Polyjuice
“In light of recent events, Dumbledore has asked that we teach you all to defend yourself. Everybody knows my assistant, Professor Snape.” Hermione giggled, and Snape threw her an annoyed eye roll and she tried not to laugh harder. Harry and Ron were across the way, and she had somehow managed to squeeze in next to Daphne and Pansy.
“He’s an idiot if he thinks that Snape isn’t going to knock him on his ass.” Pansy was giggling, a sound that she didn’t expect to hear from her. She was usually so serious. Hermione felt somebody tug on her curls and she turned her head to find Draco smirking at her. She rolled her eyes, turning back to the long platform that was stationed in the middle of the room.
“Don’t you worry, I assure you that you will still have your Potions Master when I’m through with him.” Hermione gagged when he threw the girls a wink and Pansy snorted next to her. Daphne, sighed much to Hermione’s dismay.
Raising their wands, they bowed and walked three paces back. Hermione grabbed Pansy’s hand waiting anxiously. Snape blasted Lockhart back with a perfect Expelliarmus. Hermione stared open-mouthed at Lockhart who was now struggling to get up. He finally managed to stand, dusting himself off but Hermione noticed a faint limp as he stalked towards them.
“Although it was pretty obvious what you were going to do, I thought that they should have a proper demonstration. It would’ve been far too easy to block you.”
Hermione snorted and she felt another tug on one of her curls.
“Perhaps we should teach the students simple blocking spells. Professor.” A smirk tilted the corner of his mouth and Hermione smiled.
“What a wonderful suggestion.” His eyes scanned the crowd, landing on Harry and Ron. “Potter? Weasley? Care for a demonstration.”
“Potter would be headed to the Hospital Wing in a matchbox if you allow Mr. Weasley onto the stand.” He raised an eyebrow at Ron who was now scowling. “Draco?”
Hermione felt another tug on her curls, and the faint feel of a hand brushing across her back as he slipped past her. Climbing onto the stage the same time as Harry, he was adorning a smug grin. Hermione rolled her eyes. Of course, the two people who hate each other the most just so happen to be the ones that Snape pairs together.
Both boys do their respected bows and raise their wands. Simultaneously they are knocked backwards, spells flying from their wands. Draco scrambles to his feet and Hermione watches in surprise as a snake lands on the stage between them. Further horror ensues when she witnesses Harry speaking to the snake. Draco’s eyes were wide, staring at the serpent as it slithered towards Justin Finch-Fletchney.
Snape made the snake disappear and Hermione stared at Ron from across the platform.
Later as they’re walking down the hallway, Hermione glanced over her shoulder at Draco who was glaring at Harry’s back. “I didn’t know that you were a Parselmouth.”
“What the hell is that?”
“You can speak to snakes.”
“I didn’t know that I could! Or, well. I didn’t realize that was what I was doing. I thought that every wizard could. There was this one time at the zoo that I let a snake go and replaced Dudley in the enclosure. I didn’t know that it wasn’t a common thing.”
Hermione shook her head. “It’s definitely not common. The symbol for Slytherin is a snake, Harry. People are probably going to assume that you’re related to Salazar or something, he was a Parselmouth too. Top that off with what happened tonight with Justin–”
“I told the snake not to attack him!”
“That’s not what it looked like. Or sounded like, mate.” Ron was wide-eyed.
“I told the snake NOT to attack him!”
“Well, that’s not what it looked like and I’m almost certain that he thought the same thing. Merlin, it's going to be hell tomorrow.”
Hermione said goodnight to the boys, walking away from the portrait when she found herself being summoned to Snape’s office. He was staring at her, perched on the opposite side of his desk with his hands clasped in front of him.
“Ms. Granger.” Hermione raised an eyebrow. Ever the pleasantries when they were on school grounds. She had found herself getting rather comfortable around Snape, he was the closest thing to family that she had and she was growing rather fond of him. “I wanted to talk to you about tonight.”
“Alright.”
“Did you know that Potter could speak to snakes?”
“Not until tonight. I knew just as much as you did.” Snape nodded, opening his mouth as if he were to speak before closing it again.
“Hermione, I have been meaning to ask. What was it that Draco said to you the other day? When you were upset.”
Hermione pursed her lips, wondering if she actually wanted to answer the question. “Why is that relevant to Harry being a Parselmouth?”
“It’s not.”
“Clearly.”
“Granger.” Snape sat on the edge of his desk, raising an eyebrow at her. Hermione sighed, rolling her eyes in defeat.
“He called me a mudblood. Which, by the way I don’t really know the bounds of that came from. Who knows if my parents were Muggle born. Who knows if they had magic, it honestly seems a bit presumptuous if you ask me. Either way, he made an attempt at an apology which I have to take into consideration because well, it’s Malfoy. The only thing that I know is that I was at a Muggle Orphanage, and even though I have a picture of my mother I know nothing about her–”
“You have a photograph?”
Out of the entire ramble that was what he clung onto. “Yes.”
“May I see it?”
“Why?” Snape raised a brow at her and she huffed. “It’s not something that I just carry around in my robes, Professor. It’s in my dorm.”
“Very well. Another time. Off to bed.” She nodded, standing and heading towards the door. She realized that he was following behind her.
“I believe that I can find my way perfectly fine.”
“I don’t doubt that you can. However, given the circumstances it might be safer if I walk you to your dorm. Now, after you.” She huffed, and he walked beside her as they strolled to her dorm in silence.
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Hermione had just given Harry and Ron the cakes filled with Sleeping Draught and was waiting for them in the bathroom. She had already taken her Potion–a strange sludge and amber color–and was feeling nauseous. She scrambled to the bathroom, throwing up just as a tingling feeling went along her face. She reached her hands up, a scream dying on her lips as she realized that they were covered in fur.
Fur.
She scrambled from the toilet, staring into the mirror in shock. She had sprouted whiskers, a tail, and ears. Along with her face erupting in fur. Horrified, she stood frozen and staring at her reflection until she heard the door open, and she slammed the stall door, locking herself in.
Ron and Harry’s voice filled the room and she told them the instructions. Moments later, they were knocking on the door, coaxing her to open it.
“I-erm. Well. It seems that I grabbed the wrong hair.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Hermione, just open the door.” She shook her head, realizing that they couldn't see her, and sat onto the closed toilet.
“No. I-I grabbed one of Millicent’s hairs, or I thought and I think it was one of her cats. You’re wasting time! Go! I’m going to go to the Hospital Wing. Leave me the cloak.”
“Hermione just come out–”
“I will hex both of you if you open this door.”
After some hesitation, they left the bathroom finally. She peeked her head out, slipping the cloak over her head. Carefully, she made her way to the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey gave her one wide-eyed look and scurried her over to a secluded cot in the wing. Hermione was humiliated, making sure that the curtains were drawn around her at all times. After a while, and some disgusting Potions later, she was almost asleep.
A soft call of her name had her sitting up and looking around, terror settling in her stomach. Nobody could see her like this. She would simply die of mortification. After a moment, Pansy’s face appeared from behind the curtain. “Granger!” Her eyes were wide and Hermione could see that she was trying very hard not to laugh.
“Pansy! What are you doing here?”
Pansy shuffled into the room, perching herself on the edge of the bed. “Well. I had to see if it was true.”
“If what was true!”
“Granger. I was attempting to sneak a kiss in the broom cupboard only to find Vince and Greg passed out inside. You see, I’ve known them my entire life and Vincent only snores like that when he’s dead asleep. Imagine my surprise when I slipped into the Common Room and found them sitting there talking to Draco.” Hermione’s eyes widened. “You see, this entire thing had you written all over it. I followed Ron and Harry back to the bathroom and waited just outside., They talk very loudly for people who are supposed to be on a secret mission. By the way, they’ll be coming to see you in the morning.”
Hermione gulped. “They were convinced that Draco was the one who opened the Chamber of Secrets. I told them that it was impossible, and they didn’t believe me. I figured that Draco would either prove his innocence whenever they went into the Common Room.”
“And you wanted an opportunity to prove that you could brew a very strong and complicated Potion?”
If Hermione could have blushed, she would’ve. “Well, there was that. Yes. Also…I wanted to hear what he had to say. I defend him so much but he’s been so hot and cold with me. Horrid on occasions and I’m not sure what to believe.”
“Do you want me to tell you what they talked about?”
Hermione perked up, fluffing the pillow behind her as she adjusted the tail (horrid) and got comfortable. Pansy was biting her lip stifling a giggle. “Well. They were very obviously trying to get information out of him. They dove right in on the opening whenever Draco was on his usual tirade about Harry. Anyways, they were asking him all sorts of questions and Draco was answering the only way that he knew how. How his father showed him. I’m only telling you this because I want you to know that whatever you hear, it’s not what Draco actually thinks about you. Trust me when I say that, Merlin. I’m his best friend and you’re all he talks about. Hermione this, Hermione that. It’s not as black and white as it seems, Hermione. There are certain…expectations that we are required to believe in because that’s what we’ve been taught our entire lives. All that I’m saying is..” She huffed, staring up at the ceiling. “Give Draco a chance to have something else to believe in and he might surprise you.”
Hermione didn’t say anything, instead, she stared at her furry fingers. “I grabbed a hair off of Millicent’s cloak. I think it was her cats.”
Pansy clamped a hand over her mouth, stifling a laugh. “I’m sorry, Granger, but you look absolutely ridiculous.”
Hermione wrinkled her nose, a laugh bubbling from her lips. “I do, don’t I?”
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The next morning was spent attempting to keep people out from visiting her. Madam Pomfrey had resigned to casting a sticking charm on her curtains so that people wouldn't come and open it by accident. Ron and Harry had made their way down first thing, telling her about Darco’s horrid comments. He had said that he hoped that the Chambers did what they were intended to do; rid the school of filth. Although, she did note that when they had asked him if he wanted Hermione dead, Draco simply narrowed his eyes at them and commented about Vincent not usually wearing glasses.
Snape had made an appearance much to her embarrassment. Madam Pomfrey had informed her that all Guardians were to be informed when their children were in the hospital. Snape looked like he had been hexed and Hermione’s eyebrows would’ve been in her hairline if her face wasn’t already covered in hair. Madam Pomfrey had disappeared just from the look on Snape’s face.
They both had stared at the spot that she had vacated for a moment.
“Do you have something that you want to tell me?”
“No.” His eyes scanned her face, one eyebrow raised.
“You made an exceedingly complicated Potion, and although there were…complications..I’m guessing that it was successful?”
“Yes.”
Snape nodded. “Good, at least that made stealing from my personal reserves worth it.” Hermione’s eyes widened. “Yes. I thought about giving you detention but I believe that you are being punished enough as it is.”
To her surprise, Blaise and Theo had snuck down to see her, admitting that Pansy had told them that she was there. They didn’t laugh, instead offered to grab her homework and bring it by. Well, Blaise did, Theo was quiet as usual. For a moment Hermione wondered why Draco had even thought that they were together in the first place. The next few weeks were quiet and she found that she rather enjoyed the solitude that the Hospital Wing gave her to work on her schoolwork. It was quiet, without any distractions and she found herself growing fond of the ability to get ahead of her classes again. She had been distracted with the Potion. The hair on her face had mostly disappeared, it was just the tail and ears that were taking longer to get rid of.
After three weeks, she was permitted to spend the next week healing in her room. Somehow Theo and Blaise had managed to persuade Snape to allow them entry and they were sprawled out (well, Blaise was sprawled out) across her room. Her tail had disappeared completely, it was only the ears that needed to disappear now and they were almost gone. Blaise was staring at her head.
“Granger.”
“Yes?”
“Could you hear out of those things?”
Hermione rolled her eyes, and snorted. Theo was perched on her stuffed chair next to the bookcase and munching on a bag of chips. She peered at him, and he reached the bag towards her, carefully she took a chip and munched on it. They did this back and forth while they talked until the bag was empty. When they went to leave, Blaise paused at the door, staring at Theo’s back as he made his way down the hallway.
“Granger?”
“Yes, Zabini?”
“Nevermind.” She watched them walk down the hallway more surprised than when they appeared in the Hospital Wing.
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“That doesn’t make any sense. Why would Hagrid be the one that opened the Chamber of Secrets?”
“I don't know. The Diary showed me.” Hermione, had been baffled when Harry had finally coughed up the fact that he had somehow managed to obtain a diary that belonged to somebody named Tom Riddle. He stated that it gave him a memory of the night that the Chamber was opened years ago. Hermione didn’t believe that Hagrid had opened the Chamber, it didn’t make any sense.
He was one of the easiest people to pin it on, yes. The rumors of some sort of beast being housed in there would make sense for Hagrid being the one to open it, who better to pin it on than him? Hagrid did have an affinity for beasts of any kind, but that was because of his heart and she knew deep down that exact reason was the one that he couldn’t have been the one to open it in the first place.
He couldn’t have been able to live with the guilt of killing somebody.
Hermione realized that she had blocked out much of the conversation and shook her head. “I have to go, I’m going to go to the library.” Hermione hurried through the castle, moving quickly through the stacks until she found the book that she had been looking for. Snape had the same one at his house and she had read it the first day that she stayed there. There was a passage that seemed to be eluding her and for some reason she felt like it was on the tip of her tongue.
Flipping quickly through the pages, she found the spot she was looking for when suddenly there was an arm around her waist, and she was spinning to face a hard chest. She stumbled after the legs as they carried her towards the wall, and she tilted her head up to find Theo pinching his eyes closed. “Hermione, close your eyes.”
Her fingers were still clinging to the page in her hand, as the book dangled from her fingertips and a shiver went down her spine as the creeping sensation that something was behind her set in. Lifting her eyes, she saw herself in the reflection behind Theo’s shoulder, and the eyes of a large snake as the book tumbled to the floor.