The Anti-Heroine || A Harry Potter Fanfiction

Chapter XII

Chapter XII:

Harry's POV:

The morning after the Welcome Feast, Harry rose early like he always did and met a fully dressed Hermione who was waiting, somewhat impatiently, for him in the Common Room. "You're late." She informed him.

"And yet I'm still here before pretty much every other student in Slytherin." He reminded her and she sighed noisily even as a fond smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

Together they made their way to the Great Hall where the four long House tables were already laden with tureens of porridge, plates of kippers, mountains of toast and dishes of eggs and bacon. Harry buttered himself up some toast, knowing that his stomach would need time to adjust to the rich foods provided by Hogwarts, and Hermione propped open a copy of 'Curses and Countercurses: When To Use Them' against a milk jug.

"That wasn't on the booklist." He noted and she pulled a face.

"It's not like we're going to learn anything from the crap Lockhart assigned us." Harry nodded in agreement at the same time as Snape approached them.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Granger," he said and two of the schedules from the pile levitating behind him shot out and landed in front of their respective owners.

"Thank you, sir." Hermione smiled and Harry echoed her words. Snape nodded and started to walk away before pausing and looking back.

"I advise keeping your voice down in the future, Miss Granger. Not everyone will support your opinions as wholeheartedly as I do... at least not right away." Their Head of House said smoothly before continuing on his way.

"See, he thinks Lockhart's a fraud too." Hermione pointed out. Harry rolled his eyes and finished off his toast before looking at his schedule.

"We've got double Transfiguration first, then Herbology, then– oh no," he groaned, "Double DADA with the Gryffindors." Hermione pulled a face.

"I swear, this year I'm not taking any of their crap. One stupid comment from Weasley and his parents will have two daughters not one." She muttered.

"I saw the Weasley girl during the sorting- Genevieve, right?" he recalled from the night before.

"Ginevra." Hermione said her expression rapidly darkening. Harry thought about asking what the Weasley girl had done already to piss off his best friend without even speaking to her then decided against it.

"If we get to Transfiguration early we can make sure we're seated away from the front." He suggested instead and Hermione nodded, standing up and stashing her book back into her satchel which was hitched, as always, over her shoulder.

Transfiguration was okay. McGonagall and Hermione still appeared to absolutely loathe each other but the Deputy Headmistress was forced to reluctantly award Slytherin five points when Hermione transfigured her beetle into a button on her first try.

Personally, Harry was pleased to find he was the third in the class to accomplish it as he'd never had Hermione's natural skill at the subject– after all, Hermione was most probably the youngest Animagus in history!

Herbology was interesting enough as they were introduced to a species of plant called Mandrakes. Harry found them really quite fascinating, screaming baby-shaped plants whose cries were fatal to anyone who heard them. He wondered morbidly if he could steal one to take home to the Dursleys...

They ate lunch with the boys then went outside into the overcast courtyard where Hermione helped Draco and Blaise practice their Transfiguration, as at the end of the lesson Draco's button still had six wiggling legs and Blaise's stubbornly kept its antennae, while Harry and Theo talked about Quidditch.