"Hurry up or we'll be late" Hermione hissed at Harry and Ron
They were rushing down the hallway headed to the Dungeons for their first Potions lesson. The feeling was surreal. Hermione looked around at the portraits on the wall. The subjects smiled and waved as they passed. Some of them leaned into the frames to get a closer look.
"That's them!" A bald man in an ugly red coat yelled from his portrait. The man shouting caught Ron by surprise and he jumped
"Oy!" Ron snapped at the man "Don't yell at people like that!"
Harry grabbed Ron by the robes and tugged him down the hall. They burst into the Potions classroom with a minute to spare. It was dark and gloomy as always. In the front of the classroom stood Professor Slughorn. His enormous belly shook as he laughed.
"Harry! Ms. Granger! Wallenby!" Slughorn clapped his hand on the table causing the bubbling cauldron to shake.
"I save the bloody wizarding world and he still can't get my name right?" Ron murmured to Harry and Hermione
Hermione gave him a small smile and headed to a table in the front. The classroom was mostly empty. Not many Slytherin students had returned and of all of the Seventh Years who had returned, not many had chosen to take Potions.
She looked around the classroom. There was her, Ron, and Harry in the front. A couple tables behind them sat Cho Chang and her friend Marietta. A couple tables over from them were Dean and Seamus and across from them, in a corner by himself, was Draco Malfoy.
Her eyes met Dracos and she quickly looked away. Her heart started to beat quickly. She wasn't sure what she was feeling. They hadn't been able to discuss everything that McGonagall said last night. After she dismissed everyone, Hermione and Draco had to assist the First Years with finding their Prefects and getting to their Common Rooms. Draco was helping the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins and Hermione was helping the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws.
By the time she finished, Draco was nowhere to be found. She assumed he went to bed.
"Okay, class. Today we're going to be brewing a potion I'm sure some of you have heard of. It's a potion that regrows bones!"
Harry grimaced remembering the taste of the potion Madam Pomfrey gave him in his second year.
"I think it's better done in pairs while you're learning. Ah, let's see." He looked around the classroom. Everyone looked forward at him. No one wanted to say it, but they didn't want to be paired with Draco.
Professor Slughorn looked over at Draco and looked away quickly. Slughorn looked nervous and uncomfortable with the idea of making someone work with Draco.
"I'll work with Draco." Hermione stated standing up
"It's fine. I can do it on my own" Draco said
"It's okay." Hermione said grabbing her books
"What are you doing?" Ron hissed at her "He said he can work alone, so let him"
"It's fine, Ron. Slughorn wants us to work in pairs and we have enough people to do that."
"But, you don't have to work with him" Ron said looking over at Draco
Hermione pursed her lips. "I'm working with him for the next year, Ron. Stop being childish" Hermione threw her bag over her shoulder and walked over to the table Draco was sitting at.
"Thank you, Ms. Granger." Professor Slughorn said clearing his throat in an effort to diffuse the tension. "Now, if you will all turn to page 56 in your textbooks, you will find a list of ingredients."
Hermione placed her book on the table and began turning the pages.
"You didn't have to do that. I'm fine working by myself." Draco said softly
"I'm sure you are." Hermione said pulling out a quill and parchment
"I'm not a charity case, Granger." Draco said with a bit more venom in his words
Hermione looked up. Draco was visibly annoyed. Hermione shook her head. She couldn't imagine why on Earth he would come back to Hogwarts. Didn't he realize how hard this is going to be? Opinions don't change overnight.
"I'm not attempting to give you Charity, Malfoy. I know who you are and what you've done…especially to me. The fact of the matter is, we have to work together this year. There's nothing I can do about that. So, if we're going to work together, I would prefer we do so amicably. Now, can you pass me the boomslang skin?"
Draco stared at her for a minute and then reached across the table and passed her what she requested. The rest of the class was fairly simple. Hermione ignored the frequent whispers and looks at their tables. She and Draco worked together to brew the potion until it began to bubble a dark purple color.
Slughorn walked over to their table and peered inside their cauldron. "Very good work from our Head Boy and Head Girl" He said with a boisterous laugh. "You'll let this boil for twenty-four hours and then we can test it. You are dismissed."
Hermione reached down to grab her bag. As she was putting her books inside, she noticed Draco staring at her.
"What?" she asked annoyed
"I-um…Thanks" He said looking down
The "thanks" caught her off guard so much that she dropped her text book. The book fell in slow motion landing with a thud on the ground. Hermione snapped back to reality and reached to pick it up. Draco bent down reaching to pick it up too. His hand brushed against hers as he grabbed the text book.
She looked up and found him staring at her. Her throat went dry. He looked at the ground, "What I said doesn't just apply to today's class. This is going to be a rough year for you if you continue working with me."
"What is that supposed to mean, Malfoy?!" Hermione looked up to see Harry and Ron staring behind her. Ron's ears were red.
Draco looked quickly at Hermione and stood up. "Weasley. Potter"
Harry stared at him
"Are you threatening her?" Ron demanded
Shock crossed Draco's face "What? No. I wasn't"
"Because if you are, then I'll-" Ron started
"You'll what, Weasley?" Draco snarled. His hand inched closer towards his wand
Before Hermione could blink, their wands were drawn and the room was filled with light.
"What on Earth would possess you to fire a curse at another student in a classroom?!"
Hermione opened her eyes and winced. The room was filled with light. She looked around. She was in the hospital wing laying in a bed. Draco and Ron were standing with their backs to her speaking to Professor McGonagall. Harry sat in a chair next to Hermione's bed. He gave her a small smile when he saw her look at him.
"Professor, he was threatening her!" Ron exclaimed
"I was not! You walked in on the middle of a conversation and took it the wrong way" Draco said through clenched teeth
"There was nothing to take the wrong way. I heard what you said!" Ron yelled
"Enough!" Professor McGonagall yelled "You two are lucky that Ms. Granger wasn't seriously injured. You are lucky that other students weren't harmed! Twenty points from both of your houses."
"But Professor-" They both started, but she held her hand up to silence them
"Another word and I'll add on detention. You all are the leaders of this school. It's time you start acting like it." She turned on her heel and walked out the door into the corridor.
"How are you feeling?" Harry asked Hermione
Ron and Draco whipped around to look at her. They both ran to the bed bumping into each other. Ron looked at Draco angrily, "Do you mind? I'm trying to check on my…Hermione."
Draco frowned, "I'm trying to check on her too, Weasley."
"I'm fine." Hermione said sitting up
Ron sighed, "I'm sorry Hermione. I didn't mean to-"
"I'm glad you're okay." Draco said sighing.
Hermione looked at them both, "Are you two done? You could have seriously hurt someone!"
They both looked down, "I wasn't trying to hurt you, Hermione." Ron said "But, seriously…you working with him is-"
"Is what, Weasley?" Malfoy said glaring at Ron
Ron paused, "We know what you are, Malfoy. You've shown us who you are for years. I don't buy this changed act. If your father wasn't sitting in Azkaban, you'd be right back to where you were before!"
Draco glared at Ron. The tension in the room was intense. Hermione's head was pounding. She wished they would shut up. She wished they would leave and let her get some rest.
"Maybe we should go" Harry said looking sideways at Hermione
"Maybe you're right." Draco said softly "If my father were here, things would be different. That's kind of the point."
"What does that even mean?" Ron said confused
"Nothing. Sorry again, Granger." He grabbed his bag and walked out of the Hospital Wing.
"Did you have to do that?" Hermione hissed at Ron
"Do what? Don't tell me you believe him? Hermione, you're being naïve. Draco Malfoy is-"
"I know exactly who he is. I know exactly what he has done. Have you forgotten I was right there with you when you were saving the Wizarding World, Ronald Weasley?"
"Enough of this." Madam Pomfrey rushed out of her office "She needs rest. Leave. Now" She stared at Ron with emphasis on the last word
Harry and Ron grabbed their things and headed for the door. "We'll see you tomorrow, Hermione." Harry said squeezing her hand.
Hermione laid back as the door closed. Madam Pomfrey checked her temperature and then went back into her office.
This was only the first day. This year was going to be way more difficult than she could have imagined. She was not going to be able to take Draco and Ron bickering at every corner. Hermione rolled over. Did McGonagall understand what she was asking Hermione to do? Many of the students felt exactly how Ron felt about Draco. How was she supposed to change that? Why was that her responsibility?
She did feel sorry for him. If my father were here, things would be different. That's kind of the point.
That's…sad. If his father were here, Draco would be a completely different person. There's no way he would have let her be his Potions partner and he definitely wouldn't have been okay with her being Head Girl. Is it that simple? Is he just a product of his father's teachings? Is that an excuse?
She was in the Potions Classroom. The cauldrons around them bubbled with a gooey substance inside. Hermione looked up and saw everyone's back to her. The classroom had more people in it than it did earlier. No one was moving. No one was looking at their textbooks. Everyone was staring straight ahead. She looked to her left and saw Draco staring at her. His expression was kind. He looked at her longingly, "Hermione"
The sound of her name coming out of his mouth sent chills down her spine. He lifted his hand and brushed it against her cheek. His hand was warm and comforting.
He pulled at his tie to loosen it. He unbuttoned his top button and slowly started to unbutton his shirt never once breaking eye contact. Hermione bit her bottom lip watching him unbutton his shirt. He was…beautiful.
His hand stopped at the bottom of his shirt. He took a step closer to her. He rested his forehead against hers. She could feel each breath that he took.
She lifted her hand and placed it gently on the side of his face. He leaned his head into her hand and closed his eyes. "Hermione" He whispered
She loved the way he said her name. It was gentle…almost loving?
He leaned towards her. This was it. Was she really going to do this? Was she really going to kiss Draco Malfoy? She felt…excited? Why on Earth was she excited about kissing Draco Malfoy?
"Hermione" This time when he said her name it was more forceful. The longing gentle tone had gone away.
She leaned forward, her lips inches from his
"Hermione!"
She jumped and opened her eyes. She was no longer in the Potions Classroom. She was back in the hospital wing being blinded by the bright light.
"Hermione, you can go dear." Hermione looked up to see Madam Pomfrey. She had been shaking her, trying to get her to wake up.
Hermione looked around the hospital wing. The beds were empty.
She gasped. Draco was sitting in the chair next to her. "How are you feeling?" He asked sitting up straight.
"I'm…fine" She said looking confused "what are you doing here?"
He blushed. "I wanted to make sure you were okay."
She gave him a small smile, "You didn't have to do that."
"I know" He said handing her his hand so she could stand up
She took his hand and stood up out of the hospital bed. His hand was warm. Her small hand fit into his like a glove.
She looked up at him. He was looking at their hands. Was he thinking the same thing?
He looked up at her and then dropped her hand quickly. "I-er…um…would you like breakfast?"
She tucked her hair behind her ears, "Yes, let's go."
She quickly ran behind a curtain and got changed into her school robes and followed him out of the Hospital Wing towards the Great Hall.
