There was something strange happening and Hermione couldn't deny it.

During the Potions' class, Ginny looked significantly at her and then darted her gaze towards Theo—who had been sitting alone that day—before winking at her and taking a seat beside Neville. Hermione didn't understand why Ginny had thought it was some sort of opportunity for her—or an opportunity for what exactly. A few conversations didn't make them friends.

Frustrated by her friend and with an inexplicable flutter in her stomach, she had searched for Theo's eyes in the classroom. She stared at him for way longer than she deemed appropriate until he finally met her eyes. She gave him a small smile, slightly motioning her head at the empty seat beside her. Her cheeks burned at her boldness.

His expression was blank as he pondered over her offer until his face contorted in a grimace and he begrudgingly made his way over to her desk, visibly displeased by the idea of her company.

Hermione couldn't help a tiny sinking feeling in her chest at this reaction.

When he sat down, he didn't utter a greeting, offer a witty remark, or even acknowledge her presence. Instead, he clenched his fists throughout the class, as if her existence had suddenly become an annoyance. When she finally asked him if something was wrong, he narrowed his angry eyes at her.

"You say that as if we were friends," he practically spat out the word friends.

She remembered the dark look that crossed his face before he abruptly stood up and casually walked out of the classroom, ignoring Professor's calls after him. The burning stares from her classmates bore into her for the rest of the lecture.

Despite having already told herself that they weren't indeed friends, she couldn't help but feel hurt by his sudden change of behavior.

She felt like an idiot.

She would have probably continued feeling like this if it wasn't for the current outburst Ginny was having right now that made her question exactly what was wrong with some people at the school.

She was watching her friend with wide eyes, having a hard time comprehending the nature of her accusation.

Hermione had been reading a book on the sofa in the Common Room when Ginny barged in, demanding an explanation on what Hermione had been thinking, fraternizing with an enemy and whatnot.

"But Ginny," she told her. "You encouraged me to sit with him."

Ginny scoffed at that. "I would never! If you get yourself killed, it will be entirely your fault," and with that, she spun around and stalked away fuming.

Hermione was too stunned to stop her.

Ginny's bout of anger was so irrational she had to wonder what the hell was going on?

Malfoy's outburst in the Great Hall was the first sign, not entirely unexpected, yet surpassing his typical levels of anger tantrums. Then there was Theo and his unusual cold demeanor this morning—although she wasn't sure if she should rank it as an odd behavior given that she didn't know him all that well.

Ginny was the most obvious indication that something was off.

She realized that if she wanted to unravel the mystery behind whatever was happening, she would have to start with the source of it, which unfortunately seemed to be none other than Draco Malfoy.

She groaned in frustration.

How would she even begin?


After the latest events, Hermione paid close attention to everyone around her, and as fate would have it, especially the Slytherins.

She had yet to figure out how to approach Malfoy—if at all.

Any attempts at forging a plan in her mind fell horribly flat. She couldn't possibly come up to him and say 'Oh, hey Malfoy, there is something wrong with the students and I think you're to blame. Want to walk me through your whereabouts before coming to school?'

So far, she hadn't come up with anything better than that.

Her observations, however, had proved some insight. There was definitely something strange happening at school. People were erratic, angry, picking up fights and quarreling with each other and seemed to be baffled at their behavior.

It wasn't constant—they were moments of blinding fury that eventually faded away.

She wasn't entirely sure about the recurrence. Malfoy's temper had definitely flared up on a couple occasions, but if he was, in fact, the first person affected (she had a few theories regarding the possible causes), his emotional state might have been more severely impacted than others.

Ginny apologized to her so many times she lost count and appeared more or less calm after their last altercation. Although there were still times she let her emotions take hold of her which embarrassed her profusely. Neville hadn't showcased any signs of emotional instability so far, and neither had Luna.

She hadn't seen Hannah around, but Hermione imagined she didn't need to be influenced by anything that would ignite her anger, considering her recent break up with Neville (who had sworn to Hermione that it had nothing to do with the recent argument between her and the Head Girl).

Then there was Theo. Theo was an enigma to her. She hadn't noticed any temperamental issues he would struggle with, so it left her wondering if he was one of the most in control people she'd ever met or he had genuinely wanted nothing to do with her.

She ignored the sting of hurt that accompanied the latter thought.

All in all, the gathered information provided her with no clear direction on how to proceed next. She had an inkling that her last year at Hogwarts would be just as engaging as all the ones before.

Aside from the strange behavior of some students, she had another worry to overcome. Tonight, she was supposed to meet Theo for the finalization of their assignment, and had been battling with herself all day whether she should meet him. They hadn't spoken since that fateful day when he had made it clear she was an unwelcome presence, and he had been avoiding her ever since.

Then again, she was not one to leave things unfinished, so she supposed she should see this thing through to the end. With that resolution in mind, she found herself standing in front of the Potions' classroom door that evening.

The sight that greeted her inside was Theo's tall figure looming above the cauldron and his head snapping towards her as she made her entrance. A flash of surprise washed over his face that settled into a cool, unreadable expression. His eyes bore into hers with the intensity that was both captivating and unnerving, drawing her in while simultaneously evoking a sense of danger. Slowly, they started to trail a path down her body and she felt rooted to the floor. Her body reacted on its own accord, growing warm under his scrupulous gaze, despite her brain scolding her for being so enraptured.

Then he averted his attention back to the bubbling water and the moment was gone.

She walked tentatively closer to him, but settled on keeping a safe distance between them. She could feel the tension in the air and racked her brain for something to say.

"It's done," Theo's voice was barely a whisper in the quiet of the room, but so unexpected, she almost jumped at the sound of it.

She watched as spiraling steam rose from the cauldron and she took a peek inside of it, being presented with the pearly sheen of the liquid. "Amortentia?" she asked in a tone that was a mixture of awe and bewilderment.

Theo murmured his assent.

"I remember Professor Slughorn showed it to us one time in class. Back then I smelled…" she trailed off, leaning over the cauldron.

The last, and the only time she had smelled Amortentia, it had been a blend of freshly mown grass, new parchment and well, Ron's hair. She wasn't anticipating the same combination this time, given that their romantic relationship hadn't worked out. However, when a fragrance she had familiarized herself with recently invaded her senses—a mixture of woods and rain and vanilla, she recoiled in surprise.

Feeling Theo's eyes on her, she scolded herself inwardly.

"Still smells the same?" Theo asked her in a low voice, but she could hear a hint of amusement coating it.

"Yes," she lied.

A doubtful look on his face that was accompanied by a slight tilt to the corner of his mouth suggested that he didn't believe her. She pretended not to notice.

"So, what was the last ingredient?"

"Why?" he drawled. "You'd like to start brewing it for your own use?"

She stared at him incredulously. Why would she want to know how to make a potion they were going to hand in, together, for their assignment? She was about to give him an earful, when his face spread out in a smile that he tried to unsuccessfully hide behind a cough.

His behavior was completely baffling and infuriating, balancing between hot and cold. She had no idea how to read this man.

"Well, I guess this is it then," she said at last, unsure there was any point in prolonging her presence here, now that their task was completed and Theo didn't seem to have much more to say to her. She lingered for a few heartbeats, a part of her hoping he would give her a reason to stay, but the silence stretched uncomfortably.

"Goodbye, Theo," she mumbled softly, turning to leave.

She had taken only a few steps when his voice stopped her in her tracks. "Wait."

A sense of anticipation washed over her. He caught up to her in just two long strides and she looked up at him, taking in his determined expression.

"I'd like to apologize," he told her. "I don't what came over me back then, but I wouldn't be opposed to… our friendship."

This time, she didn't discern any contempt or disdain in his voice at the idea. She wondered what changed, and as she turned his words over in her head, a sense of enlightenment struck her.

"What do you mean you don't know what came over you?"

He seemed confused at the question. She took into the account it might have been just a phrase of sorts, but the gnawing feeling in her stomach made her want to push the matter.

"Did you feel angry that day and you didn't know why? Felt the need to snap at people? Argue?" she continued, fishing.

Theo gave her a once over. He appeared conflicted, as if he was weighted down by the desire to tell her the truth and the need to keep his personal struggles to himself. As she stared at him with concern in her eyes, a flicker of vulnerability crossed his face, and perhaps that was what that tipped the scale for him.

"In a way, yes. I had this sense of intense anger burning inside and I couldn't figure out why. It just continued growing, so I avoided everyone that day. Then you happened and—well, you know how that went," he said, grimacing at the recollection. "It's happened more times, but I've managed to control it. Mostly. It is getting harder, though."

Hermione drank in every word, already considering possible causes of the problem based on the new information Theo had just supplied her with. It wasn't much, but it was a start. She hoped he could divulge further into his experiences if she could only get him to open up more.

"I think you're not the only one," she told him. "Do you remember Malfoy's outburst?"

He nodded.

She searched her bag. "Then it was you in the class. Same day Ginny was furious at me for 'fraternizing with the enemy', even though she had no problem with it before. Look," she pulled out her notes, practically shoving them into his hands. "I've written down any instances of odd behavior around the school that I've come across. Read it."

Theo furrowed his brows at the parchment.

"Are you stalking people now?"

"No," she scowled. "It may not be much, but I know there is something wrong with students. I just haven't figured out yet what's causing the problem. But…"

"But?"

"I think that Malfoy is the reason why this started to happen."

Theo rose a brow.

She blushed, fully aware that she was implicating his friend.

"Not that he, himself, is causing these strange acts of anger. More like as if he was—" she searched for a correct word. "I don't know, spreading some sort of negative energy."

"Like a curse?"

"Maybe," she admitted. "That's sort of what I'm leaning towards. It's nothing certain, though, as I have no proof."

Theo contemplated her words with surprising thoughtfulness.

Hermione had concluded two likeliest causes of the current chaos. One of them was the idea that her classmates were being dosed with some sort of potion, presumably Essence of Insanity. That concept had a few flaws, of course, as had all of her possible solutions. For one, she had no clue who would take upon themselves to brew enough potions to drug numerous students, especially given that such potions weren't easy to make. And two, why would anyone want to drive so many people insane with how much effort it required to do so?

Her second plausible conclusion was that Malfoy (probably) had been cursed, and the curse spread itself throughout the student body. If it clung to a person in its vicinity, it made sense that it had transferred from Malfoy to Theo and the rest of his friends, and then onto her after her encounters with Theo. Afterwards, she extended it to Ginny and Padma, and from that point forward, the curse would have had an easy reaping throughout the school grounds.

What refuted her point was that not every person had been affected. She hadn't felt out of control with her emotions, and neither had Neville nor Luna nor many other students. She could argue, though, that there could be a great deal of factors that influenced the time it took for the curse to take hold.

Whatever it was, she needed to get to the bottom of it.

Malfoy's friend was standing right in front of her, and he could be the key to solving this. If he was willing to help her.

It was as if Theo read her mind when he said, "And you're telling me this because you want some information about Draco that could help you prove your point?"

She hesitated, not liking the tone he used when talking about proving her point.

"It's not about me being right about Malfoy's involvement," she tried to explain. "But he's the best lead I have so far, and yes, I'd like it if you could shed some light on any of his endeavors or whereabouts, strange patterns of behavior. Really anything that would point me in the right direction."

Theo shook his head. "Draco's my friend. You know I can't do that."

She searched desperately for the right words that could change his mind. "I'm not trying to compromise your friendship. I just need a name of a place he had gone to or a person he had seen that could have resulted in what's happening right now."

She heard him sigh. "Would you be so willing to give up information about Weasley and Potter to me if the roles were reversed?" he asked her, and that halted any forming thoughts in her head that she could use to coax him into helping her. "Besides, I don't track Malfoy's whereabouts when he's on his own. I wouldn't know."

She had an impression he wasn't being entirely truthful, but it didn't matter anymore. He was right. If the situation concerned Harry and Ron, she wouldn't be willing to share any details to someone she hadn't known well, especially if that person happened to be a Slytherin.

"You're right," she told him, feeling a little silly for acting so single-minded. "I'm sorry. I should go."

"Just wait," he said. "I promised to teach you, didn't I?"

"Oh," she breathed out, completely having forgotten about their deal. "It's not necessary, really."

"It is," Theo responded strongly. "I don't back out on my word."

She took in his defiant gaze and she wondered what had she gotten herself into. She wasn't afraid of what Theo could find in her mind—she had nothing to hide and he could see first hand what his family and friend's blood purity propaganda had done to her, her life, her mind and self-esteem. And if she could uncover some of the puzzling secrets Theo was hiding himself—then why not?

"Fine," she said, standing there awkwardly, not really knowing what to do. "What should I do?"

Theo moved in, coming closer and standing right in front of her, his tall body towering over her. "I will use Legilimency on you and you will try to push me out of your mind."

"How?"

"Close your eyes," he said, and after a brief hesitance, she complied. "Breathe slowly. Clear your mind, don't think about anything, don't feel anything."

She breathed out deeply, slowly, trying not to think about the breath that was washing over the top of her head, the heat radiating off of his body, the warmth that seeped into her blood at their proximity. She tried to shut off all of these thoughts and all of these feelings, but she was finding it really hard to do so. Think nothing, think nothing, she told herself, trying to see a blank canvass inside her mind. Then—there was an intrusion, a sharp sting of someone in her head, chasing after her memories, her thoughts, and she saw everything he touched; her standing with a broom at her feet, looking down at it and all the emotions that accompanied her in that moment—fear of flying, irritation with herself that she just couldn't do it, and she was Hermione and she was supposed to know and can everything; her mother and father telling her goodbye on her first day of going off to Hogwarts and how she felt the sadness that had washed over her mixed with the excitement at the idea of learning magic. She focused on putting up a shield in her mind, chasing him out of there, but he was unrelenting, kept pushing and pushing. Then just as quickly as he came, he was gone.

"No resistance," Theo commented without any emotions.

She just shot him a dark look.

"Let me try," she said.

Theo said nothing, a flash of hesitancy washing over his face.

"Alright then," she said after a pause, deciding herself. "Tell me how?"

He cleared his throat. "Connect with your magic. I am your target, and seeing into my mind is your only focus. No distractions. That's your goal. Look me in the eyes, clear your head and get inside mine."

She took a breath, held Theo's gaze and felt for her magic, the strumming flood of what was inside her. She felt it flicker, rise up to the surface and she pushed it forward, connecting with Theo's mind. She let out a sigh of surprise when she saw the passing images in his head, and she chased after any she could grab onto, but each one escaped her grasp. She roamed his brain, unable to find any emotions and the only memory she held onto long enough was of Theo sitting in the Great Hall and picking at his food. When she cast it aside, trying to look for another one, she was suddenly and forcefully pushed out, losing the connection.

Theo had a brow raised at her and she huffed in annoyance. "Did you let me see that boring memory?"

She couldn't discern anything from the look on his face. She was about to tell him she wanted to try again, but there was a sudden pang of pain in her head and the world fell dizzy for a moment.

"I think that's it for today," Theo said, grabbing onto her elbow and she didn't even realize she stumbled backwards and would have fallen on the floor if it wasn't for him holding her up. She already felt a migraine coming and she just nodded at him in agreement. Despite a rough start, she couldn't help the bubbling excitement in her bones at the idea of trying her shot at it again.