Because of the Rat

At Class

"Eat well, Scabbers..." Ron took a small biscuit from his pocket, "i'm sure you're very hungry after a long journey. Daddy's sorry..."

Almost teary-eyed, Ron gave Scabbers another small bite of the biscuit. He turned to Hermione, almost looking embarrassed.

"Thank you, Hermione, and I'm sorry if I called your cat a beast." Said Ron heartily as he sniffed silently.

"No worries, Ron. You're forgiven." Hermione replied as she cuddled her half-cat/half-Kneazle, Crookshanks, on her chest.

Hermione couldn't help but smile, looking at how cute Ron looked while petting his beloved rat. Harry, who was sitting beside Ron, also took a biscuit and accompanied Ron into feeding his little rodent.

No other people were present at the Gryffindor common room and it was only the Golden trio. Hermione felt the need to tell them what's bugging her mind, so she took the opportuniy to tell the boys about her encounter with Draco Malfoy at the training grounds.

Hermione took a lock of her brown hair as she played it with her fingers and said, "Before I saw Scabbers, I met Malfoy at the Quidditch field." She said in a low tone, trying her best not to show other reactions.

"Oh really? I suppose he's trying to do something wonky, isn't he." Said Ron suspiciously.

"What was he doing there, Hermione?" Asked Harry.

"He said he's practicing for the next Quidditch game," Hermione answered, "I suppose he's going the extra mile since you he lost to you before."

Crookshanks leapt out of her grasp and she began to cross her arms on her chest.

Shrugging off his shoulders, Harry was not sure what to say, and continued to sit in silence. Hermione, on the other hand, continued telling her story while Ron resumed to his feeding.

"He dared me, he said if he wins against you this time..." she cut off, looked at the two pairs of eyes eagerly waiting for her to continue, "I'll have to admit that he's the best seeker at Hogwarts."

"That's mental!" Ron complained, his face as red as his hair. "You didn't accepted his dare, did you?" Ron asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Uhm yes, I did? You know I can't say no to a challenge, especially if it came from that bloody Malfoy," Hermione gave a smile of confidence and continued, "and besides, I know he's never going to win against Harry and our Quidditch team."

"I promise, Hermione, I'm going to win-- we're going to win. The Gryffindor is going to win the next game, again." He held the girl's hand and gave her an assurance look that they will triumph against Slytherin.

--

"Child... What do you see?" Asked Professor Trelawney in her most dreamy, soft voice as she waited for Pansy Parkinson's answer tenaciously.

It was their Divinations class. They had to stay the rest of the hours studying about how to read tea leaves, but actually, none of them really perfectly knew how to do it. It just seemed to be difficult, and very inaccurate.

Hermione and the rest of the Gryffindors, sat by four's in round, low tables. They we're sharing the class with the whole lot of Slytherins. It felt like torture.

The professor moved from the front to a table of Slytherins as if she was floating on air and gliding across the room. Her eyes seemed drowsy even under her large eye glasses or goggles of some type.

Pansy smiled brightly as she was holding the tea cup of Draco Malfoy in her hands.

"I think I am seeing... A heart?" Her eyes widened in astonishment, "Ohhh! You are going to find love and romance, Draco!" She exclaimed merrily.

Draco only glared at the black-haired Pansy. He doesn't really like her at all or her presence. The other people at their table was Blaise Zabini and Gregory Goyle whose chins rested on their hands.

With a quick glance, Draco looked at Hermione, who was giving off a very bored expression while watching them. Finally, he returned to look at Trelawney who suddenly seemed anxious.

"What's this? Hmm, I reckon it's a bottle..." Pansy scanned her notes quickly, "it says here you should watch out for your health..."

"Ahh, well said, Miss Parkinson..." Trelawney smiled bitterly.

"Mister Malfoy, you take good care of yourself, and remember-- take a good leap." Muttered Trelawney with huge, worried eyes on Draco as she immediately left the table.

Draco smirked as Pansy continued squealing at him. She seemed to have a crush on the blonde which made the two cringed a bit.

Hermione rolled her eyes, and thought, 'how long will this class go on', 'what are all these nonsense', and 'oh, how I wished to be at Arithmancy class instead of here'.

With all the commotion, she didn't know that Draco had been constantly stealing glances at her while she was busy trying to find meaning to her partner's cup, Harry. She sighed in defeat for the first time in her academic life.

"Look, Hermione," said Harry, distracting her from her thoughts, "you also have the heart, just like Malfoy."

"Oh please, anything but that ..." She scoffed a laugh at Harry.

The rest of the students have looked and read the meaning of their classmates' tea leaves, guided by Professor Trelawney. But most of the time, the Professor would utter, telling the students that they would die today, or would become tragical sometime in the future, so it was a huge relief when they were leaving the classroom at last.

Everyone had vanished in just a few blinks of the eyes, but the Gryffindor trio were stopped from advancing by the Slytherins, again, led by no other than Draco Malfoy.

"What did your cup told you, Potter? That you are going to lose the Quidditch match?" Draco smirked at Harry with Hermione and Ron by his side, "did it specifically showed you that we are going to win?"

Draco and the rest of his friends snickered.

"Actually," Hermione crossed, "I saw Harry's tea leaves shaped into a horseshoe. It means good luck."

Draco's eyes narrowed at Hermione and spat, "I wasn't talking to you and your bloody bossy attitude, Granger!"

"Sod off, Malfoy!" Ron bellowed. Draco laughed.

"You don't get tired of her?" Sneered Draco, referring to Hermione. Suddenly, Ron looked as though he wanted to say 'oh damn, you are right about that'.

"Oh well, I know someone's going to lose a bet tomorrow," Draco finished mischievously before twirled and marched off from the spot with his friends.

Draco gave a loud grunt when Pansy abruptly snatched his arm, but he immediately pulled it away from her. Hermione glowered at the sight.

"But I won't be the one who'll lose." The brown-haired Gryffindor muttered as they all made their way out of the place.

--

Hello there!

It's been a while since I updated. To be honest, I had a little trouble writing this chapter lol.

I have another story which is a compilation of Dramione one-shots. You might wanna check it out too.

Disclaimer: all credits goes to J.K Rowling.