With one last hug of her parents, Hermione bid them goodbye and walked towards the train that awaited her. The scarlet engine gleamed, brilliant as ever, in the morning sunlight. As she climbed aboard, she couldn't help but feel proud of the bronze pin that was clipped to her sweater. She had been made Head Girl this year, to no one's surprise. Still, the glory of it allowed her to hold her head a little higher than usual.
Hermione made her way down the central aisle, glancing into each compartment for her best friends. She finally located them, seated almost in the back of the train. Sliding the door open, Hermione was immediately greeted by the smiles of Harry and Ron. "Head Girl is going to sit with us? This is truly an honor," Harry laughed as she slid her bag onto the top rack and sat beside Ron.
Hermione rolled her eyes at the comment. "I was running a little late! In my excitement, I nearly forgot my toothbrush!"
Ron laughed. "Oh no, imagine the horror of forgetting such an important item!" he exclaimed with sarcasm.
Hermione wrinkled her nose. "I happen to think hygiene is very important, Ronald."
He rolled his eyes with a smile. "You know I'm just playing with you," he said, leaning over to peck her on the cheek. Hermione blushed, but mostly because Harry was watching. Hermione and Ron had become an official couple over the summer, but she was still not that used to public displays of affection.
"Get a room," he commented, shaking his head and smiling. Hermione imagined that he was probably thinking about doing the very same to Ginny when she appeared.
"Well, I need to head off to the front and find out about my Head Girl duties," Hermione announced, standing once more. "I'm sure I'll be back soon."
With that, she waved them goodbye and set off importantly towards the head of the train. She wondered who could have been made Head Boy. It was probably a Ravenclaw, since she couldn't think of anyone in her Gryffindor year who would be up for the position… Harry could have been an option, since almost every student respected him by now, but in all honesty, Harry was not the sharpest tool in the shed. Hermione mentally added that she loved him anyway and he was an amazing and true friend. Afterall, there were more important qualities for a person to have than just brains.
As she was mentally going through all of the possible Ravenclaws in her head, Hermione arrived at the first compartment on the train. It was empty, save one person. And that was the one person she had dreaded seeing inside the compartment above all others. He's not supposed to be in there, he doesn't know it's the prefect and head compartment, she reasoned as she slid the door open to tell him off.
Draco Malfoy's eyes had been following the moving countryside outside his window when he heard the compartment door slide open. His expression quickly changed to a sneer when he saw that it was the scummiest of the scum: the mudblood Granger who he hated to even look at. "You're in the wrong compartment, Malfoy," she said coldly.
His brow furrowed angrily. How dare she tell him off like that? "Pretty sure you are, Mudblood. This is the Head compartment."
Hermione's eyes caught sight of a gleaming bronze badge, which he had pinned to the front of his Slytherin robes. Her eyes widened and her heart dropped. "You've got to be joking," she muttered disdainfully.
He scoffed, reclining once more against the compartment seat. He glared meanly at her and her shining badge. "I'm pretty sure you're the joke, Granger. Giving a filthy piece of nothing like you a Head Girl badge? This place is already a shit show as it is."
"At least I earned mine," she retorted hotly. "You probably had to have your Daddy buy yours."
At this Malfoy stood quickly and whipped out his wand, aiming it at her chest. It was lucky that at that very moment, Professor McGonagall Apparated into the compartment. Malfoy quickly stowed his wand as McGonagall gave him the evil eye.
"Ms. Granger and Mr. Malfoy," she began, saying his name a little more forcefully than hers. "Congratulations on being awarded Head Girl and Boy. There will be a meeting tonight in my office to discuss the finer points of your duties, but I'm sure you are both well aware of what will and won't-" she eyed Malfoy- "be considered acceptable behavior from such leaders of our school. You two will be sharing a dormitory on the East side of the fourth floor, which is concealed by the statute of Gapok the Gallant. The password is 'ruby locks' and that is to be kept between you and not shared. Do you have any questions?"
Perhaps it was just the mixture of shock and horror that had taken over her at the thought of having to share a common room with Malfoy, but for once Hermione did not take the opportunity to ask the hundreds of questions she had swirling around her head. Eyeing Malfoy, she saw that he seemed to be having a similar reaction, but he knew better than to start an uproar in front of a teacher. Seeing that neither of them were going to say anything, McGonagall bid them farewell and Disapparated from the compartment.
Malfoy turned on his heels and glared down into the Gryffindor's face. Seeing her horrified expression, however, sent a smug smirk crawling back to his lips. "What's the matter Granger, Head Girl not quite the job you thought?" With that, he shoved past her and down the train aisle towards a new compartment. Hermione remained there, running through all the terrible, possible scenarios that could result from sharing a dorm with the Slytherin. His last comment, however, had given her a newfound confidence. She wasn't going to let Malfoy take away the glory of the job she had always dreamed of, and she certainly wasn't going to submit to his mind games.
Hey guys! More to come soon. Please leave a review on what I can improve or what you liked! -E