Meeting the Dragon

            She’s an excellent singer...I wonder why all her songs seem so sad though, especially the ones about heartbreak and black eyes...it sounds as if somebody’s hurt her in the past...

            I quickly glanced over at her, then tried to concentrate on the book.

            I’ll make a note to ask her about it later...

Hermione’s POV

          Ooh! I’m starting to like that girl less and less. I honestly can not believe she just stole my answer like that, and then played it off like it was nothing!

            I paused long enough to glare over at her. She was obviously bored, idly picking at her fingernails.

            Hmph! I hope she breaks one of those ridiculous claws!

            I returned to my textbook, silently fuming.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

          After spending the next hour or so doodling, sharpening my claws, and just being generally bored out of my mind, it was a relief to finally move on to Advanced Healing Herbology. I stood around with Harry and one of his dorm mates, Seamus, who I learned was Irish.

            “Really? I’m a mix, but I’m more Irish than anything else.”

            “I’m pure Irish, and proud of it mate.”

            Seamus boasted, puffing his chest out, obviously trying to show off. I rolled my eyes and grinned.

            Heh, he actually looks cute like that, in a little kid kind of way...

            Harry shot Seamus a look, and asked

            “What all are you Shadow?”

            “Hmm... Irish, Scottish, German, English, and Cherokee.”

            “And you hang around Malfoy?”

            Seamus looked so incredulous at the idea, I had to smirk.

            “I’m surprised the cuss doesn’t call you a mudblood. Poor Granger, she’s all English, but he calls her mudblood because she’s muggleborn.”

            I was not at all pleased to hear this, and made a note to myself to straighten that out ASAP.

            Although she has been a bit of a snob to me lately... I don’t think we’re ever going to be great friends.

            I let out a barely audible snort and rolled my eyes.

            Seesh, not like I care.

            I dismissed the matter from my mind when class started. We filed into the greenhouse and sat at the tables supplied. There was only room for two at each, so seeing as Seamus and Harry had partnered up, I found an unoccupied table towards the middle of the room.

            A second later someone sat beside me. I looked over to see Blaise, and before I could do or say anything, he beat me to it. He held his hands up in a defensive, almost pleading gesture.

            “Now hold on, I know we haven’t gotten off to the best start, but I’d like you to hear me out.”

            I said nothing, only sat and waited, with crossed arms and an arched brow. He took this as a go ahead, and hurriedly said his part before I changed my mind.

            “Okay, first off, I’m sorry for the way I acted earlier. It was most ungentlemanlike of me, and I would like a fresh start, so maybe we can be friends, or at least acquaintances.”

            I gave him a once over, and growled a reply as Professor Sprout began her lesson.

            “We’ll see...”

            I then ignored him, focusing instead on the lesson. Boring, as usual.

            “As all of you know, this is Advanced Healing Herbology. For the first half of the year, you will be learning about poultices, healing potions, and healing spells with me. After Christmas, you will be with Madam Pomfrey in the Hospital Wing, putting your knowledge to practice. By the time of the Valentine Ball in February, you will be expected to be able to heal real patients in the Wing. Those of you who can not will not be attending the ball, and will instead stay in the Wing for extra lessons and practice.”

            While most people grumbled at this point, I began to perk up, no longer bored.

            Finally, an advanced class that may prove a challenge. Too bad the others are so easy.

            While I was not a perfectionist or an overachiever, I did like a challenge. For the rest of that class, we took notes on several different herbs and their uses.