Chapter Two – Dragon Heartstrings

"Why is it that Mr. Potter cannot ever be focused in my class?" said Professor Snape curtly, "Ten points from Gryffindor!"

Harry opened his mouth to protest but Hermione shushed him. You'll only make it worse! Harry reluctantly nodded and looked down at his desk. Snape's face betrayed his dissatisfaction at the lack of rejoinder from the boy.

"As I was saying, before Mr. Potter rudely interrupted me (Harry's brows slightly furrowed at this injustice), Dragon heart strings contain many magical properties. You will be experimenting with them today by adding them to different concoct- What is it, Granger?"

Hermione hesitated at the indictment in Snape's voice, and said, "I already know the properties of dragon heart strings. If consumed with veritaserum it can cause the drinker to have a mental reverse in social relationships. In other words, their best friends become their worst enemies, and their worst enemies become their best friends. And if the heart strings are consumed with a particular liquid which is yet-to-be-named in the science of potions, the consumer will be granted one wish."

To the class' disbelief, Snape smiled. "I happen, Granger, to have found what the liquid is in my recent studies (here Hermione gasped). Would you like to know what it is? What about this: If, while we are doing the following experiment, you are completely silent throughout, I will enlighten you with this knowledge."

Hermione's jaw dropped to the ground and she went completely silent. Harry and Ron looked at each other knowingly and did not attempt to speak to her during this crucial moment. Malfoy, on the other hand, sensed that some fun could be had in this and promptly took out his wand.

"Initiandus," he muttered, pointing the wand at the back of her head, which immediately began sprouting horns. Hermione's eyes widened as she felt the two growths penetrating out of her skin and was about to grab her wand and shout the countercurse, but remembered Snape's deal. She signaled furiously to Harry and Ron, who, being Harry and Ron, obviously did not know the countercurse. Hermione rolled her eyes and started scribbling it down on her parchment, throwing it to Harry when she was done.

"Stigmalarium," Harry whispered, and the horns started shrinking back into Hermione's skull. She closed her eyes and sighed.

"Did I not say you had to be completely silent?" said Snape contemptuously to Hermione, "You're getting one chance, and one chance only. Do I make that clear, Granger? Now, I want all of you to experiment with hag's soup, beetle pus, and veritaserum. After adding the heartstrings to each of the liquids, you are to administer them to each other. Antidotes are by my front desk as usual. Start."

Hermione moved over to Harry and Ron. "I can't believe we're in the same class as Slytherin for potions again – it's like Dumbledore wants us to fight," snarled Ron, as he viciously tore up some dragon heartstrings into the hag's soup, "what other subjects have we got with those bloody Slytherins, Harry?"

"History of Magic, I think," replied Harry, "and Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Oh, great. Just great. Any idea who the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is this year?"

"Nope. Word hasn't gotten round yet," said Harry, and with that he dropped some heartstrings into the beetle pus, which emitted a little poof as it came in contact with the item.

Hermione silently threw the dragon heartstrings into veritaserum.

"Cheers," said Harry and Ron, and the three of them began to drink.

Ron immediately set his hag's soup down and began to choke. "What the hell is in this hag's soup?!" he yelled, all the while growing taller and taller at a rapidly increasing rate.

"Wow, Hermione was saying the truth. You really are going to be as big as Grawp now!" commented Harry, "quick! Grab the antidote before you break the ceiling!"

"Neville's already done that," said Ron, as he swiped at the potion and shrunk back to his normal size, "what's that on your face, Harry?"

Harry touched the front of his face and was astonished to find a great big tomato where his nose used to be.

"Argh!"

All this while, Hermione was looking confusedly at Harry and Ron. She felt extremely repulsed to be near them and glanced at Malfoy.

I can't believe I never liked him before, she thought dreamily, look at that lovely blonde hair and those stunningly intense blue eyes. She stumbled over to Malfoy's desk. Ron looked at her, alarmed, and then remembered what she had said about heartstrings and veritaserum. He immediately ran to the front desk for the antidote and literally poured it down her throat, causing her to gag and cough.

Hermione came to, and shook her head. Thanks, she mouthed, and the three sat down heavily, exhausted by the effects of these potions (by then Harry's nose had gone back to normal).

"Time's up." said Snape unctuously, as he surveyed the tired class, "the bell has gone. You may go. Granger, stay back."

Hermione gave a little squeal of excitement and eagerly waited in her seat while everyone else filed out the door.

Snape sneered at her and said two words.

"Pumpkin juice." And with that he was out the door.

Hermione was confused, but shrugged it off and ran to catch up with Harry and Ron.

Pumpkin juice, thought Malfoy as he sat in the Slytherin common room. He had also stayed back and concealed himself behind a table and some chairs. Pumpkin juice combined with some dragon heartstrings will grant me a wish. He quickly wrote it down on some parchment for fear he would forget and hid it under his pillow, just as Pansy Parkinson waltzed in.

"Draaaaakey!" she squealed. Malfoy smiled and they shared a passionate kiss.

"Drakey, drakey, drakey! Guess what I did today!"

"I don't know, my honey bun – what did you do?"

"I put my fist in my mouth! I'm so proud of myself! Have you ever tried it?"

"No, my dear, but I'll just take your word for it."

Pansy smiled sickeningly sweetly up to her boyfriend and flounced away.

Malfoy put his head in his hands. What am I doing with my life?

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- The Ardent LoverXx