Chapter Five
~leave me out of the blame~
When wondering what could possibly make transfigurations class more infuriating that day it was little shock that all I took was the wit of one little girl…well not so little thought Malfoy to himself. She defiantly had grown and the only thing that seemed to have stayed unchanged was her ability to make him angry. Once given their first assignment of the year the bloody bint proceeded to try and correct him saying things like: "no, no, no that's all wrong!" or "cant you swish a wand the right way" and most often "I will not let your idiocy bring my grade down". Malfoy found this last statement infuriating considering that they were the best two in the whole class! About the ninth time she told him that he was doing it all wrong he turned and snapped at her,
"If I'm so awful at it I don't see you having a go now do I? Lets see what you can do if your so absolutely better!" he shouted his challenge so that the whole class turned to look at the two, including the professor. Looking slightly put out of place from everyone staring she flipped her hair over her shoulder and shoved him aside.
She stood in front of the pile of books they were supposed to turn into a rabbit and straightened her beck so that her chest protruded out from her robes, which Malfoy barely registered that he had looked at, took out her wand and raised her hand. She looked graceful and determined but not to Malfoy. She recited the incantation with perfect annunciation, articulation, and confidence and waved her wand in three short but graceful rings in the air.
The instant that the incantation had been finished the pile of old dusty books sitting on a stool became a white and Carmel colored bunny, which noticing its surroundings jumped off from the stool and around the classroom. The other students started clapping for her, some saying "I knew she would be the first to do it" or something like "she's always been that smartest or best at everything". The only person who felt any contempt towards her was Malfoy himself. The professor came over to their stool.
"Congratulations Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Granger, you are the first of your class to succeed in completing the transfiguration. You should make a wonderful team." She paused and turned to the rest of the class before she spoke again.
"I would like to take the time now to tell you all that there is a reason you have been partnered this year. I have gotten permission from Dumbledore himself to allow a special competition of sorts to happen in my class. If you haven't noticed yet I should make you aware that none of you are partnered with the same house. This is to say that there is a reason for that as well. In my class not only will each assignment be worth a grade, but for each one a team will be points based on who does each assignment to the best of its qualifications. At the end of the year I will tally which team has the most points. The team with the most will be declared winner" she paused again, looking at each of the students, none but Hermione seemed impressed.
"The winning team will be given a prize, which is one hundred house points to whatever two houses that team makes up. You may be looking around saying "why am I paired with the worst person in the class", or "that's not fair, the smartest people are together" but no worries young children for each team are only as strong as the bond shared between the teammates. If the two of you don't get along I'm afraid to say they might not do very well when they are forced to work together for an extensively long time. You are all equally matched, no team more powerful than the other. That being said the first point goes to the team of Malfoy and Hermione."
With that the bell that signaled for the end of first period rang and the class filed out, talking excitedly as they left about who they thought would win in the end, all but Hermione and Malfoy. They stared each other down for a moment before they spoke.
"I don't care if we win or not, if you get in the way of my grades I'll crush you" said Malfoy maliciously. Hermione simply fake laughed before she spoke.
"As if I'm the cause for you to worry about your grades you do well enough on that on your own, and I'd thank you to leave me out of the blame" and with that she pivoted on her heel and walked peacefully out of the classroom. Malfoy stood there dumbstruck for a moment before professor McGonagall coughed a little too obviously at her desk which he took as her telling him to leave.