Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger declared an uneasy truce when they discovered they were to be Head Boy and Head Girl for their 7th (or 8th, depending on how you looked at it) year at Hogwarts.
Professor McGonagall decided to give Draco that position because of his heroic actions and the small sacrifices that he made under the Carrows’ rule during his true 7th year. It was a surprise to all, especially given that Draco was on probation.
Draco had been in an advantageous position that year because of his Death Eater status. The Carrows thought they could take him under their wing, much like his Aunt Bellatrix, and fashion him into a true Death Eater.
But Draco was nothing if not clever. He gathered the first and second year Slytherins together one night and showed them how to fake the effects of the Cruciatus so that the older students didn’t have to use such strong unforgivables on them. Then he told them to tell the other houses, which they did. It was the first interhouse collaboration since the Goblin Wars.
He also took others’ punishments for them, having been trained to withstand the crucio — as well as several different hexes and jinxes — from Aunty Bella. Minerva discovered this was happening from her Gryffindor charges, and it forced her to reassess her attitude towards Malfoy.
Finally back after a year spent hunting horcruxes, Hermione wanted to just have a peaceful year at Hogwarts for once. Neither Harry nor Ron were coming back, and if anyone asked her, she would probably say she missed them, but not having her life put in danger every year from the beginning was something she was looking forward to.
She was going to take as many NEWTs as possible and become a healer. There were many times, both when she and the boys were on the run and again during the Battle, that she wished she had studied more healing spells. She decided she would give herself the opportunity during her last year at Hogwarts.
Draco apologised to Hermione and asked for them to start over as if they’d never met each other. That didn’t work too well, but it did finally break the ice and allow them to notice each other’s work habits and confirm that they really were the top two students at Hogwarts.
Their Transfiguration class was a problem, though. They were the only two students in the class, but it wouldn’t have mattered if there was only one student. Many books had been destroyed when the library took a direct hit from a giant; the textbook for that class had been shredded. Flourish and Blotts had not opened back up in time for the year to start, so no one could actually buy any schoolbooks.
Hermione was fairly proficient in Transubstantial Transfiguration and Switching, but wanted to work on Untransfiguration and Vanishment. One day, Hermione was sorting through the piles of books stacked up along the walls of the library and discovered a dilapidated copy of Intermediate Transfiguration tucked away in a corner. Carefully, she separated it from the stack, opened it, and found the chapter she needed.
“What do you mean there are no books on Transfiguration?” Draco demanded, running his hand through his hair in dismay.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Malfoy, but if you would like to sort through all the piles of unshelved books to see if you can find one, you are more than welcome to. And keep your voice down!” the librarian hissed.
Excited that she’d found it, Hermione was walking to the very back of the Restricted Section to study it, when she heard the ruckus being raised at Madam Pince’s desk by Draco.
All of Hermione’s books were left in her beaded bag in a forest somewhere, abandoned when the trio were captured by Death Eaters and brought to Malfoy Manor. Draco had come to Hogwarts straight from holding at the Ministry, so he had no books or supplies. He said he could find a copy in France, but Hermione wasn’t that fluent and Minerva wouldn’t let him order it anyway.
“How am I supposed to study for my Transfiguration NEWT if I don’t have a bloody book?”
“Can’t you ask someone in the class to borrow theirs?”
“Well, there’s only one other person actually in the class and I know she doesn’t have one, because I asked her,” Draco shot back.
When Hermione heard him refer to her, she quickly moved her things from the back table to a private study room and shut the door. She knew Draco was going to need the book as well, but she was determined to get her work done first. And she knew he didn’t like to share.
“You’ll just have to talk with Professor McGonagall.” With that final word, Madam Pince turned her back on Draco and shuffled through some papers on the counter behind her.
“Ughhh!” To say Draco was frustrated was an understatement. He stomped through the library and checked all the books Madam Pince had suggested he look through.
Thirty minutes later, he was no closer to finding a book, but he was further towards the back of the library, almost in the Restricted Section. His eye caught a streak of blue light between the shelves and, intrigued, he walked towards it. It was coming from one of the enclosed study rooms. He pulled open the door, startling Hermione out of her studying.
“Fancy finding you back here, Granger,” he drawled. “Hiding from all of your fans?”
(Just because they were cordial didn’t mean they didn’t still rile each other up).
“Malfoy, you scared me half to death!” Hermione rolled her eyes. “If you must know, I’m trying to study. Merlin, the front of the library is so loud.”
“Maybe you just want to hide out here so you can practise…” Draco broke off when he noticed the book she was studying, “...where did you find that book?”
“This? It was in one of the stacks along the wall,” Hermione said nonchalantly, as if it wasn’t one of the texts he needed as well.
“Intermediate Transfiguration! I’ve been trying to find a transfiguration book for the last week or two. Let me see it.” Draco reached for the book and Hermione slapped his hand away.
“Absolutely not! I’m trying to work out some theories regarding vanishment and human transfiguration for the assignment we have. I figured you would have all the information you need given that you became a ferret a few years ago.” Hermione couldn’t hold back a teasing smile.
Draco’s eyes darkened with anger. “Shut it, Granger, that was not a fun time. I ended up in the Hospital Wing for three days because of that lunatic, Moody, er, I guess it’s really Crouch.”
“Oh, just like the hippogriff accident?” Hermione just couldn’t help herself.
Now Draco was seething. Why must she recall every incident that involved him getting hurt?
“What about the time you turned yourself into a cat? Hmmm? What idiot tries to brew polyjuice potion in their second year?”
Hermione blushed seven shades of red. “I’ll have you know, Ron and Harry’s disguises went perfectly well. You didn’t even notice that Crabbe and Goyle were a little strange when they asked you about the Heir of Slytherin, did you?”
Draco started to reply, but stopped himself. Realisation dawned. “You mean that was the Wonder Twins? I wondered why Goyle had glasses.” He was lost in thought for a moment, then shook himself back to the present. “Come on, Granger, I need that book.”
Hermione sighed. “All right, let’s set up a schedule for when each of us can have it. It’s too bad we can’t take it out of the library, it would be so much easier if it was just back in the suite.” She quickly conjured a piece of parchment and began writing down a schedule. When she finished, she handed it to Draco.
Draco looked at it and scoffed. “You’ve left me with the shit times, Granger. That’s not going to work.”
“Well, better make the most of them, then,” Hermione said haughtily.
She never saw the hex coming until she realised she was stuck to the chair. Before she could react, Draco grabbed the book out from under her nose.
“Hey! You can have it when I’m done, Malfoy!”
“Yeah, five minutes before the library closes? I don’t think so.” He yanked the book away from her and sat at the other end of the table and began to flip through it.
Hermione huffed, but pulled out more homework, warning Draco that she still needed it.
After she finished her Ancient Runes paper, she whispered “AccioIntermediate Transfiguration!” when Draco was looking at his paper and not the book.
The tome gracefully moved to place itself in Hermione’s outstretched hand. She set it down and opened it to the page she’d been on before Draco interrupted her.
“Hey!” Hermione looked up to see Draco with a look of dismay, quickly turning to frustration, on his face.
“Hey yourself, Malfoy,” Hermione sneered. “I need that book to finish the paper.”
“If you don’t give it back to me, I’ll practise transfiguration on you!” Draco threatened.
“You wouldn’t dare,” Hermione snarled.
“Try me,” Draco said. “When you least expect it…”
“Hummph.” Hermione didn’t really believe he’d do it, so she looked back down at the book. Before she knew it, he waved his wand and changed her tie to green. He gave away his secret by smirking behind his hand.
“What…” Hermione looked down the front of her and flashed an irate look at him. Wordlessly, she changed it back. No sooner had she gone back to the book, her quill became a piece of straw.
“Malfoy! Stop it!” she cried, then changed the straw back to her quill. “You messed up the tip and now I have to sharpen it all over again.” Sighing, she shoved the book back to Draco. “Well, you can have it now, by the time I get this quill sharpened, the library will be closing.” With a huff, she packed up her things.
“Gee, thanks Granger,” Draco groused, “be careful when you get back to the suite, you never know what might be waiting for you.” Nothing would be there, but it didn’t mean Draco couldn’t plan for the future.
Hermione turned, gave him a dirty look, and left.
**
The next night was much the same, only this time Hermione turned Draco’s bag into a toy car, his hair red, (“I can’t believe you did that, Granger!”), and made all of his parchment origami cranes. Draco in turn switched the cranes for her parchments, and turned the car back into his school bag, successfully untransfiguring something for the first time. The look of surprise on his face made Hermione laugh and she shook her head, muttering, “Lucky prat.”
“What? I’ve been practising, ok?” Draco tried to look earnest, but instead heard her whisper, “Evanesco,” and his shirtsleeves disappeared. Hermione saw the faded Dark Mark and gave Draco a distressed look.
“Draco, I’m so sorry,” she began. He looked at her with an accusing expression and she thought he was going to hex her into oblivion. She closed her eyes and prepared for it.
Nothing happened. Instead she felt her book bag levitate and when she opened her eyes and looked up, it was hanging upside down, over her head, the contents having been turned into all manner of flotsam and jetsam and floating down around her. She turned to look at Draco and watched him saunter over to her and sit down in the chair next to her.
“Are you—?”
“Granger, it’s fine. I’m fine. No harm, no foul,” Draco said. “Actually, one of the reasons I’m even taking this stupid class is to figure out how to vanish this thing. I don’t think I’ll be able to move on if I have to keep looking at it everyday.”
Hermione’s face melted at his confession. Then she thought of something, and her eyes lit up.
Draco eyed her suspiciously. “Granger… what is that big brain thinking about?”
“You could get a muggle tattoo!”
“A muggle tat- what?” His expression was so confused, Hermione burst out laughing.
“It’s a kind of art that is permanently inscribed on the skin. People have them on their bodies everywhere. Some are just quotes, or dates that are significant. Others cover the whole arm or leg and even the chest sometimes and they are like works of art. You could have one laid over top of your mark and you’d never have to see it again.”
Draco sat back, thinking. “Can you show me pictures?”
“I’ll have to see if Padma has a magazine. She and Lavender were always poring over them for beauty and fashion tips…” Hermione’s voice drifted off. remembering Lavender. Then she cleared her throat. “Anyway, I’ll see if I can get some.” She started to put things back in her bag but looked around at the detritus of the contents and turned back to give Draco a scathing glare.
***
Two days later, Minerva McGonagall walked into the library with two parcels under her arms.
“Irma, Flourish and Blotts finally reopened!” she whispered loudly. Even Minerva kept her voice down in the Madam’s domain.
Madam Pince turned away from the books she was checking back in and looked at Minerva with excitement.
“Really! I’ll be able to submit my order for replacement books!” she replied enthusiastically.
“Oh, please do! Now, I have books for two of my transfiguration students and I’m pretty sure they’re in here. Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy. Have you seen them?”
“Oh, Merlin yes, they argue so much and so loudly, I had to move them into a private study room.” Irma just shook her head. “Quite honestly, I wish they’d just kiss each other and get out of here.” She winked at her old friend who, in turn, tried to look stern.
“Well! I’m going to have to give them detentions for disturbing the students. Where are they?”
“All the way back, almost to the Restricted Section,” Irma directed her, “but you probably shouldn’t put them in detention together. Sparks could fly. Glass could break. The sound barrier might be breached.” She laughed at McGonagall’s look of horror.
Minerva just shook her head and made her way in the direction Irma had sent her. She didn’t have too far to walk before she could see flashes of light in the distance.
Oh dear, one of them is going to end up in the Hospital Wing. Again. She bustled on, but when she came up to the glass separating the room from the library itself, she stopped short.
All she could see was what looked like white fluff floating around Hermione. She smiled. My plan has been a success! But when she looked over towards Draco, she gasped. He was without sleeves and pointing to his Dark Mark.
That boy! What in Circe’s name is he doing?!
She barrelled into the room and caused both students to nearly jump out of their skin.
“Draco Malfoy, whatever you’re about to do, think long and hard where you want to sleep tonight,” she warned.
“Headmistress, it’s not what you think,” Hermione began, putting her arm in front of Draco, as if to shield him from whatever hex her mentor was going to throw.
“No, no, I wasn’t doing anything,” Draco said, terrified. “We were just talking about the Mark.”
“And why pray tell, have you no shirtsleeves? Hmm?” Minerva wasn’t giving in this easily.
“Well, um…”
“I evanesco’d them, Headmistress,” Hermione said, suddenly looking very contrite.
“And all of this chaos floating in the air?”
“I transfigured the inside of her bag and levitated it over her head,” Draco said, suddenly embarrassed. “It was in retaliation for the shirtsleeves, though.”
She looked at them sternly. Then, slowly, she smiled. “Well, I can see my plan has worked.”
“Plan, ma’am?” Hermione sounded puzzled.
“What plan?” Draco was immediately suspicious.
“Since I didn’t think you had a textbook, I left one copy here in the library. And then I just sat back and waited for your new copies to come in.” She produced the two packages she’d been holding and set them on the table, sliding one to each of her students.
Hermione and Draco looked at each other, then the books, and finally at their certifiably barmy professor.
“I mean, what better way to learn transfiguration than by practising it?” Minerva looked at both of them and then made her way to the door. “Now where is the book you’ve been using? It needs to go back to Madam Pince.”
The two students looked at each other and around and under the table. Then sheepishly, they turned to their professor. Hermione elbowed Draco.
“What?! Oh, um, I think,” Draco stammered, “I think we vanished it.” He hung his head and Hermione looked mortified.
“Hmmm. I see. I suppose some little First Year is going to find it stowed away in their bookbag tomorrow.” She shrugged her shoulders, acting as if it happened all the time. “Now, vanish this mess, get yourself back to rights, and then see me tomorrow evening for detention. Both of you.”
Outside, she smiled to herself and almost did a little jig. One way or another, her two most promising students, the two with so much baggage and trauma, yet full of so much talent and intelligence, were going to come out of this final year with all the support they could give each other.
And maybe something more, she thought to herself.
In the room, Hermione and Draco were still stunned at their professor’s reaction.
Unsure how to proceed, they both sighed and slid off their chairs to check one more time for the textbook. They went in opposite directions, but when they couldn’t find anything but a stray feather from a quill, they turned back to the centre, forgetting how close they were. Heads collided and groans simultaneously burst out of both of them.
“Granger, what the ever-loving hell?” Draco rubbed his forehead, checking for a bump. “I think I have a concussion,” he pretended to whine.
“Me? You ran into me, you clumsy, uncoordinated, legs and arms for days, oaf!” Hermione was feeling her forehead and looking at her hand, as if she expected to see blood. “You’re going to be the death of—”
Before she could finish, Draco kissed her. Took her head in his hands, and kissed her. She ran his hands through his hair and kissed him back.
As they took a breath, Hermione looked at Draco, and at his forehead. “I think you’ll live.”
“Are you sure? Because I’m positive I feel a little light—””
“Shut up, and kiss me again, you big oaf,” she demanded, and lips crashed together again, all bumps, concussions, and certainly Intermediate Transfiguration completely forgotten.
Or, vanished.