AN: I do not own anything that is found within the Harry Potter series. This is a complete work of fiction and I appreciate reviews and criticism as long as it's constructive. Hope you like this chapter.
Chapter 3: Potions
The purple spots had only lasted the one night. Everyone who had been infected by the purple freckles had woken up the next morning with clean faces, looking as normal as they had prior to the incident for their first day of classes.
Hermione was walking down the hallway, reading her book on advanced potions when he walked up beside her, matching her stride for stride. She could smell him, his cologne sinking into her pores; he smelt almost ... refreshing.
"Morning, Granger. Already have your pretty nose in a book, eh? Oh, don't look at me that way. Didn't your mother ever tell you your face could get stuck like that? Wouldn't want your only good quality to be ruined now, would we?"
Had Draco Malfoy just paid her a compliment? If he had, Hermione was surely confused by the mixed up signals her sent to her. Instead, she just chose to take it like an insult. "Unlike you Malfoy, my father isn't buying me a position with the Ministry. I plan to earn my way there by actually getting good grades and demonstrating a good work ethic. And my looks aren't my only quality, some of which you will never see."
Draco grinned at her, "I know they're not your only quality. I said they were your only good quality." Hermione just huffed and continued on her way towards her class. Draco kept pace.
"Granger, why don't you take that book that you have permanently shoved up your ass out and have some fun. Enjoy your walk to class, the few moments where you don't have to think of anything. Where you can bask in all the power that your new badge has. Just this morning, I scared three first years into thinking that I was going to take points away from their houses because the stripes on their ties weren't all facing the same direction." Draco seemed pleased with himself, Hermione just glared at him.
"Book shoved up my ass? Ha! Why don't you just take your Pig-Headed, selfish, arrogant, Slytherin self and kiss my book filled ass!"
"Ms. Granger! As a head-girl I would expect that you would know better than to yell such obscenities in the hallways. If you and Mr. Malfoy are having personal problems I suggest you should deal with them outside of the school day. Five points from Gryffindor for poor vocabulary and manners. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a class to teach and I expect both of you to be there on time!" Snape walked past them, his robes flowing behind him. Hermione's eyes burned into Draco's.
"Now Granger, if you had only taken my advice on abstracting a certain object, you would not have lost five points for your house already." Draco leaned against the entrance to their potions class.
"Oh, sod off Malfoy." Hermione said to him in a hushed voice as she brushed passed him. "So easily provoked," he said back, a smile spreading form ear to ear.
* * *
"Hermione. Saved you a seat. Harry's sitting with the new chick." Ron said, motioning Hermione over.
"She has a name Ron, it's Ygraine, not chick." Hermione placed her bag in front of her and started to extract her quill and parchment, and placed her advanced potions book on their desk in front of them.
"Sorry 'Mione." Ron looked at her, squeezed her hand, smiled and turned back to his parchment. Hermione smiled back and put her bag away.
"Despite your abysmal performances, all of you have managed to scrape your way into my class. This is your last year of potions and I expect you all to pay attention and study hard. I will not have failures in my seventh year class. If you start failing I will not think twice about removing you. Open your books to chapter one where you will read and take notes on the importance of Yarrow root, and the significance of its various colours. And I expect a four-foot parchment on it by Friday morning. You may begin."
"Four feet by this Friday? He's crazy!"
"Ron, it isn't that bad. Yarrow root is very important; the chapter itself is forty pages. I think you'll be able to find something to write about, and I'll be here to help you." Ron smiled at Hermione; she smiled back and started taking notes. Ron opened his book and rolled out his parchment.
* * *
"Four feet of parchment? Is professor Snape always like this, or is this just his first week scare tactic?" Ygraine turned to face Harry.
"Um, Snape's always like this. You have to be careful when around him, especially if you're sitting with me. He has a personal vendetta against me." Harry kept scanning the room to see where Snape was. Snape was standing at the back of the classroom searching though his ingredient cupboards. Ygraine looked over her shoulder to see Snape as well. "Well, he's a good distance away. Why does he have it out for you?"
"To make a long story short, I survived."
"Oh yeah, that's right, you're the Harry Potter. So what do you do around here for fun? The twins over there apparently pull pranks." Ygraine was definitely not interested in reading about Yarrow and how it is a plant used for protection potions and warding off evil if planted in the proper place.
"I play Quidditch. I'm actually the Gryffindor team captain."
"Psst… Harry, get back to work, Snape is coming," Hermione warned as Snape walked down the aisle. Ygraine turned around to see Snape glaring at her and Harry as her started to pass by. Harry quickly pretended to work; Ygraine whipped her head around to face the front of the class just in time to see Snape trip and fly forward, his robes flying over his head. Contained in giggles were heard spreading across the classroom. He threw his robe back over his head, gathered up his pride and looked around for the culprit. He looked on the floor, there was nothing there: no books, no bags, no feet. He tossed his stare off to the twins who were beside him at one desk; they appeared innocent. He then turned his attention to the other desk beside him, and looked for an excuse to get the attention away from him and looked at Ygraine's empty parchment.
"Ah, Ygraine. Our new student perhaps feels that she doesn't have to do her work in class does she? Finds it amusing to see her professor trip? Ten points from Gryffindor."
"But sir, I have been working. You'll notice that my chapter has already been read, I've even highlighted the important parts." Snape looked down at Ygraine's book and flipped through chapter one. It had not only just been highlighted, but colour-coded to correspond with various colours of the Yarrow root, and there were notes in the margins.
"Okay, so you've finished your reading, brava for you. Ten more points from Gryffindor for being a smart aleck and distracting your fellow students from their own work. Perhaps you should ask Ms. Granger how much I appreciate know-it-alls." Snape walked to the front of the class and sat down at his desk. "Continue!" Everyone turned back to their work.
"Hermione?" Ygraine said facing forward, not to draw attention to herself, but still able to talk to Hermione. "Are you just going to let Professor Snape get away with being rude to you like that?" Hermione didn't say a word and continued on with her work.
"Like I said, you have to be careful with Snape, he hates Gryffindors." Harry said while taking notes on red Yarrow.
Ygraine started to pretend to work; she took her quill and reached across Harry's book. "Just pretend I'm explaining something to you." She looked up at Snape and smiled; he just glared back at her. "So, you're Quidditch captain? I really enjoy Quidditch, played some back at home."
Harry's eyes sparkled, "Really? We're having tryouts for the Gryffindor team this Saturday. We have a lot of positions to fill because most of the team finished last year. So far there is just me, Ron and Ginny. I play Seeker, Ron is Keeper, and Ginny is a Chaser. If you feel up to trying out you're welcome to come."
"I don't think discussing Yarrow root is that exciting Mr. Potter, Ms. Marcum. Please focus on your own work." Snape had now found another victim.
"Maybe I will come out, thanks Harry." The two of them returned to their own work.
* * *
Hermione looked away from her own work and brought her attention to Ron's parchment. Amongst his notes he had been drawing. She noticed a Quidditch pitch, a Snitch, a few eyes and lips. She leaned in closer to see what he was working on. "Ron, you should be doing your w-". Ron looked over at her and she noticed a perfect sketch of her face at the base of his parchment. Ron turned red. "Ron that's really good – but you really should do your work. Snape has it out for everyone today." She touched his arm, sending warmth up through his body. He looked at her, her hair falling down, brushing up against her parchment as she rested her forehead on her hand, her quill gracefully gliding along her parchment. She was so beautiful, he thought. She looked up at him, smiled, "Ron – work." And continued on her own.