Chapter 7

"I'm sorry? I think I miss understanding what you're wanting me to do?" Hermione said, looking up from the notes she had spread out over her table in the library. While her self taught runes mastery was not going well, Professor Flitwick had agreed to give her Mastery level Charms work after she agreed to sit her NEWT early. When she came back with an Outstanding (earning 106% because she found an error on the exam), her head of house was over the moon to start her in her first year of a Mastery program. Even though getting a Charms Mastery hadn't been the plan, Hermione decided why not, especially since he seemed to be the only professor willing to help her in her pursuits of a higher education.

"Well, I'm the captain, and I thought maybe you could watch tryouts." Harry was scuffing the floor with the toe of his shoe, the only nervous tick he was showing. His hair was sticking in every direction and his robes, while on, were horribly wrinkled and his tie wasn't hanging straight. Somehow, he always managed to look like a complete semi put together mess.

"Is there a mirror in your dorm?" Hermione asked instead of answering his question, leaning back in her chair and sticking her feet up on the table. When he didn't answer, Hermione rolled her eyes at her brother, "I have no interest in watching you play your death ball game, it's barbaric and makes less sense than nuclear physics." Grabbing a stack of her notes, Hermione turned her attention towards that instead of her silly younger brother.

"You spent an entire summer studying nuclear physics once…" Harry trailed off as someone approached them. With Hermione reading the papers in her hand, she didn't notice who was approaching until she felt her feet being knocked from the table.

"That's five points from Ravenclaw, blatant disregard for the proper use of furniture." Hermione didn't set her papers down, instead the only response she gave was rolling her eyes again, even though the nit couldn't see her.

"Emilia, you've got to be joking," Harry said, sounding a bit breathless. Finally, Hermione dropped her notes to glare at the newcomers.

"So, just let me get this straight." Hermione said, narrowing her eyes at the head girl. "Since Harry is like your cousin and is sucking the face off your best friend, you see nothing. I prop my feet on a table, and I get assaulted."

Flipping her long black hair over her shoulder, Emilia (known to the rest of the student body as El) Snape was the much prettier version of her father. Thankfully for her, she'd gotten her mother's nose. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she sneered, her black eyes filled with excitement.

"El, are you going to the Gryffindor wiffle ball tryouts?" Hermione asked, not looking at her brother and his girlfriend.

"What, no, why would I–"

"Come on Harry. I'll watch you fly around for a few hours. Pansy," Hermione finally turned towards the couple, addressing the witch she'd spent part of the summer getting to know (unwillingly, Pansy Parkinson was a bit of a force to be reckoned with). Her perfectly manicured brow raised, not one to waste words if she didn't have to. "Will you be joining me in the stands?"

Pansy, bless her, had the corner of her mouth upturned before she looked over at her friend. "I'm assuming you're off to harass Draco for the rest of the afternoon, yes?"

El's pale face turned bright red at the mention of the younger Malfoy twin and her lips pressed together so tightly that they nearly disappeared. "We have study group, you'd know that if you ever attended," she hissed at her friend.

"Oh, well that's not happening. Alright, Granger. I'll come watch Potter make a fool of himself trying to be the leader of his crew." Pansy answered, turning towards Harry and giving him another overly passionate kiss for their current whereabouts. When she pulled away, Pansy of course, was still perfectly put together. Not a smudge of her lipstick or a hair out of place. The same could not be said for Harry.

"I'm the captain, honestly woman, you could at least call me the captain." Harry muttered as Pansy took hold of his tie and began to lead him away.

"My darling, I'll call you whatever you want later," Pansy purred loud enough that the cranky old library hissed at the couple as they left.

A flick of her wand, and Hermione had all her coursework filtering back into her bag. A throat clearing brought Hermione's attention back to the other girl still standing and watching her. "El, as much fun as this has been," Hermione said, starting to sidestep her, but was blocked.

"I never liked you, even as children. You always came over from America acting like you were some treasure to behold. Now look at you, demanding course work not normally offered because you're too good for our school's curriculum." El said, her sneer deepening, "I'm warning you, stay away from Draco. I can make your life miserable or ignore you. It's entirely your choice."

Hermione paused for only a moment, before she began laughing. "Stay away from Draco? You realize I've never even spoken to him, right? And if you mean by taking house points to make me miserable, knock yourself out. I couldn't give two shits about a fucking house cup. How about instead of sticking your nose where it doesn't belong, you worry about you, and I'll just keep doing me."

Not waiting for a response, Hermione pulled her walkman from her bag and slipped the headphones on over her ears. Turning up the volume so the people around her could hear the music, Hermione only smiled and waved at the bitchy librarian as she left.