Disclaimer: Obviously, I own nothing you recognise.
Chapter 2; Halloween Discussions
"GOD DAMN IT!" a vase flew across the room, smashed, and was instantly repaired.
Hermione was not having a good day, firstly, her lessons were cancelled which was becoming a recurring thing since Voldemort's attempt to break into the wizardry school and secondly, it meant having to spend an entire day with Malfoy (And the other prefects) in the common room so that they could sort out their upcoming meeting with Dumbledore about the decorations for Halloween.
"Sometimes it really sucks, being a prefect." She said, getting out of her too bright bed, combing her hair, brushing her teeth and heading downstairs to face the torture she was almost certain to have to endure.
The three prefects were already there. "Had a good sleep Hermione?"
"Yes thanks Suzy." Hermione said sarcastically which Susan did not miss.
"Did you and the vase have a disagreement then?" She asked all too innocently.
"Yes Suzy, it wanted me to put flowers in it and I said that that was not what a vase was for."
Susan nodded in understanding. "Of course not. Want to come and join us?"
"Do I have a choice in the matter?"
Now Malfoy spoke. "Depends on whether you want to keep that badge of yours. Just come and sit down Granger, we've already wasted enough time as it is."
Hermione scowled, the only place left was next to Malfoy. She glared at Susan with a look the plainly said 'I know that you did this on purpose' but Susan was keeping the gaze averted, pretending that she couldn't feel Hermione's gaze burning into the side of her head.
Hermione walked over and sat next to Malfoy. She couldn't help noticing the heat that radiated from him.
"Right, so what are we meant to be doing then?" Hermione asked.
Susan drew the notes that had been taken in Hermione's absence towards herself and said "Well we need to decide what colours we are going to decorated the hall in. well I suppose that that is quite obvious."
Hermione nodded, trying to bring he mind back to the task at hand which was getting more difficult now that Malfoy was touching her slightly. "U…um, I take it th…that you want to decorate the hall with the prominent house colours?"
Terry shook his head. "We want to decorate it in the less used colours. You know, Gold for Gryffindor, Sliver for Slytherin, Black for Hufflepuff and Bronze for Ravenclaw."
Hermione smiled, shakily (which Susan also didn't fail to notice). "I think that's brilliant. Normally it's red, green, yellow and blue. This will make it more unusual and bright."
Susan laughed melodiously "Totally unlike Halloween. I guess we can be a little different from time to time. Well we'll have to run that by Dumbledore. I'm sure he'll just love it, judging by his eccentric nature."
Malfoy yawned. "Is there anything else that we have to do? Choosing the music? deciding what we eat?"
Susan shook he head "No Draco, that's all Dumbledore asked us to do for now. He said that once that is completed, we would have to go and see him and he would give us further instructions."
Hermione tried to listen. She was doing pretty well. Managing to nod at all the right moments and participate in the conversation where necessary but it took all of her Gryffindor patience and courage not to take quick sideway looks at Malfoy. His once slicked-back hair fell freely. He had cut the nasty gel out last year. He was well toned and too yummy to think about.
Hermione shook her head to clear it of the thoughts the unmercifully plagued her whenever she was around him. She hated it. 'Why me?!' she thought for the hundredth time. Godric Gryffindor would be deeply ashamed of her if he could see her like this over a Slytherin.
Susan was still talking. "Well Dumbledore didn't see any reason for all of us to go down and give him our ideas for decoration. He has asked for two of us to go down. In other words, Terry and I." She shot a sideways look at Hermione who instantly got that this too was planned and vowed to get her own back when the next opportunity became available.
Susan and Terry left through the portrait hole. Hermione stood up, her legs just about to lose their feeling, and walked over to the large couch, carefully avoiding Malfoy's eyes. He however had different ideas.
Settling himself on the couch too, he began to talk to Hermione. "So is it true Granger?"
Hermione heart rate picked up 4 or 5 notches. She wasn't afraid of talking to him, but they way he said it made it sound as if he knew exactly what Hermione was feeling. "What?" she asked quietly.
"That you're annoyed that lessons are cancelled."
Hermione shot him a look. It was half exasperated half mocking. "No Malfoy, I value my time off. I'm annoyed that I have to spend the whole day in your annoying, detest full company." She hated saying it but she'd rather die than tell someone who hated her enough to wish her off this bloody world that she longed to be in his company. He would never like her. It only bought Hermione misery when she thought about it so she forbade it.
Malfoy nodded knowingly. "I know exactly how you feel Granger." He looked pointedly at her.
Hermione forced a smile, willing herself to damn the prickling sensation that had begun behind her eyes. 'I will not cry, it's not worth it' "Right, and to that, I'll retreat to my room, to leave you to yourself. I have homework anyway."
Malfoy knew on some level that he had hurt her. Her quick wit and brain did not make her a good liar and equally terrible at hiding her emotions. He covered. "No one asked you to go anywhere and you expect me to believe that you have homework to do? You actually begin the homework as soon as it's set, even if that means during the lesson." He smirked.
Hermione scowled. So she was a little enthused, that wasn't unnatural. She just liked magic and the work she was given. "Always the idiot, huh Malfoy? What's so wrong with me actually liking the work I'm set? Does that make me odd, teacher's pet?"
Malfoy chose not to answer that. "What makes you think that you're stuck here all day? Which law said that? It's up to you if you want to leave. You don't have lessons, it's not a prison sentence." He sighed and shut his eyes, leaning his head back on the couch.
Hermione slowly made her way back to the couch and sat down beside him. Malfoy, feeling the slight dip next to him opened his eyes. "Not leaving huh?"
"I just want to know why you don't call me mudblood anymore. It's always 'Granger' or 'that Gryffindor scum'. Why don't you?"
Malfoy shrugged then smirked. "I don't know. It just seems a little childish. Like saying 'don't touch me, I might catch something. Just doesn't seem worth it anymore. It seemed childish saying it back it fourth year."
Hermione scoffed and dropped her gaze to the singed carpet near the fireplace, getting lost in the flames. "Doesn't stop you thinking it though does it?" She said it quietly, not even sure if she was intending him to hear it but he did. She didn't even know why she said it.
Malfoy looked at her, she was still lost it her own thoughts and the smirk dropped from his face. She hated to be hated by anyone. All Hermione had ever tried to do was get along with people, even if they were in Slytherin. When they picked on her, she did nothing, ignored it if she could. Even now, she was speaking civilly to him.
"I don't know, what do you expect me to think? I won't be as foolish to lay all the blame on my upbringing but…" he shrugged.
Hermione shook her hair out of her eyes and looked at him. "I feel sorry for you Malfoy. No one can be as hard and cruel as you without having something terrible happen to them."
She used her arms as leverage, to get her off the chair and left the room the same way as Susan and Terry had.
She left Malfoy there to think about that and headed out to the Quidditch grounds. Dragging her feet and making a very slow job about it. She hated her life, going to school was great but living in the same place as the guy you were in love with while he didn't know much less liked you.
As Hermione was paying no attention whatsoever as to where she was walking, keeping her head down and everything, she banged right into someone. Falling right on her arse. She looked up at the person and allowed herself a groan of pain. "Sorry Ginny."
Ginny offered her hand to Hermione to help her up. She accepted. "Lost in your own world? Me too. Sorry about the fall."
Hermione laughed, "At least it proves which of us is the stronger."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "What's with the sad look?"
"Is it so hard to believe that I have issues?"
Ginny sat on the grass and Hermione followed. "Not so much. You do work yourself to the bone. You should take a rest sometimes and let the other prefects take over. How is it like living with Malfoy?"
Hermione muttered something inaudible under her breath and sighed.
"Sorry Hermione I didn't actually catch that, what with the fire escaping your mouth and all. Did you say that it's the best time of your life?"
Hermione glared at her best female friend. "I most certainly did not." Though she was thinking it. She was in two minds about the whole thing. "Anyway, it's not the work that's got me exasperated. It's everything around it."
"Ah, well do you want to get away from it all for a while and find out about Harry and I?"
Hermione lay on her back on the grass. "Sure, hit me. How are you both?"
"We're great. He's so lovely Hermione."
"I know Gin, he is my best friend remember? Do you honestly think that he'd be my best friend if he wasn't?"
Ginny blushed. "Did you ever fancy him?"
Hermione laughed. It was short and abrupt. "No Gin, I didn't. He's so much like my brother and not Ron either." She added, reading Ginny expression.
"Right, so how is it like, living with Malfoy. Tell me the truth."
Hermione didn't want to answer. She didn't have to tell Ginny that she was in love with him. It was just that she had to try and describe his behaviour towards her and that was difficult enough. "As tolerable as a Malfoy can be. We keep out of each other's way as much as possible. It's hard when you have to live under the same enchanted ceiling as someone who despises you with all their being."
"O do I detect a bit of unhappiness there?" Ginny asked grinning.
"Well you might like being hated by a quarter of this school but I do not."
Ginny sighed. "You might be all for peace and unity Hermione, but that will never happen. Cruel people will always hate what they cannot understand."
Hermione put her face in her hands and groaned. "I know that Gin. I guess that I just have a hard time in understanding why. Silly huh? Coming from the cleverest witch this school has to offer."
Ginny grinned. "All for the modesty I see."
"You have to be in this world or they'll trample all over you."
Ginny was in the process of laughing but stopped when she looked over Hermione's shoulder. "Hermione, I think you're being called."
Hermione turned around and saw Susan and groaned again. "Here we go. I have to go Gin. Halloween party things to organise."
Ginny nodded and Hermione left to follow Susan.
* * * * *
Please review. That chapter is over. Please don't flame. Thank you.
Dina.
