Chapter 2: Magic scents

Capitulo II: Esencias mágicas

Hermione rubbed the orange head of her cat thoughtfully. Around her, her friends talked and looked through the windows of the coach watching Hogwarts draw nearer. Any other year, Hermione would have waited anxiously for her arrival but at that moment she felt too confused and had a strange feeling that she was unable to explain. She rested against the back of the seat and closed her eyes, relaxing. She thought that in a couple of hours she would be sleeping on the soft bed with red curtains in her dormitory, but that would be after the sorting ceremony. She wondered if any of the first year students that she had met that day would be in Gryffindor and suddenly, intruding upon her thoughts like a bolt, Draco Malfoy's image appeared before her. She pressed her eyelids strongly trying to erase his image, but there it was again and again without a reason. She rubbed her forehead and decided to pay attention to her friends' conversation to distract herself.

- Common Harry, you know what Malfoy's like… you shouldn't let him affect you like this – said Ginny's voice calmly.

- It's easy to say it – he murmured.

- This time he crossed the line – helped Ron putting a hand on Harry's shoulder to show him support.

- I hate him – spat Harry. For some strange reason Hermione had a hard feeling in her stomach and her friend's words lingered in her mind for a while. When they arrived at Hogwarts and once they were seated at the Gryffindor's table and the Sorting ceremony started, she forgot about everything. This was going to be the last year that she would be able to attend the start-of-term feast and the sorting ceremony, because that year she was finishing her studies at Hogwarts. She felt sad just thinking about it and the people she wouldn't see anymore. She knew she would never lose contact with Harry and Ron but… unconsciously her eyes turned towards the Slytherin table until she found Malfoy, who was watching the selection ceremony. Pansy was by his side watching him, ignoring the Sorting Hat's song and the students that were sent to her own house. Would she miss Malfoy? Obviously she wouldn't.

The next day, classes started at Hogwarts. It was Hermione, Harry and Ron's last year at school and at the end they would have their final exams, the results of which will determine their future after finishing their studies. Hermione wasn't sure what she wanted to do when the year was over and because of that she was determined to get the highest results in the exams. She started to make studying schedules for Harry, Ron, Neville and everyone who wanted one (or agreed to it). From the first week, she spent hours in the Library practicing spells and reviewing everything she had learned for the past six years.

One afternoon while she was studying in the library she saw Malfoy entering with a bored look on his face. She observed him while he walked through the tables, thinking of the spark she had felt when they crashed on the platform. She had been thinking she should look for information about it but she wasn't sure if there was something useful in the library. As if he felt she was thinking of him, Malfoy fixed his grey eyes on her and smirked maliciously. While he approached her, Hermione realized that he had grown more since last year and his body had developed, giving him a more athletic and less childish look. His face was still too pale and thin but apparently girls found him attractive. Hermione raised her head, thinking that the only thing she found interesting about him where his eyes but they were too cold and that make them loose their charm.

- Studying for the exams, Granger? – he hissed – it's normal for you to start so early, I suppose you must study harder in order to compensate your lack of magic.

Hermione continue reading, ignoring him. It didn't matter how handsome girls found him, there was no doubt left that he was a complete idiot.

- Or are you preparing yourself to be Pince's successor? – he continued – you spend more time in the library than she does but personally I think you have more future in Filch's job. If a squib can do it, a filthy little mudblood like you also can.

Hermione rolled her eyes. She knew that it was best to ignore him and his words but even though she had said that he was not worth the effort when Ron and Harry tried to attack him, inside they his insults hurt her more than she was able to admit. After six years dealing with Malfoy treating her like an inferior and unworthy person, she still hadn't become immune. She had lost all her concentration and will to study so she closed the book and stood up ready to leave. She passed near Malfoy without looking at him but the moment their shoulders made contact she felt the same sparkle from the platform. She didn't know if Malfoy had felt it too because she ran away from the library and from him.

o0o0o0o

Hermione opened the Daily Prophet and put it right in front of her face so she wasn't able to see Ron and Lavender enjoying a silent battle with one only muscle of their body. It seemed that they had decided to retake the relationship or whatever they had had last year. It wasn't that she cared but it was irritating that they were all day involved in nonverbal dialogues, mainly because whenever she, Ron and Harry tried to maintain a conversation, Lavender appeared looking for "Won-won" and they forgot the subject. On the other side, Harry was still dating Ginny. They'd started at the end of last year so Harry had spent the great part of the summer at The Burrow and now they had returned to Hogwarts behaving as if they were already married. They spend all the day together but to Hermione's relief they weren't leeches like Ron and Lavender, so she was able to chat with them without feeling out of place. She was glad for her friends but sometimes she felt lonely. She didn't go to the library often just because she needed to study but because her friends were with their girlfriends and she felt abandoned so she sought refuge in her books. Other days she helped Neville with any spell he had trouble with or she took a walk with Luna Lovegood. Because both girls felt lonely they started to become very good friends. They were the opposite sides of the coin; Hermione was the voice of reason, Luna was the voice of… madness but thanks to her friendship Luna was more sensible and Hermione less hard. She also spent time with Parvati in the common room because she too felt abandoned by Lavender every time she was with Won-Won. They jus needed to avoid subjects like divination, Parvati loved Professor Trelawney and Hermione considered her a fraud and because of that they ended up arguing more than once.

-Is there anything interesting? – asked Parvati while drinking pumpkin juice. Hermione moved her eyes from the Daily Prophet and focused them on her friend who was reading Witch Weekly with a bored look.

-Well… there is an article about Gringotts and they say a giant have been seen near the Baltic Sea – she commented – what about you?

-The most interesting thing is the gift – she said showing Hermione a metallic green little envelope – is a bubblegum with love potion. It says that the person that eats it will be in love with you as long as flavor lasts.

-Stupid – murmured Hermione hastily but Parvati started laughing.

-To whom you will give it? – she asked with interest. Parvati was always trying to find out who Hermione liked, she didn't believe that she didn't fancy anyone. Hermione raised an eyebrow but something in Parvati's magazine called her attention. She thought she read the word "Spark".

-Can I take a look? – she asked and Parvati agreed with a funny smirk on her face thinking that perhaps Hermione was interested in the "15 steps to enchant your charming wizard". Below the fifteen steps with bright and colorful letters was a part called "Symptoms of what you have in the cauldron".

"You will know if our advice has worked if…

You look at him and he is not able to hold your look, he is yours!

You walk near him and their friends punch him and point at you, he is yours!"

The article continued with a list of stupid symptoms but the last one, with lots of hearts around it said:

"And last but not least. If every time you crash or touch you feel sparks, then the boy who is in your cauldron has no intention to come out of it! When sparks can be felt it means your magic scents have recognized each other and this is their way of letting you know. Definitely that boy is your charming wizard! Your soul-mate!"

Hermione read one more time the last part feeling how her heart raced, but she gave the magazine back to Parvati with a disdainful look. That magazine was full of nonsense bullshit which, sadly, many girls believed. The proof was evident: she and Malfoy were as opposite to soul-mates as you could be. They had nothing in common, besides Malfoy hated her and she wasn't crazy for him.

But then, what did those sparks mean? She calmed down by telling herself that there could be many reasons and that probably Malfoy hadn't felt them. Maybe it just meant that they repelled each other. To calm down she decided to go to the library when she had free time and search in trustworthy books for what could the sparks mean. After Charms she said good-bye to Harry and Ron and headed to the library. She picked up some books she thought might be helpful but after a couple of hours reading them she hadn't found anything. She rested her elbows on the table, running her hands through her hair and closing her eyes.

-Hermione?

The girl opened her eyes to find in front of her a Ravenclaw boy with whom she had Charms, Transfiguration and Magic Runes.

- Hi… Benjamin right?

- Yes – he answered with a radiant smile, as if it made him happy that Hermione knew his name – I hope I'm not bothering you…

- No, you're not bothering me – she interrupted him grateful for the distraction and showed him a seat by her side. Benjamin sat still smiling and Hermione thought that he had a really beautiful smile.

- I wanted to ask you a favor – he murmured sounding a little embarrassed – well, I've seen you in Runes and in Transfiguration, also in Charms and I know you are the best in the class – Hermione blushed a little but said nothing – and the truth is that with classes and quidditch practice I have no time left. This year I've been selected as Ravenclaw's captain – he said looking at Hermione's expression, as if trying to see if he had impressed her – what I want to say is that is difficult to handle everything and there are some spells in Charms… and Transfiguration that I don't manage very well… and I was wondering if you… well, could help me…

- I would love to help you – she answered, thankful for anything that will distract her from her stupid research. She smiled at Benjamin and never thought of Malfoy and the sparks again.

Don't forget to review!

Thanks to my Beta Mystic Tink.

Kisses & hugs

Lola