Chapter 3: Strange Happenings
Hermione had to listen to Ron go on about Malfoy the whole carriage ride up to the castle. Surprisingly, Harry was a voice of reason.
"Let it go, Ron," Harry pleaded.
"Why are you so calm, Harry? This is Malfoy we're talkin' about," Ron said with a mixture of confusion and annoyance.
"Because, Ron, the war is over and I am tired of fighting. From what both you and Hermione said, and I trust Hermione's version a bit better than yours, you are the one that started with Malfoy," Harry said.
Hermione was confused; she didn't know what to feel. After seeing Malfoy for the first time since the final battle, she was more than a little shaken. She thought school would help her to move past her time at Malfoy Manor. Apparently, she had thought wrong. When she saw Malfoy on the train, it all came rushing back to her, she could her Bellatrix's cackling screech of a laugh, she could see Malfoy and his parents staring down at her while she was brutally tortured and mutilated. She knew rationally that the Malfoy's had their hands tied, she knew they could not have helped her and lived to see another day, but it still hurt none the less. They just watched as that jumped up bitch carved up her arm. Strangely, while Bellatrix was torturing her, Hermione had kept her eyes on Malfoy. At first, it was to silently beg him for help, pleading with her eyes. But then it was almost as if by keeping him in her line of sight, he grounded her, kept her from slipping into the madness that threatened her with every Crucio Bellatrix threw at her. Malfoy, for all that he was, never looked away from her, even when his parents had turned away disgusted, he stayed.
"Malfoy is Head Boy. Head. Boy!" Ron said, mildly crazed, breaking Hermione from her thoughts.
"Bloody Hell, Ron," Ginny exclaimed throwing her arms in the air, exasperated. "Get over it. Malfoy is Head Boy, we know. What do you want us to do about it?"
Ron looked at them all in turn, mouth open.
"Personally, I think it's wonderful Draco made Head Boy. Don't you Hermione?" Luna said, with such an airy tone Hermione almost missed her words.
Everyone turned to look at Luna then Hermione.
"And you lot think I'm the mad one here?" Ron said.
Hermione glared at him before responding to Luna's question. "I trust the Headmistress' decision. I am sure she had her reasons"
"Hmm… that's not what I asked though, is it? I asked if you think it's wonderful that Draco made Head Boy," Luna said, quirking her head to the side.
Hermione squirmed in her seat, feeling extremely uncomfortable with Luna's gaze. Luna always had this way of looking at you that made you think her brain wasn't as foggy as she made you believe, like she could see all that you kept hidden from the world. It had always unnerved Hermione when Luna turned her gaze on her.
"Oh… I… well, I," Hermione stumbled over her words. What was she supposed to say? She knew she wasn't happy over the idea. For all intents and purposes, she would be sharing a dorm with Malfoy this year. She was sure her nightmares would only get worse. But she didn't feel comfortable saying so. Hermione had an odd feeling that Luna knew something she didn't and wasn't ready to hear what that was. Fortunately, before she could finish her sentence the carriage had come to a stop. Breathing a sigh of relief, Hermione rushed off the carriage and hurriedly followed the mass heading up the steps toward the Great Hall.
Unfortunately, when she sat down at the Gryffindor table, she noticed she sat almost directly across from Malfoy and his group of friends. Even from two tables away, it was hard to miss that shock of white blond hair. He stood out in a crowd. Hermione could hear her friends talking around her but she couldn't break her focus from Malfoy. She stared at him, frowning as she realised that Malfoy seemed different. Usually, Malfoy was the center of his group, vying for their attention, mouth running non-stop. But this year, he seemed detached. She watched as Nott and Zabini joked and laughed around him but he was barely paying attention. It struck her as odd. Maybe, he had matured. War does that to a person. She knew better than anyone.
Professor McGonagall walked through the doors and smiled at Hermione when she caught her eye. Hermione felt a genuine smile spread over her face. Minerva had taken Hermione in after the war; the professor had become a surrogate Mother to her. After, the war ended Hermione went to Australia with Minerva and a ministry official, who specialised in memory charms, to restore her parents memory but the damage was already done. The official told her that because of the way she performed the spell, the charm could not be undone. Hermione had cried for days, her chest aching with a pain that had yet to subside. She had lost her family and now she was all alone.
By that time, her relationship with Ron had just ended and she felt awkward around the Weasleys, especially Mrs. Weasley, who had wanted the relationship to work and still tried to push Ron and Hermione together, maintaining the idea that her and Ron were just going through a "rough patch". The Weasleys were also trying to cope with the loss of Fred, George especially. It felt wrong intruding on their time together. So, it was with great relief that Hermione accepted Minerva's invitation to stay with her in her home in Scotland. They became close over the summer; Hermione trusted Minerva above all else. Minerva was the only person that knew of Hermione's nightmares and the reason behind them. So, Hermione could only trust in her decision to make Malfoy Head Boy. She knew Minerva would never hurt her.
The sorting ceremony had begun. No matter how hard Hermione tried to focus on the tiny first years being sorted into each house, she found her eyes wander back to Malfoy. Annoyingly, she found herself thinking him attractive. He was taller than ever, although he was sitting down now, she noted it on the train when Ron had grabbed him by the collar. Ron was not short by any measure; he now stood 6"2 and Malfoy had been head to head with him. His hair was rather short; he usually wore it long enough to at least touch his ears. Now, it was cut short almost to his scalp. It looked nice on him, made him look older. His grayish blue eyes stood in stark contrast to his dark eyelashes, which seemed odd considering how light his hair and eyebrows were, but it fit him. When those gray- blue eyes turned to look at her, Hermione felt her heart stop for a moment before she quickly looked away. The ceremony was almost over, the last child had stepped up to the stool and the sorting hat placed upon her head. Why had she been staring at him for so long? She chanced a glance back at him and saw him scanning his table, looking for someone, maybe. Then he looked back at her and she looked away again.
Stop looking at him, you idiot, Hermione thought to herself.
The Headmistress cleared her throat and began to speak.
"First, I would like to give the customary warning. The Forbidden Forest is just that Forbidden. Any student caught attempting to enter into its depths will receive detention as well as a reduction in house points."
"You know, now that I think on it. Haven't we gone into the Forbidden Forest almost every year since first year?" Harry whispered to her.
Hermione shrugged, turning back to the Headmistress.
"Now I would like to offer my congratulations to all first years. I hope you come to see the house you have been sorted into as a family, of sorts, and Hogwarts your home away from home. I would like to take the time to reflect on this past year, to remember all those lost and all those found. I want this year to be a year of unity; we as a community have grown in the face of destruction. I want you all to leave past prejudices behind and start new with fresh eyes."
"You hear that, Ron," Ginny said turning to her brother. "Fresh eyes"
"Oh, shut it. I don't care what you say. Malfoy is bad news"
Ginny rolled her eyes and turned back around in her seat.
"In keeping with this theme, I want to introduce you all to our Head Boy and Girl for this year- Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy. I expect they will make a formidable team."
The room went stone silent. Hermione wanted to sink into her chair and disappear as she felt eyes on her from all around the room, shifting between her and Malfoy. Harry began to clap loudly, startling everyone into action. Sporadic clapping began slowly until it became a uniform sound throughout the room.
"Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger please see me after the feast. First years, your house prefects will show you the way to your dorms when the feast has ended. Now, enjoy!"
Food suddenly appeared before them. Gasps of awe from the first years echoed throughout the room, as chatter began to fill the silence.
Hermione began filling her plate with the delicious looking roast and potatoes that sat on the table before her. She looked up at Harry and Ron to see their plates already filled and them tucking in; they ate with all the grace of a starved bear. Shaking her head, she laughed to herself. Although she enjoyed spending the majority of her summer with Minerva, she missed Harry and Ron.
"What's so funny?" Ron said through a mouthful of roast, spraying Ginny in the process.
"Eww, Ron!" Ginny exclaimed, wiping off her arm. "Close your mouth, will you."
"I missed you lot," Hermione said, still laughing. Usually, she would be lecturing Ron on proper table manners but she couldn't find it in her to do it. This felt normal; it felt right. The four of them back at Hogwarts.
"We missed you too, 'Mione," Harry said, grinning lopsidedly at her.
"Trust me, you didn't miss much. It was the usual… Ron slobbering after Fleur and the like," Ginny said
"I did not!" Ron screeched.
Harry laughed, "She's just taking the piss, Ron."
"Well, it's not funny," Ron said pouting like a child.
"I disagree," Ginny said, winking conspiratorially at Hermione. "I think it hilarious how you follow after her like a lost puppy. Do you like it when she pats you on the head 'ickle Ronniekins?"
"She does not pat me on the head!" Ron said, his face red with anger.
"She really did, mate," Harry said laughing. "She only does it to you."
"She does not!" Ron practically screamed at Harry.
"Maybe.. we should change the topic," Hermione said, sensing that Ron was about to blow based on the dangerous shade of red his face had turned.
"Okay, how about …." Ginny began, looking at Hermione mischievously. "we talk about your new living situation with a certain slytherin we all know?"
"What are you talking about?" Ron said.
"Come on, Ron, keep up," Ginny said, snapping her fingers at Ron. "Head Boy and Girl live in the same dorm. Thus, meaning Hermione and Malfoy will live in the same dorm."
"What!" Ron exclaimed, standing up from the table, causing several people to look over at them.
"Sit down, Ron," Hermione whisper-yelled at him. "It's not that big a deal." Even though she said it wasn't, she knew deep down it was. "There is nothing to talk about," she said turning back to Ginny. "Malfoy and I will be living together, so what?"
"So what?" Ginny said, her eyebrows practically raising to her hairline. "Hermione, you practically fainted on the train when you saw Malfoy. What do you mean 'It's not that big a deal'?"
"You almost fainted when you saw Malfoy? You didn't say that before," Harry said.
"No, I didn't almost faint. I just had a dizzy spell is all. No. Big. Deal," Hermione said, pinching Ginny's arm next to her.
"Ouch!" Ginny exclaimed. "Pinching me is not going to change the fact that you were acting funny on the train."
"I am fine. End of," Hermione said. "Now, if you'll excuse me I have to meet with the Headmistress and you have to start herding first years."
"Just because you say it's finished doesn't mean I won't pick this up later, Hermione," Ginny called as she walked away.
The Great Hall burst into action as people began shuffling out of the hall. Hermione walked over to the Head Table where Minerva stood waiting.
"Hi, Professor," Hermione said smiling up at Minerva.
"Hello, Hermione," Minerva said returning the smile.
Malfoy slowly made his way over to them. "Professor. Granger," he greeted.
"Hello, Mr. Malfoy," Minerva replied. "Now, I asked you to meet me here because due to the remodeling the location of the Heads' dorm has changed. Follow me, please," Minerva said swiftly as began to walk out of the Great Hall, the students instinctively clearing a path for her.
Minerva lead them up to the seventh floor and they now stood in front of a painting depicting a victorian woman sitting on a rock in the middle of a meadow filled with sheep.
"The password is 'Invictus'. You can change it if you feel the need," Minerva said. "Congratulations to you both. I will leave you to the rest of you evening."
Hermione stared after Minerva, willing her to come back. She heard Malfoy say the password and turned to follow him into the common room. The fire was lit casting a warm glow upon the room. Two sofas sat framing the fireplace with a small table between them. Two doors sat to her right, each marked with a small gold plate reading either 'Head Boy' or 'Head Girl'. To her left the room opened up into a small kitchenette.
Hermione watched as Malfoy walked over to the kitchenette opening cupboard after cupboard. He then walked over to the door marked 'Head Boy', opened it and peered inside. All the while, Hermione stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, unsure what to do with herself. She had never been alone with Malfoy before.
Malfoy came back out of his room and sat down on the sofa facing her. He stared at her for a moment, causing Hermione to fidget.
"Are you going to stand there all night?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow at her.
"No… I was just…," Hermione stumbled over her words.
What the hell is wrong with you?, she thought.
"This is truly a momentous occasion," Malfoy chuckled.
"What is?" Hermione asked, confused.
"The day my mere presence left Hermione Granger speechless," Malfoy said, smirking. "Not that I blame you, I am truly a sight to behold."
Hermione snorted as she rolled her eyes. "You are so full of it. It's amazing you have any room for you ego in that small deluded mind of yours."
"Deluded am I? Funny you say that when you couldn't eyes off me all through dinner."
"I was not looking at you," Hermione said, with a huff. She was lying through her teeth; she didn't think he had noticed her. Was she that obvious?
"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Granger. But we both know the truth," Malfoy said, getting up from the sofa.
"Where are you going? We should start getting the prefect patrol schedules outlined for tomorrow."
"Yea… about that. I not doing schedules or anything for that matter," Malfoy said with a shrug.
"What?!" Hermione exclaimed. All traces of her nervousness was leaving her quickly and rapidly being replaced with anger.
"Look, Granger. I didn't exactly sign up for the job now did I? You've been prepping for this position since first year," Malfoy said. "So, I figure you've got it covered."
"Are you taking the piss? Your must daft if you think I can do this all on my own. Do you know how much work that leaves me with?" Hermione yelled.
"Calm down, yea. It's not that big a deal. You draft up some schedules and hold office hours. Nothing to it," Malfoy said, walking towards his room.
"The position requires more than just office hours and schedules, Malfoy. You will get off your lazy arse and help me or I will-"
"What? What will you do, Granger?" Malfoy said, turning round to face her. "Tattle to the boy wonder and his pet ginger."
"I don't need Harry or Ron to fight my battles for me, Malfoy. I can fight my own. I know that's not a concept you're familiar with since you always go running to daddy."
Malfoy's face darkened and Hermione instinctively took a step backwards. She'd gone too far and she knew it. Malfoy quickly closed in on her. They were so close, she could feel the anger radiating off of him in waves. He bent his face down so that his mouth was close to her ear.
"You know nothing about me or my family. Speak of my father again and I will make sure you regret it," he said.
A shiver of fear ran up Hermione's spine. She wanted to run to the safety of her room and lock the door but she wouldn't let herself be cowed. She was tired of being scared. Tired of letting one moment define her life.
"I don't care what you say, you will do your part or I will hex you ten days from Sunday."
"I'm sorry who went and crowned you Queen? I am not easily intimidated like your idiot friends."
"I refuse to let you skive off while I do all the work!"
"I don't think you have a choice, Princess."
"Your such a sodding prat, Malfoy"
"Never said I wasn't, Granger," Malfoy sneered, before going into his room and closing the door in her face.
"Bastard."
Oooooooooooo
The next week passed with Hermione carrying the load of the Heads alone. She had to deal with homesick first years, angry prefects who were unhappy with the scheduling table she had posted, students who refused to follow curfew, and the most annoying of all- Ron. Ron, who despite all his best efforts, made the situation worse. He was constantly going on about Malfoy. The tirade that she and Harry had to endure after Malfoy missed the first prefect meeting of the year was endless. She didn't understand why Ron had such a chip on his shoulder when it came to Malfoy but it was working on her nerves. If anyone had the right, amongst the three of them, to be angry at Malfoy, it was her.
Beside the fact that he left all the Heads duties to her, he also didn't clean up after himself, he hogged the bathroom every morning, and he was just plain rude.
This morning especially had been the last straw. She had walked into their shared bath to find Malfoy half naked staring at himself in the mirror. Her sleep addled brain had been shocked awake at the sight of his taut muscles stretching over a well toned chest. His comment however made her want to punch him right in his smug face. He said, "As much as I love being ogled in the morning, Princess, would you mind sodding off." He then proceeded to slam the door in her face and use up all the hot water, soaking the entire floor and leaving all the towels soggy. And oh yes, he had taken to calling her 'princess'.
The cherry on the top of the shittiest cake ever, was her nightmares. They had only gotten worse since she had arrived at school. She thought it could be due to the stress as the sight of Malfoy no longer triggered her like it did that day on the train. Seeing Malfoy now only brought up severe annoyance and anger. Hermione was at her wits end.
"It can't be all that bad, Hermione," Ginny said, trying to cheer Hermione up.
They were sitting by the lake, watching the first years try and get the giant squid to show itself.
"You try living with him, Ginny. He literally does nothing to help with the Heads duties. Plus, he's obnoxious and rude. All we do is fight. I can't take it anymore," Hermione said, throwing her hands up in exasperation.
"You could tell McGonagall about him."
"No, I can't do that. I was never one for tattling. Plus, Professor McGonagall really wanted us to get along. You heard her during her welcoming speech. 'A formidable team' and all that," Hermione said, sighing.
This year was supposed to be easy and relaxing, an escape for a year before she would have to go out into the world… alone. For one last year, she could cocoon herself amongst the walls of Hogwarts and her friends. Why did Minerva have to choose Malfoy?
"Don't let him get to you, Hermione. Malfoy is a spoiled prat, you know that. If you can get Ron and Harry off their lazy arses to study long enough to pass their O. in fifth year, than you can get Malfoy to help you with Heads duties. You just have to be a bit more creative."
"Maybe, you're right…"
"Of course I'm right. I'm always right," Ginny laughed.
Hermione rolled her eyes and gave Ginny a shove. Maybe she did need to be a little more creative.
Oooooooooooooooo
Blackmail. Plain and simple. Malfoy wouldn't take his duties seriously and she couldn't lecture him into compliance like Harry and Ron. It felt mildly extreme for her but after talking it over with Ginny it seemed like her best option. Hermione was stressed and if the only way to relieve it was to blackmail Malfoy then she would do it.
The plan her and Ginny and come up with was simple enough. Malfoy was the most vain person she knew. So, she would strike him where it hurt. Malfoy had developed a habit of napping on the sofa before dinner. She would catch him off guard and hit him with a Petrificus Totalus. She would then dress him up like schoolgirl before snapping off some photos. The hope was that he would be too scared of her showing the photos to everyone, especially the girls, that he would actually do his part. She had been scared of retaliation but Ginny convinced her that he would not retaliate based on that fact that she would show the photos if he did. It sort of made sense but Hermione was in no position to refuse the only plan that bought her some peace.
So, after her last class she waited in her room for Malfoy to return and take his nap. She was reading Merpeople: A Comprehensive Guide to Their Language and Customs, when she heard the portrait door open. She heard Malfoy moving around before it went silent. She waited 20 minutes before she tipped toed slowly out of her bedroom and into the common room. She saw his blond hair peeking out over the back of the sofa and hoped to Merlin he didn't catch her. She walked to the front of the sofa. She slowly bent down to check that he was sleeping when suddenly, he grabbed her hand and yanked her down so that she was laying half on top of him and half off the sofa. Her heart pounded against her chest and she tried to sit up and off of him but his grip was too strong. She looked up into his face expecting to see anger but what she saw frightened her more. His eyes were no longer its normal grey-blue but a dark molten silver rimmed with the deepest and darkest black she had ever seen. His face was flush and he was breathing heavily, his eyes half open, giving her a look that made her distinctly uncomfortable.
"Malfoy, what are you doi-"
Before she could finish her sentence, he had grabbed the back of head and pushed her face down on his, kissing her fiercely. Fire spread from her lips to every part of her body. A yellow glow began emanating from their chests and extended out to encase both of them in its warm light. Hermione wanted to scream, to push Malfoy away but a larger, stronger part of her brain told her to let go, to trust. And for some strange reason she did. She let go for the first time in a long time. She didn't let her thoughts get the better of her; she just sank into Malfoy's careful ministrations. The warmth that had settled into every muscle and bone in her body felt wonderful combined with feeling of Malfoy's lips moving ever so slowly against her own. Malfoy pulled away from her after what felt like hours. He pulled her fully up onto the sofa next to him and nestled her head in the crook where his neck meets his shoulder. She curled herself around him and the next she knew she was drifting off to sleep.
Hermione woke to feeling of someone shoving her. She popped her eyes open to see the angry face of Draco Malfoy.
'What the fuck have you done?' Malfoy growled at her.
Hermione stared up at Malfoy in complete shock. She had heard what he said with complete clarity. The thing that had her guessing her sanity was that she heard him but his lips hadn't moved. She heard him in her head!
I hoped you enjoyed! I really want to know any thoughts, questions, or concerns you might have had. Please review.