False Face
By: GaiNax
"Please?" Ron begged. "Please … Please pack my bags for me …"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Why don't you just use magic?"
"I'd like to but it's still the summer and you know we can't use magic …"
"Right…" she said as she stuffed his clothes in the trunk not bothering to fold them. "Where are your books?" She asked.
"Down there." He pointed to Fred and George's books from last year.
Hermione sighed and placed them in the trunk on top of his clothes. "There … are you happy now?"
Ron smiled. "Yup."
Ron and Hermione spent the afternoon playing chess until everyone came home. Ginny hugged Hermione as soon as she found out that she was staying with them, even if she already has to leave tomorrow. She spent the whole evening talking to the Weasleys that they forgot about dinner. Since food made by magic isn't as good as made food, they went to the restaurant near King's Cross Station. It was also the restaurant a certain Slytherin is currently living in.
The Weasleys and Hermione entered the nicely furnished restaurant. It was filled with red velvet chairs and the decorations were very classy. They Weasley family decided to spend their hard earned galleons to celebrate Hermione being a Head Girl. They were about to take a seat in the non-smoking section of the restaurant but something caught their eye.
"You're right 'Mione, you're not stalking him … he's stalking you."
"Uh huh…" she nodded. Completely not paying attention for she was hungry. I mean she is hungry.
"Aren't you going to tell him off or anything? Call him a stupid prat and hex him or something."
"Like you said before, we can't use unauthorized magic during the summer though those weren't your exact words…" She followed the Weasleys to their table.
Ron quickly followed Hermione. "Are you implying that I don't have a good vocabulary?"
"No Weasel, I think she is saying that you don't have a good vocabulary …" a voice behind their backs interrupted.
"What do you want Malfoy?" Hermione asked the blonde haired boy behind her. "Do you have a crush on me or something? Why are you following me?"
"Me … crush on you … you wish mudblood." Draco said laughing hard. 'Me? Have a crush on a muggle born? As if! I'd rather be a Death Eater … or not.' He frowns when he remembered the reason he ran away.
Flash Back"Draco, my boy … this Christmas, you will be a Death Eater. I will send a carriage to pick you up before The 25th of December. You had better learn all the Dark Magic spells and curses in this book by the time I send the carriage." Lucius Malfoy, Voldemort's right hand man also his father, pointed at a thick worn out book on the side table.
"But … I don't want to be a Death Eater. Besides you can't make me! I am your only heir."
"It's not the time for you to be throwing one of your hissy fits." He walked up to his son preparing to slap him.
"Ok fine … I'll be a stupid Death Eater." Draco almost puked when he succumbed to his father's demand. 'Why am I so weak against my father?' he thinks about all the times that his father threatened to hit him and all the times he said yes to things he didn't want to do. But he still does them because he doesn't want to have the same fate as his mother. His mother, Narcissa Malfoy, stood up to Lucius one day and he killed her with the Avada Kedavra.
"That's good…" He threw the book at Draco. "Here! Read up on it. I'm going to sleep. Go buy your stupid books for that stupid school, Hogwarts. And by the way, your cousin from Toronto sent you a package. It's over there by the corner. I don't know why you need to open it. We all know it's just a bunch of muggle things we have no use for."
Draco walked over to the corner and opened his package as soon as his muggle hating father left the room. He knew that it was just a bunch of muggle items but he could control himself. The package came attached with a letter.
Dearest cousin Draco,
Hey cous, it's me Andréa. My stepmother, Natasha, decided that we should move to Toronto. I know it's such a wonderful place but I really miss Trois Rivières, cous. I miss Quebec City too. We have those fun carnavals during the month of February but no … I live in Toronto. There's always one thing you can count on, fun raves, awesome clubs and really nice clothes. I know you'd rather hex and torture little bunnies right now but please bear with me. I lost contact with my friends. I never bothered asking for their addresses and I'm sure daddy wouldn't allow me to owl them. I need to vent so you're the only person I could think of who would listen to me? Daddy is sending me to a witches' college in France tomorrow so I decided to go shopping. I found some really neat stuff at Stitches and I got you an Exco sweater plus some Roots and some Tims that I got at Yorkdale mall. I hope you wear them … though I doubt you would be able to since your father is so uptight. I'm so sorry that auntie Narcissa died. I send my condolences to you. I hope you have fun at Hogwarts. I know I loved it during my years at Beauxbatons but it was really hard to compete with those girls who are part veela.
Sincerely,
Your dearest cousin, Andréa
Draco folded the letter and opened his package. It was definitely full of sweaters. He decided to put on the one with the funny looking dog and he carried the rest into his room. He was sure that he didn't want to be a Death Eater so the only way out was to run away. He knew that his father would be able to find him within 5 minutes but why would he bother? He shoved his things into his duffle bag, also a gift from his cousin, Andréa.
Draco walked out of his mansion confidently seeing that his father was asleep upstairs. 'He's probably dreaming of things to torture during the time period I'm gone…' Draco thought. He heaved his heavy duffle bag and headed to the bus station. He waited for 5 minutes until the bus arrived. "Slow muggle transportation…" He entered the bus and the only seat available was to this hooded figure. He heard of people like that from Andréa's stories. "A thug perhaps?" He walked over to the hooded figure and sat next to him. Or so he thought it was a 'him'.
The next he knew, the hooded figure turned to its side and looked at Draco. It was Hermione. 'Granger? What the hell is she doing in this side of town?'
"Of all the people in Hogwarts, I didn't expect you to be riding muggle transport."
End Flash Back
"Um … Draco? Are you still there?" Hermione prodded him with her wand. "You seem …distant."
"Huh? Oh yah. Now what were we discussing?"
"Oh just you jumping in a lake, drowning and never to be heard of again." Ron grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her to the table where his family was sitting at. "Ta!" He turned around and stuck his tongue out at Draco. 'I'm the one who's got the girl…' he thought smugly. Ron had and still has a crush on Hermione ever since the Yule Ball. He hadn't realized that Hermione had grown into such a fine young woman until some other guy had her. Ron wasn't certain if Draco likes her but he didn't want to find out either. He wanted to be the one to make the first move. Draco wasn't an easy competition. Half the girls at Hogwarts would give their right arm just to be in the same vicinity as Draco Malfoy although they wouldn't admit it. He's heard some girls gossiping about Draco Malfoy and the fact that he's the most desirable bachelor in Hogwarts since Oliver Wood. Ron frowned at this thought. 'Why can't I have a girl? Just one. Hermione Granger. That stupid ferret can have all the girls he want but can't he leave just one for me?' Ron sat next to Hermione implying that they're together.
"Ron … aren't you a bit too close?" Hermione complained that Ron was clinging onto her all evening.
"I don't think so. Do you?" He wrapped his arm around Hermione.
She felt uncomfortable being in Ron's arms? "Yes. I do think so. Why are you doing this? Do you actually think that Draco's interested in me or vice versa?"
"No… I don't think. I know. Hermione, you're a wonderful, beautiful, and smart girl. It's not like it isn't obvious that people are interested in you. I mean in the fourth year, you were with Krum. In the fifth year, Ginny told me that she caught you snogging with one of the Ravenclaw boys. And just last year you got a lot of valentines from people in Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw."
'Too bad I didn't get any from Slytherin' she thought. She's starting to develop a crush on Malfoy. You know how people keep saying you like so and so then finally you end up liking them.
"Well … aren't you going to say anything? Maybe something like 'Thank you Ron for complimenting me?'" He saw Hermione looking around the restaurant. "Hermione? Are you okay?" He snapped his fingers in front of her face but she didn't seem to notice. "HERMIONE!"
Everyone in the restaurant looked at Ron. He never felt so embarrassed in his whole life. Draco heard him too. He decided to walk over to the table.
"Is the mudblood deaf or something?" He got the attention of everyone at the table. The whole Weasley family was glaring at him. "What? That's what she is! A Muggle-born freak."
Hermione might have learned to ignore his mudblood comments for a couple of years now but now that she likes him, his comments hurt much more than it did before. She cared about what he thought of her. 'He thinks I'm a freak … a mudblood freak…' she tried to hold back the tears but to no avail. As soon as she felt tears forming, she ran to the washroom.
By the time she came back, Draco was nowhere to be seen.
"Are you okay? If it wasn't the summer time, I would've hexed him to the next millennium."
"Yes… I'm okay Ron. Don't worry." She hugged him tightly and bid the family goodbye. "I think I'll go back now. I need some sleep. Is it okay if I sleep in Ginny's room?"
"Yeah. Take Ginny's room. It's getting late anyway. We'll head back with you." Mrs. Weasley said.
The whole Weasley family plus Hermione went back home. Everything else was pretty awkward. They said their goodbyes during the morning and they went to the station. They crossed platform 9 ¾ with ease. They saw Harry and everyone else in their year. They went onto the train and they headed towards the compartment they always go to every year but this year was different. The Head Girl and Head Boy were supposed to have their own compartment together.
"I think the new Head Boy is Peter Clearwater." Ron said. He knew that Peter was a very smart boy. His sister was Head Girl once. His sister was also Ron's sister in-law. Percy married Penelope just last year.
"I hope so… it better not be someone from Slytherin. I mean we all know that they get in by family relations … as in they bribe themselves into the positions they want." Harry pointed out.
Hermione always liked a Slytherin bashing conversation during the beginning of the year but this year she decided to stop. She waved goodbye to her friends and walked into the compartment. Much to her surprise it was Draco Malfoy. 'This is getting really weird. Why is everywhere?'
"Oh so you're Head Girl. That's a comforting thought … being in the same dorm with you for 10 whole months…" he smirked. "…Not!"
"It's not like I want to live with you either…"
"The feeling's mutual mudblood."
Hermione cringed at the word mudblood. Ever since last night, she's become super sensitive to that word. Especially since Draco is the only one calling her that. Tears started forming in her eyes again. She really couldn't control herself this time.
"Don't cry… you look really scary with red eyes. Doesn't make you look good." Draco slouched back on his chair and smiled at the crying 7th year. "I'm kidding. You don't look that horrible. I mean you still look way better than Parkinson."
Hermione knew better than to ask but she did anyway … out of curiosity. "Then why did you go out with her for such a long time?"
"I'm betrothed to her."
"Eww… that is sick." They both laughed but stopped when they realized who's who. "Anyways… I think we should compromise, as in a truce?"
"No thanks Hermione. I'll act however I like." Draco had a plan. He wouldn't really say anyone's first name unless he had a motive. 'I'll make Boy wonder and the weasel pay.' He thought.
"Ok … Draco." She smiled. 'Maybe he does like me after all.'
They reached Hogwarts and entered the castle. They both watched the sorting and cheered whenever someone was sorted into their house. Unfortunately the ceremony ended and they will part ways. They were going to be in the same dorm but on the first day back, Dumbledore had allowed them to stay with their own house for the last time.
This was the perfect time to wreak havoc in the Gryffindor community thought Draco. He decided to walk Hermione to the Gryffindor common room. Everyone knew where the entrance was. Ron saw Draco holding Hermione's hand. Ron was turning red… as red as his own hair.
"Ron … you okay?" Harry looked at his friend who was fuming.
"No! Of course I am not okay. The girl I like is holding hands with the guy I hate. That makes me so mad."
They reached the Fat Lady's portrait and waited until everyone went in. Hermione and Draco were outside the portrait having a little conversation of their own.
Ron and Harry rushed inside and grabbed the invisibility cloak and decided to spy on the two.
"Mal – err… Draco? Why are you being so nice to me?"
'Because I want to cause pain …' "Because you're just the most wonderful girl I've met in my whole entire life."
Ron watched the two and thought about how many girls he said that line to. "Liar." He mumbled under his breath.
Draco heard him although he doubts that Hermione did. He decided to put his plan into action. Before Hermione could say anything he leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "Good night, Hermione. I'll see you tomorrow at potions."
A/N: I know it's kind of weird that she bumps into Malfoy a lot but … whatever. Btw I spelled Carnaval correctly. Carnaval is this winter festival they have in Quebec just before Lent. It's kind of like Mardi gras. They party for 11 days. Here is a song Sarah, my classmate, made for the cheering thingy we had at school. Sung to the tune of Uh Huh by B2k.
Rions. Chantons. C'est le Carnaval.
Carnaval ici à Saint-Ésprit
On aime jouer, danser, et fêter
On s'amuse beaucoup avec nos amis.
On aime Bonhomme du Carnaval
Les gens disent « Vive ce festival »
Bienvenue tout le monde, aller à Saint-Ésprit
S'amuser cet événement
Bridge :
Tout le monde frappe les mains et frappe les pieds
Pour tous les jeux et activités
À voir Bonhomme et tous ses amis
Tu mets la gaieté dans la ville
Refrain :
(Bonhomme) C'est le temps de célébrer (Bonhomme)
C'est le carnaval d'hiver (Bonhomme)
C'est un très grand festival (Bonhomme)
Pour les gens, C'est Carnaval (Bonhomme)
RepeatSaint-Ésprit (Holy Spirit) is the name of my school. Also that my friend Stephanie, her uncle owns the shop Mirabelli. It's in Yorkdale mall. Anyways, thanks to all my reviewers. Bold for signed reviews and normal ones for anonymous reviews.
Kristina- thanks~!
Vampire Goddess Kia- Thanks too.
Caroline- Sorry if you don't understand French. I put those lyrics for you to try to sing. If you don't want to it's ok.
MiZ PuNk- Yes your translation of the song was quite accurate.
HarshDecember- I'm glad you know where I live … I already have gr7 seven stalkers. Another one wouldn't hurt. J/k.
Michee- thanks for reviewing my fic again ^_^
Gladia- Sure. I'll write more chapters.
Icy Stormz- Well I don't know if will end up as a DM/HG. I'm not really sure because my friend Jessica and I are writing this together. The first two chapter I've written but Jessica might change everything if I tell her to write the third chapter. I hope it's a D/H fic. I'll do my best to persuade my friend.
I'm glad you people like my story so far.