IF I CAN'T HAVE YOU
Chapter one: Welcome to Hell, Mudblood
Hermione Granger sat almost slouching in the swiveling armchair in front of the headmistress' desk. It was dead silent with the exception of the annoying tick-tocking of the clock. The previous headmasters and Headmistress's snoring in the frames were the rooms only other occupants. She eventually gave up and placed her feet up and sighed. The air she had exhaled blew the lose tendrils off of her face and returned to hiding her Carmel eyes. She brushed it out of her eyes. She had been summoned here at 6 a.m. which was fine for Hermione seeing as she was a morning person, but she'd been at the ministry till 2 a.m. She wondered where McGonagall was and why she had been called here. Didn't Minerva know that she was in the middle of landing the job of a lifetime as Head of Law Enforcement in the new Ministry? Seconds ticked by, minutes rolled by, hours slipped by and still Hermione sat waiting. She glanced at the clock it was now 9:45. She had lost count of how many times she had looked at the circular device hanging on the wall. Three hours, forty-five minutes… She thought, twirling a lock of her semi-wavy faded hazel hair around her finger. It had finally been tamed over time, and with a little help from Ginny's cure a simple spell that Ginny had discovered in "Witch Weekly". Fifteen more minutes… She thought thoroughly frustrated.
The sound of the gargoyle springing to life put some sense into the half asleep young woman and she put her feet down and straightened her shoulders as the door swung open.
She examined her fingernails not even bothering to turn around, "You're late."
"A Malfoy is never late, everyone else is simply early, especially if it is a meeting which was not planned by one," a voice came from behind her, almost knocking her off the chair.
She spun the chair around to see the person she'd thought she'd never see again (aside from Voldamort of course), "You!" She accused rising to her feet.
Minerva sighed, "The trial took longer than I had expected, sorry to make you wait Miss Granger."
"What's he doing here?" She spat.
The slender form shook the blond hair out of his stormy-grey eyes, "You know Mudblood I am right here, and I thought miss savior of the world had better sense then to talk to your superiors like that."
"Well then Draco Ferret Malfoy, what's your bloody explanation?" She shot back, "oh and make it quick, I have a meeting at the Ministry to see if I am the next Head of Law Enforcement or not."
"Both of you shut it!" McGonagall snapped, and the two turned to the worn out old woman.
"Sorry," they chorused looking in opposite directions.
"I called you both here to inform you that both of your educations are incomplete, you both have to complete one final year, or face the consequences of unemployment later." She began.
"And we're here because…" Malfoy prompted leaning forward folding his slender fingers in a business fashion propping his elbows on her desk.
Hermione bit her lip and leaned back, it hit her why she was there, and now having her former professor confirm what might have been her greatest school-girl dream she wasn't exactly sure she wanted it anymore.
"I am telling you this because you are this years Heads," McGonagall finished.
"You got to be kidding me," Malfoy said as if he had been told a pathetic joke, leaning back.
She looked over at him, "I don't think she's joking," she said seriously.
"Why would I joke about something like that?" McGonagall sighed.
"You want a Former Death Eater as Head Boy," Malfoy said rising to feet, finally taking this seriously.
"Yes, Mister Malfoy, you were nothing than a misguided young man following orders under pain of you and your family's death for your fathers mistakes
—I don't think that is enough to condemn you for the rest of your life." McGonagall said peering at him from behind her spectacle.
Malfoy said nothing to that.
"I know you have a meeting miss Granger, so we'll get to the point—will you two accept the responsibility of Heads?" McGonagall inquired.
Hermione Granger couldn't believe she was as stupid to accept an offer like that to work side by side with no-other than former Death Eater git and prat of a pureblood jerk of a Malfoy. She banged her head against the cold glass of the windows of a compartment of Hogwarts Express.
"You alright Hermione?" Ron inquired.
"You look pale," commented Harry, whose hand (to Ron's utter disgust) was intertwined tightly with Ginny's. Ginny nodded in agreement.
"Just nervous about making sure none of the First Years fall into the lake," she said, not really telling them the whole truth.
"You worry too much," Ginny laughed, "everything will be fine."
Harry and Ron nodded in agreement helping themselves to another chocolate frog.
She smiled for their sake and continued to gaze out the window.
The sky was a pitch black dotted with stars and lit by the wan moon as the Hogwarts Express pulled into the station. The students poured out of the train.
"See you later," Hermione waved ducking into the crowd to find the git of a head boy. He was surrounded by his usual troupe and to her surprise he still had his fawning fan club, he was an ex-death eater for goodness sake and they still loved him!
"Hey Ferret!" Hermione called mockingly.
He turned around, "Oh it's you Mudblood."
Hermione faked a smiled to his remark, "you need to help me get the first years into the boats."
"And what makes you think you can order him around," Pansy said crossing her arms, "Mudblood."
"I am your new Head girl," Hermione replied with a fake smiled plastered on her lips.
"Well just because you're Head Girl doesn't mean you can order me Draco Malfoy, the Head Boy around, do it yourself mudblood since you worship the rules." He said disinterested, and turned back to his posse.
"Oh I think I can, Ferret, because if you don't help me, I'll tell McGonagall, you can kiss your freedom goodbye and rot in Azkaban for all I care," She replied, shrugging and pretending to examine her fingernails.
He turned, his eyes filled with furry, "I think, Mudblood, you forget who you're talking with," he said his calm tone filled with anger.
"Nope, I know for certain I am talking with a Death Eater," Hermione shrugged.
She was pinned against the side of the Hogwarts Express before she could say another word by his strong arms, "You'll pay for this Mudblood," he whispered, "no-one insults a Malfoy, no-one."
"I just did," She whispered back staring into his stormy grey eyes filled with the deepest hate and anger she had ever seen in them.
His jaw was clenched hard as he removed his arms, "You'll pay mudblood," he repeated and walked towards the boats.
She looked to her right, and smiled slightly, so his posse didn't see, before walking after him. They worked in utmost silence getting the petrified first years into the boats and finally She bid Hagrid good luck and wordlessly they climbed aboard the last threstal filled carriage. They said nothing the whole ride and once they arrived they separated making their way to their respective tables.
"What were you doing with the git of a death eater Malfoy," Ron whispered.
"He's head boy," she whispered softly.
"Head boy," echoed Ginny.
"They made a Death Eater, Head Boy," Harry stated in disbelief.
"Yeah," She muttered and was glad when McGonagall motioned for the first years to be brought forward to be sorted.
The feast continued as it normally did but everyone was very aware of the missing presences that made Hogwarts, Hogwarts. Dumbledore's being the most significant, as McGonagall tried to take his place. But everyone knew, McGonagall including, that no-one would ever be able to take the place of Dumbledore the way he did. Draco Malfoy was not mentioned by Harry, Ron, or Ginny again, much to Hermione's pleasure who wished to focus on the good parts about being back at Hogwarts an "Eighth Year" as the younger students had so named them, seeing as everyone had to repeat their year on top of the new students entering this year. The Castle had been restored and expanded for the sake of the extra students. The students who would have been seventh years were now called eighth years. Sixth years were now seventh years. Fifth years were now sixth years. Fourth years were now fifth years, and so on and so forth. There were a lot more teachers this time and because of the amount of students there was now one extra hour added to class times. McGonagall finally dismissed everyone, "And will Miss Granger and Mister Malfoy, this year's heads, please remain behind," she concluded.
Harry and Ron shot her a worried look. She turned to Ginny, and back to them, "I'll be fine guys, after all these years I think I can handle myself."
Harry opened his mouth to protest but after seeing Ginny's face closed it and restrained Ron with his arm.
"Good luck," Ginny said brightly.
"You're going to need it," Harry and Ron muttered under their breath defeated, and followed Ginny out of the hall with the rest of the students.
Hermione and Malfoy met McGonagall at the teacher's table in the abandoned hall. They glanced over at each other and glared and turned back to McGonagall sweetly.
"Follow me," McGonagall commanded and led them through the hallways to the fourth floor and to the newer side of Hogwarts. She finally reached a portrait of a girl around 12 with straw blond hair. An elegant crown rested on top her head, a regal deep blue cloak wrapped around her as she sat in the middle of a field of flowers with a castle in the back round. She had soft blue eyes and a smile that you couldn't tell if she was happy or sad.
"Good day Serena," McGonagall greeted.
She nodded low in acknowledgement and returned to her pose.
McGonagall turned to Hermione and Malfoy, "The password is infirmus Rosa." The girl smiled her sad smile once more and swung open revealing a narrow stone lined staircase leading upstairs. McGonagall led them upstairs and as the portrait swung closed Hermione noticed a pool of light coming from a narrow castle window up ahead. They ended up in a cozy but small common room with a grey sofa and a large window with sheer white curtains overlooking Hogwarts grounds. On the right side of the room was a marble grey island and a small kitchen with a white, stainless steel, and grey marble theme. Up a curved spiral staircase hugging the wall between the common room and the kitchen was a balcony with two doors which could be seen from the rooms below. Hanging off the common room was a small circular room with windows all around and a curved window seat.
"This would be heaven if I didn't have to share it with a mudblood," Draco muttered.
"Back at you, but instead I am sharing it with a Ferret," Hermione muttered back.
"You probably already guessed this is the Head's suite," McGonagall stated.
"When…Percy was Head boy, he didn't have separate quarters," Hermione began a bit confused.
"True, while we were building the newer part of the Hogwarts, we built this because we had room and plus this is like a thank you the work that the Head's do," McGonagall replied.
"More like a punishment," Draco muttered only loud enough for Hermione to hear.
"I just want to remind you about patrol duty, the teachers will cover your swift tonight but from tomorrow on you'll patrol either together or switch off every other day. The ministry wants you be able to cook before you leave so all seventh years must cook at least one meal, hence the kitchen, and lastly as Heads you must be on your best behavior at all times." McGonagall instructed, "Any questions?"
They shook their heads wordlessly no.
"Very well, I'll let you settle in and get to bed," She finished and swept from the room.
They looked at each other as the portrait closed, and frowned.
"Welcome to hell, mudblood."
A/N: So this just popped into my head, three days ago and I was like well I need to write this down, Writing Inspiration…If I can't Have you by Kelly Clarkson. No I am not abandoning I Do care, Plan B, This only Happens in Movies, … Additional notes: The portrait described above is an actual painting I just forgot who painted it and what exactly it's called… but no credit to me, and the password infirmus rosa is Latin for delicate rose, don't ask it just popped into my head.
~Bella