Chapter 11

Back at Hogwarts...

Hermione had just finished translating the spell. She was satisfied that she had everything correct. Now the only thing that confused her was the contents of the spell. It was some sort of spell in conjuring up your own wand. She couldn't figure why Malfoy couldn't just have his father buy him another. Oleander's had tons to choose from. She knew he could afford it.

She heard the clock in the courtyard strike six."Oh bugger everyone will already be down to dinner." She grabbed her robe and ran to the Great Hall.'I hope Ron and Harry haven't eaten everything',she thought with a small smile. Those two boys had bottomless pits for stomachs.

She was rounding the corner when someone called her name."Miss Granger, how nice to see you again."

"Hello Professor Camelton, are you on your way to dine?"She asked as he walked up beside her."Why yes I am,"He held out his arm to her,"May I escort you young lady?" She smiled at his playfulness and took his arm. "So are you excited about the banquet?"

"Actually, no, I'm more anxious for classes to begin really. The banquet is not my idea of fun."

"Oh and why is that, a young lady your age should want to eat and dance with her friends, and maybe a special someone." He gave her a wink and she blushed. " Not really sir, I don't have anyone special and I really can't dance well."She said watching her feet as they walked. They were at the Hall's doors.

"Well that's to bad Miss Granger, were here, I guess I will see you in class on Monday." He let go of her arm and went inside. She peeked inside to find that Harry and Ron were already stuffing their faces. She went in and sat beside them.

"...and you should have saw his face! Really Hermione, he looked like Voldemort himself had jumped out at him instead of little ol' me. He got me good that one did! "

Ron was relaying to her the days events. She had forgotten about the surprise party today but Ginny had made sure he got his gift from her."Thank you Hermione for the new quill,"Harry said holding up the quill. She had gotten it from a catalog from America it was the shape of a miniture broomstick.

"I'm glad you like it Harry."She smiled and looked to the clock. She sighed, tonight was her night to patrol. She wished everyone a goodnight as they got up to make way to the dorms. She was almost the last out of the Hall. She scanned a few corridors only finding a few Prefects getting some first years into their dorms. They made her job easier that way.

She yawned. She had been up all night trying to get that damn spell translated so she missed sleep. She turned to the direction of her room."OW!" She yelped as she ran into something and fell down.

"Do I make you weak in the knees Granger?" Even though it was pitch black the cunning voice of Malfoy was very familiar to her now.

"You wish Malfoy! Help me up!"

"Help you up?When did I start taking orders from a Mudblood, no I think you can help yourself." He said snidely.

She paused for a moment before standing up to dust off her robes. Malfoy thought he had heard a sniffle."Whatever you miserable prat. By the way, I'm finished with your stupid spell. It was really quite easy. I'm surprised it took you so long."

"Yeah well I really didn't care about getting it done,"He said lying.

"Now my only question is whatever for do you need a spell to make you a wand?"

"Don't you know Granger, and I thought you said you were smart, ha. Wizards who make their own wand with their own magic and energy become one with it. The wand and wizard become stronger because the essence from the wizards soul becomes bound to the wand."None of that was true of course, he himself was surprised he came up with such a brilliant lie. She would probably go research the matter but by then he would be done.

The clouds moved away from the moon and it shined on Hermione's face. She was looking at Malfoy like he had gone mad."Malfoy your starting to lose your touch."

"What do you mean by that Granger?"

"You lie very badly." With that she turned around and walked away.

He followed her to the dorm and straight up to the rooms."You don't have to follow me you know. I'll give you the silly spell. You won't tell me why you really want it but I don't care anymore. Plus I know you probably never translated it yourself you just wanted me to do it for you. Being a lazy prat and all I understand.

He gritted his teeth biting back the urge to reach out and strangle her. "Yes well you caught me now let me have the spell and I'll be going." She whispered the password so he couldn't hear and the portrait swung open.

She waved her hand at the desk,"Its over there now go. I'd like to take a bath and go to bed."

He grabbed the spell giving it a once over and shoved it into his vest pocket."Don't you want your prize Granger?" She looked at him in surprise,"What, you actually got me something? Why, you know the whole thing was a boff, why bother?"

He shrugged,"You stayed up most of the night doing it for me so I thought you still deserved it."

Her eyes narrowed,"Why are you being so nice Malfoy, what are you up to?"She didn't trust him one bit."Nothing Granger, now do you want it or not,"He said obviously getting pretty annoyed at her accusations.

"Fine, what is it?" He took a box out of his back pocket and handed it to her. She stared at it for a minute judging whether or not to open it."Go ahead open it, I didn't do anything to it." She looked at him then the box again and opened it.

She gasped at the sight of what lay inside,"Oh Merlin! How did you get this? Its so rare! There are only like..."She paused counting in her head,"...like seventeen known in exsistence!" He almost chuckled at her girlish glee. He took the box from her hands and lifted the object out of it.

It was the most wonderful thing Hermione had ever seen, hanging from a solid silver necklace was a deep sapphire blue Transendant Crystal."Turn around let me put it on you." She turned and lifted her hair as he snapped the clasp in the back. She went to her mirror and stared at the stone around her neck.

"Oh its beautiful, thank you Draco, thank you..."Then she paused again and abruptly turned toward him,"I can't accept this."She said flatly.

"Why in the bloody hell not!" He said extremely pissed off.

"Well because...its from you!"She yelled.

"What of it! Its your prize,challenge true or not, its yours!" He protested.

She took it off and tried to hand it to him."Take it back I don't want it."

"Listen here you filthy little mud...aggghhh! I went through a lot of trouble getting the damn thing and by damn if you don't wear it!" He screamed, he was standing in front of her now and shaking his fist at her.

Realizing she wouldn't win this battle she just sighed and put the stone back into its box."Fine Malfoy, you win, I'll keep it...I'll even wear it if it means that much to you. Though you don't have to act like an ignorant child about it."

"What! It doesn't mean diddly to me!"He huffed and stormed out of the bedroom, down the stairs and out the portrait. He went for an unscheduled patrol.