Title: The Pairing Hat
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Summary: There is a new hat at Hogwarts - the one that pairs everyone as life partners. Hmm, who will end up with who?
A/N: Due to a high volume of requests, this fic is being continued.
The Pairing Hat
"Welcome everyone to another year at Hogwarts." Greeted Albus Dumbledore. "Before we begin the sorting ceremony for our first years I would like to remind all of you to stray away of the third floor and the Dark Forest which is prohibited to all students." After a few nods, he continued. "I would also like all the sixth and seventh year students to stay behind after the welcoming dinner. The rest of you may go on up to your respected dormitories."
As soon as the headmaster finished his speech, the Great Hall was instantly whispering. After the sorting ceremony and a fabulous meal, by the request of Dumbledore the only once who remained were the sixth and seventh years.
"The reason for why I asked you to stay back tonight will be answered to you shortly. First of all though, I presume you are all aware that due to the Great Wizarding War there is a fast decrease in number of the wizarding population, here in England, not to mention the whole world." More murmurs followed. "It took a lot of effort and research to find the answer to that problem." Dumbledore turned to his fellow colleagues and said, "Professor Snape will explain this more explicitly since this is his area of expertise."
Not wasting any time, the potion master arose from his respected sit and asked the students, "Do any of you know anything about DNA?" Without a second thought, he called out to "Ms. Granger?"
"DNA is sort of a blueprint of what we, humans, are. It was discovered by muggles." Hermione could not help keep the last piece of information to herself.
"Thank you, Ms. Granger." He growled. "Now, DNA makes protein; protein is what the body uses to control the function and structure of all the cells that make up the body, each gene codes for one protein, it is the genes which carry different characteristics, or traits of an organism, such as eye or hair color."
"You asked us to stay back to give us some insignificant Muggle lesson?" Draco Malfoy interrupted from somewhere in the middle of the Slytherin table.
"I would appreciate it, Mr. Malfoy, if you would let me finish before I am forced to take points of my own house."
Fuming in his seat, all Draco could do was nod.
"Now," Snape continued. "DNA for us magical folks is a bit complex. The reason for the decrease in our population, beside the death of so many in the recent war, is the uprising number of squibs that are born into the wizarding families. After years of research and testing we have come to a conclusion that the reason behind it all is that most of us are not properly paired."
Murmurs of outrage flooded the Great Hall.
"If you all are quiet finished so I may continue…?" After a few seconds, the hall was silent. "There are however a few families that have been fortunate enough to have found their proper mates, if you will. Take the Weasley family for example." There was no need to explain farther who the Weasley family was. There red hair was known all too well to all the wizards around. "Arthur and Molly Weasley have been blessed with not one but seven children." Snape looked at the Gryffindor table at the two red heads that were easily detectable from everyone else. "It will be a very long time until their family tree is extinct.
"Most of you have one other sibling here or none at all." He looked pointedly at Draco and Blaise. "Those of you who befall under this category are at higher risk in ending your family line if you are not paired with someone compatible for a life partner." Snape turned back to the headmaster, who in turn nodded.
The headmaster stood up and clapped his hands once. Immediately a stool with a sorting hat appeared. Only this was not their sorting hat. No, this hat looked very elegant and feminine.
"This is a Pairing Hat. It had been retrieved from very far away. I am please to say that you are the first ones to try this hat on. The difference between this hat and our trusting Sorting Hat is that this hat will be only placed on the heads of all the ladies in the sixth and seventh years. Once it is positioned on one's head, it will say the new or the same house and her most suitable candidate she will belong to."
"This is an outrage!" A feminine voice sounded from the Slytherin. Pansy Parkinson got out of her seat. "How can you expect us to agree to this non sense?"
"Thank you for being the first one to volunteer, Ms. Parkinson," growled Snape in disapproval. He could not believe the audacity of his house. "Please step up to try on the hat." When Pansy made no move to obey her head of house, Snape threatened, "Now, Ms. Parkinson or there will be more points deducted from the Slytherin."
Without another word, Pansy stepped over the bench she and her fellow classmates were sitting on, raised her head high and walked down the aisle to the Pairing Hat. Once she reached the headmaster, Dumbledore picked the hat form the stool while holding a scroll with the other hand. He gestured for Pansy to sit in its place.
"Before we begin I would like all the ladies in the room to stand up and just like the first years this evening, please stand in front of this stool to be called upon." After a moment of hesitation, all the girls followed the order. All except for Hermione.
"Ms. Granger," Snape barked. "You aren't exempt from this, even if you are this year's Head Girl. I am sure your name will be called upon."
Ignoring the potion master, Hermione addressed the headmaster. "Professor Dumbledore, after being paired into a house with our respective new candidates, is it our choice to carry out the Pairing Hat's prediction?"
All eyes averted from her to Dumbledore. "Not while you are in this school. Once you are out and decide that you and your respective candidate are not for each other, it is up to you to go your separate ways. But as long as you are under the influence of this school, you will be expected to stay together!" He answered sternly. "Now please, Ms. Granger, take your place in line." Nodding, Hermione walked to the back of the line to stand right next to Ginny. The girls held each other's hands for support.
The Pairing ceremony began. Professor Dumbledore gently placed the Pairing Hat on Pansy's head. Pansy nervously closed her eyes and therefore did not see what was happening. After she heard a collective of feminine gasps, Pansy opened her eyes in confusion. Looking around, her gaze fell on her Slytherin friend, Millicent Bulstrode, who was horrified at what she saw.
"Look at your tie," Millicent mouthed as she pointed a finger to her own.
Skeptically, Pansy looked down at her tie. The colors of her tie were no longer silver and green but red and gold. Instinctively her eye shot to the Gryffindor table. Her heart bit faster than usual and her breath came short and shallow pants. A second after the change of her attire, the Pairing Hat sang: GRYFFINDOR – PANSY WEASLEY!
Another gasp filled the hole. Professor Dumbledore picked up the Pairing Hat from Pansy's head. Not sure whether to refer to the girl as Ms. Parkinson or Ms. Weasley, the headmaster settled on, "Please join Ronald Weasley, Pansy."
Doubtfully nodding, Pansy walked professor to McGonagall who said proudly, "Welcome to the Gryffindor." Ever so slowly, Pansy walked to the only boy with red hair in the whole school and without a word or a glance set in Hermione's old sit, between Ron and Harry.
"Millicent Bulstrode," called Dumbledore to the next girl from the scroll.
A second later, the hat was placed, and a change of attire, the hat screeched, HUFFLEPUFF – MILLICENT FINCH-FLETCHLEY!
And so it went on…
"Hannah Abbott"
RAVENCLAW – HANNAH BOOT!
"Lavender Brown"
SLYTHERIN – LEVENDER FLINT!
"Luna Lovegood"
GRYFFINDOR – LUNA POTTER!
…
…
…
…
"Ginevra Weasley." Dumbledore read after about ten names or so.
Ginny's eyes widened as she looked at Hermione. "I can't do this," she breathed out. "Hermione, I … I just can't."
"Relax, Gin." Hermione said calmly. "Remember what Dumbledore said. This whole none sense will be over as soon as we are out of school."
"Ginevra Weasley." The headmaster read again.
Nodding to Hermione in understanding and putting on the famous Gryffindor courage, Ginny made her way toward the Pairing Hat. Without a moment to spare, Ginny's tie color changed from the bright red and gold to a dull green and silver. The hat sang: SLYTHERIN – GINEVRA ZABINI.
At that moment, Ginny felt like she was going to swoon.
"Please join Blaise Zabini at the Slytherin table Ginny."
Ginny slowly got off the stool and walked to where professor Snape greeted her. "Welcome to the Slytherin." With the acknowledged nod, Ginny tried to locate Blaise. A scant second later a raven-haired boy with piercing indigo eyes stood up. With another nod Ginny walked to the center of the Slytherin table and set on Blaise's right side. Draco was seated on Blaise's left side.
While more names were read from the scroll, Draco turned to Blaise and continued with their conversation as though nothing out of the ordinary is happening. When Ginny stood with Hermione, they would occasionally turn their attention to Malfoy because out of all the male students sitting in the Great Hall, he seemed to be the only one who really did not care what was going on around them. He quit his chatter twice. Once when Pansy was instructed to take a sit on the stool and the second time was when he heard Blaise's last name.
Ginny snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Draco say, "I can't believe that you are paired with the she Weasley. Can't imagine how tough that will be with the red weasel constantly on her back and call." Draco laughed.
Before Ginny or even Blaise could come up with a comeback, they heard: "Hermione Granger."
All the whispering had seized at once. The tension was so thick in the hall that you could cut it with a knife.
"I wonder what poor soul will be paired with the mudblood." Draco said to Blaise under his breath, his eyes never leaving Hermione.
Head held high, Hermione set on the stool and waited for her fate. Once the hat was in place, just like with Ginny, Hermione's tie changed from gold and read to silver and green. Everyone gaped - to think that the queen of the Golden Trio would be paired up with a Slytherin…
SLYTHERIN – HERMIONE MALFOY!
…Not to mention Draco Malfoy.
Once the hat was removed, Hermione looked around. Even the professors seemed shocked. "Hermione, if you please join Draco Malfoy…" said the headmaster.
Hermione felt numb. She wanted to scream and run away and hide as a small child would hide. She raised her head, squared her shoulder and walked proudly to her new house instead.
Draco thought that at that moment Hermione looked like a queen.
TBC?