Disclaimer: I own none of the characters, nor the storyline for Order of the Phoenix.
I am using some of the plot from Order of the Phoenix, but some things may have to be changed for the sake of this story, so please do not get angry and send the giant pink plot bunny after me!
Please review, and I hope that you like this next chapter!
Hermione was ready to get back to classes. It was just her luck that the first person she saw when she walked out of the infirmary was Draco.
"Out of the hospital, are we?"
"Yes, if it wasn't already obvious."
Draco smirked. "You might want to be careful, Mudblood. I might put you back where you just came from."
Hermione knew better than to turn her back on Draco. At least facing him, she could attempt a counter curse.
"Wait, what's that? Do I see a blemish on perfect Draco's face?"
Draco whipped out a pocket mirror. "Hey! There's nothing…wait!" Hermione already had run halfway down the hall. Draco all too easily caught up.
"Are you afraid of me, Granger?"
Hermione stopped running and looked him straight in the eyes. "Afraid of what? As if my grades don't already prove that I'm a better witch than you are a wizard."
"Witch? You are nothing more than a filthy…" Draco inched closer until he could feel her breath on his skin. Her warmth set all of his senses on fire, but her fizzy hair was almost in his eyes. She was too short to look eye to eye without Draco having to bend over at the waist. "Dirty…Mudblood."
"Next time, might I suggest you, lay off the cologne?" Hermione looked up at him. "As the Sorting Hat and Dumbledore said, I am working on inter-house relationships."
"That's Granger all right! You have to go all noble." Draco rolled his eyes and walked away.
"Hermione! What are you doing?" Ron ran up in time to see Draco give Hermione one more backwards glance.
"Nothing," she said, trying to hide that she was trying to catch one last breath of Draco's cologne. Even if he was evil, he did have good taste.
"You're going to do what?" Goyle and Crabbe stared at Draco in disbelief. Why would he waste so much time on a Mudblood?
"Boys, you know what filth she has been since the moment she walked through Hogwarts's door. This is the moment when we get rid of Granger once and for all. We will study her every move." Crabbe and Goyle both shared the same look of incomprehension. "Fine, I will do it myself! You two are never any help, anyways."
Draco took an eraser and chucked it at Crabbe's head. It bounced right off without any acknowledgement from Crabbe. You are thicker than I realized, Draco thought to himself. Then I will have to go about this job myself. Part one: study anything and everything about Granger. I have to get inside her head…eww…and figure out what will harm her most.
Pansy tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey Draco, Sweetie!"
"What have I told you about these pet names?" As he turned around, he noticed her eyes were glazed over again. "Oh, what's the use? Goyle, please pick her up and take her to Potions. We don't want to make Professor Snape angry."
He walked in the door and noticed Hermione was already seated, with Weasel-boy and Potter. Draco chose a seat that would allow him to watch her without it seeming that he actually was.
"Draco, why aren't you sitting up front with the rest of us?" Pansy asked. It was normal for all Slytherin students to sit in front during Potions classes.
Draco gulped. "Umm…I wanted to sit back here…with you, Pansy, my dear." Pansy started to shriek in happiness, attracting more attention than Draco wanted. "Shut up, or I might chose to sit somewhere else!" Pansy quieted immediately.
Throughout the class, Draco kept a mental list about Hermione. She keeps one eye on her potion at all times, so it will be hard—no impossible—to poison her. She says all of the instructions over and over again, her lips mouthing them when she's concentrating. Her hair falls in her face while she's working, and she has to keep brushing it back. He went on forever.
"You don't always study the instructions that closely," Pansy interrupted his thoughts. She sidled closer. "Ah, I see, you were staring at that Granger girl. I am more of a witch than she'll ever be."
"More of a banshee anyways," Draco said under his breath. Louder he said, "What makes you think that I was staring at her? Is your mind too cluttered with your fields and your frolicking through them that you cannot see the instructions so clearly posted on the board?"
"If you like her, I understand…"
"DON'T YOU EVER SAY THAT AGAIN!" Over half of the class was staring. Draco tried to regain his cool. "I mean, how can you say that Potions is less interesting than Arithmancy? I find Potions much tougher, and, by far, more interesting." Faces turned away in disinterest.
Draco hissed under his breath. "If you ever suggest that I like that Mudblood again, you will—"
The bell interrupted him.
He slammed his books down and leaned over Pansy. It was the most intimidating position he could think of under pressure. "We'll continue this little chat later!"
The next day Draco was dreading Care of Magical Creatures. Pansy would yet again notice that he was studying Granger. All the way down the lawn to Hagrid's Hut, he was breaking a sweat worrying about what Pansy would do. Maybe if he just revealed his plan? But Pansy would let the entire world know.
Luckily, Pansy chose to talk with the other Slytherin girls. Draco wondered how she could stomach sitting next to Bulstrode for an extended period of time.
Focus, Draco. We have a task at hand to accomplish.
Over his diagram of Hagrid's new obsession, Draco studied Hermione. His work was only halfway done by the time the next bell rang.
"I know it, Draco, so don't lie to me. I saw you watching Granger the entire class period." Pansy looked close to tears. "I had the other girls watch you too. They all saw you. Every few seconds, you would glance at her and then pretend to be lost in thought. It's just too obvious. You like Hermione Granger."
Draco was infuriated. "Like hell I do! I would rather die than feel anything for a Mudblood. Are you forgetting who my father is? What my family is?" He threw his hands up in the air.
Pansy shook her head. "Then explain to me why you were staring at her."
"I wasn't, I—"
"It's fine, I won't tell anyone." Before Draco could say anything, Pansy was running full tilt for the school.
"If you would have stayed, I would've at least offered you a handkerchief," he sighed.
Hermione was deep in thought when she ran into something. Her book and quill fell out of her hands. As she bent over to get them she apologized.
"Yeah, Mudblood, keep it to yourself."
Hermione looked up and noticed Draco. "I'm not sorry, then."
Draco bent over and picked up her quill for her. Then he went back to tapping his foot. His head bobbed around looking for a way to escape this conversation. "You don't want to be late." He ran off as fast as he could.
I will never understand him, Hermione thought on her way to Herbology.
It was not until that night that Hermione used her quill again. She started her homework for Professor Binns.
"This has to be the most boring subject on the planet…" she heard Ron complain.
She pulled her quill up to her lips, like she usually did while concentrating. Suddenly all she could taste was a bitterness that swept through her entire body. She threw down the quill as fast as she could.
Harry looked up. "What's wrong, Hermione?"
"It's my quill…it's never done that before."
"Done what?"
"I'm not certain. I'll take it to Professor McGonagall and see what she has to say." Hermione picked up the quill at one end, holding it out in front of her.
Students pointed as Hermione walked down the halls. She could hear their laughter, but the thought of a jinx on her favorite quill made the trip worth it.
Professor McGonagall laughed at the quill. "It's just a prank, Hermione. My brother used to do this all the time to my quills. If you have a habit of putting the quill anywhere near your mouth, you taste…well something absolutely disgusting. I wouldn't put Fred and George past this, though why they would do that to you, I have no clue. Just get a new quill and ask around. I'm sure it was just harmless fun. If it is the Weasleys, as I suspect, I'm sure they'll find a new audience soon."
Hermione was rushed out of Professor McGonagall's office. But who would…? She saw Draco walk by on his rounds. Ding, we have a winner.
The clock chimed, alerting Hermione. All thoughts of Draco cleared her head. It was time to patrol the hallways.