Lesson two…

That Thursday, Draco showed up promptly at three to begin their lesson. Hermione had again cast the Barrier charm that basically let someone enter the room but not leave again until the counter charm was said.

Now that he had the first five wand movements down she started to teach him the more difficult ones that involved not only the wrist movement but also some form of guidance on the other hand.

After twenty minutes of aggravation Hermione sat back down in her chair with a plop and an on coming head ache.

Draco sneered, "Not giving up already are you Mudbl-Hermione? I don't see why I need to learn this stuff anyway."

She turned her head towards him and said, "This is why." And she started to mutter under her break while doing the wand motion with perfection and grace. All of a sudden a small wind appeared inside the classroom which played at her hair. It was pale and opaque in color and it began to swirl like a cyclone on the floor.

A few papers danced around the room in the breeze and then she said as his eyes widened, "And now watch." She dropped her wandless hand to her side and instantly the wind became wild and uncontrolled.

As it wiped violently around the room, Draco scooted off his chair to the floor as it swooped over his head and began to sputter out.

He was torn between outrage and awe. He chose both, "What in the world was that?"

"A Siral wind, and it can be quiet powerful with the proper handling." She smiled, "I could have lifted for example you or even this desk and threw it out the window."

He blanched knowticibly and got back in his chair ready to absorb this new information.

Draco cast a quick glance at Hermiones face. Her hair had become hopelessly tangled in the wind she had created but she did not even notice and he seriously doubted that if she did, she could care less. So absorbed was she in her explanation of the next movement.

Her eyes sparkled with a light that Draco had barely ever glimpsed when he had looked over at the Griffindor table and she was talking with Old Scarhead or Weaslebie. The thought crept into his head that she looked almost pretty with the faint afternoon light haloing her head, and her face flushed with excitement.

Well he quickly put a stop to this nonsensical train of thought as he sneered at her.

Hermione looked up from her text to find Draco sneering at her largely and she changed her enthusiasm greatly. He was truly impossible, but she refused to give up.

Ten minutes before their lesson ended, Hermione went through a very simple breeze charm so that he could practice the double hand control. She also gave him the homework of searching for some new charms which used all the movements they had covered so far so that he could learn them the following Tuesday.

"Aren't you supposed to be the one who finds things to teach me? Starting to slack a little aren't you Hermione?" He sneered yet again.

"This way you will be learning some good homework habits, and I will know exactly what kinds of charms you are interested in so that I can teach you the more mediocre ones in-between the more interesting ones that you yourself have picked out to learn."

She handed him rather large leather embossed book and said, "You can look in this text for what you like, because I know it by heart." Draco looked dubiously at it. "Or you can show some inichitive and visit the library." She quirked an eyebrow as she gathered her books, "You do know where that is right?"

He growled and spat, "Yes, I do know where it is. Just because I am not doing the best in Charms does not mean that I am completely clueless."

Before she could stop herself she said, "Could have fooled me." Instantly she realized that this was a big mistake. They may not have been getting along perfect but she had just lashed out at him on reflex and this was not the way to treat your student. Even if Snape's specialty was berating his students, she did not want to follow in his footsteps.

Hate oozed from his eyes, "I would expect as much from a slimy Mudblood such as yourself."

He turned and tried to walk out of the classroom, the large text under one arm and his wand stuck hap-hazardly in his back pocket. Draco walked full force into the barrio with an "Ooaf!" Part of Hermione recoiled, another thought, "Serves him right" and her inner child was rolling around on the floor in laughter.

She quietly preformed the counter charm while he stood up and made a very crude muggle gesture at her. Hermione was not even surprised that he knew it as she watched him storm from the room. Well this was going to make for a difficult common room life, she mused, half amused, half tired.

That night at dinner Dumbledore made an announcement.

"The seventh years are requested to linger in the Great Hall after supper for a few minutes. That is all. Enjoy." He sat down and began to eat with great relish while listening to Hagrid talk.

Harry looked a bit wary. "You don't think it has anything to do with Voldemort do you?"

Ron looked skeptical, "Well if it did, I am sure Dumbledore would have told the whole school right?"

Hermione spoke up, "He is a secretive man but if it was something of that nature I know that he would tell everyone. Besides, Lavender and Parvati could not keep a secret if their lives depended on it." She grinned at Harry's laughter.

He turned his green eyes to Ron; worry forgotten, and started asking him about the Chudley Cannons new Seeker. Returning to her food, Hermione looked over at the Slytherin table to see Malfoy looking in her direction and when he noticed her watching him he turned abruptly and started talking to Crabbe, who snickered menacingly.

Hermione wanted to apologize but she would bet her wand that he would use it against her and probably make her say something worse. Or she would do him some bodily harm she thought with relish. He just always seemed to bring such fire out in her and she was beginning to think that it was more then just him being mean.

The Great Hall began to filter out, and when everyone was gone but the Seventh years Dumbledore arose again to address the remaining students.

"In order to create a more harmony between the different houses of the graduating students, we are starting an extra weekly class in which you will be paired up with a student from a separate house. In order to graduate you must pass."

Dumbledore looked around at the stunned silence. "Oh, don't you all worry. This should be easy and fun and in light of Voldemorts attempts this unity will merely make us stronger."

He held up the sorting hat. "Inside, are slips of paper with all of your names on them. We have done a simple spell so that no one from the same house gets one another."

Ten minutes later, almost everyone was paired up. Harry was downcast when Crabbe had drawn his name and Ron almost tripped when he pulled Millicent Bulstrode from the hat.

Hermiones name was called and she stood and walked to the front. Not many students were left but Hermione was too nervous to have looked around to see who was remaining. The thought of not being able to pass because of someone else's effort had put her in a very dangerous state of mind.

She reached in and stared dully at the name in her hand. Written in neat scrawling letters was the name, "Draco Malfoy."

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

PS. Yes I know……NO ONE saw that one coming…………..yeah for obvious fluff!