"Don't You Dare!" ~ A Dramione Story

Chapter Six

Hermione woke up the next morning, and after saying good bye to the girls, went to her room to write Ron.

Dear Ron,
I can't wait to hear how the Cannons practices are going. I know you are doing great. Hogwarts is just as wonderful as ever, honestly, better. Without the constant impending doom, you see. The only thing I could imagine changing is my room mate... Can you believe McGonagall made Malfoy Head Boy? Anyhow, I love you and can't wait to see you at our first Hogsmeade weekend.

  Love, Hermione

Satisfied she tied it to the leg of a school owl, and let it out from her window. A purr from her ankles brought a smile to her face.

"Crookshanks! I should've known you'd find me when I got back! How was the summer with McGonagall? I'm sure you were a very good boy for her."

She glanced at her schedule, Potions right after breakfast. She checked the clock, and let out a small scream. Breakfast was almost over! She jumped up and made a run for her robes... no bathing this morning!

Draco beat Hermione to class, a first for him, and took a seat at the front desk in the middle. Her favorite spot. He got out all of his equipment and set it up neatly. Slughorn arrived a minute later.

"Draco, my boy! Congratulations on being Head Boy! How was your summer?"

"Quite pleasant." He lied. "And yours?"

"Just lovely, my boy. Went to quite a few Harpies quidditch games, and had many fabulous lunches. I'd like you to know, I'm planning on continuing with my dinner parties this year... you wouldn't be interested in attending now would you?"

Draco grinned. "It would be an honor, Sir."

Seconds later a scattered looking mess of brown curls slid into the room. Hermione's was obviously still in the bun from the previous night, and Draco let out a snicker as he noticed her lavender pants underneath her black robes. Someone had slept in late.

She moved over next to the seat beside Draco, and gave him a glare.

"Morning Professor, how are you today?" Hermione, said, sounding much more confident than she felt. She hadn't seen Malfoy since the previous night's humiliation. His behavior could be quite unpredictable.

"Hermione! Oh, how are you, dear girl?"

"Wonderful! I spent the summer traveling in America with Harry, Ron, and Ginny." She said not giving him a chance to ask.

"Lovely! Since you two are early I'll give you a head start on today's lesson. We will be attempting to make a proper wolfsbane potion today. You may start reading before the rest of the class arrives."

Draco had never seen Hermione flip through a book so quickly. She definitely had an advantage with this potion; she had made the acquaintance of several werewolves in her life. He wasted no time in finding the potion, himself. If there was one thing he was certain of Hermione Granger was not going to beat him again!

"Step away from your cauldrons. Time is up! Let us see how everyone did!"

Slughorn made his way around the room commenting as he did.

"Very Nice, Mr. Longbottom. I can see you've been practicing! "Could've done with a little less aconite, Miss Patil, you might have killed our werewolf."

He simply grinned as he passed the two at the front, and peered into their cauldrons. He then faced his students.

"I'm proud of how well you all did today. Wolfsbane is one of the hardest to brew Potions we know. The only harder one we will be brewing this year is amortentia, and that will be after much more studying and practice. Many of your attempts were very close. However only one of you has brewed it perfectly. Congratulations, Mr Malfoy."

Hermione froze where she stood, and slowly glanced between her own cauldron and the cauldron belonging to the ferret. Sure enough his had just the perfect tint of violet. One hers lacked. He had actually beaten her at a subject.

She looked up to meet his eyes, and he returned her gaze with one of his famous smirks. Hermione felt her blood boil. If it was a war Malfoy wanted it was a war he shall receive.