Pothead and Weasel

First day's lessons were harder than Hermione expected; she knew it was her NEWT year and that she would have to study and pay attention extra hard, but all of the new things she learned today and all of the homework she and her fellow students received is a mark of how tough her seventh year is actually going to be.

Harry and Ron followed her eagerly to her common room after supper; they were anxious to see how luxurious the Head Boy and Girl actually lived.

"Oh, more boys!" The black haired mermaid declared once the trio approached the portrait. She batted her eyelashes at Harry and Ron while the other mermaids wandered over to see the boys for themselves.

"Hello!" The blond mermaid greeted. "Wow, aren't you two cute!"

Hermione had to pull both Harry and Ron through the portrait hole by their ear after saying the password because both Harry and Ron seemed to have become so entranced with the mermaids that you'd think they were Veela's.

"Ouch! Okay, okay, I'm in." Ron said, pushing away Hermione's hand and rubbing his now red ear. "What'd ya do that for? I was going to ask her out!"

"Oh, yeah." Hermione replied. "You two could have a swell old time up in her portrait!"

Ron made to open up his mouth to retort, but a meaningful look from Harry made him shut it quickly.

"Wow, this place is so cool." Harry said.

"Yeah." Ron agreed. "You'd think Dumbledore lived here or something!"

"I expect it's a bit of a shock for you to see a place where your whole family may be able to fit in comfortably, huh Weasley?" A voice smirked.

"Malfoy." Harry growled.

"Pothead." Malfoy replied.

"I'm surprised you showed up after everything that happened last year." Harry said. "I would have thought you'd be too ashamed to show your face."

"Shut up, Potter." Malfoy warned dangerously.

"No one seems to care though, huh?" Harry continued.

"Harry…" Hermione began.

"Old Lucius snuffs it because of his stupid weakness to make his own decisions, and no one even turns a head. Well, I suppose several people turned heads. Of course, these were happy heads. Finally, Lucius is gone. Great news to the magical world-"

"Harry!" Hermione cried.

Malfoy had lunged himself at Harry, his hands closing tightly around Harry's neck.

"Finally, I'll be able to commit the murder that none on the Dark side had been able to commit. And I can do it without magic, too." Malfoy sneered. His hands closed tighter around Harry's neck.

Ron reacted quickly. He dived into the fight, trying to pull Malfoy off of Harry. Malfoy released one of his hands from Harry's neck and elbowed Ron in the face, causing Ron to fly off of him. However, the release of one of Malfoy's hand's around Harry's throat came very much to Harry's advantage; he quickly withdrew his wand from his pocket, aimed it directly at Malfoy and said, "Uforia!"

Malfoy levitated several inches from the ground and his hands flung up and over his head, bound together so he appeared as though invisible ropes were hanging him from the ceiling.

Ron, massaging his jaw, gave a hearty laugh. Hermione gasped, while Harry stood up, not showing any indication that he had just almost been strangled.

Harry walked over to where Malfoy was hanging by his invisible ropes. "Malfoy, your father was a good for nothing idiot who lived his life by the orders of a lunatic. He deserved to die for all of the people that he hurt, and if you're smart you'll choose not to follow in his path." Harry turned to Ron and Hermione. "Come on, let's do our homework in the library." And with that, he turned on his heel and left.

Ron smiled evilly at Malfoy before following closely behind Harry, but Hermione hesitated for a moment. She looked into Malfoy's cold gray eyes; however, she noticed a change. There was a look of sadness behind them, and he looked horrible with drops of blood pouring from his mouth; Harry's spell must have had more power in it then it should have had. Hermione quietly muttered a spell that released Malfoy before giving him a sympathetic look and pursuing Harry and Ron out of the common room.

"I hate him." Harry said, pacing back and forth down an aisle of books in the library. "Actually, I don't hate him. I loathe him. He got what he deserved, as did his father."

"Harry, that wasn't right." Hermione said. "Yes, Lucius hurt many people, and he was heavily influenced by Voldemort," (Ron winced), "And yes, maybe it wasn't such a bad thing for the world that Lucius died. But you shouldn't have said those things to Malfoy. He lost his father, for goodness sake! You should know better than anyone what that's like!"

"How dare you." Harry whispered. "HOW DARE YOU! You stand there and have the nerve to even slightly compare my father or Sirius to that slime ball! My dad and Sirius were good men who died to protect the wizarding world! Lucius was trying to destroy it! The whole Malfoy family all deserved everything they got! If you don't realize that then you're blind and stupid, Hermione."

Hermione's jaw dropped. "Harry, that's not what I meant-" she stammered. "It's just that-"

"Go away, I don't want to talk to you at the moment." Harry said.

"But Harry-"

"Go, Hermione!" Harry screamed, his eyes red and his expression angered.

Hermione did not need to be told thrice. She could tell Harry was very angry; after all, he had not spoken about his feelings towards Sirius's death since the end of their fifth year. She gathered her things and left after receiving a sympathetic look from Ron. She figured Harry just needed a little while to calm down before he realized that what he said was wrong. So, she headed back to her common room.

"Where are all the boys?" The redheaded mermaid asked as Hermione approached their portrait. She gazed around hopefully, looking for Malfoy, Harry, or Ron.

"Coconut Ice." Hermione said through gritted teeth. The portrait swung open and she climbed through it, exhausted and eager to finish her homework in peace. However, when she walked in the first thing she saw was Malfoy on the couch with yet another girl. She was blond and Hermione immediately recognized her as Emma Dobbs, a sixth year Slytherin. She was nibbling Malfoy's bottom lip and wearing nothing but a pink bra and matching pink underwear. Malfoy was in his boxers, and Hermione noticed Emma's hand down his them. His hands were squeezing her breasts harshly, causing her to slightly moan. Just as he was about to tear off her bra, Hermione cut in.

"Malfoy!" She bellowed.

Both turned to stare at her. Malfoy's face cracked into a smile, and Emma blushed, embarrassed.

"What the hell, Malfoy!" Hermione shouted. "She's a fucking year younger than you! Ugh! I sit on that couch! Disgusting!" She turned to Emma. "Miss Dobbs, you can leave now."

"But-" Emma began.

"NOW! Before I inform the Headmaster!" Hermione screamed.

Emma hurriedly dressed herself and gave Malfoy one last passionate kiss before she rushed out of the common room, still blushing madly.

Hermione turned to Malfoy, crossing her arms and looking expectantly at him.

Malfoy smirked. "Why do you always crash the party before it even gets good?"

"Malfoy this is our second day at Hogwarts and already you've had two girls come to my home. One was even younger than you! You're sick! Do it in your room or don't do it at all. Got it?"

"Oh calm down, mudblood." Malfoy said, stretching. "I needed a bit of a refreshment after my hard day of lessons.

"Then get a drink." Hermione snarled. "It wasn't the lessons and you know it. It was what Harry said and did. I know for a fact that you weren't like this last year. The stress and trauma of what happened to your father last year is driving you to allow yourself to be distracted by women. That's all this is. Now I'm sorry that Harry and Ron were jerks back there, but you shouldn't turn to women for sexual comfort because that's not all we are."

Malfoy yawned. "I'm going to my bedroom before I do something I regret, like breaking your sixth rule." He said the last couple words with a bit of sarcasm. He got up and strode towards his bedroom before she could say another word.