Chapter 8

A/n: Just to answer a question that many people posted... I AM NOT SAYING IF IT IS NEVILLE OR VIKTOR! LoL... the whole reason of the letter from Viktor was to show y'all that he did not KNOW if he had it or not! That does NOT automatically make it Neville! Ahem. But thanks to all you lovely people who took the time to review on my fic. So enjoy the ride.

(March 3, 2006: Revised. Sun is a character added in the revision. I thought it was too biased towards the European schools, so I needed to add a new character from somewhere else. He is from China. I don't speak Chinese, so if his name means something offensive, I am deeply sorry. Just let me know, and I will fix it.)

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Hermione sat down with Ron, Harry, and Neville at their usual table in the dungeons. They were talking quietly when Professor Snape burst in, fuming.

"Students, light the fires. We will be brewing an Aeval Potion today. Per Professor Dumbledore, I am to be promoting House Unity, so you will be partnered with the opposite house." The students groaned, but Snape ignored them and went on with his lesson.

"Now, can anyone tell me what, exactly, the Aeval Potion is used for?" He ignored Hermione's quivering hand and looked expectantly at the class. No one else volunteered.

"Fine," Said Snape with exasperation. "Miss Granger. Could you tell the class quickly and get it over with?"

"Yes sir, of course. The Aeval potion is named after the Faery Queen of Ireland. Her and her court would decide if a woman was receiving enough sexual pleasure from her husband. This potion is designed to do just that; to see if you have had enough pleasure."

"No Miss Granger. This potion is designed to see if you are compatible with your partner. Ten points from Gryffindor for providing inaccurate information to your peers. And since no one in here is dating the opposite house" he glanced around, "I will choose the partners."

He waved his wand, and a list of names appeared on the board.

Pansy Parkinson-Seamus Finnegan
Lavender Brown-Vincent Crabbe
Millicent Bullstrode-Harry Potter
Ravenna Clause-Ronald Weasly
Padma Patil-Gregory Goyle
Hermione Granger-Draco Malfoy
Neville Longbottom-Blaise Zabini

"Now, if you would be so kind as to sit next to the partner of your choice- Wait. I take that back. Sit next to the partner of my choice." Snape smirked, and then flicked his wand again. Then the list of ingredients and directions were on the board.

Sage
Sweet Pea
Musk Ox Hair
Oil of Clove

Simmer 15 minutes until thickened, then one drop each blood. Should turn silver.

"Well, Granger," Said Draco, a bit loudly, making sure everyone heard him telling her what to do, "Why don't you go get the ingredients?"

She got up, and walked to the ingredient cupboard, hanging her head, as though in shame. Inside, she was secretly laughing. She got the required materials and sat back down.

Draco and Hermione worked in silence, as did all the other pairs. They were all afraid of the wrath of Snape, as he was often moody whenever Dumbledore asked him to do anything.

After the concoction was simmering, and a timer was set for fifteen minutes, Draco asked Hermione in a low tone, "So... did Viktor write you back?"

"Yes, he did. But Draco, Ron opened my letter. He thinks you and I are dating. I don't know how he got that from a letter to Viktor, but he's an odd one." It was true, that, because Ron kept sending the pair furtive glances.

"But he doesn't know anything about..."

"No, he wouldn't have the brains to figure out anything that complicated."

"He he, you may be right. Let him believe we are dating, if you need to. But what about Viktor, what did he say?"

"Ehh... how about I just show you the letter? That'd be easier than me trying to explain it to you." She rummaged in her bag for a second, then pulled out the roll of parchment and handed it to her lab partner.

"Oy! Hermione!" Ron called in a loud whisper. She whipped around, and went to his table after being on the receiving end of a frantic hand beckoning gesture thing that only Ron was capable of.

"What is it?" She said in a low tone. She did not want to disrupt the Professor and lose more points.

"What in blazes is going on? What are you giving your letter from Krum to Draco?" His eyes were flashing- he was not happy. Not happy at all.

"Hold that thought, Ron. I'll be right back." She went back to her table and whispered something in Draco's ear, who shook his head. Then she returned to Ron and Harry.

Quickly thinking up an excuse, she said, "He needed a spare piece of parchment to do some scratch work, so I said he could use the extra space at the bottom of the letter." She shrugged nonchalantly.

"You are a terrible liar Hermione. Why don't you tell me and Ron what's going on?" Harry said calmly.

"There's nothing going on. It is just as I said. If you do not want to accept that and call me a liar, I could care less. Just two less people I need to be responsible for. Maybe they can finally learn to take care of themselves." With that, she turned herself around, stomped back to her seat, and sat so close to Draco their thighs were touching.

"Whoa, that felt good. I've needed to do that for the longest time." She said under her breath.

Draco, who was a bit puzzled but quickly getting over the fact that a very beautiful girl was practically sitting on his lap, said, "Even I could have told you that."

She smiled a little, and then an idea came to her.

"Tonight, at midnight, meet me in the Room of Requirement. We need to brew a potion."

"What for?"

"To make sure that this- whatever it is- is what it really seems to be. Just verify that it's not someone's scheme to get revenge on either of us. We aren't exactly everyone's favorite people. You know what I mean?"

Draco doubtfully nodded, then looked at the timer. Only twelve seconds left.

"Come on. We need the blood in at the precise time."

They sliced their fingers with the blade, and the moment the timer buzzed, they each dropped in a single drop of blood.

The potion fizzled at the top, smoked, and then turned luminous, neon blue. Definitely not the silver that was written on the board. Hermione checked their work quickly. She was positive they had followed the directions explicitly.

The professor, smelling the smoke, looked over. He saw the blue light, and looked to where the students were staring. At Young Master Malfoy and the Mudblood.

He did a double take. The Mudblood and Malfoy?

Swooping over to their table, he said, "You two. My office. Now!"

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