Disclaimer: Harry Potter and everything you recognize belongs to J.K. Rowling, the plot however is all mine.
A/N: What a nightmare, I had no internet when I went on vacation! Yet somehow I survived, and now I am able to post chapter three. Thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 2!
totally-spaz – That's ok that you can't see where it's going yet, cause it's still in the introduction stage. This chapter might help sort it out a little bit, but the main plot hasn't really begun yet. Anyway, thanks for the review, and I hope you like chapter 3!
Chantal J and Sam, anIme-prYncess, Sunflower18, Sayaku-chan – thanks for the reviews! Hope you all like this chapter!
Steelo – thanks for the review! I hope the update didn't take too long!
FallenThrough – lol yup, famous last words. I'm glad you liked it, and thanks for the review!
Londonmalfoy – thank you! I'm always happy to hear that the characters seem in character. And thanks for the clarification about the nundu, who knows, since nundus are giant leopards, maybe some of them are panthers . . .
Chapter 3: Sixth Year Begins
The morning of the first day of classes, Draco awoke in a relatively good mood. It wasn't that he was looking forward to class; it was just that he was looking forward to having something to do all day other than order around the house elves and wander through the Manor. Draco was rather good in school, in fact of it wasn't for the pathetic mudblood, he would be the best. He hated her for beating him in school just as much as he hated her for being one of Potty's sidekicks and for being a filthy mudblood.
Draco showered and dressed before any of his dorm mates had even awoken. He looked down upon them as they continued sleeping. Naturally, since he was born to be the center of the universe, Draco's bed was in the center of the room. To his left were Crabbe and Goyle, and to his right were Zabini and Nott, all of whom seemed to exist to do his bidding. Although Crabbe and Goyle were the ones who always followed Draco everywhere, Zabini and Nott always obeyed any orders Draco gave to them as well. They were certainly more intelligent than either Crabbe or Goyle, but then again, that wasn't saying much.
Draco sneered at the lazy bums before him, and decided to give them a wakeup call. He picked up his bag, walked out of the room, and slammed the door behind him so hard that it seemed to rattle the thick stone walls. Much to his pleasure, he heard four loud grunts followed closely by a series of thuds as his dorm mates fell out of their beds and hit the floor. Draco chuckled to himself with satisfaction as he walked up the stairs to the common room.
"I thought that might have been you," said Pansy as soon as Draco stepped into the common room.
Draco smirked, "well the lazy arses needed something to wake them up."
"I'm sure they did," smiled Pansy.
"Well, since we're both up, care to go to breakfast?" suggested Draco, knowing full well that Pansy would jump into a pit full of blast-ended skrewts without her wand if he asked her to, so there was no question that she would leap at the chance to join him alone for breakfast as well. It was amazing to him how excited she got about doing things with him considering the fact that they had all the same classes together already.
The two Slytherins walked up the stairs leading to the Entrance Hall alone, 'perhaps it's earlier than I thought,' mused Draco, smirking even more at the thought of how his housemates must be taking their early wakeup call.
Draco and Pansy were among the first students in the Great Hall that morning, which was how Draco liked it. While he greatly enjoyed being the center of attention, he also valued his alone time, especially at school when one was never truly alone. It was difficult to have any privacy at school when he felt as though he was always being watched. It was something about the way Dumbledore looked at him, as if he was seeing through him, like Draco could keep nothing from the crazy old man. It was a feeling Draco despised, and one which he was determined to rectify by the end of the year. A devilish smirk spread over his lips as he thought of his task and the devastation he would cause upon completion of it.
Draco and Pansy had already gotten a good head start on their breakfasts before the rest of the student body began arriving. It wasn't long before Draco's cronies and Pansy's gang of Slytherin girls joined them at the table.
Halfway through breakfast, Professor Snape and the other Heads of Houses passed out the class schedules to each of the students. Draco took one glance at his schedule and scowled in disgust, 'why the hell do I always have to have so many classes with the blasted Gryffindors?' He glanced down the list, arithmancy was with the Ravenclaws, Herbology was with the Hufflepuffs, but Care of Magical Creatures, Potions, History of Magic and Transfiguration were all with Gryffindor. "Shit," muttered Draco.
Pansy, who had been too busy gazing at Draco to even glance at her schedule, looked down to see what the problem was, and she too scowled, "it's like those stupid Gryffindors live just to make our lives more difficult."
- - - - - - - - - -
Hermione tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for Harry and Ron to get their butts down to the common room. "Would you two hurry up? We're going to be late for breakfast!"
"Calm down, calm down, we're coming," answered Ron as the two boys tromped down the stairs.
Hermione was practically bouncing up and down in her seat when Professor McGonagall came by with the class schedule. But Hermione's excitement about starting school was dampened considerably when she saw how many classes they had with the Slytherins this year. "We have four classes with them! I can't believe it!"
Harry and Ron sulked in agreement (even though since they did not take Arithmancy, they only shared three classes with Slytherin), but continued eating without a word. Hermione particularly hated having potions with the Slytherins because Snape treated the Gryffindors even worse around the students from his own house. Plus, she found it absolutely disgusting how much he so obviously favored the Slytherins over everyone else. She also hated having care of magical creatures with the Slytherins because they, Malfoy especially, were so cruel to Hagrid; she hated seeing his spirits dampened by their rude comments, not to mention their unending attempts to get him sacked.
She could tell that Mondays were going to be a nightmare because they had every class with the Slytherins. She sighed when the bell rang because today was Monday and not only did they have to be with the Slytherins, but their first class was History of Magic, she always did her best to stay alert and take decent notes in that class, but Professor Binns made it extremely difficult. She hated having History of Magic first because it made her sleepy for the rest of the day, and if she had learned anything in five years at Hogwarts, it was that one always had to be on their toes and alert when one was around the Slytherins, especially when that one was a muggle-born Gryffindor, and one of Harry Potters best friends.
The three Gryffindors shuffled to the History of Magic classroom, the boredom seemed to settle in even before Professor Binns arrived. It was quite upsetting really. Hermione, Ron, and Harry settled themselves in the back of the room. Hermione took out her parchment notebook, a quill and bottle of ink. Ron put his arm around Hermione, but did not take out any note-taking supplies. Harry took out his parchment notebook and a quill, but did not appear to intend to use them since he had forgotten to take out his ink.
Just before the bell rang, the Slytherins arrived. Malfoy and his two cronies Crabbe and Goyle went straight to the table in the back corner on the other side of the room, completely disregarding the fact that Neville, Dean, and Seamus were already seated there. "What the hell do you three think you're doing?" Malfoy drawled with a sneer.
Neville jumped and immediately started getting up to move, but Seamus was more stubborn. "We could ask you the same question Malfoy."
"This is where we sit, in case you are too stupid to notice, this is the Slytherin side of the room, so get off your arses and move!"
Neville jumped, but Dean held him back. The Slytherins were all sniggering; the Gryffindors meanwhile were glaring indignantly at Malfoy's gall. "You can't do anything to us," argued Dean. Both he and Seamus had remained in their seats.
"Keep talking to me like that and I'll take points from Gryffindor for disobeying orders and talking back to a prefect," drawled Draco threateningly.
Seamus looked like he would have loved to shout something obscene at Malfoy, but no one in the room had any doubt that Malfoy would love to take as many points from Gryffindor as possible their first day back. So, exercising all of their restraint, Seamus and Dean silently grabbed their stuff and pushed past the three Slytherins, with Neville following close behind.
The Slytherins were laughing and making catcalls at the as they passed, and the Gryffindors were all fuming. Poor Neville was so flustered that he tripped in the middle of the room, which only caused the Slytherins to laugh harder.
In the back of the room, Draco settled himself in the middle seat with Crabbe and Goyle on either side. He pushed his chair out a bit, and tipped it back so that he was balancing on the two back legs, with his legs crossed, and his shoes on the edge of the desk. He had his arms behind his head, which was facing the ceiling, and he looked ready for a nice long nap.
Hermione scoffed at Malfoy's audacity, he was such a complete jerk. Clearly, the summer vacation had only served to make him even more malicious than ever. But Hermione did not have time to focus on Malfoy's horrendous behavior, because Professor Binns had finally glided through the chalkboard as he always did, and she needed to pay attention.
- - - - - - - - - -
Remarkably, after that one incident in the beginning of the day, not much happened between Slytherin and Gryffindor, at least not until the last class of the day, Care of Magical Creatures. Harry, Ron and Hermione arrived ahead of everyone else so as to talk to Hagrid before class began.
"'ello there Harry, Ron, Hermione,' smiled Hagrid when he was the trio walking down towards his hut. "How's yer first day back?"
"All right," answered Harry as Hermione and Ron nodded in agreement.
"What sort of creature are we going to be studying today Hagrid?"
"Well, I figgered since it's yer first day back and all, I'd give you lot a bit of a treat," answered Hagrid with a wink.
The three friends looked at each other warily, a treat in Hagrid's mind often proved to be anything but. It often was something highly dangerous, and not always legal. But before they could press Hagrid about it further, the rest of the class, including the Slytherins (who all looked as if they would rather be elsewhere) approached the hut, and Hagrid began addressing the class.
" 'ello everyone! I've got a wonderful lesson planned fer today, so if you'll all just gather 'round I'll show you what we'll be studyin' today."
The class gathered around somewhat apprehensively, the Slytherins made sure to stick to the outside, they didn't trust anything Hagrid said or did, and they wanted to be sure that if whatever creature Hagrid had brought decided to attack, it would only be able to get the Gryffindors.
Hagrid reached into a wooden box and pulled out a tiny round bird with gold feathers. Most of the class ooed and ahhed (particularly the girls, and many, including most of the Slytherins pushed in closer to get a better view of the tiny golden bird. There were only two people in the class who did not share this reaction, Hermione was biting her lip and looking worried. Draco meanwhile was eying the wooden box, which no doubt was holding a bunch of the small birds captive, with a devious glint in his eye. Though the two had reacted very differently, the same initial thought had run though their head the moment they saw the golden bird.
"Now," said Hagrid with a smile on his face because of the class' reaction, "can anyone tell me what this is?"
Surprisingly, several people (most noticeably the quidditch players) raised their hands; Hermione for once was one who did not. The people around her instantly took notice of this, as did Hagrid, who called on Ron to answer.
"It's a snidget," Ron answered proudly.
"Correct, five points to Gryffindor, now can anyone tell me what the snidget was originally used for?"
Again, a large number of hands went up, "yes, Parvati?"
"Snidgets were what seekers originally chased after in quidditch games."
"Well done, another five points to Gryffindor."
Draco sneered; he hated it when Gryffindors earned points.
Finally, Hermione raised her hand, "But Hagrid," she began, "snidgets are endangered, how did you get them?" she hadn't wanted to ask the question, but if he had gotten them through anything but legal means then she had to know so she could convince him to get rid of them as soon as possible.
Draco smirked; he knew exactly why Granger was looking so worried. Odds are, the brainless oaf had gotten these snitches illegally, and she didn't want her half-giant friend getting in trouble again. Now he really wanted to open the box containing the other snidgets. He knew very well that it was illegal to even attempt to capture a snidget, so once they were free, the stupid half-giant would have to let them go and suffer the consequences, or risk having the Slytherins tell someone about him catching dozens of the stupid birds. He'd get a hefty fine either way, almost certainly be sacked from his teaching job, and perhaps even a small Azkaban sentence. Plus, to add to the enjoyment, the Gryffindors would be furious.
Hagrid was busy muttering a response to Hermione's question, (although he seemed to be avoiding providing an actual answer), so he did not notice Draco sneak around the students to the box. Draco could hear the small snidgets twittering away. He knelt down and slipped his wand out of his pocket; he aimed it at the lock and whispered "alohomora." The lock clicked open, and Draco turned to be sure that no one was watching, Hagrid was back to talking about the snidgets, although he was now stuttering and noticeably more nervous, but luckily, the class all had their eyes on him (or more likely, the snidget.)
"Now, I have a bunch of these snidgets in a box, so I want you all ter get together in groups of four, and I'll give one snidget to each group."
Draco immediately seized the opportunity before it was too late; he opened the door, and in a flash rejoined the group acting as if he'd been paying attention the entire time.
"Hagrid!" shouted Hermione as she saw was looked remarkably like little golden snitches flying away.
Draco made his way to the other side of the group sniggering at his own handiwork. Hagrid went wide-eyed in panic. The snidgets were flying around; "Round them up everyone!" he shouted waving his massive hands around. Draco however, directed the Slytherins away from the chaos.
Hagrid glared at the Slytherins and roared, "I said ter round them up!"
"But professor," Draco drawled calmly in response, something about his tone caused everyone, even the Gryffindors to listen. Hermione, who had also refrained from attempting to catch the snidgets, noticed that as he spoke, he placed his wand back inside his pocket. "As Granger, so kindly pointed out," he gestured towards Hermione, "snidgets are endangered, in fact, unless I'm much mistaken" his eyes glinted with malice, "they are classified as a quadruple X magical creature because of the severe penalty for harming and or capturing one. Isn't that correct?" Draco made sure to stress the fact that capturing a snidget was against the law just as much as harming one was.
Hagrid stared back at him dumbfounded, and the Gryffindors looked very concerned. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were glaring furiously at Malfoy.
"Isn't that correct, Professor?" Draco stressed the word professor and reveled in the reactions he was getting for his little stunt. The Slytherins were all sniggering and standing around him, and the Gryffindors looked absolutely dumbstruck, and at a loss for what to do next. Draco was pretending to actually be looking for an answer, so just to show Hagrid up, he turned to the trio. "Well, if our professor doesn't know the answer, then perhaps know-it-all Granger does," the Slytherin sniggers grew louder, "aren't I correct Granger?"
Hermione glared at Malfoy with lips so pursed that she looked startlingly like Professor McGonagall.
"Well?" Draco pressed with raised eyebrows.
Seeing no other option, Hermione looked away from him, but nodded nevertheless.
Draco's sneer grew even wider, and his tone was dripping with mock sincerity, "well Professor, it sounds to me as if you are engaging in illegal practices, and not only that, but you were clearly attempting to persuade your class to participate as well. I for one am ashamed and utterly shocked." The Slytherins nodded in agreement while trying to stifle their laughter. "As the responsible prefect that I am," Ron snorted at that comment, "I feel it is my duty to inform my Head of House of your irresponsible behavior. In fact, I think I'll go do that right now." And with that, Draco turned and stalked away with the all the Slytherins following him, none of them even attempting to bite back their laughter any longer.
Since he had successfully ruined Hagrid's first class of the year, Draco did as he'd threatened and went straight to Professor Snape. Although, once he'd gone into the dungeons, the rest of his housemates had turned towards the Slytherin common room, rather than follow him to Professor Snape's office.
"Professor?" Draco announced himself as he opened the door to Snape's office.
"Yes Mr. Malfoy?" answered the Potions Master in a cool whisper.
"Sir, I just thought I should inform you, the brainless oaf that Dumbledore's got teaching Care of Magical Creatures, just lost a crate full of snidgets. He tried to get everyone to capture them for him, but I promptly took the Slytherins away since we all know that's illegal." Draco finished with a smug look on his face.
Snape smirked with what could have been pride, "Thank you for telling me Draco, I will be sure to let the Headmaster know immediately."
Draco nodded and went on his way. He was still wearing a smug smirk as he entered the common room. Pansy was waiting for him, and just about charged the moment he entered, "Draco that was marvelous! Did you see the look on the Gryffindors faces?"
Draco chuckled, "nice way to start off the school year, don't you agree?"
"Absolutely, I don't know how Hagrid will be able to talk his way out of this one."
"That's the idea Pansy," Draco smiled with a devilish smirk.
Pansy clung to Draco's arm as he walked over to his favorite black leather couch. He dropped his bag at his side as Pansy settled herself next to him, clearly seeking his attention. But Draco was not in the mood for that at the moment, so instead he pulled out his assignments for the night and set to work.
"Aww Draco, you don't need to work now do you?"
"Well Parkinson, the homework doesn't do itself and since I intend to pass my classes, yes I need to do the work now." Draco narrowed his eyes at her.
Pansy huffed, "well fine then." She left Draco on the couch and went over to talk with the other Slytherin girls instead.
- - - - - - - - - -
Several Gryffindors, who seemed to have seen a point in what Malfoy had said, cautiously made their way to the castle after the Slytherins, although rather than laugh, they had given Hagrid sympathetic looks before walking away.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were the only ones who stayed behind. Hagrid placed the one snidget that he had been holding back into the box and relocked the lock. "Hagrid?" said Harry.
"I just thought it'd be a fun lesson," Hagrid sighed.
"It was fun," Harry insisted, Ron nodded eagerly at his side. Hermione however stayed behind them a bit.
Hagrid shook his head, "I'm in trouble now, I didn't think it'd be a problem ter bring 'em here, I shoulda locked the box back up."
"Hagrid don't blame yourself for them escaping!" cried Hermione finally, coming forward with the boys. "It was Malfoy who let the snidgets go! He must have unlocked the crate while you were talking to us because I saw him putting his wand back in his robes."
Hagrid shook his head again, "It don't matter, I'm the only one who had any responsibility fer them, I'm the one who will get in trouble. You were right Hermione, I shouldn't a 'ad 'em in the first place."
"Hagrid I'm so sorry," Hermione pleaded, she for some reason felt extremely guilty.
"Well if it was bloody Malfoy's fault then why did you have to agree with him when he was saying all that stuff?" shouted Ron, rounding on Hermione.
Hermione frowned at Ron, her guilt quickly turning into anger, "because it was the truth! What would you have done? Lie?"
Both the boys nodded as if this was obvious, "yeah!" shouted Ron, "I would have lied to protect Hagrid before telling the truth to prove Malfoy was right!"
Hermione scoffed and put her hands on her hips, "well, I'm sorry, but I can't do that!" With that she turned and began running back to the school.
"We'll stick by you Hagrid," Ron said loudly so that Hermione could hear him even though she was leaving.
"Now, now, don't you two go turnin' on Hermione 'cause of me. She's just doin' what's right," Hagrid said calmly.
"But you're our friend, and what's right is to defend your friends," argued Harry.
"I'm not arguin' with ya, I'm just sayin' don't be mad at her." Hagrid paused and looked up at the now snidgetless sky, "well, I better be gettin' ter Dumbledore and let 'im know 'bout the snidgets." Hagrid led Harry and Ron back to the castle.
Hermione had practically run all the way back to the Gryffindor common room, so by the time she entered she was out of breath, and still extremely angry. She stormed across the room and marched herself up to the dormitory where she threw herself on the bed. It had only been the first day and already she felt as if she'd been back at school for at least a month. She remained in the dormitory, staring up at the ceiling until she had calmed down.
After that, she glanced at her watch and found that there was still plenty of time before dinner to go get some of her homework done, so she grabbed her bag and made her way back down through the common room and through the halls to the library.
- - - - - - - - - -
The rest of the week didn't go much better for Hermione; Dumbledore had been forced to put Hagrid on probation from teaching once the Ministry got wind of the illegal snidgets he had been keeping. Hagrid was still performing his game-keeping duties, but Professor Grubbly-Plank had taken over teaching Care of Magical Creatures lessons. To make tensions between Hermione, Harry and Ron even worse, the students, Gryffindors included, seemed to support this decision, and Malfoy was forever gloating about it. Since she didn't want to be around her friends while they were mad at her, Hermione spent nearly the entire weekend, save mealtimes, holed up in the library getting overly ahead of her work.
Not seeing Hermione for the entire weekend seemed to snap both Harry and Ron (Ron especially) out of their anger phases, so Monday morning they both cornered her in the common room where she was reading before breakfast. "Hey Hermione," greeted Ron in a friendly whisper and a light kiss to her forehead.
Hermione pretended as if she hadn't heard and kept her face directed towards the book, although both of the boys noticed that her eyes had stopped moving across the page.
"Hermione we're both really sorry for overreacting the way we did, it was really stupid of us," continued Ron.
Hermione huffed in response as if to say 'damn right it was stupid.'
"So, can you accept our apology, we didn't mean to start the year off so bad and we really miss hanging out with you," Harry added.
Hermione was unable to continue pretending to ignore them, so she finally placed the book on the table, and looked at them with hopeful eyes, "You're really sorry?"
"Yeah!" they assured her.
Hermione smiled at the pair of them and gave them each a hug (though she also gave Ron a kiss on the cheek.) "Oh, I just hate it when you two are mad at me!" she cried. "And I'm sorry for not defending Hagrid; Malfoy just caught me off guard so I didn't know what to do."
"We understand," said Ron as he wrapped his arm around her waist.
This week, History of Magic passed without incident, but the same could not be said for the second class of the day, Transfiguration. The class began normal as usual Professor McGonagall was lecturing them about human transfiguration, which they were going to be actually practicing later in the year.
"Now class," Professor McGonagall said ten minutes before the class was to end. "I am going to divide you into pairs. Inside of class we will continue taking notes and practicing transfiguration. However as homework, you and your partner will study up on human transfiguration. It is wise to study together because eventually, you will be practicing on one another, so you need to trust you partner to perform the spell on you correctly." The students looked at one another warily. "As I already told you, human transfiguration can go terribly wrong if you're not careful, so I expect you all to work your hardest at it." Professor McGonagall stopped to retrieve something from behind her desk; the class meanwhile was looking rather nervous and mumbling to each other.
The mumbling ceased once Professor McGonagall stood and placed the Sorting Hat on her desk. "I would like you all to write your names on a spare bit of parchment. In order to avoid mindless complaints about the pairing of students, I have decided to use the Sorting Hat as an impartial selector. It will pair you off, and once you have been partnered, that is the final word on the subject, no exceptions."
The students looked even more anxious at this. They all knew that there was no negotiating with Professor McGonagall, so if they were paired with a member from the opposite house, they were on their own. After a moment, everyone had written their name on a scrap of parchment, and passed it forward. Professor McGonagall put all the names into the sorting hat and places it right side up on her desk.
The hat shifted back and forth as if thinking, but it was a good minute before it opened the tear that apparently was a mouth and shouted the first two names. "Parvati Patil and Seamus Finnegan."
There was a collective sigh of relief amongst the class, maybe the hat was pairing them with students in their own house after all, in which case the project would be no big deal.
The Sorting Hat spoke again, "Blaise Zabini, and Neville Longbottom."
The tension in the room went up even faster than it had released, maybe the rest of the students weren't as safe as they thought.
"Pansy Parkinson, and Millicent Bullstrode," announced the hat.
The rest of the class waited with anticipation. Some students were happy with their partners, others were rather upset, and they were throwing the students who got paired within their own house jealous looks. Harry had been paired with Theodore Nott, but Ron and Hermione had yet to be paired, of course, they were hoping to be paired with each other, but neither dared to get their hopes up too high.
The sorting hat spoke again, "Draco Malfoy," the remaining Gryffindors held their breath, each desperately hoping not to be paired with the most insufferable Slytherin, no make that the most insufferable student in the school, "and Hermione Granger."
Both Harry and Ron instantly shouted in protest, but Hermione just dropped her head on the desk with exasperation. Meanwhile Pansy had gasped indignantly and Draco scowled menacingly. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley quiet!" shouted Professor McGonagall. "I told you that all pairs were final, and that's that."
Harry and Ron gaped at their Head of House, "but Professor you can't seriously make her pair with Malfoy! He'd mess up the spell on purpose just to hurt her!" argued Ron as he put his arm protectively around Hermione.
In the back of the room, Draco and the other Slytherins were chuckling quietly. Draco especially rather enjoyed the idea of screwing up just to hurt Granger, not that he would in front of the class of course, he had his own grades to think about, but outside of class was an entirely different case.
Professor McGonagall gave the Slytherins a reprimanding look before turning to Ron, "Mr. Weasley I said that is enough." Professor McGonagall's face was flushed and she looked even sterner than usual. "The pairs will not be altered, and if I hear of anyone purposely harming their partner as a result of this project," she glared directly at Draco, who glared just as stubbornly back, "the consequences will be severe, is that understood?"
The Sorting Hat finished dividing the class into pairs (Ron was paired with Dean Thomas) and the students eagerly exited the classroom towards the Great Hall where lunch was being served. Hermione sat in between Harry and Ron, but they did not notice that Hermione was not touching her meal until Ginny arrived and said something about it. "Hermione, are you alright?"
Hermione shrugged and continued sticking her fork into the food, but not eating any of it. "Guys I'm not hungry, I'll see you in class." She got up and lifted her bag, but was prevented from leaving by Ron, who grabbed her arm.
"Where are you going?" he asked concernedly.
"Just to the library, I need to chill out for a while, get my mind on something else."
"Ok, later" Ron looked for a moment as if he was going to follow her, and then for some reason decided not to.
"What's up with her?" Ginny asked with a frown.
Harry and Ron told Ginny about Hermione and Malfoy being paired together for their transfiguration assignment.
"Oh poor Hermione, I don't blame her for being upset, I would be livid if I were her," commented Ginny once they were done.
The boys simply nodded in agreement.
- - - - - - - - - -
Draco was pretty proud of himself for the reaction he'd gotten from Granger and her two sidekicks when the Sorting Hat paired them together. Of course, Granger was just about the last person he would have chosen to be partnered with, although Potter, Weasley or Longbottom would be equally horrid. At any rate, although he hated to admit it, having Granger as a partner did have its up sides. For one, even though he absolutely hated her for it, he had no doubt that Granger would be able to successfully transfigure him correctly, so he needn't worry about that. Secondly, though he hated Granger, it was always fun to wind her up and get her angry, which would be all too easy to do now that they were partners. Thirdly, he wouldn't even have to do the research because Granger was bound to do all the grunt work anyway.
As he sat in the common room at the end of the day, he pondered the best way to rile Granger up while they were researching together. He could always use the usual method, call her a bushy-haired mudblood know-it-all, but he was getting rather bored of that, and it didn't have much of an effect lately either. The reaction was always the same, barely more than an eye-roll. Maybe this time he would go for a more subtle, yet ultimately more damaging approach. Taunting her about Weasley had had even more on an effect than he had hoped for, so perhaps he would opt for that method the next time he saw her.
"What are you thinking about?" Pansy, and a few other Slytherin girls had come by and were all looking at Draco curiously, no doubt wondering what that devilish smirk crossing his lips was for.
"Nothing much," answered Draco nonchalantly, "just deciding how best to torture Granger."
Pansy scoffed, "I can't believe you have to be paired with her!" Draco took note of the jealous twinge in her tone when she spoke.
"I'm planning on making the best of it," Draco said with a casual wave of his hand. He eyed the girls cunningly, "so any preferences for what hex I should hit her with first?"
The girls eagerly offered up suggestions, and by the end of the night half the house was sitting around together plotting elaborate demises for their three most hated Gryffindors.
- - - - - - - - - -
After the horrid transfiguration class in which Hermione got paired with the world's biggest prat, Hermione sat in the common room brooding. She had already gotten ahead on all her work, so she didn't even have that to distract her. Normally she would have gone ahead with researching human transfiguration; however that was the last subject she wanted to think about at the moment.
Finally, after allowing her to think by herself for long enough, Ron sat beside her and draped his arm around her shoulder. Hermione leaned up against him, simply enjoying his presence and knowing that he cared. "Are you gonna be alright?" he asked.
"I'll survive I suppose."
"Well, I'm coming with you when you have to study with him, I don't want him trying anything," Ron's face was set.
Hermione, who was not accustomed to being ordered around, glanced at him with a slight look of surprise. After thinking on it, she smiled and gave him a soft kiss, "that's very sweet of you Ron, but I don't want him thinking I'm afraid of him. That will only give him license to taunt me till the day I die, not as if he won't do that already, but still."
"I won't be obvious about it, I'll just be in the background, like a spy," insisted Ron.
"No really, I can handle Malfoy, I'm just not looking forward to it." When Ron looked as if he was going to continue arguing, Hermione took his hand in hers and kissed him again. "Trust me Ron, I can take care of myself. And it's not like he can really do anything to me while we're in the library. It will be fine."
Ron still looked as if he was going to argue, so Hermione leaned in and kissed him for a third time. This time Ron returned the kiss and then some. It was quite late when Hermione finally forced herself to stand. Only the thought of classes the following day seemed to provide her with enough motivation to move away from Ron.
"Goodnight Hermione," said Ron, who was still on the couch in a rather bemused state, he was smiling much wider than usual.
Hermione meanwhile was trying very hard to contain the butterflies which were fluttering furiously in her stomach. Sure, she and Ron had kissed before, but snogging like that, that was something entirely different, and it left Hermione feeling all giggly inside.
Alright, I promise that the main plot will begin next chapter (so no more HG/RW stuff, since I know many of you don't like that). Until then, I hope you enjoyed chapter three, and I'd love to hear what you think in a review!