Yay! Here's chapter 4! I think this is the longest chapter that I've written so far so I hope you all like it :) I don't know when is the next time I'll be updating but it will probably be some time next week. Anyways, as usual, I do not own any of the Harry Potter universe or the characters (besides the OCs like Gregory, Aiden, etc.) Everything else is owned by J.K Rowling. Oh I didn't really have time to edit this chapter much because I've been busy and I'm about to fall asleep right now (its only 9pm!) haha so ignore any spelling or grammar mistakes. I promise to correct them when I get the chance!
Hmm... well I don't think I have anything else to add here so enjoy!
Hermione was still thinking about the argument she had with Malfoy as she entered the Great Hall before noticing a red-headed girl's frantic waves in front of her. She smiled at Ginny Weasely, Ron's beautiful sister who was a year younger than her and one of her best friends. Hermione waved back and put on a fake smile but Ginny could tell something was wrong.
"What happened? A fight with Ron?" she asked curiously. Ginny had this funny idea that her brother and Hermione were going to get married one day and have a bunch of little kids. As much as she loved Ron, she knew that her feelings for him weren't romantic. She thought they were until last year, when she realized how much she saw him as a brother more than as a boyfriend. Plus, she wasn't ready for a relationship, especially now with the added responsibilities of being Head Girl. Nonetheless, as many times as she told Ginny that, she never got the point.
"No no nothing went on with me and Ron," Hermione assured her best friend lightly. "I just had… an unexpected argument with someone else…" she cringed, feeling guilty again for saying those harsh words to Malfoy.
Ginny, however, did not notice Hermione's sudden discomfort and guessed again. "Is it Harry then? If it is, I will promise to scold him well for you." She smirked to herself and Hermione smiled as well. Ginny and Harry had started dating since last year and have been more madly in love than ever. They were most likely the "It" couple at Hogwarts and almost everyone was jealous of their ongoing chemistry.
Speak of the devil, Hermione saw her best friend's boyfriend come out of nowhere and place a arm around her waist. Harry grinned at Ginny, giving her a quick peck on the lips. He also smiled at Hermione, motioning them to follow him to their seats at the side of the table where Ron was sitting.
While they walked, Ginny pointed a finger accusingly at Harry. "Did you fight with Hermione on the train? Is that why she wasn't sitting with us the whole time?" she questioned.
Harry laughed. "Ginny, I already told you that Hermione had to sit with the other prefects. It is what the Head Girl does on the train ride to Hogwarts," he said. "And I did not fight with Hermione. What in the world made you imply that I did?" he asked confusedly.
When they arrived to the table, Hermione sat down next to Ron and motioned for Ginny and Harry to stop their conversation. "It's nothing Ginny. Don't worry about it!" she claimed.
Ginny opened her mouth to say more but Harry put a reassuring hand on his girlfriend's shoulder and she turned away from the crew to greet her other friends at the Gryffindor table. Hermione gave Harry a grateful look and waved at Ron who was looking at her suspiciously.
"What?" she asked him, greeting the other Gryffindors seated around her. Ron, however, set his eyes only on Hermione and ignored hellos from people like Seamus Finnigan and Neville Longbottom.
"What happened after that bastard pulled you away? Why was Ginny pestering you like that? Did he hurt you? I swear I'm going to…" Ron got up from his seat and looked around furiously before his eyes landed on the Slytherin table where Malfoy was joking around with a couple of his friends.
Hermione pulled him back down next to her but frowned when he refused to listen. "Ronald!" she scolded. "Nothing happened. We just had our meeting with the prefects and everything went fine." She placed a hand on his arm to calm him down and let out a relieved sigh when it worked and Ron sat down. His over protectiveness got out of hand some times.
"Sorry…" Ron apologized. "I just…" He looked up at the Slytherin table again and caught the eye of Malfoy. Hermione also looked up and witnessed the brief interaction between the two enemies. She saw Malfoy sneer at Ron, then turn his head to look at her. He gave her a very indifferent expression and she had no idea what it meant. Was he hurt from the words she had said before? Before she could look at his gray eyes again, she saw that he had directed his attention back to his friends and away from the Gryffindor table.
"What in the bloody hell was that?" Ron whispered to nobody in particular. He looked at Hermione who was still staring at the Slytherin table and waved a hand in front of her face. "Mione?" he asked.
Hermione cut out of her trance and turned her attention to Ron again. "Hm?" she asked him. He gave her a worried look and raised an eyebrow curiously. She also returned the look.
He stared at her for a long minute before returning to his senses. "Nothing," he muttered. Hermione opened her mouth to reply but knew it wouldn't do her any good. He was still upset at her relations with Malfoy now that they were both Head Boy and Girl. All she needed to do right now was give Ron some space. Then, maybe later he would return back to his normal, goofy self. She glanced around the room and saw that new students had joined the tables. This made her nostalgic about the first time she was sorted into Gryffindor. Where had all the time gone?
Hermione realized that Ron had ignored her for a good hour before the headmaster stood in front of the school and clinked his goblet to capture the students' attention. The whole dining hall quieted down with a few distant laughs. Dumbledore cleared his throat and made eye contact with all the young wizards and witches around him.
"To all the students starting their first year at Hogwarts, I welcome you and hope you find your time here to be valuable and insightful. You should have all been sorted into your houses and I hope you are satisfied with the decision the hat has made. The prefects leading you to your commodores will tell you more about your individual house." The headmaster scanned the crowd of students again. "And of course, to all the former students from the previous years, welcome back. I hope you will guide the new students and continue to make Hogwarts a stronger community. As usual, any rule that is defied by any member of a house will result in a loss of points so make sure to follow the orders of your heads who are seated here beside me." Dumbledore gestured to the professors sitting to the right and left of him.
He then scanned the tables again and met the eyes of Hermione. He turned to look at the Slytherin table and also glanced at Draco. "I have chosen two skilled students this year to be the Head Girl and Head Boy who are each from Gryffindor and Slytherin." The students around the hall looked at each other in shock, wondering why the Heads were from the two houses that were considered bitter rivals.
However, oblivious to the panic taking place, Dumbledore continued, "The prefects from each house and year must listen to them and work together to provide a better environment for our students. Of course, continuing with our ongoing traditions, the two Heads will be sharing a large commodore located in the East Wing so they may have their privacy when deciding on confidential matters regarding the school. They will have a shared bathroom and living room. Their bedrooms, of course, will be separated by a magical lock since they are both of different genders. The responsibility of the two Heads is crucial. They will be planning yearly events like the Yule Ball. Ah, speaking of the Yule Ball…"
While Dumbledore continued to make his speech, Hermione could only hear the words "sharing a large commodore" repeatedly in her head. How did the headmaster expect two people who hated each other's guts to stay in the same room together? Then again, he did choose Draco as the Head Boy so what else should she expect? She just couldn't believe the ridicule of it all! Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy sharing a commodore? Ha! They couldn't even spend one minute in a room together without arguing.
She turned around and focused her attention on the Slytherin table where Malfoy was sitting. His gray eyes met her brown ones and he glared at her with immense bitterness. The way he looked at her implied that she was all to blame for this madness. That it was her fault they had to share a commodore together. She glared right back at him and he smirked. Hermione sighed. This was going to be a long year…
After Dumbledore had finished his speech and motioned for everyone to start eating the great feast in front of them, Ginny pulled Hermione to her side of the table and whispered, "You and Draco Malfoy have to share rooms!" She had an appalled expression on her face, like someone had just told her the world was ending.
Hermione nodded her head repulsively. "I know," she murmured. "Oh what am I going to do Ginny? I know our living together is solely for work purposes but I just can't…" She paused for a moment and placed an irritable hand on her head. "Really, how am I going to stand being in the same room with that creature?" Hermione pointed a finger towards the Slytherin table but soon realized that the object of her frustration wasn't present.
Ginny also noticed and laughed. "What are you pointing to Mione? No one is sitting there!" She looked at her best friend amusingly and smiled in the way a mother did when her child did something stupid.
Hermione pulled back her hand and blushed as the other Slytherins in the surrounding areas took notice of her finger and snickered while whispering probably… no… definitely about her. "Where did he…" Hermione began but before she was able to finish her question, a light touch tingled her shoulder and she turned around to slap it away.
A boy with light brown hair that was dressed in Gryffindor robes grinned down at her as he held her slapping hand away from his body. Hermione noticed his familiar appearance at once. It was Gregory Northcraft, the prefect she had previously met on the train who had flirted with her endlessly. What did he want?
"Woah there, calm down beautiful," he said with another smile on his face. "Violence is never the answer you know. I'm a pacifist." Gregory beamed down at her with his green eyes and laughed.
"Really? Well I'm not," Hermione answered in a firm voice. She wanted Gregory to know that she wasn't interested and if she had to use physical aggression to show it, then she would. However, her threat seemed to make him laugh instead and he patted her head. She frowned at his childishness.
Ginny eyed the two of them with a raised eyebrow and glanced at her best friend suspiciously from the corner of her eye. "Well I'll be taking my leave then Mione. Talk to you later!" she winked at her best friend and went back to join Harry and Ron at the table. It was a look that implied she was going to bombard Hermione with questions later about the "new guy" which was not good. Not good at all.
She sighed at Ginny's departure before directing her attention back to Gregory.
"You are so irresistibly cute," he complimented. "As much as I wanted to see you though that is not why I'm here." He gave her another grin while she crossed her arms and waited for his explanation.
He waited for any insulting response from her but when she didn't give any, he continued, "The headmaster wanted me to inform you that meetings with the prefects must be held every two days a week… Monday and Friday at the Head Boy and Head Girl's commodore." He paused for a moment, thinking about what else he had to say. "Yeah, I think that was the message."
Hermione nodded, wishing there were more meetings so she didn't have to stay in the commodore alone with Malfoy during class breaks… or when she wanted to study. She had a feeling she would be hiding out in the library many times during the week in order to avoid Malfoy's unfavorable company. "Thank you for the notice," she replied. She was just relieved that Gregory hadn't come over to shower her with inappropriate and flirtatious comments.
He winked at her and bowed down exaggeratedly. "Your very welcome m'lady. Now if you would excuse me," he glanced over her shoulder and smirked. "Some one else seems urgent to speak with you," he said. Before Hermione could ask him who, Gregory faked bowed again and walked away to flirt with another group girls. She was starting to wonder if that's all he did in his free time…
Before she could ponder more about the prefect's behavior, however, she was interrupted by the person she wanted to see the least.