CHAPTER TWO
They arrived at the castle and were promptly ushered to their dorm by Professor McGonagall. She told them the password, compromissum, and left them to settle in while she got the first years ready for sorting.
Hermione sighed inwardly, knowing how hard the year was about to become. She resolved to just get the worst of it over and turned to Draco.
"Look, Malfoy, I know neither of us like each other and probably never will. So just stay out of my business and I'll stay out of yours." With that she rushed into her room and shut the door before Draco could say anything against it.
Draco looked at her door in shock. She had just asked, no, ordered him around and then left without letting him say anything. His hands curled into fists and he glared at her door. How dare she? He shuffled into his own room and slammed it with a loud bang, the sound echoing through the dorm. Oh yes, it was going to be a VERY long year.
Hermione quickly unpacked and settled everything in her room. Everything was exactly how she wanted it, and there wouldn't be anyone else coming in and going through her things like Ginny and Lavender did back in Gryffindor tower. Satisfied, she picked up her guitar and walked towards the door. There were still a couple of hours before Sorting and the feast, and a few years back she had found a hidden room off the Astronomy tower that would be the perfect place to practice and relax by herself, and it had a fireplace connected to the floo network so she could talk to her parents.
She stuck her head out and peered around the dorm. Satisfied that Draco wasn't around, she hurried out the door and quickly began her trek to the Astronomy tower.
What she didn't notice was the ever so tiny crack in Draco's doorway. Or his eyes as he peered out at her, watching her leave with her guitar.
Draco smirked as he watched her leave. Sneaking out to go play guitar, are we, Granger? Now where might you be going? He cast a disillusionment charm on himself and discreetly followed behind her. His suspicions grew as he found himself climbing the stairs of the Astronomy tower after her. Why would she be going up here? He abruptly stopped just as Hermione slowed, stopping beside a landing containing nothing but a solid wall. He watched, first confused and then amazed, as she glanced around, then quickly tapped a chipped brick three times. The stones melted away to reveal a wooden door with no handle. He listened as she quietly but clearly said "recludam" to the door. It swung open slowly, and she stepped inside and shut it behind her. The moment the door was closed, it disappeared, becoming the blank stone wall once more.
Draco was astonished. Granger had found a hidden room! He grinned at the realization of what he could do with this information. Stepping forward, he quickly repeated the process of opening the door, casting a silencing charm so she would not hear the door open or close.
With the door closed behind him, he turned to examine the room. It was gently lit by afternoon sunlight, but he was quickly distracted by the sound of guitar strings and a sweet angelic voice singing.
Hermione settled the guitar on lap once again, smiling at the familiar feeling. The afternoon sunlight streaming through the windows provided just enough warmth to make it feel like her father's hometown in Puerto Rico. She sat up, thinking of which song to play, and finally decided on one she sang fairly well and that was by Prince Royce, her favorite singer. She cleared her throat, then gently began to play as she sang.
Se que no fui en tu vida el hombre mas perfecto
Con mil defectos pero el hombre de tus sueños
Nunca valore todo el amor que me entregabas
Toda la pasión que cuerpo a cuerpo me brindabas
Y Te me vas, y Te me vas
Como hoja que el viento se lleva sin mirar atras
Y Te vas y Te me vas
Como gota de lluvia que al cielo no regresara
Y Te me vas y Te me vas
Como un ave que emprende su viaje sin rumbo y no sabe
Y Te vas y Te me vas
Como barco que sale a buscar nuevos mares
She rocked side to side as she sang, feeling the music deep inside her. The song was about a love lost, about heaven, about remembering, and as she sang she felt all of those emotions flow through the words.
Hermione had closed her eyes as she sang, and as she opened them she was greeted with a sight so unwelcome that she wished she had kept them closed.
Draco Malfoy was here, in her secret room, and staring at her with wide eyes and his mouth hanging open.
And he had heard her singing. In Spanish.
Oh, she was so officially doomed.
