IMPORTANT UPDATE PLEASE READ: ok, if nothing looks odd to you about this chapter, then read on, you're fine. This is for those who have been following this story since I first posted. As you read this chapter, you'll notice that you've basically already read it. That is because this story is now beta'd (shoutout to snitchavis) and some major editing has happened. I'd highly recommend going back and re-reading the story, as all chapters have been edited. The first chapter is mostly the same, but things change a bit in chapter two, and the new third chapter is completely different. I'm sorry, I know this is weird, but I promise I won't do it again haha. Anyway, I honestly believe that the story is better this way, and I hope you think so too! Enjoy!
Chapter 4
Eight new students: one Hufflepuff, two Ravenclaw, two Slytherin, and three Gryffindor. Eight little kids that hadn't been directly exposed to the War - the start of a new generation. Hermione almost envied them – they were so young and innocent. They would grow up in a world where Voldemort was only a memory and Defense Against the Dark Arts was a much more theoretical class, not a practical necessity if you wanted to survive.
She almost envied them.
They would also never be Harry Potter's best friend. They would (hopefully) never say they had lived through the Cruciatus Curse and come out stronger. They would never know Remus Lupin or Albus Dumbledore, and they would never understand the unbreakable bond formed when children grow up fighting together to stay alive. This new generation would definitely have it easier, but Hermione decided that she would never switch places with them. They had all earned their scars, whether figuratively or literally, and they were better people because of them.
Ginny grinned as a mousy-haired first-year girl passed them on her way to the other end of the table. "'Mione, doesn't she look like Colin?" the redheaded witch asked with shining eyes.
Hermione glanced at the girl, and yes, she had to admit, Amanda Creevey looked like the female version of her brother, Colin. It was bittersweet, yet she couldn't help but grin. "Yeah, she really does." The girls smiled at each other and went back to the meal.
As usual, the food was amazing, but Hermione couldn't seem to focus on the feast. Her mind kept going back to the argument with Malfoy. They really had to share a common room for a year? She'd bet ten galleons that one of them would kill the other before the end of the first term. The infuriating git would love pushing her buttons, and he seemed to know exactly where all of them were. The mere thought of it was insufferable. She seemed, however, to have found a few of his own buttons herself. She couldn't hold back a smirk at the memory of the look on his face as she left the room, firing one last shot over her shoulder, not giving him time to reply before she was gone.
"So," Ginny dumped another serving of mashed potatoes onto her plate, accidentally clanging the spoon against the ceramic and sending a blob of potato flying across the table to hit Neville in the face. The wizard's face remained blank as he reached up and wiped it off before leaning across the table and wiping it on Ginny's shirt. "Hey!" she cried, wiping frantically and sending Neville a death glare. "If I wasn't a Prefect, I'd hex you into next week for that!"
Neville just grinned. "What? I was only returning your property."
Hermione smirked before going back to her meal. She loved that after everything, her friends could still banter about something as stupid as mashed potatoes.
"C'mon, 'Mione," Ginny tried to sound mad but failed. "You're supposed to be on my side here!"
Hermione and Neville only laughed harder.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "You are both horrible human beings. Anyway, back to what I was going to ask before Longbottom tried to start a food fight." She shot a glare at the still laughing wizard. "What happened with you and the new Head Boy after the rest of us left? Did anyone jinx anyone? I didn't miss anything good, did I?" Her eyes gleamed and she leaned forward expectantly.
Hermione subconsciously glanced across the room where the back of Malfoy's head was visible sitting with the rest of the Snakes. "What do you think happened, Ginny? We sat down and talked out our differences like a pair of logical adults." She rolled her eyes.
"Really? That doesn't sound like Malfoy," Neville said around a mouthful of food.
Hermione and Ginny stared at him. He stared back blank-faced before breaking into a grin. "What? You two aren't the only ones who can pull off a bit of sarcasm."
Ginny stared for another second before turning back to Hermione, refusing to even dignify that with a response. "So I'm guessing it wasn't pretty?"
Hermione grimaced and shook her head. "It could have been much worse, but I still think it's safe to say that it'll be a miracle if we both make it through the year alive."
Ginny just laughed.
It was surreal to be back here, eating and talking sans Harry and Ron. No one had really been surprised when both of them opted to become Aurors rather than returning to finish their last year of school, but Hermione still felt awkward here without them, and she knew Ginny did too. They were as much a part of Hogwarts as the dungeons or the Whomping Willow. Without them, the place felt emptier, lonelier, just...strange. She sighed and went back to her meal.
It was another hour before everyone had left the Great Hall except the Prefects and the Professors. They had all gathered at the Ravenclaw table, with the students on one side, the professors on the other, and the Headmistress gracefully seated at the head. Unfortunately, as Heads, Hermione and Malfoy were placed next to each other, though he seemed as set on ignoring her as she was him. They both stared at McGonagall, the other students, the Professors, the ceiling, their own hands - anywhere but each other.
Professor McGonagall wasted no time, jumping directly into the lists of duties, class schedules for each subject, and assignment for evening security rounds. As Heads, Draco and Hermione would make rounds every other night from ten to eleven-thirty, at which point Mr. Filch would take over. The other Prefects would take turns patrolling on the nights that Malfoy and Hermione did not.
The Headmistress continued, "Miss Weasley and Mr. Zabini, you two will be working together tomorrow night. Please remember-"
The door to the Great Hall flew open with a bang, and a girl flounced in. Her hair was in her face, so it took a moment for Hermione to recognize her, but when she did, revulsion crawled up her throat.
It was Pansy Parkinson, Malfoy's ever-faithful Pureblood lap dog. When she saw everyone staring at her she straightened, pushing her hair out of her face and adjusting her impossibly short skirt. She smiled smugly as she sauntered over to the table, ignoring Professor McGonagall's look of obvious annoyance at the rude interruption.
"Pardon me, Headmistress," she crooned sweetly. "If someone had bothered to inform me that the Prefects had a meeting tonight, I could have been on time." She sashayed to the end of the table and took a seat next to Blaise Zabini.
There was dead silence for a moment as everyone took in the unexpected addition. Several people glanced down at their scrolls to verify that no, Pansy was not on the Prefect list. She was one last year, Hermione remembered, she must not realize the position didn't transfer to this year as well. How embarrassing.
Professor McGonagall lifted an eyebrow. "Miss Parkinson, this meeting is only for active Prefects. I do apologize, but you were not re-chosen to fill that role - you should have received a letter informing you of this. With the population of the school down so much after the War, we decided to start over with roles of authority, and only a select few were chosen." Her voice was kind, yet guarded. She knew the girl must realize this. Pansy may not have been the top of her class, but she was no imbecile. What game was she playing?
Pansy affected a melodramatic gasp. "You don't say! Why I can't believe no one told me! How embarrassing!" She smirked up the table, eyes flitting across Hermione before locking onto Malfoy. She smiled coyly at him, and Hermione glanced at him as well. He was looking coldly back at Pansy. Hermione quirked an eyebrow. Malfoy and Parkinson had always seemed close, but if that was true, why was he acting as if her very presence was infuriating him?
"Well," Pansy gave a sad little sigh, "If I'm not wanted, I'll just get lost. Enjoy your evening, everyone." She stood up, gave a little half-spin that caused her skirt to fly up, exposing a bit too much for the general public, and flounced out of the room. Everyone stared after her.
"Well, that was odd," said McGonagall after a moment's pause. Her accent was a bit thicker than normal, which Hermione had learned was an indication that she was ill-at-ease. Hermione didn't blame her - no one trusted Parkinson.
"That was no accident," Malfoy muttered next to her. "She knew she's not a Prefect this year. She just wanted attention, the little bi- ouch!" He cut off and whirled on Hermione, glaring.
"What the bloody hell was that for!" he hissed under his breath.
"Careful," she smirked. "I think you've been spending too much time with Ron. Your vocabulary is beginning to show it," she parroted his own words back at him.
He scowled, reaching down to rub his shin under the table.
She scowled right back. "You shouldn't be swearing in front of the Professors," she hissed.
He snorted. "Nothing I haven't done before."
"You weren't Head Boy before!"
"Oh, really? How kind of you to inform me. You see, I'd had no idea." He tilted his head, keeping his expression completely blank.
She snorted. "Actually, that's quite easy to believe."
The exchange was conducted in a rapid-fire whisper, both of them jumping when the Headmistress cut in sharply. "Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger, do you care to enlighten us on what topic is so pressing to discuss?" she scolded.
Malfoy calmly turned his attention to Headmistress McGonagall, his expression smooth and unwavering. "We were discussing Prefect rounds and considering that perhaps it might be a better idea to have Weasley or Zabini paired with a different Prefect for tomorrow's rounds so as not to keep both the Head's House pair from making daily rounds in the common rooms at the same time." He shot a sly sideways look at Hermione who sat stunned. They had been arguing over something completely idiotic, and he'd managed to come away with an idea that was actually quite helpful.
The Headmistress raised her eyebrows, glancing dubiously between the two of them, who both looked innocently back at her. "You make a fair point, Mr. Malfoy," she conceded, consulting her scroll. "Miss Lovegood, if you would trade evenings with Miss Weasley, you will be working with Mr. Zabini tomorrow night, and Miss Weasley, you will fill Miss Lovegood's slot working with Miss Bones on Wednesday. Does anyone have any questions?" She glanced up to verify that everyone understood their duties. After confirming that they did, she smiled at them. "Very good, I do believe that this is all I wished to discuss this evening so you are all free to go. Please get some rest tonight as classes begin in the morning, and welcome to another year at Hogwarts."
As the Prefects and teachers stood and began filing out of the room, she held Malfoy and Hermione back. "Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy, a word, if you please."
They glanced at each other, glaring, before turning to face the Headmistress as the door shut behind Professor Sprout. The Great Hall was now empty save for the three of them, and the Professor's voice echoed in the vast space. The stars on the enchanted ceiling twinkled cheerily overhead, contrasting sharply with the tense feeling in the room.
"Would either of you care to explain what just happened?" Professor McGonagall began, arms folded.
Hermione shifted uncomfortably, but Malfoy just stood there, sullen. "It was nothing, Professor, I apologize for the disruption," she said.
McGonagall sighed. "Listen to me. I know that neither of you understands why you have been chosen as Head Boy and Girl, nor have you ever been on very good terms, but I need you both to try. Do you understand? This is a strange time, and we need to put all kinds of prejudice behind us so that we can rebuild and move on. You are both excellent students, and you both carry great weight among your peers. I truly believe that this was a good decision, but we will never know if all you do is fight each other at every turn. Do I make myself clear?"
The Professor's words were rather harsh, but her eyes were kind. It was clear that she truly thought that this would work and was desperate for them to prove her right.
Hermione squared her shoulder. "Though I can only speak for myself," she shot a glare in Malfoy's direction, "I can assure you, Professor, that I will do everything in my power to fulfill my duties as Head Girl. I will not let you down."
"For Merlin's sake," Malfoy muttered under his breath. Why was she always such a goody-two-shoes?
Both witches glared at him. He rolled his eyes. "Very well," he conceded. "I don't pretend to understand what I'm doing wearing this badge, but Malfoys always do their duty." He shot a sidelong look at Hermione. "No matter how badly they may wish to do otherwise. You have my word, Professor."
She visibly relaxed, though Hermione tensed as she tried to comprehend the implications of his words. "Very well," the older witch smiled at them. "I believe, Miss Granger, you have already set the password to your common room?"
Hermione nodded. "It's 'dinglehopper'," she said quickly.
Malfoy's brow furrowed, "What the hell does that mean?"
"It means fork, Mr. Malfoy." McGonagall dismissed them with a wave of her hand. "Goodnight. I expect you both to be alive in the morning," she said, her eyes twinkling as she swept out of the room.
Thank you again to everyone who faved/reviewed this story! Oh, and I promise, the plot starts picking up in the next chapter ;)