Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews, they were the second- best thing I read today (sorry, a drarry slash fanfic was the first *drools*) :D This chapter might be trigger-y for self-harmers. So yeah, review with ideas and questions/ complaints. Thanks :)
Update: I edited some stuff
A not-so-vague disclaimer: Harry Potter is was created by JK Rowling, not me. That's kinda why I'm writing fanfiction and she's a billionaire (or something like that).
The next morning Hermione woke up at dawn. Well, she didn't wake up so much as stop trying to fall asleep. She changed into a pair of sweatpants and a lace-trimmed vest, tightening them around her hips. She pulled on her trainers and swept her hair back into a matted ponytail. As she left her room she grabbed a bottle of water from the common-room table and plugged her headphones into her ears. Over the summer she had modified her new CD player to play despite the interruption of all electrical signals on Hogwarts grounds (she had also given it an unlimited battery supply, she could never remember to charge it) and she was playing it at every chance she got. She turned it on and left. She spent the next hour running around the almost-deserted Hogwarts grounds, she waved when she passed Hagrid feeding the thestrals (silently wishing that she couldn't see them) and ignored the stares she got from early-rising Professors when she arrived back at the castle.
When she arrived back at the rooms, she went into the bathroom and locked the door. She turned on the shower and removed her sweaty clothes, conscious of the scales on the floor. Before she stepped onto them she assessed her body in the mirror. She was happy enough with her frame, her hipbones stuck out at almost razor-sharp points and her ribs were visible; but she was still working on her upper arms and thighs. She took a deep breath before she stepped on the scales, the steam that was filling up the bathroom making her dizzy. She closed her eyes as the scales shifted and after five seconds she opened them and looked at the dial. It read 94lbs… Her eyebrows knitted as she calculated its value in stone. She wasn't even six stone yet! She bit her lip, trying to stop herself from crying and pulled the hair band out of her ponytail as she stepped into the shower. The water was scorching hot but she didn't want to turn it down, instead she put her full face in the stream, as if the feeling of hot water over her eyes and face would stop her own tears. She let out shallow breaths as she did this, shuddering breaths that normally preceded sobs. She wanted to do something, something to hurt herself, to try and stop herself from losing control. With a shaking hand she picked up the case that held her razor. Nestled in there, beneath all of the spare heads, was a straight razor blade. She took it out, still trembling, and put down the case. She sat on the side of the bath and pulled off the bracelets that covered the veins on her left wrist. Beneath them was an assortment of almost-healed cuts, most creating deep grooves in her flesh. She rested her wrist on her knee and swiped the razorblade across a vein and bone, creating a inch-wide gash. The blood bubbled up and she wiped it away, holding the razorblade to the open wound and slashing again. She sat like this for the next few minutes, she wasn't even in pain anymore- she had the spine-tingling feeling of the knife cutting through the flesh and scraping at the bone but that was all. She was completely calm when she put the blade away and continued her shower.
Draco woke up to Hermione knocking on his bedroom door. She opened the door after a few seconds waiting for him to invite her in. He sat up, immediately, self-conscious that he was only wearing boxers and the covers on the bed lay twisted on the floor. But when he looked at her and saw that she was clad in a white towel, her feet bare and hair damp, he relaxed. She smiled apologetically.
"We have to be in the great hall in fifteen minutes." She said, not bothering to greet him. "We don't have to wear uniforms for this thing, right?"
Draco shook his head and she smiled again.
"You're really not talkative in the morning." She laughed. When he looked in her eyes he saw that they were red, had she been crying? He also noticed that, even when bathing she seemed to wear an assortment of bracelets and cords wrapped around her left wrist. His eyes clouded when he thought about what that might suggest.
"Sorry, I didn't sleep well." He said, his voice hoarse. She smiled and left the room after reminding him again of their appointment.
Ten minutes later Hermione came out of her room. She was wearing a pair of jeans that looked as though they were supposed to be skin-tight, but hung off her thighs. She pulled on a cardigan and accepted the cup of coffee he held out to her.
"Thanks." She smiled. "Ready to shape young minds?" She joked after taking a gulp. He smiled, wishing that he had something more interesting to say to her.
"I guess." Was all he said. She picked up her bag from the sofa and put her wand in her back pocket.
"Remember what Moody used to say about Harry putting his wand in his back pocket?" She grimaced and stuck out her tongue. Off Draco's searching look she said, "Sorry, that phrase got some weird images in my head." She giggled and drained the cup of coffee. She put it down and they left the head's quarters. They walked together through the halls that were almost abandoned because lessons weren't starting until the next day. When they arrived in the Great Hall the first years were gathered, looking around as they waited for Draco and Hermione to arrive. When they entered the room the students all seemed to sit up straighter and Draco noticed a boy that had been sorted into Gryffindor nudging his neighbour and nodding at Hermione. The tables had been moved and the students were gathered in rows facing the main doors to the hall. The heads of houses left after nodding to the head boy and girl.
"Hi," said Hermione, standing in front of the students and smiling. "I'm Hermione Granger and that's Draco Malfoy. We're Head Girl and Boy, so we're in charge of showing you around the castle today, and answering any of your questions." She gave a little wave and nudged Draco.
"So, um, yeah. First we're going to show you around the castle, then the grounds and then we'll break for lunch. Afterwards you'll be able to ask us questions about y'know, life here and that." He said, conscious at how much older he was than them. Hermione giggled and saved him from having to speak any longer.
"So keep close to us and try to remember what we tell you." She said.
They spent the rest of the morning walking around the castle and grounds and telling the first-years stories about each of the rooms and areas. Hermione seemed to be in her element, giggling with the younger students and making fun of Draco. She was strict, though, making sure that they were all keeping up with her and listening to her when she spoke. Seeing her talking to them, and seeing them rapt listening to her, any doubt in his mind (okay, there hadn't ever been one, but if he had to argue with someone about whether Hermione should be head girl, he had a lot more hard evidence) about her suitability for the post was completely gone. He, on the other hand, couldn't even imagine being able to relate to the first years or make them laugh. All he seemed to have done throughout the whole tour was agree with Hermione and endure the whispers of the girls.
When they had shown the first-years to the great hall for lunch and arranged a time and place to meet them in the afternoon Draco and Hermione made their way to the side of the lake, where Harry and Ron were waiting.
"'mione," Harry said, smiling broadly at Hermione. "Did you have fun scaring the firsties?" He nodded at Draco and Draco rolled his eyes before taking out his cigarettes.
"You want one?" He asked Hermione. She nodded and he lit two, in the same manner she had the night before. Ron looked at him with a look of faint disgust when he passed a lit cigarette to her.
"You've had that in your mouth!" He spluttered. His eyes widened as she began to smoke it. "'mione, he's had that in his mouth!"
"And we're what, twelve?" She laughed at him. "He had to put it in his mouth to light it."
"I haven't got any diseases, Ron." Draco said, smirking as he blew smoke into the redhead's face.
"At least not any in his mouth." Harry supplied, helpfully.
"I don't know why you smoke anyway," Ron said, looking at Hermione in a disgruntled manner.
"'cause nicotine's addictive," she smiled. They had obviously had this argument before. "Anyway, my feet are killing me." She changed the subject and slipped off her green satin shoes, which reminded Draco of muggle ballet dancers. Her toenails were painted red and she wriggled them in the grass.
"You're a great role model, y'know that?" Harry laughed looking down at her feet. "Smoking and going around barefoot." She stuck blew smoke into his face.
"Who here wasn't made prefect?" She grinned. "You have no right to tell us prefects how to act… We could stick you in detention."
