Chapter One
Hermione leaned her head against the glass window of the Ministry car that Mr. Weasley had borrowed, watching the buildings flash past her. It was September 1st, and the Burrow had been filled with the usual bedlam as everyone hurried to get to King's Cross on time. Harry and Ron were next to her, Pig's and Hedwig's cages squashed between them as they bickered about Quidditch strategies.
Closing her eyes, Hermione felt herself slipping into sleep. A pair of bright, ocean-blue eyes drifted across her mind, framed with freckles and shocking red hair. As usual, this image gave Hermione a warm, tingly feeling inside. She had grown quite fond of Ron over the summer, to her own surprise. Then the blue darkened; familiar, glittering black eyes taking it's place, with thick black hair and a sheepish smile. The face of the Bulgarian Quidditch player hadn't crossed Hermione's thoughts for a while now. She felt another warm tickle wash through her body. Yes, she was used to that, too. He was, after all, Viktor Krum. She assumed it would end here, as she hadn't shown preference to any other guy in her life, but the dark eyes lightened again, changing into silver grey surrounded by strands of platinum blonde and a smirk. A wave of warmth spread through her body, her heart thumped just a bit faster and her stomach flipped.
Hermione's own eyes flew open as she gasped.
"Really!" she muttered to herself, rubbing her chest, "Don't be absurd, Hermione, that was not Mal - "
"Hermione?" asked Ron, a worried expression on his face. "Are you alright?"
Harry's emerald orbs peered at her, filled with concern. Hermione's cheeks flushed.
"Er, yes, of course I'm all right!" she snapped back quickly, regaining her head. She closed her eyes and leaned against the window again, not hearing Harry and Ron's mumbled replies.
Soon, they reached King's Cross and the trio quickly unloaded their car, waiting for the rest of the Weasley's to turn up. When they did, everything afterwards seemed to pass by quickly as Mrs. Weasley ushered them all onto Platform Nine and Three Quarters, hugging each goodbye as the scarlet train rumbled impatiently on the tracks.
Before the trio and Ginny boarded the train, a familiar voice addressed them. Or one of them, at least.
"Hermown-ninny?"
Hermione spun around.
"Viktor?" Surprise saturated her tone. "What are you doing here?"
"Vell, after Karkaroff left 'is post as 'Eadmaster, my parents decided it vas best for me to transfer to 'Ogwarts. The new 'Eadmaster vos not very good," he gave a lopsided grin, "It is not that bad, you see, 'Ogwarts is much varmer than Durmstrang."
Hermione gaped at him, and she was not alone. Ron's ears turned red. Closing her mouth, she began to say, "That's - that's wonderful Viktor."
She couldn't say anymore after that as a swarm of shrieking girls covered him.
"I will see you later, Hermown-ninny?" he said over the screaming.
"Of course, Viktor," she said in an uncharacteristically high voice. "Come on, Ron!" she hissed under her breath.
Together with Ginny, she tugged at Ron until he stumbled backwards onto the train. Hermione's brain was still in shock, but she pushed her thoughts aside as she helped Harry look for a compartment.
Hermione found herself dragging her trunk along the cramped hallways of the train, finally finding a vacant compartment. Harry, Hermione, and Ginny settled themselves onto the plush scarlet seats as Ron poked Owl Treats through Pig's and Hedwig's cages, muttering to himself, (about Krum, no doubt).
Not long after, the four felt the train begin to move, picking up speed. Hermione extracted The Standard Book of Spells Grade 7 from her trunk as Harry, Ron, and Ginny set up the cards for Exploding Snap. She heard their voices, most likely discussing Krum's appearance, but she didn't pay too much attention, just the occasional nodding her head and mhmm's . As she became really absorbed in her book, there was a sharp rap on the door that broke her stupor.
Harry, being the closest, reached up to open it. A skinny fifth year boy appeared with a shiny Prefects' badge gleaming on his chest.
"Miss Hermione Granger?" he said, with an air of importance to his voice that very much resembled Percy, Ron's older brother.
Hermione looked at him. He cleared his throat, obviously feeling awkward now as everyone trained their eyes on him.
"You're needed in the Heads' compartment."
"Of course," Hermione said kindly to him. He flushed before clearing his throat again and leaving. Hermione vaguely thought she heard Ron mutter "Stupid boy, first Krum, now him" under his breath, but she brushed it aside.
"Why're you needed there?" Harry asked, just as the cards gave a great bang! and exploded.
"I've been appointed Head Girl, remember?"
"Oh, right," Harry replied, and Hermione smiled. She set her book down, stepped around Ginny, (who was re-organizing the cards and preparing them for another game), and slid open the door.
"Good luck," Ron mumbled.
"Bye." Shutting the door carefully behind her, she dodged enchanted paper airplanes and hyper second years. The Heads' compartment was all the way at the end of the train.
She stood in front of the door, breathing in a deep breath before sliding it open. An owl was perched on the seat, staring up at her with it's huge eyes. An envelope lay next to it with Hermione Granger engraved on the front in gold calligraphy.
Carefully breaking the seal, she slid the heavy parchment out of it and opened up the letter.
Dear Miss Granger,
As you've recieved our letter this summer, you have been chosen to be Hogwart's Head Girl. This is a significant position and we hope that you will take it seriously. As you know, all the professors at Hogwarts are already at the school, preparing for the coming year, so I'm hoping this letter will do in my place. Your Head badge will be given to you by your Head of House, we have not sent it out to you like your Prefects' badge. We are hoping you will consent to the Heads' agreement before you attain your badge. I request that you be in my office before the feast. Congratulations on making the Head title, and I will see you very soon.
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Hermione wondered who the Head Boy would be, and decided the most eligible person would be Ernie McMillian. He was rule-abiding and bookwormish, the perfect candidate. She slipped the letter back into the envelope, tucked it into her robes, bent down to pet the owl's head and turned, heading back to her compartment with Harry, Ron, and Ginny.
When the threstral-drawn carriages reached Hogwart's entrance, Hermione quickly bid her friends goodbye and headed up to McGonagall's office. She stood in front of the wooden door, straightened her robes, ran her hands through her hair, and knocked.
"Come in," came the familiar, severe voice.
"Good evening, Professor McGonagall."
"Good evening, Miss Granger. Please have a seat while we wait for the Head Boy to show up."
Hermione sat in one of the straight-backed wooden chairs facing McGonogall's desk.
"Who exactly is the Head Boy, Profes - ?" Before Hermione could finish her question, she was interrupted by a loud, rude knock.
"Come in," McGonagall said, she appeared to be straining to keep her voice even and polite.
A flash of blonde appeared at the doorway, and then Hermione found herself sitting next to Draco Malfoy.
"What the bloody hell - !?" she yelped.
"Miss Granger!" McGonagall interjected sharply, "Please watch your language."
Hermione felt her cheeks heat up. "I'm sorry, Professor." A pause. "But is Malfoy here to deliver a message?"
"Message?" Draco scoffed, "I'm Head Boy, Granger."
"Head - head what?"
"Boy." Draco smirked at her appalled expression. "Is your hearing all right?"
"I thought that the Head Boy would be Ernie! " Hermione said indignantly without thinking.
"Ernie," Draco sneered, "Is he your boyfriend? Well I'll tell you, he is an ostentatious, goody tw - "
"That's enough, Mister Malfoy!" McGonagall said. "You two will learn to tolerate each other. You must set an example to the rest of the school. Believe you me, this arrangement was not decided by myself. Professor Dumbledore insisted that this was a good idea." Her expression clearly showed that she disagreed.
Draco's scowl morphed suspiciously into a pleasant smile, "I'll behave if Granger does, Professor."
Hermione glared at him. This was going to be a horrible year.
A/N: Don't worry, this won't be a cliche Draco-is-Head-Boy-Hermione-is-Head-Girl-they-bicker-and-then-fall-in-love fic. I believe the biggest clue is the summary to this story and Hermione's dream in the beginning. Please review! :) Feedback is very welcomed. I've gone back and edited this again, hopefully it's better. Sorry if I seem like I'm stumbling over myself trying to type this out, I got this idea in the middle of third period during school, and I was just itching to get it all out before it disappeared.