The Dragon Tamed

Chapter 2.

Thea groaned as she began to wake up and threw her arm over her eyes to protect them from the light shining into the dorm. The only thing she absolutely hated was getting up in the morning; not waking up, just getting out of her nice, warm bed. At home it wasn't an issue since she often wanted to leave the house before her stepbrother woke up and made her life hell. But at Hogwarts she was wrapped up, all comfy and warm, in her bed. Eventually though, she managed to convince herself to get up and shower so that she wouldn't be late on her first day of classes. That could be left until tomorrow. By the time she got out the shower Ginny was the only person left in their dorm as their dorm-mates had all already gone for breakfast. She waited patiently for Thea to dress before throwing her robes on over the top. Just as she grabbed her bag, she also grabbed her jumper too, just in case she had Potions that day. Those dungeons were stupidly cold.

They got to the breakfast table just as Hermione was handing out their timetables and immediately began poring over them with Benji and Colin.

She groaned as she saw that her very first class was Potions, and double Potions at that.

'It's not a good start to the year, is it,' commented Ginny.

Thea shock her head in agreement, pondering what on earth had driven her to continue Potions past her OWLS. Sheer stupidity she assumed.

Benji laughed at them. 'Why was it that I was the only one sensible enough to drop our most hated subject?'

'Third most hated,' corrected Thea as she reached for the cereal.

'Third?' questioned Colin, not looking convinced.

'I hated Arithmancy and Divination more. At least I can do Potions. I just hate the teacher.'

'Yeah, well, I wouldn't be doing Potions unless I had to,' said Colin gloomily, slumping over his plate.

'Why's that?' asked Ginny, buttering some toast.

'I need it for becoming a photographer, apparently,' he told them.

'It won't be so bad, Coll,' Ginny told him. 'Snape rarely picks on you anyway.'

Colin shrugged and went back to eating his breakfast, or to be more accurate, playing with it. He quite obviously was not looking forward to spending any time in the presence of Snape.

'So what have you guys got after Potions?' asked Benji.

They all looked at their timetables.

'I have Transfiguration after lunch,' said Thea.

'I have Arithmancy after break and then Transfiguration with Thea,' said Benji.

Colin was craning his neck, trying to look at all their timetables. 'And then we all have Charms tomorrow before break.'

'Neither of you have anything until then?' exclaimed Benji, looking at Colin and Ginny.

They grinned at each other and shook their heads.

'Well, at least I don't have Snape,' grumbled Benji, scowling at them.

As everyone got up to go to his or her first lesson of the year, Hermione called for everyone's attention. 'Could all sixth and seventh years please stay behind for a few moments.'

They all sat down again, as did many people around them. The fifth years and below all filed out, throwing curious looks over their shoulders. The teachers all left as well. Thea presumed they all had classes to get ready for.

'Any ideas?' muttered Benji.

'Nope.'

'Nothing.'

'Nada.'

They all shrugged at each other before turning their attention to Hermione.

Once everyone had settled back down, and stopped talking under Hermione's glare, she started to explain in what the Gryffindors called her "lecture voice". Ginny rolled her eyes and groaned quietly. Malfoy was standing with Hermione, a stack of papers in his hand.

'Right then, this year there have been some changes made to the set up of the classes. For this year all sixth and seventh year classes will be combined.'

At this there was a stunned silence as everyone looked at each other in shock.

'She is kidding, isn't she?' whispered Thea, looking around at her friends.

Ginny shook her head. 'I have a horrible, sinking feeling that she means every word of it.'

'The only classes that will remain separate,' Hermione continued, 'will be Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts and your NEWT options.'

A sixth year Ravenclaw put up her hand and Hermione indicated for her to talk.

'Are we expected to know as much as the seventh years then? Because that seems a little unfair after springing it on us like this.'

'Of course not,' answered Hermione. 'However, you will all be expected to catch up quickly. To help you it has been decided that all sixth years will be tutored by some of the seventh years from your classes.'

At that an angry murmur rippled through the seventh years.

Anthony Goldstein put up his hand, with a frown on his face. Once Hermione looked at him, he started talking. 'So we have to spend out spare time helping the sixth years when we are all studying for our NEWTs?'

'Not all the seventh years,' Hermione told him. 'It was considered impractical to have so many one-on-one tutorials, so, instead there are groups of four to ten sixth years, run by a seventh year.'

This time it was Hannah Abbott who raised her hand. 'So who are the seventh years taking these tutorials? They already know about this, right?'

'And surely it will impact their NEWTs,' added Susan Bones.

'There are ten seventh years who are taking the tutorials and they all know about them as they were asked last night. I know that it seems a lot of extra work for them but it is good revision for them and Dumbledore has every confidence that those chosen can more than live up to the task.'

Justin Finch-Fletchley cleared his throat before speaking. 'How were the tutors chosen?'

'Those with the highest marks in the necessary classes and who would be suitable as tutors.'

Justin looked around the hall smugly.

'Do you think he might be one of the chosen few?' whispered Benji sarcastically.

Malfoy interrupted her. 'Dumbledore didn't want the sixth years made even stupider then they already are by incompetent idiots.' He looked right at Justin. 'Those like you, to be honest, Finch-Fletchley.'

'Bastard,' muttered Colin under his breath.

'Why does he take every opportunity to take the piss out of the Hufflepuffs?' demanded Benji.

'Because he's a bastard,' Colin repeated.

Malfoy smirked as the Hufflepuffs took exception to his remark, as did the vast majority of people still in the hall. Only the Slytherins found is remark funny, and, in Thea's opinion, that was probably because he would hex them horribly if he didn't see a reaction.

As Hermione brought order to the hall a Slytherin boy began to speak. Thea had no idea if he was a sixth year or seventh year as she only vaguely recognised him. 'How did you decide which subjects will be combined? It all seems rather haphazard to me.'

As Malfoy began to answer, Hermione jumped in. 'We didn't decide which classes would be combined, the teachers did that. However, it was mostly based on the size of the class. Defence Against the Dark Arts and Charms were thought to be too big to combine, while your NEWT options just weren't practical.'

'I'm guessing that the tutorials will be taking place in the evening, so what about Quidditch practice?' asked Michael Corner.

'Actually not all the tutorials take place in the evening. It all had to be fitted around everyone's timetables. However, Quidditch practice remains for all the houses. The same cannot necessarily be said of other after class-activities. We did our best to accommodate everyone but in the end decided that this was more important.'

More hands were appearing as questions started to flood through everyone.

Malfoy stepped forward. 'As fascinating as I'm sure your questions are, some of us have class in a moment. Would you not agree, Granger?' He raised an eyebrow at her, as if daring her to disagree with him. He knew, as well as everyone else that Hermione would be torn between doing her Head Girl duty and getting to class on time.

Instead Hermione just nodded. 'Of course. Perhaps you would like to start.'

He held up a stack of parchment. 'These are your tutorial schedules. They have been painstakingly put together by Granger and myself, so you will not complain - is that understood? I also suggest you don't loose them, as no replacements will be issued.' He stared round at everyone. 'Sixth years will not be excused from any tutorials, no matter how much of a know-it-all they believe themselves to be. The seventh years will not be excused from teaching, no matter how beneath themselves they feel this is. Anyone found breaking these rules will be severely punished. Is that understood?'

There was a murmur of assent across the tables as Hermione and Malfoy started handing out the timetables.

As Malfoy handed Thea hers he smirked unpleasantly at her. 'Ah, Maggi. I am so looking forward to our time together.'

Frowning, Thea grabbed the piece of paper he was holding in front of her.

'Not even I could change the horror on that piece of paper, and believe me I tried.' He curled his lip in disdain. 'Bloody Mudblood wouldn't let me.'

At that Thea saw Ginny's head snap up and she glared fiercely at him.

He ignored Ginny's reaction as he continued. 'Instead I had to choose between Weaselette here, and you. Since I can already successfully cause her to rupture a blood vessel, I thought I'd find out how to drive you to distraction.' He eyed her contemptuously.

Thea rolled her eyes. 'Just keep on breathing, Malfoy,' she told him sweetly. She hoped that she had not given him any clue to how much she was dreading each and every one of her tutorials with him. In fact she was...if not terrified, suitably scared. She suddenly doubted her survival to the end of the week. What had she done in a previous life to demand such a horrific punishment? He was sure to take every opportunity to make her life a living hell.

He narrowed his eyes at her briefly, causing her to shrink back slightly, before continuing handing out timetables.

'The nerve of the guy,' muttered Colin quietly, so as not to bring Malfoy's attention back to them.

'He's Malfoy. What would you expect?' asked Benji, shrugging.

'So, I take it you have Malfoy for a tutorial?' Ginny asked her.

'I wish,' groaned Thea, before glaring in Malfoy's direction. He caught her eye and sneered at her, causing her to turn her full attention to her friends.

'Huh?' grunted Benji.

'Try all of them.'

'All?' questioned Ginny. 'You have the ferret for all your tutorials?'

Thea grimaced at them, nodding.

'Well I promise to get photographic evidence when he inevitably kills you,' Colin grinned at her.

'Shut up, Colin,' snapped Ginny. 'You're not helping.' She turned her attention back to Thea. 'I can't believe Hermione let that happen.'

Thea shrugged. 'Perhaps she couldn't stop it. She did say the teachers decided on who was tutored by who. I think I'll try to ask her though.'

'Sounds like a plan. Perhaps Hermione might be able to change at least one of them,' Benji told her.

'Come on guys, make me feel better,' Thea begged. 'Who have you all got?'

Ginny shrugged and looked at her timetable. 'Ummmm, Padma for Muggle Studies, Neville for Herbology and, oh, Zabini for Potions. Gives it couldn't be all good.'

Colin grinned at Ginny. 'I've got and Zabini as well. Terry Boot for Herbology and Hermione for Ancient Runes.'

Thea looked at Benji desperately. Surely one of her best friends would be in the same tutorial as her for something. Surely she couldn't be expected to experience the hell of Malfoy all by herself...could she?

'Ugh. Astronomy with Zabini, Arithmancy with Malfoy and, sorry Thea, Transfiguration with Harry.'

Thea groaned and put her head in her hands. 'What did I do to deserve this? Malfoy of all people.'

'And speaking of Malfoy haven't you all got class in about five minutes?' said Benji grinning. 'If you all want to get to the dungeons before Snape shouldn't you all run now? Harry and the others left a few minutes ago.'

As the three of them grabbed their bags and ran out the Great Hall they could hear Benji laughing as they left. Just because he had been smart enough to drop Potions. Thea scowled, berating herself for not doing the same. At least then she'd have Malfoy for one less subject and she wouldn't have to put up with Snape for another two years.

They raced into the classroom and sat down out of breath, barely making it as Snape swept in and made his way to the front where he studied the class with a scowl on his face. When he spotted the sixth years all sitting together his scowl intensified, if that was possible. Thea got the impression he wasn't happy with the arrangements that year. There were only a few students in each house in Snape's class. However it was still probably the largest advanced class Snape had ever taught.

Snape then began to talk. 'As you may or may not have noticed there has been a slight change to classes this year. There are therefore a number of you in my class who are not fit to be here. I see no reason to slow down the seventh years, who are just becoming adequate. I expect the sixth years to quickly catch up and pay attention to those who are tutoring you. If you do not, you will have me to answer to. Also to reduce the disruption to the class I am going to ask Miss Granger, Mr. Zabini and Mr. Malfoy to sit with their groups until such a time that I see fit to change these arrangements.' Looking around, Snape continued. 'Within these groups the tutor will be partnered with a student who I feel will benefit from the superior intellect. Miss Granger, you will be partnered with Miss Spelling. Mr. Zabini, you will be partnered with Mr. Creevey and you, Mr. Malfoy, will be partnered with Miss Maggi.'

As he continued pairing up the seventh years the fact that Snape had backhandedly paid Hermione a compliment paled in comparison when Thea heard herself being partnered with Malfoy. Not only did she have him for all her tutorials but now she had to be partnered with him for the entire year. She knew that Snape rarely, if ever changed his arrangements. She just knew that she would never make it to the end of the year alive. Colin and Ginny were smiling at her in sympathy.

As Snape finished he glared at them all. 'Well, what are you waiting for? Move!'

Thea picked up her bag and reluctantly walked over to where Malfoy was sitting. 'Bloody Slytherin pet,' she muttered to herself, scowling slightly as she slid onto the stool next to Malfoy. As she did so Malfoy gave her a cursory glance, smirked and then returned to whatever it was he was doing. Whatever it was, it didn't look like it had anything to do with Potions. However, Thea valued her life and so she reined in her natural curiosity and refused to allow herself to take a glance.

As Thea looked round at the other people in her group her heart sank; there were two Slytherins, a Ravenclaw and a Hufflepuff. Never had a Monday morning gone so hideously wrong for her.

Snape started talking again. 'This morning you will be attempting to brew a mild truth potion. From this you will be working up to making Veritaserum by the end of the year. You will be working individually but testing your end product on your bench partner. Be sure you follow all directions correctly - because if one of you does something incorrectly the result can be quite...interesting.'

Snape seemed to perk up at the idea of something horrific happening to one of his pupils, so Thea resolved that it wouldn't be her. Of course that all depended on Malfoy but she was sure he would not want to ruin his perfect record in Potions just to kill her...or humiliate her.

Snape then proceeded to tell them how to make the potion.

Once Snape had finished talking, Malfoy turned to his group and studied them before sighing. He did not seem to be relishing this. He said, 'Logan, Martin, you two partner up. York and Sherman, you also partner up. Although I assume a Ravenclaw is capable of copying down instructions correctly why don't we err on the side of caution and I'll check them. You too, York.' He then quickly looked them over them before returning them. 'Right then you lot, get on with it.' He didn't even bother to check over Thea's work. He just glanced at her and said, 'Well, get on with it then.'

Thea "got on with it", measuring the ingredients out - but when it came to the actual method she hesitated; she wasn't exactly sure that she had written how to add the Jobberknoll feathers correctly. She had been writing terribly quickly and she could have got it wrong.

'Ummm, Malfoy?' she ventured.

He put down his quill and looked at her quizzically. He didn't look too pleased to have been interrupted from whatever he was doing; though why he was doing it instead of his potion was beyond Thea's comprehension.

'Could you check that I got the instructions right?'

Picking up his quill again he said, 'No, I'm busy. You should have paid better attention to what Professor Snape was saying.'

'But you have to drink it. Do you really want to take chance that it could be wrong?'

'You'll be drinking it first,' was all he said in a dismissive tone that brooked no argument.

Thea looked around feeling helpless. She couldn't get the attention of anyone who could help her; Snape or Malfoy, or both of them, would kill her. Ginny was chopping up ingredients while Zabini seemed to be taking great pleasure in flustering Colin, which was strange because Colin hardly ever got flustered, well not since fourth year when he had stopped stalking Harry. Suddenly her eyes fastened onto the figure of Hermione by the sink. Permitting herself a quick smile she quickly grabbed her parchment and hurried over to Hermione, checking that neither Snape nor Malfoy were watching her. Sidling up to Hermione she whispered, 'Hermione, could you look at this to check it's right? Malfoy won't do it.'

Hermione threw a glare at Malfoy before she looked at Thea and smiled. 'Well I guess we can't have you poisoning the little ferret in your first lesson. Give it here.' She looked over it and said, 'It's perfect, Thea. I'm impressed, it's difficult to keep up with Snape once he gets going.'

Thea smiled at her, thanked her and quickly made her way back to the bench.

'Why were you over there with Granger?' Malfoy asked her as she sat down.

She frowned in confusion. She had kept an eye on him the entire time she had been talking to Hermione and he had never looked up from the parchment in front of him, as far as she could tell. How had he known? 'I was getting the water,' said Thea, thinking quickly.

Malfoy raised an eyebrow at her. 'Really? And where is it?'

Thea looked around, realising there was no water on the bench. 'Forgot it,' she said and scurried back to the sink to get some. When she got back she continued making the potion, totally ignoring Malfoy whenever he looked at her, which obviously she didn't know he was doing since she was ignoring him.

Finally the potion stopped bubbling and settled down to a shimmering turquoise colour. Thea eyed the potion suspiciously. Even after six years of making potions at Hogwarts she still found the idea of drinking various coloured liquids unnerving. It had struck her as wrong in her first year and it still struck her as wrong now.

Snape walked over to her and Malfoy to supervise them taking the potion. He had already watched several of the seventh years taking their potions. Thea had vaguely heard talking as questions were asked but she had been too focused on making the potion in front of her.

Thea was, inevitably, the first to test her own potion when the rest of the class quietened down to watch. Just what Thea wanted: an audience to witness her inevitable embarrassment from Malfoy.

As Thea swallowed the potion, Snape said, 'Mr. Malfoy you may now ask a question.'

Malfoy smirked maliciously and asked rather loudly, just in case no one was listening, 'Are you still a virgin?'

From around her Thea could hear gasps of outrage from the Gryffindors, gasps of shock from the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs and the predictable sniggers from the Slytherins.

'He can't ask her that,' exploded Ron.

'You can't let her answer that sodding question,' agreed Colin, sounding equally angry.

Snape glanced at them. 'Language Mr. Creevey. Five points from Gryffindor.' He looked at Ron next, a thin smirk gracing his face. 'Mr. Weasley. Five points for interrupting my lesson.'

Glancing at Ginny, Thea could see she was also furious, but she managed to control her temper after seeing how Snape had reacted to Ron and Colin.

Since Thea had no training in how to counter truth potions, she had to answer. She could feel the words welling up, out of her throat. As her mouth opened she just had time to viciously think "fucking Slytherin bastard" before answering. However, there was no way she was going to let Malfoy know that she was pissed off with him. 'Yes,' Thea answered as calmly as she could.

Snape handed her the antidote, while congratulating Malfoy on a potion well made.

Thea had no idea how Malfoy had managed to get Snape to believe that he had actually made a potion. He had made no attempt to even look like he was working that morning and the potion he had used was obviously Thea's. Inside she was seething. She knew he had only asked her that to embarrass her. Really, he should meet her stepbrother. It wasn't that she wasn't embarrassed; she kind of was. No-one liked it when personal details became public, especially when it was done to amuse a malicious bastard like Malfoy. However, her brother had made fun of her over the very same thing, in front of all his friends: very mature for a twenty year old. Thea didn't see why she had to be embarrassed over being a virgin: she was fifteen for crying out loud. So, she was both embarrassed and not embarrassed. The only consolation was that she was considered a nobody, so she was sure no one would be that interested. If it had been Harry or someone important, it would be the talk of the school for months.

Malfoy looked at her, momentarily puzzled. He had obviously expected her to react to his question, probably badly and loudly, allowing him to make an even bigger fool of her.

'And now you, Mr. Malfoy, take some of Miss Maggi's potion.'

Snape looked at Thea. 'Ask your question then.'

There was deadly silence throughout the class as they waited to hear what Thea would ask Malfoy.

Thea looked at Malfoy and opened her mouth to ask if he had actually made a potion

that morning. It hardly seemed fair that he got away with doing nothing all class. Surely if she asked him then Snape could do nothing more than punish him. She smiled to herself at the thought of Malfoy in a Snape detention. Suddenly she snapped her mouth shut. After what he had just done to her this was far too good an opportunity to waste on such a mundane question. She had to ask an embarrassing question.

Snape looked at her and snapped, 'We are waiting.'

She looked back at Malfoy and smiled. There were several rumours going around school about Malfoy and his amazing sex life: Slytherin Sex God and all that. Even in the Gryffindor common room there was speculation about how true it all was and considering that they all hated him, that was saying something

'So Malfoy,' she said slowly, thinking of a good enough question. She so wished she could confer with Ginny and Colin for this. There was so much choice and so little time. She knew they would have some great ideas. She could ask if it was true that last year he and a seventh year had been going at it in the cupboard in the History of Magic classroom...while a class was in progress. Apparently Binns hadn't noticed the cupboard shaking but the poor second years had. They had though it was a Boggart. Eventually Malfoy had emerged saying, 'Well, there is no Boggart in there. I have thoroughly checked everywhere, every nock and cranny.' With that he had walked out the room. The poor girl had stayed in the cupboard until the end of the class.

Finally she thought of one. 'OK then, so, how many girls have you slept with at school?'

This time the Gryffindors sniggered and the Slytherins were outraged, while the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs remained shocked.

Malfoy glared at her as he said through gritted teeth, 'Twenty-seven.'

Thea stared at him. How had he answered that quickly? Did he keep a running tally, or something? Knowing that Snape was about to give Malfoy the antidote she quickly added, 'How many have you slept with at one time?'

Before Snape could get the antidote to him, he said, 'Three.' He quickly snatched the vial Snape was holding out to him and downed it, never removing his eyes from glaring at Thea.

Thea, and probably the rest of the class, could hear Pansy Parkinson hissing to Daphne Greengrass and Millicent Bulstode, 'Three, three! He told me none of those rumours were true. How dare he do this to me?'

If it had been anyone but Malfoy she might have felt a bit sorry for him having to face Parkinson, but she actually thought it was quite funny. By the sounds of it, so did the majority of Gryffindor.

Snape then turned to Thea. 'Five points for asking Mr. Malfoy inappropriate questions.'

Thea stared at him in disbelief. 'But he asked me an inappropriate question too,' she protested.

'That's five more points. Do you want a detention as well?' he asked.

Thea shock her head, not daring to speak. Instead she cleared everything up, muttering under her breath the entire time, once Snape had moved on, obviously. She wasn't that stupid. As she finished she bumped into Colin.

'Don't worry,' he whispered. 'I think all Gryffindors will think that was worth the sacrifice of ten points. Bloody good question.'

As Thea and Colin were about to move apart, Snape moved over to Ginny and her partner. Instead, they remained standing next to each other, watching.

The Slytherin girl regarded Ginny with a look of disgust. 'So Weasley,' she squeaked, 'are you still pining devotedly away over Potter?'

Again the room was filled with Slytherin sniggers.

Thea and Colin swapped exasperated looks before grinning at each other. It annoyed the hell out of Ginny that people still could not accept that she had moved on. Thea had a feeling that that girl would be regretting that soon.

Ginny rolled her eyes before sighing. 'Sorry to disappoint you, but no, Harry no longer does it for me. He hasn't for about two, nearly three years.'

The girl looked shocked at Ginny's answer and the majority of Slytherins became noticeably quiet.

Not wanting to give Snape the opportunity to tell them off Thea and Colin returned to their respective seats but Thea was still listening hard to what was going on and she reckoned Colin probably was too.

As Thea took her seat next to Malfoy, Ginny asked her question. 'So, Corinne, tell me, are you still pining devotedly away over Malfoy?'

It took all Thea's control not to burst out laughing, she'd be guaranteed a detention from Snape if she did. She was unable, though, to prevent herself from shaking with silent laughter. Without even looking at him, Thea could feel Malfoy's eyes boring into her.

'Something amusing, Maggi?' he enquired softly.

Thea was unable to respond but she didn't have to ask what Corinne was about to answer.

'Y...ye...yes,' she stammered, going a wonderful shade of red.

By now Thea was actually crying with laughter, the whole thing was just too funny. Either that or she was so desperate to laugh at something after the morning she had had that she was finding it way too funny.

As Thea hugged herself she felt Malfoy lean in close to her and whisper softly, but somewhat dangerously, 'I don't know what you're laughing at, Maggi. How would you answer to the same question?' All in all he sounded rather too smug and self-assured and really rather suggestive.

Thea, feeling somewhat more sombre, turned to regard him. 'In your dreams, Malfoy.' She told him. 'Unlike so many girls in this school, I have a brain...and therefore taste, which automatically excludes you.'

She was saved from Malfoy's reply by Snape announcing the end of the class and dictating what their homework was. Thea threw her things into her bag, wanting to get away from Malfoy before he could talk again. She saw Ginny waiting for her by the door and grinned at her as she picked up her bag.

Malfoy grabbed her wrist as she did so. 'Don't think I'll forget what you did. I will get you back.'

'Just be glad I didn't ask you anything really personal, like if you have any tattoos on your left arm, or if you'll be acquiring one in the near future,' she hissed at him under her breath. Pulling her wrist from his grip she got up and left the room with Ginny and the other Gryffindors, who were all congratulating her on a well-chosen question.

'Think I'll be paying for it for a while though; he is my tutor in...oh everything. I could be in for a bumpy term.'

'Don't worry,' said Ron, cheerfully. 'If he gets out of line let us know. We know how to deal with the little ferret.'

----------

Despite all her friends' positive comments and remarks Thea wasn't looking forward to Transfiguration that afternoon. The rest of the day was spent with Ginny, Colin and Benji, apart from when he had Arithmancy, studying to catch up on all their seventh year classes.

'So, how much work did you girls do over the holiday?' asked Colin, staring down at the Herbology book in front of him, 'because I did absolutely none.'

'I did some,' admitted Ginny, 'but obviously not enough. Couldn't they have given us some warning about this? I would have done more work if I had known I was being thrown into seventh year classes,' she said in exasperation, slamming closed a Charms book.

'Probably trying to test us under pressure,' mumbled Thea, totally engrossed in a book about Elemental Magic.

'Oh, and NEWTs aren't stressful enough,' retorted Ginny.

Thea shrugged. 'Apparently not.'

'How much did you do, Thea?' asked Colin.

'Don't even ask her,' grumbled Ginny. 'She has a stack of books on the history of magic, Elemental Magic and Dark Arts that I didn't even know existed. Worse still, is the fact that she read them all over the holiday. It's like eleven books or something. She's nearly as bad as Hermione.'

'Hey! I only read about the subjects I enjoy and like. I would never do extra reading for Potions. Hermione reads up on every subject under the sun, whether she's doing them or not. God, please tell me I'm not that bad.'

Colin laughed at the pleading look she gave them both. 'You're OK,' he assured her. 'No-one could ever be as bad as Hermione.'

'How long to lunch? I'm starving,' asked Ginny.

Colin looked at his watch. 'Well, Ben'll be back in five minutes. Then lunch is half an hour after that and Transfiguration will be an hour after that.' He grinned at Thea.

Thea glared right back at him. He knew she was dreading seeing Malfoy again.

Benji appeared not long after that and sat down with them, throwing his bag on the table.

'How was class?' asked Ginny.

Benji shrugged. 'It was OK, I guess. Malfoy was insufferable as usual and Hermione knew, well, everything.'

Thea looked up suddenly, her attention pulled by the mention of Hermione. 'That means Hermione's out of class now, doesn't it?'

Benji nodded. 'It does indeed. Why?'

'I need to go find her. Wanna ask her about my tutorials and why they are all with The Prince of Darkness.'

'Potions was that bad, huh?' he asked sympathetically.

'You have no idea. Get Coll and Gin to fill you in while I'm gone.' She slung her bag over her shoulder and left the library, promising her friends she would meet them at lunch.

Luckily for Thea she found Hermione in the first place she looked, her room. Her private room. It was good being Head Girl. Well, it would be if it didn't come with lots of added responsibilities.

'Thea,' Hermione called, 'I had a feeling I might be getting a visit from you. Sit down.' She motioned towards an armchair that was next to her desk.

'Thea smiled at her. 'I guess it's not all that difficult to guess what this is about, is it?'

'Malfoy.'

'In one.' Sighing, she started talking. 'Why am I in all his tutorials, Hermione?' she asked, sounding somewhat plaintive, but not caring.

'I had nothing to do with it, Thea. If I had I would have kept you as far away from him as possible.' She put down the quill that she had been holding. 'Basically the teachers had already decided on the groups. Last night Malfoy and I were asked to double check them to ensure there were no clashes. When I saw you in all his groups I tried to move you into Zabini's Potions and into either mine or Harry's Transfiguration but Malfoy was having none of it.'

'Malfoy refused?' As Hermione nodded Thea thought that it in a way explained some his comments earlier that morning. Although it sounded like it was more his fault, not Hermione's, that he had ended up tutoring her.

'In the end Dumbledore had to come down and sort it...us out. I don't think he was too impressed to find his Head Girl and Boy fighting the first night back.'

'I would imagine not,' agreed Thea, laughing at the thought. 'So what did he say?'

'Well, Snape put you in Malfoy's group and he insists that none of the groups are to be changed, for whatever reason. Apparently McGonagall had to decide which, between you and your roommate, what's her name, ah, yes, Deborah, went into Malfoy's Transfiguration group. She felt like you were more able to survive a year of Malfoy than Deborah.'

Thea shrugged. Unfortunately that had all made perfect sense so far. Snape wanting to make every Gryffindor's life a misery and McGonagall wanting to protect Deb. There was no way she would have been able to stand up to Malfoy. 'So why History? Surely Sirius didn't think putting me with Malfoy was a good idea.'

'Sirius didn't get to make that decision, Dumbledore did.'

'Dumbledore? Why did he do that?'

'I think he thought it would be easier on you to have the same tutor than to have a different one.'

'Is that all?' asked Thea suspiciously. From what Ginny had told her, Dumbledore often had other reasons for doing what he did.

'Well, increasing inter-house relations was probably high on his list too.'

'I bet,' sighed Thea. 'There is no way I'm going to escape this, is there?' she asked Hermione.

'I'm afraid not. I'm sure you'll be fine. He'll be thoroughly unpleasant but he won't do anything. He's not that stupid. Also, you're intelligent. He won't be able to humiliate you all that much and if you don't rise to the bait he offers you'll get along fine.'

'I hope you're right, Hermione,' Thea told her.

'If he's too awful, come and see me. Even if you can't swap, I'll give you a hand with anything he won't. How's that?'

Thea smiled gratefully at Hermione. 'Thank you. That's great but there is no way I'm letting Malfoy think he's better than me or that I'm scared of him. I'll tough it out.'

'Do you want to go to lunch now?' asked Hermione.

Thea nodded and they made their way down to the great hall, Thea doing her very best to ignore that she'd have Transfiguration after lunch and would have to see Malfoy again.

Just as they walked into the Great Hall Thea thought of something. 'Hermione, why aren't you taking a Potions tutorial?'

Hermione gave her a very pointed look. 'Did you really think Snape would let a Gryffindor teach his beloved subject?'

Thea thought Hermione had a point there.

------------

By the time she had to go to Transfiguration Thea was a bundle of nerves, convinced that Malfoy was going to hex her into oblivion for her stunt in Potions. As she walked down to the classroom with Harry, Ron, Hermione, Seamus and Benji she kept looking over her shoulder.

Ron noticed her and laughed. 'Thea, don't worry, ferret boy can't hurt you in class, especially not with McGonagall there. We'll protect you, don't you fear.'

Harry, Seamus and Benji all agreed with Ron, reassuring her that they wouldn't allow Malfoy to do anything to her.

As they entered the classroom, they saw McGonagall was already there waiting for the class. Thea and Benji ended up sitting at the front, in front of Harry and all.

McGonagall was about to start the class when the door banged open and Malfoy strolled in at a leisurely pace.

'Mr. Malfoy, what makes you so special that you can arrive to my lesson five minutes later than everyone else?' questioned McGonagall.

Behind her Thea heard Ron snort softly as Harry and Seamus tried to stifle their laughter.

Sorry Professor, Professor Snape wanted a quick word and it took longer than anticipated,' he drawled.

McGonagall nodded. 'Very well. Sit down then, Mr. Malfoy.

And he did, right at the front of the class, and right next to Thea. She looked at him, stunned, as he pulled his things out of his bag. Not that she was paranoid or anything but did this have anything to do with her little Potions stunt? She glanced round at the others who all looked as stunned as she felt. Hermione shrugged before turning her attention to the class. Something Thea thought she should be doing as well.

Like Snape, McGonagall began her class with a lecture about the different arrangements. 'As you are undoubtedly aware several sixth year and seventh year classes have been combined. This is for a few reasons, one there are too few sixth years doing some subjects to warrant a separate class. However since we do not want to deprive any of you from doing your preferred subjects we thought this would be preferable. The second and more important reason is the war. As much as it pains me to say it we need all the witches and wizards we can get and so sixth years are being hurried along. Obviously you will not be put out in battle but if the school ever comes under attack you need to be suitably prepared.' She looked around the class, smiling regretfully, her eyes resting briefly on Harry. 'Right then class, be prepared to write this down. Today you will learn the theory of conjuring spells.'

Throughout the whole class Thea found she was unable to concentrate on what McGonagall was saying, she kept finding herself glancing at Malfoy. Thank god she had Benji, she would have to check her notes against his later that night. She could see Malfoy's wand sticking out of his robes and she was unable to stop herself from checking that he was leaving it alone and was not pointing it at her. Occasionally he caught her eye and smirked sardonically, his eyes travelling from his wand to her and back. After the first few times he caught her watching him she blushed and ducked her head, which he really did seem to find amusing as a smile seemed to ghost his mouth. She did not need this, he was her only tutor and since she was a Gryffindor she knew that she was going to be picked on more than anyone else. She should not be giving him extra ammunition.

Malfoy had said nothing to her throughout the entire class and by the end of it Thea was ready to leave, her nerves couldn't take anymore. She packed her bag quickly, just wanting to leave the room as quickly as possible. However, she had to wait as Benji to pack away his things too. She could just leave without him, of course, or wait for him at the door but she didn't want Malfoy to know that he had gotten to her.

Malfoy sat there, taking his sweet time packing away. Thea could feel his gaze falling on her but she resolutely refused to meet his eyes.

'Leave her alone, Malfoy,' she heard Harry tell him.

She looked up to see Malfoy turn slowly to look at Harry. 'Leave who alone, Potter?' he asked lazily.

'Thea.'

'I wasn't aware I had even acknowledged her presence,' said Malfoy.

'You deserved the question she asked you in Potions. Just leave her alone,' he told Malfoy calmly.

'Pray, how did I deserve that? Enlighten me, Potter, if you can. I'm a Malfoy. Someone like her should be kissing my robes after that little stunt.'

'You arrogant bastard,' seethed Ron.

'Oh, how very original, Weasel,' sneered Malfoy.

'You know what got me though, Malfoy,' asked Seamus conversationally, 'how, out of the all the girls in the school you've only gone all the way with twenty-seven of the lucky ladies. I was rather under the impression that it was rather more than that, you know, hundreds, if not thousands. Obviously you haven't enough galleons for the rest of them.'

'Yeah, Malfoy, pathetic,' mocked Ron. 'Is that all you managed?'

Thea closed her eyes. Didn't Ron know by now? Never give Malfoy a set up like that. This was not going to be pretty. By the look on all the faces around her, everyone was just waiting to see what Malfoy would come out with.

'Oh, really Weasel? And I suppose you've had substantially more than twenty-seven then? Just too much of a gentleman to tell anyone about it, I suppose.'

Ron was predictably silent, staring stonily at Malfoy.

'Not that many? How about ten? Five? Oh please tell me you've managed at least one then?' he mused mockingly.

Ron started to blush but stayed silent.

'Dear Merlin, you haven't even managed to convince Granger to shag you yet. Now that's pathetic.'

As Harry and Seamus struggled to hold back a raging Ron, Malfoy picked up his bag, pausing as if considering a possibility. 'Well, I suppose it is always possible that the Mudblood has better taste than I gave her credit for.' He paused for added effect, 'It's a shame you're all she's worth really, isn't it?' With that passing shot he swept past them and out of the door.

Ron was still beyond angry and was yelling at Harry to let him go so he could beat the living daylights out of Malfoy. Hermione was hovering nearby but she looked rather embarrassed and rather at a loss. It was one of the first times Thea could remember Hermione not knowing what to do.

Once Ron had calmed down enough they all walked back to the common room. Seamus was walking out front with Ron as he strode angrily toward to seventh floor. Harry and Hermione had hung back and Harry was talking softly to Hermione. Thea couldn't hear what he was saying but he seemed to be saying all the right things since Hermione hadn't decided to hit him for being insensitive. Would wonders never cease? True, he had never been as bad as Ron but he had had his fair share of foot in mouth situations.

Thea and Benji were walking behind them. 'Well, that was fun,' said Benji, quietly.

'Tell me about it.'

'Only Malfoy would bring that out in the open,' said Benji, sounding disgusted with Malfoy's behaviour.

'True, but is it necessarily a bad thing?'

Benji looked at her as though she had lost her mind.

'Well, think about it,' Thea rushed on, 'how long have we all been waiting for something to happen between them? Maybe this will somehow push them into doing something about it.'

'Maybe,' Benji grudgingly admitted. He laughed. 'How would Ron feel if something happened with Hermione just because of something Malfoy said?'

'He would probably deny it for the rest of his life...until Hermione told him to stop being so childish,' Thea agreed, laughing at the look on Ron's face if ever anyone pointed that out to him. 'Best not to mention it to him until they are together.'

Benji nodded his agreement. 'Right, lets go and fill Ginny and Colin in on our enlightening Transfiguration class.'