The Baby Project - Dramione

one

Professor Charity Burbage was a kind professor. She was somewhere around fifty years old, with a smile and greying blonde hair. She was short and stout, and happened to be one of the lesser known professors in Hogwarts, even though she had been teaching there for at least twenty years.

"Not this old hag," Malfoy muttered to Blaise, as she took a piece of chalk from the pocket of her robes, manually writing the words 'Muggle Studies' on the chalkboard.

"My first question is, what is the difference between Muggles and wizarding folk?" Professor Burbage asked. Even Hermione rolled her eyes at that question, but that doesn't stop her from raising her hand. "Yes, Miss Granger?"
"The difference between Muggles and wizarding folk is that wizarding folk obtain the ability to do magic and cast spells, while Muggles have no magic whatsoever. In the United States, a Muggle is called a 'No-Maj', short for no magic."
"Wonderful answer, Miss Granger. Five points to Gryffindor." Hermione beams proudly, while Pansy Parkinson gives her a dirty glance. "Furthermore, wizards and Muggles survive differently. For example, if you wanted light, how would you do so? Mr. Malfoy?"
His gaze was torn from Cho Chang's legs. "Er, Lumos?"
"Correct. Mr. Weasley"-

"Wha?" Ron's head shot up from where it was resting on the table in a failed attempt to nap. "What were you saying, Professor Burbage?"

She sighed slightly. "Mr. Weasley, I was asking that if you were a Muggle, with no magical means whatsoever, how would you make light appear?"
Ron grinned widely. Thanks to Arthur Weasley, Ron might pass this class with an 'Exceeds Expectations' on his O.W.L.S. "Electricity."

"Splendid, Mr. Weasley." Professor Burbage proceeded to give a lesson on electricity, and how it works, along with some examples of what it can power. Hermione noted with a smug expression that by the end of the lesson, Malfoy's eyes were as wide as saucers. Served him right, the cocky prat.

"Before class is over," Mme. Burbage began, pulling a piece of parchment out of her desk drawer. "I would like to introduce the main project for this class."

There was then a unanimous chorus of groans from various students in the classroom. Mme. Burbage simply chuckled. "This year, you students will be completing what is more commonly known as the Baby Project."

"What the bloody hell is that?" Ron demands, a tad too loudly. Harry laughs at him, pushing his unruly black hair off his forehead.

"If you wouldn't interrupt, Mr. Weasley, I could tell you. The Baby Project is something commonly done in Muggle schools, with Muggle children around your age. What I will do is partner you up with someone of the opposite gender. You will be given a baby doll, and it will be your job to take care of the doll for two weeks. I expect you to treat the doll as though it was a real baby. This means feeding it, changing diapers, burping it, making sure it is dressed in appropriate clothing, and soothing it. This doll cries at random times, and you will be expected to console it and stop the crying."
"How do we do that?" Neville questioned, sounding absolutely terrified. Hermione couldn't help but giggle.
"Well, Mr. Longbottom, sometimes you may need to feed the baby, or change it, or rock it to sleep. You and your partner are in full responsibility for this doll. If the baby is left crying for over an hour, I will get a notification thanks to the charms on the doll. If I receive a notification or if the doll is not returned in the exact condition as it was given out, your grade will be affected."
"Who cares about some dumb Muggle baby project?" Theodore complains under his breath.
"May I inform you, Mr. Nott, this project is worth half your entire grade in this class. I'm assuming you will take it seriously?"

He nodded, his eyes wide. Even Hermione is in shock. Half the grade? She better get a good partner for this assignment.

"If you need any further instructions, you're always welcome to come ask me. I will now be assigning the partners."
Hermione crossed her fingers for good luck. If she got one of the Slytherin boys as her partner, she may as well just throw her grade out the window.

"Hannah Abbott and Neville Longbottom."
Neville and Hannah share a relieved look.

"Luna Lovegood and Blaise Zabini. Cho Chang and Justin Finch-Fletchley. Parvati Patil and Theodore Nott. Pansy Parkinson and Ron Weasley. Ernie Macmillan and Hermione Granger. Lavender Brown and Draco Malfoy. Padma Patil and Harry Potter."
Professor Burbage continues with the long list of partners. Hermione is pleased with her partner. Ernie, a Hufflepuff, cares about his grades as well and will work hard with her. Hermione looks around the room. She notes Blaise's barely-concealed look of disgust on his face from being partner with 'Loony Lovegood'. Theodore Nott looks content as well – judging from his gaze down Parvati's blouse. Ron looks horrified, but so does Pansy. And Malfoy? He just looks uninterested in the entire project.

Thank goodness she got Ernie as her partner. If she had been paired with Malfoy, she didn't know what she would have done.