Draco and Hermione, Love and Hate

Hippogriff Madness

"The what?" said Harry.
"The Grim, my dear, the Grim!" cried Professor Trelawney, who looked shocked that Harry hadn't understood. "The giant, spectral dog that haunts churchyards! My dear boy, it is an omen - the worst omen - of death!"
Hermione had had enough. She knew Professor Trelawney was a loony woman who didn't really know what she was talking about. And with the mention of Harry dying, Hermione had felt she had listened to enough of Trelawney's nonsense.
Hermione stood up from her chair and moved around to the back of Professor Trelawney's chair.
"I don't think it looks like a Grim," she said flatly.
Professor Trelawney surveyed Hermione with mounting dislike.
"You'll forgive me for saying so, my dear, but I perceive very little aura around you. Very little receptivity to the resonances of the future."
Seamus Finnigan was tilting his head from side to side.
"It looks like a Grim if you do this," he said, with his eyes almost shut, "but it looks more like a donkey from here," he said, leaning to the left.
"When you've all finished deciding whether I'm going to die or not!" said Harry, taking everyone by surprise.
"I think we will leave the lesson here for today," said Professor Trelawney in her mistiest voice. "Yes . . . please pack away your things. . . ."
Silently the class took their teacups back to Professor Trelawney, packed away their books, and closed their bags. Harry, Ron, and Hermione then made their way to Transfigurations.
The whole class was distracted for the lesson for Transfigurations. The whole time the class would glance back at Harry in the back of the room, as though he were about to drop dead at any moment. Professor McGonagall was teaching the class about Animagi, wizards who could transform at will into animals. She then transformed herself in front of their eyes into a tabby cat with spectacle markings around her eyes. The class, however, hardly reacted to this transformation.
"Really, what has got into you all today?" said Professor McGonagall, turning back into herself with a faint pop, and staring around at them all. "Not that it matters, but that's the first time my transformation's not got applause from a class."
Everybody's heads turned toward Harry again, but nobody spoke. Then Hermione raised her hand.
"Please, Professor, we've just had our first Divination class, and we were reading the tea leaves, and —"
"Ah, of course," said Professor McGonagall, suddenly frowning. "There is no need to say anything more, Miss Granger. Tell me, which of you will be dying this year?"
Everyone stared at her.
"Me," said Harry, finally.
"I see," said Professor McGonagall, fixing Harry with her beady eyes. "Then you should know, Potter, that Sibyll Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year since she arrived at the school. None of them has died yet. Seeing death omens is her favorite way of greeting a new class. If it were not for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleagues —"
Professor McGonagall broke off, and they saw that her nostrils had gone white. She went on, more calmly, "Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I shall not conceal from you that I have very little patience with it. True Seers are very rare, and Professor Trelawney —"
She stopped again, and then said, in a very matter-of-fact tone, "You look in excellent health to me, Potter, so you will excuse me if I don't let you off homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in."
Hermione laughed. She glanced at Harry and he seemed to ease up a little too. Hermione had always liked Professor McGonagall, and having her not believe Professor Trelawney's prophecy either made Hermione feel a lot better. Hermione knew that Professor McGonagall was wiser than most, so having her say that Harry was not going to die, Hermione had no doubt that Harry was going to be fine.
When the Transfiguration class had finished, they joined the crowd thundering toward the Great Hall for lunch.

•  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  • • • • • • • • •

At lunch, news was flying quickly of Professor Trelawney's reading of Harry Potter's tea leaves. Draco had heard of a Grim before and knew not to mess with the omen. It made him shiver a little thinking about it.
After lunch the Slytherins has Care of Magical Creatures, the new teacher was the school's gamekeeper, Hagrid. Draco thought the large man an oaf and never really cared for him. He especially didn't like that the giant was considered a friend by Potter, Weasley, and Granger.
The students were meeting at Hagrid's hut at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. As the Slytherins we're heading down to the hut Draco was talking to Crabb and Goyle.
"I can't believe the oaf is our teacher. What is he going to teach us? How to get lost in the Forbidden Forest? Honestly what is this school coming to? And have you looked at the book for this class? It tried to take off my fingers earlier. I barely got it tied up."
Hagrid was waiting for his class at the door of his hut. He stood in his moleskin overcoat, with Fang the boarhound at his heels, looking impatient to start.
"C'mon, now, get a move on!" he I'll called as the class approached. "Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!"
Hagrid lead the students around the trees of the forest to a kind of paddock. There was nothing in there.
"Everyone gather 'round the fence here!" he called. "That's it — make sure yeah can see — now, firs' thing yeh'll want yer do is open yer books —"
"How?" Draco scoffed.
"Eh?" said Hagrid.
"How do we open our books?" Draco repeated. He took out his copy of The Monster Book of Monsters, which he had bound shut with a length of rope. Other people took theirs out too; some had been belted their book shut; others had crammed them inside tight bags or clamped them together with their binder clips.
"Hasn'— hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?" said Hagrid, looking crestfallen.
The class all shook their heads.
"Yeh've got ter stroke 'em," said Hagrid, as though this was the most obvious thing in the world. "Look —"
He took Granger's copy and ripped off the Spellotape that bound it. The book tried to bite, but Hagrid ran a giant forefinger down its spine, and the book shivered, and then fell open and lay quiet in his hand.
"Oh, how silly we've all been!" Draco sneered. "We should have stroked them! Why didn't we guess!"
"I — I thought they were funny," Hagrid said uncertainly to Granger.
"Oh, tremendously funny!" said Draco. "Really witty, giving us books that try and rip our hands off!"
"Shut up, Malfoy," said Potter quietly.
"Righ' then," said Hagrid, who seemed to have lost his thread, "so — so yeh've got yer books an' — an' — now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Yeah. So I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on . . ."
"God, this place is going to the dogs," said Draco loudly. "That oaf teaching classes, my father'll have a fit when I tell him —"
"Shut up, Malfoy," Potter repeated.
"Careful, Potter, there's a dementor behind you —"
"Oooooooh!" squealed Lavender Brown, pointing toward the opposite side of the paddock.
Trotting toward them were a dozen creatures Draco had never seen in person before. They had the bodies, hind legs, and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings, and heads of what seemed to be giant eagles, with cruel, steel-colored beaks and large, brilliantly orange eyes. The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly looking. Each of the beasts had a thick leather collar around its neck, which was attached to a long chain, and the ends of all of these were held in the vast hands of Hagrid, who came jogging into the paddock behind the creatures.
"Gee up, there!" he roared, shaking the chains and urging the creatures toward the fence where the class stood. Everyone drew back slightly them and tethered the creatures to the fence.
"Hippogriffs!" Hagrid roared happily, waving a hand at them. "Beau'iful, aren' they?"
Draco looked at the creatures questioningly. The huge creatures could easily take down a grown man within seconds. Draco didn't really see how someone could see such a frightening creature as beautiful.
"So," said Hagrid, rubbing his hands together and beaming around, "if yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer —"
No one seemed to want to. Potter, Weasley, and Granger, however, approached the fence cautiously.
"Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' hippogriffs is, they're proud," said Hagrid. "Easily offended, hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do."
Draco was barely listening. He was whispering to Crabbe and Goyle, "This class is so silly. The books, the creatures, that oaf, it's all silly. I've read a bit about those creatures and they are considered very dangerous. And this oaf is having us go this near to them? Then Potter has to be a suck up because he considers that oaf his friend. I hope Potter gets bitten by one of those creatures." Crabbe and Goyle sniggered as Draco smirked looking over at Potter.
"Yeh always wait fer the hippogriff ter make the firs' move," Hagrid continued. "It's polite, see? Yeh walk toward him, and yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt.
"Right — who wants ter go first?"
Most of the class backed further away in answer. Even Potter, Weasley, and Granger seemed like they didn't want to be there any longer.
"No one?" said Hagrid, with a pleading look.
"I'll do it," said Potter.
Draco smirked. There is no way that Potter would be able to avoid being humiliated by a beast like that. Potter would get chased around by the creature and the thought of that was quite amusing.
"Good man, Harry!" roared Hagrid. "Right then — let's see how you get on with Buckbeak."
He untied one of the chains, pulled the gray hippogriff away from its fellows, and slipped off its leather collar. Draco narrowed his eyes picturing the hippogriff chasing Potter around the paddock, even better if Potter got hurt and Hagrid get out of his job.
"Easy, now, Harry," said Hagrid quietly. "Yeh've got eye contact, now try not ter blink. . . . Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much. . . ."
Draco held his breath, waiting for the beast to attack. Potter and the Hippogriff were starting straight at each other.
"That's it," said Hagrid. "That's it, Harry . . . now, bow . . ."
Potter gave a short bow and looked up. The hippogriff was still staring haughtily at him. It didn't move.
"Ah," said Hagrid, sounding worried. "Right — back away now, Harry, easy does it —"
Draco smirked. Potter wasn't good at everything after all. But then, to Draco's disappointment, the hippogriff suddenly bent its scaly front knees and sank into what was an unmistakable bow.
"Well done, Harry!" said Hagrid, ecstatic. "Right — yeh can touch him! Pat his beak, go on!"
Potter went forward and patted the hippogriff on the beak a few times. The class broke into applause, except for Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle. Draco frowned looking at the rest of his classmates who thought Potter was so fantastic. If Potter can do it then surely it wasn't that hard, why were they all acting like he did such a hard task?
"Righ' then, Harry," said Hagrid. "I reckon he might' let yeh ride him! Yeh climb up there, jus' behind the wing joint, an' mind yeh don' pull any of his feathers out, he won' like that. . . ."
With hesitation, Potter climbed onto the hippogriff.
"Go on, then!" roared Hagrid, slapping the hippogriff's hindquarters.
The hippogriff took off with Potter and flew around the paddock for a bit then the two landed everyone was cheering except for Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle. Of course Potter had to show off for everyone and be the center of attention.
"Good work, Harry!" roared Hagrid. "Okay, who else want to go?"
Draco lead the way to Buckbeak with Crabbe and Goyle in tow. He approached the creature carefully and looked it in the eye. After making eye contact he slowly bowed and the hippogriff bowed back. Draco eased his way to the creature and patted it on the beak frowning still disappointed that the creature had not chased Potter around the paddock instead of making a him look good.
"This is very easy," Draco said, loud enough for the class to hear him. "I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it. . . . I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?" he said to the hippogriff. " Are you, you great ugly brute?"
Faster than Draco could blink the hippogriff raised itself on its hind legs and raised its steely talons attacking Draco. Draco let out a scream falling to the ground cradling his arm. Blood was spilling everywhere and Draco was sure he was going to die.

•  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  • • • • • • • • •

The class was in panic with Malfoy getting attacked by the hippogriff. As soon as Buckbeak attacked Draco, Hagrid immediately jumped into action coming to the rescue. He wrestled Buckbeak into his collar as he strained to get at Malfoy, who lay curled in the grass, blood blossoming over his robes.
"I'm dying!" Malfoy yelled as the class panicked. "I'm dying look at me! It's killed me!"
"Yer not dyin'!" said Hagrid, who had gone very white. "Someone help me — gotta get him outta here —"
Hermione ran to hold open the gate as Hagrid lifted Malfoy easily. As they passed, Hermione saw that there was a long, deep gash on Malfoy's arm; blood splattered the grass and Hagrid ran with him, up the slope toward the castle.
Very shaken, the Care of Magical Creatures class following at a walk. The Slytherins were all shouting about Hagrid.
"They should fire him straight away!" said Pansy Parkinson, who was in tears.
"It was Malloy's fault!" snapped Dean Thomas. Crabbe and Goyle flexed their muscles threateningly.
They all climbed the stone steps into the deserted entrance hall.
"I'm going to see if he's okay!" said Pansy, and they all watched her run up the marble staircase. The Slytherins, still muttering about Hagrid, headed away in the direction of their dungeon common room; Harry, Ron, and Hermione proceeded upstairs to the Gryffindor Tower.
Hermione couldn't stop thinking about Malfoy and how terrified he looked and how bad his arm looked. She might no longer be his friend but she didn't wish anything ill toward him.
"D'you think he'll be all right?" said Hermione nervously.
"'Course he will. Madam Pomfrey can mend cuts in about a second," said Harry.
Hermione sighed at little. Sometimes she forgot that magic could fix almost anything.
"That was a really bad thing to happen in Hagrid's first class, though, wasn't it?" said Ron, looking worried. "Trust Malfoy to mess things up for him. . . ."
Hermione hadn't thought about that. She sincerely hoped Malfoy was alright and hoped that Hagrid was too. Hagrid was a good teacher and doing his best and Hermione did not want to see him fired. But with Malfoy involved, anything was possible. The thought gave her a sour taste in her mouth and a knot in her stomach.

               ***Writer's Note***
Hello wonderful fellow Harry Potter fans! I hope that you all enjoyed the chapter! I am so excited to get this love and hate between Hermione and Malfoy going! Please feel free to like and to comment if you have anything you would like to say! Thank you for your support! I also hope that you all stay healthy and safe!

All the characters and the magical world of Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling. Just want to recognize how amazing she is to have created this world for us to enjoy!
If you're wanting to read the scenes I used from the books I used Pages 107-119 from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban