Detention
The next day at breakfast when all of the owls were flying into the hall, Hermione watched as one of the page school owls came and landed on the table in front of her dropping a red letter.
She knew what one of the detention envelopes looked like but having one sent to herself sent a bit of a thrill through her blood. As the owl flew off, she picked up the small read letter and recognised Professor McGonagall's elegant handwriting addressing her. Opening the envelope she was slightly shocked to see that she would be spending her detention helping Professor Slughorn make potions for the hospital wing.
"Merlins beard, Hermione, I never thought I would see the day that you got detention." Ginny said a little too loudly, drawing all her friends attention to her.
"How on earth did you get detention." Harry joined in.
"I... I thought I left one of my school books in one of my classes so I went to have a look but McGonagall caught me."
"Wow, I didn't think you were that reckless Hermione." Ron butted in. They hadn't really spoken since the argument but he seemed to be trying to patch things up between them, like giving her reassuring glances if Lavender decided to sit with them that day. As much as she did want things to go back to normal she knew that they wouldn't because at the end of the day he picked Lavender over her and she still had to complete her plan.
The day seemed to go incredibly slowly, every minute seeming to drag on into hours. It was three o'clock when she knocked on Slughorn's door. She didn't realise she was holding her breath until the door opened and she was met with the grinning face of Draco Malfoy.
"Well well well, this is a surprise Granger. I didn't think you would be this reckless."
"So people keep telling me." She scoffed as she pushed past him into the room. The room was mostly empty apart from Slughorn and a rather sickly looking Ravenclaw boy sat in the corner.
"Ah Miss Granger, I must say, I was surprised to see your name on the detention list." Professor Slughorn turned around from the chalk board.
"I'm sorry Professor."
"No don't apologise, it's good for kids your age to rebel a bit." He smiled. "I have a few errands to run and I'll be back in half an hour. Would you three please get the ingredients ready for the potions on the board."
With that he left the room rather cheerfully leaving her, Malfoy and the Ravenclaw boy alone.
"Let me guess Granger, you were caught out of bed." He raised his eyebrow as he leaned against the wall.
"What's it to you?"
"You see I'm suddenly very curious about what goes on in that mind of yours."
She scoffed. "I don't know about you but I'm getting these potions done and then I'm going to have a long night of homework to look forward to so if you'd ex..."
He cut her off. "Not quite Granger." He pulled up his sleeve to reveal the small silver tattoo showing the password. It hit her then that they had to meet up again tonight. She had a feeling that at this rate she was never going to finish reading Pride and Prejudice.
She just scowled in response and went over to the ingredients cupboard. She quickly picked out the needed ingredients and went to her usual desk to prepare the ingredients but when she entered the classroom she noticed Malfoy leaning over the Ravenclaw boy. "So what brings you here?"
The boy that looked about a year younger than themselves looked close to tears. "I don't remember."
"What do you mean you don't remember?" She blurted out from across the class.
" I... I sometimes sleepwalk you see, but last night it was worse, some how I got out of the common room and I woke up to Professor Flitwick shining his wand at me."
"How strange."
"Yes, it is strange. Normally the door to the common room won't open for me but last night...it just opened."
She looked over to Malfoy and saw a strangely concerned look on his face. A look she had never seen on him before. She had to admit he looked nice without the permanent sneer on his features.
"Right I suppose we should start on this potion then Granger."
And that they did. When Slughorn came back they had prepared all of the potion ingredients and had started making a potion of Skele-Grow. After he inspected the quality of the potions he sent them on their way but the Ravenclaw stayed behind to ask a question.
Once in the corridor and they started walking she noticed a peculiar gleam in Malfoy's eye before she was suddenly pushed against one of the walls, Malfoy standing over her like a hawk both arms on the wall each side of her head. Her heart was beating so fast it was like a bee trying to escape a jar.
"Granger!" He was so close, close enough that she could smell him. He smelt like the pine trees in the forbidden forest, and as he spoke her name the smell of spearmint and alcohol ghosted over her face. She might just feint from anger then and there, but no she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her be completely and utterly helpless.
"Malfoy!"
"What are you planing you little mudblood?"
"I don't know what you are talking about."
"Oh yes you do." A deadly smile split across his features. He was so much taller than her now, nothing like the boy she had met in her first year.
"Malfoy are you drunk?"
"Maybe. Just answer my question Granger."
"Fine I am planing something but I'll leave the question of what it is for you to fugue out."With that she punched him in the nose, shoved him away and walked of towards Grifindoor tower. She turned around to see him still standing there looking bewildered, blood running down his face from his nose. She shouted. "And don't expect me to be there tonight."
Then she was gone, around the corner. As soon as she was out of sight she leaned against the wall and placed her hand over her heart. It was still racing. She wondered if he was still stood there just a wall away, red blood dripping onto the floor, a stark contrast to the green he always wore. Now she knew that her plan had to work or else she was doomed.