So, after some helpful critique and an extremely helpful rewrite from cuddlebear992, I have revised Chapter 1. I'm going to do the same with Chapter 2. I'll see where I go from there.
So, this chapter, along with undying gratitude, is dedicated to cuddlebear992
Chapter 1
Draco Malfoy looked up from his book to find the source of the rapping noise. He wasn't surprised to see it had come from an owl outside the window next to his chair. With a flick of his wand, the window opened and the bird alighted to the arm of his chair. Draco took the letter from the owl and it took off back through the open window.
Looking down at his letter, Draco was unsurprised to see it was from Hogwarts. He noticed it was a bit heavier than usual, and when he broke the seal, he was slightly taken aback at the number of sheets of parchment. The past two years, it had been his standard to receive two sheets. This year, that number had doubled. Draco glanced at the first one, noting the new books he would need. He'd send the family servant for those tomorrow. The second, as he predicted, reminded him that he was still a prefect and listed his duties. He put both these letters aside, and picked up the two new letters.
Neither was a surprise to him. The first one said that he had been chosen to be the new Slytherin Quidditch Captain. He'd been expecting it, but still felt pleased as he held his new, gleaming Captain's badge in his hand. He was a natural choice. All but four of the players had graduated the previous year. He was one of three seventh years. Crabbe and Goyle were the others, but no one would pick either of the blundering idiots as captain, and Harper was younger and only a reserve player. He was an obvious choice.
What wasn't as obvious to him was who would be Gryffindor's Quidditch Captain. They were his only real competition. Saint Potter surely would not be coming to school this year, not after Dumbledore's death. Instead, he guessed the little Weasley girl might get it. Though Draco would never say it out loud, he thought she was actually a very good player. He'd have to watch out for her this year.
Shaking off those thoughts, he set aside the Captain's badge and picked up the last letter. This too contained a badge. Before even reading the letter, Draco noted with satisfaction that he had been made Head Boy. Again, he was an obvious choice. Had Dumbledore been alive, he may have chosen Potter. Thankfully, that was no longer an issue. No one in their right mind would make Weasley Head Boy, and Ernie MacMillan and Anthony Goldstein were non-entities. Head Boy was his, guaranteed especially since Snape had been named Headmaster.
Ugh, Snape, the only downside to being Head Boy. He had been hoping to get away from him at school, seeing how frequent a guest at the manor he had been this summer. Now it looked like he would have to spend more time with him. Draco decided that he could deal with that since he was compensated by getting new rooms. The Head's dormitory was set up like a two bedroom, two bath flat. He'd finally have some privacy.
As he fantasized about his new living quarters, Draco stood up and began to get ready for bed. As he shut the window, he realized that he was going to have to share a common living space with the Head Girl. He pondered who that might be. A natural choice would be Granger, a thought which made him cringe. Seeing her in class was bad enough, but living with her? Malfoy shuddered at the thought. If he was lucky, maybe she'd be killed before start of term. More likely, she'd go into hiding like all the other mudbloods. Good riddance. With Granger out of the way, Padma Patil, Hannah Abbott, and Pansy were the other top choices.
Of the three, Draco supposed he'd despised Patil the least. He didn't know much about her, but she was pretty, and there was no spoken enmity between them. Hannah Abbott didn't have the nerve to be Head Girl. He remembered back in their O.W.L. year how she'd been the first to be sent to the hospital wing for a calming draft. The memory made him laugh. His smile quickly disappeared though as he realized that Pansy was still a contender. Surely, even Snape wasn't idiot enough to pick her. He'd rather spend extra time with Snape than spend any more time with Pansy.
Rubbing his temples to combat the ensuing headache, Draco got into bed. One more year, he thought, one more year and I'll be done.
After all the dishes had been done, Ginny made her way up to her small room. In her hand she held the Hogwarts letter that had arrived that afternoon. With all the wedding preparations for Bill and Fleur, she hadn't had a chance to read it. The Delacours were coming tomorrow and she had had to change the sheets four times based on her mother's whims. Exhausted, she sank onto her bed and opened the letter, careful not to break the seal. She collected them. She had ever since Bill got his first letter. Reluctantly, she got up to put the seal in her box with the others, which had, albeit illegally, performed a cooling charm on. Collapsing onto her bed, she opened the envelope and took out the single letter inside.
Not many books this year, she thought, noting that only Standard Book of Spells, Grade 6 was listed. She made a not to search Ron's room after the trio set off. Hermione's book would be in far better condition, but getting a book from her was like trying to take a ferret from Buckbeak. Her second choice for books would have been Harry, but he wasn't fool enough to lug all his books with him.
Tossing the letter aside, Ginny pulled Harry's old Captain's badge out of her pocket. Earlier that day, Harry had given it to her, not only as a keepsake, but also as an invitation to take over his position. She had hoped that someone would realize that he wasn't coming back this year and would have sent her a new badge that was just hers. It didn't seem as anyone had though as Harry's letter told him he was Captain again.
Ginny was not looking forward to her sixth year. Even though she had gotten O.W.L.s in all her subjects –the first to so since Percy, a fact which had been overlooked with Mad Eye's death and the looming wedding –she was not looking forward to classes. Harry had dumped her "for her own good" at the end of last term, and wouldn't even be there as friend for her this year. He was also taking Ron and Hermione from her. Add to that Snape's being declared Headmaster and that, most likely, that snot Malfoy had been made Head Boy, well, there was no way this year would be any good.
Extinguishing her light without even bothering to change, she curled under her blanket. Two more years, I just have to make it two more years.
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