Chapter 4
It was Thursday morning and a mob of butterflies had invaded Ginny's stomach. She picked at her food, which was unusual for any Weasley.
Relax, nothings going to happen, your just going to do Potions with a different class. It's just a sixth year Newt class, which your brother and his friends happen to be in, including the wonder-witch, Hermione. Just as long as you don't make a fool of yourself, you'll be fine. Like spilling your potion, making a horrible mix-up and causing your cauldron to explode, tripping over your own feet and dumping a whole of - STOP!
She stood up abruptly causing Hermione, who was sitting next to her, look up curiously.
"Can't eat," Ginny explained as she headed out of the Great Hall. She let her feet carry her away from all the chatter and laughter as she concentrated on keeping negative thoughts from her head.
Soon she found herself in the dungeons, a familiar territory. She had visited Snape hundreds of times last year as well as learning advanced potions to get her through her Owl's.
I might as well tell Snape that I can't go with the sixth years. He'll be disappointed but I simply can't stand the thought of embarrassing myself in front of Harry or Ron, they'll never let me see the end of it.
Just then she crashed into someone, someone heavy, sending her tumbling to the ground. She sat up and looked at the figure of Snape now towering above her.
"Miss Weasley, please look where you're going next time," Snape said smoothly, extending a helping hand.
"Sorry Professor," Ginny apologised as she took the offered hand. She was just about to tell him her decision when a bunch of sixth years came down the stairs.
Oh, shit thought Ginny, dropping Snape's hand as if it was hot metal.
Thankfully though, no-one had seen what happened just a moment ago. No-one noticed that Ginny, a fifth year, was oddly out of place.
When all the class was ready, Snape opened the door and walked inside. The rest of class followed Ginny, who nervously stood next to Snape knowing that she couldn't back out of it now.
Ron came in with the last group of people, all of them Gryffindors. As soon as he spotted her, he stopped in shock.
"What are you doing here?" exclaimed Ron surprised.
Ginny groaned inwardly. Forget about her stuffing up, Ron was going to make this lesson hell all by himself.
"Mr. Weasley, will you take a seat before I deduct points from Gryffindor," Snape threatened, forcing Ron to turn around and take a seat next to Hermione.
Ginny was thankful that Ron had sat down without making a fuss but still gave Snape a glare for the nature of the threat, which he ignored.
When everyone had settled down, Snape cleared his throat, catching everyone's attention. Snape did not usually wait until they had quieted down.
"Class, we have a new student joining us. Miss Weasley has worked hard to make it to the sixth year Newt class."
Everyone was shocked. Snape had never praised a Gryffindor, even Hermione who had yet to lose a mark in a potions exam.
Ginny headed towards the empty seat next to Harry but was stopped by Snape.
"Miss Weasley, please take the seat next to Mr. Malfoy."
Ginny scowled as she turned and headed in the opposite direction.
Great, now I have to make a fool out of myself next to the great prat himself. He'll never let me see the end of this.
Draco sneered at her and Ginny shot him an icy glare in return as she dumped her cauldron and bag on the desk. As soon as she seated, Snape began the lesson.
Soon everyone was busy measuring and adding ingredients to their potions. Ginny added her last ingredient, dragon scale, and her potion simmered and cooled turning a perfect blush. She quickly scooped it up and poured it into her vial and closed the lid, placing the sample on the side of her desk. Then she proceeded to clear away her things. Cleaning her cauldron and packing her ingredients, leaving only a piece of parchment and quill on her desk so she could write down the homework.
Looking up, she saw everyone was still bustling around with their potions. She sat down, the familiar feeling of boredom creeping up on her.
Here she was, with students a grade above her yet she was still the first to finish. Thankfully, she had finished without a single mishap.
Turning around she looked at Snape who took one glance at her, stood up and announced the homework.
"Class, today's homework will be to study the properties of moonstone and dragon scale. You will work with the person next you. Your questions have to be answered in a two foot long essay."
A silence followed this peculiar announcement. Snape had never assigned group homework before.
'Right ferret, I do moonstone and you do dragon scale. We'll hand it in separately, got it." Ginny whispered furiously.
Snape had obviously heard this because the next moment he said "I want you two work together, not just split the work."
Ginny and Draco both groaned. It seemed that Snape would go to any lengths to make them work together. Ginny knew that Snape was doing this deliberately because she had left Malfoy unsupervised the other night.
Merlin, leave the it unattended for one second and he blows up his cauldron
As everyone scrambled to write down the homework and finish their potion, Snape headed to where Ginny was sitting.
"Consider this as your punishment Miss Weasley," he said in an undertone.
At the end of the lesson, when everyone had gone out, Draco started questioning Snape.
"Professor, you can't possibly expect me to work with her!" Draco burst out before Snape could say a word.
"Why ever not?" Snape asked calmly.
"She just can't, she'll ruin my grades," Draco pleaded.
"Miss Weasley is a very good potions student," Snape said a bit sharply.
"She hasn't even done her Owl's yet," Draco said, trying to make him see that he couldn't work with someone so low in social ranking. What would people say?
"She did them last year and got Outstanding. For once Mr. Malfoy, try to think about someone other than yourself. I doubt Miss Weasley is enjoying this any more than you are." Snape said, finally losing his cool.
"But, but..." For once Draco Malfoy was speechless. He couldn't believe it, Snape, his favorite teacher had just snapped at him. And it was all because of a red-headed, annoying Weasley.
"No buts. Have a good day Mr. Malfoy!" Snape said in sharply.
~*~*~*~*~*~*
As he watched one of his top students walk away dejectedly, he smiled briefly to himself. It was a long time since he had played match-maker.
~*~*~*~*~*
A/N: Thank you everyone for reviewing. Next time READ the story(just to a couple of my friends).
It was Thursday morning and a mob of butterflies had invaded Ginny's stomach. She picked at her food, which was unusual for any Weasley.
Relax, nothings going to happen, your just going to do Potions with a different class. It's just a sixth year Newt class, which your brother and his friends happen to be in, including the wonder-witch, Hermione. Just as long as you don't make a fool of yourself, you'll be fine. Like spilling your potion, making a horrible mix-up and causing your cauldron to explode, tripping over your own feet and dumping a whole of - STOP!
She stood up abruptly causing Hermione, who was sitting next to her, look up curiously.
"Can't eat," Ginny explained as she headed out of the Great Hall. She let her feet carry her away from all the chatter and laughter as she concentrated on keeping negative thoughts from her head.
Soon she found herself in the dungeons, a familiar territory. She had visited Snape hundreds of times last year as well as learning advanced potions to get her through her Owl's.
I might as well tell Snape that I can't go with the sixth years. He'll be disappointed but I simply can't stand the thought of embarrassing myself in front of Harry or Ron, they'll never let me see the end of it.
Just then she crashed into someone, someone heavy, sending her tumbling to the ground. She sat up and looked at the figure of Snape now towering above her.
"Miss Weasley, please look where you're going next time," Snape said smoothly, extending a helping hand.
"Sorry Professor," Ginny apologised as she took the offered hand. She was just about to tell him her decision when a bunch of sixth years came down the stairs.
Oh, shit thought Ginny, dropping Snape's hand as if it was hot metal.
Thankfully though, no-one had seen what happened just a moment ago. No-one noticed that Ginny, a fifth year, was oddly out of place.
When all the class was ready, Snape opened the door and walked inside. The rest of class followed Ginny, who nervously stood next to Snape knowing that she couldn't back out of it now.
Ron came in with the last group of people, all of them Gryffindors. As soon as he spotted her, he stopped in shock.
"What are you doing here?" exclaimed Ron surprised.
Ginny groaned inwardly. Forget about her stuffing up, Ron was going to make this lesson hell all by himself.
"Mr. Weasley, will you take a seat before I deduct points from Gryffindor," Snape threatened, forcing Ron to turn around and take a seat next to Hermione.
Ginny was thankful that Ron had sat down without making a fuss but still gave Snape a glare for the nature of the threat, which he ignored.
When everyone had settled down, Snape cleared his throat, catching everyone's attention. Snape did not usually wait until they had quieted down.
"Class, we have a new student joining us. Miss Weasley has worked hard to make it to the sixth year Newt class."
Everyone was shocked. Snape had never praised a Gryffindor, even Hermione who had yet to lose a mark in a potions exam.
Ginny headed towards the empty seat next to Harry but was stopped by Snape.
"Miss Weasley, please take the seat next to Mr. Malfoy."
Ginny scowled as she turned and headed in the opposite direction.
Great, now I have to make a fool out of myself next to the great prat himself. He'll never let me see the end of this.
Draco sneered at her and Ginny shot him an icy glare in return as she dumped her cauldron and bag on the desk. As soon as she seated, Snape began the lesson.
Soon everyone was busy measuring and adding ingredients to their potions. Ginny added her last ingredient, dragon scale, and her potion simmered and cooled turning a perfect blush. She quickly scooped it up and poured it into her vial and closed the lid, placing the sample on the side of her desk. Then she proceeded to clear away her things. Cleaning her cauldron and packing her ingredients, leaving only a piece of parchment and quill on her desk so she could write down the homework.
Looking up, she saw everyone was still bustling around with their potions. She sat down, the familiar feeling of boredom creeping up on her.
Here she was, with students a grade above her yet she was still the first to finish. Thankfully, she had finished without a single mishap.
Turning around she looked at Snape who took one glance at her, stood up and announced the homework.
"Class, today's homework will be to study the properties of moonstone and dragon scale. You will work with the person next you. Your questions have to be answered in a two foot long essay."
A silence followed this peculiar announcement. Snape had never assigned group homework before.
'Right ferret, I do moonstone and you do dragon scale. We'll hand it in separately, got it." Ginny whispered furiously.
Snape had obviously heard this because the next moment he said "I want you two work together, not just split the work."
Ginny and Draco both groaned. It seemed that Snape would go to any lengths to make them work together. Ginny knew that Snape was doing this deliberately because she had left Malfoy unsupervised the other night.
Merlin, leave the it unattended for one second and he blows up his cauldron
As everyone scrambled to write down the homework and finish their potion, Snape headed to where Ginny was sitting.
"Consider this as your punishment Miss Weasley," he said in an undertone.
At the end of the lesson, when everyone had gone out, Draco started questioning Snape.
"Professor, you can't possibly expect me to work with her!" Draco burst out before Snape could say a word.
"Why ever not?" Snape asked calmly.
"She just can't, she'll ruin my grades," Draco pleaded.
"Miss Weasley is a very good potions student," Snape said a bit sharply.
"She hasn't even done her Owl's yet," Draco said, trying to make him see that he couldn't work with someone so low in social ranking. What would people say?
"She did them last year and got Outstanding. For once Mr. Malfoy, try to think about someone other than yourself. I doubt Miss Weasley is enjoying this any more than you are." Snape said, finally losing his cool.
"But, but..." For once Draco Malfoy was speechless. He couldn't believe it, Snape, his favorite teacher had just snapped at him. And it was all because of a red-headed, annoying Weasley.
"No buts. Have a good day Mr. Malfoy!" Snape said in sharply.
~*~*~*~*~*~*
As he watched one of his top students walk away dejectedly, he smiled briefly to himself. It was a long time since he had played match-maker.
~*~*~*~*~*
A/N: Thank you everyone for reviewing. Next time READ the story(just to a couple of my friends).