Story Title: Peppermint
Rating: T
Genre: Romance
Pairing: Draco and Hermione
Characters: Hermione, Draco, Ron, Harry, Parvati, Neville, Crabbe, Madam Pomfrey.
Summary: Due to a potions accident Draco falls in love with Hermione, but is it just the potion? Or is it fate?
Beta love to my beta who shall remain anonymous until after the reveals
This is a part of an anonymous contest and will remain so until after the contest has been voted on and reveals are finished.
We would like to acknowledge that all of the writers know that the Harry Potter characters, locations and any plot lines used are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
"Hermione, wake up!", I hear a voice calling for me but I'm so warm and comfortable I don't want to move.
"HERMIONE!" Slowly opening my eyes I look around and see students rushing to get ready.
"Sorry, I must have fallen asleep doing my homework. Thank you Parvati."
"Don't thank me just yet, Hermione. We may be late," Parvati answers.
Jumping out of bed, papers and quills go flying everywhere. Leaving them strewn around I grab my robes and rush to the bathroom. After getting dressed and brushing my teeth, I try to comb my mop of hair. Not wanting to mess with it too much, I pull it up in a ponytail. Walking out of the bathroom the room is empty, I grab my books and make my way to the stairs.
Thankfully Harry and Ron are waiting for me at the bottom of the staircase. "Hurry up Hermione we are going to be late," Ron yells.
"Since when do you care about being late?" Harry and I say in unison.
"Since they moved Potions to first class, you know how Snape gets," Ron replies while handing me a blueberry muffin. Walking out the portrait we make our way to the potions classroom. Taking the last bite of my muffin, we round the corner and I bump into none other than Draco Malfoy. My books fly out of my hands and I stumble back into Ron, who catches me before I fall."Shove off, Malfoy!" Ron hisses.
"Maybe Granger should watch where she's going," Draco replied coolly.
Ron pulls out his wand, but I quickly jump in front of him. "He's not worth it," I whisper.
Taking Ron by the arm, Harry and myself pull him into the potions classroom and take our seats. Looking around I note all the different potion ingredients Snape had out on the table.
I see ashwinder eggs, rose thorns, powdered moonstone, pearl dust, sandalwood bark, and morning dew. All common ingredients for the Amortentia Potion.
Professor Snape, as if on cue, says "Today we are going to be making the love potion called Amortentia, which is known to smell like your true love. One drop will you have you falling in love. So let's do be careful, please." Snape says, staring Neville down.
At Snape's words the students rose and started gathering ingredients. I was paired with Harry, as usual, and we began making quick work. Looking at the board I read the instructions:
"In you cauldron you will add 2 cups of morning dew. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to a simmer
Next place in 8 rose thorns and stir 6 times clockwise and 2 times counterclockwise. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Will turn a lovely purple color.'"
I write those instructions down on my parchment so I don't have to keep looking up; then look at the rest. This potion should be easy for me.
"Then add in ¼ cup powdered moonstone, and 3 scoops of pearl dust. Turn heat back up and let boil for 2 minutes. Will turn a shimmery purple color. Next you will want to add in your 4 ashwinder eggs. Stir 12 times counterclockwise. Drop in your 3 slivers of sandalwood bark,"
Harry next to me is writing the ingredients down too, he has learned to study them more so he knows how to make it the next time.
"Once added steam should come swirling off and it will be a beautiful purplish pink shade with mother of pearl sheen."
I measure and add in the morning dew, watching Harry get the rose thorns ready. After a few minutes the dew starts boiling and I grab the rose thorns and drop them in. Counting the stirs in my head, I get to 6, switch rotations, and count to 2. While waiting for the potion to simmer, I look around the room. Snape, of course, is hovering over Neville who is frantically stirring his potion that is slowly turning black.
Looking past Neville I can see Draco bent over his potion and a single drop of sweat is running down his head. He looks up at me and staring into those blue eyes I can't help but to think how cute he is. "OMG, no Hermione! Don't think like that!" I tell myself.
I glance back at our potion and see it simmering, so I add in the moonstone, and pearl dust Harry had ready. Leaning close to Harry I whisper "Check out Neville," Sneaking a peek he looks over just in time to see Neville's pot break and for him to turn a lovely shade of red.
Snickering he turns back "Poor Neville," he whispers.
Adding in the ashwinder eggs I stir 12 times and finally drop in the sandalwood bark. The potion turns a beautiful pink purplish color with a beautiful sheen and pink swirls start coming off the top, which means we did it right.
I grab a ladle to start putting it into a bottle. As soon as I scoop it out Malfoy comes up behind me and slams his hand on the table. I jump and see he's eating his stupid green apple. "Malfoy, don't you know your not supposed to eat in here?"
He just laughs and puts the apple up to his mouth, and I happen to see that a few drops of the Amortentia had fallen onto it! Before I could stop him he takes a bite. Instantly his face changes.
He looks at me and smiles sweetly. "Hermione, did you know you have beautiful eyes? They are the color of chocolate mixed with caramel." he blurts out.
Crabbe, who is standing beside him gasps and shouts "You think the mudblood has pretty eyes?!"
Out of the corner of my eye I see Ron trying to make his way through the crowd of people that had gathered around us. But before anyone knew what was happening Draco punched Crabbe in the nose. Hard.
All we hear is a loud crack. Draco, cradling his hand stands menacingly over Crabbe.
Snape, hearing the scuffle runs over and shouts "What is going on here?"
"It's Malfoy Professor, he got some Amortentia on his apple and ate it. Can I take him to the hospital wing?" I reply.
"I suppose Miss Granger, tell Madam Pomfrey I sent you." Gathering my bag I grab Draco's arm and we make our way out.
Before rounding the corner I hear Snape saying "Episkey" and the sound of Crabbe's nose being set back into place.
Walking to the hospital wing Draco can't stop talking, saying things he never would have said before. "I will hex him. No one talks about my Hermione like that."
"Madam Pomfrey!" I shout when we reach the hospital wing. Hearing a shuffle of feet I see her coming out of her office. "Malfoy took some Amortentia, is there anything we can do?"
"Unfortunately not Miss Granger, it just needs to wear off. Bring him over to the bed and he can sleep it off. I'll give him a calming draught," Walking Draco over to the bed, I try to gently get him to sit down.
He however, has other plans. "Hermione don't listen to him, your brains makes him scared of you," he says while pacing.
"One day everyone will see you like I do," Finally Madam Pomfrey brings over some of the draught, giving him a small dose. Before taking a seat he grabs me in a tight hug and whispers "I love you Hermione" then collapses on the bed.
Seeing the look on my face, Madam Pomfrey looks at me saddened. "I'll bring you a chair."
oOo
Later that day
"Parchment….t...t...treacle tart...Herrrmyohneee."
Coming to I look over and see Draco thrashing in his sleep. I stand up, stretching. I must have fell asleep I tell myself. Walking over to Draco, I touch his hand and he instantly calms. Slowly he starts coming to, finally noticing it's me, he jerks his hand away and says "Granger, what are you doing here. Don't touch me."
"Well Malfoy, if you must know due to your carelessness you ingested some Amortentia. I had to bring you to the hospital wing. But now that you are awake, I'm leaving," I huff and spin around whipping my hair.
"T...ttttt...treacle tart," Malfoy mutters.
"What's that?" I whisper.
"You smell like treacle tart, and parchment."
Suddenly as if he had an epiphany Draco slowly makes his way off the bed and over to me.
"While making my Amortentia I smelled it. It smelled of treacle tart, and parchment. There is just one more smell I can't place." he whispers looking deep into my eyes. He leans down and kisses my lips, finally when he breaks the kiss he says "That's it. Peppermint."
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