Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, except the one I created myself. All others belong to J. K. Rowling and Warner Brothers. I have only borrowed them for my amusement and hopefully yours as well.

Chapter 17

The very second that the students were out of the classroom, they began to chatter. Can you believe what she did? Did you see Malfoy's face? Is she allowed to do that? I bet she gets the sack. Wait until Dumbledore hears about it. Never mind Dumbledore, wait until Snape catches wind. I've never been so scared in all my life. And on and on…

Draco was one of the last to exit. He pushed his way roughly through the crowd, not stopping to speak to anyone.  His fellow Slytherins called after him, but even they were ignored. He hurried his way back to his room, his face burning with a mixture of anger and humiliation.

Hermione gushed, "Isn't she wonderful? At last, we have a champion. It's about time that someone put Malfoy in his place. I hope he learned something today."

"I doubt it, Hermione," scoffed Harry. "I think that it would take more than that to make him see the error of his ways. It is hard to change your way of thinking when that's all you ever heard since you were a child. Draco is certainly his father's son."

Ron added, "At least you won't have to hear 'that word' from him anymore, 'Mione. If I were him, I wouldn't even dare think it."

"I'm sure he will be thinking it, though – every time he sees me or Professor Medwin. Come on, we'll be late for Charms," said Hermione. The three friends set off for their next class, still discussing recent events.

Professor Flitwick called the roll, and noticed that Draco was absent.

"Does anyone know the whereabouts of Mr. Malfoy?" inquired the tiny man.

The students looked at one another, not knowing what to say. Should they tell him that Draco just got cursed by the new teacher and was too embarrassed to show his face?

"Please, sir. He wasn't feeling well and went back to his room. I'm sorry I forgot to tell you, Professor," offered Hermione. The rest of them couldn't believe she had just covered for Malfoy, after the way he always treated her.

Flitwick responded, "I hope it's nothing serious. Let us begin."

After the last class of the day was over, all of the students returned to their common rooms until it was time for supper.

Pansy Parkinson entered the Slytherin common room and called, "Draco? Draco, are you here?"

"What?" came a voice from across the room. He was sitting in one of the chairs by the fire.

"Are you okay, Drake?" she wanted to know.

"I've told you before not to call me that. My name is Draco. Yes, I'm fine. Why do you want to know?" he spit.

Pansy replied with a tone of annoyance in her voice, "So-r-r-y. After what happened in DADA, I just wanted to see how you were doing, that's all. Pardon me for caring."

"Well, don't. Why shouldn't I be okay? She'll never get the best of me, that bitch," he sneered. He was going to call her 'Mudblood' but didn't. "Leave me alone, okay?"

"Oh by the way, you should know that Granger covered for you in Charms. She told Flitwick you were sick. He swallowed the story without question," Pansy retorted and left.

Why would Granger stick up for him?  What a fucking, rotten first day of school. Something Professor Medwin had said kept coming back to him. As much as he tried to push it out of his mind, it persisted in coming back, haunting him, tormenting him. She had said, " Learn to be your own man..."