No Going Back.
Chapter 1.
Author's Note: Decided to give this a try. Been a while since I posted anything here. I've missed it.
Professor McGonagall entered the classroom with sharp, quick footsteps, her robe flying out from behind her. Her expression looked harried, as several tendrils of her dark brown hair fell out of her bun and into her face. The professor's hat was sloping more to the left side than the right, making it an unusual image as it was not resting at it's usual perfect angle.
Hermione waited expectantly with her quill poised over her parchment, ready to take notes. However, it seemed as if teaching Transfiguration was the last thing on McGonagall's mind.
"Sixth year students? Alone? For a week? Tsk tsk…" She was muttering under her breath, while shuffling some papers on her desk, looking for a certain document. Ears perked at this statement. Were they really to be left alone for a week?
Hermione watched curiously as the stack of papers on McGonagall's desk fell to the floor and scattered everywhere. She immediately got up out of her chair to help clean up the mess.
"No, no. Have a seat Ms. Granger, it's quite alright. You're forgetting I'm a witch." The professor gave the brunette a tiny smile before waving her wand. The papers quickly and efficiently reassembled themselves on her desk.
"Uhhh…Professor? Is everything okay?" Ron slowly asked, trying not to laugh at McGonagall's strange behaviour. It was a rather amusing sight… the usually organized professor rarely lost her wits.
"Quite okay, Mr. Weasley. If Professor Dumbledore expects me to help him accompany an entire year of sixteen year old students into the wild, vegetated area that muggles call 'forests', without any magic whatsoever, expect them to survive the week, then yes, everything is okay!" By the end of her speech, McGonagall was yelling loudly, and she fell into her chair with a loud oomph! The noise was abrupt and unexpected, and it startled her students.
Professor McGonagall's hat promptly slipped off of her head and fell to the floor slowly. She watched it fall, before standing up and brushing off her robes. "Quite sorry you students had to witness a sight such as that. Now, please open your textbooks to page 35 and we'll begin with today's lesson."
A murmur of whispering ran through the class at the prospect of being alone with nature for a week. Surely this was a jest? A trick to get their hopes up? The idea of being alone, away from school was definitely more than any of them had hoped for. The Gryffindors shared Transfiguration with the Slytherins, and subsequently, looks of loathing and disgust were passed along when the professor had mentioned sharing tents.
In Muggle Studies 101 (A/N: I find this funny.), the group had learned all about tents, the tiny muggle contraptions used for survival and shelter while staying outside. These were also meant to enclose them into the small space that lacked of privacy, while protecting them from the cold weather. Ron didn't understand some of the ideas that these muggles had, but he shook his head and concentrated on McGonagall's expression. Was this trip really to happen?
Draco Malfoy raised his hand for a brief second to show that he was obeying the school code for respect, then progressed with speaking before he was called on. "Professor? Perhaps I heard you wrong? I thought you said that yourself and the Headmaster would be escorting us on this…trip?"
Professor McGonagall gave him a thin-lipped smile. "No, no, Mr. Malfoy. You heard me right. Professor Dumbledore and I will be escorting you, but we will not stay." She turned to face the rest of the class, speaking to all of them. "I'm only…a little frustrated over the fact that because we're so early in the year, none of you have gotten around to taking your Apparating tests yet. We will have to take the long way, for the reason that most of you are not capable of apparating to our destination. Professor Dumbledore and I cannot apparate ourselves there because that would mean leaving you children alone. I don't think we're quite ready for that yet." She looked warily at her 6th year students, then out of the blue, gave a triumphant smile as she held up a document. She had been fumbling through her desk drawers, but finally resulted successful in her hunt for a certain piece of paper. Then, McGonagall tapped the parchment, which resulted in many copies of it. She held the stack before the class while she spoke.
"See this parchment here? This is a permission slip that I will be owling to all of your parents, providing they accept the situation. Except for a select few of you," she looked expectantly at Harry Potter, "your parents will receive this letter within the next 24 hours, and they should mail it back, signed with permission without delay. We will be leaving for the trip on Sunday, and since today is Thursday, you have plenty of time to pack. Speaking of packing, pack a weeks worth of everything you will need. Remember, do not make your luggage too heavy, because you will be carrying it while we make our journey to the 'wild'."
The students had been silent till now, but Lavender Brown raised her hand. She bit her lip worriedly.
"Ms. Brown?"
"Yes. Professor, aren't there any rules for us while we're on this outing?" She and her best friend Parvati Patil, looked horrified at the thought of a week alone with 6th year students who had no boundaries.
"Oh right. I almost forgot!" McGonagall reached over, fumbling with a bottom desk drawer. She returned with a thick booklet, which she passed around to the class.
Groans were heard from every corner of the room, and glares were sent in Lavenders direction, as she sheepishly grinned and helped herself to a booklet.
"Can you believe this?" Ron whispered to Harry, "The opportunities with the ladies that we're going to have?"
Harry grinned at him, then looked automatically at Hermione. Hermione playfully smacked him on the arm, then flipped a page in her notes package.
"Hey Harry…look at this one." she leaned over to show him what she was pointing to. "Number 57: No using this week to engage in inappropriate activities with fellow students."
Harry wasn't interested in looking at Rule Number 57…instead, he focused on Hermione's neckline, trying to remember if she'd ever worn anything this…showy before. When he didn't reply, Hermione followed his eyes. She caught him staring, and immediately and expectedly flushed.
She ignored his protests and pulled in her chair, to get away from Harry. Typical 16 year old boy…
––
A couple of days later, Hermione had gotten over her slight embarrassment with Harry. Permission to go on the trip had been granted, and Hermione was looking forward to finding out who she would be sharing a tent with. She found out on Saturday night, in the Gryffindor Common Room.
Hermione was curled up in an armchair, writing an extracurricular essay for Ancient Runes when Professor McGonagall arrived.
Briskly walking up to a bulletin board that was hung just a little farther than the portrait hole, McGonagall tacked up a long sheet in the center of it.
Hermione watched as a large group of students crowded around it, paying careful attention to their yells.
"IT'S ONE MEMBER FROM EACH HOUSE!"
"OH NO!"
"NOW I CAN'T BE WITH…"
Harry came running back to Hermione, and she jumped up, the essay fell forgotten to the floor.
"What is it, Harry?"
She already knew.
"Mione! We're not going to be in the same tent!"
Hermione closed her eyes and leaned her head back. She knew Harry's eyes had started to wander lately, but he was still one of her best friends and it was simply horrible of the professors not to place them together.
"What about Ron?" Harry shook his head furiously, and continued.
"I'm with Pansy Parkinson from Slytherin," he rolled his eyes, making a disgusted face, "Susan Bones from Hufflepuff, and Roger Hilton from Ravenclaw."
Hermione sighed. "Well, I guess we knew before we wouldn't all be together. Remember McGonagall said it was only 1 person from each house in a tent?"
"So? They can't do this to us, Mione!" Harry cried desperately. Pansy, Susan and Roger all seemed like dull and boring people and he did not want to spend a week with them!
Hermione heaved herself out of her chair, folding her parchment and tucking it away into her book bag. "Suppose I should go and see who I've been stuck with."
Harry nodded briefly before heading off to find Ron.
She pushed her way through the crowd and peered at the lists that lined the wall. Hermione quickly scanned each list for her name. On the 9th list, she found the name Granger. Her heart pounded excitedly in her chest as she skimmed the names. Hers was at the top. Second was Ernie Macmillan from Hufflepuff. She knew him, he was okay. Elise Yeung from Ravenclaw had been in her Ancient Runes class the year before, she was a bright girl. Hermione took a deep breath and braced herself for the next name. The Slytherin. She knew this wouldn't be good.
And she was right.
It was Draco Malfoy.
Leave a review?