Author's Notes:
This story is AU. Dumbledore is still around and the trio are going to attend Hogwarts for their 7th year. This story simply would not be feasible if I stuck with canon.
I don't own any part of the Harry Potter franchise, that's JK Rowling, Warner Bros, etc, etc...although I'm sure that if they wanted to sue me for everything I'm worth, they could probably finagle it somehow, regardless of this little disclaimer.
Enjoy.
As Hermione sat at her desk, doing one of the summer essays that Professor Vector had assigned, a tawny owl flew up to her window. It perched itself on the sill and tapped its beak against the glass a few times, demanding entry. As she got up, Hermione's heart fluttered with excitement. She recognized this one; it was the same owl that had brought her OWL results a year ago, which meant that Hogwarts was contacting her about something. Hermione had an idea of what that something might be. She had been hoping for the past month that she would be chosen as Head Girl, but hadn't let herself get her hopes up. Now she let herself get excited. She fumbled with the latch on the window and finally managed to swing it open, which allowed the owl to fly in and sit patiently on her bed. She gently untied the envelope from the owl's leg, at which point the owl flew right back out the open window. Hermione walked back to her desk with the envelope in her hand, subconsciously stroking the Hogwarts seal with her thumb. This was it. The moment of truth.
She opened the envelope, unfolded the parchment within, and began to read.
Dear Mrs. Granger,
I am pleased to inform you that you have been selected as Head Girl for this upcoming term at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You are an exemplary student and embody all the principals that the Head Girl position entails.
Draco Malfoy will be Head Boy alongside you.
As Head Girl and Head Boy you will be sleeping in shared quarters separate from your normal common rooms. Of course, you will still be permitted to visit friends in your respective houses! In fact, as Head Girl and Head Boy, there is very little that you aren't permitted to do!
More details will be provided upon your arrival at school.
Congratulations on this accomplishment. I, and the rest of the Hogwarts staff, are confident that you will make an excellent Head Girl.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
Headmaster, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Hermione was somewhat shocked at the choice for Head Boy. He had never shown himself to be that attached to Hogwarts; hadn't he wanted to go to Durmstrang a while ago? Still, the surprise she felt was partially a pleasant surprise. Draco Malfoy was quite good looking, after all, and maybe after a while of living in close quarters he might decide to stop being so disagreeable just to make things easier.
Laying on the desk was the Head Girl badge, which had fallen out when she had unfolded the letter. Hermione examined it closely; it was similar to the Hogwarts seal but more ornate, and with a stylized "HG" at the top. She pinned it to her shirt and walked in front of the mirror to admire it. After spending a few minutes admiring herself from all angles, she sat back down at her desk at began writing letters to Harry and Ron, telling them the good news.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Draco flew lazily through the trees on his Nimbus 2001. Sometimes he just needed to get away from his sycophantic parents, and flying cleared his head. He was just contemplating heading back towards the manor when a dark grey owl began to fly alongside him. The owl seemed vaguely familiar, but he failed to place it immediately and gave the issue no further thought. The owl was obviously trying to deliver a letter to him, so he landed and dismounted from his broom. The owl landed next to him and stuck out its leg impatiently. Draco untied the envelope from its leg and it immediately flew away. Draco looked at the envelope and immediately recognized the seal of Hogwarts. He knew what the letter probably contained, but it confused him. Why would that old fraud choose him for the Head Boy position? What about his favorite, Harry-bloody-Potter?
Hoping that it contained answers for him, he opened the letter. He snatched the badge before it fell to the ground, shoved it in his pocket, and began to read, leaning against a tree.
Dear Mr. Malfoy,
I am pleased to inform you that you have been selected as Head Boy for this upcoming term at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You are an exemplary student and embody all the principals that the Head Boy position entails.
Hermione Granger will be Head Girl alongside you.
As Head Boy and Head Girl you will be sleeping in shared quarters separate from your normal common rooms. Of course, you will still be permitted to visit friends in your respective houses! In fact, as Head Boy and Head Girl, there is very little that you aren't permitted to do!
More details will be provided upon your arrival at school.
Congratulations on this accomplishment. I, and the rest of the Hogwarts staff, are confident that you will make an excellent Head Boy.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
Headmaster, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Draco blinked and reread the letter. There was still nothing about why he was chosen when there were obviously better candidates out there. Exemplary student? What a load of bollocks. His Dad had probably just pulled some strings without telling him. He shoved the envelope and letter in his pocket with the badge, remounted his broom, and began to fly back towards Malfoy Manor, which was a few miles away. As the air wooshed past him he thought about the choice for Head Girl; it was obvious that Hermione Granger was going to be chosen as Head Girl pretty much from day one. Now he regretted being so nasty to her; she probably hated his guts, and that would make for a lot of awkward tension. He didn't actually dislike her that much; she was a bit snotty their first year, but she seemed really nice now. Plus, she was kinda hot.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
"Granger!"
Hermione heard her name called from somewhere to her left. She looked in that direction and she saw Malfoy waving at her, somewhat obscured by the steam from the train. She excused herself from Harry and Ron, who were looking murderous, and walked over to him, trying to keep her face void of any emotion.
"Yes, Malfoy?"
"Congratulations on making Head Girl," he said, holding out his hand. She hesitated in surprise and then took it, shaking it quickly once before letting go. Even with just the brief contact, she couldn't help but notice how soft his hand was.
"Thanks. Congratulations to you too, I suppose. Is that all you wanted to say?" Hermione wanted to cut this meeting short, since she wanted to spend a bit more time with Harry and Ron. She knew she would be seeing less of them this year.
Draco shook his head. "Actually, no. I just want to apologize for treating you so poorly the past six years."
"You wouldn't be saying this if we didn't have to share quarters, would you?" Hermione responded, raising her eyebrows.
"Probably not, but since we are, it would be a good idea to get things off on the right foot."
"Fair enough. I guess I'm sorry too, for calling you a ferret all those times."
Draco actually smiled at this. "Don't worry, there are much worse names you could call me. Anyway, I guess we'll see each other again once we get to Hogwarts."
Hermione couldn't formulate an intelligent-sounding response and simply agreed, "I guess," and walked back to the Weasleys and Harry. "Maybe this won't be so bad after all," she though to herself.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
"I really thought that the position would entail a lot more work," Draco said as they walked away from Dumbledore's office. "It sounds exactly like being a prefect," he continued with disdain; being a prefect really had been a waste of his time.
"The main point is for us to be role models for the other students. I read it in 'Hogwarts, a History'," Hermione explained.
Draco laughed inwardly. Already Granger was showing off her intelligence and they had only been officially Head Boy and Girl for three minutes. "I wonder why they chose me, then," Draco responded with a chuckle. He figured he would be able to get in Granger's good graces quicker if he stopped being such an elitist.
"Dumbledore probably has his reasons," Hermione said with no trace of humor, although the grin she wore betrayed her.
"I'm good-looking and rich. That's something those first years can look up to, I guess."
"Well, if you don't give them a reason to hate you, they should like you fine. I think it's a lost cause for everybody else, though."
Draco sighed. "You're probably right." He was not looking forward to trying to rebuild his reputation this year, after six years of being a deliberate douchebag to nearly everybody he came in contact with. "I'm turning over a new leaf this year, but it's probably too late to make much of a difference."
"So you're saying you're going to completely stop being a prat?" Hermione asked with raised eyebrows. "I don't think you can do it."
"I'll only be a prat to people who deserve it. I will try to be considerate towards everybody else, at least most of the time."
"That will be a shock for them, considering that your personality in our first six years consisted entirely of superiority and dislike," Hermione said, panting lightly. They had been climbing this set of stairs up four floors.
"And it wasn't a shock to you?"
"I always suspected there was a bit of humanity in you somewhere, lurking beneath the surface."
"I'm flattered," Draco responded, and he meant it, too. "Anyway, we're here."
They stopped in front of a painting which featured a snake and a lion on a green and red background. "That's not very creative, is it?" Hermione asked. "Do you suppose it changes every year? I've never noticed this painting before."
"That'd be my guess, but I don't remember this painting, either." Draco was slightly disconcerted by this fact; he had walked this hallway many times on patrol and remembered all of the other paintings in the vicinity. He tried to shake off the feeling. "Well, enough on the painting, I want to see if we have a kitchenette," he continued with a laugh before realizing that that was easier said than done.
"How do we get in?" Hermione asked, echoing Draco's unspoken question. "Do we have to answer a question? Or say a password? You would think Dumbledore would have said something about that."
While Hermione fretted, Draco walked impatiently up to one of the canvas and poked the snake. "Hey! I wanna get in!"
That must have done the trick, because a brass doorknob appeared on the painting. Draco grabbed it and turned, opening the painting to reveal the room behind.
Author's Notes:
Hey! A cliffhanger! I never thought I would stoop so low. Anyway, thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next chapter.
