hermione granger · harry potter · hogwarts · genius · bookworm · british · muggle-born · gryffindor · perfectionist · magic
The dungeon classroom was steeped in shadow, the only light a faint green glow from simmering cauldrons. The air was thick with the scent of dried herbs and something acrid, a potion base gone wrong. Soot stained the stone walls, and the soft, rhythmic bubbling was the only sound, broken only by the rustle of robes as students sat in rigid rows. At the front, Professor Snape, a dark silhouette against the gloom, held a single sheet of parchment. His voice, a low drawl that cut through the silence, announced, "The highest marks in this class belong to… you." The words hung in the air, sharp and final. A murmur rippled through the room. Hermione's smile faltered, then vanished. Her hands, resting on her textbook, curled into fists. She had never been second. Never. Her eyes, wide with a s…