Prologue
"Are you sure that you want to do this?" Professor McGonagall asked of the blonde haired girl sitting in front of her.
The girl hesitated a moment before raising her eyes to meet the Headmistress's then spoke in a clear voice.
"Yes, absolutely. It has to be done."
"I see. Now you realize that you will have to be sorted with the first years, and you will also have to attend classes with the other seventh years. Correct?"
The girl nodded, as if she was confirming a point that had been previously known.
"Despite your situation, you will not be exempt from normal school proceedings, what so ever. Am I clear?"
"Crystal." The girl replied with a small smirk. Her eyes never leaving the professor's.
"Now that that's settled, what will you be called?"
"Isabella. Just. Isabella."
Chapter 1 Hermione's POV
"Granger! Wake up!"
I screamed and rolled off of the couch, landing on the floor with a soft thud. I growled as I heard the loud obnoxious laughter of the head boy. The Head Boy who just happened to be Draco Malfoy. Perfect, just perfect. I rolled my eyes and got up off of the floor, dusting off the front of my robes. I turned to glare at Malfoy.
"That wasn't funny."
That just caused Malfoy to break into a new fit of laughter. "Oh, yes it was." He replied, wiping a tear out of the corner of his eye.
"I'm glad you find me so amusing Malfoy." Note the sarcasm. "Now, was there any specific reason why you woke me up, or did you just want to annoy me?" I crossed my arms in front of my chest and stared him down.
"Actually, Mudblood, it was pretty much just to annoy you." Malfoy smirked. I rolled my eyes and pushed past him, heading towards the staircase that led to both of our bedrooms and the one bathroom that we both had to share. Just as I touched the first step however, Malfoy called out again.
"Oh and by the way, if you don't want to be late for the welcome back feast, then I suggest you might want to hurry down to the great hall."
"What?!"
"You heard me Granger." Malfoy smirked up at me, and my eyes flashed to the clock that rested above the fireplace. 5:40 pm
"Dammit! Why didn't you wake me up?!" I yelled, pushing past him and climbing out of the Head's common room portrait. Malfoy followed.
"If you remember correctly, Granger. I did wake you up."
"Jerk." I mumbled under my breath, as we hurried down one of the many hallways of Hogwarts.
"What was that Granger? I didn't quite hear you."
"Oh bugger off." I shot back at him.
"Not likely."
We continued on in silence. I was fuming. I had been asked by Professor McGonagall (the new Headmistress) to come into school a day early, to meet the Head Boy. I had been so excited. Ha! Until I found out that it was Malfoy. Greeeaaat. And then, if that wasn't bad enough, I found out that we would be sharing a Dormitory. It was official. McGonagall was insane. One of us was bound to end up dead by the end of the year.
We reached the doors of the Great Hall slightly out of breath. I was glad that some students were still entering. Good, now I won't have everyone's eyes on me. I straightened out my robes and slipped into the Great Hall, eyes scanning for that familiar patch of red. My eyes stopped near the centre of the Gryffindor table and a wide grin spread across my face as I spotted Ginny talking to Ron and Harry.
Their backs were turned towards me, and getting an evil idea, I crept up behind them as inconspicuously as I could. Ginny spotted me, but quickly caught on as I shook my head slightly and grinned, pointing at their backs, she smiled back at me and continued talking to them as if nothing was going on.
I crept closer and when I was about three meters away I sprinted forward, and jumped onto Ron's back nearly bowling him over in the process. Ginny started laughing hysterically, and was soon joined by Harry once he had figured out what had happened.
"Hey guys!" I squealed happily, my arms still around Ron's neck.
"Her…Mione… can't…breath…" I dropped to the ground and Ron turned to face me, gripping me in a bone crushing hug. "You realize that you're going to cripple me one of these days, you know that?"
I smiled at stepped back, "Yeah, but it's still fun." Ron smiled and shook his head slightly, before sitting down at the table.
I turned around and was instantly crushed again as my other two friends tackled me. Harry spoke,
"It's good to see you Mione. Had a good summer?" He asked as we all sat at the table Ron on my right, Harry on my left, and Ginny on Harry's left. They had gotten together over the summer, and now, they were hardly ever apart.
"Mostly." I sighed. Harry turned his head in my direction.
"Mostly? What happened?"
"Well, nothing happened exactly, but I found out that Malfoy was made Head Boy."
"What?!" All three exclaimed at the same time. Ron continued.
"Wow, bugger. I f there's anything I can do Mione, just tell me alright."
"It's okay Ron. Don't worry you guys, if anything happens, I am more than capable of defending myself." I smiled to them, and that seemed to help. Harry spoke up.
"I know Hermione, But if he does try anything…" I got the meaning in his words, and nodded back grinning.
"Thanks." Nothing more could be said, as just at that moment, McGonagall decided to call the room to order, and every eye in the Hall turned to face her.
"Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts. I can be quite sure that it will be a wonderful year for all, especially since he who must not be named has been defeated, once and for all." She beamed as the Great Hall erupted in loud cheers, and those who were close enough, congratulated the Golden trio personally.
"Yes yes. Now, this year, we have a transfer student that will be at Hogwarts. She is a seventh year, but never the less she will be sorted with the first years. So I would be glad if everyone gave her a nice welcome when she arrives."
Many whispers broke out through the Great hall, but my eyes were fixed on McGonagall as she gestured at the Doors at the end which opened immediately to allow, the first years to file in.
The girl who McGonagall had spoken about was walking at the back of the line. At least I presumed it was her, as she was clearly the tallest, and oldest looking student in the group.
When she entered, more whispers broke out and quite a few heads turned in her direction, most of them belonging to the males in the room.
I had to admit it, she was beautiful, and yet there was something about her that seemed strangely, familiar, though I had never seen her before. She wasn't overly skinny to much that she looked un-healthy, but she was slim enough to indicate that she took care of herself, and had an air around her of having had always been well looked-after. She was tall, I'd say about 5"6', and she carried herself with a strong grace, that told everyone watching that she was proud, and strong.
She had slim facial features, and slightly slanted, eyes framed by gracefully arched eyebrows. Her skin looked very pale, maybe paler than it actually was because the platinum blonde of her waist-length, softly curled hair accentuated it greatly.
She continued to stride forward, looking around her, when her eyes locked onto mine. They were a deep chocolate brown colour and I could feel their piercing intensity as she continued to stare at me while still walking. I had the strangest feeling that she was evaluating me, sizing me up. I was started to feel a bit paranoid right then.
The girl waited patiently as the other first years were sorted until finally it was her turn. McGonagall spoke:
"Isabella. Would you please come up here?" She said, with somewhat of a reassuring smile on her face.
Isabella, one of my favourite names by the way, ever since I had read the Twilight series, which I had gotten for my birthday this year.( A/N: I know! Sorry! I'm too weak! I couldn't help it!)
I watched as Isabella stepped up to the stool and sat down, with somewhat of a bored expression on her face as the sorting hat was placed on her head. About three minutes past before the hat seemed to have decided, and shouted for the whole room to hear.
"Gryffindor!"
The Gryffindor table erupted in loud cheers, welcoming our new housemate, and Isabella, showing no sign of surprise, merely smirked slightly, before standing up from the stool and sitting at the far end of the table.
McGonagall cleared her throat, and when the noise had died down, she spoke.
"Now, I would like to announce this year's Head boy and Head girl, and I would ask that they come up to the stage to stand beside me as well."
McGonagall paused for a brief second before continuing.
"I'm pleased to announce the Head boy, Draco Malfoy of Slytherin, and Head girl, Hermione Granger of Gryffindor."
At Malfoy's name, the noise from the Slytherin table was deafening, at when my name was called, the same went for the Gryffindor table. I smiled as I stood and went to stand beside McGonagall.
"Well. Excellent, now that that's finished, let the feast begin!"
She clapped her hands and the warm aroma of food quickly filled the hall, the tables groaning slightly under the weight.
McGonagall turned to us and spoke.
"There are two things that I forgot to tell you when you when you first arrived." She paused, and we waited, stomachs growling slightly in anticipation of food.
"First, As heads, you are expected to plan and host this year's Yule ball. And yes, Mr. Malfoy, when I say host, I mean that you will be expected to attend the ball together."
I stared at her in fuming disbelief, how could she do this to me?! Malfoy groaned beside me.
"Second, miss Granger, I want you to show Isabella to Gryffindor tower, and be her guide for the remainder of the week until she gets more acquainted with the castle. Am I understood?"
I nodded.
"Very well, you may sit now." She turned back to the Head table and Malfoy and I parted to our own respective tables. I didn't notice a pair of brown eyes follow my back as I walked down Gryffindor table to my seat.
After the feast
The tables cleared themselves of the plates, McGonagall waved everyone off to bed, and I stood to find Isabella, saying goodbye to my friends in the process.
Isabella was just about to follow the first years when I caught up with her.
"Hello."
She turned to face me and surprise flitted through her eyes for a brief second before a smile crossed her face.
"Hello." Her voice was cool, smooth, and amazingly, quite friendly.
"I'm Hermione Granger. I'm supposed to take you to Gryffindor tower and show you the school." I tried to be as welcoming as possible, knowing how weird it must be for her, being at a new school.
She smiled back, "Well then, lead on." She gestured before her, and we exited the Great Hall.
We were just climbing the last set of stairs when I spoke up.
"So, where did you go to school before Hogwarts?" I asked casually. Isabella seemed to hesitate before answering.
"Well. Um… I …I was home schooled actually, and I thought that I would come here for my last year."
Interesting, I had never heard of a home schooled wizard before in all of the books I've read.
We approached the fat lady portrait and I spoke the password 'fairy dust'(the Heads had been given all of the passwords for all of the dormitories). She stepped inside the portrait, but just as it was about to close I spoke up again.
"So is your name just Isabella, or do you have a surname?"
"I have a surname." She replied almost reluctantly.
"Would you mind if you told me?" I asked. At that moment, and I could have just been imagining things, but I thought that for the briefest second, a flash of panic went through her eyes. I blinked and it was gone. Isabella raised her eyes.
"Of …of course not. My surname is Mal…um…mal….erton. Isabella Malerton."
She weakly smiled in my direction before adding. "Thank you for helping me Hermione."
Then she turned away and hurried up the stairs to the girls dormitories.
I let the portrait door close and turned away towards the Head's common room.
Okay, that was weird. It was almost as if she didn't even know her own name. And what about in the common room, she didn't even ask me which staircase lead to the girl's dormitories. It was like she already knew.
I shook my head confusedly before realizing that I had reached the Head's portrait, which showed a picture of a Brown haired Witch and blond wizard about thirty years old, and looked like they were in love.
I stepped up closer and spoke the password, 'harmony' before running up to my room, (I assumed Malfoy was already in bed as he was nowhere in sight), quickly changing and jumping straight into bed.
I was awake for half an hour, until I was finally able to fall asleep.