Severed
Chapter 1:Clenched.
A/N – this story takes place in the 6h year at Hogwarts. Harry and Ron aren't main characters, as I would like them not to play an important role in the plot. They are hunting hulcruxes, and will be here for months at a time. - read and review please.
July 23rd – only a few more days until she could go to Hogwarts. She took a minute to open the roll of parchment settled on the bed, next to her schoolbooks.
The chilly air from the window barely played a role in the feeling that was settling in Hermione Granger's stomach. Her hands trembled, and a chill ran down her spine as her eyes adjusted to focus on the roll of parchment before her.
We are pleased to inform you, you have been chosen to become a prefect.
Hermione's insides shivered from these few words, and a slight blush came to her cheeks.
Inside the parchment was a shiny, purple badge, with the letter P engraved on it.
She hesitated for a moment before picking it up.
She fingered the smooth badge, and hastily placed it inside a white envelope along with the parchment.
Getting out her school trunk, she began to go through the many school books she would need for this term. Just as she was beginning to reread Defense Against The Dark Arts: Year 5, a gray tawny owl swooped in her window, and landed next to her on the bed.
Hermione gave a startled jump, and reached over to untie the packages tied to the owl's leg. She noted the owl was from the Hogwarts Owlery.
There was a brown paper bag, and a blue box, small enough for a ring to fit in.
Hermione sat on her ready made bed, and began to open the brown paper bag, wondering what could be inside.
Inside was a letter, from Hogwarts:
Dear Ms. Granger,
Congratulations on making 5th year prefect, we expect great things from who is surely the "brightest witch of her age"
The one other prefect in 5th year, is Mr. Draco Malfoy.
Please take the time to go over the new school passageways, and dining schedules.
Sincerely yours,
Professor McGonogall.
Hermione froze. Sweat dewed on the back of her neck. She must have imagined those words. How could this be? Malfoy... a prefect?
She racked her brain for any signs of intellect from her despised schoolmate.
Yes, she had seen him read occasionally last year, and she assumed he did his homework since they mostly had the same classes together.
A slight wave of nausea crept over her. They mostly had the same classes together.
What if they had the same classes again this year?
Hermione did not know what to think. Only that it would be a very interesting year. She was determined to make the best of it, and work out things with Malfoy, no matter how hard a beating her pride would take.
Hermione was only slightly aware that she hadn't opened the blue box yet.
Her eyes burned, from the new information she was currently receiving, and trying to process.
Draco. Malfoy. The Pureblood.
Hermione did not know what to think, as she opened the small blue box next to her.
Inside, held a key. Her key. Hermione picked it up, loving the spark of curiosity that was held in the small object.
Under the key, was another letter, presumably from Hogwarts.
This key is to your living quarters, just past the prefects' bathroom.
Your living quarters will have a master bedroom, a normal sized bedroom, a kitchen, and a sitting area.
Mr. Malfoy's room will be down the hall, in front of the prefects' bathroom.
Take care, Ms. Granger.
Hermione frowned as she read the letter. Malfoy was close. Too close. Just passed the bathroom.
She would make sure to avoid him as best she could.
She couldn't help the excitement that cursed through her as she rubbed her finger over the golden P engraved on the key. Thinking for a moment, she reached over to her nightstand, and grabbed a roll of string. She cut off a piece, and shimmied the key through it, so it hung in the middle.
Tying the string in the back, she placed it over her head, so it hung gently on her chest, over her golden curls.
She smiled to herself, pleased with her work. She yawned, and looked at the time, nearly 2 hours had gone by since she had received the news that she was made a prefect, but it felt so much longer.
Changing quickly into her pajamas, she drifted towards her pillow, knowing it was much too early to fall asleep, but didn't care.
She fell asleep instantly.
Hermione awoke a few hours later, bewildered by the dark. "accio wand" she whispered, as her wand flew into her hand.
"lumos" she muttered. The wand instantly lighted.
Hermione waved the wand around, looking for a clock.
3:43 the digital clock on her nightstand read.
Hermione stretched, and got out of bed, not entirely sure what she was planning to do, at nearly four in the morning.
She settled for a relaxing bath.
Grabbing her fuzzy red bathrobe, she shuffled towards the bathroom. Dropping her clothes on the ground, Hermione eased herself into the bathtub, setting the water to hot.
She ran her hands through her light brown curls, rubbing the raspberry shampoo through her scalp.
She smiled blissfully, before reaching up to turn on the radio, letting the soft music fill her head.
She felt more relaxed than she had felt all week.
Summer was a pest, especially for Hermione.
After her relaxing bath, Hermione wrapped herself in her bathrobe, and made for the living room, with the intentions of owling Harry and Ron, explaining to them about her predicament.
She sent off the letters, and ran her fingers through her curls.
Hermione smiled to herself. Her hair usually had a mind of it's own, and couldn't be tamed.
Running a brush through her hair, she did a quick drying spell, and pulled a jumper, and soft blue jeans on.
She then realized what she had to do, but it didn't make it any easier. She hesitated for a moment, wondering what she could say. Usually, she was good with words, but this next task left her utterly bewildered.
She pulled out a third role of Parchment, and began writing, thinking carefully about how she could say this.
Dear Malfoy,
Draco had just received word that he had become a prefect.
But so did Hermione Granger.
He shuddered, thinking about having to see the mudblood on a daily basis. That meant arguing multiple times a day. That meant seeing Weasley and Potter.
Draco rubbed his temple, as he thought of the next year with Granger. Of course he was proud he'd became a prefect. He could only imagine what his father would have gotten him. He snickered to himself as he thought about Granger's expression when she'd found out he had become a prefect.
He'd bet she didn't know he read almost as much as she did, or that he already had his transfiguration essays done for the next two months.
No, she didn't know any of this.
And that was the best part.
He didn't have time to mull over this, as a brown owl emerged in his window, and flew onto his bed.
Feeling bewildered, Draco untied the package, and opened it up.
Inside, were 3 letters.
He opened the first, and noticed it was from Granger.
His nose wrinkled in confusion, but began to read anyway, noticing her neat cursive handwriting.
Dear Malfoy,
I have just received word that you have also been made a prefect along with myself. I find it appropriate to congratulate you, and, more importantly, to ask for something.
We both dislike each other, I understand this, and although I would love to hex you into oblivion, I would like to get along with you. I understand we can't forget all the prejudices that we've had, but I'd rather move past it, and focus on being good examples of character and morals.
We both have to discuss the schedules, so I propose we meet at The Three Broomsticks, at 4:00 tonight.
Need I remind you, we are prefects. It is time to put our silly differences past us, and be mature.
So be there.
From,
Hermione Granger.
Draco, for reasons unknown, smiled as he read the cold, but Hermione- sounding letter.
He would go. He would not enjoy it, but he was willing to be mature, and not fight. As much as he hated to admit it, she was right.
They were prefects.
Draco looked at the time – 1:30.
He quickly wrote back, and sent off his owl.
Getting up to take a shower, he promised himself he would be mature, and worthy of being a prefect.
But he couldn't promise about the rest of the year.
Hermione felt a flash of worry as she sent her owl off for Malfoy's.
The letter had taken her almost an hour to write, and another hour to send.
She had no idea why she should be so worried, but it caused her stomach to clench painfully.
After she'd sent the letter, she made herself a cup of cocoa, and sat down with a book to read, to calm her nerves.
Half an hour later, her owl Kavya was screeching at her window.
Her stomach clenched painfully, and she ran to grab the letter.
Taking a deep breath before she continued, she began to open the letter.
Inside, were two simple words.
Alright Granger.
Hermione tried not to dwell on those two words, and glanced at the clock, it read 3:00
Taking a quick shower to calm her pulse, Hermione began to mull over the awkwardness of seeing her schoolmate.
She debated over what to wear, then settled onto black trousers with a brown turtleneck.
She left the house at a quarter to 4:00.