Fifth Year Fling

Chapter 1

Hermione began to drag her cauldron to the back of the room after using the scourgify spell when Snape cleared his throat. Hermione turned around to see him shuffling papers at hid desk when he said, "For end of first term, it being your 5th year, I have decided to give you a partner project. For most of you, I know this would be lucky being you can drag anything remotely resembling talent from your partner, so I decided to make this a little more difficult. Each of you will be paired with someone of equally similar talent as yourself." Groans filled the classroom as Ron, Hermione, and Harry exchanged glances of worry. Ron was never someone especially gifted in any of his classes, so Hermione knew that he would fail this project without her.

"I have posted the partner names as well as the instructions on the board outside of the room. Now let me remind you-" as he stared directly at Hermione and her two best friends, "any outside help from anyone but your partner will result in an automatic failure for both you and your partner. Be gone." Hermione's stomach dropped. "Well bloody fucking hell. I'm screwed." Ron mumbled into her ear as she gave him a weak smile and they began to exit the classroom. Double potions with the Slytherins as well as the Ravenclaws has never been a walk in the park, but now with this partner project Hermione had to worry. She knew none of her fellow Gryffindors were near her level of proficiency as far as Potions, so she had to begin compiling a list of her possible partners.

All of the students crammed against the wall outside of Snape's dungeon to find their partner and take an instruction sheet. Hermione hung to the back with Harry as Ron tried to push to the front. "It wont be that bad. I bet you are with Corner." Michael Corner was a bright Fifth year Ravenclaw prefect who Hermione often had to do corridor checks with on Tuesdays. She looked at Harry, "Yeah that wouldn't be too bad. He would be an easy partner."

"And I'll take whoever I can get. This is going to suck either way." Hermione knew that Harry was very bright and had his wits about him, but Potions still proved to be a struggle. Unsure if it was his hatred for Snape that clouded his ability or maybe a natural distaste for it, but she knew he would be paired with an adequate partner. Right at that moment Ron burst from the small group of students looking rather confused and worried. "I got Brown." he said with an exasperated tone, "Lavender. Brown. I thought I was better than that!" Harry and Hermione exchanged glances. "It won't be too bad, Ronald. Maybe you will pick a good topic and learn something new." Hermione gave his a weak smile as Harry nudged his arm and laughed.

"Hermione, only you would think learning something new would be a consolation prize for a trash partner." Ron said drolly. "Now that's not fair. You are obviously matched in skill. Maybe if you did your homework sooner than the twenty minutes before class started you wouldn't have been put in the bottom third of the class!" Ron sent her an angry glare as many of the students began to walk down the corridor with their new found partners. "Did you check for us? Who is my partner?"

"Uh.. sorry mate, I got so disappointed that I forgot to check for your names." Harry gave an exasperated sigh and began to walk through the last few students milling around outside the Potions dungeon while Hermione followed. Malfoy, Nott, and Zabini were pushing everyone out of the way as they walked away from the board. "Well, Granger, promise to not to give me any of your mudblood germs while we work together." Malfoy stared at Hermione. She let out an annoyed laugh. "Ha. Yes, very funny." She pushed past him and saw Granger, Hermione- Malfoy, Draco. Her heart sank into the floor. This could not be possible. She knew that this must have been a joke. "No. no. no." she muttered to herself, trying to understand this situation. Harry beside her smiled dumbly as he read his name, Harry Potter- Cho Chang. They both turned around as Harry had already forgotten what Malfoy said and walked over to Cho leaving her to fend for herself with the blonde menace who was glaring at her from across the corridor. If this is what has to happen. I can do this. He's smart. It will be a quick project and we can go back to despising the sight of one another once we are done. Hermione strolled over to him trying to remain calm and not let the mudblood comment get to her. Not just yet. She stopped directly in front of him.

"I don't know what you think this is going to be, but we will get our project done quickly and then go back to our usual routine of dirty looks and name calling. You fine with that?" he looked back at her with his crystal blue eyes. "Granger, I am all for getting this project done quickly, but I don't know if I will be able to go five minutes without calling you a name with as much talking as you do."

This is going to be my own personal hell. "Malfoy, can you even think of a better insult? Let's first see how much of this we can do alone and then we can meet. Tomorrow after lunch, I have a free period so I'm usually in the library. Can you meet me then?"

"Love to, Granger." He sauntered away with that same "devil may care" grin on his face that infuriated her to no end. This same grin that charmed every girl wearing green and blue in this castle. This will be the death of me.

****

Hermione finally walked up the last stairs to the portrait hole for the common room after Charms. " Sectin Sorvelli." she intoned as the portrait pushed open and she stumbled through with her giant bag that was beginning to hurt her back. The second she walked in, she beelined for the couch in front of the fire and let her bag drop to the floor. The sound ricocheted off the walls and everyone looked her way. Ginny Weasley stood up from a table in the back that she was sharing with Angelina Johnson and walked over. "Hey, honey. Rough day." as Hermione stooped into the couch's curves and molded her body to it. "Malfoy."

Ginny gave a pained face and took a seat next to her, "Harry told me. I would rather eat hot coals." This made Hermione give a slight smile. "Honestly, you must have really messed up in a past life to get this sort of punishment. Or maybe you shouldn't have been so smart and then you could have been matched with someone like Lavender." She gave a quick look to a table in the back. "Or worse... Ron." Hermione gave a full laugh and looked to the back of the room over the edge of the couch. Ron and Lavender sat at a table together talking quietly about what seemed to be their project. Books, charts, and loose papers littered the table. Both looked less than pleased and a little bit confused. "I feel bad for them since you can't help at all. They are for sure going to fail." Hermione turned back around and stared at the flames changing the subject quickly. "We decided that we are going to do as much of this project alone as we can and only meet when necessary. Malfoy that is. Malfoy and I. Partners. Good God, why does Snape hate me?"

"Uh, I'd hate to burst your bubble but have you read the instructions?" A cold feeling spread through Hermione's stomach. She grabbed her bag and dumped it all over the floor searching for the instructions that she pulled off the board.

All research and potion making must be done in the presence of your partner. Time stamped wand signatures will be expected throughout each stage of the project's completion.

Hermione let out a sigh. "Well this is going to be wonderful." Ginny gave a dry laugh. "You'll be okay. You can do anything for four weeks. And I bet you two will get it done faster anyway." Her optimism was beginning to grind on Hermione's nerves. "I'm going to bed. I'll see you tomorrow at breakfast." Ginny gave her a smile and as she was climbing the stairs she heard, "You got this girl!" screamed from the common room in a loud fake male voice. Hermione choked on a laugh. She definitely loved her only female best friend.