Chapter Five:
The Herbology Project
Ron could see that Harry was fuming, and hated it. It reminded him of how Harry had been their last year at Hogwarts. But that was behind them. Everything was okay now...for a while.
Why did Malfoy have to be so antagonizing? He thought to himself as he and Harry stopped in a deserted classroom so that Harry could let out his frustration without being seen, or more importantly, mocked by Slytherins.
Harry leaned against the wall and slid slowly to the floor, pulling his knees to his chest. He sobbed silently to himself.
"Oh Ron –"he struggled as his eyes got watery. "I can't believe I just did that..."
Ron didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing, so he just stood uncomfortably before Harry, waiting for him to say more.
"I should have stopped myself," he said bitterly "I told myself I'd try to get along since I asked Hermione to be my girlfriend."
Ron took a seat beside Harry and, hesitating at first, put an arm around Harry's shoulders, trying to comfort him. He half expected Harry to shrug him away, but Harry leaned into him, accepting the pat on the shoulder.
"Harry...stop crying. You know Malfoy thrives on making you mad. None of that stuff was..."
His voice trailed off as he thought about what he was saying. What if some of the stuff Malfoy said was true? Not for him, but for Harry...
Perhaps that was why Harry was so shook up over Malfoy's comments.
"Harry...I'm sorry."
Harry looked up, his face tear stained as he struggled to stem the tears.
"What?"
"I'm sorry," he went on. "About what Malfoy said."
Harry chuckled, trying to wipe away the hurt inside him.
"Ron – it wasn't your fault."
Ron felt a tinge of guilt in his stomach, and went on. "But, I think some of it is." Harry looked up, a little confused, but Ron continued. "I had a feeling someone would spread rumors about us. You know – being...close."
"Ron – you know that's just Malfoy trying to get a rise out of you –"
"But it did more than that!" Ron said, his turn to get upset. "He's right, you know. I don't have a girlfriend. That's more that enough for someone to make assumptions."
"Ron, we know you're not..." His voice trailed off.
"I know that you know," Ron went on. "But the Slytherins are going to spread rumors, and I'll never be able to live them down."
Harry knew where Ron was coming from. He, too, had been expecting this. But, there was nothing they could do about it now. They'd just deny it if it were brought up again.
"Look, Ron – I'll always be here for you."
Ron smiled as Harry got up and offered him a hand.
"Now, come on. Hermione's waiting in the Great Hall for us."
Draco doubled over his stomach as he gasped for breath.
Well, he thought to himself. So much for starting anew and gaining more respect.
He was surrounded by a group of Slytherin's who continued to ask him if he were okay. Once he caught his breath, he replied, "I...I'm fine..."
Why did I have to do that? He asked himself in his head. He had wanted to be a better person so bad the night before, and now he'd blown it. I'll try again later, he thought to himself.
Suddenly, Snape appeared in the doorway of the Dungeon and came out to see what all the commotion was about.
"What's going on here?" he asked as he watched the crowd of students. He looked down to see Draco straightening up and gave him an expectant glance. "Malfoy? What's going on here?"
This was his chance. He could get even with Harry and he'd be set.
But, he waved it off.
"It was nothing, Professor," he replied to the shock of his classmates. "I just got a little woozy, that's all."
Snape gave him a penetrating stare for a few moments, then looked away.
"Alright then. You'd better go on to lunch."
Hermione looked up to see Harry and Ron walking into the Great Hall. They looked exceptionally happy after their horrible Potions class.
"Well, you two look like you're in good moods," she said as Harry sat next her, giving her a kiss on the cheek while Ron sat opposite them.
"Well, your note was really nice," Harry said as he started piling things on his plate.
"So you liked it, then?" she asked as she glanced over at Ron who grinned. She shrugged and continued eating.
Harry looked up after a while to spot Malfoy entering the Great Hall, heading towards the Slytherin table, accompanied by a group of Slytherins who continued to ask him if he were okay.
Hermione looked to see what he was looking at, and sighed when she spotted what it was.
"Did he do something again?" she asked as Ron avoided her eyes.
"Yeah, but it was nothing," Harry replied as he reached down and began searching for something in his bag. He found it after a few minutes of rummaging. Hermione smiled when she looked up at him, surprised when he handed her a messily folded piece of parchment. "This is for you," he said as he gave it to her.
"Harry, what's this?" she asked as she held the note in her hand.
"It's not as neat as yours was, but –"Harry started as he continued eating. "I hope it's just as meaningful."
Hermione smiled as she awed over the note. She'd never really received a real note from someone before.
"Harry – you're too sweet." she said as she gave him a peck on the cheek.
Harry smiled and Ron, again, looked a little down.
Lunch soon ended, and they made their way out to Herbology class in Greenhouse 7.
It was a nice day and Harry wished they were outside instead of being in a muggy greenhouse all block. But, it wasn't that bad. He was with Hermione and that made everything better. They held hands, fingers laced, while Ron stood off to the side, uneasily. Harry had just started to notice the change in Ron when he and Hermione were together.
Professor Sprout, a short, pleasantly plump woman wearing a pointy hat and garden gloves entered the greenhouse after a few minutes of down time between the blocks.
"Good afternoon, class," she started as the students muttered their good-afternoons. Professor Sprout smiled as she looked around the greenhouse at the class each in turn. "Well, today is an important day for all of you." The class shared nervous glances. Of course, this could mean anything from a pop-quiz to a new, deadly plant.
"Today we will be starting a new project." The class groaned as one. A quiz would have been better than that. "This project will be a long- term project, and I will be assigning you each a partner."
Harry crossed his fingers hoping that his partner was Hermione, though there was a pang of doubt deep in his mind that it wouldn't be so.
Professor Sprout continued to explain the project.
"This project will involve each of you – in groups of course – researching a magical plant, discussing their magical properties in a five- to-ten minute presentation to the class at the end of your research time."
Hermione raised her hand tentatively.
"Yes, Miss Granger?"
"How long will we have to research the project?"
"Three weeks. I have compiled a list of the plants you may choose from. They are each found either here or at Hagrid's in his garden. He's graciously agreed to nurture the plants specifically for this purpose.
"Now then, to assign the partners..."
She began listing off people. It was a while before she got to Harry and Ron.
"Potter, you'll be working with Mr. Finnigan."
Harry, though a little hurt that he wouldn't be working with Hermione didn't mind working with Seamus. They'd been friends since their first year at Hogwarts.
"Mr. Weasley, you'll be working with Miss Patil."
Parvati gave a disgusted groan as Ron sighed. That would be an...interesting group.
"And finally, Miss Granger will be working with Mr. Malfoy."
Hermione expected Malfoy to give her an evil grin, but when she looked up at him, he had a resigned look on his face. His Slytherin pals, though, snickered. For once, he looked out of place.
Harry squeezed her hand and she gave him a tiny smile. He leaned down to speak into her ear.
"You going to be okay?" he asked.
Though she felt completely rotten, she nodded. Maybe Malfoy would give her a break and they'd actually get some work done. Her plan was to get the project done as soon as possible and have as little contact with Malfoy as possible. Malfoy appeared to be avoiding her stare.
"So, anyway, now that we've got that out of the way, we can get started," Professor Sprout said with a smile, oblivious to the unease that had settled over the class.
It was going to be a long Herbology class.
The Herbology Project
Ron could see that Harry was fuming, and hated it. It reminded him of how Harry had been their last year at Hogwarts. But that was behind them. Everything was okay now...for a while.
Why did Malfoy have to be so antagonizing? He thought to himself as he and Harry stopped in a deserted classroom so that Harry could let out his frustration without being seen, or more importantly, mocked by Slytherins.
Harry leaned against the wall and slid slowly to the floor, pulling his knees to his chest. He sobbed silently to himself.
"Oh Ron –"he struggled as his eyes got watery. "I can't believe I just did that..."
Ron didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing, so he just stood uncomfortably before Harry, waiting for him to say more.
"I should have stopped myself," he said bitterly "I told myself I'd try to get along since I asked Hermione to be my girlfriend."
Ron took a seat beside Harry and, hesitating at first, put an arm around Harry's shoulders, trying to comfort him. He half expected Harry to shrug him away, but Harry leaned into him, accepting the pat on the shoulder.
"Harry...stop crying. You know Malfoy thrives on making you mad. None of that stuff was..."
His voice trailed off as he thought about what he was saying. What if some of the stuff Malfoy said was true? Not for him, but for Harry...
Perhaps that was why Harry was so shook up over Malfoy's comments.
"Harry...I'm sorry."
Harry looked up, his face tear stained as he struggled to stem the tears.
"What?"
"I'm sorry," he went on. "About what Malfoy said."
Harry chuckled, trying to wipe away the hurt inside him.
"Ron – it wasn't your fault."
Ron felt a tinge of guilt in his stomach, and went on. "But, I think some of it is." Harry looked up, a little confused, but Ron continued. "I had a feeling someone would spread rumors about us. You know – being...close."
"Ron – you know that's just Malfoy trying to get a rise out of you –"
"But it did more than that!" Ron said, his turn to get upset. "He's right, you know. I don't have a girlfriend. That's more that enough for someone to make assumptions."
"Ron, we know you're not..." His voice trailed off.
"I know that you know," Ron went on. "But the Slytherins are going to spread rumors, and I'll never be able to live them down."
Harry knew where Ron was coming from. He, too, had been expecting this. But, there was nothing they could do about it now. They'd just deny it if it were brought up again.
"Look, Ron – I'll always be here for you."
Ron smiled as Harry got up and offered him a hand.
"Now, come on. Hermione's waiting in the Great Hall for us."
Draco doubled over his stomach as he gasped for breath.
Well, he thought to himself. So much for starting anew and gaining more respect.
He was surrounded by a group of Slytherin's who continued to ask him if he were okay. Once he caught his breath, he replied, "I...I'm fine..."
Why did I have to do that? He asked himself in his head. He had wanted to be a better person so bad the night before, and now he'd blown it. I'll try again later, he thought to himself.
Suddenly, Snape appeared in the doorway of the Dungeon and came out to see what all the commotion was about.
"What's going on here?" he asked as he watched the crowd of students. He looked down to see Draco straightening up and gave him an expectant glance. "Malfoy? What's going on here?"
This was his chance. He could get even with Harry and he'd be set.
But, he waved it off.
"It was nothing, Professor," he replied to the shock of his classmates. "I just got a little woozy, that's all."
Snape gave him a penetrating stare for a few moments, then looked away.
"Alright then. You'd better go on to lunch."
Hermione looked up to see Harry and Ron walking into the Great Hall. They looked exceptionally happy after their horrible Potions class.
"Well, you two look like you're in good moods," she said as Harry sat next her, giving her a kiss on the cheek while Ron sat opposite them.
"Well, your note was really nice," Harry said as he started piling things on his plate.
"So you liked it, then?" she asked as she glanced over at Ron who grinned. She shrugged and continued eating.
Harry looked up after a while to spot Malfoy entering the Great Hall, heading towards the Slytherin table, accompanied by a group of Slytherins who continued to ask him if he were okay.
Hermione looked to see what he was looking at, and sighed when she spotted what it was.
"Did he do something again?" she asked as Ron avoided her eyes.
"Yeah, but it was nothing," Harry replied as he reached down and began searching for something in his bag. He found it after a few minutes of rummaging. Hermione smiled when she looked up at him, surprised when he handed her a messily folded piece of parchment. "This is for you," he said as he gave it to her.
"Harry, what's this?" she asked as she held the note in her hand.
"It's not as neat as yours was, but –"Harry started as he continued eating. "I hope it's just as meaningful."
Hermione smiled as she awed over the note. She'd never really received a real note from someone before.
"Harry – you're too sweet." she said as she gave him a peck on the cheek.
Harry smiled and Ron, again, looked a little down.
Lunch soon ended, and they made their way out to Herbology class in Greenhouse 7.
It was a nice day and Harry wished they were outside instead of being in a muggy greenhouse all block. But, it wasn't that bad. He was with Hermione and that made everything better. They held hands, fingers laced, while Ron stood off to the side, uneasily. Harry had just started to notice the change in Ron when he and Hermione were together.
Professor Sprout, a short, pleasantly plump woman wearing a pointy hat and garden gloves entered the greenhouse after a few minutes of down time between the blocks.
"Good afternoon, class," she started as the students muttered their good-afternoons. Professor Sprout smiled as she looked around the greenhouse at the class each in turn. "Well, today is an important day for all of you." The class shared nervous glances. Of course, this could mean anything from a pop-quiz to a new, deadly plant.
"Today we will be starting a new project." The class groaned as one. A quiz would have been better than that. "This project will be a long- term project, and I will be assigning you each a partner."
Harry crossed his fingers hoping that his partner was Hermione, though there was a pang of doubt deep in his mind that it wouldn't be so.
Professor Sprout continued to explain the project.
"This project will involve each of you – in groups of course – researching a magical plant, discussing their magical properties in a five- to-ten minute presentation to the class at the end of your research time."
Hermione raised her hand tentatively.
"Yes, Miss Granger?"
"How long will we have to research the project?"
"Three weeks. I have compiled a list of the plants you may choose from. They are each found either here or at Hagrid's in his garden. He's graciously agreed to nurture the plants specifically for this purpose.
"Now then, to assign the partners..."
She began listing off people. It was a while before she got to Harry and Ron.
"Potter, you'll be working with Mr. Finnigan."
Harry, though a little hurt that he wouldn't be working with Hermione didn't mind working with Seamus. They'd been friends since their first year at Hogwarts.
"Mr. Weasley, you'll be working with Miss Patil."
Parvati gave a disgusted groan as Ron sighed. That would be an...interesting group.
"And finally, Miss Granger will be working with Mr. Malfoy."
Hermione expected Malfoy to give her an evil grin, but when she looked up at him, he had a resigned look on his face. His Slytherin pals, though, snickered. For once, he looked out of place.
Harry squeezed her hand and she gave him a tiny smile. He leaned down to speak into her ear.
"You going to be okay?" he asked.
Though she felt completely rotten, she nodded. Maybe Malfoy would give her a break and they'd actually get some work done. Her plan was to get the project done as soon as possible and have as little contact with Malfoy as possible. Malfoy appeared to be avoiding her stare.
"So, anyway, now that we've got that out of the way, we can get started," Professor Sprout said with a smile, oblivious to the unease that had settled over the class.
It was going to be a long Herbology class.