This is my first time writing something like this so I hope that you enjoy it. This is just a short chapter for now.
Reviews are more than welcome, and suggestions as to where to go from here!
Hermione's thoughts were only on that of her four poster bed lying in wait in the Gryffindor's girls dormitory as she ambled up the steps of the Grand Staircase, her left hand grazing the bannister slightly in a half-hearted effort to pull herself along. She had stolen herself from the feast shortly after the first years had been sorted into their corresponding houses, which was subsequent to a rather pitchy and out of tune rendition of the Sorting Hat's annual introductory song which this year featured a special interlude that, rather optimistically, warned of 'great peril' to all those studying at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry.
She had very much wanted to hear of how Ron and Harry's summer had been, to be able to catch up with Ginny and perhaps have a chance to ask Professor McGonagall whether she could hang some S.P.E.W posters up in the Gryffindor common room that she had taken the trouble of carefully designing during the holidays.
But that can wait, Harry and Ron probably won't even notice you're gone, she reassured herself. She had felt bad for leaving them so shortly after having just seen them for the first time in nine weeks, but was sure they'd understand that she might need her sleep - after all, she was probably the only student in Hogwarts that had devoted herself and her summer to reading the required texts, needed for this year, cover to cover multiple times just in case she had missed something crucial.
Seeing them will be something you can look forward to tomorrow for, she told herself, and with that she rounded on to the last staircase and glided up the last few stone steps leading up to the large portrait of the Fat Lady, resident guard of the entrance into Gryffindor Tower.
The Fat Lady had not changed from the last time Hermione had encountered her, she still wore the same sickly fuchsia dress that was adorned with weathered tufts of a similar coloured lace around the cuffs and collar, her jet black hair hanging in perfect ringlets down to her bust. It almost appeared to Hermione, however, that she had perhaps gained weight, and she wondered to herself whether that was even possible for a painting - not that she would be surprised if it was. Hogwarts often had a way of accomplishing the seemingly impossible.
Upon Hermione's arrival, the woman did not falter from her current position of staring at herself attentively into a spoon that was clasped in her right hand, her left hand tracing her face animatedly. Hermione softly cleared her throat, and the Fat Lady cast her a quick glance before returning to admiring her reflection in the cutlery.
'Password?' she requested with an air of nonchalance.
'Oh... Well, you haven't actually given us one yet,' Hermione replied sheepishly.
The Fat Lady's eyes glanced lazily back over to Hermione again and began opening her mouth to reveal the password, but then her eyes grew distant and slowly shifted, focusing past Hermione, straining in what seemed as though an attempt to see something clearer, all the while Hermione looked intently up at the woman, trying to understand what was going on. Suddenly, the Fat Lady's eyes grew wide with fear and recognition as she attempted to clambered backwards, falling over a stool in the process , and swung her frame open, revealing the entrance to the common room.
'Wha-' she began, but before she could question the womans odd behaviour, something large and hard collided with her back, sending her and the offending unknown flying over the threshold and landing promptly in a heap of tangled limbs on the familiar thread-bare carpet that belonged to Gryffindor common room.
She lay where she landed, bewildered, numb as to what was going on around her, the blood rushing through her head so violently it felt as though it threatened to burst. She blinked once or twice, cheek still pressed against the floor, trying to accustom her eyes to the new surroundings yet they remained hazed and, as she tried to free a hand up to her face, she felt her arm trapped underneath something, or indeed someone, that was stirring on the floor next to her
'Wow.. close one that! I almost thought we were done for,' came a muffled voice from far above her. 'C'mon you lazy git, get up!' it continued.
'Alright mum, don't get your knickers all up in a twist!' retorted another voice, one that she knew all too well and, as she heard scuffles of movement against the carpet, her arm freed, allowing her to roll over on to her back and prop herself up with her hands. It became apparent that neither of the two were even aware of Hermione's being there until one of them met her icy glare as he turned to walk further in to the common room.
'Oh,' he began with a start. 'Hello Hermione, what brings you here?' he said, feigning innocence, given away by a playful grin that was quickly stretching across his face, the exact same looked mirrored on the face of the other male also.
Why was it that, whenever there was trouble, Fred Weasley seemed to be involved?