Chapter 1: Breaking the News
This was it. Year 6. It was the year that would change Hermione's life forever. Of course, she didn't know this. As she arrived at the train station, all she knew was that it was the beginning of yet another school year at Hogwarts. She didn't even know that a very big deal in her life would happen today.
"'Mione!" Hermione turned quickly. It was Ron. She smiled, knowing how much she had missed him over the summer. "Come on," he said. "Harry's waiting on the train." Hermione followed Ron on, and they walked to the very last room at the back of the train. Harry jumped up the second that they got in.
"Hermione!" Harry exclaimed, wrapping his arms tightly around her and holding her there for a moment. When they pulled apart, Ron sat down next to Hermione.
"Wow, Hermione...you look really good." Hermione blushed. It was true. She had developed a bit over the summer. Her cheast had grown a bit, and her curves had come in. She looked like a woman. Her legs were smooth, a bit shapely, which you could see from her school skirt. It was a bit shorter this year, skimming her thighs. Her white button up blouse and sweater vest accentuated her thin waist. Her hair was still curly as ever but she had really grown into it.
"Thanks," she smiled. "You guys, too. Been playing quidditch all summer, have you?" And they both blushed. Hermione crossed her legs.
"Draco's at it again," Harry said slowly, annoyance in his voice. "The second he got on, he sought us out." Hermione rolled her eyes.
"That bastard is never going to grow up," she remarked, looking out the windows.
"He's just getting worse," Ron added in.
"You wouldn't happen to be talking about me, would you?" Asked a fourth voice. The three looked quickly to the door and Hermione had to hold her breath. Draco had certainly...filled out over the summer. "Granger," he smirked. "The mudblood is back." Hermione frowned. He obviously hadn't changed in any other way. Except that Hermione could have sworn that she saw something a bit blank behind his eyes, where there had once been amusement, and something a bit scared where hatred had been a months ago.
"Fuck off, Malfoy," Hermione spat back shortly. One of Draco's eyebrows shot up as his smile grew bigger.
"And quite a tongue she has on her." Hermione caught Draco give her body a once over before leaving the room.
"I want to strangle him," she said after a long pause.
"We all do," Harry remarked. Hermione had hoped, when she saw him that maybe he had changed. But no. She still hated him just as much as she'd used to. "But we just won't let him get to us." Hermione smiled brightly at Harry, coming a bit out of her thoughts.
"No, we won't." It had begun to rain as the train took off from the station.
"So, what did you do over the summer?" Harry asked Hermione.
"Quite a bit," she said. "My family vacationed in Paris, and then for the second half of the summer, we went down to Cannes." Hermione had gotten a bit of a tan there. She had hoped that it would have been a bit darker, but instead the sun simply made the sprinkle of freckles over her nose a bit more obvious.
"Could tell that much," Ron said quietly. "You aren't quite as pale as you used to be."
"Why thank you," Hermione responded with a small smile. "What did you two do?"
At this, Harry started in about how much worse the Dursleys had gotten. Dudley had found himself a girlfriend. She was from a rich, snotty family, was named Lizbeth, and held a shocking resemblance to a pig. Well, naturally, she had spent a good deal of time with Dudley, taunting Harry. The worst of it was that Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia seemed to like her quite a bit, and her parents happened to be business associates with Uncle Vernon, so she had spent most of her summer there.
"That's awful," Ron quickly put in once Harry was finished talking. "But...also a bit funny, you know? Can't imagine why anyone would want to be Dudley's girlfriend, the great, fat git."
"Me neither," Harry smiled. "But then again, I can't imagine why anyone would want to be Lizbeth's boyfriend, either. Even Dudley." Ron nodded in mock agreement, because of course, he hadn't actually SEEN her.
"At least you had a bit of excitement in your summer. My mum decided that we should have a nice family summer. Me, mum, dad, and Ginney." Ron stared at Harry for a moment, and when he got no reaction, he continued, "Well, you could imagine... 'Harry, Harry, Harry.' 'Oh, Ron, why can't you be more like Harry?' 'Bet he knows LOADS about muggles, son.' And not just the parents. 'Harry! Oh, I love Harry. Oh, Harry is so perfect, he's all I ever dream about.'" Harry blushed at Ron's imitation of Ginney.
"Oh, don't be so ruse," Hermione said with a slight smile. "She's a fifteen year old girl. So what if she has a crush?"
"It's all that I've been hearing about for four years!" Ron said quickly. The door slid open.
"Hello," Ginney smiled. "You all don't mind if I sit down, do you?"
"Course not. Take a seat," Harry said, patting the spot next to him. Ron rolled his eyes.
"How are you, Harry?" Ginney asked. Hermione couldn't help but smile. She thought it was cute that Ginney liked Harry, and although he didn't want to admit it, she knew that Harry liked Ginney, too. Not quite as much, but enough.
"I'm good," Harry said, although that wasn't entirely true. "And how are you?"
"I'm going to find the goodie cart," Hermione said. Ginney began to talk about her summer as Hermione got up and went out into the hall. That's odd, she thought to herself. The goodie cart is always here. And Hermione, being who she was, decided to go looking for it. The room she had come out of was in the very back of the train, so she worked her way up, peeking or listening into rooms.
"Granger." She was walking from a compartment onward. She hadn't heard anyone in it, but she recognized the voice that piped in behind her.
"Malfoy," she said, turning to face him.
"Snooping around outside my room?" He asked, tapping on the door behind him.
"I didn't realize it was your compartment," Hermione growled as she went to keep going. He grabbed her arm, pulling her back to him.
"You'd better watch yourself this year, Granger," Draco said, reopening his door, stepping inside, and turning around. "I've been too easy on you for far too long." The door quickly slid closed, and Hermione noticed how tightly her fists were clenched.
"Sweets, dear?" Said a humble old voice from behind her.
Hermione took the last bite of mashed potatoes that she could possibly stand.
"I think that's the best meal we've had yet," Ron said, his mouth full.
"Agreed," Hermione said, placing down her fork a relaxing a bit.
"Granger," said a voice. Hermione turned to find a smiling Professor McGonagall.
"Hello, Professor," Hermione said.
"Hello, Hermione. Did you have a nice summer?"
"Yes, Professor, it was lovely," Hermione said, a bit curious as to why McGonagall had come specifically to her. But that was quickly answered.
"The Headmaster has requested you in his office, immediately." Hermione felt a bit nervous, and it must have been obvious. "Don't look so worried, Ms. Granger. He has some good news to tell you." Hermione felt her stomach flip. Was she head girl!
Don't be silly, she thought. You're a year too young for that. Maybe she had gotten a special award of some sort.
"Certainly, Professor," Hermione said, standing from her bench. She didn't even notice that as Professor McGonagall was going back to her seat, so was Professor Snape. She got out to the hall, and walked quickly until she got to Dumbledore's office. The staircase was already open, so she went on up, excitement bubbling within her. She opened the door. "Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall told me--"
"What is SHE doing here!" Said...Draco? Hermione slowly walked closer, suddenly much less excited.
"Ah, Ms. Granger," Dumbledore said with a warming smile. "So nice of you to join us. I was sure that both of you would wait until after desserts. But I am glad to see that you both are so devoted to my wishes." Hermione sat down slowly in the chair next to Draco.
"No problem, Sir," she said. "Professor McGonagall said that you had some good news to tell me." Dumbledore smiled again.
"I do, Ms. Granger," he said. He seemed to be taking quite a while.
"Good news for Granger?" Draco asked suspiciously. "Why was I even sent for?" Dumbledore peered down at Draco from his half moon glasses, beaming.
"I've good news for you, too, Mr. Malfoy." Draco smirked to himself, leaning back comfortably in his chair. Dumbledore looked to Hermione, a look of glee on his face. Hermione felt the nervousness flow out of her under his gaze. "Ms. Granger. The rest of the professors and I have gotten together to discuss it over vacation, and we have looked at all of the 6th years. We've come to a conclusion that you, Ms. Granger, are the best choice for Junior Head Girl." Hermione was very shocked. She'd never heard of that position before.
"Junior Head Girl? What . . . what's that?"
"You share a common room with the Junior Head Boy, you share almost all of the Head Girl's privileges, and, providing that your grades do not slip, you are first in line to become Head Girl next year. And I have no doubt that that won't change, Ms. Granger." Hermione could feel herself glowing.
"So, as long as I keep the grades I have now, I automatically become Head Girl?"
"That is correct, Ms. Granger." Hermione felt extremely happy for a moment, until it dawned on her.
"You are to be our Junior Head Boy, Mr. Malfoy." Hermione saw it coming from a mile off but she still felt amazingly disappointed.
"With her!" Draco asked, almost horrified.
"Yes, Mr. Malfoy. You and Ms. Granger are our Head Boy and Girl for next year. This year, you will be sharing a common room. Now. I know that the both of you have an idea of your responsibilities, but I will go over them.
"As Junior Head Boy and Girl, the rest of the students, and especially the prefects, will look up to you. You must hold a good example for them, academically AND morally . . . we don't want any trouble being made." Dumbledore looked slightly at Draco, and Draco couldn't help but shift a bit in his seat uncomfortably.
"But, Professor . . . we've never noticed that there was a Junior Head Boy and Girl before. We didn't look up to them."
"Speak for yourself, Granger," Draco sneered. Hermione frowned, feeling for a moment that maybe she had just missed them.
"You are right, Ms. Granger," Dumbledore said. "We, indeed, have NOT (emphasizing his stare on Draco) had a Junior Head Boy and Girl for the past 30 years." Hermione smiled, and Dumbledore smiled back knowingly as Draco turned red. "But, Ms. Granger, we have decided to bring the old tradition back. Your dormitory is one that has not been used for anything for over 20 years. Now, the Head Boy and Girl are allowed to use magic outside of school. You are not, BUT, you may use magic in school, outside of the classroom. And I am certainly aware that many of you use it out of the classroom ANYWAY, but it is still against the rules, and this is QUITE the privilege." Hermione smiled. Maybe this would be okay. "You are also required to be present at the head meetings. Every other Monday, Ms. Granger will attend, and Mr. Malfoy will take the other half. Other than this, you will share all the privileges of the prefects."
"When do we move into our new dormitory?" Hermione asked.
"Immediately," Dumbledore smiled.