothing her robes.
"So, who are you getting books for?" Ron asked Hermione as the three students passed through the gates to Hogsmeade.
"Natalie and Jenna. How about you?"
"Travis and Ned."
"Let's make a stop by The Three Broomsticks before picking up our books," Harry suggested. The other two nodded their agreement and they picked up their pace.
They entered the establishment, ordered their butterbeers and found a empty booth in the far corner.
"So, now that I am calm and have complete control of myself, what exactly is our homework?" Hermione asked, after swallowing a mouthful of butterbeer.
"You have to choose a famous ship from history and write a two foot report on it. Something to do with knowing the past can help us in the present, or some such nonsense," Ron explained.
"Well, that shouldn't be too bad," Hermione said. "How long could it take to right such a small report?"
The three finished up their butterbeers, spent some time in both Honeyduke's and Zonko's, purchased their books and headed back to Hogwart's. When they entered the castle, a familiar drawl interrupted their laughter.
"Hey, Mudblood," Draco said, leaning against the stairwell railing, Crabbe and Goyle nowhere to be seen. "Did you think you could get out of doing our homework by avoiding me?"
Harry and Ron stepped in front of Hermione, shielding her from view, Harry whipping out his wand.
"Leave her alone, Malfoy," he snapped.
"Hey, it's not like it's my decision to spend time with her," Draco stated taking a step forward, flicking his wand up.
"Harry, let me take care of this, please?" Hermione said, pushing Harry's aside with one hand, while forcing his wand down with the other. "I was not avoiding you, Malfoy, I was in Hogsmeade picking up the required text. However, since you're here, why don't we plan on a meeting time?" she continued, forcing herself to remain calm.
"Fine, it's not like we have a choice," Draco muttered. "Meet me in the library, after lunch today," he said, turning and stalking down the hallway.
"I suppose we should go and drop our stuff off," Hermione said, turning to head to the Gryffindor common room.
"Do you want one of us to go to the library with you, Hermione?" Ron questioned. "I wouldn't mind hanging out in the library all afternoon, if it would help."
"No, I'll be fine. I'm going to have to learn how to deal with him somehow over these next eight months, I might as well start now," she said, shifting her packages in her arms to get a better grip.
"Well, just let us know if you ever need any help with the jerk," Harry told her before saying 'duffer doofer', the new password, to the Fat Lady.
"I'll go drop my packages off, then I'll meet you two back here," Hermione said, heading towards her dorm.
"Meet us here? For what?" Ron asked.
"Lunch!" Hermione called over her shoulder.
"Oh, yeah, that's right, lunch," Ron muttered, following Harry up to their dorm to deposit their own heavy loads.
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REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!!!