Chapter Two
Hermione was shocked speechless. She couldn't move, yet her eyes widened to an unusual size. But everything spun into motion as Hermione screamed,
"What!" She sprung from the stool and whipped around, ignoring the cries of protest and infuriation from the Gryfindor and Slytherin Houses.
"Professor Dumbledore, there must be some mistake!" She pleaded the headmaster.
"I'm afraid not, Miss Granger. And I think the Sorting Hat would like to be put down now," He said, with that ever present twinkle in his eyes.
Many conflicting emotions rose up inside of Hermione; confusion, shock, but most of all, anger. In the end, shock won out and Hermione just sat the hat back down. Ron ran up and Hermione let herself be led back to the Gryfindor group.
She glanced upwards, after about ten minutes, and finally everyone had settled down. They were concentrating on their own partners.
"Draco Malfoy!" yelled Professor McGonagol. As the blond Slythering sauntered up to the stool, Hermione couldn't help notice how much he had changed from the whiny little rich boy he used to be. Granted, he was still rich, but he was now over six feet tall and no longer was his white-blonde hair slicked back. His hair fell just past the bottom of his chin, and his skin was as pale as ever. The Gryfindors used to joke that he was probably glow-in-the-dark. Nobody joked now. That had stopped four years ago when finally all of his Quidditch training had finally paid off.
Of course, Draco wasn't the only one who had changed. Hermione had grown taller. Her teeth had stayed a normal size, despite frequent attempts at Enlargement Charms from many Slytherins. Most of the attempts had stopped when Hermione had shown herself to be quite adept at performing the Flipendo charm on various students.
Hermione's hair had finally straightened out and now fell in waves past her shoulders. In heat, her hair curled into loose ringlets. All that was thanks to various muggle contraptions and quite a few permanent straightening spells.
But Hermione was still the same bookworm she had always been. She was becoming increasingly aggravated when anyone mentione Apparating or Disapparating on Hogwarts grounds, responding with,
"Pick up a book! How many times can I possibly say it; you cannot apparate or disapparate on Hogwarts grounds! Has anyone but me read Hogwarts;A History?"
This statement was met with one of two things; Ron's laughter or a `Why would we?' from Ron. Both of them had the same result of Harry's foot connecting with Ron's leg.
As Draco sat on the stool, Hermione grabbed Harry's arm, getting more nervous by the second. Hermione, Harry, and Ron had gotten closer throughout their years at Hogwarts. After about three minutes the Sorting Hat opened it's mouth to speak.
(A/N These fun little symbols // bla bla bla // are of when a character is thinking something)
//This is it. This will either confirm or deny the fact that a Malfoy was placed as a Muggle-born's partner.//
"Hermione Granger!" She groaned, but smirked in amusement as she saw a look of horror and shock pass over Malfoy's face; much like Hermione's reaction. He sprang up from the stool and yelled,
"What!"
"That confirms that there was no mistake. Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger is your partner and Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy is yours." Instead of being utterly flabbergasted, Draco simply glared at the Headmaster and glided back to his ever loyal Slytherins.
Hermione almost laughed aloud as Draco regained a stance used in their early years at Hogwarts; the sulk. Or at least something frighteningly close.
Harry came up and gave her a sympathetic smile, trying to cover up the thinly veiled anger geared towards the Slytherin Prince.
"Harry, it's not as if we can do anything about it, or else you know I would. I might as well take life's challenges as they're thrown at me." Hermione said, forcing her anger and shock down.
"I wish my attitude was as good as yours, Hermione. I probably would have been trying to attack him right now." Ton suddenly walked up, clenching and unclenching his fists.
"What I wouldn't do right now to hex that jerk until he transferred to Durmstrang!" Hermione giggled. She found Ron's random bursts of anger rather comical.
"Harry Potter!" Harry took a deep breath and walked up to the front. Hermione looked at Harry a bit, realizing the differences that had taken place in her two best friends. Harry took a deep breath and walked to the front. Hermione looked at Harry a bit, realizing the differences that had taken place in her two best friends.
Harry had grown to at least six foot, but was as slim as ever. Hermione had given him contacts for his last birthday after getting tired of saying the worlds 'Oculus Repairo' at least once a week. But since the threat of Voldemort had grown, he had been a bit quieter. Not enough for anyone else to notice except for her and Ron. Sometimes she found Harry in the common room, studying spells to defend oneself against attacks. Hermione was worried, bu she thought that some time away from Hogwarts, the place destined where the final battle would take place, would do him some good.
Ever since it had come out that Harry must be the one to fight Voldermort, Dumbledore had made it quite clear, that despite the prophecy, he would not be participating in any part of the war.
Ron was much the same in spirit, however, he had grown as well, shooting up to about six foot and two inches. His hair was as red as ever, and freckles still spotted his face. Nothing had ever came from the crush Hermione had had on Ron for years. It had disappeared in the summer after fifth year.
She had never brought up her feelings, for she no longer expected them to be returned. Especially after Viktor Krum. They had tried to make their relationship work long distance, but, like many others, they had failed in the attempt.
Harry settled himself down onto the stool. The second the hat was placed on his mop of jet black hair, an answer was shouted out.
"Ron Weasley!" Hermione smiled. She was happy that they had gotten placed together, if not a little jealous. Besides, she ends up getting placed with the worst person imaginable, and they had gotten paired with their best friends.
After all students were paired up, and a few more details were told, they were released and sent back to their dormitories. Hermione received quite a few sympathetic shoulder pats and hugs from various students; mostly Gryfindors and Ravenclaws (of course no Slytherins).
Hermione finally slumped on her bed in the room she shared with Lavender and Parvati. She pulled out one of the muggle romances she read when no one was around. She knew that she would get teased mercilessly if Ron and Harry knew she was a sucker for romance novels.
Just as Paolo was about to confess his love to the sophisticated Maria, her two roommates burst through the door
"Ohmigod Hermione! I just totally cannot believe you got paired up with Draco!" Screamed Parvati. Hermione almost laughed. Every time Parvati was excited, her sentences almost always started with an Ohmigod.
"I know." Groaned Hermione.
"You are SO lucky!" exclaimed Lavender.
"What in the name of Merlin are you talking about!" cried Hermione in utter shock.
"Well, some on girl. He's completely gorgeous." Even Hermione had to admit that he was very easy on the eyes, but that does not make up for his personality. After debating with the two girls for over fifteen minutes on whether or not Draco was a good partner ornot, Hermionerealized that her two roommates would never change their minds. So she promptly quit and left the room to fo and talk to Harry and Ron.
After a week of avoiding Draco in the halls and at meals, it was the day before the trip was about to begin. Hermione checked and rechecked her list, from her books to her twenty-seven purses. Purses were the only items she splurged on, besides books, which she considered a necessity. She had purses in all shapes, styles, and shades. Hermione had also made thevery difficult choice of decidein to leave Crookshanks behind in the very capable hands of Hagrid. She could only hope that Fang and Crookshanks got along.
She settled back into her bed, for her last night in her beloved Hogwarts. Crookshanks curled in her arms, and Hermione slept peacefully in the castle.