Chapter 2
"Harry! Ron!" Hermione gasped. Bugger! Why did they have to come in here and interrupt? It was just getting good!
"What is going on here?" Ron repeated. "I thought you said you were tutoring!"
"Well," Hermione began, "We were…I mean, we usually do, it's just, oh bugger…" She breathed the last words as she looked over to her horror-stricken lover.
"WELL SOMEONE HAD BETTER EXPLAIN!" Ron shouted, looking from Hermione to Blaise. Harry just stood there, open-mouthed, in total shock.
"I don't have to explain anything to you!" Hermione yelled, "I am not your property! I may see whoever I wish!"
"Well…" but apparently, Ron had nothing to say. He knew, of course, that Hermione was right. Hermione had told him this many times before, but he just couldn't stand it!
"She's right mate," this was the first time Blaise had said a word, "You aren't the boss of her." He said it so matter-of-factly that you could just see Ron turning red with rage.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGG!" Ron yelled as he lunged at Blaise.
"RON! NO!" Hermione shouted, too late, Ron was on top of Blaise, hitting him everywhere he could. Mean while Harry still stood there in the door way with his mouth wide open.
"Geroff me! Geroff you red-headed, freckled git!" Blaise was struggling to push Ron off him, while Hermione tried to pull and Harry stood open-mouthed in the door way.
Finally Ron gave in and got off of Blaise, "What is your bloody problem?" Blaise panted, "You need to control you anger!"
Ron looked over at Hermione, who stood there, as still as Harry. She wore a frightened, yet angry expression as she stared at Ron. "Hermione, I-" He began, but Hermione had already grabbed Blaise and pulled him past Harry out the door, who was still standing there with his mouth wide open.
It was the second day back at Hogwarts, and the first day of classes, and Hermione still wasn't talking to Ron. Blaise and Hermione decided not to keep their relationship secret anymore because the only people they wanted to hide it from were Harry and Ron. But, since they already knew, they could be a couple. Every time Hermione and Blaise walked by Harry and Ron, Hermione would either kiss Blaise or put his arm around her. It made her happy every time she saw Ron's face glow red. Serves him right, she would think.
Later that day, as Hermione walked into her Muggle Studies class, she noticed a discombobulated Draco looking for a seat.
"Malfoy?" Hermione asked in shock.
He turned around, "Oh, great! Granger, you're in this class?" He drawled. Hermione just rolled her eyes as she took her seat.
Just then Professor Hampton came in and told Draco to sit down. He looked around desperate to find a seat, and groaned, Hermione repeated that, for the only seat available was Right next to her.
He quietly slammed his books on the desk and sat down, "I can't believe this!" He sighed.
"SHHHHHH!" Hermione scolded him, "Wait a minute, why are YOU in this class?"
"SHHHHHH!" Draco replied to her with a smirk, "I am trying to listen!"
"Okay within this week I am going to observe each and every one of you," Professor Hampton was saying, "and at the end of this week, I will choose one boy and one girl to go to the muggle world in California! You shall act as a muggle, dress as a muggle, and live as a muggle! When you return, I expect a presentation on what you learned! You shall work together to come up with it."
"Wow!" gasped Hermione, "I have always wanted to go to California!"
Draco then raised his hand, "Professor Hampton, what is California?" Hermione snorted, as did a couple other students. Draco turned bright red but stood firm on what he had just asked, no matter how stupid it sounded. But even Professor Hampton was having trouble not laughing.
"California is a state in America, Mr. Malfoy," Professor Hampton explained.
"Oh," he breathed as he realized just how stupid his question really was.
Throughout that whole week, Draco tried his hardest to prove to Professor Hampton that he deserved to go to California. He knew that if he got that honor, his father would be so proud that he wouldn't care about Draco being in that class. He noticed even that Hermione was trying harder than anyone to earn that spot. Yeah right, Draco thought, The professor is gonna choose someone who doesn't know much about muggles, definitely not a muggle-born witch!
Finally the end of the week came and Draco was actually looking forward to Muggle Studies.
Hermione was just as excited, if not more. She even decided to forgive Ron, as long as he didn't mind Blaise hanging out with them.
"Omygosh!" Hermione screeched that Friday during lunch, "I really hope I get it! I have always wanted to go to California!"
"Yeah, we know" Ron said, and feeling as though that sounded rude, he added, "but of course I know for sure you will get it!"
Hermione smiled, "Thanks Ron," She then looked up at Blaise and kissed him, "I should probably get going," she added to them, "I wanna make sure I am on time for this! Wish me luck!"
Across the room Draco saw Hermione kiss Blaise, he suddenly had a strange urge to go over there and punch him!
"I should go," He told the awed, annoying Pansy clinging to his arm, "I really wanna get chosen!" With out really saying good bye, he got up and stocked off, still fighting the impulsive urge to go sock Blaise.
When he reached the class room, he found Hermione helping Professor Hampton setting up for their class that day. "Good after noon, Professor," He said brightly.
"Hello there, Mr. Malfoy," she answered, "Would you like to help Miss Granger and me set up for today? We could really use the help."
"But, of course Professor," Draco cooed, "That's why I came here actually!"
Once they had finished setting up, they took there seats next to each other and began to debate over which muggle item was more exciting,
"The radio!" Draco had said, "It is so much more interesting the television! I mean any one could get into a box and talk to you! But no one is in the radio!"
"You are mistaken Malfoy, the television is much better, there aren't actually people in it, those are images, you don't see the people in the radio!" Hermione tried to explain.
Draco tried to object but knew that she was right.
Finally class had started, everyone was on edge about Professor Hampton's decision.
"I have decided," She began, "that the two lucky students who get to go to California are…"
