Draco saw that Professor Lupin was writing notes about today's lesson upon the black board, as Draco walked into the classroom. The students were lost in their idle chatter as they caught up with one another before class started. Hermione was already sitting in her seat, front and center, ready for the lesson to begin. Draco smiled, then, he walked over to his usual seat, where Ron and Harry were sitting. As he approached, it looked, to Draco, as if the two were planning something. Draco could not help but wonder who was going to be the unlucky victim this time. As he sat down with them, they quickly put away the parchments they were working on.
"Hello Weasley, hello Potter." Draco said, nodding at each of the boys as he said their names.
"Hey Malfoy." Ron said.
"Hello Malfoy." Harry added.
At that moment, the bell chimed for class to start. Lupin called the class to order. Soon, the room was dead silent.
"Good day to you class," Lupin said, with a smile, "Now, today we are going to start learning about curses. Although, the Ministry doesn't want you to learn about this subject until your Sixth year, I feel it would be best to make you aware of curses. After all, they might even be on your O.W.L.s."
The entire class was keenly paying attention to Professor Lupin. They were anticipating what Lupin was going to teach them. The professor, explaining what he had scribbled up on the black board, showed that the class was going to learn about the origins of curses. Later, they would study common curses and how to deal with them. Gradually, Lupin explain, the class would work their way through the different levels of curses. The class was taking notes rather excitedly this class.
The bell rang out for class to end and for the students to head to the Great Hall for lunch. Draco, Ron and Harry were out the door before most the class had gotten out of their seats. Draco expected Ron and Harry to run on down to the Great Hall to start eating lunch, while he waited for Hermione, like usual. Instead, they stayed back with Draco.
"So, Malfoy, I have to know if you have talked to Granger, yet." Ron said, looking down at his shoes.
What is up with Ron lately?
"Uh...yeah...I did," Draco answered, "She said she would talk with the two of you." Then, Draco leaned back against the wall as he waited for Hermione. "You guys don't have to wait for me. You both can go ahead to the Great Hall." Ron never misses an opportunity to eat, so Draco knew that something was up with Ron.
"Actually, Ron and I were talking…" Harry started
"And we decided that we want to apologize to Granger as soon as we could." Ron continued. Slowly, Ron raised his gaze from his feet to Draco. He really looked like he was bothered by the whole ordeal.
"Hey Dra-" Hermione froze as soon as she walked out of the classroom and saw Ron and Harry standing there with Draco. All three boys turned their attention to her. Hermione's face had turned a very light shade of pink. She stood very still, as though she had been Petrified on the spot.
"Hey Hermione." Draco said, motioning for her to come and stand next to him.
Slowly, Hermione walked over to where Draco was standing, keeping her face down as she made her way to him. Once she reached him, Hermione stood a little behind Draco, as if to protect and shield her. Out of sight from Ron and Harry, Draco felt Hermione grab hold of the sleeve of his cloak.
"Hermione, these two have something to say to you." Draco said over his shoulder to her. She looked up at Ron and Harry, looking a little scared.
Suddenly, Ron and Harry, as if they had synchronized the maneuver, dropped down on one knee. Both of them were looking down.
"Miss Granger, we are both terribly sorry for what happened the other night." Ron looked up to Hermione, a very earnest look in his eyes, "Can you forgive us?"
Passing students snickered at the scene as they walked by. Even Draco had to admit that the sight looked strange to him. The Gryffindor playboys, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter, were both down on one knee. They both were looking endearingly at Hermione Granger, the girl that most people over-looked. In addition, there was Draco was standing in the middle of Hermione and the boys, in something like a protective stance in front of Hermione.
Draco could tell when Hermione let go of his sleeve. He heard her take a deep breath from behind him. Then, she walked around Draco and over to where Ron and Harry were still kneeling down. Once there, she crouched down to be at eye level with the boys.
An apprehensive feeling overcame Draco. Then, Hermione did something that Draco never thought she was capable of. Or could even imagine her doing.
Draco watched as Hermione slowly raise up her right hand. Suddenly, with a loud smack, Hermione slapped Ron across the face. Then, she turned and backhanded Harry in the face. Both of the boys fell backwards, on their bottoms, and looked as shocked as Draco felt.
"That felt good." Hermione said as she got back up and turned to face Draco. She had a very smug look on her face and a fierce look in her eyes as she walked back over to him. Students that saw the incident ran off to tell their friends what they just saw.
"Draco, you should close your mouth now." Hermione said, stopping next to him.
Draco had not even realized that his mouth had been hanging open. Hermione reached up and placed her hand on his lower jaw. She, gently, closed his moth for him, with a quiet click of his teeth.
"Come on, Draco, let's go to lunch." she said with a chuckle. Then, she grabbed hold of his sleeve and pulling him along with her, almost tripping him.
As he steadied himself up, Draco could see that Ron and Harry were still in shock, each of their faces still had the handprint of Hermione's attack. The few students that were still in the corridor mirrored the expression of shock that Ron and Harry had.
"Oh, and by the way, I forgive you two now!" Hermione shouted over her shoulder at Ron and Harry as she sauntered off to the Great Hall, still clutching Draco's sleeve.
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