Snake Eyes - by sapphire serpent

This is my first fanfic, so please don't be too harsh when you review. I fully accept constructive criticism, but no extremely negative comments. Thank you and enjoy.

NOTE: All mentions of Harry Potter and anything from the Harry Potter stories is fully copyrighted to JK Rowling.

- - - Chapter Two

Hermione had taken a seat at the front of the empty Charms classroom and took out a book to read before class started. She looked at the leather watch around her wrist every two minutes, waiting impatiently. Twenty minutes later, the class started to file in as the last student scuttled through the door. Where's Professor Flitwick, Hermione thought, looking puzzled. She glanced across from her to where Draco and Pansy sat, whispering to each other while they stared at Hermione and pointed. Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed in relief as small Professor Flitwick stumbled into the classroom.

"Good afternoon, class. Terribly sorry for being late!" Professor Flitwick's high-pitched voice sounded. He climbed onto his desk on a big pile of large books like he usually did, so he could be overheard. He cleared his throat to get everyone's attention while he spoke.

"Well, let's get started shall we? All right. When I call your name, please take a slip of paper from the box in front of me," he held up the box as she continued. He took out a list which had all the students names in random order. He called out the first name. "Ronald Weasley."

Ron frowned as he dragged himself up to the desk. Many of the students gasped in excitement, while Hermione looked insulted. Ron reached into the deep box and pulled out a slip of pink paper. Ron's face turned a pale-greenish colour as he sat back down, looking disgusted. Harry and Hermione looked at each other and apparently thought the same thing, he got Malfoy. Numerous students went up after that, including Harry, Dean, Goyle, and many other Slytherins and Gryffindors. The last two names were called. "Draco Malfoy."

Draco walked up and reached into the box. He pulled out a slip and murmured quietly. He sneered for a second and returned to his seat as Hermione's name was finally called.

"And finally, Hermione Granger!" Professor Flitwick said cheerfully with a smile. Hermione sighed happily as she walked up and picked the last slip from the box. This was it, she thought, this will be the student I send gifts to this year, and write many intellectual letters, and...

"What?!" Hermione said aloud. The class looked up at her, as did Professor Flitwick. "What's wrong my dear?" he spoke. Hermione shook her head as she turned the pale-greenish colour Ron had. "N-nothing, Professor. I'm fine. Just feeling a bit sick from lunch..." Hermione replied. Harry and Ron snorted, as they knew she was lying. Through the rest of class, they all chatted and shared what gifts they were going to give to their exchange buddy first.

"Now don't forget. You may not reveal yourself until the end of the year. That's what makes it exciting!" Professor Flitwick's cheerful voice sounded once again. "And make note that the first gift exchange is November 2nd, after the first Hogsmeade weekend, so save your galleons!"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione nodded to the Professor as they walked out of class being dismissed. Harry and Ron avoided Hermione for the rest of the afternoon, since she wasn't going to try to talk anyway. She couldn't. Not after what just happened. All that time she'd thought it was Ron who had him, but no. She felt sick again. She had gotten Malfoy.

- - -

Later that evening in the common room, Hermione sat in a chair with ink, quill, and parchment beside her. She had apparently been trying to write to her secret exchange buddy.

Ginny had walked through the portrait hole a while later as she laughed. She spotted Hermione looking quite frustrated in the corner.

"Hey 'Mione, who'd you get for the secret exchange thingy?" Ginny asked grinning.
"Oh don't even try to ask. I'm not telling, it's supposed to stay confidential anyway," Hermione replied, throughing a half finish note on the ground.
Ginny wandered slyly over to the note to see who it was addressed to right as Hermione stepped on it hard. Ginny gave her a pleading look as Hermione shook her head.
"Well I have Loony Lovegood, of all people," Ginny said, frowning. "What kind of gift do you give to someone who reads upside down?" Hermione snorted, continuing with her work as Ginny bidded her goodnight and headed up to the dormitories.

Hermione struggled still an hour later while she sat by herself in the common room. She'd just tried to start the note over again.

Dear Draco,

She scratched it out with the tip of her quill and crumbled it up, starting over again on a new piece of parchment. She bit her lip as she wrote.

Draco Malfoy,

Hello, this is your secret exchange buddy writing to you...

Hermione had scratched it out again and ripped up the parchment. She slouched in her chair and put her forehead in her hands. It was getting late and she thought she should head up to bed, as Ron and Harry walked into the common room. They spotted Hermione and smiled. They looked at each other, Harry giving Ron a signal to talk first.

"Oh, erm, so Hermione, who's your secret exchange buddy?" Ron questioned. Hermione shook her head.
"You wouldn't be interested," Hermione spoke quietly as she picked up her things and set them hastily in her bag. Harry smiled.
"Well mine's Parvati Patil. Atleast she isn't a Slytherin. But I'll need your help to know what to buy for her Herm--"
"Harry! You shouldn't speak so freely. Especially when Parvati's in this house! Do you not know the meaning of confidential?!" Hermione interrupted, looking furious.

Harry frowned as his face reddened. He turned and walked fiercely up the stairs to the boy's dormitories as Hermione followed to hers, accidentally dropping one of her notes on the bottom step. Ron looked up to see that Hermione was out of sight of him as he picked up the note. His eyes widened as he stared down at the note, reading "Dear Draco".

- - -

The next morning was quiet as Harry, Ron, and Hermione made their way down to breakfast. Ron avoided Hermione's eyes, which were looking very tired. Hermione was puzzled at this, and asked if he was all right. But Ron stayed silent and moved to the other end of the table. Hermione looked insulted again as she turned suspiciously toward Harry.

"Is he mad at me too?" She asked. Harry looked taken aback.
"Too?" Harry questioned, frowning. Hermione looked embarassed.
"I mean, I'm sorry for last night Harry. I was just in a bad mood..." She said, looking sad.
"Erm, that's all right Hermione. It doesn't matter anymore. I don't know what's up with Ron though." Harry and Hermione shrugged and continued sitting down to eat breakfast.

Classes went through slow that day, as Harry and Hermione spent most of the day away from Ron, figuring they should leave him alone until he comes back around. Harry left Hermione that evening before dinner for Quidditch practise. She waved and smiled kindly towards Harry as he ran out, leaving her in the hall alone. Hermione sighed as she remembered a book she wanted to page through at the library, so she turned away and left for her destination.

When she reached the library, she went to the very back to search for her book. She had been there just a few minutes when she heard the snarling voices of Draco and Pansy from behind a bookcase.

"Can you believe I got that ugly bloody troll for a gift exchange buddy? I'm thinking of just quitting the whole thing..." Draco's voice called.
"Oh, but I probably have a worse one. I got that stupid Weasley kid that tags along with scarhead," Pansy replied, giggling at Draco's comment.
"Disgusting, just plain disgusting the things they make us do," Draco remarked, scoffing. Pansy agreed as they moved from their place and walked out of the library.

So Pansy had Ron? Poor Ron, Hermione thought. He'd be lucky enough to even get a piece of lint from her. She shook her head at her thoughts and continued to search for her book.

She'd found her book within minutes of searching and sat down at a table in the corner that was dimly lit by candles like it always had been in the afternoon. After reading for continuing hours on end, the atmosphere had gotten to her. The smell of the smoking candle wafted to ehr nose, and the dim light, just enough to read by, but also not too much for her to be woken up from if she took a small nap. Yes, just a short nap, Hermione thought, laying her head down on her book as her head filled with a horrible dream.

- - -

Hermione was in the most lovely garden. Tall green shrubs surrounded her except for a tiny path. Along the path were flowers of all colours. Reds, purples, yellows, blues, oranges. And all the flowers were of many different shapes and sizes. She knelt down to sniff they're beautiful smell when she noticed she wasn't wearing her uniform. She was in a long flowing bridal gown. She looked extremely puzzled at this, but yet somehow satisfied. She continued to smell the flowers as she heard a bell ring.

It sounded just as wedding bells, and she heard her name being called. "Where's the bride? Where is Hermione, my love?" A man's voice called out. She didn't recognize it, but felt the need to follow it. She walked along the long, twisted path of cobblestone, still admiring the flowers as she passed them. She glided over to a crowd of people, who immediately bowed to her and kissed her hands. Hermione was so confused, but felt she belonged. The crowd made a path for her to walk through, as a long red carpet flew down the rest of the path. Hermione smiled and continued on the red-carpeted path. She turned red when she came upon an altar at the end of the path, and to the right of her was the man that called her name, dressed in black. She had assumed this was a wedding, and even though she was still yet confused, she smiled and nodded to him. But the man didn't see. He was wearing a top hat so large it covered his whole face. Hermione frowned for a second, wondering who exactly she was marrying, when the priest popped up behind the altar, startling her.

The priest began to wed them. Hermione stood patiently, glancing over at the groom to see if he'd remove his hat. The end of the wedding had neared when Hermione started looking nervous. She and the groom had turned around to put a ring on each other's fingers. Hermione had tried to gently pull off the hat, but it wouldn't come off. Who was this man? Who am I marrying? Hermione's thoughts ran through her mind. She then gasped when the man put the ring on her finger. It was amazing. More wonderful looking than anything. It was a pure golden ring, with an extremely huge diamond on it, the diamond being the size of a golfball. Her hand flopped down after the ring was put on. The crowd stared at Hermione and waited for her to put a ring on the man's finger, so she did. Hermione could barely see him smile through the bottom of his hat, while she tried peeking under.

"Do you take this man to be your awfully wedded husband?" The priest's voice boomed as he stared at Hermione with an evil smile. Hermione gasped and looked much more nervous. She looked back at the crowd, then at the priest, then closed her eyes. Her mouth opened to speak for her, even though she tried to restrain. "I do," Her voice said quietly. The man laughed as did the crowd. Hermione looked around every way she could as she became horribly and utterly confused. Why are they laughing at me?

"And do you take this woman to be your awfully wedded wife?" The priest said, still with a devilish grin. "I do," said the groom's voice. Hermione breathed hard as she stood in horror, waiting for the man, who was now officially her husband, to take off his hat. He flipped Hermione's lacy veil up with his gentle hands, and then reach for his hat. Hermione closed her eyes as he pulled his hat off and started to laugh with the crowd once more. Hermione breathed harded as she opened her eyes.

- - -

Hermione screamed at the top of her lungs, which she did conciously as well, causing to upset everyone in the library, and causing Madam Pince to throw a fit and kick her out.

Tears swelled up in Hermione's eyes as she ran out of the library and up to the common room. Students left in the library laughed as she ran away, just as the crowd had in her dream.

How? Hermione thought. How could I have such a horrible dream. Where had those thoughts come from? Why him? Why didn't I object to it? Why did I say yes? Why...

Hermione had gotten a sudden urge to write. She ran up to the dormitories as she dried her eyes with her robes. She fell into the chair near her bed and scooted it to her dresser, which she used for a desk. She tore through her cabinet as she hastily took out her ink, quill, and parchment. She hadn't any clue what she was going to write, but she figured she'd say something off the top of her head. She flattened out a piece of parchment and dipped her quill vigorously into the ink bottle, not stopping to think.

Many minutes later Hermione emerged from the girl's dormitories and met Harry and Ron down in the common room, who were playing chess. Ron muttered something to Harry as he got up and walked to the staircase. Hermione grabbed his arm and spun him around. Ron looked at the ground as Hermione frowned.

"Why are you avoiding me? What have I done to upset you?" Ron glanced up at her and back to the ground.
"Nothing...I-I'm not avoiding you...just busy."
"Ron don't lie! If I've done something wrong, just tell me and-"
"You haven't done anything! Just go write to your pure blooded lover, okay!" Ron interrupted. storming up the stairs.

"Pure blooded lover? Harry...what is he talking about?" Hermione turned around at Harry in amazement. Harry shrugged.
"Maybe I'll go talk to him. Oh...erm, Hermione, why weren't you at dinner?" Harry asked as he cleaned up his chess game.
"Oh, well I was...I was in the library searching for a book."
"Erm, okay. Well...g'night," Harry said quickly, walking upstairs in a fast pace.

Hermione tilted her head a bit as tears started to form in her eyes again. Now they're both avoiding me, she thought. How come?

- - -

FINITE. Please review!