Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. It remains property of J.K Rowling.
Hermione watched the First Years walk nervously in between the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables, their pale faces illuminated in the dim candlelight. They were all staring at the Sorting Hat along with every other student in the Great Hall. Everyone who wasn't a First Year was waiting for the Hat to start singing, the First Years seemed to be waiting for it to jump up and ask it them to do something extreme. They all looked very scared. Everyone was waiting, and then slowly, very slowly the rip near the brim of the hat opened and the hat began to sing in its deep low voice:
When Hogwarts was newly founded,
By the notorious founders four,
They thought to be united wholly,
But one of them wanted more,
Said Slytherin: 'We'll take only those,
Whose blood is of purest water.
For the quill will choose some whom I will,
Not teach. Neither son nor daughter.'
Said Gryffindor: 'We are all humans,
Our blood runs through all the same.
In our school, there should be no bias,
To pick only those of certain name.'
Said Ravenclaw: 'That is a wise statement,
But here is where you may disagree.
I think we should divide them somewhat,
Into different houses, for success, I guarantee.'
Said Hufflepuff: 'I understand what you say,
For everyone is unique.
I will take any and teach,
All the while using the same technique.'
So then it was decided,
For different houses to be made.
Where each of different traits,
Would be sorted and given certain aid.
These differences caused little strife
When first they came to light,
For each of the four founders had
A house in which they might
Take only those they wanted, so,
For instance, Slytherin
Took only pure-blood wizards
Of great cunning, just like him
And only those of sharpest mind
Were taught by Ravenclaw
While the bravest and the boldest
Went to daring Gryffindor.
Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest,
And taught them all she knew,
And so together, they made a school
Where everyone was content
For several happy years before,
War broke upon the school, with nobody's consent.
Everyone thought it would be the end
To a happy and providential school,
As it seemed the founders had
Turned upon each other, sought to rule.
Eventually, it ended
When old Slytherin decided to leave
Leaving only three founders
Behind, along with me.
And now here I sit
Singing you this song
About my past, and the past of Hogwarts
Before I decide where you belong.
Yet still, I think
That what I do is not right
To divide you into quarters
And create even more strife
Because, you see, after old Slytherin
Left our school all those years ago
Our school has never been united
As it was supposed to be so.
Now, I will sort you where I see fit
Into the house which is best for you
Although this may be our downfall
If we do not break through
Our old tradition of enemies
This has passed down through the years
Which makes no sense as we carry on
It just adds to all my fears.
Oh, know the perils, read the signs,
The warning history shows,
For our Hogwarts is in danger
From external, deadly foes
And we must unite inside her
Or we'll crumble from within
I have told you, I have warned you…
Let the Sorting now begin.
Hermione clapped along with the rest of the school after the hat lay motionless; she was also frowning. This hat comes up with weirder and weirder songs every year, I swear. She could hear Harry and Ron talking and laughing about the song as they did every year after they had listened to it. Hermione rolled her eyes. Will they ever grow up? she thought. But she was smiling fondly at them as well.
Professor McGonagall was examining the whispering students and then all of a sudden, in a voice that echoed around the hall and silenced all whispering and talking, she called out the first name from her list of First Years.
"Adams, Colin."
The boy, Colin, was a very miniscule boy who looked no older than seven with his small stature and big eyes. He walked over to the stool with trembling legs that looked about to collapse beneath him. After the hat was placed on his head there was complete silence for two minutes before the hat finally shouted out.
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
The Hufflepuff table whooped and cheered while Colin joined their table; he still seemed remotely frightened but relieved as well.
"Althalos, Fendrel."
This boy, Fendrel, was quite tall and looked a lot older than eleven. He also didn't seem very nervous at all. In fact he sauntered to the stool and sneered at Professor McGonagall before sitting down. He'll definitely be a Slytherin, Hermione thought with a grimace. And sure enough, not a second later after the hat was placed upon his head the hat shouted out.
"SLYTHERIN!"
Hermione saw the Slytherin table cheer and clap. She saw Malfoy pat Fendrel on the back with a smile.
The rest of the A's were sorted, then the B's, C's, D's. Throughout the four surname categories Gryffindor only gained one First Year. Then they got to the E's, and Hermione saw the girl who had given her and Malfoy the note on the train. She was near the front of the queue now, looking extremely nervous, but excited at the same time.
"Evelyn, Gabrielle."
That's such a beautiful name, thought Hermione as she watched Gabrielle walk towards the stool. The hat took a few moments to decide before it shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" for the whole Hall to hear. Hermione cheered and clapped loudly. She then remembered what Malfoy had said on the train: "Well, that's the reason. She's a First Year. And a quiet, scared one at that. She'll be a Gryffindor."
She looked over at the Slytherin table and saw Malfoy smirking at her. He then mouthed what looked like "I – told – you – so." She glared at him and mouthed back: "Shove – off – Malfoy!" She then threw a disgusted glance at him and continued to watch the remaining First Years putting the Sorting Hat on.
It took about half an hour to go through the rest of the alphabet, and only five more became Gryffindors resulting in a grand total of seven Gryffindor First Years. After the Sorting was complete Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and removed the stool and hat from the Great Hall. After she had returned to the Hall, Professor Dumbledore got to his feet. Hermione remembered his famous words from her First Year "Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!" and laughed out loud softly.
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. I have many announcements to make, but now is not the time. So, as they say in France…Bon Appetite!" This said with a smile and his usual twinkling blue eyes beaming down at them.
As the food appeared out of nowhere there were many audible gasps from the First Years, and a few chuckles from the older students at the new comers' reactions. Everyone started to pile food onto their plates; everyone was hungry after the long train journey and the long wait for the feast to actually begin.
She could hear Ron and Harry talking about the Quidditch team's line up for the upcoming year. As Katie Bell had left last year they only needed one more chaser to fill the team.
"I reckon Dean's good enough for the job." Harry was saying. "I mean, he knows Demelza and Ginny and he can work well with them. Why do the whole try out disaster again, when we can just put Dean in?"
Ron swallowed his mouthful before replying. God, that's a first. He actually swalloed before talking! Hermione stared at Ron in wonder. Ickle Ronniekins is growing up. She snorted and they both turned to look at her; both with the same confused expression on their face. She just smiled and shook her head, and they carried on talking.
"Because that's not how it goes, Harry. What if there's a Second Year out there who is better, but we don't know because they couldn't try out last year? We have to think about this strategically…" she stopped listening to their Quidditch talk and just concentrated on her food.
Hermione sat in the Great Hall waiting for the start of term feast to end. Her friends were still passing looks between them and hardly talking to her, as if scared she would start shouting at them again. It was that and the fact she was tired, annoyed and stuffed to burst with delicious food, that she was in a very bad mood.
Every now and then she looked over to the Slytherin table and found Malfoy smirking at her, or occasionally just looking at her with a puzzled look on his face. It was really starting to bug her.
She glanced up at the Staff table where Dumbledore was giving his start of term speech; she was looking for any new staff, hoping Snape had been replaced after last year. She saw Professor McGonagall sat next to Dumbledore as usual, Hagrid; sat next to her, Flitwick, Firenze, Professor Burbage the Muggles Studies teacher, Professor Slughorn, Sinistra, Trelawney, Bethsheda Babbling her Ancient Runes teacher, and Professor Vector. There was one empty space where she thought the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher should be sat. There was, however, no sign of Snape which had to be a good thing. Dumbledore had not mentioned the lack of a teacher though which was odd in itself. Maybe he didn't find a teacher for this year. They haven't lasted for more than one year for the past seven years. Quirell died, Lockhart ended up in St. Mungo's, Lupin was basically fired, Moody was an impostor really and the real one was locked in a trunk for a year, Umbridge was carried off by centaur's; although that wasn't really a bad thing, and Snape…well what did happen to Snape? He almost killed Dumbledore. Surely he won't be back under Hogwarts employment will he? Will Dumbledore still trust him as he always has before?
Still thinking about the staff of Hogwarts Hermione almost missed Dumbledore talk about the Defence Against the Dark Arts post. "…and resuming the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts this year, I welcome back Professor Snape…" after this statement he was forced to talk louder after several loud furious outbursts from angry students, and many cheers from the Slytherin table. Hermione looked up at the staff table again, more closely this time, and still saw no sign of Snape. Not a greasy hair in sight. "…who is currently detained at this present moment in time. I'm sure you will all welcome him back graciously during his lessons. Now, I must remind all the new comers and some of the students returning that the Forbidden Forest is forbidden for a reason and is therefore…" Hermione stopped listening and went back to her thoughts. Why would Dumbledore let Snape come back as a teacher? It's clear he's still working for Voldemort after last year, even if he didn't succeed in murdering Dumbledore. Maybe Dumbledore's finally lost it. Malfoy as Head Boy and Snape as Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, the most important lesson right now as Voldemort's back in the open. Honestly this year is going to be really bad for everybody.
The Prefects were beginning to lead the First Years to their common rooms. She watched the First Years dawdle to the doors, craning their necks around to absorb all the sights of the hall before they left. Hermione saw Gabrielle, who had given her and Malfoy the letter on the train, and saw that she was leaving her seat from the Gryffindor table. Hermione smiled and waved at her and the girl did the same back.
After the Great Hall was nearly empty she stood up feeling she would miss most of the crowds by this time. Walking to the door she could see Malfoy walking towards her from the corner of her eye. She sighed and tried to ignore him but found she couldn't. So…she waited for him.
"Are you ready to go to Dumbledore's office yet? You took your time sat there waiting for God knows what." Malfoy asked her as they both walked out the doors.
"Well, then, why did you wait? You could have gone straight there without me. Or do you need someone to hold your hand as you climb the stairs? Is that why you never go out without your Mummy?" she added nastily and hurried off leaving him there, his expression angrier by the second.
"Don't talk about my mother, Granger!" he shouted after her. She ignored him and kept climbing the stairs. He grabbed her wrist, and that was when she noticed he'd caught up with her. She tried to shake free but his grip was like steel. "I said don't talk about -"
"I didn't say anything bad about her Malfoy, now let go of my wrist." She interrupted angrily. He bared his teeth.
"It's not about what you said; it's about the fact that you, a filthy, dirty, little Mudblood, mentioned my mother in one of your sentences. It's about," his grip tightened if that was possible. ", the fact anything associated with my mother shouldn't be coming out of your dirty little mouth." And without another word he swept up the stairs, his robes somehow billowing out behind him.
She rubbed her wrist irritably. God, it wasn't even that a bad comment. Jeez, is he touchy or what? She dawdled the remaining five staircases to Dumbledore's office. When she finally reached the gargoyle on the second floor she was at least ten minutes late. For once in her life, though, Hermione really did not care. She muttered the password and climbed the stairs to his actual office, knocked on the door and waited. Not until she heard a "Come in." did she enter. Once she entered her eyes immediately swung towards Malfoy sat on the opposite side of Dumbledore's desk to Dumbledore himself, meaning that Malfoy's back was to her. She continued to walk to the chair next to him after a small nod in that direction from her Professor. Dumbledore smiled at them both and offered them some mint humbugs from a jar after she had sat down. After they had both refused politely he began to talk.
"Right, now that you are both here we can get started." He smiled again, and when neither of them smiled back but just threw angry sideways glances at each other he frowned. "Firstly, I must ask you whether you have already begun to argue. That is not what I'd expect from my Head Boy and Girl on their first official day." When neither replied and just kept silent he continued with an eyebrow raised slightly. "I must assure you that if you do not co-operate in a courtly manor…well I do have reserves for your positions and other candidates who I'm sure would be thrilled and compliant to resume your status."
Hermione's head shot up. "No, that will not be necessary, Professor. I assure you. It wasn't really an argument, just more of a…" What's the word? "…disagreement." That's a polite way of putting it. He really hurt my wrist! She smiled at Dumbledore in what she hoped was a reassuring way. "Isn't that right Malfoy?"
He smirked at her and shot her a knowing look. "Yeah…that's what it was. Just a little disagreement. Nothing to worry about, sir."
The Headmaster beamed at them both. "That's very good to hear. Now…your duties and accommodations are what we are here to discuss, are they not? Right then, your duties. As you both know the Head Boy and Girl must work together constantly, instructing the Prefects, decorating the Hall for certain occasions such as Halloween, Christmas, Valentines Day and Easter. You will also have to plan the party for the Seventh Years that will take -" Malfoy interrupted there with a confused look on his face.
"I've never heard of a Seventh Year Party. Have you?" He asked Hermione who shook her head.
Dumbledore let out a merry laugh, his blue eye sparkling. "Well of course you haven't. No one hears of it until their Seventh Year."
"My father would have told me about a Seventh Year party. He was Head Boy as well and so he's told me all the Head Boy duties, and he never told me about a Seventh Year party."
"Ah, but why should he ruin the surprise? It's always been a surprise for the Seventh Years, and it always will be. And it's of no great importance until your Seventh Year." Seeing Malfoy open his mouth to argue again he carried on. "Mr. Malfoy, if you keep interrupting I'm afraid I will not be able to finish what I need to tell you until the late hours of night. So, may I continue?" He paused, waiting for Draco to nod. When he did he smiled at him. "Thank you. Now, where was I? Oh yes…which will take place on the second to last day, the day before the leavers feast."
"Now, moving on to accommodations. I hope you are both aware that you will both share a common room, yes?" They both nodded. "Good, good. Your common room is on the fifth floor behind the portrait of the Vampire Ardalenana Duchess of Sighisoara. You get to choose your own password, but you must both choose it together. Once you have decided you must tell Ardalenana and she will remember it for you. You can change it at any time you want. But you must both decide on it together. It shows good collaboration skills being able to communicate and decide well together. Now…off you trot to bed. Your things have already been moved to your dormitories."
Malfoy and Hermione both stood as one, but Hermione paused before leaving. "Um…Professor, do you mind if I have a quick word with you before I leave, please." She asked.
"Not at all, but it will have to be quick. Oh, and decide your password with Mr Malfoy before he leaves, if you please." He said with a smile. They both nodded at moved over to a corner to discuss their password.
"So, what do you want to talk to Dumbledore about, Granger?" He asked, and then added with his usual smirk. "Hope you're not complaining about me."
She shot him a dirty look. "What I discuss with other people is none of your business, Malfoy. And plus, we have to come up with a password." He just stood there and stared at her with a blank expression. "What?" she snapped at him.
"How about Putus Cruor?" he asked.
She sent him a suspicious stare. "What," she asked, "does that mean?"
"I'm not going to tell you." He grinned in a sardonic way. "I'll give you a clue though; it's in Latin. Anyhow…cheerio. Have a nice chat." He added a mocking salute before he glared after him. God, how I hate him sometimes. No, wait. God, how I hate him all the time!
"So, Miss Granger, what did you want to talk about?" she jumped at the sound of her teacher's voice as she had forgotten he was still there. It took her a few moments to register what he had just said anyway. Then she remembered. "Oh, yes…well, I was just wondering why you chose Malfoy as the Head Boy for this year. I mean, after last year I never thought you would have chosen him."
He smiled sadly as if remembering something. "Yes, yes. That was a terrible ordeal wasn't it. But you see, Miss Granger, young Mr Malfoy is not a bad person as everyone seems to think. He has just had a difficult life. It cannot be easy being raised in a society of Death Eaters as he has. He has so much expected of him." Seeing the confused but almost sympathetic look on Hermione's face he explained in further detail. "You see, Draco was threatened and used by Voldemort." Hermione's eyes widened in shock, but Dumbledore didn't seem to notice. "After Lucius was imprisoned in Azkaban for failing Lord Voldemort at the Ministry of Magic…well to put it bluntly Voldemort was rather displeased."
"He took his anger out on Draco by giving him the Dark Mark, raising him fully to the rank of Death Eater, and also to give him the command to kill me. Well, naturally Draco tried his hardest, because he knew if he failed not only would he himself die, but most probably his mother and father. If he succeeded, however, he would be given a high status and his mother and father would be saved. Now, let me ask you Hermione…what would you do in that situation?" She didn't reply, but instead wiped away the few tears which had fallen. Understanding her silence he just smiled. "I think it is time you went to bed, Miss Granger. It has been a long day and I myself am tired."
Understanding the not exactly subtle dismissal she nodded and walked towards the door. She stopped suddenly though. "Just one quick question, sir. Why not Harry instead?"
"That will become apparent in due course, Miss Granger."
"Okay. Goodnight, Professor."
"Goodnight, Hermione."
She walked slowly up to the fifth floor, slowly digesting what she had just heard. She knew it wasn't the whole story but that just made her feel worse. I guess he really has had a harder life than I could've ever imagined. Five minutes later, thoughts still whirling about in her head, she came across a portrait she had never seen before. It was a picture of a beautiful woman around the age of twenty with long black hair down to her waist. She had pale skin and very red lips contrasting against her pearly white teeth. Her eyes were closed as Hermione approached, but as Hermione was about to open her mouth to ask whether this was the Duchess, Ardalenana, the portraits eyes opened. Her eyes were the brightest blue she had ever seen before in her life. They seemed to see inside her soul, and reflect knowledge of secrets Hermione had told no-one.
The woman smiled at Hermione. "Are you the Head Girl then, dear?" she asked. Her voice was a rather calming but also rather melodic at the same time. Hermione was so entranced by this woman that all she could do was nod. "Well, I need the password then, don't I?" Hermione nodded again.
Hermione was staring at the portrait instead of trying to remember the password, until suddenly the woman's words penetrated into her mind again. Oh yeah. Password, password. "Oh, yes sorry. The password's Putus Cruor." She said blushing with embarrassment.
"That's the one. Go on in then. Voluptarius Somnium. That's Latin for Pleasant Dreams." She added seeing the perplexed look on Hermione's face.
"Oh, right then. Voluptarius Somnium to you too." The woman smiled and swung forward allowing entrance to Hermione.
The common room was really very stylish. It had a big comfy black sofa next to the fireplace, and two pouffes which looked really comfortable. There were also two desks for homework and a rather large table near the fireplace as well. The room was decorated red and gold, green and silver - and for some reason the four colours worked really well together. There was the Hogwarts Logo complete with motto on the largest wall in the common room.
Hermione gasped at the sight and let out a little giggle. This is wonderful, she thought to herself. She then noticed two stairways one had a sign next to it saying 'Head Boy' and the one on the right had a sign next to it reading 'Head Girl'. She followed that staircase up to a door that had a little sign saying 'Hermione Granger' on it. Oh, that is so awesome!
She opened the door and saw that this room was decorated purely scarlet and gold. Even the bed covers and curtains were that colour. She went to the chest of drawers and pulled out her silk black pyjamas. I can't wear the red ones. I'd blend in with the walls. She pulled the pyjamas on, folded her school uniform up neatly and placed it on a chair next to her own desk and climbed into her bed. It was so comfortable she fell right to sleep.