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The next two weeks passed by uneventfully. Everyone was buried in schoolwork, especially those preparing for their NEWTs , so there wasn't much time for relaxation and fun. Even the professors were moving about at a frantic pace (planning tests and projects were no easy feats, after all). Yet no one could be more harassed than Hermione Granger. Her school load was nothing short of torturous. Add to that her duties as Head Girl and no one would have blamed her if she checked herself into St. Mungo's anytime soon.

The dungeon was still dimly lit when Hermione entered it; proof that Professor Slughorn hasn't arrived yet. There weren't any students inside either. They were all still at the Great Hall having breakfast. She wasn't really hungry so she'd decided to come here straight in order to finish up on her essay for Arithmancy. Taking her usual seat in the front row, she took out parchment and quill and started writing her essay. She was half-way through her writing when she felt someone sit beside her. She knew without looking that it would be her Potions partner.

"You weren't at breakfast," Draco said.

"I wasn't hungry," Hermione muttered not pausing in her writing.

"You didn't have breakfast yesterday, either."

Hermione sighed and cast a sideways glance at Draco.

"I wasn't hungry yesterday, either, Malfoy."

"You know, Granger, it's not really good to start the day on an empty stomach. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day."

"Thanks for the reminder, mother."

Draco clucked his tongue as he shook his head. Then, he dug inside his bag, took out a napkin-wrapped sandwich and placed it on top of Hermione's essay. "It's your favorite, buttered toast and sausages."

Hermione turned to Malfoy, her eyes narrowing at him suspiciously. "What's the meaning of this?" she asked, pointing to the sandwich.

"A simple thank you would've sufficed, Granger," Draco replied with a smirk.

A deep sighed issued forth from Hermione as she put her quill down and turned back to Draco, her cheeks coloring a soft pink. "You're right, that was rude of me. Thank you for the sandwich, Malfoy."

"You're welcome, Granger. Now, eat up before Professor Slughorn gets here. We have a long day ahead of us or have you forgotten that we're having double Potions today?"

"Oh, darn, yes! I have forgotten!" Hermione groaned. She reached for the sandwich, unwrapped it and took a big bite before going back to her essay.

"You know, you should drop some of your subjects. You're obviously overloaded with work."

"That's what Harry said."

"Really? Well, I see Potter and I could agree on some things," Draco muttered.

"You can agree on a lot of things, Malfoy. If you'd only talk to each other."

"Don't push it, Granger. Being civil with you is bad enough. No need to add Saint Potter into the mix."

Hermione snorted as she started rolling up her parchment. "Don't be such a child, Malfoy. In case you haven't noticed, things are different now."

A few seconds of silence passed before Malfoy replied in a soft, almost regretful, voice, "No, not really. Some things just don't."

The arrival of their classmates put a halt to their conversation. Harry and Ron waved to her and sat at the back while they awaited their partners. Hermione finished her sandwich and stashed her essay inside her bag. She noticed that Draco was back to his brooding, silent self. She really must talk to him about that. It's obvious that something's been bothering him these past few days and she wanted to know what that was. She reasoned that it was only to satisfy her curiosity (and to ensure the peace between them) and nothing more. What else could be her reason for wanting to help Draco other than that, right?

Professor Slughorn's voice pulled her back from her thoughts. He was writing the ingredients that they needed for the potion that they would be brewing. Just one look at the list and she already knew what it was. She's obviously not the only one who recognized the ingredients, though, since some of the girls were already giggling even before the Professor turned away from the board to ask them the name of the potion they would be working on today.

"I'm sure you are all familiar with this potion. You've already brewed this one in sixth year. Do you still remember what it's called?"

Draco shifted in his seat, mumbling under his breath. He turned to Hermione and whispered, "Why are we brewing Amortentia again? We've already done this! I can even brew it in my sleep."

Hermione stifled a laugh as she looked at the disgust written on Draco's face. "Perhaps the Professor just wants to make sure that we can all brew it properly. If you recall, not all of us were successful in brewing it in sixth year."

"Hmph! I did mine perfectly, so I don't need to do it again. This is a waste of time!"

"Let it go, Malfoy. We have no choice on the matter, anyway. Besides, it could be fun. We'd sail through this one, for sure."

"We'd sail through anything, Granger."

Hermione glanced at Draco and saw that he was staring at her with that inscrutable expression on his face again. She felt goosebumps crawling up her arms as her cheeks started heating up.

Damn! Don't blush, Hermione! He'll notice that and he'll start teasing you again! Why ever do you always blush when he looks at you that way?

"So, what's the name of our potion for today? And what does it do?" Professor Slughorn was saying to the class, looking around at the giggling girls. None ventured to raise a hand, though, so he turned to Hermione. "Miss Granger, perhaps you can enlighten us?"

"Amortentia, sir. It's the most powerful and most dangerous love potion known to man. It causes the drinker to have strong feelings for someone. But it cannot create a truly, unbreakable connection. It is more of an infatuation or obsession. The aroma is different for each person as it reminds them of what they are most attracted to. It is dangerous because what it creates is an illusion of love and not true love, at all, and can, therefore, be abused by certain potioneers," Hermione said, feeling suddenly uncomfortable.

"Very good, Miss Granger. Ten points to Gryffindor. Now, I am giving you an hour to prepare and brew the potion. Then, I will go around each pair to check on your work. The pair that brews the best potion will each be given a vial of Amortentia."

There were several squeals of delight, mostly from the girls. The boys looked rather revolted.

"Alright, then. Get on with it. I will be back when your hour is up," Professor Slughorn said before waddling out of the room.

A mad scramble for the supplies cupboard ensued right after the professor had left. Hermione looked about and saw the miserable looks on both Harry and Ron. Well, especially Ron since she was partnered with Parkinson and was now being ordered about by her.

"Should I get the ingredients?" she asked Draco.

"Whatever, Granger. This is ridiculous! Whoever would need a bottle of Amortentia? Perhaps it's best if we just don't brew it," Draco slumped back in his chair, his arms folded on his chest, brows knotted in a frown.

"Alright. I'll get the ingredients, then." Hermione rose from her seat without giving her Potions partner a backward glance. It seems that she would not be getting much help from him today.

When she got to the supplies cupboard, only Neville and Ron were left there. They were arguing about the ingredients, and they beamed when Hermione joined them.

"Hermione! Just the person we need!" Ron exclaimed.

"Why, what's wrong?" she asked.

"Neville and I are not sure about these two," Ron said, pointing to the last two ingredients. They were herbs and so were not in labeled bottles. Hermione reached up for the needed herbs and gave them to Ron and Neville.

"Thanks, Hermione. You truly are a lifesaver," Neville said. Having gathered all their needed ingredients, the two went back to their partners. Hermione gathered her own ingredients and walked back to her brooding partner, who was now leaning on the table, with a far-away look in his gray orbs.

"Stop pouting, Malfoy. We've got work to do. If you don't help me out, I won't share the potion with you. And that would be tragic, really," Hermione nudged Draco with her elbow in an attempt to draw him out of his gloom. She was rewarded with a smirk and a rolling of his eyes.

"I don't need a love potion to make a girl fall for me, Granger. I'll donate my share to you, seeing as you desperately need it."

"Oh, really? If you don't need it to make girls fall for you, then why don't you have a girlfriend?"

Draco huffed and jumped to his feet, taking the herbs from Hermione. "I don't want a girlfriend, that's why. Who would want to be a former Death Eater's girlfriend, anyway," Draco said, chopping up the herbs vigorously.

The last sentence was said so softly that had Hermione not been listening carefully, she wouldn't have heard it. But hear it, she did, and strangely, her heart went out to Draco. His past was really bothering him to the point of losing his confidence in himself. This school year must be torture for him. His family's fall from grace was beginning to take its toll and Hermione knew that it could destroy him if he didn't receive enough support or encouragement from his peers. It really wasn't his fault that his family had been brought up that way and had chosen to support the Dark Lord. Unfortunately, not everyone would be so generous and take this fact into account. People can be really cruel at times.

Without having a brilliant comeback to Draco's remark, Hermione decided to just concentrate on the task at hand. Although no words passed between them, they were still able to brew the potion to perfection. They worked seamlessly, each knowing instinctively what was needed to be done. Soon enough, their potion was exhibiting its distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen, with steam rising above it in lazy spirals. And just in time for Professor Slughorn's inspection, too.

"Perfect! See here, class. Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy were able to brew the most impressive Amortentia I've ever seen for the longest time here in Hogwarts. You two really have a talent for potion-making!" Professor Slughorn beamed at the two.

A smattering of claps and hoots were heard from the class, mostly from Harry, Ron, and Zabini.

"Now, will you please step up to the cauldron and tell us what it smells like to you, Miss Granger."

Hermione moved closer to the cauldron, took a few whiffs of the potion and stepped back, her brows knotted in thought. "I smell old books, crisp new leather, and…minty chocolate?"

"Interesting, interesting! Now, your turn, Mr. Malfoy."

Draco stepped up to the cauldron and inhaled the steam rising from the potion. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, then his lips rose in a lopsided grin.

"I smell old parchment, strawberries, rain and….vanilla."

"Very good, very good! Now, tell me, Ms. Granger. I know you were able to brew a perfect Amortentia in sixth year. Did you smell the same things back then?" Professor Slughorn asked, a knowing grin adorning his lips.

"Uhmm…no, Professor. It smelled different," she answered, two pink spots blotting her cheeks.

"What about you, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Yes, Professor. It smelled the same to me," Draco replied.

Professor Slughorn clapped his hands and turned back to the class. "Can anyone tell me why Ms. Granger's Amortentia smelled different to her back in sixth year?" Professor Slughorn pointed to Neville, "How about you, Mr. Longbottom?"

"Uh…maybe b-because the things t-that attracted her back in sixth year were different from the ones that attract her now?" Neville stammered, blushing from his toes up to the roots of his dark hair.

"Spot on, Mr. Longbottom!" Professor Slughorn exclaimed. He then turned to Zabini.

"And can you tell me, Mr. Zabini, why the smell of Mr. Malfoy's Amortentia remained the same for him?"

"Because he's still attracted to the same things he was attracted to back then?" Zabini replied.

"Right you are, Mr. Zabini! So, you see class, Amortentia is fully dependent on what attracts you at the moment. Its aroma can change without you knowing it. As for the case of Ms. Granger and Mr. Malfoy, it appears that Ms. Granger has had a change of heart while Mr. Malfoy remains consistent. He is still attracted to what attracted him before."

Hermione's blush deepened as her head involuntarily swept to Ron's direction. Had she turned the other way, she would've seen Draco's eyes pinned on her, enigmatic and guarded, but with that rare look of sadness that reached way down deep into his soul.