Same Old Malfoy
Transfiguration passed with little occurrence. Professor McGonagall was not starting with her 7th years lightly and didn't hold back at all when it came to homework.
"There goes my weekend - 12 inches on inter-species transfiguration? She must be joking." Ron exclaimed in despair as they left the classroom.
"Yeah I know, I thought she'd go easy on us first week back." Harry sighed as he surveyed his badly-written transfiguration notes.
"If you wish to fail your examinations next year, Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, I would seriously advise you to work hard, despite time of year," Said a cool voice from behind them making an unsuspecting Ron shudder violently. "Off with you, now." And with that Professor McGonagall shooed them out of her classroom.
"We've got Divination next, worse luck, what about you Herm?" Ron asked, taking a large textbook entitled "Look Into My Eyes" from his bag.
"Ahh, Arithmacy with good old Professor Vector. Have fun you two!" Hermione smiled smugly, for she loved Arithmacy and knew how much Ron and Harry loathed Divination.
Hermione's Arithmacy lab was beautiful, marble floors, large Victorian windows bedecked the walls and the ceiling peaked in a high arch. When Hermione walked in, she appeared to be completely alone as she could hear her shoes as they pattered across the floor, echoing around the room. She sat down, and felt very alone, she almost felt like somebody was watching her but when she looked around there was no-one there. She shook herself for being so silly, and immediately took out her Arithmacy things, studying her textbook.
Soon enough, other Arithmacy scholars were swarming into the room and taking their desks enthusiastically.
"Hello, 6th years! What a year this shall be – I hope you've all come along with your brains in gear!" Professor Vector declared as he took his place at the front of the class and immediately started writing complicated formulae on the chalkboard.
Hermione began to copy down the formulae, but found she couldn't focus properly. This shocked Hermione for she could ALWAYS focus, especially in her most prized lesson of all – Arithmacy! Then, she felt a familiar shiver jet down her spine and she knew it. It must be Malfoy. She slid her focus slightly to the far left of her and sure enough, there was Malfoy, idly twisting a pencil through his fingers and staring. Staring at her with a playful smirk playing on his cruel lips, catching her eye every now and again.
The rest of the lesson passed to no avail. Hermione looked at her pitiful notes disparagingly, and stuffed them into her bag with an irritated sigh. It was all Malfoy's fault, why must he stare at her so? He surely knows it's driving her up the wall – that's why! How petty of him.
A fire crackled welcomingly in the Head Common Room, and Hermione enjoyed it while managing to focus whole-heartedly on her Arithmacy homework. Suddenly, the portrait hole flew open and Malfoy strutted in, his customary smirk stretching his pointed features. How Hermione loathed him, he was still the stupid little brad he'd always been, perhaps a couple of inches taller, but no other changes seemed evident. He still had the same smirk, the same pointed nose, the same neatly oiled hair and still the never changing cold grey eyes.
As he stalked into the Common Room, his emotionless eyes rested on Hermione. His smirk grew wider as he surveyed her studious figure scribbling away at some boring formula.
"Are you only able to work your bushy little brains out and hang around with Worthless Weasel and the Most Humongous Prick Potter?" Malfoy asked lazily, flopping down on one of the luxurious green sofas in front of the fire.
"Ron and Harry are twice the men you'll even be, Malfoy. Leave me alone, I'd rather not exchange pleasantries with scum like you." Hermione replied, not once looking up from her work.
"Those two losers? Men? Hah. But I can see how you might think so. I mean, look at you, we're only 60 sure you're female, or even human after all." Malfoy retorted rudely, immensely enjoying this little exchange.
Hermione lifted her gaze to meet Malfoy's. "If I'm such a loser, why do you take so much trouble to stare at me all the time?"
The question seemed to quite throw Malfoy initially, he hadn't seen that one coming. But then he narrowed his eyes wickedly and leaned forward, never breaking eye contact with a very bewildered Hermione, and whispered to her maliciously "Because I like to see you squirm."
Malfoy then simply got up and left for his sleeping quarters. Hermione felt another shiver flit down her spine, but this time it didn't spook her so much. It felt sort of good. Something she'd never felt before, a sort of uncomfortable exhilaration.
Coming to her better senses she mentally scolded herself. How could Malfoy provoke such emotion in her? Ugh, he was nothing but a worm. She soon removed him from her thoughts and continued her notes with little distraction.
Through the next week, Hermione and Malfoy barely spoke to one another. Every now and again Hermione would catch him looking over at her, and while the new attentions puzzled her, she still felt that feeling of exhilaration every time their eyes met. She couldn't help but remember the way she'd felt the last time they'd spoken. It was different, although the insults were still there; there was definitely something else in the tone he used with her. It seemed to be less blunt, more…dangerous.
Harry and Ron, however, hadn't noticed any change whatsoever and were getting along with their lives in the ordinary fashion, with or without Hermione. Their attitudes hadn't changed to Malfoy at all.
"How's living with Malfoy? 'Cause if that piece of good for nothing ferret does anything –Said Ron, looking over at Malfoy angrily during a Care of Magical Creatures lesson.
"It's okay Ron, I can handle him. We just ignore each other." Hermione replied vaguely, also looking at Malfoy. She noticed that, when Harry and Ron were around, he stared at her considerably less.
"Well, if he does do anything Hermione, promise you'll tell Ron or me? We'll sort him out." Harry appealed in a brotherly manner.
"Yeah, we'll sort him out alright." Ron mumbled, glaring at Malfoy, slicing a branch off his Krappleberry Bush
"Careful there Weasley!" Professor Sprout shouted across the greenhouse, provoking Malfoy and his Slytherin cronies to snorts of scornful laughter.
Hermione raised a pitying eyebrow at the Slytherins. All thoughts that Malfoy may have changed slightly left her mind. He really was an immature little boy