A/N - Oh wow, incredibly sorry for the wait, but I had to unexpectedly visit my mother for the weekend. IT WAS TORTURE! NO CABLE! NO COMPUTER! NO BOOKS! NO OUTSIDE CONTACT! AND SHE HOGGED THE PHONE! Ah well, I'm home at my dad's now so it's all good. I love my mom and all, but she can be a power-tripping dictator! She made me go to bed at 10! And no matter what time I go to bed, I don't actually fall asleep until 5 or 6 in the morning (I have no idea why), and she woke me up at 8! Sooo tired… but I will stay up to update just for you guys! YOU ARE SO AWESOME! AND A HAPPY LATE EASTER TO YOU ALL!

This was supposed to go up on Monday, but for some unknown reason, my cable/phone/internet company hadn't put all of the bills on one bill as they should. So my dad, thinking that all of the bills were together- only paid the cable bill. So the phone wasn't working and nor was the internet. Pwz PWZ PWZ forgive me. The only things that will keep me from not continuing this fic are school, death, or in this case - a lack of internet availability.


HUGZ to butlerphan666 (I know I have been making the teachers OOC, but I can't help it! I will try to keep them in character from now on) and mrs. skywalker,

"characters talking"

'characters thinking'

sound in the story

action done in story

Min is McGonagall, Lorelei is Vector, and Parvulus is Flitwick.


Recap - In a corner of the room stood Professor McGonagall who was there simply to " make sure they didn't do anything too drastic" had a rather alarmed look on her face.

"Pst, Albus."

"Yes, Min?"

"Remind me to tell the house elves to not let Parvulus eat anymore sugar."


Chapter 3

Breakfast in the Great Hall wasn't what anyone would call normal. Everyone, even the younger years, knew not to bother anyone from Gryffindor or Slytherin that morning. The only sounds that could be heard from either table were the scarce sounds of golden forks clanking against their matching plates. Ron Weasley was among the very few eating; mind you, he was devastated about being in the same group as Crabbe and Goyle, but there were more important matters, like feeding a bottomless pit. Harry was looking at the inconsolable Hermione with sympathy, while thinking the same exact thing she was thinking.

'I'm stuck in a group with a bloody git'

Glaring at Hermione and Harry from the Slytherin table was Draco Malfoy, who was also thinking along the same lines as our beloved Hermione and Harry.

At the staff table, a certain number of professors were glancing at each other nervously. They, like Malfoy, Harry, and Hermione were thinking the same thing.

'We screwed up.'

The silence was finally broken by the roar of hundreds of owls delivering mail to their respective addresses.

Oomph

"Honestly, I don't understand why Mum still lets Errol deliver mail. He does this to me almost every morning since school started."

Hermione, breaking out of her trance said,

"What's it say?"

"The same old, same old, dad's doing well with his new ministry job, she's happy with her volunteer work, don't forget to write home every now and then, etc., etc."

Arthur Weasley was now the head of the Department of Muggle Related Magical Incidents, which incorporated everything relating to muggles. This department was a result of the expansion of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Department. The deserving Mr. Weasley now was being paid triple of what he was being paid before.

"That's good to hear," said Harry a bit dully.

"Come now Harry, it's not that bad. You've only got Malfoy. I've got Crabbe and Goyle."

"You've got it easier Ron! Crabbe and Goyle don't have the minds to come up with insults like Malfoy does, even if they put their minds together!"

"Ohhaaa, I guess you're right 'Mione. Sorry bout that."

"That's okay Ron," said Hermione on the outside, Hermione on the inside however…

'Yeah, it's okay that your mind is on a permanent mind lapse!'


Bell rang and potions class had started. Professor Snape was in a weird mood. Instead of coming into class the nanosecond bell rang, he came into class a whole five minutes early! Hermione, scared out of her wits, well almost, stared on in horror as she thought to herself.

'Oh God! Is the world coming to an end? First the study groups and now this! What is wrong with the world today?'

and for the first time in history, Hermione Granger didn't take notes in class.


"Amor," said Hermione to the portrait that opened up to the heads' dorm.

The portrait of the Hogwarts' crest swung open and Hermione walked into the common room and sat down on the couch.

"Good, that git isn't here."

Yawn

Stretch

Hermione was extremely tired; it had been a long day and she was actually glad to be in her dorm for once. Professor Snape had been acting strange all throughout potions. He hadn't scolded Neville even once, nor had he made a slash at Gryffindors. Professor McGonagall had assigned bookwork instead of the usual hands on classes that they usually had; not only that, but she had also spent class talking to Professor Dumbledore who had made a class appearance. She couldn't think anything could have gotten any worse until it was time for Care of Magical Creatures, until she arrived to class to find out that Hagrid had cancelled class due to "minor injuries." She knew better though; the bundgerdolts got him. Lunch had then come and Hermione had decided to pay a visit to Hagrid in the hospital wing, but Hagrid wasn't there, nor was Madam Pomfrey. Things had actually gone worse after lunch. For one thing, she had Arithmancy with Malfoy. For another, Professor Vector had announced yearly project partners and she had been stuck with Malfoy, and for some odd reason unknown to muggle and magic alike, Professor Flitwick now had seating arrangements. At first, this didn't seem to strange to Hermione, until she realized that only she and Malfoy were the only ones who were moved, next to each other – once again, she got stuck with Malfoy. At least now she was safe in her common room, free of strange acting teachers and Malfoy.

"Hey, mudblood."

On second thought…

"What do you want?" said Hermione, ignoring the insult with closed eyes.

"Nothing. I was bored."

"Well go be bored somewhere else." Said Hermione, her eyes still closed; trying to convince herself that this wasn't happening.

"I don't want to."

"Why not?" said Hermione with Increasing anger and annoyance.

"Because annoying you is much more fun."

"Well too bad. I have more important things to do."

"Such as?"

'Trying to convince myself you aren't there.'

"Studying."

"HA! I knew it. Bookworm through and through."

Sigh

"Whatever, Malfoy."

"Hey mudblood."

"What?"

"Did you notice anything strange about today?"

'HE NOTICED IT TOO?'

"No…"

"Oh… okay…" said Malfoy with obvious doubt, " well this was boring. I'll just go torture some first years."

"You do that."

"Okay..."

Malfoy started for the portrait, looking back at Hermione with a look of suspcion.

'Something is obviously going on with the staff. I don't know what, but I know she sensed it too, and I won't stop until I find out.'


A/N – I know it is really really short but I'm sorry. I promise Hermione/Draco confrontations in the next chapter. I seriously need some sleep but before that, a shower and I also need to get a start on this week's geography hw. (God I'm such a Hermione) Sorry! But I promise my next update will be longer; I have almost the entire fic planned out in my head so my chapters will come out relatively on time. Once again sorry and please… REVIEW! – Monday's a/n

Today's A/N – Since Monday I've added more to this chapter, and hopefully you all will found it to your liking. I'm not exactly in the humor-writing mode right now. I will, however, try to incorporate some in the next chapter, and I didn't put in the hermione/draco confrontations I expected. I will put them in the next one though. Hopefully it will go up Sunday.

And wow, isn't the new rating confusing?