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Hermione woke up, the rain, thunder and lighting still raging.
Yawning, she pulled the covers back, and got out of bed, careful not to disturb Crookshanks, who was sleeping at her feet.
Walking over to her bathroom door, Hermione tried the handle- locked!
Damn Malfoy, she thought.
Crossing back to her bed, she opened her trunk and fished out a fresh pair of her school robes.
When she sat on her bed and waited for Malfoy to be finished, she patted Crookshanks, who stirred slightly, then relaxed, and began purring.
Ten minutes later, Hermione heard a faint "click" and when she tried the door handle again, the door swung open.
It was really cloudy and misty in the bathroom, so Hermione thought Malfoy must have had a 100 degree temperature shower!
Retrieving her wand from her room, she cleared most of the mist away, so she could see.
Once she was dressed, she brushed her teeth, and then brushed her hair. Hermione's hair only looked bushy, but it really wasn't. She was able to brush it without any difficulty.
When she was ready, she packed her bag for today's subjects, slung the bag over her shoulder, and headed down to the common room.
Malfoy wasn't there, so Hermione assumed that he had already headed down to the Great hall, which was fine by her.
When she entered the hall, she looked over at the Gryffindor table, and spotted Harry and Ron sitting there, talking to Dean.
When Hermione sat next to them, they said good morning, but then, didn't say much at all.
It was when Hermione was trying to engage Lavender in a conversation, that she noticed all the girls on her table, and indeed, the hall, were looking at something, or someone over at the Slytherin table.
Hermione followed Lavenders gaze, and it turned out that it was settled on Malfoy. But as Hermione looked at Malfoy, she noticed that there was someone new sitting next to him. A new boy. At first, Hermione thought it was a first year, but when she looked closer, she noticed that it couldn't be a first year- he looked to old.
Taking her gaze off Malfoy and his new friend, Hermione looked back at Lavender.
'Who is that?' she asked.
'I dunno, but he is damn cute.' Lavender sighed.
'Whatever.' Hermione looked past Lavender to Parvati, who was looking like Lavender, the same dreamy look.
Hermione shook her head, and then tried talking to Harry.
'Harry, did you noticed that there is a new boy in Slytherin?' Hermione asked, pouring a cup of pumpkin juice.
'Do I ever. All the girls have noticed…how am I ever going to get a girlfriend with him around?' Harry looked depressed.
'What do you mean Harry?' Hermione asked.
'Well, I decided that I want a girlfriend, but now, I don't think I'll get one!' Harry sulked.
'Oh, Harry, of course you will.' Hermione sympathized.
'No I won't.' Harry looked puffy.
'Well, come on, we'll be late for class.' Hermione said.
'What have we got?' Harry asked.
'Defense Against the Dark Arts.' Hermione answered.
'Do we have a teacher?' he asked.
Hermione laughed, 'Oh Harry, of course we have a teacher. How else do you plan for us to learn?'
'I didn't notice that Dumbledore introduced a new teacher at the Welcoming Feast.'
'That's because he didn't.' said a voice from behind them.
They both turned, to see a woman standing there, smiling.
'Good Day.' she said, and then without anything else, she swept off to the teachers table.
'Who that hell was that?' Ron asked, coming out of a conversation with Dean.
'Dunno.' Harry said.
'Oh honestly. It was the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher!' those two can be so thick!
Harry and Ron shrugged, and then stood up.
'Come on,' said Ron stretching.
Hermione drained her cup, and then followed her friends out of the hall.
Today, they had Defense against the Dark Arts, History of Magic then, very unfortunately, they had double potions!
The boys, hadn't realized this yet, as they don't know what they have, relying on Hermione to tell them.
They had all their books in their bags, but when Hermione told them what they had in the morning, they would drop off what they don't need.
Turning around the bend in the corridor, Hermione saw out of the corner of her eye, a group of green and black figures coming up the corridor she had just left.
Oh no! She thought. We can't have this class with the Slytherins!
When they reached the DADA class room, the trio waited patently outside.
The Slytherins came around the corner and headed to wards them.
At first, Hermione thought that they were going to walk by, but alas, they stopped in front of the golden trio.
Harry and Ron stepped in front of Hermione, but she pushed between them.
Malfoy was standing there, with Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy, her gang of gits, and the new boy Hermione had seen sitting next to Draco at breakfast.
'Well, well, well. The golden trio. And how is my favorite group of pots, weasels and Mudbloods?' Malfoy said, smirking.
'Well, I think we are better than our favorite ferret.' Hermione said, smiling innocently.
'Who do you think you are, Mudblood?' Malfoy spat.
'Well, according to you, I am a "Mudblood",' they all gasped, why did she say that? 'But to the real and grown up witches and wizards, I am Hermione Granger, who is smarter than Ferret Boy.'
Malfoy looked positively outraged.
Hermione only smiled innocently at ferret boy, then pushed past him to join the Gryffindors, who had heard the whole thing.
When the door opened, there was no one standing there to greet them. But the class walked in anyway, and sat down.
When they entered, the woman who had spoken briefly to Hermione and Harry at breakfast was sitting on the corner of her desk.
Hermione, Harry and Ron took up seats in the back of the class room, and waited for the lesson to begin.
'Good morning class.' said the new professor. She had blond hair, close to Malfoy's, but she didn't have his smirk, or his storm grey eyes. Her eyes where a shade lighter than Dumbledore's, and they looked warm, comforting and welcoming. She wore a robe which clung to her chest, then flowed freely from her waist down. It was black, with purple out lines.
'My name is Professor Appleo.' she continued.
'Today, we will be doing things on how to block the Unforgivable Curses.' the class looked excited. 'But as I understand it, you have not only learnt a bit about them, but you have had them performed on you as well? Is this so?'
The class nodded.
'Well, I am sorry, but I will not be performing these dreaded curses on you. We will learn about their effects, and how to throw them off.'
Hermione raised her hand.
'Yes?' Professor Appleo asked
'Well, Professor, you just said that you wont be performing them on us, then you said that we will learn how to throw them off…I think it might be a little difficult to throw them off if we can only read about them.'
'Well, I am sorry, what was your name?'
'Hermione Granger.'
'Well, Miss Granger, you speak the truth, I did say that I would not be performing them on you, and I also said that you will learn how to through them off. However I said that I wouldn't be doing it. My assistant here will.'
Out of the shadows, a man appeared, wearing a black robe. His hair was cropped, and was a dark brown, close to black. His eyes were black. Everything about this man seamed black.
'He is a trained Ministry member, and will only perform the curses for a very sort time. We do not wish to harm you. But, Professor Dumbledore thinks that it is important for you to know how to fight off the curses, and how to block them. My assistant, Mr. Coal, will help you to do that. However, the aim is to try and throw the curses off, or block them completely.'
'Today, however, we will simply be writing and talking about them. The curses will be performed for you in a few lessons time.'
So, with everyone looking happy at the prospect of fighting off an Unforgivable Curse, the class started coping down the notes on the board, and listening to Professor Appleo.
Mr. Coal had disappeared back into the shadows, but when Hermione looked closer, she could see him watching everyone through the darkness.
When the lesson finished, Hermione, Ron and Harry headed off for History of Magic.
Luckily, this lesson was Slytherin free.
History of Magic was shared with Hufflepuff.
They took up their regular seats at the back, and waited for their ghost teacher to appear through the blackboard.
When he did, the lesson began, and within three minutes, there was a heavy sleepy mood about the classroom.
Only Hermione was really awake, taking notes every now and then.
Hermione almost squealed when something wet touched her arm.
Looking down, she saw that Ron's head had fallen on her arm, and he was drooling.
Hermione poked him.
'Ron. Ron?' she whispered.
Ron groaned.
'Ron!' Hermione said.
'Go away.' he said.
'No Ron, you're drooling on my arm.' Hermione said.
'So?' he couldn't be thinking right.
'Ron? Please!' Hermione turned to Harry.
Harry was staring out the window, longingly at the Quidditch pitch.
'Harry?' Hermione asked
'Mmm?'
'Can you please get Ron off my arm- he's drooling.'
'Ron!'
He grunted.
'There's a vela on in the grounds….she wants to speak to-'
Ron's head snapped off Hermione's dead and dribbled on arm, and he looked past Harry, out the window.
'Where? Where? I can't see her!'
'That's because she's not there.' Harry said, grinning.
'What?' it took a moment for that to sink in.
He narrowed his eyes at Harry, then put his head on his desk.
This time, Hermione moved a little more over to Harry, and wiped her arm.
Finally, History of Magic was over, and the golden trio headed out into the sunlight.
'Wait, I'm really hungry.' Ron complained.
'Ok, hang on, out here.' Hermione and Harry walked back inside.
They walked up to Gryffindor Tower and got Ron's and Harry's broomsticks.
Hermione said she'd meet Harry at the portrait of the fat lady, and she rushed off to her room to collect a good book to read.
When she met up with Harry, they walked back down to the Great Hall and grabbed some food.
When they got back outside and over to Ron, they made their way down to the Quidditch Pitch.
Hermione set up a small picnic area in the middle of the Pitch, and Harry and Ron flew over her. (The thunder and rain had cleared)
When the boys flew for about ten minutes, they returned to the ground, and had a picnic with Hermione.
By the time they were finished eating, it was time to head back to the castle.
'Herms, what have we got now?' Ron asked, as they packed away their picnic.
'Er, double potions.' Hermione sighed.
'Damn!' Ron cursed.
'Well, we don't want to be late, so let's go.' Harry said.
So with a heavy heart, the golden trio headed back to the castle.
Harry and Ron waved their wands, and their brooms took off back up to their dormitory, and Hermione disposed of the left over food.
The dungeons corridor was as bleak as it could have been.
They waited for Snape to open the door, and when he did, they sat down and waited for the door to shut.
Let the torture begin.
About two hours later, they emerged.
The lesson wasn't that bad. Except, they were paired with the partners they had last time Hermione- Malfoy, Harry- Pansy wanna be, Ron- Pansy wanna be, Neville had blown up his cauldron, but it had exploded in pansy's face, but it meant 50 points were taken from Gryffindor, and Hermione had landed herself a detention because she had helped clean up Neville's mess.
To add to that, Malfoy got a detention because at the beginning of the lesson, he refused, again, to sit next to Hermione.
Dinner happened the same way, with Ron stuffing his mouth, Harry and Hermione talking, lavender and Parvati dreaming of Malfoy and his new friend, and Dumbledore bidding everyone good night.
Hermione had promised herself that she would take a bath tonight, so when she got back to her room, she got into her swimmers.
She didn't want Malfoy walking in when she was naked!
And she headed off into the bathroom to fill the gigantic thing…she still didn't know what to call it.
When it was full enough for Hermione, she dived in, and relaxed.
It was so nice to think that after double potions with the Slytherins, she could come back here and have this sort of luxury.
When she was reading, she hopped out and got dressed.
She finished off any homework that she hadn't yet managed to do, then went to bed.
Next day rolled around, bringing sunshine to the grounds, drying up the left over dew.
Hermione walked down to the Great Hall, and sat at her table.
'Morning Herms.' Harry said, grinning.
'Morning Harry.' Hermione said, smiling.
'What have we got first?' Ron asked
'Divination.' Hermione answered.
'Well, it's better than more potions.' Harry said as Ron groaned.
'I suppose…' Ron said
'Well, it's at the top of the castle, so let's head off.' Harry said, getting up, and then helping Hermione.
'Thankyou kind sir.' Hermione said, adopting a medieval-rich-lady voice.
'Your welcome, m'lady.' Harry grinned, adopting the medieval-rich-man voice.
They laughed at their own stupidity, and headed out of the hall.
Arriving at the trap door, they waited for the rest of Gryffindor and Slytherins to arrive.
When they did, the trap door opened, and at ladder popped down.
Ascending the ladder, Hermione, Harry and Ron seized their table at the back of the room, and waited.
When Professor Cherly was ready, he popped in, and began the lesson.
'Today, I don't know if you have done this already, but we will be doing Crystal Gazing. Proper Crystal Gazing. But near the end of the lesson.'
For most of the lesson, they copied, and answered questions.
Then the Professor announced they could start gazing.
The class looked ok about it, but Malfoy was Malfoy, and he drawled, complained, laughed, and smirked.
'Well Mr. Malfoy, since you like this class so much, I think I will do a reading for you.' Malfoy went pale…like whiter than white!
Professor Cherly collected a crystal ball from a shelf, walked up the stairs to Malfoy, sat next to him. Placing the crystal ball between them, Professor Cherly looked at Malfoy in the eye.
Malfoy wasn't going to look back, but he had to look somewhere…anywhere…ok, the room…the people…everyone looking at him…Her looking at him. Malfoy didn't know why he was attracted to her…but Malfoy's are attracted to power- his father only married his mother because of the power her, and her family name had. She must have some sort of power he was drawn to…but what!
The Professor didn't need Malfoy to look back at him, so be began his reading.
His voice became dreamy, and his eyes looked dazed…It wasn't really the Professor any more. Divination was taking over him.
'You like someone….a girl…a girl in this room….'
His concentration broke as a bell rang.
'The end?' the Professor said blankly. He checked his watch.
'Ahh, yes. Ok, class dismissed.'
The class walked out, but something was different.
All the girls, apart from Hermione, were wondering who Malfoy liked.
The girls were giggling, laughing and whispering about it.
Hermione caught sight of Malfoy, and at first, when the Professor said what he had said, Malfoy looked angry, now he was smirking.
He liked the attention.
He liked the fact that girls were whispering about him more than they used to.
'I hope he likes me.' Lavender said at dinner.
'Yeah, I hope so. Cause then he cant like me!' Ginny snapped.
She liked Malfoy, but all this talk about him? EWWWW
Lavender snapped. 'He wouldn't like you! Professor Cherly said he liked someone in our class!'
Ginny looked hurt, but didn't say anything.
Many girls at the Slytherin table, who were in their class, were talking to Draco, and trying to flatter and flirt with him.
But he was only interested in her.
Her and her addictive power.
Hermione headed off to bed not long after Lavender's snap at Ginny, and fell asleep almost at once.
WAS IT OK!
DID I WRITE IT OK!
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Next chapter:
All the girls in Hermione's class out do themselves to see if its them Malfoy is after.
Read how they do it, how Malfoy reacts to the attention, and how Hermione handles it.
R&R!
thanks
Aj