Author's Note: I need to thank my best friend Mo for her mutual love of all things Dramione. She is the BEST sounding board and has even coined herself #MoTheMuse. She is the one who introduced me to fanfic and convinced me to read The Eagle's Nest by HeartOfAspen where I first learned to love Dramione. If you have not read her fanfic, I must insist that it is 792,856,528% worth the read.
Chapter 3
Hermione thought about her conversation with the headmistress most of the way back to the Gryffindor common room. By the time she got to the portrait of the fat lady, she had decided it was no use trying to figure out anything Draco Malfoy did. All she had to do was patrol with him a couple times a week and hold occasional prefects meetings together. The rest of the time she could go back to ignoring him altogether.
"Triumph," Hermione said to the Fat Lady.
"We certainly did," replied the Fat Lady, swinging forward.
Hermione glanced around the common room but didn't see Harry or Ron. Wanting to change out of her robes, Hermione made her way towards the staircase leading to the girl's dormitories.
"Hermione!" Ginny squealed.
Pausing on the staircase, Hermione started preparing excuses to avoid lingering in the common room. No doubt Ginny had some scheme planned. She had learned a certain disregard for rules and curfew from her older brothers.
"You must have left before the announcement at the feast!" Ginny remarked, getting up from her chair and walking towards the staircase. "The returning 8th years are in their own dormitories. You'll never guess where!"
"What?! Separate dormitories? There aren't any other dormitories inside the castle apart from the four houses. I would have read about them in 'Hogwarts, A History,'" Hermione stated, matter-of-factly.
"Really, Hermione. I'm not lying, look! There aren't any 8th years in the common room, are there?" Ginny asked. "You'll never guess where the new dormitories are! Mind you, I won't be allowed in. Harry will just have to come visit me here if he knows what's good for him."
"Gin, just tell me where the dormitories are," Hermione sighed.
Shaking with excitement, "The Room of Requirement!" Ginny burst out. "I'm so jealous! I bet you could ask the room for anything while you're there. A bigger bed. A pint of butterbeer. Or a passage to Hogsmeade! Ugh! The possibilities! You're so lucky."
"Not that lucky!" one of Ginny's friends quipped. "You couldn't pay me to go anywhere near there with-"
"SHH!" Ginny spat at her friend. "She'll figure it out," she said, turning back to Hermione with a hand on her hip. "You can handle yourself. Now scram!" she shooed Hermione. "Before I have to tell the Head Boy you were trying to sneak into the Gryffindor dormitories."
"Don't even go there," Hermione moaned.
Ginny cocked her head, waiting for more. "Another time," Hermione said, slugging down the stairs. All the excitement of the last 2 hours had left her drained. "Goodnight!" Hermione called behind her as she slipped out of the portrait hole.
"Sleep tiiight!" Hermione faintly heard back.
Draco slowly sat up on the wide ledge railing of the stairs leading up to the front of the castle. The railing was moderately comfortable. Or as comfortable as stone could be, really. It gave him a good view of the cloudless night. This late at night, no one was around to see as he looked up at the sky once more, then rolled his shoulders before slipping in through the front doors.
Passing through the Trophy Room on the way to the dungeons, Malfoy spotted Mrs. Norris, the caretaker's cat. Aiming his wand to petrify her before she could fetch Mr. Filch, Mrs. Norris flitted around the corner and disappeared. Damnit.
Lengthening his stride, Malfoy continued his way to the dungeons. As Head Boy, curfew rules didn't apply to him. Though he really disliked the squib caretaker. Everyone did. Almost as much as Mr. Filch hated all the students in return.
It could only be his luck that Mr. Filch caught up to him just steps away from the Slytherin common room. "Out of bed, are we?" Mr. Filch sneered. "Sneaking around planting dung bombs? I knew I would catch you this year. Dumbledore wouldn't let me have you but perhaps the new Headmistress isn't quite as soft."
Malfoy squared his shoulders. "As usual, you filthy squib, you seem to have come to the wrong conclusion. I'll have you know that I am Head Boy. And as Head Boy, I have better things to do with my time than plant dung bombs."
"That's what they all say. But if you were really Head Boy, why are you trying to get into the Slytherin common room?" Mr. Filch smiled. "Not very smart one, this one, eh Mrs. Norris?" Mr. Filch purred. "All the 8th years are up on the 7th floor aren't they? In the old Room of Requirement, they are."
"I can see you've caught me, Mr. Filch." Malfoy stated, raising his eyebrows. "I was trying to keep Peeves from mussing up the Trophy Room. But when he started throwing glue and glitter everywhere- Well, you can understand why I wouldn't want to be covered in glitter. I believe he said something about leaving a certain special surprise for you, though. I'm not sure what it was, exactly. But he had buckets of something that smelled absolutely foul. I came straight away to the Slytherin common room to fetch the Bloody Baron."
Undecided, Mr. Filch quivered on the spot. Mrs. Norris let out a single meow then took off in the direction that Draco had just come. "Don't let me catch out out wandering after dark again!" Mr. Filch sputtered.
And just like that, the caretaker took off, hobbling as fast as his knobbly legs would take him.
Draco paused a moment. The Room of Requirement? He thought it had been destroyed last year from Crabbe's fiendfyre. Draco squeezed his eyes shut to block out the memory. He would have died that day, if not for Potter.
Crabbe had died.
Draco opened his eyes and rolled his shoulders once more. "Lumos," he said, his wand emitting a soft glow as he made his way up to the 7th floor.
Well, he had to admit, it made sense. Technically everyone returning for their 8th year would be adults in the eyes of the wizarding world. Probably for the best to keep the returning students all separate.
Still. The castle was still under construction following the Battle of Hogwarts. He had no idea where the other houses could be located. The Room of Requirement might come in handy, though. He could have his own room instead of sharing a room with all the others. And then he could turn his room into something a little more substantial. More like his stateroom back home.
Draco swallowed hard. Maybe not quite like his room back home.
Hermione could just catch a faint flicker of light coming around the far corner as she neared the door to the Room of Requirement. She stopped, wondering who would be out this late, when none other than Draco Malfoy turned the corner.
"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Hermione called out.
"Granger, we meet again. I'm beginning to think you're stalking me," Draco replied coolly.
"As if, Malfoy." she said, squaring off. "I'm heading back to my dormitory. Someone told me the 8th year Gryffindors are in the Room of Requirement. You didn't answer my question."
Malfoy stopped 4 feet from her. He really did look dreadful. "I think you're mistaken," he said. "The 8th year Slytherins are in the Room of Requirement. Did someone hit you with a Confundus Charm when you weren't looking?"
Before Hermione could retort back, a door materialized in the wall on her right.
"See? The door appeared for me because the Gryffindors are obviously the ones in the Room of Requirement," Hermione stated, gesturing towards the door.
"You think you're so smart, Granger. Even you know the door didn't appear until I got here," Malfoy pointed out. "But if you really want to climb into the snake's nest, be my guest. Ladies first, oh Golden One."
Malfoy opened the door, stood to the side and dropped his head as Hermione rolled her eyes and stomped by and into the room. "Ferret," she muttered.
Malfoy hid a smirk and followed her into the room.
Author's Note: I'm sorry! This was a short one. But I'm super excited to describe the dorms and I might get carried away. I drew it out on paper and everythinnnnngggg! My husband thinks I'm nuts. But hey! I'm an architecture nerd. In another life, I should have been an Architect.
As usual, feel free to leave your thoughts, comments, ideas, constructive criticism, etc. And again, if you just hate everything, I'd rather you just move on.
Thanks!
Love,
Rachael
PS, I expect the next update will come within the next couple of days because, like I said, I already drew something up. OOH! I'm so excited!
