Disclaimer: I own nothing, blah blah blah, it all belongs to J.K. Rowling. Please don’t sue me,
I only have $5 and I really don’t think it’s worth it.

Denial

by Crazycat
 
 

Chapter 1
 

It was a bitter December morning, and the cold wind whipped harshly around the castle walls,
blasting into the faces of those going around the corners. Hermione shivered and drew her cloak
closer to her. She clutched her books tightly and walked more quickly. She hated coming from
Care of Magical Creatures when it was cold. It really ruined her mood, and with potions next,
she really needed all the cheer she could muster. Ron and Harry had already gone ahead, she
had stayed a little late to ask Hagrid some questions from a book she’d read. He’d written her
a note for being late to Potions, but she still hoped she could make it on time. She doubted if
Snape would accept her excuse.

When she finally made it down to the dungeons, she was five minutes late. She took a deep
breath, crossed her fingers and stepped into the classroom. Snape had his back turned to the
door as she entered, he was busy pulling some ingredients from a cubbard. Maybe if she was
lucky, she could slip into a seat without him noticing. She gazed across the classroom, there
were only two empty seats left. One next to Harry and Ron, and one next to...ugh, Malfoy.
Harry was making eye gestures to her, motioning to the seat next to him. She gave him a quick
nod and started towards the seat quietly. She was halfway there when she hear a voice behind
her. "Ahh, Miss Granger, I see you’ve decided to grace us with your presence at last." She
cringed. <Damn!> she thought < So close> She turned around. "I - I have a note Professor
Snape", she said while extending her left hand with Hagrid’s note. "M-Hm, I’m sure you do."
Snape said sarcastically " I’m sure you have a very good reason for coming late and disrupting
my class."

"Professor I-"

"Silence! 10 points from Gryffendor for your tardiness."

< Why that little - urgh> She thought bitterly. She knew better than to argue, though.

"Yes Professor." She turned around and headed back towards the empty seat near Harry.
At least she could swap Snape- bashing comments with him.

"Miss Granger, you come late to my class, and now you expect me to reward you by letting
you sit next to your friends? I think not. You will take the seat next to Mr. Malfoy, and do it
quickly before you waste anymore of my time."

Hermione shot one last glance at Harry before she turned around and stalked back to the
other side of the classroom. Taking her seat, she was absolutely livid. <I hate him! I swear
to god he is the devil himself! There are just no words horrid enough for him! He’s just,
just , ARRRRRRRRRG!!> She reached into her bag to retrieve her potions textbook
when she noticed Malfoy sneering at her. < Oh god, and if Snape weren’t bad enough,
now I have to sit next to this idiot. God, he’s as dumb as a stump and the only reason he’s
here is cuz of his rich dad! He makes me sick, I wish he’d just go shove himself off a cliff!>

He continued to stare at her. "What are you looking at, Malfoy?" She hissed.

He smiled bigger, and his eyes narrowed more. "Nothing", he said, his voice as annoyingly
superior as always. He turned his head back towards the front of the classroom and
proceeded to ignore Hermione for the rest of the period. <Bastard> She thought.
 

* * * * * * * * * *

Hermione was still mad at Snape the next day as she entered Potions. She took her usual
seat by Harry and Ron, and was just about to start taking her stuff out when Snape cleared
his throat for and announcement.

"Ehhem. I, after observing this class and it’s abysmal progress, have decided to assign seats.
I feel that it is necessary to dived certain groups so that they will not continue to disrupt the
classes progress." He shot a glance at the three of them. "Furthermore, these seats are to
stay the same for the rest of the semester. There will be no protests." He glared menacingly
at the entire class. "You will come line up infront of my desk to get your new seats."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged worried glances. This did not look good for them.
"Granger!" Snape snapped at her. "Come here and get your seat, stop holding up the line!"
She stepped forward, apprehension mounting.

"Back there," Snape pointed, "Third seat forward...next to Malfoy"

Hermione was so angry she couldn’t say a word in her defense. It would have been hopeless,
of course, but she usually did it anyway. A matter of principles. She took her new seat next to
Malfoy, who was grinning like a maniac.

"Well well well," he mocked, "if it isn’t Miss. Know- It- All, Smarter -than -you Granger
sitting back here in the Slytheran corner. Welcome." He was giving her his most obnoxious,
superior, mocking smile. He was infuriating,every last bit of him.

"Shut up, Malfoy! Just shut the hell up!"

"Why, Granger!" He responded, with feigned shock, "That’s no way to talk to your new
Potions partner!"

"Ya know what Malfoy, I don’t care! I hate you, and you hate me, so let’s just leave each
other alone, all right?"

"But, this is far to entertaining" He smiled a long, slow smile. He leaned over to her desk,
and stopped when his face was just inches from hers. He whispered, "We are gonna have
a whole lotta fun together Granger". His smile widened as she drew away. He leaned
away and faced the front of the classroom. Still, she didn’t like the way he’d looked at
her when he was whispering those words. <Bastard> She thought again.

Although it had seemed as if it were impossible for potions to get any worse, it did. Snape
announced the next day that they and their new "partners" would be working on a project
together. They would have to research a potion off the list he handed out, make it, and
write a report on it’s invention and uses. "Well, Granger," Malfoy said with that damn smile
again, " I guess that means you and me are working on this project together. Won’t that be
fun?"

She just glared at him. <Damn him! He is so cocky! And what’s worse, he’s actually sorta
cute...> <NO! he’s not he’s not he’s not!! I am NOT developing a crush on Malfoy. He is
a bastard and scum ball and not worth my time or even my thoughts> <You do to like him
and you know it!> that rational part of her brain put in <NO! I can be in denial if I want to!!>
<Fine, have it your way> It remarked again. <Stupid truthful part, won’t let me deny my
feelings in peace> <Of course not> it remarked again< That would be too easy> She shook
her head. This was just getting to out of line. First she has to sit next to him and now she’s
supposed to do a major project with him? This project was work 50% of her grade, and she
couldn’t have Malfoy fuck it up.

" All right, Granger," His steely voice cut through her thoughts. " I know you’re enjoying
ignoring me, but you have to talk to me sometime and you know it! We’re working on this
project together, like it or not, so have to have something to do with me."

"Fine." She grumbled. This was disgusting.

"So, when da ya wanna work on this?" He was grinning again, he enjoyed the pained look
she gave him.

"We-We have to work on this outside of class?!" She would have to see Malfoy more than
she already was? This was too much.

"Duh, it says so at the top of the page. I guess you’re not as smart as everyone thinks!"

"Oh shut up!" She couldn’t stand him. < He’s so cocky!> < You mean hot> <NO!!
ANNOYING ANNOYING AND COCKY AND I HATE HIM!!> <Uh huh, you keep
telling yourself that!> < You know, sometimes I really hate you!> <ooh, hating yourself,
that can’t be good, maybe you should see someone.> <arg!>

"Well," said Malfoy, interrupting her thoughts again, " It’s not my fault you don’t read!"

" You know , I really don’t need this right now so let’s just meet in the library at 7’o’clock
ok?"

"Sure, fine by me." He was smiling again.

<Oh god this does not look good!>
 
 
 

To be continued....(maybe)

So what do you think? Its sucks doesn’t it? Anyway, review!Please? I wanna know whether
or not to write more.
 

Chapter 2