Disclaimer: HP characters are still not mine.

Author's Note: What is up, lovelies? It is late and I am updating super quickly! Go me! I actually have time to write cause of fall break. Don't be surprised if there are more updates this week. This chapter is a little shorter than others, but the last chapter was longer than normal and I am updating very quickly. Don't forget to check out my blog and read, review, favorite, and follow!

His Sixth, His First

Chapter Seven: Spilled Beans

Hermione was in transfiguration. McGonagall was passing back their essays from a few days prior. McGonagall arrived at Hermione's desk. "That was an interesting point at the end of your essay. It was unexpected from you, and just shows how hard you worked on it." McGonagall approvingly handed Hermione's essay over with top marks.

"I swear. If you say one more thing about not remembering your essay, I will hex you," Ron threatened jokingly. Hermione glanced over the essay again. Something was familiar about the ending. The style of writing was hers, but not quite. It was if some was trying to imitate her writing. If someone else did write it, they would have to be smart and a sixth year, otherwise they wouldn't know what Hermione was writing an essay about.

Harry and Ron would have just woken her; they wouldn't have finished it for her. Hermione dejectedly placed her essay in her bag and faced toward McGonagall.

Malfoy was headed to potions. This was the first time that he would not be able to avoid Hermione since finishing her essay. He walked in with Teddy and Blaise and stood with them as long as he possibly could. Snape whisked in, and he begrudgingly returned to his seat. He avoided making eye contact with Hermione and kept to himself. He could tell that Hermione was surprised when he didn't address her with some snide comment. She seemed pleased by it and decided not to spoil it by drawing attention to the fact that he hadn't insulted her.

Snape gave the class instructions for that day's potion. Hermione and Malfoy copied them down and were about to get started when Hermione gave Malfoy's handwriting a quizzical look. "What is it, Granger?" Malfoy drawled in an attempt to mask his paranoia.

"Oh, nothing. I just didn't realize you wrote your 't's like that," she commented.

"Like, what? That is how they are supposed to look. Are you daft?" he rudely responded.

She rolled her eyes and ignored his insult. "No, I mean your 't's curve at the bottom. See?" She pointed to a 't' on his paper and then to one on hers.

"So?" he said.

"So, nothing. It's just different."

Malfoy began to panic. Had he just given himself away? He hastily walked to the store cupboard to retrieve the honey water, mint sprigs, stewed mandrake, and syrup of hellebore for their Volubilis potion. He took his time in the cupboard. He was trying to think of a way out of this mess.

Finally, he gathered everything before Hermione came to see what was taking him so long. He set everything down on the desk and saw Hermione was already simmering the other ingredients. He watched her carefully measure out the honey water. Her face was deep in concentration as she poured it in until the potion became pink color. Malfoy began heating the cauldron and the two waited without talking until the potion turned orange.

"Pass me the mint, please," Hermione directed. Malfoy passed the mint he had already finely chopped. Hermione looked at it appraisingly before decisively nodding and adding it. He gave a slight smile before catching himself and frowning.

Hermione hesitantly decided to start a conversation. She didn't know how he would react after their incident with the blood in the hallway. He was friendly that day in potions, so maybe she should try again. "A funny thing happened the other day," she tentatively began. Malfoy harrumphed but did not protest or insult her, so she continued, "I was in the library finishing the essay that I forgot and I fell asleep. When I woke up, the essay was completed, but I don't remember finishing it and the writing was off."

Malfoy froze. Hermione turned to face him. "What is it?" she asked puzzled.

"The potion is blue. We need to add the remaining mint," he said avoiding her question. She stirred in the rest of the mint but did not stop analyzing his face. He seemed off, almost like he knew something or was uncomfortable with the question.

"What is wrong? Do you know something?" she persisted. He gathered himself before making eye contact and easily lying.

"No," he exhaled. She didn't say anything but did not look satisfied with his answer. Malfoy added the stewed mandrake, and they watched the potion turn orange. Hermione dropped a few drops of syrup of hellebore, and the potion immediately turned a vibrant blue. Hermione was pleased and heated the potion again. Malfoy began writing down the observations they had made with each ingredient addition for the homework. Hermione did the same and the potion slowly turned red.

"That's a good sign," she noted, "Now, we just wait until it turns yellow and shoots sparks." He looked around the room to look at everyone else's' cauldrons. He was not surprised to see that Neville and Goyle were failing miserably. Goyle looked cluelessly down at the green goop in their cauldron, while Neville looked like he might pass out from fear of Snape's imminent wrath. Teddy and Seamus were trying to reduce the size of the fire beneath their cauldron, and Harry and Blaise's potion was red but too dark of a shade.

Malfoy and Hermione had the best potion from what Malfoy could see. Snape might even be pleased with their results. The potion had moved from red to a reddish-yellow and was close to being finished. Hermione and Malfoy watched as it finally turned to a pleasant shade of yellow and emitted a series of sparks that called Snape over. Snape scrutinized their potion before nodding and leaving to scold Neville.

"Well, he didn't insult it or us. That means we did a good job," Hermione said relieved. They cleaned up their desk and finished writing observations. Hermione was intently focused on her paper. She finished writing and watched him finish. Her eyes grew wide with recognition.

"Why are you staring at me?!" Malfoy asked defensively. He grabbed his parchment and turned so she couldn't see him writing. Hermione was confused. The 't's on Malfoy's parchment matched the 't's from her essay. "However," Hermione thought, "Malfoy would never do something like that for me unless he knew he could get something out of it." She decided to confront him after class and began working on her analysis of the ingredients for homework.

Fifteen minutes later, Snape dismissed them. Hermione grabbed her bag and quickly let Harry and Ron know that she would meet them shortly. She quickly caught up to him and got his attention.

"What is it mudblood?" Malfoy demanded. He was with Blaise and Teddy, and they had turned to look at her quizzically. Hermione attempted to pull Draco to the side so they could talk in private. He shoved her off and looked like she had burned his skin. She withdrew her hand, and his features settled. She gave him an urgent look. Malfoy turned to Teddy and Blaise, shrugged and stepped to the side out of earshot.

"Was it you?" Hermione asked urgently.

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Are you the one who finished my essay?" she hissed. Malfoy's expression changed to one of slight panic but quickly returned to his cool demeanor. Hermione caught the subtle shift.

"You know something," she persisted, "I know you do."

"Bloody hell, Granger. Why would I do something for you?" inquired Malfoy.

"I don't know, but I know you know something."

"Read my lips. I. Don't. Fucking. Know."

He got closer with every word until they were mere inches apart. He could feel her soft breath on his lips and smelled toothpaste. She looked surprised at how close he was. He felt an urge in his insides.

"Fine," she whispered, "You don't know why you finished my essay." That was it. He was enraged. He tore away and was fuming. He was stupid, so stupid. How could he believe he could hoodwink Hermione Granger? He grabbed Teddy and Blaise and marched down the corridor, knocking terrified first years out of the way.

Before he got too far, Hermione called out, "May I just say, that was some fine writing. Thank you." She smiled and watched him shudder at her sentiment.

"What was that about?" asked Teddy. Draco shook his head and kept walking. He guided Teddy and Blaise to the common room and sat them down. He looked around and scared a few second years out with a glare.

"Hermione thinks that I finished her essay," he confided. Teddy and Blaise looked confused. Malfoy sighed and explained what had happened in the corridor. Once he finished Teddy and Blaise looked at him expectantly.

"So… did you?" Blaise inquired.

"Yes," started Malfoy, "but I didn't think when I did it."

"That's obvious," responded Teddy.

"What do I do?" Malfoy asked desperately.

"There is nothing you can do," answered Blaise.

"You mean to tell me that Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, finished your essay? And he didn't ask for anything in return? Or hex you? Or? I am very confused," said Harry. Hermione nodded earnestly.

"I don't believe it. That weasel would never do anything like that, ever," declared Ron.

"He didn't admit it, but it was him. I know it was. He looked petrified when I confronted him in the corridor," Hermione confessed. The three continued to think in silence, shocked from the latest development.

Author's Note: Let me know what you thought!

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