The Invisible Wars

Chapter 3: Potions

Harry and Ron were waiting for her in their double potions class. Hermione spotted them as soon as she entered the room, a little breathless from running to make it on time. She sat on the seat they saved for her, catching a glimpse of Professor Slughorn who had just walked in class in a blue dress robe carrying a bunch of parchments on his arms.

"Which class just ended?" Harry whispered.

"Arithmancy." She replied.

"Haven't you taken it before?"

"Advance studies." Her curt reply hinted that it should be obvious.

Harry shrugged and faced front. Slughorn was saying something about pairing the Slytherin and Gryffindor for today's potion activity.

"Write your names on a piece of parchment and drop it in this jar." He instructed, motioning the class to hurry. Everyone rose to their seat and drop their names inside the jar. The paper vanishes into thin air as soon as they drop and would burst in different colors of smoke. Once they are done, Slughorn placed the jar in front of the class. "Let's see who you will be pairing with then, shall we?" He tapped it twice and muttered a spell. A piece of paper flew into his hands. "Potter and Zabini."

Murmurs of protest. A girl from Slytherin's table raised her hand. "Excuse me Professor, but what is the purpose of paring from different houses?"

Slughorn eyed her, his eyes twinkling behind his glasses. "To break the stigma. You are not Slytherins and they are not Gryffindors—not merely. You are witches and wizards and there shouldn't be a faction. What difference would it be from what—Voldemort—did if we keep on looking down on one another?" He tapped the jar again and continued to call out the names that will be working together.

"Thomas and Murray."

"Longbottom and Cormac"

"Brendon and Weasley."

"Malfoy and Granger."

Hermione looked up, not moving. She opened her mouth but she did not dare say, Professor, we would kill each other. He wasn't moving either. He was staring at her.

Unwillingly, she dragged herself to an empty table. He went to stand next to her and started setting his things for the activity.    

"If this isn't nice." He was going to be difficult.

Better to stay away from me. His words run through her mind as she pushed the potions books towards him, nudging his right hand. Draco took it and began flipping through the pages.

Hermione thought that she could ignore his entire presence. Pretend as though he was far away somewhere in the Atlantic. She busied herself grinding the ingredients and checking the exact measurements by squinting at the book because Draco was practically hoarding it to his side. The room filled with smoke. Their cauldron was nowhere near the color it should be as written on the instruction and Hermione was starting to panic.

"How many of the essence of hyacinth did you put in there?"

"Four drops." Draco replied as he put some herbs to grind in the pestle.

"Is it what it says in the book?"

"It is what it says in the book, Granger." Draco replied icily.

She glared at him unable to hide her consternation. Professor Slughorn stopped at their table, frowning over the liquid they were brewing, he took a whiffed of the smoke and his nose instantly scrunched up. "You have three minutes left to fix whatever thing you two are making here." He said and proceeded to the next pair.