Potions Again

"Hermione, if you're not going to eat your food, then don't bang on your plate." Ginny grabbed the fork out of Hermione's hand and placed it on the table.

"Whatever," Hermione replied. She began poking her eggs with a finger instead.

"Are you really not going to eat?" Ginny was now regarding her with a serious expression.

"No."

Ginny sighed. "The Hermione I know wouldn't be letting this situation get her down."

"Well, I've changed then." Finally she looked up at Ginny. "Everything's changed."

"Is it really so bad that they have?"

"I'm not doing such a good job, now, am I?"

"That's completely up to you. How 'bout instead of taking it out on your food, you go take it out on someone else?" Ginny gestured with her head towards the Slytherin table.

Hermione didn't even bother looking in Draco's direction. "There's no point. There's no point in anything…"

"You are seriously making me sick now."

Hermione ignored her and dared a peek at Draco. He was looking in her direction. Ok, so that hadn't changed. Hermione was going to look away once he looked down, but he didn't. He continued to look at her; his eyes flashed and Hermione couldn't turn away.

Ginny spoke again. "So you have noticed that he's still looking at you?"

That ended the staring match. Draco shot Ginny a dirty look, which she quickly returned.

"Whatever," Hermione replied. "It means nothing; he's made that quite clear."

"What do you mean, nothing!" A few Gryffindors turned to see who was yelling. Ginny lowered her voice. "It means nothing that every meal instead of eating he stares at you? Like you're naked or something…" she said, muttering the last part.

"I told you, he's a mental case, and a tricky one at that. So none of his bipolar behavior means anything unless he accompanies it with an explanation."

Ginny sighed. "I'm looking at you now, along with Draco (she gave a glance towards the Slytherin table to confirm her statement) and I can see that even you don't believe what you're saying."

Hermione didn't reply. Instead she was thinking about what Ginny was saying.

So he looked at her sometimes, but she doubted it was as often as Ginny made it seem. Hermione couldn't even confirm it because she avoided looking in Draco's direction during meals; it only made her feel worse than she already did. Like she'd said moments before, Draco had his own insane reasons for doing things. If he was thinking anything when he looked at her, it was most likely about ripping her heart out and stomping it into the ground.

"Besides," Hermione said, finally speaking, "he's about as cold as an iceberg when he does talk to me." Draco made sure not to speak to her any more than he was obligated to. Having been stuck together in Potions for what looked like the remainder of the year, Draco only spoke to her in that one class. Of course, it was only to tell her to get an ingredient or two, or to mix faster.

"Head duties?" Ginny asked.

"No more than necessary."

Ginny did not say anything for a while. "He still wants you," she said when she finally did speak.

"How do you get that from everything I just said?"

"You said yourself that he's crazy. Obviously the shock of being rejected by someone he actually has an interest in has made him, how do you say…"

"Cold?"

"Well, yes, but more specifically, unwilling to open up again for fear of being rejected. Again."

A ghost of a smile appeared on Hermione's face. "You should be a psychiatrist," she said.

"Why thank you."

"Because only someone who's spent years in study could spew out as much bull as you just did—without even thinking about it."

Ginny narrowed her eyes.

"I will, however, consider what you've just said very seriously," Hermione added. "But right now, I've got to go to Potions." She stood up and tapped Harry and Ron on the shoulders. "Let's go guys."

When the two boys were finally finished stuffing their faces, the trio headed to the Great Hall exit. Hermione turned around and caught Ginny's eye.

"Thanks," she mouthed just before she disappeared into the hallway.

"And the effect of this potion," Snape tapped the board for what seemed like the billionth time, "is to give the drinker the power to read minds. So, for those of you who have studied Occlumency," here Snape passed a disdainful glare over Harry, "you may be lucky enough to keep your mind from being probed." He paused again. "The effects of the potion will wear off once you have been kicked out of your partner's mind." The professor walked over to his chair and sat down. "Begin," he said, and proceeded to begin grading the papers on his desk.

Snape is always grading papers, Hermione thought. So then what does he do with his free time? She began to ponder this question when Draco's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"I'm going to get the ingredients," he said. When he returned, he was holding all but one of the jars they needed.

"You're missing the last one," Hermione observed. "I'll get it." Draco said nothing.

Why am I always getting the last ingredient? Hermione thought as she walked to the back of the room. And why doesn't he just ask me to help him instead of nearly dropping everything?

Hermione returned to the front of the room with the last jar. Draco had already started adding ingredients to the cauldron. He took the jar when she placed it on the table and added three pieces of the strangely-colored herb.

"You can start mixing," he said and stared at the board.

And why am I always mixing? She picked up the ladle and began to stir.

"The other direction is better," Draco said.

Hermione switched the direction in which she was stirring.

"Maybe a little faster," he said when she began again.

Hermione couldn't take it anymore. "Why don't you just show me how to do it, since you obviously know what you're doing?"

Draco said nothing but took the ladle from her and started stirring.

"I don't understand why you have to be so lazy," he said after a few minutes of silence.

"Lazy! You won't let me do anything. Here," Hermione said, reaching for the ladle, "I'll finish."

"Don't bother," he said pushing her hand away. "It's almost done."

"Can you tell me why you're being such a jack—"

"Miss Granger." Snape stood and walked over to their desk. "Mister Malfoy. I assume you two are finished with your potion early—again?"

Draco stirred for a few seconds more before he removed the ladle from the cauldron. "Now we are," he replied.

"Well, then, go ahead and test it."

Hermione reached for a vial before the professor could suggest that Draco take it. She grabbed a ladle and spilled a bit of the potion into the vial, then turned to face Draco. The class quieted down. Potions by Draco and Hermione were always good.

Hermione drank the potion and focused her gaze on Draco's face. She closed her eyes as the potion took effect.

I wonder when she's going to get here, Draco thought. Better get ready for when she does.

Because you wouldn't want her hearing any of your million thoughts about her, his conscience said.

I don't have a million thoughts about her, Draco fought back.

You're right; it can't possibly be that many, just a lot.

Hermione heard this whole exchange but did nothing. She waited to see how long it would take him to figure out that she was already there.

Draco's conscience continued talking. So even if she did hear what you actually thought, what would be so bad about that?

Maybe she doesn't deserve to know.

That you actually care? And why you really can't bear talking to her? his conscience asked.

Yes. Draco's thoughts paused for a second. Someone was listening, that someone being Hermione, of course.

So she's in, his conscience noted. You'd better get her out before she finds out something interesting…

"I'm trying," Draco said aloud.

Even Snape paid attention when Draco said this. Everyone stared as Draco closed his eyes and an uncomfortable expression crossed his face. Finally, both he and Hermione opened their eyes.

"Hmmm," she said.

"Well, did it work?" Snape asked.

"What did you hear?" someone yelled out.

"Quiet." The professor turned back to Hermione.

"Oh…yes, professor," she replied.

"Very well…I guess you can try it too, Mister Malfoy."

How does that even make sense when I just said that it worked? Hermione reluctantly handed Draco a vial and he began to pour the potion into it.

Well, I have no intention of letting him read my thoughts. Draco swallowed the potion and turned towards Hermione. Instead of closing his eyes, however, he fixed his gaze on her face. She had no choice but to return the stare; as if eye contact were required with the person who was trying to read your mind.

Hermione could feel his presence as soon as he drank the potion. He's in. the idea of panicking crossed her mind before she decided that kicking him out would be wiser. Anything but a thought about Draco. Get him out, get him out…

Suddenly, Draco's head snapped back. Hermione closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. She turned away from his direction and opened her eyes.

"Well, that was rather…quick," Snape said. He turned away and returned to his desk. "You two are done, I guess," he said, sitting down. "Would you mind handing in your theory on why Mister Malfoy was kicked out so quickly?" The professor said nothing more and began to grade the papers that were covering his desk.

And I didn't even have to read his mind to know he would say that, Hermione thought.