Cursed | Draco Malfoy

Nine

Hermione Granger had already had her day off to a traitorous start. She had potions right in the morning, and the dread that filled her was almost humorous. She had to work with Malfoy today, and that in-itself was enough to ruin her day.

She walked in, instantly students were already in their pairs - already beginning on the project, as for her and Malfoy—

Let's just say, getting him to breathe in her direction was difficult. Sharply, she heaved as she walked to where Draco Malfoy sat — staring off into the distance as he ran his pale hands through his hair.

She settled down her things as the scent of Mahogany and green apple — with even a little bit of mint welcomed her. Malfoy scoffed as she settled her things, standing up from his position to where he was sitting, and began to prepare for the project.

"Let's just get this over with, mud-blood." She swallowed, the name stung her just a bit — but her gallant heart chose to ignore it.

She rolled her brown eyes, as she walked up to bench where the cauldron sat. She stood next to Malfoy, and truth be told — he was incredibly taller than her. The top of her curly head just barley met his chin, she let out a breath.

"Okay, it's just two easy ingredients, but it takes long intermissions between adding them to allow melting and so it blends correctly together. If we want to get a good grade on this assignment, we need to follow exactly how it says too — or else we'll fail, and-"

"Can you just get on with it? I haven't got all fucking day," he spat, looking away. She stopped talking for a moment and she already felt her patience slipping away.

"I'm sorry, is my over-complicated brain too much for you? I for one, want a good grade and actually pass the class. If you want to go ahead and fail it yourself, be my bloody guest." She then looked up to find his piercing grey eyes pouring into hers, she pretended to not feel intimidated as she did.

"But you will not on my account." She finished.

Now he scoffed, "Salazar, you Gryffindor's sure know how to be a pain in my arse." She shut her eyes briefly, trying her absolute hardest not to lose her mind as he began to brew her potion.

As she began her potion, she glanced down at Malfoy's hands that had been toying around with a purple absurd looking liquid, her eyes peered at the rings that he had on almost all his fingers. But her eyes landed on a specific one, that had a black rim but silver steel color for the rest, and perfectly fitted right in the middle — was a small dark green snake.

She almost laughed at it, but she preferred not even pestering the Slytherin boy about it — instead, she looked back down at all the ingredients.

She bit her lip, before realizing she had forgotten one other spider-fang. She muttered a curse word quietly to herself, before she scurried off to the back of the classroom to get more ingredients for the potion.

She grabbed more off the shelf's for students at the back, before rushing quickly back to her station. When she got back, she looked up at Malfoy who had a smug expression across his face — almost guilty.

She quirked an eyebrow at it, but chose to ignore it — as she began to throw more ingredients into the black cauldron as she stirred.

A voice at the front cleared their throat, before speaking. "Now, if the potion is done correctly — when swallowed, the person consuming it will immediately have rocky skin, making it incredibly hard for the enemy they're up against to fight them. The potion will make you fight stronger, way more durable, and will decrease damage to your person." Professor Slughorn acquired.