Potions Homework

Potions Homework

A/N: Maybe it's not obvious, but there is someone behind all these incidents. Hermione didn't shout "Hugz-o-palooza" of her own accord in chapter two and someone did put a strand of hair in her Polyjuice Potion. All guesses welcome! I'll give more hints in this chapter...^_^

--

5. Hide and Seek

"Are you angry with me?"

"Should I be angry with you?"

"I don't know. Should you?"

"Probably."

...

"Look, despite what you might think, I didn't put my hair or anything in the Polyjuice Potion. Did you really think I would want a carbon copy of myself--perfect as is--wandering around? There's only one of me and that's more than enough for this world."

"That's an understatement."

"Look, Granger, I didn't do it! I didn't even make you drink the stupid potion. It was that Weasley girl."

...

"Stop looking at me like that."

"I'm sorry. Would you prefer the lovesick, adoring gaze you see each time you look in the mirror? Or is the malicious smirk you grace us with so often your favorite expression? This good enough for you?"

"God, stop it. That's horrible."

"It's your face."

"With you in it. That's just not right."

"You're telling me."

...

"Think they're gone yet?"

"Doubt it."

"I can't believe I'm stuck hiding in this broom closet with you."

"It's not exactly my dream come true, either, Malfoy."

"You'd think Snape would be more understanding."

"Yeah, since he obviously favors the Slytherins."

"Says the girl who's McGonagall's pet and best friends with Dumbledore's beloved Potter. Don't talk to me about favoritism."

"Shut up, Malfoy. We're not favored."

"Bull."

...

"Glaring at me isn't going to make it less true."

...

"Oh for Merlin's sake, Granger. Give it a rest. We've been stuck in this closet for the past half an hour, hiding from a rampaging Pansy whose dreams have all come true. If she can't have me...she'll settle for a look-a-like..."

"Excuse me? What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Did you say something about Pansy Parkinson going after me?!"

"You know, my voice really isn't suited to shrieking... It doesn't exactly help conceal us either..."

"That's disgusting!"

"Yeah, well, you don't have to share a common room with her. Consider yourself lucky."

...

"You know, it's your fault we're hiding."

"What? How is it my fault? I didn't turn you into me!"

"If you weren't such a git, Harry and Ron wouldn't want to kill you. And I wouldn't have to be hiding from them because they might accidentally hex me instead since they can't tell the difference between us anymore!"

"I repeat, Granger, it was that Weasley girl who made you drink the potion. Why aren't you mad at her?"

"Who said I'm not? But her intentions were pure, at least. She was trying to save me from you, Malfoy. She didn't want to see me helplessly in love with you after you forced me to drink the Amoura Potion."

"Whereas she probably found it hilarious when you had me dangling on a string from your finger."

"I didn't even tell her about us!"

"There is no us."

"I never made you drink the Amoura Potion. I didn't even know you were acting under the potion... I thought you were... I would never stoop to such conniving tactics. Do you think I'm so desperate for love I would force someone to love me? What kind of love what that be?"

...

"You know what, Malfoy? You're just petty. Petty and malicious. The only reason you wanted me to be in love with you was so you could play with me!"

"That could be interpreted in so many different ways..."

"You pervert!"

"I'm a sixteen-year-old guy. What did you expect?"

"Ooh, you're just as frustrating as Ron!"

"Don't compare me to Weasley."

"Why not? He's no worse than you. You're both perverted sixteen-year-old guys who have no consideration for girls. No, Ron's better than you--at least he doesn't do it on purpose! And you can't compare bloodlines--his is just as, if not more, pure than yours, Malfoy. Why do you have your nose stuck in the air like that? Just because you have more money doesn't mean you're better!"

"Doesn't it? Tell me, can Weasley afford a Firebolt?"

"No. But you don't have one either, do you? Care to share why that is?"

"Father won't buy me one until I beat Potter in Quidditch match..."

"So you aren't any better. You can afford better things, true, but what's the use of any of those things if your personality is so horrible you have to buy your friends?"

...

"I..."

"That was uncalled for, Granger."

"I'm sor... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to--"

"I rather think you did."

...

"You're right. I did. But I'm sorry."

...

"I'm stunned, Granger. You actually apologized for something you did..."

"I'm not quite as high in the instep as you."

...

"You really didn't know I was under the Amoura Potion?"

"I knew you were inflicted with the potion. When Ron, Harry, and I stopped at the hospital wing yesterday to apologize, we saw Madam Pomfrey's note. But since no one said the activation word, I thought the effects were still dormant."

"You were there to apologize? For what?"

"Ron was going to apologize for knocking you onto the ground in Potions."

"Seriously?"

"Yes."

"Wow."

...

"Wait. What do you mean no one said the activation word? I distinctly recall hearing someone say it... You, in fact."

"What?"

"You said 'hugz-o-palooza.' When you guys were in the hospital wing, I heard you say it. Several times."

"...I thought you were unconscious! I never would've said anything if I thought you could hear me! ...I don't even know what compelled me to shout it so much. I was just explaining to Ginny what had happened to you when I had a sudden compulsion... It's weird."

...

"Do you know how highly disturbing it is having this conversation with someone who looks exactly like myself?"

"No and I don't particularly care to."

...

"Malfoy...I have a question."

"What?"

"Last night...all those things you said... Were they true?"

...

"Malfoy?"

"I was in love, Granger. Why would I have lied to someone I was head over heels for?"

"So they were true."

...

"And the things you said to me?"

"I don't lie, Malfoy."

"Except to save Potter and Weasley's arses."

"I'll do anything for my friends. Even if it's something they don't agree with."

"That's some loyalty."

"That's friendship."

...

"Is it worth it?"

"What was that?"

"I said, is it worth it?"

...

"Definitely."

...

"You surprise me sometimes, Granger."

"Likewise."

...

"Hey, Granger? I was wonder--"

"Shh!"

...

"Hermione? Are you in there?"

"Oh my God, it's Harry! How did he--oh Merlin, his map!"

"What map?"

"Shh."

"Hermione. I know you're in there. And Malfoy, too."

"Malfoy, don't open the--!"

...

"Hi."

"Hello, Harry."

"Potter."

"Malfoy."

"My hair!"

...

"Look! My hair is changing back! The hour's almost up. Malfoy, I don't have to look like you anymore!"

"Oof."

"Hermione! Get off him."

"It's just a hug, Potter. Sod off."

"Hermione! What about Ron?"

"What about him? He likes Parvati anyway."

...

"He does?"

"Honestly! Considering the amount of time you spend with him, you'd think you'd notice something, Harry. Boys are so unobservant."

"But he--Hermione!"

"Grang--? Mmkmphf."

...

"Holy--"

"Did Harry leave?"

"Who gives a flying Galleon about Potter? Where did you learn that, Granger?"

"You."

"...What?"

"You taught me a lot of things last night, Malfoy, love potion or not. And I'm a fast learner."

...

"I cannot believe you just kissed me like that."

...

"You're not under the Amoura Potion, are you?"

"No, Malfoy, I'm not."

...

"You know this will never work between us, right?"

"I know. You're an arrogant ass and I'm a Muggle-born. Your father is a Death-Eater and my best friend is the Boy Who Lived. I don't believe in stereotypes but I'm hardly stupid, either."

...

"You're so pretty... When did you get so pretty, Granger?"

"The moment after you went blind, apparently." *

...

"Hermione..."

"DRACO!!"

"Pansy!"

"Bye, Malfoy."

...

"And she leaves...just like that. Figures. Argh, Pansy! Get off!"