A/N: Hey guys. This is dark pixie and Mystical Maniac. This is the second joint fic we are writing together and we hope you like it! Please review it makes us VERY happy.
This isn't the most interesting chapter but we needed to explain what's going on before the fun can begin!
This fic was BETA read by 'Lady Lestat' (our friend and comrade that can actually spell!)
We needed a reason for the students to still be going to lessons so we have decided to make them begin to study their HWE (higher wizarding education). It is optional to take these classes, however staying on at Hogwarts for the last two months is not, so most students chose to take the lessons for the last two months of their stay. Hope you don't mind.
Maniac, care to do the disclaimer?
Disclaimer: If we owned it would Harry Potter be the main character... I don't think so it would be called things like "Draco Malfoy and his amazing hair." So no we don't own it.
Erm, thanks for that MM. Anyway please Read and Review. (Oh please oh please oh please oh... (Yeah shut up now))
Silence. The stars above illuminated the Great Hall. The dinner plates had been cleared away leaving behind the four grand oak tables; one to represent each house of Hogwarts School. At each table sat a scattering of seventh year students, waiting for the meeting to begin.
The subject of the meeting was yet to be revealed, and it had been the topic of many debates throughout the day. Rumours had spread like wild fire, some of which were believable, and some of them in a league of their own.
Hermione was thankful that Lavender and Parvati had finally stopped talking about their suspicions of McGonagall's early retirement. They were insistent that it was due to being impregnated with Snape's child. This far-fetched notion was not helped by the simultaneous entrance of McGonagall and Snape. Lavender turned on her seat to give Hermione a knowing look.
Draco Malfoy, who was currently sitting on the opposite side of the Hall, had heard a very different tale. It was rather disturbing and involved Dumbledore, a candlestick and a goat. He hoped it wasn't true. His best friend Blaise Zabini, on the other hand, had repeatedly informed anyone that would listen that he hoped it was.
Snape unnecessarily cleared his throat; he already had the attention of every person in the hall. He stood in front of the teachers' table, without saying a word for several minutes. A malicious grin spread across his face as the students began to fidget.
Eventually he started to speak; "Babies." Then more silence. At this, Lavender squealed and fell off her seat and Parvati hissed excitedly,
"They're having twins!" Snape gave the two girls a malevolent glare before continuing his speech.
"It is my duty to inform you that we are trying a new project with our seventh year students here at Hogwarts. The Ministry of Magic has developed a scheme for students who have finished their N.E.W.T.S. It is a way to earn extra marks for their overall results and in the process learn and develop skills, which can be used in the future."
Many of the students looked at Snape as if he were talking a different language. A few of the brighter ones, including Hermione and Draco, were waiting impatiently for him to reveal the details of the project.
Snape noticed his little speech had yet to hit home for most of the seventh years. He sighed before changing it to simpler English, "You're all having babies."
After a few minutes of both stunned and confused silence McGonagall decided it was up to her to intervene. She held up a doll before saying,
"You will each be put in pairs, randomly picked from a hat." She was interrupted by the battered hat sitting on the teacher's table.
"A hat indeed, don't you mean The Sorting Hat, 1000 years old and that's all the respect I get!" cried the hat indignantly. McGonagall looked annoyed and said
"The pairs will be picked from The Sorting Hat; each pair will be given one of these dolls." She said simply, holding one up for them all to see. "You must look after it as if it were your own child." Hermione felt there was a catch. This seemed almost too easy.
"Two months remain between now and the end of your stay at Hogwarts," she continued, "therefore this project will be carried out over these months."
Snape smirked at the Hall, "There is just one more thing," He pulled out his wand and muttered something inaudible to the students. No-one spoke, no-one moved, no-one dared to breathe for a second, all eyes were fixed on the doll...
It had come to life.
The Great hall broke into loud murmurs. The male seventh years looked disgustedly up at the now crying doll while most of the girls gushed at the "cute lil' baby!" as Parvati had put it.
"SILENCE!" barked Snape over the noise and to his satisfaction the seventh years instantly stopped talking.
"The pairs will be picked shortly," started McGonagall, "once your name has been called out, you and your partner will come up and collect a child. You will then proceed to the west wing of the second floor where accommodation has been provided for the new partners." She paused then added, "Any questions." Every hand in the hall shot up in the air.
"No questions?" asked Snape, ignoring the waving hands. "Good. Let us proceed."
Hermione turned to Harry, who was now looking very pale. She muttered angrily, "This is ridiculous! They can't make us do this! It's jus..." However she got no further as the pairing had begun.
Professor McGonagall lifted the large sorting hat off the desk and gave it a reprimanding look. "If you would be so kind as to recite the first pair?"
"I must say this is very undignified, a hat of my calibre should not have to complete such menial tasks," the hat grumbled.
"Just tell me the first pair please, and remember, suitable partners."
"Mandy Brocklehurst," The hat called out. A quill appeared next to a piece of parchment, which seemed to be floating. It started scribbling the pairings down furiously.
Then, the hat voiced the name of a male partner for the Ravenclaw student.
"Terry Boot!" It cried out, it's voice echoing around the large hall. As the quill wrote down the name of the pair the ink glowed gold for a second before it went back to its original black colour, as though signalling that the pairings were set in stone, so to speak.
The couple nervously stepped up and took a doll from the pile. The blonde girl held it whilst Snape performed the spell, bringing it to life.
"You may leave the hall now," McGonagall informed them, "a meeting will be held in exactly one week to give out any more information. In your room you will find all the items needed to care for your child. Tomorrow at breakfast all the seventh years will be seated at a separate table so you can remain with your partners."
Draco Malfoy looked like he was going to be sick, in fact so did most of the students sitting at the Slytherin table. He silently pressed his head into his palm, barely listening to the names being called out.
Millicent Bustrode was paired with a terrified looking Justin Finch-Fletchley.
"Harry Potter.... Pansy Parkinson"
"Lavender Brown... Neville Longbottom"
"Ronald Weasley...Vincent Crabbe." Both boys' heads shot up. There was silence, except for the scratching noise coming from the quill. Ron looked like he was going to faint. Snape smirked. McGonagall looked horrified.
"Just what do you think you are doing?" She hissed at the hat. If possible the hat looked smug and replied,
"Pairing suitable partners," it said innocently.
"Mr. Weasley and Mr. Crabbe can't be paired together!" she protested.
"Oh, I think you'll find they can. Besides their names have been bound together now, there is nothing we can do." Snape drawled looking uncharacteristically delighted. McGonagall sighed and beckoned for the now brick red Ron and the confused looking Crabbe.
The two slowly headed to the front of the hall to wolf whistles and catcalls from the students while Zabini whispered to Draco, "All these years and no-one thought to tell me Weasley is a girl!" Malfoy grinned
"I guess we were all deceived by the lying bitch," he sighed dramatically, "Looks can be deceiving."
Blaise sniggered, "I know, you may have the looks Draco, but you're a total bastard." The blonde Slytherin tried to look offended, then they turned their attention back to the pairing that was still taking place at the end of the hall.
Hermione looked around the great hall and was dismayed to see only five students remained to be paired, including herself. She glanced at the Slytherin table and was appalled to see the sneering face of Draco Malfoy still seated lazily across the hall.
She sighed impatiently waiting for the hat to make up its mind, finally it spoke,
"Blaise Zabini..." it paused again considering its options then finished, "...and Hannah Abbot." Hermione sighed again. Draco started to panic.
The hat remained silent whilst the pair received the doll and walked out of the Great Hall leaving behind Hermione, Draco and Seamus Finnigan.
Oh god, Draco thought, I'll take Seamus. Anything but that fuzzy haired mudblood. In fact Seamus is looking far more attractive these days. I need to be with Seamus! Draco reviewed these thoughts and realised he was delirious. He shrugged and carried on, inwardly praying to whoever was listening.
"Draco Malfoy..." the hat started.
Seamus. Please. Let it be Seamus! Hermione and Draco thought simultaneously.
"... and Hermione Granger," finished the hat almost smugly. The two stared at each other across the Great Hall. Malfoy turned, if possible, even paler.
That's the last time I ever pray to god. I knew he wouldn't keep his end of the deal! Cursed Draco as he stood up, glared at the hat and made his way towards McGonagall to collect the 'baby'.
Professor McGonagall at least had the decency to give them an apologetic look as Snape charmed their 'child' before handing it over to Hermione. The potions teacher on the other hand seemed to be delighted at Grangers misfortune and he couldn't help but smile as the two students walked out of the great hall angrily.
Seamus remained behind alone. As Hermione and Draco left the hall they heard the beginning of McGonagall's speech to Seamus:
"Mr. Finnigan, such is the hard way of the world, that some parents do not have a partner to share with them the experience of a child...."
Neither Hermione nor Draco spoke as they proceeded to the second floor in search of their accommodation; instead they walked in silence occasionally giving each other death stares. They 'baby' was dribbling silently in Hermione's arms.
Even before they entered the west wing they heard the commotion of the other students. There was a chorus of wailing cries which reminded Hermione of her fourth year when Harry had opened the Golden Egg for the Second task. She sighed and looked down at the dark curly hair of the boy in her hands, knowing that she would soon have to deal with a similar problem. Draco scowled then drawled,
"Don't think you'll be getting me to touch that thing if it sounds like that."
After a few minutes walk down the long corridor they finally reached a large oak door with huge wooden plaque. On it was carved the names Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy in gothic writing. It was almost the same as the many of the other doors down the hallway each bearing the name of its occupants.
"What's behind door number two?" Hermione muttered and gently pushed open the door ignoring the questioning look of Malfoy and the slight gurgle of the child in her arms. She had expected one of the many grand rooms of the Hogwarts castle with large ornate furniture and period decoration but was pleasantly surprised to see the simple modern design of the room.
The walls were a light pastel blue giving the room a light, airy feel. Under the window on the opposite side of the wall was a wooden crib painted white with a baby changer complete with clothes and nappies for the new project on the left and a small potty on the right. To each side of the door against the wall was a single bed with crisp white bedspreads and several toys boxes were hidden under the beds.
The room was open plan, meaning in the corner of the room a small kitchen was installed for the basic needs of the occupants and milk for the baby. A door joined the bedroom to a small bathroom; Hermione made a mental note to wake up fifteen minutes earlier than she normally does to get in the shower before Malfoy.
She sighed unhappily as she thought of the predicament she was in. Malfoy who seemed determined to have nothing to do with the 'baby' or Hermione sat down on the bed furthest away from the baby's crib.
Hermione gently lay baby in the crib and was happy to see all her clothes and books already in place. She lovingly pulled out 'Hogwarts a History,' and sat primly on her bed and opened her book at a random page.
"Ah-em." Draco stood up. Hermione's lips thinned. He gave another fake little cough; Hermione attempted to ignore him and vigorously turned the page.
"Ah-em," he tried again. Hermione gritted her teeth and moved to turn the page again, only to find it rip in her hand. Pretending she hadn't noticed she started reading once more.
"AH-EM" Malfoy shouted. Hermione slammed the book down on her lap, instantly regretting this action as it stung her thighs.
"WHAT DO YOU WANT?" she screamed back angrily.
Malfoy suppressed a smirk then sat back down on the bed. "Now that I have your attention, I wish to lay down a few ground rules." He stated crisply. Hermione was too disgusted to talk.
"Number one," continued Malfoy, "childcare is a woman's job, I will be taking no responsibility for that... thing," he said pointing to the baby.
"Number two, the bathroom will be mine every morning between six until eight forty-five..."
"What! That's ridiculous! Lessons start at nine. That only leaves me fifteen minutes." At the thought of lessons, Hermione's mind began to wander. Their Higher Wizardry Education classes were going to start in two days (See A/N). Her thoughts were interrupted by Malfoy who had ignored her comment and had started on his third rule.
"WHAT?" Hermione shouted.
Draco rolled his eyes and repeated what he had said, "Rule number three, I need my personal space, you will be sleeping on the floor so I can have a second bed."
Hermione couldn't speak for a whole thirty seconds she was so revolted, then,
"IM NOT BLOODY SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR!" before Malfoy could say anything more she stormed into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her.
The baby burst a loud fit of tears. Malfoy's hands flew to his ears desperately. The baby cried even louder.