10/3/03
Vials?
Check.
Partner?
"Get back her you stupid cat!"
Check.
I sighed slightly, stepping down onto the platform. My mind had been on other things throughout the entire train ride to King's Crossing, but the dominant thought was over the summer assignment regarding potions.
"For those of you returning to for Advanced Potions, keep in mind that we'll be working with Professor Vector's Advanced Arithmancy class," Snape informed the class. His sneer at what he had just said obviously told his students of his opinion on the matter. As the students began to whisper at the news, he narrowed his eyes and barked at them to quiet down.
"From what I've been told, Professor Vector has uncovered several manuscripts. Her class will translate them and would like for us to brew the potions. Each of you will be paired up with someone from her class. You'll each have to start with a potion and continue researching it over the course of the summer. Keep in mind that each manuscript is different."
Excited murmurs were heard throughout the class, but one look from Snape had them quiet instantly.
"Your reports will be do the first week of school. Your mark will depend on the quality of work done by you and your partner. Dismissed!" he said striding over to his storage closet, with his robes billowing imposingly.
What a surprise when I found that I'd be paired up with her. But the gods must have smiled down on me, for our meetings on the last week of 6th year were brief and done in silence: she writing down the translation and myself brewing the potion.
My right index finger throbbed dully from the cut I received from my quill as I'd rummaged through my truck, searching for the vial. It was getting on my nerves, but out of sheer laziness I didn't heal it. Putting my trucks on a trolley, I saw her finally catch her mangy cat by the scruff of its neck and shoving him into his carrier. Walking over to her, with the trolley, I reached her as she wearily started to push her trolley.
"Here," I said handing her the vial.
At her confused look, I answered annoyed, "Our assignment."
She reached out the take it, saying thank you or something.
"Watch out, trolleys!"
I didn't see the trolley until after it had hit her from the side. Reflexively, I reached out to stop her fall, but amazingly ended up falling with her as another trolley sideswiped me from behind. I opened my eyes grimacing at the event that took place. It was then that I noticed that she was atop of me. Quickly, I sat up, causing her to fall on my lap; much to my chagrin. Feeling something wet on my right hand, I looked down to see the broken remains of the vial and its contents.
"Great just bloody great!" she exclaimed.
Getting of me, I noticed that her left hand was slowly dripping with the remnants of the potion. Wiping her had on the side of her "jeans," she assessed the damage.
"The potion! What are we going to do? We don't have ano-"
"We aren't going to do anything," I said interrupting her tirade. Seeing that she was about to exclaim about something or another, I held my hand up, "You silly bint, did you honestly I'd entrust you with anything having to do with my grades?"
"Are you saying that I'm irresponsible?"
"No," I said with something akin to aghast, "I insinuated. Honestly, one would think that the class prefect would know the difference."
She stood there fuming. Her mouth was moving but no sound was being emitted.
"If you're trying to imitate a fish, I'd give you a seven, but since you're you, I'm going to give you a four."
"If you say one more thi-"
"Look, I haven't the time for idle chit-chat, I'm a busy man," I said as I opened one of my trunks. Finding the item, I handed her a small mahogany box.
As she stood dumb struck, I started to push my trolley towards my chauffeur.
"Wait! What is it?"
"I thought I told you I wouldn't trust you with anything to do with my grades," I said rolling my eyes.
"Oh," she said as she realized what the box contained.
"Ahh, nice to see that your mind is with us today," I responded sarcastically. Walking to my chauffeur again, I couldn't resist but saying one more thing:
"By the way, have a nice summer, Hermione."
With that, I got in and did not give her a second thought.