7th Year
You've gotten this far.. Bwahahahaha
By byebye
Author's Note: Alright. So this is my fourth chapter.. Jeez, and nothing's even happened yet.. Anyone want to tell me how to make this interesting? Anyone? "No, Draco, you can't not fall in 'love' with Hermione. No. Yes, you can still be totally and inconsiderably evil. Go away now." *cough* Okay, so the first three chapters are completely unproductive. I'm hoping to have a plot by the fifth, because if I don't then I give up on the world. Or at least on getting reviews. But if you give me reviews then you get more story, and when you get more story you get more happy.. What? Less happy? *sniff* *sniff* okay then.. But I'll give more story anyhow *sorry for all this messed up grammar, but it's fun for me *, so reviewing would be nice. Thank you to my reviewers, and I'm currently not J.K.Rowling. I'll check in another two minutes and get back to you though. Okay? And I realize I didn't get to Hogwarts in the last chapter. So I'll try this time. *If I don't make it this time, I'm gonna be RRRRRRREEALLY disappointed in myself, I mean, come on. I have the rest of that day and then they're off. How pathetic can I get? Okay? So I'll just write, and get reviews (not), and then post this, and get more reviews (not), and be happy (if the reviews come in. not.). So read already!
*****
She had finished paying for the clothes she had bought. And not that she cared so much about Draco's opinion, but she had bought the dress he had shown to her. 'Did I just call him Draco?' Hermione frowned to herself and apparated to her temporary room, casting a quick spell on her single large suitcase before opening it to reveal a rather expansive area for packing, even after she had packed everything that she needed from home before the spell. Carefully she packed everything that she had bought in the last few days; more clothes, some food to smuggle in, books, a telescope and several other knickknacks, potion ingredients, hygiene items, and several more things. How had she bought so much stuff in the course of three days? Well, it didn't matter. Too much, anyhow. After configuring a spell that would get past Hogwarts, she enchanted the suitcase and tried lifting it; it was alright- moderately heavy, but that was definitely to be expected out of her.
"Hermione? Are you done packing?" Ginny popped up in the doorway, sweat dripping off her face uncharacteristically. "Oh, good. This was the worst day of my life!" It didn't sound like it was, but Hermione let her continue. "Do you know how much training Seamus made me do? Every time I thought I was finished he made me run a mile, or practice swinging at the bloody bludgers again! I don't think I'm going to live to go to Hogwarts!" The girl's face was flushed and shiny, but she was smiling, all the same. "But do you think I should ask to be on the team? I really think I'm ready, this year."
Hermione smiled. "Ginny, you've been training for the past 3 years. Of course I think you're ready. I think you've been ready for the past two. You just need more confidence in yourself."
"Really?" She still looked doubtful. "Well, I suppose.. I'll ask Professor McGonagall when we get to Hogwarts.. Maybe. Well, I've got to go change before Harry and Ron get back. Where did they go, anyhow?"
"I'm not quite sure. Something about looking for Quidditch stuff. And if they ask you went shopping."
"Alright. I'll talk to you later then?"
"Maybe not. I'm going to be up here for the rest of the day; I haven't memorized this bit of a book for Charms." Shaking her head, Ginny left, leaving Hermione to study as she would, were she home. As tradition went, she studied until 10 before she realized that she should be getting to sleep. Harry and Ron had had the decency to leave her alone; most likely Ginny's doing, but Hermione didn't mind. She just needed sleep, right now.
*****
Hermione was silent in the morning when she awoke at seven o'clock. Quietly she took her shower and changed into her clothes, a low-riding pale tan skirt with slender lines of fluff going down in random areas and a silky black shirt with the Gryffindor sign low on the side of the hem line, the shirt long, reaching down to just below her waist, with a long, slender slit up the front that reached an inch above her stomach. She frowned when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Was that her? Frowning , she took the outfit off; she would stay conservative Hermione, at least for now, while the other clothes were a bit too much for her. So instead she pulled on a slender-fitting black shirt that skimmed over her curves and a black skirt reaching just above her knees; it was a bit more revealing, but with a robe it was traditionally conservative. As an afterthought she paired it with a wispy lilac shawl draped just below her waist as she had seen on the dress, though it was a different shawl; the shawl on the dress had been attached to the gown. Going back upstairs to 'her room', she gently pulled out the Head Girl badge from the envelope, slipping it on the top of her skirt just above the shawl. It was a beautiful dragon insignia on a glimmering sort of metal, the dragon made of innocent pearl, as far as she could tell.
"Miss Granger?" Mrs. Weasley knocked lightly on the door to the room, and Hermione opened it, pulling on a long dark robe as she admired the shimmering effect the silk had in the light. "How are you, dear?"
Hermione smiled. "I'm fine, thank you. I haven't seen you in so long.."
"Well, dear, we've only just arrived back home, so.. It's nice to see you." Mrs. Weasley gave her a tight hug and released her. "My, you've grown over the year!" Her exclamation was rather hushed, but still conveyed her surprise.
Hermione blushed. "A bit, I suppose. How was your trip to see Charlie?"
"Oh, fine, I suppose. But a dragon preserve in Iceland, no less." She smiled, looking to the suitcase beside the bed. "You'll all be going soon, I suppose?"
With a nod, Hermione spoke. "I woke up a bit earlier than the rest of them." She smiled lightly. "But I'm going to do a bit of last minute studying before we head off to the train platform." She paused. "Are you going to be taking us, or..? I'm sure Ginny will want company."
Mrs. Weasley smiled. "Well you're kind. When Ginny wakes I'll tell her to be ready by quarter after 10, at the least. I'll leave you to your changing, then."
The woman left and Hermione folded the robe back into the suitcase; she couldn't be wearing it to the train station or it would attract attention. Lifting the cage with her milky brown and white owl inside, she gently skimmed her hand along the downy feathers before returning her to on top of the bed. Pulling out one of the spellbooks that she had bought for her own purposes, she skimmed through it again before turning to the mirror in Percy's room, muttering "Al-ïo-nara." Almost instantly her vision clouded, then she opened her eyes again; her face was done up in makeup best fitting for her outfit. Her eyes were rimmed with black eyeliner, and a thin coat of powdery lilac was dusted in the crease of her eyelid and outward, the same shade as the shawl before it changed to a flaming sort of auburn that would match her hair at the outside, if it continued to become darker. Her lips were glossed over thinly, then muted dimly. No one would notice, right? Pulling her hair up into a clip, she let her curly hair ripple down over it once it was up, a few strands forgotten and falling down over her face in long lengths, as well as behind. At least it wasn't as frizzy as it had been before.
"'Mione?" Ginny's voice sounded at her door several minutes later, and she opened it; Ginny walked into the room, dressed in a pale tan skirt almost identical to the one Hermione had tried on before, as well as a thin, loose, dark blue jacket over whatever shirt she was wearing, icy blue writing in the corner in runes translated as angel. She paused when she saw her face. "How'd you do your make-up?" she asked as though that was what she had wanted to know in the first place.
"Al-ïo-nara," she said to herself, and Ginny held her position for a moment before stumbling over to the mirror to admire the spell's handiwork. Highly glossed lips and a blue and tan blend of eyeshadows on and just around her eyelids completed her. "So what did you really come in here for?"
"I'm going to need to remember that," the younger girl said to herself, as though making a mental note. "Oh, right, I was wondering.. You're really going to come with me to the train station? You're not going to apparate with Ron and Harry?"
"Of course. I don't think I want to risk apparating there anyhow, not yet." Hermione smiled. "Besides, I need a girl's company."
Ginny's smile became heartfelt. "Thanks. I'm going to go finish packing; could you fix breakfast?"
"Sure." Taking her suitcase and owl cage down to the kitchen, she set them down and muttered a few words, pulling food from nowhere, as well as cooking utensils. The second would disappear once they were done though, so while the food was made she pulled out plates and eating utensils, setting the table.
"Hermione? You're.. cooking?" Ron's voice was slightly confused. "But I though.. Oh well. We won't be able to taste the poison, will we?" He left as she tossed a dishrag at him, going back up to his room to change. He had gotten up at 9 voluntarily. That was startling.
Harry came down after him, though a good thirty minutes later. "It's not poisoned, is it?"
She didn't even bother dignifying him with a response; instead she piled the pancakes onto a large plate in the center besides the bacon and frowned at him. "Is Ginny ready yet?" She frowned as he only shook his head, still sleepy though he was dressed and already stuffing his face. "Are you going to apparate?"
He paused for a moment and finished chewing. "Well.. I suppose I might. Depends."
"On what?"
He shook his head. "Nothing. I'll ride with you and Ginny."
*****
An hour and a half later, Harry sat down on one of the seats in the train, carrying a bag full of chocolates and sweets from the vendor.
"What've you got in there?" Ron asked, trying not to grab it from him. "Chocolate frogs? Bernie Botts Every Flavor Beans?" His leg bounced up and down impatiently until Hermione lay a hand on his knee, with a facial expression that seemed to say rather kindly that if she saw it bob up again she would dismember him.
Harry dumped the food out onto the seat and Ron and he attacked it as they had done every other year. Harry barely noticed Hermione's impatient sigh. "I'm going to go talk with Lavendar; she invited me down to speak with her for a moment, if that's alright."
"Perfectly fine, Hermione," Harry said between handfuls of jelly beans. "We'll save you some." Or not, as would probably be the case.
She left, shaking her head as she turned from Harry and Ron, stuffing themselves. Oh well. She would just find somewhere else to go until she was sure they were done and ready for sane conversation.
"Granger." As if on cue, Malfoy spoke; she turned to look at him, her robe billowing lightly behind her. "Take my advice?" he asked, reaching a hand out as though to feel the fabric of the lilac shawl.
She nodded slightly. "I suppose." Shifting slightly, she kept her balance in the strap-py black sandals that Ginny had adored so much when they had went shopping several months before. This was her first time wearing them, and she wasn't used to keeping her balance, much less walking in the dangerous stilettos. "How.. are you?"
Malfoy seemed to laugh, standing up off his leaning position against the wall. "I'm fine, Granger. No need to worry." He smirked as she gave a sort of uncomfortable smiling frown. "Anything you need?"
He stared at her expectantly and she glanced over to the side as though contemplating what to say. "No.. I'm just getting away from Harry and Ron for a bit while they eat. There isn't any sane conversation near them for at least a few hours." To her surprise, Malfoy smiled.
"So, avoiding them?" He paused. "Well. That's a first, from what I can tell." Malfoy walked forward; it was the end of the train, and no one else was on the back car, so there was room enough. "So, you're just going to be wandering around the train until we arrive at Hogwarts?" She didn't say anything; she didn't know what he wanted her to say. "Oh well. I'm sure you'll find something to do."
She frowned, still somewhat confused. "What do you mean by that?"
"Nothing, Granger, nothing." There was a pause, and Malfoy obviously felt no need to fill it.
"So.." Why was she trying to keep up a conversation with him anyhow? Malfoy seemed to realize that as well.
Glancing down at her and catching her eye, he raised his eyebrows. "Is there a reason you care so much about talking to me?" He smirked, but even she could tell he didn't completely mean it, as was the case every other time.
"-No." She paused, taking a step back. Before she knew what was happening, she felt her ankle buckle, and she fell backwards, suspended by one hand that, for some reason, was clutching Malfoy's.
He pulled her up gently, only a hint of a frown tugging at his lips as his face seemed somewhat caring before going suddenly expressionless. "Careful, Granger. Don't hurt yourself."
She regained her balance, though her hand was still held by Draco. Was he actually being.. dare she say it, caring? With a pale blush, she murmured a thank you. Their bodies were suddenly close, due to the fact that he had to step forward to keep her from falling. Quietly, she coughed, not daring to step back in case she fell again. Hermione felt the light touch at her wrist disappear as he removed his hand, and she let out a breath that she didn't know she had held.
"Hermione.." His murmur made her look sharply up; he had never used her first name. Ever. She felt a hand lightly on her back and she stiffened. Was this really Draco Malfoy? She wasn't quite sure as she felt her eyelids half-shut, and her body pulled gently up against another.
*****
Who-hooooooooo, cliffhanger!! *I think.* anyhow, I'm not going post anything else until I get 7 *oh wow, big number* reviews. Okay? So that way people will actually care when I finally figure out a way to incorporate a cliffhanger into my story. I don't mean to make it a snotty thing or anything, I just want *sob* seven people to like my fic *sob*. Please? Oh well. I'll just write and know what happens and then wait for the reviews to not come. Maybe I'll start a new fic while I wait. Just when I get to the friggin' good part too.
*****
Jeez. No new reviewers. Yet. Okay.