Hermione Got Hot

Hermione Got Hot

Chapter 4

The first day of lessons began on a cold note. Hermione, still perplexed by her actions the previous night, wasn't talking, and was barely eating. She spent breakfast with her head hidden behind the morning copy of the Daily Prophet while Ron did everything in his power to not look at Hermione. Harry spent most of breakfast making forced conversation with the both of them. Hermione said nothing and Ron starred blankly at his cereal. Even talk of the Chudley Cannons, Ron's favorite Quidditch team, couldn't break the silence. And to make matters even worse, they had double potions with the Slytherins first thing in the morning.

Harry and Ron went to the back of the class and sat together as usual. Hermione sat next to Neville Longbottom a bit closer to the front. Neville made small talk as the two unpacked their cauldrons and potion making kits.

"Hey Granger," said a drawling voice at the door. She looked up instinctively to see Draco Malfoy flanked by his two goons Crabbe and Goyle. She looked back down at her cauldron and pretended to study the empty contents. "Looking good for a filthy little mudblood," he laughed as Crabbe and Goyle snickered stupidly. She ignored them, which was her instinct, though for some reason it hurt a bit more than Malfoy's taunting had ever hurt her. He and his buddies walked past Hermione and he took the table directly behind her and Neville.

Malfoy's show was nothing compared to that of Pansy Parkinson. She strolled in with her gang of Slytherin girls and proclaimed very loudly, "It is of course an improvement. But in my opinion I'd rather look like a chipmunk than a common whore." Hermione looked mournfully down at her cauldron again.

"Don't pay any attention to them Hermione," said Neville. "I think you look lovely." He turned a brilliant shade of pink and smiled at her before turning back to his own cauldron.

"Thanks Neville," she said as she lifted her head back up and engaged in conversation with him.

Pansy had put her bag on the table with Malfoy. They usually shared a table and Crabbe and Goyle would sit behind them. Hermione turned around and caught his eye for a split second. He grinned mischievously at her. She turned around quickly. Draco took his hand and pushed Pansy's fluffy pink bag off the table and it hit the floor with a thud. "Go sit with your pack of wolves Parkinson," he said almost maliciously. Pansy picked up her bag and scowled at Draco angrily. She stomped back to her friends who immediately broke out into hysterics when she joined them.

Hermione struggled for a moment with the idea that Malfoy, someone that had hated her for years and someone whom she hated equally as much, had just chosen her over a Slytherin girl. It made her stomach twinge as she came to the realization that she was actually centering thoughts on Draco Malfoy.

The rest of potions passed as usual. Snape was horrible of course. He had given Neville a fifteen minute lecture on how to properly smash ginger roots. Gryffindor house had lost a total of twenty points that lesson, ten for Neville and another ten when Seamus Finnigan's cauldron burst into flames and singed off most of his eyebrows.

When the bell rang Hermione packed her bag briskly and headed for the door. "Granger, your slimy little hands must have dropped this," said Malfoy holding a bit of parchment in his hand. Hermione snatched it from him and stuffed it into the pocket of her robes. She dashed off to the library, skipping lunch all together.

Harry and Ron joined Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan on the way to the Great Hall for lunch. "So what's up with Hermione? Everyone is talking, they're saying that she used an illegal beautifying charm and got a warning from the Ministry over the summer," said Dean.

Harry shrugged, "I doubt that Hermione would break a rule like that, I mean it's a ministry law." Ron shrugged as well and said nothing. He looked pained at the mention of her name alone.

They got to the Gryffindor table and sat down. Dean and Seamus were soon in deep conversation with Neville Longbottom about plants that cured foot fungus so Harry had a moment to speak to Ron privately.

"Are you all right mate?" asked Harry suspiciously.

It seemed that Ron had been waiting for this opportunity all day, he was soon ranting on and on about the entire situation. "I can't believe her, acting this way." He scowled horribly. "She's gone mad you know, I saw her smile at Malfoy! What is she playing at?" Harry just let Ron vent, it was better for him to get it all out. "Shit, we've got Divination in five minutes, let's go," he said finally ending his rant.

Hermione sat in Arithmancy with her stomach growling menacingly. She hadn't eaten breakfast and had just forgone lunch. Hopefully dinner would be a better occasion. Instead of taking her regular notes, the melancholy had gotten the best of her, she just laid her head down on the desk and listened as Professor Vector lectured.

Susan Bones was sitting next to her scribbling a note to her friend in bright purple ink. The sound of the scratching quill seemed to be bothering Hermione for some reason. Suddenly she remembered that Malfoy had given her a bit of parchment after potions. It couldn't have been hers, though; she hadn't written a single thing down during that lesson.

She quickly plunged her hand into her robe pockets and retrieved a small bit of parchment. Her name was scribbled in violent green ink on the front. Hastily she opened up the crumpled paper and read:

Meet me tonight in the Astronomy Tower at midnight. I have something to tell you. Come alone!

Yours, D.M.

Hermione scanned the letter again and stuffed it back into her pocket, looking around anxiously. Draco Malfoy had written her a note, what in the world was going on? Should she go? Her first thought was to ask Harry and Ron, but of course, under the circumstances that would be a bad idea. She could hear Ron now, "He wants you to go so that he can tell on you then get you into trouble for being out of bed. You know he's a prat don't you?" Harry would probably agree.

She needed to talk to a girl, that was it. When girls had boy problems they spoke to other girls about it. She settled it in her mind and then it came to her. "Ginny," she whispered to herself and laid her head back down waiting for the class to end.