A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I know the story is moving slow, but I promise there is a plot I just want to make sure I introduce all the characters and set up a basic foundation before things get good :)

Chapter Three: Potions

Hermione woke up early the next morning and cheerily sung as she gathered her books and headed to breakfast. Ron, Harry and Ginny however did not return her cheery sentiments and studied their schedules while eating.

Hermione, Harry and Ron all had potions with Slytherins first hour Hermione noted glancing at their schedules. After that Harry and Ron had a free period along with Ginny while Hermione had Ancient Runes. After lunch Ginny would go to her potions class while the other three had Defense Against the Dark Arts with the Slytherins and Transfiguration with Ravenclaws as their last class.

"Not too bad wouldn't you agree?" Hermione questioned smiling at the other three. They just shrugged as they all got up to leave the hall.

As Ron and Hermione turned towards the dungeons they saw Harry give Ginny a quick kiss on the cheek before she went the other direction.

"He can float through walls and he's still bloody late," they heard as they approached the room. Apparently Snape neglected to be on time, probably just to piss people off.

Five minutes later Severus Snape floated through the door and sneered at all the students then smirked when he noticed that half of them were already nodding off.

This is going to be fun, he thought to himself.

"SIT UP Mr. Weasley! If you find this class so dreadfully boring for your highly advanced mind I can assure you I'll find something to make it less so and it will not be enjoyable," Snape hissed.

With that the whole class snapped their attention to Snape and opened their books.

"Today," he continued "you will be making a potion that can trick even your worst enemy into divulging their deepest, most personal secrets," Snape said in a dramatically hushed voice.

"But Professor," Hermione started and receiving no foul comment, continued "couldn't one just use Veritaserum if they wanted to know their enemy's secrets?"

"They could Miss Granger, but this potion does not necessarily make the person tell the truth about anything, it only makes them reveal the one thing so personal and private they would not want anyone to know," Snape responded.

Draco's eyes glowed at the thought of having a bit of this potion. Oh how he'd love to know Granger's darkest secret and embarrass her know-it-all self in front of the whole school.

I just said Granger and love in the same sentence... wait, why am I even bothered by that? Who cares what I said about Granger. I also said darkest in the same sentence…dark like her chocolate eyes. Ahhh! Shut up Draco! What the hell is wrong with me? Nothing I was just momentarily losing my sanity that's all. Now I will regain my composure and arrogance and make this potion so I can ruin her perfect life.

"Professor aren't you going to tell us what page to find the potion on?" Hermione asked without raising her hand.

"Obviously Granger that would be helpful, but I was so hoping that you would have already shouted out the page number and have the book memorized by now," the professor replied. Draco swore he could see the sarcasm dripping from Snape's tongue as he spoke. This thought made Draco laugh and Snape turned a hard glare in his direction which promptly caused Draco to shut his mouth. Satisfied Snape turned back to Hermione who was just staring at him. She really hadn't been reading much with the war going on so surprisingly she did not know the page number or even the name of this curious potion.

"No?" Snape jeered. "How sad. 10 points from Gryffindor."

"For what?" Hermione gasped.

"For not being an insufferable know-it-all. You'll find the potion on page 276. I think you all are up for a bit of a challenge on your first day. This is a NEWT class after all."

Hermione flipped her book open and turned to the correct page "Hostium Specialis," she read to herself as she began scanning the rest of the page and started gathering her ingredients.

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One hour later Ron and Harry had given up on successfully completing their potion and watched as Hermione added her last ingredient. Snape smirked when he saw her hand shoot in the air. She's going to dislocate that shoulder one day he thought to himself as he strolled over. His smirk however disappeared and his face twisted in frustration as he was unable to think of an insult or find any flaw in her potion. He nodded sharply before walking away and snatching a vile from the shelf behind his desk.

Draco fumed silently as he watched Snape collect a vial of Hermione's potion to add to the store room and Draco proceeded to dump his out. Why does that mudblood have to be better at everything? Even potions, his best subject.

She was infuriating and he hated her more than he even hated Potter, the golden boy and now the savior of the entire wizarding world. Although Draco was glad Voldemort was dead he still found Potter disgustingly over praised.

Hermione glanced over to see Malfoy angrily shoving his potions book into his bag and smiled in spite of herself and walked off to Ancient Runes after waving bye to Harry and Ron. She was secretly pleased that she had not lost her touch and was still able to outsmart Malfoy.

A/N: Let me know what you think.