Ch 2_The Pairings
A/N: The last chapter has been edited cuz I found that it sucked and was confusing so I just edited it a little bit. Definitely not my best work.. Oh well, it's a start. So if you read it B4 6/23/03, reread it. This chapter should be better. The last one was really hard to write cuz I wasn't sure how to go into the meeting and where to end and things like that. Tell me if you hated it plz cuz it's good for me to experience rejection. lol . R/R this one too and tell me what you think. Thanks. And thanks for reading it and giving me a chance even if you didn't review. By the way, I doubt this will be a problem, but this has lotsa Order of the Phoenix spoilers.. but to be on this site you sorta hafta be a nut.. so I'm sure you've all read it by now.
Last Chapter:
"Good Luck. As prefects, it's your job to pioneer this project. You will try this for a week prior to the rest of the 6th years. Any questions?"
Draco raised his hand. "Does this mean that we'll only be partnered with other prefects?"
"No," answered Dumbledore. "Actually, you and whomever you're paired with will be the first to initiate the mock marriage. But oddly enough, it just happened to turn out that way.. Any other questions?" The room fell silent. "Then I shall announce the pairings, beginning with Gryffindor House. Ronald Weasley, you are with.."
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_---_---_---_----_----_----_-----_-----_---_--_--_-_-_-_-_- _-_-_-_-_
"Padma Patil," finished Dumbledore. Ron sighed. He'd taken her to the Yule Ball two years ago, and he had to admit that she was absolutely stunning. Her dark eyes and hair, however were a great contrast to his light colors. It interested Hermione how their children would turn out. Continuing, Dumbledore said, "Miss Granger, you are with Mr. Draco Malfoy." Draco and Hermione exchanged looks of contempt. This really seemed to flabbergast Hermione, filling her with consternation, as the Sorting Hat had selected the pairings. Snape had said something about obvious absurdities. This is blatantly what he meant. She just could not forget him and the other Slytherins plotting against them to take away all their points when Umbridge was their headmaster.. 'Inquisitorial Squad my ass.' Shaking off her feelings of abhorring, she tuned in to Dumbledore. He resumed with Pansy Parkinson, paired with Ernie Macmillan of Hufflepuff. Next Hannah Abbot, also representing Hufflepuff, was paired with Ravenclaw's Anthony Goldstein. And that was everyone.
"Now that you've been paired," began McGonagall, "you shall be informed of your aspirations. You and your partner must pose as a married couple, taking turns caring for the child. You will not be going on any honeymoon or anything of that sort, but you will be provided with clothes and disposable muggle diapers for all intensive purposes, and must obviously feed the child. You should also both agree on a name, and on shifts in the care taking of the child. Finances aren't the subjects of the assignment as much as capability to keep your heads in such a situation and take care of your child. Random circumstances will be thrown out to you for you to work through together as a couple throughout this assignment. Are there now any questions?"
Everyone's hand shot up in the air. Draco was called on first. "Is it really necessary for me to be paired with.. with that?" he asked, deliberately offending Hermione. She sneered at him and kept her hand raised until she was called on.
"I'm going to ignore Malfoy's earlier remark.." if looks could kill.. "My question was, well, wouldn't it seem rather, erm, odd.. that half of us would just happen to show up with children to classes and meals?"
"Good question, Miss Granger, or should I say Mrs. Malfoy," Hermione, Draco, and Ron cringed in unison. The question on -almost- everyone's minds was how the two of them would get through their assignment unscathed. "Everyone will be informed of the assignment, and told to act as if nothing was different," said McGonagall.
"Fat chance.." muttered Ron.
"Please line up in your sets for your children." The curious 6th years shuffled to form a line to receive their little bundles of joy in front of Snape. "If I could have a DNA sample from each of you?" he said in a bland voice, surveying the first couple consisting of Ron and Padma. Then, collecting the strand of hair each of them had mustered, he dropped them warily into a cauldron before them. After about 30 seconds of stirring, he picked up a vial and ladled the cauldron's contents into it. He handed this to McGonagall who then told the couple to follow her.
The next couple, Hannah and Anthony, stepped forward, obediently obliging to Professor Snape and producing a strand of hair. Snape repeated the process he performed with the earlier pairing, but slipped the vial instead to Dumbledore, upon who's exit brought forth McGonagall's entrance, along with Ron and Padma, a child in Padma's loving arms. It was a boy, and it had dark auburn hair, and Ron's baby blues. He had seemed to be at least 9 months old by now. Hermione 'awwed,' and asked his name. Draco gave him a sideways glance and curled his lip, rolling his silvery eyes toward the ceiling, and back to the front of the line. 'We're almost up..' he thought with misery. 'Why did I have to get stuck with Mudblood Granger? Was I really THAT bad that it was decided that I'd be doomed to a year at Hogwarts, getting in trouble for something that wasn't even my fault this time? The one-year respite from O.W.L.s and something like this happens. The luck.'
Ron, Padma, and Hermione hadn't noticed his sour expression however, so they stood unperturbed, discussing names. "Well I like 'Alan,'" said Padma.
"But, that's such a sissy name!" argued Ron. "Well what do you suggest, then?"
"How's something like.. 'Sean'?" Hermione nodded in assent. Padma screwed up her face.
"He does look like a 'Shawn,' doesn't he?"
"No," interjected Ron. "He looks like a 'Sean'."
"Fine," said Padma, pandering to Ron's stubbornness.
In the time that had passed for them to decide on a name, Malfoy and Hermione had moved up in line. Just as Hermione was preparing to tug a specimen from her head, Malfoy, a smug look on his face, snatched it from her coil of bushy curls just in time; and just as painfully- if not more, as the pluck was so unexpected. "Great initiative," said Snape with boredom. "10 points to Slytherin." Hermione rolled her eyes. Bad idea. "Hostility toward a Professor, 15 points from Gryffindor."
"But Sir," said Hermione, uncharacteristically argumentatively. "With all due resp-"
"Arguing with a teacher. I would have expected better from you, Miss Granger. Another 15 points."
Hermione was furious. She didn't care anymore. She was way too disgruntled. It was too late. She was going for the whole nine yards. "Listen to me, you filthy derisive, derogatory, delusional man." Both Snape and Draco widened their eyes with intrigue, but quickly concealed this through false outrage. "You will cease berating my friends - yes Malfoy I have friends - and I, or you will face most dire consequences. You are the most revolting slime to ever walk the planet - though Malfoy, you share a species and your vile father does not stray very far.. - and I will cry tears of mirth the day Harry finally kicks Voldemort's - oh don't flinch you- ass and you two diminish into a pile of dust, as you, Malfoy were derived from your father, you clone you, and both you, Sevie, and Lucy were really hand molded by Voldemort - oh stop for God's sakes..- from maggots and dust into who or what rather you are now. Which would completely explain Snape's loathing toward hair care products and good smells. Now as I'm sure that even you two are both clever enough to perceive that I am in a most irritable mood, I suggest that you don't FUCK with me. COMPRENDEN?"
"Well Miss Granger, it seems to me, that you have just lost your ability to participate in this function, and your eligibility as Head Girl next year as well. In this, you are to turn in your badge, the passwords to the Prefect facilities shall be changed, and perhaps next time, you won't be quite as impetuous, and might perhaps think before you speak. Good day, Miss Granger." He looked like he'd just tied both Trelawney and Harry to railroad tracks, with a train anticipated any second. He turned away from Hermione and looked at Draco, who looked as if Umbridge was back running the school. "Mr. Malfoy, you may stick around to hear the assignment with the other Prefects. Granger's replacement will join you tomorrow."
Hermione still stood, dumbfounded as the realization of what had just happened hit her. It was unfathomable that she would ever fail to be named Head Girl, or relieved of her Prefect duties. She was quite certain that she was the smartest girl in her year, perhaps the school. She couldn't understand what had made her just erupt that way at Snape. She'd never done that before. She'd always had the power of restraint over herself. Now what would she do? She'd dreamed of this for too long. It couldn't be over. It just.. couldn't.
A/n: Ok.. I didn't know it would turn out this way, but it's flowing.. if you don't like it, review and I'll change it immediately, if I get enough. If this does keep up however, the ships will remain and all.. but I think the path of the story will evolve into a mystery? Perhaps? I don't have a beta or plot line or anything, so im not sure what will happen.. I'll try to make the next chapter longer too. R/r ASAP for any suggestions on a way for which the story to lean. Ok later!
A/N: The last chapter has been edited cuz I found that it sucked and was confusing so I just edited it a little bit. Definitely not my best work.. Oh well, it's a start. So if you read it B4 6/23/03, reread it. This chapter should be better. The last one was really hard to write cuz I wasn't sure how to go into the meeting and where to end and things like that. Tell me if you hated it plz cuz it's good for me to experience rejection. lol . R/R this one too and tell me what you think. Thanks. And thanks for reading it and giving me a chance even if you didn't review. By the way, I doubt this will be a problem, but this has lotsa Order of the Phoenix spoilers.. but to be on this site you sorta hafta be a nut.. so I'm sure you've all read it by now.
Last Chapter:
"Good Luck. As prefects, it's your job to pioneer this project. You will try this for a week prior to the rest of the 6th years. Any questions?"
Draco raised his hand. "Does this mean that we'll only be partnered with other prefects?"
"No," answered Dumbledore. "Actually, you and whomever you're paired with will be the first to initiate the mock marriage. But oddly enough, it just happened to turn out that way.. Any other questions?" The room fell silent. "Then I shall announce the pairings, beginning with Gryffindor House. Ronald Weasley, you are with.."
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_---_---_---_----_----_----_-----_-----_---_--_--_-_-_-_-_- _-_-_-_-_
"Padma Patil," finished Dumbledore. Ron sighed. He'd taken her to the Yule Ball two years ago, and he had to admit that she was absolutely stunning. Her dark eyes and hair, however were a great contrast to his light colors. It interested Hermione how their children would turn out. Continuing, Dumbledore said, "Miss Granger, you are with Mr. Draco Malfoy." Draco and Hermione exchanged looks of contempt. This really seemed to flabbergast Hermione, filling her with consternation, as the Sorting Hat had selected the pairings. Snape had said something about obvious absurdities. This is blatantly what he meant. She just could not forget him and the other Slytherins plotting against them to take away all their points when Umbridge was their headmaster.. 'Inquisitorial Squad my ass.' Shaking off her feelings of abhorring, she tuned in to Dumbledore. He resumed with Pansy Parkinson, paired with Ernie Macmillan of Hufflepuff. Next Hannah Abbot, also representing Hufflepuff, was paired with Ravenclaw's Anthony Goldstein. And that was everyone.
"Now that you've been paired," began McGonagall, "you shall be informed of your aspirations. You and your partner must pose as a married couple, taking turns caring for the child. You will not be going on any honeymoon or anything of that sort, but you will be provided with clothes and disposable muggle diapers for all intensive purposes, and must obviously feed the child. You should also both agree on a name, and on shifts in the care taking of the child. Finances aren't the subjects of the assignment as much as capability to keep your heads in such a situation and take care of your child. Random circumstances will be thrown out to you for you to work through together as a couple throughout this assignment. Are there now any questions?"
Everyone's hand shot up in the air. Draco was called on first. "Is it really necessary for me to be paired with.. with that?" he asked, deliberately offending Hermione. She sneered at him and kept her hand raised until she was called on.
"I'm going to ignore Malfoy's earlier remark.." if looks could kill.. "My question was, well, wouldn't it seem rather, erm, odd.. that half of us would just happen to show up with children to classes and meals?"
"Good question, Miss Granger, or should I say Mrs. Malfoy," Hermione, Draco, and Ron cringed in unison. The question on -almost- everyone's minds was how the two of them would get through their assignment unscathed. "Everyone will be informed of the assignment, and told to act as if nothing was different," said McGonagall.
"Fat chance.." muttered Ron.
"Please line up in your sets for your children." The curious 6th years shuffled to form a line to receive their little bundles of joy in front of Snape. "If I could have a DNA sample from each of you?" he said in a bland voice, surveying the first couple consisting of Ron and Padma. Then, collecting the strand of hair each of them had mustered, he dropped them warily into a cauldron before them. After about 30 seconds of stirring, he picked up a vial and ladled the cauldron's contents into it. He handed this to McGonagall who then told the couple to follow her.
The next couple, Hannah and Anthony, stepped forward, obediently obliging to Professor Snape and producing a strand of hair. Snape repeated the process he performed with the earlier pairing, but slipped the vial instead to Dumbledore, upon who's exit brought forth McGonagall's entrance, along with Ron and Padma, a child in Padma's loving arms. It was a boy, and it had dark auburn hair, and Ron's baby blues. He had seemed to be at least 9 months old by now. Hermione 'awwed,' and asked his name. Draco gave him a sideways glance and curled his lip, rolling his silvery eyes toward the ceiling, and back to the front of the line. 'We're almost up..' he thought with misery. 'Why did I have to get stuck with Mudblood Granger? Was I really THAT bad that it was decided that I'd be doomed to a year at Hogwarts, getting in trouble for something that wasn't even my fault this time? The one-year respite from O.W.L.s and something like this happens. The luck.'
Ron, Padma, and Hermione hadn't noticed his sour expression however, so they stood unperturbed, discussing names. "Well I like 'Alan,'" said Padma.
"But, that's such a sissy name!" argued Ron. "Well what do you suggest, then?"
"How's something like.. 'Sean'?" Hermione nodded in assent. Padma screwed up her face.
"He does look like a 'Shawn,' doesn't he?"
"No," interjected Ron. "He looks like a 'Sean'."
"Fine," said Padma, pandering to Ron's stubbornness.
In the time that had passed for them to decide on a name, Malfoy and Hermione had moved up in line. Just as Hermione was preparing to tug a specimen from her head, Malfoy, a smug look on his face, snatched it from her coil of bushy curls just in time; and just as painfully- if not more, as the pluck was so unexpected. "Great initiative," said Snape with boredom. "10 points to Slytherin." Hermione rolled her eyes. Bad idea. "Hostility toward a Professor, 15 points from Gryffindor."
"But Sir," said Hermione, uncharacteristically argumentatively. "With all due resp-"
"Arguing with a teacher. I would have expected better from you, Miss Granger. Another 15 points."
Hermione was furious. She didn't care anymore. She was way too disgruntled. It was too late. She was going for the whole nine yards. "Listen to me, you filthy derisive, derogatory, delusional man." Both Snape and Draco widened their eyes with intrigue, but quickly concealed this through false outrage. "You will cease berating my friends - yes Malfoy I have friends - and I, or you will face most dire consequences. You are the most revolting slime to ever walk the planet - though Malfoy, you share a species and your vile father does not stray very far.. - and I will cry tears of mirth the day Harry finally kicks Voldemort's - oh don't flinch you- ass and you two diminish into a pile of dust, as you, Malfoy were derived from your father, you clone you, and both you, Sevie, and Lucy were really hand molded by Voldemort - oh stop for God's sakes..- from maggots and dust into who or what rather you are now. Which would completely explain Snape's loathing toward hair care products and good smells. Now as I'm sure that even you two are both clever enough to perceive that I am in a most irritable mood, I suggest that you don't FUCK with me. COMPRENDEN?"
"Well Miss Granger, it seems to me, that you have just lost your ability to participate in this function, and your eligibility as Head Girl next year as well. In this, you are to turn in your badge, the passwords to the Prefect facilities shall be changed, and perhaps next time, you won't be quite as impetuous, and might perhaps think before you speak. Good day, Miss Granger." He looked like he'd just tied both Trelawney and Harry to railroad tracks, with a train anticipated any second. He turned away from Hermione and looked at Draco, who looked as if Umbridge was back running the school. "Mr. Malfoy, you may stick around to hear the assignment with the other Prefects. Granger's replacement will join you tomorrow."
Hermione still stood, dumbfounded as the realization of what had just happened hit her. It was unfathomable that she would ever fail to be named Head Girl, or relieved of her Prefect duties. She was quite certain that she was the smartest girl in her year, perhaps the school. She couldn't understand what had made her just erupt that way at Snape. She'd never done that before. She'd always had the power of restraint over herself. Now what would she do? She'd dreamed of this for too long. It couldn't be over. It just.. couldn't.
A/n: Ok.. I didn't know it would turn out this way, but it's flowing.. if you don't like it, review and I'll change it immediately, if I get enough. If this does keep up however, the ships will remain and all.. but I think the path of the story will evolve into a mystery? Perhaps? I don't have a beta or plot line or anything, so im not sure what will happen.. I'll try to make the next chapter longer too. R/r ASAP for any suggestions on a way for which the story to lean. Ok later!