Disclaimer: I don't own any characters, places, nonnneee of it. Just the plot. JK Rowling owns the rest.
A/N: Soo here's chapter two. Sorry the last chapter was so short this one's a bit longer. Read and Review please…so that I at least know that someone's reading…thanks :)
Walking into the great hall, a feeling of safety washed over everyone. It felt like home. Nothing could touch them while they were at Hogwarts, not with Dumbledore, McGonagall and all the other professors here. And there were centuries of magic inside the walls of the castle itself. As proof of the fact that Voldemort was really back, the room looked almost empty. A lot of parents, it seemed, didn't want their children to go to school this year. There were almost no 7th year students. Had people already started going into hiding? It wouldn't be surprising especially because of what happened last time Voldemort was around, but still, did people have no faith?
The feeling at the Gryffindor table was much different than the feeling of the Slytherin table. Where the Gryffindor table was edgy, the Slytherin's almost had an air of dread. But no this couldn't be because the dark lord had returned, they should be ecstatic. But the truth was being the son or daughter of a Death Eater was not a glorious life, and quite honestly Voldemort was frightening. But they Slytherins being Slytherins would never let anyone know that. Very few had true friends who they could talk to, so most didn't even share with the people going through the same thing as them. Luckily for Draco he had three true friends, Theodore Nott, Blaise Zabini, and Pansy Parkinson. Sure Crabbe and Goyle were always with Draco but they could not match his wit or smarts at all. They were almost like hired muscle. Malfoy being the Slytherin prince, gave Crabbe and Goyle recognition, they were known and feared because of Malfoy and that was payment enough for them.
"I can't believe how many people didn't come back to school this year," Theo said, "has the whole world gone mad? This is the safest place for anyone to be. The dark lord is only scared of one man and that one man is head of this school."
"Theo," Draco said cautioning him, it was fine for them to talk about it, just not here. Not where there were so many ears. They were supposed to be Death Eaters in the making. They were not supposed to discuss the dark lord and what he was afraid of in public. Mostly because there were many loyal young Death Eaters that would like any piece of information to boost themselves up in the ranks of Voldemort's army. Like say a traitor Malfoy and Nott who thought they needed to be protected from him and thought that he was afraid of Albus Dumbledore. The dark lord would just love to make an example out of them.
"Sorry Draco, momentary lapse in judgment."
"Happens to all of us mate." Draco replied.
"Is that Hermione Granger?" Blaise spoke up for the first time
Draco followed Blaise's line of vision and saw that he was indeed looking at Granger. "Of course that's Granger, why do you sound so surprised?"
"Because she got hot." Blaise stated like this was obvious. "Come on Drake don't tell me you didn't notice. Why didn't you mention it after you told us about the run in on the train?"
"Because I don't think she got hot. She's Hermione Granger." Draco said as if this should be obvious. "She's 1/3 of the golden trio and a mudblood. Have you forgotten that?"
"Of course I haven't forgotten. But we are still men and she is now a fine specimen of woman. She filled out quite nicely over the summer." Blaise said with a very Slytherin smile.
"Don't even think about it!" Draco said loudly. For some reason he did not like the idea of Blaise getting with Granger. It's not like Draco was attracted to her or anything. No of course not it's just that, in a twisted way, Malfoy thought Hermione was his. She was his to torment and torture. He couldn't have one of his best mates shagging her. And he knew from the smile on Blaise's face that that was exactly what his friend was thinking about.
"Drake you ok?" Theo asked, "you have this weird look on your face. Almost like…well quite honestly it's a possessive kind of look."
Draco snapped out of his thought quickly. "Possessive about what?" He said very defensively. "Certainly not Granger, I couldn't give a shit less about that filthy little mudblood."
Dumbledore stood up to the podium and a hush went through the entire great hall. Dumbledore looked around the room and then began his beginning of the year speech.
"Welcome to new and old students! I'm so glad to see new faces." He said glancing at the first years, "and very glad to see old ones," it seemed as though he was looking specifically at the Slytherin table, "we have some rules to go over and then we have a very big announcement. Rule number one the forbidden forest is just that. Curfew will be at 7:00 on week nights and 9:00 on weekends for first through 4th years. Curfew for fifth through 7th years will be 8:00 on week nights and 11:00 on weekends. Anyone caught outside of their common room after these times will be punished by their heads of house. As for the big announcement," Dumbledore paused, "Many of you know lord Voldemort has returned and as such many parents have decided to keep their children home. That brings us to the matter of head boy and head girl. Since not many 7th years returned this year, the heads of house and myself decided that the two best students in the school should be head boy and head girl. This is unprecedented you see because the two top students are both 6th years. But all of us agree that they are the best choice for this job so without further ado I give you Miss Granger, you new head girl…"
The room erupted with cheers not only from the Gryffindor table but from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw as well. Hermione was not expecting this at all and was so completely thrilled that she got to be head girl a year earlier than she expected. And of course she expected to be head girl, the whole school did. She stood up laughing and looked around the room bowing slightly at all the applause. She was anxious wondering who head boy would be when Dumbledore cleared his throat. Hermione said back down with the biggest smile on her face.
"Our head boy this year is going to be Draco Malfoy!" Dumbledore said genuinely excited. When it was first discovered who the two heads would be a lot of the faculty argued that these two together could not be the heads. They would kill each other. Dumbledore knew that this would not happen, he even had hopes that maybe Miss Granger would be able to influence Mr. Malfoy to not become the Death Eater he was destined to be. After all if anyone could prove that muggleborns were not inferior to purebloods, it was her.
The Slytherin table was the only one who erupted into cheers for Draco, but he didn't care he was in shock. He was going to head boy and yes of course that was what he wanted. Yet another position of power for him, but to have to share it with her that just wasn't fair.
"Let the feast begin!" Dumbledore said and with a wave of his hand food started to fill the tables.
Draco, still in shock, looked over to the Gryffindor table and was surprised to see chocolate eyes meeting his silver gaze. They had a moment of, well almost mutual understanding. Looking into each other's eyes they both realized that they both wanted this more than anything and neither was thrilled that they had to do it with each other. At the same time they nodded their heads in respect for one another and looked away.
"I just can't believe it! How could they pair you up with that slimy git!" Ron was very angry that Hermione had to share the head position with Malfoy, "What is Dumbledore thinking? Teaming you up with that wannabe Death Eater. It's just not right."
After sharing that look with Malfoy Hermione was feeling just a little bit better about being paired up with him, it was in no way going to be easy but with the look of mutual understanding still fresh in her mind, it didn't seem like such a nightmare. "It will be fine Ron." Hermione was trying not to think of the fact that she would have to share a common room with Malfoy. The heads had their own living quarters somewhere in the castle, two rooms and a common room hidden somewhere, and it was going to be her new room. And she was not excited to bring it up. She knew that Ron and Harry didn't know this fact yet.
McGonagall was walking over to where Hermione was sitting and anticipation was turning in Hermione's stomach. She was just hoping that McGonagall would not bring up the sleeping arrangements just yet. She needed to be the one to tell Harry and Ron later, much later, and in the Gryffindor common room. She didn't want a scene to start right here in the middle of the feast. Apparently luck was on Hermione's side tonight because McGonagall just asked her to remain behind after the feast.
"Why do you think she wants you to stay behind?" Ron asked while stuffing his mouth with as much food he could fit into it.
"Honestly Ronald!" Ginny exclaimed. "I know our mother taught you manners! Why don't you try using them?"
Hermione, noting that Ron was indeed not using his manners but then again he never really did, sighed," Obviously she wants to talk to me about being head girl Ron. And Ginny's right, not only is it bad manners to talk with your mouth full, it's disgusting."
Hermione looked around the room and saw that the feast was almost over. She was a mix of emotions, partly relived because soon she was going to be able to talk with the professors about being head girl, partly anxious because well Malfoy just made her anxious. She was also excited. She was going to have her own common room, sure she would have to share it with Malfoy but she was trying not to focus on that aspect of it, she was also excited because well, she was going to be head girl.
There was almost no one left in the great hall so Hermione said goodbye to Ron and Harry and headed up towards the back of the Great Hall where all the faculty sits. She was surprised to see that Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore where the only ones left there. Draco arrived a few moments after she did.
"There is something you should both know before you decide if you want this position or not." Professor McGonagall said looking slightly like she didn't want to be the one to tell them this news.
Hermione knew that it was about them having to live together. She was lucky that she knew this beforehand otherwise she had no idea how she would have reacted to that. Unfortunately for Draco, he had no idea that they would be living together if they both decided that they wanted to be heads.
"Well…" Draco said, "get on with it already."
"Head boy and head girl, well, they share a dormitory."
"WHAT?" Draco shouted, it was echoing around them as they waited for him to absorb this information.