Authors Note: Hey people, so here is the first chapter of the newly written M for Masquerade now simply called The Masquerade. Hope you all enjoy and like the changes I'm making. Also this story will not be in any character specific point of view but will follow Hermione as the main character.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter series and really would like to stop admitting it because it makes me sad...
Hermione Granger sat by the window in the library staring at the grounds of Hogwarts a look of confusion on her face wondering where on earth Dumbledore got the idea to have Hogwarts host a Masquerade Ball as a way to promote 'inter-house unity'. She leant her head against the cool glass of the window and let out a sigh, it wasn't the dancing that was stressing her out, it was the issue of dates, who on earth was going to ask her to a dance?
"Mione!" Hermione's head shot of the glass as she heard her name being called, she looked over to see Parvati Patil rushing towards her with a grin on her face. Hermione managed not to groan too loudly and put a fake smile on her face as the girl approached her, she really wasn't in the mood for Parvati's giggling.
"Hey Parvati, How are you today?" Hermione asked politely.
"Who cares how I am! Didn't you hear the news?" Parvati asked breathlessly as she threw herself into the chair across from Hermione's.
"What news? Please say it's not something else about that stupid ball..."Hermione said leaning back into her chair the smile falling slowly from her face.
"Of course it's about the ball! Why would it be about anything else' Parvati exclaimed obviously not understanding Hermione's indifference to the ball 'They're providing us with our own costumes so we don't have to worry about buying our own! Obviously we get a choice of what we get to wear but at least now we don't have to worry about spending a fortune on our costumes"
"Yeah that was my biggest worry at this very moment" Hermione muttered turning her gaze back out the window to stare at the storm clouds that were slowly descending on the castle. Parvati for the first time seemed to notice that her friend was no in the best spirits.
"What wrong Mione? Aren't you excited for the ball? It's going to be so much fun!" Hermione turned her head towards her friend seeing the excitement shining in her eyes.
"I'm sure it will be amazing Parvati, I'm stressing about the... potions essay that's due this week" she said making up a lie on the spot; she wasn't going to ruin her friends excitement just because she was not looking forward to the ball.
"Oh please Mione! You're the brightest witch in our year, you'll get the highest mark on the essay and rub it in our faces and you'll feel much better!' Parvati said laughing. 'However I do have news that probably more interesting to you then the ball."
Parvati leaned towards Hermione as if to tell her a secret and Hermione couldn't lie to herself, the look on Parvati's face peaked her interest.
"Apparently...' Parvati said slowly drawing out her news 'They're going to be picking two students to be Head of each year, apparently the prefects haven't been doing enough to control the students so they need a little bit more help."
Hermione looked at Parvati in shock and her friend shot her a look of triumph before standing up and walking away leaving Hermione to her thoughts with a little wave of goodbye.
Hermione immediately started to think about who would be picked, obviously she was one of the smartest choices with her high grades and she was already a prefect so they knew she could keep control of students. She shook her head as if to rid herself of the thoughts running through her brain, she didn't get chosen for much else so why would she be chosen for this?
Hermione sat at the Gryffindor table with her best friends Harry Potter and Ron Weasley on either side of her, staring moodily at her dessert wishing Dumbledore would hurry up and announce who the Heads of each year were so she could hurry up and get to bed, all this stress was tiring her out. She looked up as Dumbledore rose gracefully from his seat and began his announcement.
"Good evening students, Now I know your all anxious to hear who has been chosen to lead each of your years and I promise to leave you all in suspense, but to those of you who are chosen head my words' Dumbledore paused and let his gaze wander across the Hall 'this is a serious position not to be taken lightly and not for the faint hearted, it comes with a lot of responsibility. Now onto the announcement, from the first year we have Janelle Pare from Ravenclaw and James Smith from Hufflepuff, from second year the two students chosen are Gregory Palma of Ravenclaw and Anjali Warland of Slytherin and from the third year we have Jaime Meadows from Slytherin and Jacob Flame of Gryffindor. A round of applause to the Heads of the younger years of Hogwarts' Dumbledore lead the applause as each of the chosen students rose out of the seats and waved at their fellow peers. 'From the fourth year Samantha Black from Ravenclaw and David Ranfire from Slytherin, the choices from the fifth year is Ginerva Weasley from Gryffindor and Anthony Cekes from Hufflepuff, from the sixth year Hermione Granger from Gryffindor' Dumbledore had to pause for a moment as a cheer grew from the Gryffindor table and Hermione let out a sigh of relief as she grinned at her best friends 'and Draco Malfoy from Slytherin' the grin fell from Hermione's face as the rest of Dumbledore's speech faded away. Hermione sat ram rod in her seat hardly believing what she had heard, how could this happen to her? She finally got the recognition she was looking for, but she had to share it with Draco Malfoy... sometimes life just isn't fair.
Hermione rose slowly from her seat as Dumbledore led the round of applause for the Heads of the higher years of Hogwarts, but the moment she was back in her seat her head was in her hands, trying to block out what had happened to her in the last few minutes. She was knocked out of her wishing by the sound of hundreds of students getting to their feet and making their way from the Hall, rushing to her feet Hermione began to make the trek back to Gryffindor tower wanting nothing more but to get to her bed and forget this night ever happened.
"Ah Mione, where are you going" Hermione looked back to find Ron looking at her with a confused expression on his face.
"Gryffindor tower" Hermione explained as if it was obvious.
"Dumbledore asked the Heads to come up to the staff table, something about 'special accommodation for those who have so much responsibility'" Harry said nodding towards the staff table where all the other Heads of each year were beginning to congregate. Hermione stifled a groan as she began to make her way to the front of the hall.
"Ah since our last Head Miss Granger has joined us I can begin' Dumbledore said smiling in Hermione's direction as she felt a faint blush grace her cheeks. 'As heads of each of your respective years you will be assisting the prefects with controlling the students, however this means that those of you who were already prefects can no longer perform your prefect duties and will be replaced.' Hermione gasped at this, she knew being Head of her year was a big responsibility and honour but being a prefect had been so important to her 'Also as you will have extra work you will have the need for privacy, because of this we are giving you private dormitories to share with your partner. Your belongings have already been moved into your new rooms and guides will be here in a moment. Good night and I hope you all settle easily into your new rooms"
Hermione stared in shock as Dumbledore walked gracefully out of the hall leaving each of the new Heads looking at each other in shock, the one thought that was screaming in Hermione head was how on earth was she going to survive living with Draco Malfoy?
Authors Note: So a little earlier then I originally finished the first chapter but since this is a heck of a lot longer than the original first chapter I think you'll forgive me. So hope you enjoyed it, I myself aren't too sure that it's great quality but I'll leave that up to you to decide. Reviews are amazing and keep me writing so review away!