Chapter 3: The Potion
After Herbology Hermione had Potions. Although she enjoyed working with plants, Potions is where she excelled.
"Hermione I have to go talk to Professor Hooch about Quidditch. Ill see you in Potions?"
"Yeah no problem Harry. I'll see you there." She smiled as he ran ahead to the Professor.
It was so nice to be back here. She didn't think it would possible after the war. Although she could have probably gotten a job in the Ministry, she needed to be back. She was happy to be back
All of a sudden she felt a thump again her shoulder as Draco walked past her. "An excuse me would be nice!" She tried to say in an angry voice.
Draco looked back at her with a snear, but didnt say a thing.
Hermione picked up her speed. "I was talking! Hello!"
She tapped him on the shoulder. "Does your arrogance make it hard for you to hear?"
"Will you fucking shut up!" Draco whipped around, his Silver eyes full of anger. "You don't know anything you little fucking mudblood!
Hermione winced at that word but stood her ground. "Maybe people would want to understand if you weren't so cold."
"Why do you even care!? We hate each other!" He stepped closer to her. Looking down at her with menacing eyes. "I was suppose to kill you, remember?"
"But you didn't, before the chandelier fell you were refusing."
"Or maybe you just got lucky." And on that he turned around and walked right into the boys washroom, out of sight.
Hermione stood there stunned for a moment. Or maybe you just got lucky playing in her head. No, he didn't kill Dumbledore and he didn't kill her. He had every chance to but couldn't.
Hermione rushed into Potions realizing she was the last one there. "Good morning Miss Granger."
"Sorry Professor Slughorn I-"
"Ah and Mr Malfoy right behind. Well you two can sit at the table over there." He gestured to a small table in the right corner of the room, the only one not taken. "You two will make excellent partners this year."
Hermione looked behind her in a mix of frustration and embarrassment, seeing Draco mirroring her own feelings. They both walked over in silence and sat down. Avoiding eye contact as much as possible.
"Today we will start off the year with a rather simple potion, one you have seen before. The Deflating Drought, although not something one will use too often, but you can ask Mr. Potter about his experience with a certain aunt, can be quite powerful when needed." Slughorn chuckled. "Now you and your partner will work together to create the perfect potion."
"Thanks for getting us into this mess Granger."
"Shut up Malfoy, no one told you to be late."
"If you didn't stop me I would've been able to go to the loo and be here on time."
"Maybe if you weren't such an unmannerly jerk. I wouldn't have had to stop you."
"Unmannerly?" Draco smirked. "Is that the best insult you can come up with?"
"Shut it you git."
She was fussing with the beans in the mortar and pestle, Draco agitating her was making her movements more frantic until one of the beans flew out of the marble bowl.
Draco rubbed his eyebrows. "Granger stop! Can I show you-
"I got it!"
"Just stop! Here let me take this." He took the pestle out of her hand, brushing his fingers against hers. The motion was quick but enough that they both felt the skin contact and she looked up into his eyes, his silver ones looking back at her curiously.
"Umm alright" muttered Draco uncomfortably. " So instead of mashing them try chopping them with a knife first like this." He started rocking the knife over the beans. "Then throw them in the mortar and mash them."
Granger grabbed the pestle back and started to mash them, although a little too agressive and bits of beans started to fly out.
"Granger! Granger! What are you doing? You don't need to bloody kill them. Here let me show you."
He put his hand on Hermione's. She barely breathed as he guided her hand the proper way, her stomach doing unfamiliar tumbles. She could feel herself blushing and decided to peak over to him, his eyes staring at her instead of the task at hand.
Snapping back out of it he mumbled something incoherent and then about getting back to the potion.
They finished the rest of the potion in silence but Hermione could still feel him glancing back at her every now and then. She didnt understand what was going on but this was the first time she could recall him being remotely kind so she didn't dare look back at him.
"Miss Granger and Mr Malfoy, what a lovely color your potion is. And the smell is spot on. I would say you two made the best batch. 10 points for both Gryffindor and Slytherin. " Slughorn said with a smile
"Thank you professor. " They both spoke quietly but they could tell their fellow students heard.
Everyone turned around in shock, Harry standing next to Katie Bell with his mouth agape, surprised that they worked together. Hermione blushed at the attention but Draco stood straight, looking more proud than every. At that moment she realized why Draco wanted to return to school.
Hermione and Harry started walking out of class together and when they turned a corner Harry stopped and turned toward her.
"What was up with you and Malfoy?"
"Honestly I don't know. I think he actually enjoys Potions and wanted to do well, even if it was with someone he hates."
"I meant you two both coming in late..."
"Oh nothing, we just got into a little argument in the hallway. Nothing out of the ordinary. "
"Are you sure?"
"Harry, I helped destroy horcruxes and fought deatheaters, I'm sure I can handle Malfoy."
"But if he starts bothering you, let me know. Ill put that little ferret in his place."
Hermione laughed at the thought of him being turned into a ferret in 4th year.
"Hey Harry, I'll meet you later. I think im going to use lunch to study."
Draco returned to the dorms after Potions. He wasn't hungry and he was fighting off a migraine from lack of sleep. Sighing in relief when he found the common room empty, he tossed himself down on one of the leather chairs in front of the fireplace and embraced the coziness. Although the Slytherin common room was nice, this just had a different vibe to it.
Staring down at the fire his thoughts started to come across Granger. Although he couldn't remember the details of his nightmares last night, he could've sworn she was in them. Actually the last few nightmares cone to think of it. That he was trying to save her but never got there in time. He shuddered a little at the thought. Why would he try to save her. He hates her. He HAS to hate her, right?
Those thoughts then switched to earlier at Potions. Why did he feel this pull to help her. To touch her vile mudblood skin. Why did she look at him...differently. The same way she did last night. Like she actually cared about him. But who would care for someone who did the things he did. Who bore this mark under his shirt. On that thought he rubbed his right forearm, knowing just under that sleeve was skull and snake that made him linked to his family. To other deatheaters.
He jumped from his thoughts when he heard the common room door open. "Fucking hell can I not get no peace from anyone. "
He turned around in his chair to see Hermione standing there. "Are you following me?"
"Don't be so full of yourself, I needed to grab some books from my room." Hermione huffed at him.
He turned back to the fire, staring at the flames. Listening he could hear two feet shuffling toward him. "Do all mudbloods walk as loud as you?!?!
He looked to his right just in time to see Granger sitting comfortably in the chair next to him.
"What do you want?"
She stared at him, curiosity in her amber eyes, chewing her bottom lip.
"Fucking come out with it! I don't have all day." Draco snapped.
"Why did you help me?"
"This is my second chance Granger, you really think I'm going to fuck it up?"
"No but-"
"Maybe i felt pity for you. You're just a filthy mudblood who has to try so hard to deserve the magic that comes so easily to me."
"Last time I checked, my grades are higher than yours. Also I would've done just fine if you weren't frustrating me." Hermione said matter of factly. Changing her tone and thinking her words carefully, she mumbled "Maybe the war changed you a little."
"Excuse me?"
She straightened her shoulders and more confidently repeated herself. "Maybe the war changed you a little."
"Yeah it fucking changed me!" Draco spat. "It put me in hiding! It gave me fucking nightmares and now you are-" He stopped himself when he realized he was disclosing to much.
"What about me?" Hermione pleaded, reaching out to touch his arm, the same one that contained his mark.
He snapped his hand away "Dont touch me! And what about you?! You're the same old mudblood who needs to keep her filthy hands away from me and leave me the fuck alone!"
He then got up and stormed off to the dorms. Hermione just sat there, unsure what to think
Yay i got my first review! Thank you so much. Im excited to show you where this story goes!