A/N: Ok, Chapter Two! Thanks for all your alerts and reviews, I cherish every single one. Please continue to comment and follow, maybe even favourite! :) :) ~sneakylytherin
Walking up the ever-changing staircases, Hermione examined her new situation. So, she thought, carefully eliminating all of her emotion and just focusing on the facts, I'll be spending the rest of the year in relatively close proximity to Draco Malfoy, who I used to despise. Apparently we're rooming somewhere near each other, with – hopefully – all the other eighth-years. This is a somewhat unexpected turn of events. A startling thought jumped into Hermione's mind. Oh Lord, what if more Slytherins show up? Blaise? Goyle? I don't know if I could take a year with them and Malfoy….
"So," Malfoy said, drawing Hermione out of her reverie, "our rooms are in the South-East tower, and we have a new and different security system."
"Oh?" Hermione said, intrigued. "So, it's not a portrait?"
"Your powers of observation are remarkable," Draco said dryly, glancing behind him at a blushing Hermione. "No, it is not a portrait. It's a regular door with keys for each student."
Hermione's brow furrowed. "That seems like we're taking a step or two backwards," she thought aloud, her eyes wandering over the portraits on the walls. "I mean, wouldn't a simple Alohamoracompletely dismantle that system?"
"Although warranted, your lack of faith in the ingenuity of wizard-kind is somewhat depressing." Draco sighed, stopped, and turned around. "See this?" he asked, pulling a small, silver key from his pocket. It was no bigger than Hermione's pinky finger, and was connected to a fine silver chain that was presumably still attached to the inside of Draco's pocket. The handle of the key was a circle, containing an intricately metal-worked raven. "This isn't just a typical muggle key," Draco continued. "It's tuned into its owner's magical frequency, and will only work for that one person. Also, the lock is enchanted so that it only accepts keys that are tuned to the magical frequency of the wizards that it's spelled to admit."
Hermione felt a headache coming on. "That's extremely complex magic," she said, hesitantly touching the end of Draco's key, feeling a mild shock run through her finger. "Did Flitwick design it?"
Draco returned the key to his pocket and shook his head. "No, Flitwick had no part in this. It was a student, actually, who designed it."
"Really?" Hermione asked. "Who?"
Smiling, Draco continued up the stairwell. "I did," he said smugly, his hand subconsciously resting over the pocket where his key was hidden. "I invented it to protect my room at the Manor, so that….well, so that only I could get in."
His uneasy tone and lack of explanation left Hermione with a feeling that Draco was hiding his real motives for creating the locking system. However, she wasn't about to push her luck with her new schoolmate, so she dampened her curiosity and kept her suspicion silent. "That's amazing Draco," Hermione said quietly, looking down at her feet. "You're obviously a very talented wizard."
Silence stretched between the two students as they continued up the stairs, passing dozens of cheering, moving portraits that welcomed Hermione back to Hogwarts. Suddenly, a rather dented and rumpled-looking knight jumped out from behind a skeleton in one painting, shouting "Tally-ho, Miss Granger! Did we get them all?"
Hermione laughed and paused to talk to the knight, but her smile didn't reach her eyes. "Most of them, Sir Cadogan," she said, seeing Draco stiffen out of the corner of her eye. "There are just a few left, but it's up to the aurors to find them."
"That's wonderful news! However, should you ever need assistance, Lady Granger, my blade is yours," the knight said dramatically, kneeling down and managing to knock the skeleton over onto himself.
Ignoring the knight's valiant struggle to disentangle himself from the very upset skeleton, Hermione said, "Thank you Sir, but I really must be on my way. I'm sure we'll meet again presently."
Leaving the bumbling knight behind her, Hermione caught up to Draco at the head of the stairs. The Slytherin's lips were set into a tight frown, and his eyes were once again glassy and distanced. "Lady Granger," he spat. "Even the portraits fawn over you."
Hermione's cheeks grew red, but her eyes became steely. "I attempt to be nice to everyone I encounter," she said stiffly, "however Sir Cadogan always poses a challenge. He is far too dramatic, and always seems to be making things far more complicated than they have any right to be."
Draco snorted. "Of course. I'm sure you don't enjoy all this praise," he said sarcastically, gesturing to the ridiculously noisy portraits who were all ignoring him and focussing solely on Hermione.
"I don't," Hermione said in a clipped tone. "I'd much rather be left alone to read in front of a fire in peace."
Hermione would have stalked ahead of Malfoy, but she realized that she not only didn't know where the common room was, but that she also didn't have her key and would have had to wait for Malfoy to let her in anyways. Choosing instead to give Malfoy the "silent treatment", Hermione refused to start any conversation for the rest of the long walk to the common room door.
It was a plain door, really; large and made of oak with a simple brass keyhole, it didn't look much different from the other doors throughout the castle. When Draco placed his key in the keyhole, however, the door flashed silver temporarily before swinging wide to admit its occupant. Hermione almost gasped when Draco stepped aside to give her the first glimpse of her new living arrangements. "Grand" wouldn't even begin to describe the room – "opulent" came a bit closer. There were huge floor-to-ceiling windows all along the edge of the tower, providing a beautiful view of the rolling hills, the Black Lake, and the Forbidden Forest that surrounded Hogwarts. Couches and chairs of varying sizes, colours, and materials were scattered throughout the room, and a fresh fire crackled away inside of a large stone fireplace. What caught Hermione's eye wasn't the light, or the fire, or the furniture; rather, it was the seven different-sized and -coloured doors that spread themselves out across from the windowed wall. "Seven doors?" Any anger forgotten, Hermione turned to Draco. "Why on earth do we need seven doors?"
"There are only thirteen students returning to Hogwarts to complete their seventh year," Draco supplied moving over to a large, plush, green armchair. "If you do the math, that's two people per room, plus a single room for the left-over student."
"Who's the left-over student?" Hermione asked, watching Malfoy sink down into the inviting-looking chair.
Draco smirked. "Why, me of course." He picked up a green apple from a fruit basket on the table beside him, and bit into it loudly. "Since I designed the lock system, I got to choose my roommate. Since I don't want a roommate, I chose to fly solo."
Hermione didn't know if she was supposed to feel disappointed that Malfoy got the room, or happy that she didn't have to be the awkward student without a friend to room with. I mean, I like rooming with other people! she thought, confused. It's enough privacy….whatever. Draco's weird.
"If I remember correctly, you're rooming with Looney Lovegood," Draco supplied, taking another bite out of his apple. "Your key should be hanging off of the bright yellow door over there. Take your pick – either key will match itself to your signature."
Hermione turned to examine the doors, and had to smile at Hogwarts' creativity; obviously, it had created distinct doors to match certain personalities. The door farthest to the left was a garish shade of purple, while the door next to it was metal and looked like a larger version of a security box door. There was a pale blue door, a sliding door, and a simple wooden house door, equipped with a doorbell and a peephole. Hermione dragged her trunk over to the second-last door on the right, which happened to be a narrow, tall, yellow door made out of a light wood. The door to her right didn't have a key hanging off of the single hook, so Hermione assumed that the imposing black door belonged to Draco.
The two keys hanging in front of her looked identical; they were both small and golden, with thin chains connected to a sort-of crocodile clip contraption. These look similar to Malfoy's key, yet different, Hermione thought, puzzled. What on earth….
Reaching hesitantly for the key on her left, Hermione closed her eyes. "It won't bite, Granger," Malfoy said snidely, causing Hermione to whip around and glare at him. Malfoy grinned lazily, tossing his apple core into a rubbish bin. "Just pick a damn key."
Hermione caught herself just before she stuck her tongue out at the annoying Slytherin. Really, Granger? How childish….
Making her decision, Hermione grabbed the key on the left, only to gasp as a warm, tingling sensation ran up and down her body. "The key is memorizing your magical signature," Draco supplied, flipping through a book that hadn't been there a moment before. "Don't worry, the feeling will pass."
And sure enough, the tingling subsided. When Hermione looked down at the key in her hand, she lifted her other hand to her mouth – the key had changed! It was still the same small, convenient size, only now it was a strange blue-ish metal. Also, there was a bizarre clear gemstone at the top of the ornate key, and Hermione saw that the fine metal handle was worked into a pattern of the night sky.
"Let me guess; your key turned a bronze colour," Draco said harshly from his chair.
Hermione hastily pocketed the key, feeling the magical clip attach itself to her jean pocket. "Why should you care?" she snapped, pushing open her bright yellow door.
"It's my invention," Draco drawled, swinging his legs up onto the arm of the chair. "I know that any to-the-core-Gryffindor will have their key turn bronze. The metal and handle change to mirror your magical signature and personality. So, is yours bronze with a phoenix design?"
Hermione slammed to door, trying to block out the sound of Draco's mean-spirited laughter. "You're so predictable, Granger!" he shouted.
Immediately placing wards, silencing charms, and various privacy-ensuring hexes on the door, Hermione threw her trunk onto the bed on the left. "Bloody Draco Malfoy," she muttered to herself, opening the trunk and magically directing clothing into drawers. "Of course he has to be here. He can't just let the rest of us have a nice year, no! He has to sabotage it all!"
Her magic flared up, and before she knew it Hermione was watching as all the contents of her trunk flew up into the air before coming crashing down around her. Hermione shouted, frustrated, and waved her wand angrily to put everything to rights again.
"Ummm, Granger?"
Hermione froze. That was Draco's voice.
"Is, erm, is everything ok? I heard a crash, and was concerned that you might blow everything up."
Hermione turned very red. Obviously she hadn't cast her silencing charms correctly. "No, I'm fine Malfoy," she said calmly. "Thanks for asking."
"No worries," Draco said, and silence filled the common room. "So, is your key red?"
Hermione sighed and rubbed her temples. "Aren't boys supposed to mature eventually?" she asked her room.
Draco chuckled. "Eventually is a very broad word, Granger," he said. "I think most of us had to grow up too fast, and it's only now that we're getting a chance to be kids." Hermione heard footsteps and the door beside her room close.
Hermione turned back to her trunk and saw that everything had more or less been fixed and put into its proper place. "Much better!" she said aloud, and just as she was about to cast a silencing charm on the door, she heard a loud 'click' and a Scottish voice floated through the air.
"This is where you'll be staying for the duration of this year, and – oh, I'd hoped that Miss Granger would be here already. Hmm."
Flinging open her door, beaming, Hermione said "I'm here Professor!"
Professor McGonagall's creased, caring face turned to face Hermione, along with eleven other familiar faces. "Hello Miss Granger," McGonagall said happily. "I see that you've had a chance to get settled." She turned to address the crowd of eighteen-year-olds who were now gawping at the lavish common room. "I'll leave you all to settle," McGonagall continued, "but I expect to see you all for the Welcoming Feast this evening at seven. Your rooming arrangements are tacked to the back of the main door, and are non-negotiable. Have a lovely afternoon!"
And with that, McGonagall took her leave of the returning students. "HERMIONE!" several people cried at once, and Hermione found herself knocked into the back of a nearby couch with hugs.
"Hello!" Hermione laughed, attempting to hug everyone back at once. After she regained her balance, Hermione looked at who all had come over to hug her; Luna, of course, was there, her blonde hair done in an elaborate fishtail braid, radish earrings still in good condition. Neville stood just behind Luna, looming at a huge 6' 5'', his upright posture showing that he was no longer uncomfortable with his size and muscles. Dean and Seamus stood farther back in the group, already horsing around with one another again. And, right up in front, a shorter boy with unruly black hair, circular wire glasses, and bright green eyes grinned at Hermione. "Harry!" Hermione shrieked, hugging her closest friend. "You decided to come!"
"Yeah," Harry said sheepishly. "Ginny talked me into it. She said we'd have more time together if I redid my year, and, you know, I think I deserve some downtime."
"It's always about the ladies," Seamus called out with his thick Irish brogue. "I'm sure it had nothing to do with the fact that Hogwarts doesn't allow Prophet photographers onto the grounds?"
Harry grew red. "That –that might have b-been a contributing factor too," Harry stuttered. "Just don't tell Ginny, ok?"
Dean and Seamus immediately broke into uproarious laughter.
"Oh, goddamnit!" Hermione heard someone yell, and she turned around to see a tall, curvy girl with a pixie cut frowning at the rooming list that she'd ripped off of the door. "We're 18, and we have to share rooms?"
One of the Patil twins – Hermione was guessing Padma? – snatched the list from the mystery blonde. "Oh, this isn't so bad Lav – I mean, we all know each other!"
The blonde nodded reluctantly. "Yeah, I s'pose that's a good thing."
Hermione hadn't even recognized Lavender Brown. The young woman had grown out of her round face and garish clothing, and now wore a tasteful suit and stylish short haircut. "Lavender," Hermione interrupted, still flabbergasted, "you look brilliant!"
The Gryffindor blushed. "Thanks 'Mione," she said, embarrassed. "You too."
"Anyone want to know who they're rooming with?" Seamus said, grabbing the list form an unsuspecting Padma.
"Well McGonagall said that these arrangements are non-negotiable, so it's not like we can do anything," a young man called out. Hermione recognized the tall brunette as Justin Finch-Fletchly from Hufflepuff.
"Well I'd like to unpack, if that's alright with you dunderheads," a female voice called out, and Hermione whirled around to see the red-headed Susan Bones leaning against the doorframe. Dressed in black leather with her hair tied up in a ponytail, the orphaned war veteran looked quite intimidating.
Dean, however, didn't seem perturbed by her appearance. "Yes ma'am," he said, snapping a military salute. "Anything for the woman who plans to one day run the Auror Corps and go after my ass at every opportunity."
"Shut it Dean," Susan snapped, reaching for the wand holster on her hip. "Read the bloody list, Seamus."
Seamus cleared his throat dramatically, and began speaking in a high falsetto. "Rooming in the far left door – that's the one in purple – Miss Lavender Brown and Hannah Abbott."
"Brilliant!" Lavender said, levitating dozens of trunks behind her. Hannah trailed after the blonde, eyes wide, a single worn trunk clutched to her side.
Seamus' voice went back to normal. "In the next door, the one that looks like a bloody prison camp, is Miss Susan Bones and….ouch…..Padma. Have fun Padma."
Susan gave Seamus a threatening glare. "Watch your tongue, Seamus," she snapped, grabbing her black case and storming into the room.
A not-so-scared looking Padma followed, and shrugged at Dean. "She's not so bad, if you really know her," Padma said, closing the metal door behind her.
"In room number three, we have Justin Finch-Fletchly and Michael Corner." Seamus looked very bored while reading that rooming arrangement, as the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students were perfectionists and not very responsive to immature jokes.
"It's too bad that Cormac didn't want to come back," Justin said to Hermione as he passed her. "I thought that you two made an adorable couple in sixth year."
Dean gave a wolf whistle and clapped as Justin blushed and ran into his room. "Since when were you and Corn-knickers a couple?" Dean asked, gasping through his laughter.
Hermione didn't grace Dean with an answer, choosing instead to shake her head and smile. Seamus coughed awkwardly. "Ok then…next up, behind the sliding door, we have me and Seamus! Alright!" The two best mates high fived, identical goofy grins plastered on their faces.
"So, that leaves Harry and Neville in the plain door, and Hermione and myself behind the yellow one?" Luna asked dreamily, reaching up to catch something invisible in the air above her head.
"Um, yeah!" Seamus said, glancing down at his list and then banishing the parchment. "You got it. The black door wasn't on the list."
"So what's behind the last door then?" Harry asked. "Is it a bathroom?"
"Our rooms have private bathrooms attached," Lavender said, coming out of her room and placing her hands on her hips. "Who the hell gets the black room?"
"Maybe it's for the domestic reddenflips?" Luna suggested, staring seriously at Lavender.
Michael Corner stepped out of his and Justin's room. "What's to become of the extra room then?" he asked eagerly. "I basically have a library packed in one of my trunks, and would love to shelve the books! Some of them are quite valuable."
No one paid Justin any mind, instead choosing to continue speculating about the nature of the mysterious door. "Um, I know why there's another door," Hermione said quietly, but the only Susan heard her.
"OI!" the red-head shouted. "SHUT YOUR TRAPS! GRANGER KNOWS ABOUT THE BLOODY DOOR!"
The room fell silent. "Thanks Susan," Hermione said, surprising the woman with a genuine smile. "There are thirteen of us studying here this year, and that last room is for the thirteenth student."
"Is it Ron?" Lavender asked excitedly, fluffing up her hair subconsciously.
"No, idiot, Ron is in the Auror Training Program already," Dean said, exasperated.
"Could it be Parvati?" Justin asked Padma.
"You think I wouldn't know if my own twin was here?" Padma snapped. "Parvati is in the Auror Corps too."
"SHUT UP!" Susan shouted again. The room grew quiet once more. "Don't you think Granger would know who's in the room?"
Twenty-two eyes immediately focussed on Hermione, and she unconsciously started fiddling with her wand. "Well, yes, I do know who it is," she said softly, staring at the ground.
"C'mon 'Mione, we'll find out who it is at dinner anyways," Harry urged her, smiling.
Taking a deep breath, Hermione looked up. "Draco Malfoy is going to be studying with us this year. He's in the seventh room."
Silence. Complete and total silence.
"What. The. Hell." Lavender looked Hermione straight in the eye. "The Ferret is studying with us?"
"Did he bring any of his goons along to protect him?" Dean asked. "If he didn't, he is going to be so black and blue."
"Is that slimy git actually here Hermione?" Harry seemed stunned.
"Why would that Death Eater scum think that he's welcome here?" Susan spat, her wand drawn. "If he thinks I'm going to let him within ten feet of me, he's got another thing coming."
Everyone then started speaking at once, and Hermione felt her heart sank. Taking a page out of Susan's book, Hermione shouted "SHUT THE HELL UP!" The students stared at her, surprised looks on all of their faces. "Do you hear yourselves?" Hermione exclaimed, gesturing wildly. "You sound like…like…like a bunch of animals!"
"He's a Death Eater," Susan said, contempt practically dripping from her words.
"An ex-Death Eater who was essential in the fight against Voldemort," Hermione corrected, crossing her arms. "If it weren't for Draco's actions, Harry, Ron, and I would have all been killed at Malfoy Manor last year." Hermione rolled up her sleeve to reveal the word 'mudblood', forever etched into the skin of her forearm. "If it weren't for Draco, I'd have far worse scars than this."
"She's right," Harry said quietly, unable to meet Hermione's eyes. "We can't do this to him. Not now. Not when he needs to make a fresh start."
"Could we all just….try to be nice to Draco?" Hermione pleaded. "Can't we set aside our prejudices, and leave our house and personal rivalries behind? Wouldn't we all like a normal year at Hogwarts?"
"Well you can't ask me to be civil to him," Susan said loudly, turning abruptly into her room and shutting the door.
The other students seemed to be on the fence. Who would make the next move? What would happen?
"I'll give it a shot, 'Mione." Neville's quiet voice rang out loud and clear through the common room, prompting Hermione to grin excitedly. Neville turned to face his classmates. "We all owe it to him, guys. He'd probably do the same for us."
Not a chance, Hermione thought to herself.
Lavender sighed and rolled her eyes. "Alright," she said, "I'll be nice to the Flying Ferret. But if he so much as hints at going Dark again, I'll hex him to Hell and back."
The other students all nodded in Hermione's direction before going back into their rooms and shutting the doors until eventually it was just Luna and Hermione left in the common room. Luna turned to her new roommate with a dreamy smile on her face. "I think that went well," she said softly, before walking past the yellow door into the room.
Hermione heard a creak behind her and whirled around to see the black door closing ever so slightly.
Draco had witnessed the entire incident.
Cheeks burning, Hermione took several deep breaths. It's only the first day, she thought calmly. Things have got to get better.
