The Wisest Mind

Professor Vector didn't see why they shouldn't do their homework together, so long as they shared the load equally. And so Draco and Hermione found themselves more and more often in the abandoned Staff Room, going over their essays for the next lesson or reading their textbooks.

Once, dashing in while absorbed in a discussion about the origins of Arithmancy, they failed to notice that there was a house elf already in the room. Draco made to send it away, but Hermione greeted it kindly.

'Good afternoon... Poppons, is it?'

'Yes, Miss. Is there anything Poppons can get for you, Miss?'

Hermione was lately more inclined to be relaxed about the house elves, since it seemed they genuinely loved their work, and so they ordered some snacks, and after that they kept a steady supply in the room for their homework sessions.

'Are you going to Hogsmeade this weekend?' she asked as they each checked over each others essays.

Draco shrugged. 'I might,' he said. 'Haven't decided yet.'

'Crabbe and Goyle going?'

'I have no idea. Potter and Weasley going?'

'I expect so.' She gave a hollow chuckle. 'They still haven't asked me anything about Arithmancy, you know.'

'Well, they're not interested in that sort of thing, are they?'

'Well, of course not, but they've not once even said "How was Arithmancy?" or anything. They haven't even noticed that I never do Arithmancy homework in the Common Room any more. Or that I mysteriously disappear for half of my free lessons.'

'I thought we didn't want anyone to notice.'

'Well, I don't! I mean... I don't want them to... know about us... but it would be nice if they could show a bit of an interest. They don't seem to notice I'm alive half the time, and when they do they just take me for granted.'

'That's a result of poor breeding.'

'Oh, Malfoy...'

'Well, it is! Anyone who'd been brought up properly wouldn't have such awful manners.'

'Oh, and you're one to talk, aren't you...'

'That's different. I'm not rude to my friends.'

'You're rude to Crabbe and Goyle...'

'They're not proper friends, are they?'

'Well, who aren't you rude to, then?'

'Lots of people! My father, my mother...'

'Didn't look that way, when we saw you in Diagon Alley getting fitted for new robes...'

Draco flushed bright red, and looked at his feet.

'That was a bad day,' he said, after a moment. 'And I apologised to her afterwards. I'm not normally like that to her.'

'I should hope not!'

'No, I'm really not! I love my mother! It's just been difficult lately what with Father away... you know, tempers frayed and all that...'

'It must be difficult,' said Hermione.

'I worry about Mother, in that big house by herself...'

'Things will turn out alright...' said Hermione.

Draco just rolled his eyes.

'You spelled something wrong in here,' Hermione said, changing the subject.

'Don't be ridiculous, how could I have?' asked Draco. 'You're probably just not reading my handwriting properly...'

The bell for the next class rang then.

'Oh, bother!' said Hermione. 'I wanted to talk about this essay some more... What is it now, Transfiguration?'

'Yes,' said Draco, with a grimace.

'Well, there's no need to look like that, it's only McGonagall.'

'I know... I haven't done my homework...'

'Oh... then there is a need to look like that. Why haven't you done it?'

'I've been busy, alright? Come on, or we'll be late. You go first, we don't want to arrive together.'

Hermione rolled her essay up and left.

* * *

Transfiguration was uncomfortable for Hermione. Draco was soundly told off by McGonagall - apparently this was the second time he had failed to do his homework. Ron and Harry sniggered and whispered about it, while Hermione pretended not to notice.

She couldn't help sneaking a sideways glance at Draco later in the lesson - he was gazing into space, and didn't seem to be concentrating at all.

After the lesson, he was still standing dreamily in his place when Hermione, Ron and Harry were ready to leave. Hermione tried to steer the boys out quickly, but Draco in disgrace was too great an opportunity for them to miss.

'Detention, eh, Malfoy?' Ron said.

'Not done your homework?' said Harry. 'Tut, tut, Malfoy... What would your mother say?'

Draco's hands curled into fists.

'Come on... let's just go,' said Hermione. 'Leave him alone, why don't you?'

'I don't need any help from you, Mudblood!' Draco snapped.

Hermione's mouth fell open. She stared incredulously at Draco.

'Well, I... I...' she began, before flinging her arms in the air in disgust, picking up her bag and storming off.

Ron reached out to grab her arm as she went past and she shook him off angrily, with a cry of 'Boys!', before reaching the door and slamming it behind her.

* * *

'I don't understand what we did wrong...' said Ron, as he, Harry and Hermione sat at dinner that evening. 'I mean, you've never objected to us having a go at Malfoy before! And it was him who called you a you-know-what, not us!'

'I know,' said Hermione.

'So what's the problem? Is it that time of the month or something?'

'No! Oh, just leave it, won't you? I've said I'm sorry, can't we just forget about it?'

'Course we can,' said Harry, with a glance at Ron. 'What shall we do in Hogsmeade tomorrow?'

* * *

As it turned out, they did very little in Hogsmeade, and it was a disappointing trip generally. On the way back, they encountered Katie Bell, fighting over something with her friend Leanne. The item turned out to be a poisoned necklace, and the three of them, as witnesses, were rushed back to the castle by McGonagall and questioned in detail.

Shaken by the incident, Hermione forgot all about Draco calling her 'Mudblood' until she walked into Arithmancy to see him sitting in his usual place. With a jolt, she remembered what had happened. She glared at him, and went to sit on the other side of the class.

'Oh!' said Professor Vector when she entered. 'We're back to this, are we?'

Hermione and Draco both shrugged.

'Have you two had a fight?' Vector asked.

They shrugged again.

'You have, haven't you?' she demanded.

'It wasn't exactly a fight...' Draco began.

'Malfoy called me a Mudblood!' Hermione cut across him.

Vector tutted and shook her head. 'Did you, Mr Malfoy?'

'Yes,' he admitted, looking sullenly down at his feet.

'Why would you use such a nasty word? And to your friend?'

He shrugged.

'Well?'

Hermione had never seen Vector look so stern - usually she was cheery and scatty and seemed not to mind about things the way other teachers did, but now she was standing, arms folded, right over Malfoy. And she was frowning.

'Well, Mr Malfoy?'

'I'm sorry,' said Draco, finally. 'I was angry, I didn't think before I spoke...'

'Don't tell me,' said Vector.

Draco turned to Hermione, who was still glaring at him.

'Hermione... I'm sorry. It was very rude of me to call you a Mudblood, and I didn't mean it.'

'No? You always seemed to mean it before.'

'Yes, but that was... different. It's different now.'

'I thought it was, but you proved me wrong.'

'But I didn't mean it! I was just angry because I got detention and those friends of yours were making trouble!'

'Well, it's no worse than the way you behave towards them! But I thought we were getting on better than that, now...'

'We are!'

Professor Vector looked at them - Hermione had moved to stand at the edge of Draco's desk, and Draco had stood up too. They were both gesturing expansively. It was probably best to leave them to it. She went back to her desk and took out some marking.

'Look,' Hermione was saying, 'I know we didn't want anyone to know that we were... getting on alright... but there was no need to overdo it.'

'I was just so angry,' said Draco. 'I didn't think about what I was saying. Honestly, I didn't mean it. I've just... well...'

He bit his lip, and glanced over at Vector, who appeared to be deep in her marking.

'Oh!' she exclaimed. 'I need some more parchment for the seventh years later... you two can carry on by yourselves for a bit, can't you?'

And with that she scurried out of the room, grinning.

'Well what?' asked Hermione.

'Well... I'm just finding it a bit difficult to cope with everything,' Draco admitted. 'And Potter and Weasley were the last straw, and you got in the way. I really am sorry. Can we be friends again?'

'Oh, were we friends to begin with?' Hermione said, raising her eyebrows.

'You know we were - in all but name, anyway. I promise I won't call you Mudblood again...'

'You'd better not.'

'I won't. So... are we?'

'Friends?' she sighed. 'Alright then.'

She stuck out her hand, and Draco shook it solemnly.

When Vector came back five minutes later - without any parchment - they were sitting side by side on the desk, arguing at the tops of their voices about the Deurzen Constant. She went to fetch them some textbooks.