The week had quite thankfully flitted by almost in a speed of lightening. Ron had returned to school much to the dismay of both Hermione and Draco. And much to the anger and aggravation of a certain Weasley boy, Hermione and Draco seemed to be spending more and more time together.
Somewhere in the middle of the cold dungeon classroom sat Hermione and Draco. Ever since Ron's return to the castle school, Harry had been obliged to spend his time with him instead of Hermione. The table behind them housed the two notorious Gryffindors and the one on the right was occupied by the two deputy-Head prefects.
A small paper sat in the middle of the oak desk, a large cauldron in front of it; upon it were neatly scripted words.
Hey love. I can almost feel Weasel's deathly stare on me.
Nonsense, Draco. Don't be so absurd.
I'm not being absurd! I swear he's trying to kill me with his eyes.
I'm sure that he's not. He'll get over it!
Ha! He's probably devising a way to get me off the Astronomy Tower. Or perhaps the most discreet way to stab me right now and boil me in his bloody, cracking cauldron.
Don't be so mean! Just because he isn't the most tolerable boy doesn't mean you have the right to insult his family! You know that Ginny is great and the rest of the Weasleys, excluding himself perhaps, are just as wonderful. You saw Fred and George defend me in Hogsmeade!
Yeah whatever. Hmm… I swear I can hear Milford approaching the classroom.
Stop lying! There is no way that you could 'sense' it.
No seriously I swear I can. I promise you, my dear. Would I really lie to my beautiful wife?
You're such a li
The note came to an abrupt end when the middle-aged professor swept into the Potions classroom. "Open your books to page 713. We'll be preparing the 'Sustantivo' Potion. Can anyone tell me about this?"
Almost the entire class shifted in their seats to face Hermione whose hand was stiffly standing in the air. "Hermione?" The teacher questioned, all professors having begun to call her by her name due to the 'alteration' of her surname.
"Well Professor Milford, sustantivo is the Spanish translation for 'link'. In other words, the potion basically makes you linked either emotionally or physically to the person whose 'DNA', usually hair, was inserted into the potion. Whether or not you are linked emotionally or physically depends on the quality of your potion. While it can make you either of them, it can also link you in both ways. The most perfect potion will cause both an emotional and physical link between the pair. The physical link will allow things, such as doors and clothing, to pass through it but the people themselves cannot. But this link will wear off depending on the brewing of the potion. It may last for a day or even a week. The drinkers will pass out for a few minutes before they wake up, linked with each other in some way."
The Potions Master, also known as the Head of Slytherin, sighed heavily. "Yes, yes Hermione. 20 points to Gryffindor it will have to be. It seems that you have been able to sustain your knowledge even with…the extra… pressures…that you had this past vacation. Well done. Alright class, your pairings for the brewing will be the people you are seated with at the present moment. Get to work."
Hermione smiled softly and began to set up the cauldron as Draco stood to collect the ingredients that were now written upon the board, as well as in their books.
Half an hour later, Hermione was concentrating well on the potion in front of her while Draco was leaning back in his chair. "Done, Hermione?" He asked softly. She decreased the fire underneath the cauldron and leant back in her chair. "Almost. It needs to simmer for another ten minutes before its completed, no thanks to you."
Draco gaped at her before tickling her lightly. Giggling incessantly, she shuffled her chair away from his slightly. Smiling deviously, he pulled it back. She shuffled away again but he pulled her back again. This continued for quite a while until exasperated, Hermione pulled her hand back to slap his arm lightly when he caught it.
Leaning in slightly, he whispered gently. "No dear. You wouldn't want to hit your husband now, would you?" She smiled softly before shaking her head softly. Gently he placed her hand down on her thigh before placing his arm on the back of her chair.
"Ron! Don't put tha-" Harry's warning voice was cut off by a soft explosion. Draco placed himself in front of Hermione, shielding her from the small chunks of liquid that could come flying while Hermione covered their potion.
The class turned to stare that the two boys, who were covered in ash and globs of potion. Harry was glaring heavily at Ron who was scowling at Draco, who smirked at the red-haired boy.
Harry sighed heavily, pulling out his wand. "Scourgify. Honestly Ron. Stop being so bloody distracted. You're not supposed to put the rose petals until after the beetle wings." He exclaimed exasperatedly. The incensed teenager dropped into his seat before muttering, "Whatever."
Hermione quickly turned back to their potion and checked it carefully before leaning beside Draco, with a relieved sigh. "It's all fine. Nothing got in it." Draco rolled his eyes playfully before nodding in mutual amusement.
"Alright, class. Time is up. We'll be picking one pair to demonstrate their potion." Professor Milford strolled around the room, checking the cauldrons carefully sparing a short glare at Harry and Ron. "It seems that this one is the most pleasing." He concluded, stopping short at Hermione and Draco's potion. "Hermione, Draco, would you do the honours of testing your potion."
Hermione beamed with pride as she poured two vials of the potion. Carefully pulling out one of her hairs as Draco did the same, they inserted it into each others vials. "Alright. On the count of three, you will both drink it. Class watch carefully."
The entire class seemed to move closer, Ron's eyes narrowing darkly. "One." They edged closer. "Two." They all seemed to draw in one breath and hold it. "Three." A few gasps were heard as the pair tipped the potion down their throat and simultaneously fainted, a golden glow around them.
Harry watched with baited breath, as a golden handcuff with an extended golden chain between the two cuffs appeared, before turning to face the boy beside him. Ron's hands were clutching the desk, his nails digging into desk and his fingers pale white from the pressure. His face was tinted red with anger, his eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Ron…"
"Shut up, Harry. Shut up before I do something I will regret."
"Ron…"
"Shut up! I'm going to kill that son of a coward. I'm going to slowly slice his neck!"
"Ron…"
"SHUT UP!" The entire group of students spun to face the enraged boy. "WHAT ARE YOU LOT STARING AT?" They all turned back to face the front, whispers breaking out like fire.
The whispers ended quickly as a soft moan came from the boy on the ground. "Where am I?" He questioned softly, glancing around him. He looked down at the girl opposite him, remembering what had happened.
"Mr Malfoy, can you feel anything abnormal apart from the chain?" Draco shook his head. "No? We'll have to wait until Hermione wakes up." Professor Milford stated before seating himself. Another soft moan came as Hermione propped herself onto her elbows. "Now do you feel anything, Draco?"
Draco nodded. "I sense…confusion…and now realisation. Hermione was confused about what had happened but then realised where she was." Professor Milford clapped enthusiastically while Hermione scowled at Draco who wore a very proud expression.
"Oh. And I can feel complete gratification and, what's this, a gigantic ego?" She retorted, playfully. The class erupted into giggles and silent fits of laughter as Draco gaped and then laughed uproariously. Only one didn't seem to be enjoying the situation, Ron.
Laughing gaily, Hermione threw herself onto the couch after being chased up the stairs by her husband. "ARGH!" She quickly sat up and burst into a fit of giggles. In her ecstatic state, she had temporarily forgot about their physical link. By throwing herself onto the couch, she had flung Draco to the other end of the couch.
"Oh Draco!" She managed to yell through her giggles. Scrambling to the floor on her knees, she bent down beside him. "Oh, I'm so sorry! Forgive me?" She pleaded, an innocent expression on her delicate features.
With a short bark of incredulous laughter, Draco leapt up and tackled her to the ground. "Ah! Now look who's the prey, my dear." He stated, in a very dark voice." Within in a matter of seconds, his hands had descended on her and began tickling her ferociously.
"Oh come off it you two." Draco quickly rolled off Hermione as they both turned to the door. Ginny was standing at the door, a meaningful expression on her face. Hermione peeked around her to see a confused Harry.
"Hermione? What happened?" He questioned, a worried expression on his face. Hermione gulped subtly before smiling innocently. "Umm…you see, I fell to the ground because I tripped…over the couch…and Draco fell too. And then as payback, he tickled me."
Harry's eyebrow raised. "Whatever. I just came to see what you both are going to do for dinner. You can't sit at separated tables." Hermione turned to Draco who shrugged. "Um…we didn't think of that." She said, thoughtfully.
"Hermione can't sit at the Slytherin table. They'll kill her." Draco piped in, evidently concerned about the young woman's health. "She cannot take that chance. I will most definitely not take that risk of allowing her to sit with them."
Hermione turned to glare at her husband. "What do you think I am? Some weakling who can't take care of herself? I'll be just fine!" She retorted, angrily.
Harry shook his head in denial. "No Mione. Malfoy's right. There is no way that I am going to let you sit there either. Malfoy can sit with us. Ron will just have to deal with it, despite the fact that he hates him."
She opened her mouth once more but was cut off by both boys. "Don't say a thing." Sighing grumpily, she crossed her arms and scowled. Harry shrugged before bidding goodbye and leaving. Ginny smiled understandingly and left with an 'I'll be alright'.
Turning her head from Draco, she huffed in annoyance. "Look, Mya." He whispered, crawling up to her so he was right behind her. "I know that you think that you can beat them, and I know you can, but I'm scared of what they may do. They're vicious people."
Hermione turned, her eyes blazing with anger. "They won't do anything! I'm Head Girl and Dumbledore will be in the sodding room! Just let me sit there once and I'll show you, nothing will happen. You said yourself that Pansy and Blaise wouldn't mind. Blaise knows for Pete's sake!"
Draco sighed, hoping that this wouldn't lead to their first fight as he felt her immense anger. "Hermione, they're only two of hundreds. The others aren't to be taken lightly. Blaise, Pansy and myself are the 'nice' Slytherins."
Hermione groaned inwardly as she felt his sadness and disappointment. "Draco, I know that you're just looking out for me." She began, her voice softening. "But I really think that I can do this. We'll make a deal. We'll sit with the Slytherins for half the time and the Gryffindors for the other half. That will be Slytherin, Gryffindor, Slytherin and then there'll be the dance so no house tables, and then Gryffindor, Slytherin and Gryffindor. How about it?"
Draco thought carefully at her reasonable suggestion and sighed heavily, as he sensed her plea. "Alright, alright but if anything, and I mean anything, goes wrong then we'll be at the other table." Hermione nodded in agreement and happiness. "So if a fight occurs with the Slytherins, we'll be staying with the Gryffindors and vice versa."
With a wide grin, she launched herself at him. Wrapping her arms around him tightly she whispered, "Thank you, love." Draco smiled softly, returning the hold. "My pleasure, Mrs Malfoy." He whispered before capturing her lips in a soft kiss.