A.N. Thank you all so much for the reviews, I really appreciate them. Here is my next chapter...

Hermione felt more refreshed in the morning. She got dressed and entered the Great Hall to have her breakfast. She was almost glad there was no sign of Harry or Ron. She needed a proper girly chat. She saw Ginny talking to Dean and smiled.

"Hey Ginny!" she waved. Ginny grinned back in acknowledgment.

"Sorry Dean I have to go."

He shrugged,

"Okay Gin, see you at lunch."

Ginny walked over,

"What's up 'Mione?"

"Ginny, can I talk to you about something? PLEASE don't laugh."

Ginny shook her head, giggling,

"Sorry, but I can't promise that!"

"Ok well... I was kind of bored in the sorting yesterday, you know, at the feast."

"Yes...?" Ginny said wondering where this was going.

"Well I looked around and I saw Draco, I-I mean Malfoy sitting at the slytherin table and..." She sighed and said quickly, "He was just flirting with Parkinson and he kept giving her these charming smiles and- and I just thought he looked really... hot."
Ginny looked stunned for a second,

" 'Mione?"
Hermione took a deep breath,
"Yes Ginny."
"Do you... Like him?"

"Ugh I don't know... Do I? I can't just like him for his looks. No no I do NOT like him. Oh I don't know..."
Ginny took her both her shoulders and gave them a little shake,
"Don't worry about it."
"Yeah, you're right Gin. Of course you 're always right!"
She gave her friend a hug.

Harry and Ron soon caught up with her after she had picked up her books for potions. As they headed to class Ron said,
"Hermione are you alright? You seem a little stressed."

Hermione confusion turned in to realisation as she thought that she must have been daydreaming when they announced it. Hermione quickly made an excuse,
"Oh, oh of course sorry, just had a bit of a bad night."
She laughed weakly. Ron gave a faint laugh back, not really sure what he was laughing about. When the entered potions they sat down. Ron and Harry sat next to each other while Hermione was currently partnerless. More people started coming in and to Hermione's horror she was now sitting next to Pansy Parkinson. To make matters worse Draco Malfoy sat behind her next to Blaise Zabini.

Blaise made a loud comment,

"Draco, Pansy is it me or can you smell that too?"

"Smell what?"

Pansy said staring around as if she hoped to see the 'smell'. Zabini lowered his voice,

"This area reeks of mudblood."

Hermione saw Ron snarl.

"No Ron, leave it, just leave it."

At that moment their new potions teacher entered the dungeon. He was an elderly, pot-bellied man and he had a few tufts of what-was-once-blonde hair on his head. He wore a velvet purple smoking jacket and appeared to be finishing off what looke like sugared pineapple. He licked his fingers for any sugar that had ended up on them. He squinted at his sausage like fingers just to make sure he hadn't missed anything. Apparently he hadn't for he looked up at them and smiled merrily.

"I am Professor Slughorn as I'm sure you all know from Professor Dumbledore's warm welcome yesterday evening. I will be teaching you potions this year. Now, I wish to announce something which may come of a surprise to you for you will not be having normal potions lessons this year." His eyes twinkled at the excitement that appeared on their faces,he gave a chuckle and carried on,In my sixth year at this wonderful school I did something rather special too! Now I know I have you're full attention I will tell you. This year you will have a partner from the other house and each week I will tell you the 'theme'. For example if the theme was 'humour' then I would expect you and you're pair to create a potion based on the theme humour. Maybe a laughing draught? Or a concoction that turns me in to something laughable!"

The class broke in to excited murmurs.

Hermione put up her hand,

"Sir how will our partners be chosen?"

Slughorn smiled toothily at her,

"I will be choosing them Miss..?"

"Granger sir."

"Well Miss Granger since you were first to ask you will be the first to get a partner."

He looked behind her to where Malfoy was sitting,
"Miss Granger you will be partnered with Mr..?"
Malfoy looked in horror at her an whispered,
"Malfoy sir."
"Well, well we have our first pair."
He beamed at them.

I'm gonna post the next chapter after some more reviews.

Please feel free to give any suggestions/improvements to.

:) thanks.