Characters and background are from J.K. Rowling's brilliant work. All credit goes to her. Plus, story theme is from William Shakespeare's Macbeth. I only revamped the story to make it fit Hogwarts.
Hermione enjoyed potions. Sure she loved all her classes (except Divination!) but she adored the keen sense she needed for mixing ingredients, timing perfectly, and knowing the consistency and quality of this magical lore. The only thing that could possibly make potions bad was of coarse Professor Snape. Hermione respected his knowledge and talent but she knew that she was definitely not the only one to get the shivers from him. Hermione instinctively shivered at remembering how cruel he can be. She tried to get her mind back on what Snape was saying and not on him, himself. Snape was eyeing the students….selecting his target. "Mr. Longbottom, what may I ask is the key ingredient in the Lacirnus potion?" questioned Professor Snape to his most frightened student.
Neville was panicked. "Oh come on, come on, you know this" thought Hermione. Not for the first time did she try to will the answer to Neville.
"Err….wool of…no….um….maybe…wool of bat?"
Snape looked sterner than ever. No, that is incorrect. 5 point from Gryffindor. The Slytherines snickered and Hermione felt her skin grow hot. Snape looked at her and she gulped audibly.
"Miss Granger, what is the correct answer?"
"Eye of newt, sir" replied Hermione.
Well, that was an easy one thought Hermione. She hoped she would get back the 5 points lost but she was sadly mistaken.
Snape's voice shot out again.
"Why is it that you know the answer and your dear friend does not?"
Hermione knew that Neville tried hard and perhaps should have only studied a bit more instead of constantly searching for Trevor.
"I'm not sure why" She felt her face glow red.
"Another 5 point from Gryffindor" Snape declared.
Hermione's fingernails were dug into her palms and were starting to hurt her. She remained quiet and looked down. The Slytherins snickered only louder.
Suddenly a voice said rather loudly "But that isn't fair, Hermione got the answer right!".
It was Ron. "Oh, no!" thought Hermione. Hermione loved Ron like a brother but she wished that he would keep his temper under control. The class went silent. Snape's eyes went darker and his frown more set.
"10 point from Gryffindor for Weasley's mouth and it will be 50 if he opens it again!"
Thank Merlin He didn't.
"Now, class, I want you to begin the Lacirnus Potion and I will be coming around to check. Please make sure not to screw up." He looked directly at Neville.
Halfway through the checking, a 3rd year Ravenclaw entered the room, looking scared to death. She stood behind Snape and her knees were wobbling terribly. She reached out to hand him the note. The professor turned so quickly that the note almost flew out of the poor girl's hand and she made a small yelp. Snape took the note from her and scanned it quickly. The class was by now all curious. Snape looked up to see everyone staring back at him.
"Back to your work immediately. I have to go for a few minutes. Blaise, you watch the class while I'm away and make sure everything stays in order."
Snape stormed away with his robe flying behind him.
Blaise was the Slytherin prefect, along with Pansy Parkinson. He was quite foul and no one liked him much. As a prefect, however, Hermione expected he did a good job because he was commanding and got respect from the Slytherins. Blaise took Snape's place behind the teacher's desk. He gave everyone an eye-over and smirked.
10 minutes later Snape was still not back but everyone was too busy with the final step of the potion to notice much. Hermione was stirring the liquid in her cauldron slowly and adding drops of citric acid at every 7 stirs. She was fully concentrated and zoned everything else out. Suddenly, she was pushed back, nearly sliding her cauldron off the desk and onto the floor. She recovered her position but looked around surprised and confused.
"What the??"
Hermione saw that it was Ron who almost fell on her after being pushed by none other than Draco Malfoy. Ron was all red and breathing heavily. Draco was meanwhile laughing with his dimwitted friends, Crabbe and Goyle. Hermione wondered what Draco could have done this time when she remembered Ron. She reached out to grab him but it was too late. He already rushed by her and hit Draco with all his strength.
"Ron, no!" yelled Hermione but onto death ears. Ron had knocked Draco onto the floor and was yelling at him to take back what he said. Draco meanwhile flung his fists at Ron and managed to hit Ron's nose. It began to bleed. Hermione realized she was pulling on Ron's shirt to get him back but her strength did not compare to Ron's brutal anger.
"Hermione! Hermione!"
Harry was calling her but Hermione was too caught up in saving Ron that she didn't understand what he wanted. She looked around and noticed that 3 cauldrons were knocked over and their contents were leaking, in a steady stream, towards them. The potion could do a lot of damage with flesh. It was most near to Draco, who was still on the floor
Suddenly, Hermione heard Blaise yell out a spell she didn't recognize right away. It was almost too late when she remembered. She grabbed a Potion's book that was right next to her hand and blocked her face. Milliseconds later, the potion that was on the floor splashed the book and melted 2/3's of it away. Hermione was shaking…that could have been her face.
"What is going on here!" Snape was back and angrier than he had ever been before. "Everyone out of the classroom before anyone else gets hit with flying potions"
Everyone filed out and stood alongside the hallway walls. Blaise was the last to leave the classroom and as he did so, Snape grabbed him by the collar.
"Mr. Zabini, explain yourself!". Snape snarled and was all red. It was unusual for him to be like this with the Slytherins he most preferred.
"The class was going good until Weasley attacked Draco. He knocked the cauldrons onto the floor for the potion to hit Draco. I, thankfully, managed to stop the potion from reaching them both." Replied Blaise solemnly.
"Malfoy attacked me, you cross-eyed brute!" yelled out Ron. For once Snape ignored him and kept his eyes looked on Blaise.
"You stopped the potion from reaching them by purposefully diverting the potion onto Granger's face. I know that spell and you seem to have used it knowing exactly what it does!"
Blaise didn't say anything. The Gryffindors gasped. As a prefect, he should have been more cautious but as a Slytherin he assumed he could get away with anything thought Hermione. The bell sounded and the students skirted away. Hermione was joined by Harry and Ron who gave her a big hug. They were amazed that she recognized the spell in time. Blaise, meanwhile, followed Snape back into the classroom. Probably, to help clean up.