Fantastic! You found your way to my story- wasn't sure if you'd be able to make it with that awful blizzard. Feel free to consume hot cocoa concurrently while reading.
Disclaimer: Not my characters, not my school of wizardry, not yet.
Hermione was up with the sun; she had to accomplish a few tasks before breakfast. She kept her tousled hair tied on top of her head so she could have no distraction from her own appearance. She coughed gently to awake the portrait she needed to talk to.
"Nicholas? Ahem, I'd like to have a word with you," Hermione asked the portrait.
The snoozing occupant shook off his slumber and stretched his arms out.
"Yes Miss Granger, are you needing the washroom again?" asked Nicholas Flamel.
"I was rather hoping you would agree to a deal that would benefit the both of us. If you are willing to allow our washroom to be available at all times, I will make it so you can hang on any wall in the castle," proposed Hermione.
"I have had to stare at this empty space for quite some time, since you two haven't seem to reached a peace accord so you can work jointly in the same room. I suppose I'd enjoy hanging across from the wizard chess games. It's currently occupied by a frame of a smaller of a witch I don't know personally. Shall we go visit her and see if she'd mind me taking her place?" Flamel said.
"Let's."
Hermione hefted the painting from the wall once she was certain that the bathroom wasn't going to disappear. She was able to walk down the hall with the portrait in front so Flamel could direct her towards his desired spot on the wall. Nick started singing rather loudly when they were on the staircases and it rebounded off the other portraits that weren't exactly pleased to be awoken so early.
Filch saw the witch walk down the hall carrying the portrait but neglected to react fast enough to the strange sight to inflict penalty. He grumbled when he realized there wasn't any rule against walking with one of the portraits. Maybe there was still one that Umbridge had left over. Hermione found Sir Cadogan and his opponent fast asleep. They weren't appreciative of Flamel's crooning. The witch across the way was glad to share her space with someone who had a sofa in the picture; she had no suitable furniture to view the chess matches with. Sir Cadogan told Hermione to inform Draco that he had won after three hours of battling with his opponent. Hermione politely agreed to pass on the information.
Satisfied with herself, Hermione returned to find Malfoy awake. She had multiple things she had to say to him but it was the boy who spoke first.
"Granger- what is the door in my room doing there?" asked the blonde.
"Presumably it leads to another room Malfoy. I don't have much experience with doors that do much more than that," retorted Hermione.
"I'm not a twat, of course I know what a door is. Do you know why it was there when I got up, but not when I went to bed?" he asked.
"That would be the bathroom- I sorted things out with Flamel. You're welcome," she replied.
Draco looked to the blank space on the wall where the portrait had hung.
"You killed him then?" asked Draco. "How thoughtful of you."
"I moved him to a place with a better view, that's all. Sir Cadogan wanted to let you know he was victor at wizard's chess," Hermione said.
"Good thing I didn't take a wager then. Granger we need to change the password to something more serious. I have a reputation that can't be upheld if my friends are going to laugh when I try to show them my room," Malfoy said.
Malfoy sank down into the sofa, ready for the fight to come from her. He ran his hand through his oily hair and realized that the bathroom would indeed come in handy.
"I agree," said Hermione in a dissenting tone. "Come up with something good then, so I can have all my Gryffindors come see my space."
"All two of them," Malfoy said before he could edit himself. No, Draco decided he rather did want a battle.
"Maybe I'm having a complete lapse of memory but did I miss you grabbing the snitch before Harry? Or is it just that you find flying on a broomstick difficult as a ferret?"
Quidditch jokes- Malfoy knew she wouldn't dare touch any of his real weaknesses so he felt free to prod at hers.
"It's rather enjoyable to live life as a rodent. It makes me appreciate the situation the poor Weasel's in- taking crumb after crumb that life throws his way," Draco said without remorse.
"We don't purchase our glory or talent," she replied meekly knowing she wasn't going to venture to the depths that Malfoy was willing to. She walked back towards her room, wishing Draco were just appreciative of her not airing her true thoughts. I wonder how much you had to bid for your little tattoo, she thought to herself.
Malfoy smirked.
Hermione waited until Draco left for breakfast until she left. She didn't feel that any further conversation was necessary. Hermione sat down at breakfast with a huff. She grabbed a plate of toast out of Ron's hands and pushed across Harry to reach for the juice. She ate with the fervor of a Norwegian Ridgeback.
"Hungry Hermione?" asked Ron, quite taken aback. "I don't think it's your work that's got you hungry. What's going on?"
"I don't want to talk about it Ron. I just want to eat my toast and juice alright?" Hermione said.
A small hand was on Hermione's shoulder. Ginny gave her a welcome smile and a wink but not even that comforted Hermione. The influx of owls still came as a surprise to her as she turned to pay the owl delivering the Daily Prophet. The front page had another Chudley Cannon loss splayed across the front, Ron looked devastated. The information about the dark lord wouldn't ever be in the paper that had its quills in the Ministry's fireplaces. Hermione made a note to ask Luna if she had a copy of the Quibbler later.
Shouts arose from the far side of the Great Hall, where Blaise and Draco had drawn wands on each other. The table of crimson and gold rose from their benches to see what the commotion was about. Hermione shrugged and opened her newspaper, her back to whatever foolishness Draco was about to engage in. After she read the article corresponding to the Chudley loss she turned a few pages to read the divination by astrology sign. Apparently today would be a good day for her to go for that special item she had her eye on. Hermione was certain that divination was as reliable as Neville's memory; she wouldn't buy anything today.
She flipped back through the astronomy predictions of weather; clear for the week when she spotted what she was sure was the cause of the trouble at the Slytherin table. The article lacked a title, but a picture of an older blonde who looked like her roommate laughing with someone who wasn't his wife gave her an idea.
It appears that the Malfoy man has chosen to make his reentry to the wizarding world with a bang. In a photo from July, just released to the Prophet, you can see Ms. Zabini, recently divorced, holding hands with Lucius Malfoy on his terrace at Malfoy Manor. Where is Narcissa? And what does this mean for their marriage?
Special Correspondent
Rita Skeeter
Hermione glanced back over to the boys; wands still pointed at each other, and decided she should go show some leadership. She ate another bite of her toast and followed it down with a gulp of juice. She pushed Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs out of her way and finally rounded the end of the Slytherin table. The Head Girl withdrew her wand from the folds of her robe and aimed it at Blaise first and Draco immediately following. Their wands flew from their grasps into her own.
The boys continued to point their arms at each other in a menacing manner. They stood breathing heavily trying to swallow their anger. Hermione shook her hands at the crowd, which dissipated into whispers. She looked hard at both the boys and instructed them to follow her. She led them into the foyer and closed the doors behind them. Blaise sat down on a stone bench and Draco chose to stand next to Hermione. After calming his temper, Malfoy spoke first.
"That picture isn't of our parents Blaise," said Draco quietly.
"You saw it Draco, it's not like they can make stuff up like that," said the dark-skinned boy.
"That picture couldn't have happened without my knowing," replied Draco.
"A whole bunch happens with my mom and men without me knowing. It could have happened. It could be true!" insisted Blaise.
"No I mean, it didn't happen," said Draco.
"Why, were you the bloke in the picture stroking my mom's hand?" snarled Zabini.
"I haven't seen my parents since last year's holiday and I haven't heard from them since June!" yelled Draco. "I wasn't kidding when I said this summer was lonely. I spent it with my house elves because you and everyone else had lives and a family. I was stuck with nothing."
Hermione felt the need to insert something to defend house elves but was overcome by the fact she was hearing something humanizing about Malfoy.
"Then who the hell is my mom with, and who took that picture? And who is this interloping Skeeter lady?" Zabini blurted out question after question, not ready to have the darkness of Draco's statement overcome the situation. "I'm sure my mother will write me today after seeing this. If you haven't seen your parents since.. Well then she will have to have more answers for us."
Blaise stood up and grasped Draco in a momentary embrace before asking Hermione for his wand back. Malfoy folded himself into a sitting position on the cold stone leaving Hermione to deal with a moping teen.
"Malfoy the students are going to be leaving the hall to head to classes soon. If you need some, er, time then let's go back to the common room," Granger urged.
"No need. I'll get up in a moment. I didn't think anyone would know so soon. There goes my deepest secret like that," said Draco, snapping his fingers.
Hermione felt the need to point out that it was not technically a secret pertaining to him but she was sympathetic of his predicament. She handed the wand back to the blonde and waited for him to stand up. As the crowd began pouring out of the hall Draco stood up dejectedly. Hermione nodded her head towards the corridor that would send him in the direction of his class. Draco marched off with a scowl and sent a jinx at a first year who yelped when his shoelaces tied together. Hermione felt benevolent and didn't take any points from Slytherin.
"Hermione what was that stand-off all about?" asked Harry who was at the back of the crowd.
"I think Blaise stole a pair of his pants or something. I don't ever know what you boys fight over anymore," she lied.
"Must have been an expensive pair of pants!" yelled Harry as he scrambled down the hall after Ginny.
Hermione left a note for whenever Malfoy returned from his classes.
Malfoy, I know you most likely aren't in any state to think about these things. However I do need some input from you on a few items of importance. First we need to hold a meeting with the prefects about the Halloween plans. Also we need a new password like you mentioned this morning. Please let me know you've read this. Hope everything is alright.
H. Granger
Malfoy saw that Hermione's bag of slugs and other herbology materials had been knocked over. He righted them and realized he should probably set up his plants during his free time. He grabbed his bag and headed to the greenhouse. Draco made it halfway to the stairs when he wanted to bring his chocolate frogs with him. He returned to the portrait and was permitted entrance by Salazar and Godric. The note Hermione had left flew towards him when it recognized its recipient. He skillfully grabbed the parchment from the air. Draco read it while digging out his chocolate frogs from under his bed. Bloody hell, she has to be so nice about everything, thought the Slytherin.
Draco left the room and picked up his bag of slugs, exhaled in an annoyed manner, and then grabbed Hermione's as well.
A/N: Thanks to all you authors who have added this story to alert! It makes me feel so good inside :) I'd welcome all of you readers to put in a little review for me- it'd make my day! I'll have the next chapter up by Saturday so keep on the lookout for it.
xx Madam Lure
