A/N: Hey everyone! I'm getting into my HP fetish, so here it goes! I'm
also going to start a pattern in my chapter title...try and
guess what it is!
Chapter 1: A Thousand Miles
Draco Malfoy rode silently on the Hogwarts Express for his final year
at the school. Crabbe and Goyle, as usual, had followed
him and were in the same train car, eating away on the dessert cart
that had just past by. Draco's eyes wandered across
the plains outside his window, wishing he could be out their instead.
He sighed, and closed his eyes, trying to forget what had happened over
the
summer...
~*~*~*~
Hermione was quite upbeat about the coming year. She was with her 2
best friends, was Head Girl, and things couldn't get much
better. She joked and laughed as Ron made fun of professor Snape and
Filch. She sighed as she sank back in her chair and nibbled on
a chocolate frog.
"Hermione," Ron said to her, "You going to take it easy this year?"
"Ron, don't bother. It's like asking Malfoy to be nice," Harry budded in.
Surprisingly, Hermione said, "Maybe. I already have a internship at
the Ministry. I think I can concentrate on my Head Girl
duties."
"Oh, that's right. On top of her academic perfect record, she's Head Girl too!" Ron said sarcastically.
"Oh, cut it out," Hermione said, throwing a Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans. Ron caught it ate it, "Coffee!"
"Oh Ron!" Hermione sighed laughing.
I wonder who the Head Boy is, she thought, turning to the window to look at the landscape.
~*~*~*~
The students at Hogwarts piled out of the train. Harry, Ron, and Hermione
waved to Hagrid as they stepped out. Hagrid
approached them, almost stepping on a group of timid 1st years.
"Hey 'Arry. Mornin' Ron," then it seemed he paid extra attention to Hermione as he said, "Lookin' lovely, as usual, Hermione."
"Hi Hagrid," Hermione said smiling, "Catch any new dragons over the summer?"
Their minds flashed back their first year when they found Norbert, the Norwegian Ridgeback.
"No, nothin' yet," then Hagrid paused, as if he remembered something.
"Congrats on your prefect spots boys! And congratulations on becomin' 'Ead Girl!"
"Thanks," they all replied.
"Sorry, Hagrid, but we gotta go," Ron said, noticing the direction of the crowd heading towards the Great Hall
"See you later!" Harry called over his shoulder as they left.
~*~*~*~
Draco didn't have anyone to greet. No one from the other houses congratulated
him on becoming Head Boy, only Pansy
Parkinson recognized him. He sighed as he watched students from Hogwarts
greet each other. Girls were hugging their long
time best friends, boys were chatting about the latest Quidditch matches.
Draco silently envied them. The boy who had
everything: good looks, money, popularity, didn't have any friends.
He didn't have anything to wake up for.
The student body somehow managed to make it's way into the Great Hall,
and they all took their places at their House tables. Draco
looked over to the Gryffindor table, hoping to see that Harry Potter
wasn't there. But he was, him and his 2 friends, Hermione
Granger and Ron Weasley. Ron stills looked like his usual self, tall,
red hair, and freckles. But Hermione looked different. She
had straighter hair, smaller teeth, and had applied makeup that made
her look something like a model. Draco stared at her
for a moment as if nothing else existed in the universe. But then he
realized what he was doing and quickly snapped out of it.
Then an annoying voice entered his ear:
"What's the matter, Drakie?" Pansy cooed. He wanted to bat her away
like a fly, but he shifted his position so that
she couldn't reach him so easily.
"Welcome to Hogwarts!" Dumbledore boomed, suddenly silencing the crowd.
The student burst into cheering
and applause. He waited for them to die down and continue:
"First years must note that the dark Forest is strictly off limits,
for anyone that goes there will suffer a most horrific death,"
Dumbledore said. The first years consequently fell silent after they
heard that.
"Now let the feast begin!" he continued, and almost immediately, huge
plates of food appeared in front of them. As usual,
Ron's eyes bugged out of his head in excitement.
"But before we begin, let me introduce our Head Boy and Head Girl! Dumbledore
motioned for them to stand up, "Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger!"
Draco stood up and thought, Why her?!
~*~*~*~
Why him?! Hermione demanded in her head. She was blushing furiously,
as Ron and Harry were laughing hysterically,
desperate to cover their amused faces. She sat down as fast as humanly
possible, only to face more laughing from the Gryffindor
table.
"Wow Hermione," Pavati said chirping in. Hermione desperately wanted
her to go away. "I don't know HOW tradition is going to
set in this year."
"What tradition?" Hermione asked. She was afraid to find out.
Ron's ears went pink. He knew what it was. Pavati gave her a "get-real"
look and said, "Don't you know? Like every year, the
Head Boy and Head Girl always get married!"
"Ooh, how ROMANTIC!" Ron swooned sarcastically. He pretended to faint, and had Harry catch him in his arms.
"You two," Hermione scowled furiously. Then she focused her attention
on her steak and mashed potatoes, trying to avoid the
ridicules of the members at her table.
~*~*~*~
After the feast, the Head Boy and Head Girl followed Professor McGongall
to their bedrooms. They followed the aged woman
down a hallway lined with portraits of the same four people, probably
Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw,
Hermione thought.
There finally was one door at the end of the hallway, donning yet another portrait of the 4 founders.
"Good evening!" Ravenclaw greeted.
"How are you?" Hufflepuff asked.
"Not too bad I hope?" Slytherin asked.
"Take care!" Gryffindor said.
"As one of your duties," McGonagall said, " you shall be picking the password for your dormitory."
Dormitory? Not dormitories? Draco asked himself.
"We WILL be having separate rooms, Professor?" Draco asked.
"Yes, and satin pillows," Hermione added sarcastically.
"Satin pillows it is then," Draco said, "our password is 'satin pillows.'"
"Oh VERY nice," Hermione sneered.
"Ha!" Gryffindor scoffed, "He got you their!"
Never knew Gryffindor was such a prick, Hermione thought.
The door swung open, and Hermione's breath was taken away with the lavish
decorating of the dormitory, or moreover,
apartment. The den had mahogany walls, decorated with famous paintings...the
Mona Lisa, and other famous Renaissance
paintings. There was a cozy fireplace, surrounded by plump armchairs
and a couch. Draco immediately plopped himself on the
couch and made himself comfortable.
"I'll leave you to your rooms," McGonagall said, nodding out of the room.
"Wow," Hermione breathed. She opened the door that had a gold plaque
reading "DM," and gazed at the room. It had dark blue walls and had a
ceiling that you could look at the stars through.
"This would be MY room," Draco said, squeezing through.
"Sorry..." she said, staring at the ceiling.
"If you mind, I'd like to unpack," he said.
Hermione quickly snapped out of it and ducked out. She opened the door
to the bathroom that was in between the two
bedrooms. A picture of a waterfall in Hawaii hung over the toilet.
Hermione laughed to herself and closed the door. She
opened her room and nearly fell down from shock and amazement.
The ceiling was the Dark Forest, right in the middle of a unicorn clan.
She saw a mother unicorn curl up beside her child
unicorn as they fell asleep. She finally tore herself away and saw
her bed: huge and definitely plump. Her walls were painted
with a soft color, and her things were stacked neatly on her bed.
They both unpacked in their rooms. Hermione changed into her pajamas,
and headed into the den to read. Soon enough
Draco came out, but with different disposition on his face.
"Look, Granger, I've been thinking."
"Wow," Hermione said, pretending to be fascinated.
"Look, we have to live together for the year, so we at least need to be civil to each other."
"I agree."
"Hell, we might even have to be friends, depending on what Dumbledore
has in store for us, so we better start off on the right
foot."
"Okay then," Hermione said.
There was an awkward silence, and then Draco finally said, "Well, good night."
"Good night, Draco."
"Good night...Hermione." He said, staring at her for a moment then going to his room.
Hermione sighed and continued reading, I'm surprised he knew my first name! Maybe things WILL be different...