Ch. 5

The weekend went by quicker than Hermione had liked, but she did feel relieved to have the excuse of classes to avoid the Head Boy. After the Pansy incident by the Black Lake which had stirred up feelings of jealousy in Hermione, she decided that she wanted to limit her time from him. After all, he had enough attention from Pansy.

Draco noticed her sudden change and that she was avoiding him again, and he became very distressed after she spent most of her weekend in the Gryffindor tower with her housemates. Breakfast on Monday came quickly for him, and he lamented his feelings to Blaise.

"I didn't see her after they left the lake," Draco said sadly. "She's gone back to avoiding me. What am I going to do?"

"Maybe you just need to tell her the truth," Blaise suggested, shrugging.

"Don't you think that's a little fast?" Draco asked.

"Maybe, but she's going to find out eventually." Blaise took a few more pieces of bacon from the plate. "You've waited this long."

"I don't want her to freak out and reject me though," Draco said, looking over at the Gryffindor table where his mate was engulfed in a book. "Why can't this be easier?"

"I don't know what to tell you," Blaise sighed. "It's hard for me too. But remember, we have potions with them first."

This gave Draco a bit of hope, and he nodded, continuing to eat while he kept his eyes on his mate.

Hermione sat next to Ginny in the Potions dungeon, a thrill of excitement going through her. She had started to actually enjoy Potions this year, especially since Ginny was in the class with her. They had a lot more classes together since they were now both in the same year, and it helped ease the fact that Harry and Ron hadn't returned.

She was quietly talking with Ginny when she felt an overwhelming sense of calm come over her, similar to the one that she had felt at the Lake. She noticed Ginny visibly relax as well before she sat there with a confused expression on her face.

"Hello ladies."

The two girls turned around and Hermione groaned. Malfoy and Zabini took the desk behind them, and they were smiling at the girls.

"What do you want, Zabini?" Ginny asked, though without her normal feistiness.

Zabini shrugged and said, "Just wanted a nice view, Red."

Hermione noticed Ginny's cheeks flushing as the red head turned around and faced forward immediately, bringing out a chuckle from the boy directly behind her. Hermione shot a glance at Draco before turning to face the front as well.

The class fell into silence as Professor Slughorn appeared, addressing the class. "Good morning students!"

He gestured towards a cauldron on his desk that was filled with a yellow substance. "Today, we shall be brewing the Volubilis potion."

There were a few looks of confusion around the room while Slughorn continued. "This particular potion aims to change the voice of the drinker. No change is exactly the same, so some gain a lower voice while others find their register going higher in pitch. Can anyone else tell me another use for this potion?"

Hermione of course was the first to raise her hand, and when Slughorn called on her, she answered, "It can also reverse the effects of the Silencing Charm by restoring one's voice."

"Very good, Miss Granger!" Slughorn praised. "Five points to Gryffindor!"

Draco beamed from behind his mate, feeling her joy wash over him. He had to force himself to tear his eyes away from her as Slughorn brought out a piece of parchment, unrolling it and looking around. "Now, I've decided to change a few things this year. In order to promote house unity after the great tragedy of the war, I have assigned each of you partners from a different house."

There was a collective groan around the room which he silenced by a look. "Now, when I call you and your partner's names, please move accordingly."

Hermione waited patiently for her name to be called, an odd feeling stirring in her stomach as she realized that the number of partners other than Malfoy were now becoming limited.

"Ginny Weasley and Blaise Zabini," He called out.

Ginny huffed next to her and glared back at Blaise, who seemed rather pleased with the pairing. "You better not mess this up for me, Zabini."

"Would never dream of it, Red." He grinned in return.

"Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy."

Hermione froze in her seat. She groaned inwardly but then felt a feeling of excitement bubbling up. It almost didn't feel like her own emotion, but she soon realized as Ginny stood up and Malfoy took her place, that she was in fact somewhat excited to be partnered with Draco.

She looked over at him before quickly glancing down. It had to have been because he was almost a match for grades in Potions after her. Yeah, that was it. She would have a good partner if nothing else.

"Hello, Hermione." He greeted quietly.

"Hi."

He seemed put off by her shortness but knew that now wasn't the time to talk to her about it. Slughorn went back to his desk after finishing up partnering everyone, and Draco stood up as he said, "I'll get the first set of ingredients if you put the cauldron on the fire."

Hermione nodded but didn't look at him, and he sighed as he walked to the ingredients at the other end of the room.

"That was a rather frosty greeting she gave you," He heard Blaise say quietly from behind him.

Draco groaned slightly. "Yeah, I have a feeling it was because of Pansy on Saturday. I want to talk to her about it but I don't think now is the best time."

"At least yours is talking to you. Mine keeps glaring at me," Blaise said sadly. "I keep trying to crack a joke but it's not working. And she seems more confused than anything; I can't even feel the anger she keeps trying to fake."

"Maybe it's because she knows you have feelings for her and she's supposed to love Potter," Draco suggested, grabbing the last ingredient.

"Maybe."

They both walked back to their tables in silence and Hermione began to heat the initial ingredients while Draco went to grab the second set of ingredients that were to be added after the first set turned red, then green.

This time he was surprised to see Ginny up at the ingredient stand, looking for a particular item. He watched as she tried to grab it off the top shelf, and after a few moments of watching her struggle, he reached up and got it for her.

She stared at him before nodding and turning away.

"Weasley."

Ginny turned back around, glaring at him. "Whatever you want, Malfoy, I'm not going to hear it."

She turned away again and he caught up to her. "It's about Blaise."

He noticed her pause slightly before looking at him. "What about him?"

Draco looked up at his friend who was eyeing the two of them carefully, the other Veela's eyes turning darker with possessiveness. Draco ignored him and turned back to Ginny. "He just wants you to be happy. He's a nice guy; maybe you should get to know him."

And with that, he left a confused Ginny standing in the middle of the room before she rushed off to get back to her table. She didn't notice that Blaise was glaring at Draco but when she accidentally brushed Blaise's hand, he immediately stopped and turned back to her, his eyes lightening again.

"Sorry," She muttered, pulling her hand away.

Blaise simply smiled at her. "It's alright. Do you want to add the Honeywater?"

An hour later, the two pairs held their hands up, signaling that they had finished their potions. Slughorn made his way over to them, inspecting both potions before smiling at the four of them.

"Excellent! Twenty points to Gryffindor and Slytherin!"

Hermione beamed and looked at Draco, who grinned at her. Blaise nudged Ginny who gave him a shy smile, remembering what Draco had told her. Blaise smiled in return, his Veela overjoyed at his mate's positive reaction to him.

"Now, would you four like to test your finished potion?" Slughorn asked.

Draco nodded, looking over at Hermione who hesitantly nodded as well.

"Red?" Blaise asked.

Ginny shrugged. "Sure. I need a laugh."

They each took a small vial and filled it with the potion. Draco turned around to face Blaise, clinking his vial against his friend's and downing it.

Hermione watched before taking a deep breath and drinking her own vial, Ginny following in suit. They all waited patiently and quietly, the entire class watching them for a reaction.

Blaise finally spoke first. "Did it work?"

His voice came out extremely high-pitched and nasally, and he clapped a hand over his mouth in shock.

Ginny laughed out loud, revealing a deep voice that was similar to Hagrid's, and she laughed harder, fighting back tears.

Hermione opened her eyes in shock, refusing to speak after hearing Ginny and Blaise's voices.

Draco grinned at his best friend and then looked at Hermione. "Scared of a little change, are you?"

Hermione put both of her hands over her mouth, her whole body shaking from laughter. Draco's voice was now very feminine, with a light, airy tone that reminded her of a mix between Luna and Professor McGonagall.

"Speak, Granger!" Blaise yelled in his high-pitched voice, causing the entire class to laugh with him.

Hermione shook her head but was unable to stop the laughter. "Oh my god! You sound ridiculous!"

Her voice hadn't changed as much, though now she sounded similar to Seamus and even picked up a slight hint of his accent.

Slughorn tried to silence his class while releasing the four of them, holding back laughter himself. Hermione quickly gathered her things and rushed out with Ginny in tow, who was still laughing hard and filling the corridor with a Hagrid-like voice.

"Oh that was the best Potions class I've ever had!" Ginny stated happily.

"Easy for you to say," Hermione said, though she couldn't help but grin at her odd voice. "Hopefully this wears off soon."

"Slughorn said it should take about twenty minutes," They heard in a high-pitched voice behind them.

Blaise and Draco had caught up to them, still grinning with amusement. Ginny rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile as she shot back, "Well, if it isn't Mister Squeakers."

Draco nearly doubled over with laughter as Blaise glared at him. Hermione tried to stifle a giggle but couldn't help herself as she laughed. "What's wrong Zabini? It's only going to last twenty minutes!"

The two girls went off, leaving the Veelas behind. Draco wiped away tears while he stood up, breathing hard. "Oh, I am so going to enjoy the progression of your relationship with the firecracker!"

Blaise smacked him over the head with his bag.