"I can't believe it," Hermione exclaimed. "Exams are right around the corner. I should have begun preparing weeks ago."
"Hermione," Ron groaned. "It's May. We have loads of time before exams."
"A month Ronald," Hermione corrected. "We have one month. That is not 'loads of time'."
"It's still plenty of time," Harry injected. He took the schedule Hermione handed him. His eyes widened. He had never studied so much in his life. "Isn't this a little extreme?"
Hermione glared at both of them. The other three schedules she made were placed back in her bag. At least her other friends would appreciate her efforts. "Who are those other schedules for?" Ron questioned, grabbing at the schedules out of her bag.
"Draco, Pansy and Theo," Hermione listed.
"We're studying with Slytherins," Ron exclaimed.
Hermione ripped the parchments out of his hand. "No, you're not," Hermione said gently putting them away as well. "I am. They may be 'slimy snakes' but at least they appreciate my efforts." Hermione grabbed her things and stormed off.
Draco glanced at Theo and Pansy. They both nodded and quickly followed her out. "Hermione," Draco called getting his friends attention.
"What happened?" Pansy demanded when she saw her friend trying not to cry.
"It's nothing," Hermione lied.
"Hermione," Theo began.
"It's Harry and Ron. I made a study schedule for them and for us. I worked really hard on them and all they did was complain about more studying," Hermione said sadly.
"You made schedules for us?" Draco asked. Hermione nodded. "Can we see them?
Hermione dug the schedules from her bookbag and handed them out. "This is great Hermione," Theo exclaimed. "An hour a night until exams start. Potter and Weasley are fools."
"Well it's three hours on the weekend," Hermione mumbled.
Draco laughed. "This is still brilliant," he assured her. "When do we start?"
"Today, after dinner," Hermione said. "I figured we could start with history since that's the class we all struggle with paying attention. I even have some notes." She pulled out the stack of first year notes Morgana had given her.
"Where did you get these?" Pansy gasped.
"My mother," Draco answered quickly. "She kept her History of Magic notes."
"Thank your mother for us Draco," Theo said gratefully. Draco nodded, though he had no intention of doing it seeing as they didn't actually belong to his mother.
"I need to find that spell to duplicate them," Hermione muttered to herself. "I remember seeing it somewhere."
"We can always ask Severus," Draco suggested. "He's my godfather," he added seeing the look on Hermione's face.
"He wouldn't help a Gryffindor," Hermione said although she didn't quite believe what she was saying. He had already helped her.
"He would help me," Draco told her. "I'll ask him after class."
"We should head to class now," Pansy said. "Professor Snape doesn't like when we are late either."
Hermione followed her Slytherin friends to the dungeons. "Hey Hermione, can I ask you something?" Theo questioned quietly so Draco and Pansy couldn't hear.
"Sure," Hermione said, a little confused.
"Why do you hang out with Potter and Weasley?" he asked. He was genuinely curious.
"Most of Gryffindor can't stand to be around me," Hermione began. "Harry and Ron. They may not be my best friends… but it's better than nothing. I feel like I can handle Gryffindor hating me as long I have two friends there."
"But why them?" Theo pressed.
Hermione shrugged. "Honestly, I was hoping if I was Harry's friend people would be nicer to me, even though I'm a muggleborn. Which reminds me, why do you care so much?"
"At first it was because Draco asked," Theo admitted. "But I enjoy hanging out with you. I figure if a muggleborn can be as smart, and as good at magic, as you then there's no reason not to give you a chance."
Hermione put an arm around him. "Thanks Theo," she said gratefully.
Hermione and her Slytherin friends were the first ones to class. Months ago, Severus would have been surprised to see Hermione already in class, accompanied by three Slytherins. Now it didn't faze him. Even though she was a Gryffindor, Severus treated her more like a Slytherin.
Draco set up his potions kit beside Hermione. Once everything was ready, he walked over to his godfather. "Professor," he said, knowing his godfather liked to keep things formal while at Hogwarts.
"Draco," Professor Snape acknowledged. He sat his potions journal down so he could look at Draco.
"Professor, we were wondering if you could teach us a spell," Draco began.
Professor Snape frowned. "What kind of spell?"
"My… mother sent me some History of Magic notes from her time at Hogwarts," Draco lied. "Hermione is starting a study group with me, Theo and Pansy. We were hoping you could teach us how to duplicate those notes."
"That's all you're doing with this spell?" Professor Snape asked raising an eyebrow at his godson.
"Yes sir," Draco said with a nod.
"Very well." He pulled out his wand and aimed it at his quill. "Simply flick your wand at the target and say geminio." The quill replicated. "The spell isn't permanent. The item you create will deteriorate after a while so you will need to keep the original on hand."
"Thank you, Professor," Draco said gratefully.
"Draco, if I find you and your friends are using this spell for something other than what you told me you will find yourself in detention for the rest of your time at Hogwarts," Professor Snape threatened.
"Yes sir."
Draco returned to his desk. "How did it go?" Hermione asked.
"Pull out the notes," he instructed. Hermione did so. He flicked his wand at the first page and said, "geminio." The page glowed and turned into a perfect copy. The repeated the actions until there was four copies.
"This is great," Hermione exclaimed. She threw her arms around Draco. "Thanks Draco."
"We need to keep the original. The copies will deteriorate after a while," Draco warned her.
"I'll put them in my trunk. Thanks Draco."
Draco didn't have a chance to say anything else as the rest of the class was starting to file in. As usual Harry and Ron were the last to show up to class. "Take a seat," Professor Snape commanded the first years. "You have thirty seconds to take out your homework."
The entire class rushed to pull their essays from their bags. Hermione smoothed out the wrinkles in the parchment. While the rest of the class grabbed their own essays Professor Snape walked around. He grabbed Hermione's essay.
"Is there something wrong Professor?" Hermione asked concerned.
"Where did you get this information Ms. Granger?" Professor Snape demanded.
"Th-the library sir," Hermione said fearfully. It was partly true. She was in the library when she asked Morgana for help on her potions essay. Normally she wouldn't ask but she struggled to find enough information to write the essay.
Professor Snape didn't say anything. Instead he flicked his wand and silently summoned all of the essays to him. "Open your books to page 53. Today's lesson is two parts. It is a tricky potion but well within your capabilities." He flicked his wand and the cupboard opened. "Here you will find the brass and copper cauldrons that will be needed, along with any extra ingredients. I suggest you all take your time and read your book. You may begin."
Hermione flipped to the proper page. "This looks complicated," Hermione noted.
"Not really," Draco told her. "As long as we follow the instructions, we will be fine. I'll grab some powered unicorn horn."
Draco got up to get the unicorn horn while Hermione read through the instructions. She pulled out her bezoar and her mortar and pestle. She carefully crushed it into a fine powder. She tapped the fire with her wand and poured into the proper amount of the crushed bezoar.
"Here," Draco said placing the powdered unicorn horn in between their stations.
"Thanks Draco," Hermione said. She pulled out the Standard Ingredient from her kit. She added two measures while Draco started his potion.
Both cauldrons were set to brew leaving Hermione and Draco about thirty-eight minutes before they needed to transfer the contents to the brass cauldron. Then another thirty-four minutes until they needed the cooper cauldron.
"How long are you going to keep her a secret?" Draco whispered when he was certain Professor Snape wasn't paying attention.
Hermione stared at her friend. "Should I go around announcing I befriended a witch that saved my life? I don't even know her real name, or really anything about her. And, I don't think she wants people to know about her. It's almost as if she's afraid of what will happen if they do figure it out."
"Maybe she is," Draco offered. He knew for a fact that she was scared. His aunt had never been convicted of being a Death Eater but everyone knew she was one. Ever since her husband, his Uncle Rodolphus, went to Azkaban for the torture of the Longbottom's, she had spent her life isolated from everyone, until now. Bellatrix didn't have a plan, and that's what scared her.
"But why?" Hermione questioned confused. "What could she be afraid of? She saved my life."
"Just because she saved your life doesn't mean she hasn't done anything bad," Draco pointed out. "I know you want to know more about her and I'm sorry I can't tell you. Just… please keep an open mind."
Hermione frowned but didn't have a chance to say anything as Professor Snape walked past them. He hung around them for a while and neither were able to talk. Soon they had to switch cauldrons.
"Why is he watching us?" Hermione questioned with a frown.
"He must know something is going on," Draco realized. "He probably knows someone helped you but doesn't know who or why. My guess is he's trying to figure it out."
Hermione didn't like the sound of that.