Thanks for the reviews! I take advice from them so make sure to comment on anything I have missed!
The next day, Hermione woke up, full of excitement for the lessons to come. She leapt up, the first girl to rise, and pulled out her uniform. She changed quickly, giving her bushy hair a few brushes with her comb, then paced the room with ten minutes left to go.
The others all woke up eventually, groaning and not wanting to get up. Hermione waited for Jasmine, and together they went down to the Hall in silence.
The boys joined them, yawning and looking half asleep. Hermione helped herself to bacon and eggs, and was pleased to see Jasmine nibbling on some jam toast, having not eaten much the previous night. She looked a bit happier too, because Gryffindors were approaching her and introducing themselves.
After breakfast, the students were given their timetables. Every Fifth Year groaned; first of all was History of Magic. Hermione obviously didn't mind, having read the whole of A History of Magic.
"I'm so glad I read A History of Magic before I came here." Jasmine said this so softly that she nearly missed it. So she had read that book too? Hermione turned to her, amazed.
"Do your parents read a lot of books too?" Hermione asked.
"Well, yes, but… you see… my parents are Muggles," Jasmine admitted. "So they read Muggle literature, but they loved hearing about my world too."
"Oh!" Hermione said in surprise. "My parents are Muggles too! Are you good at magic?"
"I don't know. I haven't really tried any. And I've never taken any lessons."
A small, mean part of Hermione hoped that Jasmine wouldn't be clever. She loved being the know-it-all of their year, their house even. Still, just because she'd read some books didn't mean she'd be good at lessons. Hermione wasn't sure.
The Gryffindors all walked to Professor Binns classroom together. Hermione sat down at the front with Jasmine, and Ron and Harry sat behind them.
Professor Binns wasted no time in beginning his lecture. Behind them, Ron was preparing to take a map. Harry was absentmindedly waving his wand. Lavender slumped in her seat, bored already.
They were meant to be taking notes on Goblin Rebellions. It wasn't the most interesting thing in the world, but Hermione wrote out as many notes as she could manage within the hour and a half that they were sat in there for. At the end of the lesson, Hermione, satisfied, rolled up her parchment and glanced at Jasmine's work. To her shock, she had written just as many notes, if not more.
"I didn't know you were good at History of Magic," Hermione said, somewhat annoyed. She alone was the one to take good notes in the class. Although she knew it was unreasonable, she couldn't help but feel a bit put-out.
"Wow!" Ron leaned over from their table. He, of course, had written nothing. "Hermione, looks like you've got a rival!"
Hermione scowled, putting her equipment back into her bag.
Hermione had her suspicions that Jasmine was indeed a very talented witch. By the time Potions had ended, her suspicions were confirmed.
They all lined up outside the Potions classroom, and Hermione, for something to say, asked Jasmine what her favourite music was.
"I like The Beatles, but sometimes I enjoy pop music too," Jasmine said. Hermione had no idea how to respond, seeing as she rarely listened to bands as old as the Beatles, but was saved by Snape opening the door and ordering them all inside.
Once the class had settled, Snape glared down his hooked nose at them all.
"I think it appropriate to remind you that next June you will be sitting a important examination, during which you will prove how much you have learned about the composition and use of magical potions."
He then assigned them a new Potion to create; Draught of Peace. It was tricky, harder than anything they had previously done, but Hermione felt confident about it. She set all her ingredients out neatly, and turned to Jasmine, who was seated next to her.
"Want any help?" Hermione offered, used to assisting her fellow Potions classmates.
"No thanks." Jasmine was reading the instructions carefully. Hermione had a sudden thought.
"Jasmine," Hermione said casually. "You know you've only just started this school?"
"Mhm."
"Shouldn't you be with the First Years? I mean, you've missed out on an awful lot."
Jasmine turned to look at Hermione, hazel eyes wide. "I took a test a few days before term started. I spent the whole summer revising, and they seemed to think my knowledge was acceptable, so I was placed with my own age group." Smiling, she began adding powdered moonstone to her potion, until it turned green.
After three hours had passed, Snape looked up.
"Right," he said softly. "Let's take a look at your draughts."
He swept around the room, criticising everyone. Then Snape stopped at Hermione's. It was an off-white colour, which Hermione was pleased with; it had been a difficult potion to brew.
"Passable," Snape sneered, before looking at Jasmine's. Hermione looked too, and her stomach lurched. It was perfect white, not a fault with it.
"Very good," Snape said quietly, lip curling. "Miss Lloyd, is it?"
"Yes sir," Jasmine said politely.
"Top marks," Snape told her, scribbling notes onto his parchment. "Excellent."
Snape had never called anyone excellent before. And he had certainly never called Hermione excellent. After taking a sample of her draught up to his desk, she threw her stuff into her bag, fuming and wishing that Jasmine Lloyd had never joined Hogwarts.