Chapter 4- Welcome Back Ü
AN- And here I am again thanks to my beautiful and wonderful reviewers! Muwah! I love ya all! Ü This one might be a bit boring since it's just to refresh everyone's memory of Hogwarts and stuff. R/R!
~o~o~o~o~~o~o~o~o~~o~o~o~o~~o~o~o~o~~o~o~o~o~~o~o~o~o~~o~o~o~o~~o~o~
The Great Hall was once again a marvelous and exciting sight as anyone can ever imagine. It was decorated for the start-of-the-term feast with all the house-colors, Gryffindor (maroon), Hufflepuff (gold), Ravenclaw (dark blue) and Slytherin (green). The four long House tables were packed with delighted, chattering students with golden plates and goblets gleaming at them by the hundreds of thousands of candles floating high above them with a reflection of the night sky. Here Harry, Ron and Hermione walked passed all the four tables and sat along with the rest of their fellow Gryffindors, next to Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor Ghost. Harry spotted and waved at Hagrid, the Hogwarts game keeper and an old friend, who was quite surprised at Harry's appearance that was quite well-built and charming just like Ron.
The doors of the great hall burst in with First-years who were all looking up at the sky above them, all astonished with "Ooooh"'s and "Aaaah"'s lead by Professor McGonagall. They were all lead to the top of the hall where Professor Dumbledore smiled eagerly at them, with the students eyes fixed on a worn-out hat, which was the Sorting Hat. Professor McGonagall explained to them the conditions about the Sorting Hat and how the ritual was done. The sorting began and each of the First-years names were slowly called out:
"Alley, Martin!"
A scrawny little boy who looked quite scared went up to the platform.
"Hufflepuff!"
The Hufflepuff cheered with delight and welcomed him to the table.
"Ascot, Patricia!"
A pretty girl with dark-brown hair did the same and went up the platform.
"Ravenclaw!"
The Ravenclaws cheered and smiled sweetly at her, making her feel very welcome.
"Maybe that's where all the pretty girls go." whispered Harry to Ron. Hermione hearing this, crossed her arms, "Honestly!"
The sorting went on and on and Ron still kept on complaining, "When is it going to be over?" "Why can't the sorting hat speed it up a bit?" "I'm starving!" "Treacle Pudding. hot mashed potatoes with steak--- Oh Bloody hell, why can't they just serve the food while-"
"Will you shut up and be a little more patient?!" Hermione said loudly which made the whole lot of students gape upon her and Professor McGonagall give a disappointing glare. "Carry on." Professor Dumbledore said suddenly, backing up Hermione as to not make her feel embarrassed. Hermione sunk in her seat and blushed out of humiliation. She mouthed out a small "thank you" to Dumbledore who just smiled.
The sorting was FINALLY over and Dumbledore started to make his last announcements before the feast. Being a know-it-all, Hermione listened attentively while Ron just kept on complaining that his speech will take 200 years and the food will be spoilt and all cobwebby-like by the time they serve it. Suddenly, Hermione felt a gaze that was fixed on her from somewhere around the room sending shivers down her spine. She looked around at all the tables and finally spotted Malfoy's eyes fixed on her. She motioned her hand facing his face making him realize that he had been staring and mouthed out something which came out as, "Stupid Mudblood." Fuming, Hermione just turned back to face back to Dumbledore and at that same moment, he said:
"Well I know the lot of you are terribly hungry," he winked at Ron and Hermione who blushed furiously and Harry who just chuckled. "So I only have two words to say." He paused and raised his goblet. "Dig In."
The golden plates were suddenly filled with delicious, mouth-watering Turkish delight that Ron had been waiting and wishing for and immediately got a handful of everything and started gobbling it down his throat. Hermione, disgusted the way he ate, just shook her head and murmured something like, "Pig". She wasn't as ecstatic as he was and just silently ate as the rest of the boys started babbling about Quidditch.
"Hermione?"
She felt several pokes on her shoulder. She turned around and came face to face with Ginny, Ron's younger sister who was still in 6th year.
"Oh Hi, Ginny. I didn't see you awhile ago. Where were you?" Hermione smiled.
"I was talking with the rest of the girls at the other side of the table and I saw you looking lonely around all of these "pigs" who are talking nothing but Quidditch so I decided to come over here and check on you."
""Pigs" is the word alright," sighed Hermione as she looked wincingly at the whole row of boys who were just devouring now on a couple of chicken legs. "Thanks a lot, Ginny. I was getting a bit lonely."
"No problem at all, Mione. By the way, is there anything between you and Malfoy?" Ginny asked curiously.
"What are you talking about? Of course not! With that slimy git? Heavens, no! What made you say that?" Hermione replied as she was twirling her fork around some pasta.
"Oh nothing," Ginny replied as she drank a bit of pumpkin juice. "I couldn't help but notice him gaze at you. I dunno why but I figured I should've asked you first before I asked Harry or Ron."
Hermione looked back and saw Malfoy talking to one of his fellow Slytherins. "He's not staring! He's talking to his friends!"
"Well, I guess awhile ago he did," inferred Ginny. "Wait-look. He is now."
Hermione looked back again and this time, Ginny was correct. He was looking at her. Strange, but she thought he sort of smiled. She giggled a bit at the sight of the hand-print still left at his cheek and motioned her hand on her face to let him remember the incident. He followed and put his hand on the same cheek she slapped him. He remembered and frowned. He turned away from her and the whole while he seemed disgusted while he was talking to the rest of the Slytherins.
"I think that's because I left my trademark on his cheek." Hermione smirked.
"What do you mean?"
"See for yourself."
Ginny looked back and saw the side of Draco's face with a red marked hand- print still visible on his face. Noticing this, Draco tried to hide it by putting his palm on his cheek making him look like he was really listening to what the others were saying.
Ginny giggled. "You're right. It WAS a real trademark. The "Mudblood" trademark." She said imitating Malfoy's malicious voice that amused Hermione.
~o~
After a few hearty laughs and conversations, the feast had ended and everyone was tired and satisfied and longing to be in bed tucked away in their dreams. But, Hermione, no. She was just so thrilled about the next day that she couldn't even sleep. She got up from her bed and checked the clock. It was 2:00 in the morning.
"Good morning." She whispered to herself, smiling. She quietly went out of her room, arms full of books and started to read till she fell asleep.
~*~*~
AN- Well? What do you think? Puleez tell me! I know it was sort of brief at the end but I didn't know what else to put! If you got bored, don't worry coz the next chapter will be better! Ü BUT.. I need at least 12 or 10 reviews! Please? Ü Before I upload the next chapter! BWAHAHAHAHA! EVIL! Ü Just kidding! ÜÜÜ
PS- I have another story but this time it's on www.fictionpress.com and I haven't got any reviews! WAH! If you guys have time, please check it out! It's called: Falling PLEASE?! I really need to get reviews to see if I should continue it or not! Ü
AN- And here I am again thanks to my beautiful and wonderful reviewers! Muwah! I love ya all! Ü This one might be a bit boring since it's just to refresh everyone's memory of Hogwarts and stuff. R/R!
~o~o~o~o~~o~o~o~o~~o~o~o~o~~o~o~o~o~~o~o~o~o~~o~o~o~o~~o~o~o~o~~o~o~
The Great Hall was once again a marvelous and exciting sight as anyone can ever imagine. It was decorated for the start-of-the-term feast with all the house-colors, Gryffindor (maroon), Hufflepuff (gold), Ravenclaw (dark blue) and Slytherin (green). The four long House tables were packed with delighted, chattering students with golden plates and goblets gleaming at them by the hundreds of thousands of candles floating high above them with a reflection of the night sky. Here Harry, Ron and Hermione walked passed all the four tables and sat along with the rest of their fellow Gryffindors, next to Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor Ghost. Harry spotted and waved at Hagrid, the Hogwarts game keeper and an old friend, who was quite surprised at Harry's appearance that was quite well-built and charming just like Ron.
The doors of the great hall burst in with First-years who were all looking up at the sky above them, all astonished with "Ooooh"'s and "Aaaah"'s lead by Professor McGonagall. They were all lead to the top of the hall where Professor Dumbledore smiled eagerly at them, with the students eyes fixed on a worn-out hat, which was the Sorting Hat. Professor McGonagall explained to them the conditions about the Sorting Hat and how the ritual was done. The sorting began and each of the First-years names were slowly called out:
"Alley, Martin!"
A scrawny little boy who looked quite scared went up to the platform.
"Hufflepuff!"
The Hufflepuff cheered with delight and welcomed him to the table.
"Ascot, Patricia!"
A pretty girl with dark-brown hair did the same and went up the platform.
"Ravenclaw!"
The Ravenclaws cheered and smiled sweetly at her, making her feel very welcome.
"Maybe that's where all the pretty girls go." whispered Harry to Ron. Hermione hearing this, crossed her arms, "Honestly!"
The sorting went on and on and Ron still kept on complaining, "When is it going to be over?" "Why can't the sorting hat speed it up a bit?" "I'm starving!" "Treacle Pudding. hot mashed potatoes with steak--- Oh Bloody hell, why can't they just serve the food while-"
"Will you shut up and be a little more patient?!" Hermione said loudly which made the whole lot of students gape upon her and Professor McGonagall give a disappointing glare. "Carry on." Professor Dumbledore said suddenly, backing up Hermione as to not make her feel embarrassed. Hermione sunk in her seat and blushed out of humiliation. She mouthed out a small "thank you" to Dumbledore who just smiled.
The sorting was FINALLY over and Dumbledore started to make his last announcements before the feast. Being a know-it-all, Hermione listened attentively while Ron just kept on complaining that his speech will take 200 years and the food will be spoilt and all cobwebby-like by the time they serve it. Suddenly, Hermione felt a gaze that was fixed on her from somewhere around the room sending shivers down her spine. She looked around at all the tables and finally spotted Malfoy's eyes fixed on her. She motioned her hand facing his face making him realize that he had been staring and mouthed out something which came out as, "Stupid Mudblood." Fuming, Hermione just turned back to face back to Dumbledore and at that same moment, he said:
"Well I know the lot of you are terribly hungry," he winked at Ron and Hermione who blushed furiously and Harry who just chuckled. "So I only have two words to say." He paused and raised his goblet. "Dig In."
The golden plates were suddenly filled with delicious, mouth-watering Turkish delight that Ron had been waiting and wishing for and immediately got a handful of everything and started gobbling it down his throat. Hermione, disgusted the way he ate, just shook her head and murmured something like, "Pig". She wasn't as ecstatic as he was and just silently ate as the rest of the boys started babbling about Quidditch.
"Hermione?"
She felt several pokes on her shoulder. She turned around and came face to face with Ginny, Ron's younger sister who was still in 6th year.
"Oh Hi, Ginny. I didn't see you awhile ago. Where were you?" Hermione smiled.
"I was talking with the rest of the girls at the other side of the table and I saw you looking lonely around all of these "pigs" who are talking nothing but Quidditch so I decided to come over here and check on you."
""Pigs" is the word alright," sighed Hermione as she looked wincingly at the whole row of boys who were just devouring now on a couple of chicken legs. "Thanks a lot, Ginny. I was getting a bit lonely."
"No problem at all, Mione. By the way, is there anything between you and Malfoy?" Ginny asked curiously.
"What are you talking about? Of course not! With that slimy git? Heavens, no! What made you say that?" Hermione replied as she was twirling her fork around some pasta.
"Oh nothing," Ginny replied as she drank a bit of pumpkin juice. "I couldn't help but notice him gaze at you. I dunno why but I figured I should've asked you first before I asked Harry or Ron."
Hermione looked back and saw Malfoy talking to one of his fellow Slytherins. "He's not staring! He's talking to his friends!"
"Well, I guess awhile ago he did," inferred Ginny. "Wait-look. He is now."
Hermione looked back again and this time, Ginny was correct. He was looking at her. Strange, but she thought he sort of smiled. She giggled a bit at the sight of the hand-print still left at his cheek and motioned her hand on her face to let him remember the incident. He followed and put his hand on the same cheek she slapped him. He remembered and frowned. He turned away from her and the whole while he seemed disgusted while he was talking to the rest of the Slytherins.
"I think that's because I left my trademark on his cheek." Hermione smirked.
"What do you mean?"
"See for yourself."
Ginny looked back and saw the side of Draco's face with a red marked hand- print still visible on his face. Noticing this, Draco tried to hide it by putting his palm on his cheek making him look like he was really listening to what the others were saying.
Ginny giggled. "You're right. It WAS a real trademark. The "Mudblood" trademark." She said imitating Malfoy's malicious voice that amused Hermione.
~o~
After a few hearty laughs and conversations, the feast had ended and everyone was tired and satisfied and longing to be in bed tucked away in their dreams. But, Hermione, no. She was just so thrilled about the next day that she couldn't even sleep. She got up from her bed and checked the clock. It was 2:00 in the morning.
"Good morning." She whispered to herself, smiling. She quietly went out of her room, arms full of books and started to read till she fell asleep.
~*~*~
AN- Well? What do you think? Puleez tell me! I know it was sort of brief at the end but I didn't know what else to put! If you got bored, don't worry coz the next chapter will be better! Ü BUT.. I need at least 12 or 10 reviews! Please? Ü Before I upload the next chapter! BWAHAHAHAHA! EVIL! Ü Just kidding! ÜÜÜ
PS- I have another story but this time it's on www.fictionpress.com and I haven't got any reviews! WAH! If you guys have time, please check it out! It's called: Falling PLEASE?! I really need to get reviews to see if I should continue it or not! Ü