You Wouldn't Know

Hermione sat in Potions; she gently stirred her steaming cauldron and watched it turn from a murky green to a light gold. She read the instructions on the board again, and unsurprisingly, found that she had done it right. Unfortunately, Neville wasn't so lucky. He sat cowering in his chair while Snape stood before him, staring out at him with his cold eyes.

"Mr. Longbottom," Snape hissed at him, pulling out all the syllables of his name, "I expect that you even you read the instruction on the board stating quite clearly to add a dash of powdered bezoars before you added the root of asphodel. Now, also according to the instructions, your potion was supposed to turn a light gold, not this hideous blue you have concocted! Mr. Longbottom, if you have failed to concoct this Growth Potion by the end of class, then I will take away fifty points from Gryffindor!"

At this, all of the Gryffindors in the class began yelling at Snape, each one with a look of hate and disbelief on their faces. Harry stood up, looked Snape right in the eyes, and said, "That's not fair Professor. Just because someone does class work wrong doesn't mean that they deserve to have points taken away. I mean, if you took away one point away from the Slytherins every time that Crabbe or Goyle messed up, I am sure that the Slytherin house would be broke!"

There was an instant uproar in the classroom, the Gryffindors were rolling on the laughing, and some of them were doubled so far they fell over. But, the Slytherins were staring daggers at all of them, especially Harry. Snape was running around trying to hold back the Slytherins who were about ready to attack. Hermione, whom had been watching this entire time, felt a great swelling of pride inside for Harry. Ron, who was rolling on the ground in a fit of laughter, gave Harry quick thumbs up.

But suddenly, there was a flash of blonde and Harry was picked up from the floor and held against the dungeon walls by none other than their worst enemy, Malfoy. Malfoy had a hold of Harry by the cuff of his robes and Harry's face becoming pale, showing that he was losing his breath. Hermione gasped and reached for her wand, realizing she left it on the table. She saw Harry's wand rolling on the ground and snatched it up. She ran behind Malfoy and put Harry's wand in a ready position.

"Malfoy," she announced startling him slightly, "put him down."

Without even looking at her he said, "Sod off Mudblood, or else you can join Potter."

Crabbe and Goyle stared at her cracking their knuckles menacingly. Snape, who was out of breath from holding the Slytherins back, announced, "Malfoy, you had best drop him."

Malfoy looked from Snape to Harry to Hermione. Without resistance he dropped Harry where he landed in a bundle on the floor. Hermione rushed to his side and helped him up. As soon as Harry was on his feet, Harry launched himself at Malfoy, knocking him against the dungeon wall. Malfoy looked up at Harry and found his lip was bleeding. Harry just stared at him and said, "If you ever call Hermione a Mudblood again, I will make sure you have more than just a bloody lip."

"Potter, Malfoy detention with me. As for you Ms. Granger, I suggest you sit down before you too get detention. That goes for all of you!" Snape commanded. At his order, all the students stood up and scrambled towards their desks. Harry and Malfoy simply walked each one not leaving each others eyes. Malfoy was wiping his bloody lip on his robes and Harry was massaging his neck, where he was slowly getting color in his face. They sat down and continued to stare at each other for the remainder of Potions.

When Potions was finally over, all the students rushed out of the room, all whispering excitedly. Hermione made it out before Harry and Ron and stood waiting for them outside the door. Malfoy emerged, his robes sweeping out behind him. He noticed Hermione standing there, and walked over, flanked by his two bodyguards.

"Better watch out for your boyfriend, Granger," he stated with an evil smirk. Harry and Ron also emerged from the door and saw Malfoy with Hermione and rushed over. "Potter, I was just telling your girlfriend here that you had better watch out, because nobody fights a Malfoy and gets away unscathed. Well, later, Potty, Weasel, Mudblood."

Harry had begun to launch himself at Malfoy as he walked away but both Ron and Harry had held him back.

"He's not worth it Harry," Hermione said with a worried tone.

"Yeah mate, just ignore it, this is exactly what he wants you to do," Ron said. Just then, a far off bell rang announcing lunch time.

"Malfoy is such a git," Hermione said, her voice full of dislike. "I swear he lives to make our lives miserable. I try not to notice him, but he is really starting to bother me."

"Don't let him get to you Hermione. He doesn't know what he is talking about. He loves to make everyone around him feel bad. Don't even think about him." Harry said.

Ron had been looking at the crowd of people headed to the Great Hall, and his stomach rumbled furiously. "Hey, you guys, can we go get something to eat, considering its lunch and I am really, really hungry! Let's go down to the Great Hall and eat!"

With this, his face broke in a sheepish smile. Harry shook his head and he started walking down with Harry. "Aren't you coming Hermione?"

"Yeah." She gathered up her school bag and walked with down the hall, lost in thoughts of Draco Malfoy.

* * *

Draco went back to the Slytherin common room and up to the dormitories. He dropped down on his bed, sighing deeply as his head hit the pillow. He had just insulted Hermione Granger, a daily ritual in life, so why did he feel so bad?

"She's just a dumb Mudblood," he told himself aloud. Right? I have no reason to feel bad... She is nothing to me. Nothing.

Malfoy continued to convince himself this as he walked down to Care of Magical Creatures.

* * *

Harry, Ron and Hermione left lunch laughing and joking, all thoughts of Potions forgotten. They went up to their common room, grabbed their books, and ran down to Care of Magical Creatures. They arrived just as the bell rang. Hagrid stood before the class, beaming. Next to him, there was a covered cage that was rattling and shaking, causing the whole class to stare at him bewildered. Hermione, who hadn't given a single thought to Malfoy since lunch, noticed him standing with his fellow Slytherins. Malfoy's mouth, which was usually curved into a smirk, was now thin and straight and he looked slightly frightened. But he wasn't the only one. Everyone's eyes were glued to the crate, watching it's every movement.

"I 'ave a special treat for yeh today. Dumbledore let me show yeh all this here beast. Now, I don' wan' yeh ter be 'fraid." Hagrid said, his beetle-black eyes glinting happily in the sun. He took a step towards the crate and placed a massive finger on the bloody sheet that covered the cage. He yanked back the sheet, and everyone in the class gasped. Hermione took one look at it and knew what it was. The Harmertan prowled angrily in its cage, growling at the class every so often. Its face was similar to that of a wolf, but its eyes were red, and its teeth were long venomous. It lay down and began to eat a dead chicken in its pen. The Harmertan looked up with his red eye, his mouth dripping with blood, and almost dared anyone to approach it. Hermione stared first at the beast, and then at Hagrid.

"Hagrid, why did you bring the Ministry's most wanted breed to Hogwarts?" Hermione asked in almost a deathly whisper.

"This thing? Don' worry 'ermione... This thing wouldn' hurt a fly! Ok, maybe it would, but there is nothing dangerous 'bout this beast!" Hagrid said with a grin. Hermione smiled back, but when she turned her back, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Thankfully, the class did not have any handling with the Harmertan and spent the entire class taking notes on it.

Luckily, the rest of the day passed uneventfully and soon the classes were over. Hermione could say it was very rare when she had a day when she wanted to be done with classes, but today was one of those days. The second that she got back to the common room, she sat into one of the comfy armchairs by the fire. Harry and Ron followed the suit and noticed how tired Hermione was.

"Hermione is it just me or are you a little more tired than usual?" Harry asked his eyes full with concern.

"No, well, yes. Today really has not been an average day has it? I mean, first there was Potions, and then there was the Harmertan in Care of Magical Creatures. I have been quite a bit stressed out today. Actually, I think a nice warm bath would suit me well about now," Hermione said calmly.

"Yeah Hermione. Just try to relax a bit," Harry said. "We'll talk to you later."

With that, Harry and Ron immersed into a challenging game of wizard chess and Hermione slowly trudged up to the girls' bathroom. Along the way, Hermione heard Lavender and Parvati talking in worried whispers.

"The Harmertan escaped from its cage and it's loose in the Forbidden Forest! Any one who went into the Forbidden Forest now is off their cradle!" she heard Lavender say.

Hermione was worried but continued on her way up to the bathroom. Inside there was a long porcelain tub, with gold handles and delicate designs carved into it. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief and turned on the water. The water gushed out, spilling into the bathtub rapidly. Hermione noticed a small cabinet and walked over to it. She opened it up and found several different bath potions, creams, and soaps. She pulled out a red bottle entitled, "Bubble Potion" and grabbed another minty green bottle, a peppermint scented body wash. She walked over the tub and slowly emptied each bottle. Content with the features of her bath, Hermione slipped off her clothes and dipped into the bath tub, placing her wand on the counter next to her. She soaked in the warm water and took a deep breath. She closed her eyes, allowing them to rest after a long day. The only sounds that she could hear were the soft popping of the bubbles and the occasional splash of water.

* * *

Malfoy was sitting in the common room, relaxing, when a large owl he recognized as his own dropped a letter into his lap. He read it over slowly,

Draco,

I need to talk with you about where your priorities lie. Meet me in the usual place.

Father

Malfoy crumpled up the letter in anger, throwing it into the fire, cursing. He knew exactly what his father meant and he would do anything not to go. But he knew that if he refused his father, worse things would come the next time he saw him. He pulled on his robe and ran out the doors, headed straight for the Forbidden Forest, forgetting to bring his wand.

* * *

Hermione spent about half an hour in the tub before finally getting out. She wrapped herself in her warm towel and wrung her hair before tip-toeing back to her room. There she dressed in a simple pair of jeans and a sleeveless shirt. She went downstairs and found Harry and Ron still playing Wizard chess. Obviously she had missed dinner, and a plate of steaming food stood waiting for her on the table.

"Hello Hermione, did you have a nice bath?" Ron said, not even looking up from the game.

"Yes, it was quite lovely," Hermione responded, "and I found some bath potions that nice."

Hermione knew that neither boy really cared so she walked over to the window. She sat on the sill and looked out, sighing deeply at the tranquility that now rested over the school. The sky was painted pink and gold and the setting sun met the dark green over the trees sending an eerie glow over the grounds. But suddenly, Hermione saw a black-robed figure racing towards the woods. Hermione stared at it trying to figure out exactly who it was or where it was going. Hermione saw it stop and turn around at the edge of the forest, looking out, and Hermione saw a streak of platinum hair before it disappeared into the woods.

Hermione jumped up and raced up to her dormitory grabbing her wand and jacket and raced out the door, leaving Harry and Ron in complete confusion.

"She must be going to the library," Ron said matter-of-factly.

"And how would you know?" Harry asked.

"I am just guessing because that is what she always does when she races out without telling us," Ron said uncaringly.

"But why would she have her jacket with?" wondered Harry aloud.

"I don't know, mate. Check!" Ron said as he moved his queen two spaces forward. He might have been convinced that Hermione was at the library but Harry was not sure.