Chapter 7:

"I can't believe I have to work with a mudblood." hissed Draco, glaring at Hermione.

"Well, working with a prat is not my preference either, but as you can see I am stuck." Hermione hissed back and tapped the bowl with her wand for the next image to appear.

"You are stuck?" Draco asked sneering. "As if. I would prefer selling my soul to the devil as opposed to being in the same room as filth." he said looking at the bowl impatiently.

"Too late Malfoy, you already sold your soul to the devil." said Hermione looking at his left arm.

"It's none of your business, Granger." sneered Malfoy as he watched the scene that unfolded in front of him.

It was a half-blooded girl this time. Her mother was a witch and her father was a Muggle. She was a sweet little girl, with brown locks falling onto her shoulders.

"Filthy little half-blood." Draco spat out in disgust.

Hermione glared at him, and tapped the bowl with her wand once more, to retrieve the information about the little girl. The letters started forming in the black screen and Hermione scribbled away with her quill, writing it all down as quickly as she could.

At a quarter to midnight, Hermione and Draco's list was as long as ten upcoming students. They were both tired from the long day, and wished for McGonagall to finally look up from her homework marking and release them to their dorms.

As if their minds were read, McGonagall asked them to hand her the list and the bowl and dismissed them till the next evening.

Hermione got up from her seat and rushed to the door. She couldn't bear sitting next to Draco for another second. She hated being next to him; all they did was glare and mutter curse words at each other.

Hermione couldn't help but feel lucky that McGonagall failed to notice their arguments. She knew that if McGonagall had sensed it, their faith would be worsened. She couldn't let that stupid git destroy her life any more.

"I hope you drop dead tonight Granger," shot out Malfoy, walking down the same deserted hallway as her, heading to his common room. "This way I wouldn't have to see you tomorrow." he added with a sneer.

Hermione just replied with a rude hand gesture and turned right towards her common room and away from Malfoy. She found herself by the portrait hole and walked in as quietly as she could. After all it was just around midnight and she didn't want to bring too much attention to herself so late at night.

Half-way to her dorm she heard her name being called; the voice was female. Although it was soft, it still frightened Hermione because she thought she was the only person in the common room. She looked in the direction of the voice and saw her red-headed friend making her way towards her.

"Was it really that bad?" asked Ginny, looking at Hermione concernedly.

"It was Malfoy, how else could it have been?" answered Hermione, sighing.

"I will curse him first thing tomorrow morning," threatened Ginny. She couldn't bear seeing anyone insult her best friend.

"Don't do it Ginny, he's just not worth it. Besides, it's not like I let him insult me without shooting insults back at him." Hermione said with a smile.

"You better have not," said Ginny with a light laugh. "So tell me all about it," she added as the two friends made their way to their dorms.

Hermione told Ginny all about her detention, about how thrilling it was to work with the Magic Seer, and about everything she had learned that day. Of course, she added her bickers with Malfoy; they were practically the entire detention. Ginny laughed at Hermione's comebacks and told her they were awesome. She was proud that her friend was finally standing up for herself, and not just ignoring his nasty comments.

"So detention again tomorrow evening?" asked Ginny, as if hoping for her to reply with a no.

"Yeah, tomorrow at eight." answered Hermione, with a yawn. The day was tiring and she wanted nothing but to snuggle up in her warm bed. The girls hugged "good-night" and parted to their dorms.

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'That filthy mud blood, who does she consider herself to be, showing me the finger. I'm a pureblood after all; mudbloods should not be allowed to even talk to us, let alone throw rude hand gestures in our direction. That Granger does have some nerve; and I have to spend tomorrow's evening along with that filth as well? Ruddy McGonagall. Father will surely hear of this as soon as he gets out.'

Malfoy was making his way back to the Slytherin common room. It was midnight and he had just gotten out of his first detention. He hated Hermione as much as he hated that lame Potty, and that was saying something. Well he didn't really hate her per se, because he didn't really know her to hate her; but he hated her filthy little mudbloodness.

She probably thought that she was the smartest, and the teachers' favorite. Lame little teachers' pet. In the world they were living in, the grades didn't count. It was never about how good she did in school; it was and always would be her blood, which was dirtier than the gutters.

He walked into the common room and noticed his friends in the far left corner. He walked up to them and sat in an armchair opposite Blaise. Crabbe and Goyle were seated on the sofa by his right, while Pansy sat on an arm chair next to Draco's.

"So how was it?" asked Blaise, smirking.

"Erase that smirk of your face Zabini, or I'll erase it for you," replied Draco, glaring at him.

"Ooh was it really that horrible?" he asked, teasingly.

"Of course it was that horrible, Blaise. Draky was stuck with filth," answered Pansy defensively.

"With the dirtiest filth," added Draco, sneering.

Crabbe and Goyle just nodded stupidly. They had no idea what to bring to the conversation but didn't want to look like zombies either. Draco was mad as it is and getting him angrier wasn't the wisest of actions.

"Draky if she ever does anything like touching you, I'll beat her up," declared Pansy, taking his hand, which was hanging loosely off the armchair, into hers.

"I'll deal with her myself Pansy. I don't need a girl to protect me," said Draco, taking his hand out of hers.

"Well I'm off to bed," said Blaise, getting up. "Only a madman would stay up with you right now. You look like you're ready to snap anybody's head off," he added making his way towards the dorms.

"Shove it," said Draco, smirking in Blaise's direction. Blaise just smiled in reply and walked up to his dorm, disappearing from their sight.

"Draky should I conjure you some relaxing tea?" asked Pansy, in a concerned voice.

"Don't bother." said Draco, getting up and going to his dorm, without saying another word.

Pansy felt hurt, but she could understand why Draco was behaving this way. After all, he hadn't had the best of days. She sat there in the armchair as she watched the person she loved make his way to his dorm.

She couldn't help but think over their relationship. In the past Draco was happier. He enjoyed it when he got what he wanted and didn't give a thing in return. But she was fed up with being treated this way. She really did care for him, and would do anything for him, but it was unfair that he treated her like a handkerchief, used her when he felt the need, and tossed her to the side till next time.

Pansy was a human being and wanted to be treated that way. After all, when did she ever do him wrong? She's willing to lie in front of him and let him step all over her if he wished to. She took care of him, protected him, pampered him, and did whatever he asked of her.

She felt like she was in a one way road with this relationship. She was the only one who was putting effort and love into it. She hated that feeling, yet she didn't do anything about it. After all, she still had that silly girl dream that one day he'll wake up, and see what's standing underneath his nose. The only phrase she feared was that you never appreciate what you have till it's gone.