"Good Evening" Professor Dumbledore greeted happily. "I have a quick announcement to make before we have our feast. As for the Sixth and Seventh Years, a new curriculum called Muggle Studies is added. And it's compulsory. Meet your new professor." His eyes had a twinkle in them.
The Great Hall was now filled with whispers and mumbles. With this, a tall blonde girl entered the Great Hall and smirked as she walked, noticing that most of the students were gawking at her. She specifically asked Dumbledore to not say her name because she wants to introduce herself in an eye-to-eye manner with her students when she meets them. Dumbledore clapped and soon was followed by everyone. However, the Slytherins didn't like the idea which is obviously seen in their faces but they have to put up with it until the subject is finished.
"Your schedules will be posted on the news hall the next morning." Professor McGonagall said. Then everyone started eating.
"I think that she would look like an angel if she wore anything white." Ron said the moment they went back to the Gryffindor's common room. The atmosphere around the room told them that almost everyone was talking about the new professor and the new curriculum.
"Man, we have a hot teacher on the loose! Let's not waste time, Fred!" George said and they both ran out of the common room.
"What is wrong with everyone? It's just a teacher." Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Tell you what, Hermione. As George said it, she's hot! Everyone would be attracted to her" Ron said, his eyes sparkling. "How old do you think is she, mate?" he nudged Harry who was busy talking to Ginny beside them.
"Huh? I don't know. Maybe she's in her twenties?" Harry grinned at Ron and Ginny slapped them playfully.
"Stop that talk with Harry or I'll start to get jealous" she made face.
"Ewww. It feels weird to hear you saying that, little sister." Ron tried to fake a disgusted look.
"But I am his girlfriend!" she retorted.
"Come here now" Harry pulled Ginny into a teddy bear hug.
"Let's leave them" Ron said to Hermione who looked at the two with jealous eyes. She wanted to do that with Ron too but he was too dense to notice her feelings for him. She looked at them for the last time and followed Ron to the other side of the room and they sat by the fireplace.
"Here you are, Ron-Ron!" Lavender called out as soon as she spotted him. Ron grinned at her then turned to Hermione and bid her a 'later' gesture and went out with Lavender.
Ginny and Harry walked over to her. Probably seeing what happened.
"Hermione, are you alright?" Harry asked.
"I'm used to it. Don't worry. I guess I have to do my night patrols now. I wouldn't want to ruin my Head Girl's reputation." Hermione sighed and stood up.
"You are hurt" Ginny grabbed her arms. Hermione looked at her with mournful eyes. Perhaps what she said was nothing but the truth. 'Funny how one phrase can make an impact this big on me' Hermione thought then shook her head. "I'll manage" she said and Ginny let go of her hand.
"I'll see you then?" she said and Ginny nodded. Hermione turned to Harry. "I hope that we're not going to be with the Slytherin tomorrow." They both grinned and Hermione went out to do her duty.
"Twaddle" Hermione said to Majesty, the lady on the portrait of the Head's common room and it swung open. Seeing Draco, the head boy, Hermione sighed even more.
"Finished with your duties, Granger?" Draco smirked at her. He was sitting on the couch with a book clutched on his hand.
"Yes and don't start with me now, Malfoy" Hermione said tiredly.
"Seem to be in a foul mood, huh? Did Weasel do something like, let's say… kissing that Brown girl again?" he didn't stop. He's getting a lot of fun into making Hermione angry.
"What do you want?" Hermione snapped. A hurt look on her face is clearly visible.
"You know what? I could make a better man than him" he was enjoying every bit of this. But at the same time, he knew that she needs someone to vent out her anger on. She can't keep it all to herself, can she? He's been observing her when she's around Ron and he can say that Ron is such a fool for not having seen Hermione in front of him. Not that Draco cares anyway. He just hates the feeling she's emitting; like being broken inside while trying hard not to let others see her pain. He perfectly knows how it feels even without feeling her pain. He, too, was like that.
"I didn't ask for your opinion so quit pestering me. Why are you always so full of yourself? You know what, Malfoy? As if I'd fancy you! Huh, that feels better" Hermione said and stomped all the way to her room.
"Girls" Draco muttered under his breath and continued reading his book.
Muggle Studies: General Time: 8:00-19:00
6th year
Thursday Slytherin-Gryffindor
Friday Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw
7th year
Monday Ravenclaw-Slytherin
Wednesday Gryffindor-Hufflepuff
"What? We get to spend a whole day with the Slytherin?" Harry said astoundingly as soon as he saw their schedule.
"Take note, Harry. Our subject is done once a week! I might as well start to hate Thursdays!" Ron retorted.
"I know it's terrible. Wait, where's Hermione?" Harry noticed that Hermione wasn't still with them. "And it's already seven-fifty! She wouldn't want to be late for our first class in Muggle Studies" he added.
"Don't worry, mate. She'll be here in a few sec" Ron said nonchalantly. He was too preoccupied by the thought that they'll be with the Slytherin.
As they strode off the news hall, half of the Slytherin glared at them. They ignored it as usual. From somewhere, an owl went up to them and delivered a note coming from Hermione telling them to go on without her and to not to worry about her because she'll just do a bit of tidying up.
"See? I told you, didn't I?" Ron said as a matter-of-fact.
"Why do you act like you don't care about her at all?" Harry asked out of nowhere.
"I just happen to know her, Harry. I would know when something is up" Ron said.
"So do you know that something is really up?" Harry tested him, knowing that there really was something.
"No" Ron shrugged.
"You don't know her at all, Ron." Harry said while trying to fight the urge to punch Ron and tell him that he's too dense. But then Harry doesn't want to meddle because it's Hermione's business whether she'd tell Ron about her feelings or not. He knows that she'll do it eventually.
"My name is Courtney Cezar and I'm obviously here to teach you everything there is to know about Muggles.'" The professor looked at her students with criticizing emerald eyes. "We will be spending the whole day together so cooperate" she emphasized the last word.
"I didn't know that she could be this scary when she talks." Ron whispered to his seatmate, Harry who nodded in agreement.
"A mudblood for a teacher?" Draco blurted out without meaning to. Thanks to his Slytherin instincts. Professor Cezar looked at her with scornful eyes.
"Blonde hair. You must be Draco Malfoy" She said with her eyes scrutinizing him. "50 points from Slytherin and if you don't want to lose your position as the head boy, you better come to detention. I'll tell you when" she smiled an evil one. Draco fell silent and all the Slytherin seemed to shut up.
"Let's go with the attendance first before we head over to my house rules." She said and started calling out names.
"Greengrass!"
"Present"
"Parkinson!"
"Present"
"Potter!" calling him, she glanced up to him and looked at his visible scar but went on again.
"Present"
"Zabini!"
"Present"
"Weasley!"
"Present"
"Granger!"
"…"
"Granger?" she said more loudly.
"In here!" Hermione, whose eyes were swollen, said breathlessly as she approached their classroom.
"Are you a muggle-born?" Professor Cezar asked. When she looked at her, her face lit up and became gentler. Her voice definitely changed to a mild one.
"Yes professor and sorry I'm late. I—" she started saying but was cut off.
"Don't bother" she smiled at her. Hermione smiled in response and went to sit next to Harry.
"Got favoritism with mudbloods huh?" some Slytherins mumbled but luckily, wasn't heard by their professor.
"Are you alright?" Harry asked with concern look in his eyes.
"Yes. I accidentally drank a failure potion that's why my eyes became like this" she lied but Harry believed it.
"Slytherin got 50 points taken away from them because Draco insulted Professor Cezar by calling her a mudblood" Harry whispered to Hermione to fill her news. Hermione chuckled at the thought.
"Would you mind sharing us what you have in mind, Mister Potter and Miss Granger?" Professor Cezar asked suddenly.
"It's nothing Ma'am. Sorry" Hermione stood up and tried to defend him.
"See me in detention. I'll tell you when" Professor Cezar smiled at her.
"Let's proceed with my house rules. I may be muggle-born but I am a witch. Those who don't know the meaning of respect might as well go out of this classroom and drop my subject. I won't need you but you will need me. I give detentions to nasty students and I can take away all of your house points if you won't budge, cooperate and discipline yourself. Our purpose for having this subject is to understand the behavior of the Muggles so that when we interact with them, we won't look suspicious or anything that's weird. Our goal is to also show you equality. By the way, you won't be able to eat with the other level because we have a different routine. I'll let you eat on time, don't worry. Oh! And before I forget, students, MAGIC IS PROHIBITED DURING THURSDAYS AND FRIDAYS." Professor Cezar said. "Now, every time you have this subject, Hogwarts will turn into a city just like the one that muggles live on. You will experience rain, thunder and snow in the school grounds like a real muggle. Two beds will turn into a house and we recommend only one room per house.
"What will happen to our subjects for Friday if we can't use magic?" Parvati asked. Hermione was also thinking the same.
"Well, magic is only allowed for your subject purposes on Friday. When your class has finished, you can no longer use magic again. That is until Friday only" Professor Cezar said.
"Ugh! Why do we have to do this? This is nonsense!" Pansy retorted.
"I'd like to tell you all that I hate complaints. Take that as a warning for you Miss Parkinson if you don't want to lose precious points for your house" Professor Cezar said sharply. The Slytherins continued to glare at their least loved professor.
"Note this everyone. I hate untidy and lazy people." Professor Cezar continued to explain. "Since I've explained to you some of my rules, you can go take a break but only for 30 minutes. If you come in late, heavy punishment will be bestowed upon you and you won't have any partner. That means, you're dropped from this subject because I strongly recommend partners. Go now, time is running" She said and with a poof, she was gone.
"She's like the female version of Snape! Only, she's in favor to us" Ron said happily. "By the way, what happened to your eyes, Hermione?" he asked her.
"She's not, Ronald. She's only being fair. I… Uhmm…" Hermione trailed off.
"'Mione drank a failure potion." Harry cut in. He looked disappointed in some ways.
"Are you OK now?" Ron asked Hermione who nodded in response.
"What happened, Harry? You look upset." Hermione frowned at his friend.
"I won't be able to see Ginny during Thursdays." Harry said simply.
"You'll still see her in the common room, you know." Ron said.
"Yeah cheer up!" Hermione said before her stomach started growling. "I haven't eaten anything" she said as she read the questioning look her two best friends gave her.
"Then let's eat now!" Harry said and they all went to the Great Hall.
"I'm back here with muggle gadgets. This will determine who your partners will be. Once I call your name, stand up and get what I hand you along with your table number. The key to your house will be given later. You will sit with your partner, of course. As I said, one Gryffindor and one Slytherin" Professor Cezar said.
"Does it mean that when we got our partners, we have to move in with them in the same house as well?" Pansy asked irritated. She didn't like this idea at all. Sleeping with a Gryffindor? That's a total turn-off for a pureblood. Well, that's for her.
"Good question, Parkinson. The answer would be no. Partners are only for this classroom and the activities. You won't move in with them. Except if there were some circumstances" Professor Cezar flashed a grin on Pansy who shrugged with pure disgust.
Professor Cezar noticed that Hermione's eyebrow twitch like she has something to ask.
"As you all know, muggle gadgets aren't allowed in Hogwarts due to much magic in the air but for the sake of the lesson, we did an alternative way. But it's not for me to tell you how" she said and saw Hermione's face looked contented.
"Longbottom!" she started. Neville approached her with trembling feet. The thought of having a Slytherin as a partner is terrifying. She then gave her a watch. "That's the first example" Professor Cezar said when she saw that most of the Gryffindors were interested. "This is used to tell the time" she said.
"Granger!" Hermione walked up to her and she gave her an Iphone.
"Thank you professor" she said with a smile and went back to her seat.
"Potter!" She gave him a Laptop.
"Quite heavy, Professor" he said and she smiled at him.
"Parkinson!" she gave her a PSP.
"How do you even make this thing work?" she surveyed her PSP as she walked away.
"Weasley!" She gave him a PSP as well. In which he asked what that thing was but she glared at him so he went back wondering what PSP is.
"Malfoy!" she gave him a touchscreen celphone. He shook his head at it as muttered, "muggles" under his breath.
In the end, it turned out like this:
| Gadget | Names | Table Number |
Laptop: Potter-Astoria 10
PSP: Parkinson-Weasley 01
Celphone: Malfoy 07
Iphone: Granger 07
DVD Player w/ CDs: Zabini-Parvati Patil 09
Camera: Goyle-Brown 02
"Professor, I think there's something wrong with our gadget. It isn't the same even though we have the same table number" Hermione said as she gave Professor Cezar their gadgets.
"Oh. These two are the same. This is an Iphone, an upgraded one. While this celphone is just the same. Look, you can even send a text message from this phone to the other phone" she demonstrated as to how it works. Draco looked like he didn't care but he was actually paying attention to this.
"Let's get this over with, Granger. Just sit with me and stop complaining" he said as she handed him back his gadget and sat on the chair next to his.
"I bet that in your head, you're cursing me with a lot of curses for being your partner" Hermione said.
"You really are the brightest witch of our generation" he said in a mocking tone.
"Should I take that as a compliment?" she asked with sarcasm in her voice.
"I'd never compliment you, mudblood." He said and she ignored it.
"Once you lose or break that gadget, get ready for punishment." Professor Cezar said to the students. She personally taught them how to assemble their things and how to use it. Ron was enjoying himself with playing a game called, 'Tekken' in his PSP while Pansy was busy with playing Barbie with hers the moment she learned how the thing works. Harry and Astoria were exploring their laptop with amazement clearly seen in their eyes. Goyle kept clicking and clicking on his camera (he was astounded by the flash) while Lavender started trying to make a pose and has been dragging Ron with her. (She got the hang out of it that fast) Blaise and Parvati seemed to get along and watch a movie called, '50 First Dates' on Blaise's DVD player. While the last pair? Draco kept texting Hermione with nonsense things like 'Jealous of Brown?', 'Mudblood', 'Jealous?' 'Asdfghjkl', '*smirk face*', '*winking emoticon*' and 'Meet me at lunch?'
"Wait, that last text wasn't right. Damn templates." Draco said and snatched Hermione's Iphone and deleted the text message, gave it back to her then continued nagging her through text messaging.
Being utterly annoyed, she replied back on him and said, 'I can't examine my gadget! Sod off, Malfoy!' with a clear irritated face but he looked like he was enjoying every second of it.
"I'll let you cherish your gadgets first so class dismissed!" Professor Cezar left the students. Each and every one of them was happy to get such gadgets. Only that Draco got more chances to annoy Hermione.