A/N: So I noticed that this story has become a quick favorited story. Thank you to everyone who put me on their Author update list and Story update list. It means a lot. Now, on to our next chapter.

Disclaimer: It would be a very Merry Christmas for me if you left me Tom Felton under my tree.

Chapter Two: Goners

The feast in the Great Hall was a different affair than usual. The long benches were still intact, the dark wooden tables for each house were in the correct order, the golden plates and goblets were exactly the same. Everything looked, though it seemed it shouldn't, like Albus Dumbledore was still alive. Like nothing had changed. Harry, Ron, and Hermione quickly took their seats next to Ginny, Seamus, Dean, and Demelza. They all exchanged the briefest of hello's before turning to the teacher's table. McGonagall was absent, probably terrifying the first years. Hagrid was gone too, probably trying to keep everyone from drowning on the rickety wooden boats.

There were a fair few recognizable faces: Flitwick, Sprout, Trelawny, Slughorn, Vector. Harry stopped when his eyes landed on the Headmaster's chair.

"No…" he muttered. Hermione immediately looked up and followed Harry's eyes.

"They wouldn't…"

Ron followed suit. "That bloody bastard!"

Severus Snape was sitting in the Headmaster's chair, looking extremely pleased with himself. Next to him were a man and a woman that only Harry recognized.

"That's Alecto and Amycus Carrow," he whispered to Hermione and Ron. "They were with Snape when he killed Dumbledore.

"Death Eater scum," Ron spat.

A loud creak echoed throughout the Great Hall as the huge oak doors eased their way open and Professor McGonagall strode through, followed by a pitifully small group of terrified looking first years waiting to be sorted. Hagrid ended the group, dripping water all over the marble floors.

"Why is there such a small group?" Ginny asked Hermione, who hastened to reply.

"Most parents are choosing to keep their children home now. Seeing, as, well, Dumbledore is gone…" she trailed off, glancing at Harry.

Harry stared forward and ignored her as the first years were called up one by one and sorted into their houses. When Snape stood to give the obligatory Headmaster's speech, he looked down at his plate.

"Good evening students," he began in his silky voice just barely over his normal whisper. "This year, as I'm sure you have noticed, there have been a few changes to the staff. Amycus Carrow will be the new Muggle Studies teacher, and Alecto Carrow will be the new Dark Arts teacher –"

Harry leaned in toward Hermione. "Did he say Dark Arts?"

Hermione, without taking her eyes off the new Headmaster, nodded curtly.

"And lastly, I will be your Headmaster." The applause from the Slytherin table was deafening, and a few Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws half-heartedly followed suit. Only the Gryffindor table stayed resolutely silent.

"Now, in the way of safety…" Snape lowered his voice, and the entire Hall fell silent in its ominous wake.

"In the way of safety, I'm going to have to kill Harry Potter before everyone's eyes to make sure that…you know….my master will stay happy and I can keep my cushy job and be a total jack—"

"Harry, shut up!" Hermione nudged him roughly.

"The usual reinforcements are still in place as they were the year prior. However, I will not put up with insolence, rule-breaking, or nighttime wanderings," Snape's eyes lingered on the Gryffindor table, close to Harry's place. "There will be patrols out constantly, including your own Head Boy and Girl, and we will not be showing any mercy. Remember, this is for your safety."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Right, because good ol' You-Know-Who is just going to be part of the nighttime patrol now, eh?"

Ginny smirked, but Hermione scowled, and Ron's smile slid off his face.

"Before we begin the feast, I feel I should enlighten you. Your Head Boy is Draco Malfoy."

The Slytherins cheered for their Prince. Malfoy stood and waved, his self-assured smirk carefully arranged.

"And Head Girl is, of course, Hermione Granger."

The screams from the other three houses put Slytherin to shame. Hermione stood, her face bright red, and nodded once before sitting back down and covering her burning face with her hands. Harry clapped her on the back, smiling.

"Now, eat."

The food appeared, as always, in tremulous amounts on the golden plates before them. Ron grabbed all he could reach with a strangled moan of hunger and started devouring it. Demelza watched in disgust. Harry and Hermione leaned their heads together and started discussing the new staff.

"How could McGonagall let this happen?" Harry exclaimed, taking a ferocious bite out of a chicken leg.

"Maybe she didn't have much choice," Hermione reasoned carefully. "I doubt they sat her down and asked if she was okay with this."

"But she's one of the most powerful witches! And the most powerful in this school. Surely she could have stood up to him."

Hermione looked up at McGonagall, who looked more worried than strict under the candlelight. "I don't think she wanted a fight, Harry. I think she wanted to stay here to protect the students. That's why she's putting herself through this. Think about it," she put a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder. "It's what Dumbledore would have wanted."

Harry wrenched his shoulder back. "No one else seems to care about what Dumbledore wanted, why should she?"

Hermione lowered her eyes. "You can't blame me for this, Harry. They tricked me, just like they tricked you and Ginny and Ron."

Harry whirled around and grabbed Hermione's wrist, and let it go almost instantly. Instead, he clenched that same hand into a tight fist. "You are the smartest witch of the age Hermione, and a damn good chess player. Surely you cannot tell me that you didn't see something like this coming!"

Hermione kept her eyes on her lap. "I didn't."

"Maybe you're glad to be back. So you don't have to miss your final year of precious school –"

"Harry, you know that the Horcruxes are the priority to me just as they are to you. School could have waited," Hermione grabbed his hand and loosened it so it was flat. "I wouldn't do this to you. I know you're angry, but this wasn't my fault."

Harry closed his eyes, and a tear fell on their joined hands.

"Besides," Hermione said, with a trace of a laugh. "Why would I want to come back if there was even the slightest chance that I'll have to share quarters with Malfoy?"

Harry obliged a chuckle.

When Snape dismissed the Hall for the night, Hermione bid Harry and Ron goodbye and promised to come to the common room after she found her quarters. Professor McGonagall awaited her outside the Hall doors.

"Miss Granger," she said, inclining her head slightly.

"Professor," Hermione replied. They fell into step next to each other, and climbed the stairs in silence.

"Professor?" Hermione asked. "Can I ask you a question?"

"I'm always open to your inquiries, Miss Granger," she replied blithely. "Please continue."

"Why did you let Snape –"

"Professor Snape."

"Right, sorry. Professor Snape, then. Why did you let Professor Snape become the Headmaster? You were the Deputy Headmistress, it seems only natural that you would –"

"Miss Granger, I apologize for saying this, but that is a question that I cannot answer."

"But –"

"Just like, I am sure you will not tell me why you and Mr and Miss Weasley and Mr. Potter were sneaking out of a safe house in the dead of night alone with no explanation, correct?" McGonagall raised an eyebrow at Hermione shrewdly, who turned pink.

"I will not, Professor."

"That's what I thought. Now, I need to inform you as to your duties."

Hermione hastened to reply. "I know all of my duties, Professor."

"Not your Head Duties, Miss Granger."

"Oh…" Hermione lowered her gaze. "Then what?"

"Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zambini."

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I am aware that you detest each other, but Draco Malfoy will be in the same common room as you, and I happen to know for a fact that Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Zambini are the only two Death Eaters at Hogwarts who are still students, and, therefore, still persuadable."

"Professor, if you honestly think –"

"There were few things I did not inherit from Albus Dumbledore when he died, Miss Granger. His tendency to see the good in everyone, however, I did keep. I happen to know that Draco Malfoy is persuadable. If anyone can do it, it would be someone like you."

Hermione was astonished. "We hate each other, Professor. There's no way this is going to happen. He would rather die!"

"Don't be so sure." Professor McGonagall nodded, and Hermione turned around. They were in front of a tapestry of a lush vineyard.

"Password is 'turncoat'," Professor McGonagall smiled briefly, and turned back the way she came. Hermione spat out the password and entered, finding Draco Malfoy already lounging on the squishy brown leather couch.

"Finally," he stood up and walked to a winding staircase. When he reached the first step, he turned around and glanced back at Hermione, who scowled in distaste.

"Well, Mudblood?" You going to follow me or not?"

"Call me a Mudblood one more time and that's the last word you're ever going to say," Hermione replied. "Why would I follow you anywhere, ferret?"

"Seeing as you and precious McGonagall take forever and a day to walk up some steps, the Headmaster suggested that I show you how to decorate your room. You know, since he had better things to do and all. Oh, I guess you wouldn't know, would you, Mudblood?"

Hermione drew her wand. "What did I tell you, Ferret?"

"Tut, tut, now, wouldn't want to be getting in trouble before classes even begin, would you? Especially since you're now in a position of power. How would that look?"

"Probably the same as your face is going to look when I'm done with it!"

"Ooh," Malfoy clapped. "Good one, Mudblood. Now, follow me, I don't have all night."

"MALFOY!"

"Fine, GRANGER, now will you shut your trap and follow me? Shit, I have better things to do than sit here and argue with you!"

Hermione raised an eyebrow, her wand still drawn. "Like what, Ferret? Death Eater duties to attend to?"

Malfoy turned his back on her and started climbing the stairs. "Don't speak of what you don't understand Mu- Granger," he said, his voice icy.

"Oh, but don't I understand? You followed in dear old Daddy's footsteps, didn't you? Got the nice little tattoo to match? Does it attract the ladies?"

In a split second, she was pinned against the wall, one step below Malfoy, and his arm was across her throat. She gasped for air, and Malfoy's eyes narrowed at her.

"Listen to me Mudblood. Shut the fuck up. Now, I'm going to repeat it in case you didn't hear me the first time. Shut. The. Fuck. UP."

He recoiled, boils springing up all over his body. Hermione struggled to catch her breath, her wand held tightly in her sweating hand.

"Petrificus Totalus!" she exclaimed. Malfoy's whole body froze, and he toppled down the stairs, landing in a messy heap on the floor.

"Listen to me, you pureblood supremacist. Don't touch me again. Now, I'm going to say it again, in case you weren't listening. Leave me alone. Got it, Death Eater?" she spat the last word at him, tossed his wand into a corner of the room, and left, slamming the bedroom door behind her.

She would figure out how to decorate her room later, without Malfoy's help.

"We've gotta get out of here, Ron," Harry said, pacing in front of the fire. "The Horcruxes are the only way we can defeat Voldemort!"

Ron crossed his arms as if he were cold, even though he was sitting in the armchair closest to the fire. "Mate, do you mind if we don't say his name? I mean, just for a little while. It's getting kind of tiring."

"Ron, Dumbledore always said –"

"Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself, I know." Ron glanced at the portrait hole for the millionth time in the past ten minutes.

"Staring at the portrait hole isn't going to make her walk through it, Ron," Harry said, sitting down next to his best friend. Ron's ears turned red and he struggled to repress a smile.

"I'm not, I'm not waiting for her, or anything…"

Harry laughed. "Please, don't lie to me, Ron."

Ron chose to ignore him. "So, how can we get out of here? Do you know the reinforcements around the castle?"

Harry shook his head, already looking frustrated. "I don't know any of the details. I mean, I expect that's kind of the point, but you don't think we could get out through Hogsmeade, do you?"

Ron, who was looking at the portrait hole again, looked up. "Wait, that-that's it! Wait until we have a Hogsmeade day, take the Cloak, and go out through the mountains where Sirius hid! Use the Four-Point Spell and we should be fine. We'll be out and searching for You-Know-Who's soul in no time!"

Harry looked incredulous. "Do you really think that will work?"

"Do you really care if it's foolproof?"

Harry thought about it, and nodded. "You're right. We have to try whatever we can."

"It'll never work." Said a voice from the stairs.

Ginny stepped down into the light of the fire. "They will check everything you're carrying when you leave the castle. They will see the Cloak, and you'll be busted before you're even out of the castle."

"So we leave the Cloak on before we leave the castle," Harry reasoned.

"Haven't you ever felt like Snape could see through the Cloak?" Ginny said smartly. "Besides, Secrecy Sensors will pick you up a mile away."

"Ginny, you're shooting holes in all our plans here," Harry said, sounding more frustrated than jocular.

"Look, I just don't want you hurting yourselves….and I still want to come with you."

"Absolutely not," Ron said instantly.

"But Ron!"

"Look, Gin, I would love to have you come with us, really I would, but escaping from Hogwarts? Going on the run with You-Know-Who after you? I don't want you to get hurt."

Ginny looked furious. "I'm a better witch than you think, Ronald. I could probably defeat you in a duel. I would be useful! If it wasn't for me, you two would have gotten the Cloak confiscated or something equally dim-witted!"

Harry looked at Ron. "She has a point."

"No, Gin. I'm sorry."

She drew her wand and pointed it at her brother, who didn't move. She waved it, opened her mouth, then growled and stomped out of the room. Ron let out a breath when he heard the door to the girl's dormitory close.

Harry chuckled. "I thought you were a goner for a second, mate."

"Me too," Ron said, his hand on his chest. "Me too."