Sorry for not updating sooner! It's been pretty busy. This is just a filler chapter. It's pretty funny towards the end. Enjoy and please review!
Hermione woke with a start, her body lunging forward as though attempting to escape unknown hands that threatened to pull her down into the dark depths. She took deep breaths to slow her heart rate which had increased over the period of sleep. Her dreams seemed to take a turn for the worst. She could still feel the soft tickling sensation of something running up and down her arm and she proceeded to shaking her entire body to rid the feeling from her being.
A gentle breeze rolled in through the wind rustling a few bits of papers that were scattered across her desk on the other side of the room. The noise caused Hermione to leap in the air, fright overwhelming her. She placed a hand on her chest as she took large gasps of breaths. She shook her head, ashamed of herself for being so terrified of a little wind. She couldn't understand why the wind had scared her so greatly. It wasn't like her to be like a jumping bean. She was a Gryffindor: brave, strong, and intelligent. Paper rustling should not spark an interest in her mind. Yet, the papers continued to rustle though the wind had stopped moments before. Hermione stared in amazement as the sheets began to twist into a funnel, much like a tornado. Hermione prepared for the worst as she shielded her body from the doom she predicted would occur.
"Miss Hermione Granger?" A scratchy voice seemed to say.
Hermione peaked over her arm and stared at a small creature before her. It was just one of the castle elves. He wore barely anything except for a disheveled potato bag that looked older than she was. It was covered in dirt and grime and she crinkled her nose in disgust. The castle elf looked rather old as his body seemed as though it was about to betray him any moment. His arms were pulled tight to his body; his fingers, though small, looked arthritic to her. His ears were large, much larger than any elf's ears should be. Small scraggly hairs grew from them in an array of directions. His eyes were large and innocent looking. Hermione stared for a few moments before realizing he was curious as to if she truly was Hermione.
"Y-yes," she managed to sputter through her shock.
The elf approached her before bowing at the foot of her bed. She could not stop staring and it took most of her power not to have her jaw open like a fly trap. She couldn't believe the horrible conditions the elves of the castle were in, resorting to wearing old worn bags as clothing. It bothered her so greatly. Perhaps she could pick up knitting them clothing and hiding them around the castle. Last time she did that however, she found them scattered around; some were on statues while others seemed to hang from the roof.
"My name is Scrunch. I'll be your personal elf, Miss Granger."
Hermione shook her head in disbelief. Did that mean Draco also had a personal elf? Seeing as he was the other Head, she assumed so. As if reading her mind, Scrunch coughed before speaking once more. "Master Malfoy also has his own personal elf. All the Heads receive one as they are given more responsibility than any other student. We will pick up after you when you do not have the time to do so. You can reach me by calling my name, anytime, anywhere."
He bowed and with a snap of his fingers, he disappeared with a crack and a puff of smoke. Hermione coughed and waved the smoke away. She sighed, rather disappointed. She would have liked to talk to him a bit more but it seemed nothing more was left to be said. Stretching, Hermione swung her legs over the edge of the mattress and pressed her bare feet against the hard wood floor. It was cool to the touch and she shivered slightly. Rubbing her head, her fingers got tangled in her hair. She groaned and headed toward the dresser where all her necessities seemed to be spread across the bureau. Had Scrunch already unpack her belongings? She glanced around to see her chest full of her belongings at the foot of the bed as well as her clothes hung in the closet on the opposite wall. It seemed everything had been taken care of for her.
Hermione took this chance now to take a shower in the bathroom that seemed to be connected to her room. She gathered a few supplies and a towel and headed for the door. Opening it, she heard the water running and with a quizzical expression, she ventured into the bathroom.
"I can't get no, satisfaction. I can't get no, satisfaction. 'Cause I try and I try, and I try, and I try…" Draco's sing song voice reached Hermione's ears and although he missed a few notes, he wasn't that horrible.
She couldn't help but smile as she stood in the bathroom and listened to Draco sing in the shower. How did a wizard like Malfoy know Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones? She could see his silhouette on the curtain and watched his hands run through his hair. Hermione couldn't help but hold her breath after that. His shadow reached out and turned off the water. Instantly, Hermione panicked but before she could stealthily return to her quarters, Draco pulled the shower curtain open. Hermione looked from his face, down, then back to his face, eyes bugged out and mouth hung open slightly.
"SHIT! Granger! What the HELL! Get out!" he shouted furiously as he wrapped himself in the plastic shower drape. Hermione realized she had been staring and instantly placed her hand on her eyes, backing out through the door, hitting the frame as she slipped back into her room.
Draco stood there, dripping wet, staring at the door as it closed, a mildly amused look on his features. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to be a Head with her. He could always mess with her mind, boggle her senses, and completely "screw" with her. Her snickered at the thought as he reached for the towel that had been delicately draped on the hook beside the shower and began drying himself up.
"Seeing Hermione's face, priceless." He thought as he walked through the door into his own room.
Hermione didn't open her eyes until she was securely in her room and she had shut the door behind her. She couldn't help but take deep breaths until she was sure she wasn't going to collapse. Surely she was stronger than this! Hermione couldn't let one guy make her feel so weak.
"But you saw his… No! Hermione! Don't think about it!" She tried to occupy her thoughts with the daily routine of getting ready but her mind couldn't help but wander to what she had seen just moments before. She proceeded to walk down the stairs and out the door before Draco and made a mad dash for the Grand Hall. She had to avoid him for the rest of the day.
"But you'll see him during patrol." She moaned quietly before walking through the great doors of the Hall.
