February….
Chapter 5:
January had passed by fast. Their classes were pretty easy, and nothing new was happening. "Mione!" Helena called out running after her friend. "Hey! I haven't spoken to you in such a long time! Why don't you want to work with me in Potions anymore?"
"Umm. Well. I just thought you'd want to work with Malfoy, since you two are together and all," Hermione said adjusting her bag strap.
"Oh. I'm sorry. No, I like working with you more. Draco's smart, but he's lazy, I have to do all the work. Look, I'll make it up to you. I'll ditch him this whole week, so you and I can spend girl time together," Helena said as she and Hermione headed to the library to study for History.
*Night time- Helena's room*
The girls were lying on the floor reading next week's chapters for Potions class (eating, like most teenage girls do to bond), and then there was a knock on the door. "Let me get that" Helena said getting up. Filch was waiting at the door panting, behind him were three large, expensive looking trunks. "Your mother sent these," he said leaving with Mrs. Norris following.
"Locomotor Trunks!" Helena said as the trunks to follow her into the room. "What are those?" Hermione asked closing her book- with a bookmark of course. "Clothes," answered Helena opening the second largest trunk. New clothes still in their original packaging were neatly organized inside. The blouses, pants, skirts and dresses were mostly denim or green, black, white, and silver. "Wow," Hermione said as Helena went to the next trunk filled with new shoes- sandals, sneakers, and heels of different heights. A few shampoos and lotions were rolled inside of a cloth because they were in glass bottles.
"Mione, could you open the last one?" Helena asked looking at the shoes. Hermione walked over to the largest of the trunks. "I thought you only wore your house colors?" Hermione said lifting out a lacey red tank top. "I do," she said putting on a pair of black pointy-toed stilettos. "Now when will I wear these?" Hermione was confused. "Then what's up with the red stuff in this one?" Helena walked over to her gracefully in the shoes. "This trunk is yours."
"Oh you can't!" Hermione said a little red.
"Yes I can! I told my mom I had a really good friend in Gryffindor. So she took it upon herself to buy you some things when she went to buy me clothes. There are shoes, and hair things in there too. Oh Mione! PLEASE take them! You know I won't wear red!"
"Ok," Hermione said a bit reluctantly but happy that the beautiful clothes would be hers. "What are you doing?" Hermione asked as Helena started putting an outfit together from the cloths in Hermione's trunk.
"Well, WE are going to play dress up!" Helena chose, for Hermione, a halter top with a diagonal stripe pattern of dark red, pink, and white; a denim skirt that was pleated into a school girl type skirt, and a pair of pink sandals. "Wow, that outfit is really cute!" Hermione said. "But."
"But what Hermione?"
"Don't you think I'm not pretty-"
"No! Don't say that! You're beautiful! But, can I do something with your hair?" She asked touching Hermione's frizzy pulled up hair.
"Ok," Hermione said excitedly, "if you can."
"Oh honey, I can do wonders with anything," Helena said placing Hermione in front of her bureau. "Trust me, right?" She asked as Hermione nodded. She took out her wand, and Hermione realized it was the first time she saw it. It was made of a pale wood and had silver vines around it and the base was adorned with emeralds. "Where'd you get your wand?" Hermione asked as Helena looked over at it.
"It's an heirloom, it belonged to my great-grandmother. Gustus breezus!" Helena said as cool air came out of the wand. She began working on Hermione's hair. She used the wand like a diffuser. The outcome was beautiful waves that fell down Hermione's back. "Can I change your hair color?" Helena said.
"Will it be permanent?"
"Only if you want it to be."
"I'm in your hands," Hermione said. "Colorifious mahogany!" Helena said as the wand emitted a spray of mahogany color onto Hermione's hair. "There! You look amazing!" Hermione began to smooth her hair. "Wow! I guess I do!"
"Now get in your outfit! I want to se my work of art!" She said pushed Hermione into her large closet with the clothes. A large owl came to her window and gave Helena a letter. "Oh shit! Hermione are you done!"
"Why?"
"Uhm. Because we have a prefect meeting with Professor McGonagall five minutes ago…" Helena said as Hermionie opened the door, looking very pretty.
"Merlin! Let's go!" Hermione screamed throwing her cloak over her shoulders.
It didn't take so long to get to the meeting; actually they weren't that late. The Hufflepuff prefects were two minutes later then they were.
"Professor McGonagall, I'm sorry we are late!" Helena said sitting next to Draco. Hermione tried coming in unnoticed but Ron's "WHOA HERMIONE!" ruined it. Draco tuned to see Hermione. His mouth dropped. The only other girl he had seen that pretty was Helena. Hermione was a bit timid as she sat down. "Thanks a lot Ron!" She said punching his shoulder.
"Ahem, ahem!" Professor McGonagall said the prefects and Head Boy and Head Girl immediately calmed down. "I'm sorry that last semester was incredibly behaved- well I PERSONALLY am not sorry, but I am sorry that you all haven't been assigned anything. But luckily- for you not me- some students have decided to misbehave," Professor McGonagall said handing out a folder to each student corresponding with their house colors. "This is your schedule, you will patrol a certain section of the grounds before each of your classes, and for a certain timeslot every other night. Now, I know that some students will not listen, so, you will be able to deduct points- no more that fifty each house a night. And to make sure you don't try to subtract points for 'fun' you will have a partner to 'balance' you out. Your partner's name is in the folder.
"Who'd you get?" Draco asked Helena.
The Head Girl, Mallory Lowest." Helena said tossing her folder aside. "You?" As Draco opened his envelope his eyes widened, "HERMIO-"
He was cut of, "DRACO MALFOY!!!" Hermione screamed as Ron fell to the floor in laughing fits. "Professor McGonagall! PLEASE! I'll do anything! NOT HIM!!" She groveled.
"Mr. Weasley! Get a hold of yourself! I'm sorry Ms. Granger, but you and Mr. Malfoy are the perfect check and balance team! You too are out strongest team! I can not change a sure thing," McGonagall said waling away. Hermione began to turn red, she wasn't breathing.
"Mione!" Ron said finally stopping. "You're going to pop!" He said worriedly. She did…. Hermione's scream was so loud it woke up the pictures in Dumbeldore's office…
*Draco's room*
Draco through the folder onto his desk and laid down on his bed looking up at the ceiling. Why did he feel that way when he saw Hermione? 'I know why' Draco thought.
Draco had liked Hermione before, during hid fourth year. They way she looked at the ball mesmerized him. But he realized he couldn't have feelings towards her, or else his father would kill him.
' I can't like her' he thought to himself, fighting over thought. 'I CAN'T! I have Helena and that's everything-my father wants…' He thought.
Then he became conscious of it. He wasn't IN LOVE with Helena, sure she was beautiful and fun to be with but he couldn't LOVE her. His father swayed over his feelings, so he believed he loved her. 'But I can't tell her this either' he thought imagining the pain it would bring to Helena.
'Wait! Her family might have set her up too!' Draco thought, his hopes going up. "I'll ask her," he said out loud. He closed his eyes and drifted to sleep.
Breakfast was about to end that morning and Draco still hadn't asked Helena if she was told to have a relationship with him. He just sat there, his right arm wrapped around Helena's shoulders. "Hey? What's wrong with you?" Helena asked him, as she pressed closer to him.
"Huh? Oh, nothing's the matter!" he pretended holding her closer in response to her press. Draco looked over to the Gryffindor a group of 6th and 7th year boys were surrounding an area of the bench, Potty's area….
*Gryffindor table*
Hermione didn't notice the group of young men surrounding her; she was fixated on the book Helena gave her to read. It was an Oiylosse textbook from Helena's last year. It had spells and potions that you didn't learn until 7th year. She was amazed in how much the school taught. Too bad it was only for the pureblooded rich families.
'Specialty Powers of Different Races:
All human races have a special gift granted to a baby at birth. The gift in the 16th through 19th century was very common due to the fact that Pureblood families intermarried with Pureblood families. It wasn't until the 20th century that a 'Gifted One' was rare. In this time era the Nobility families began to intermarry with muggles. The nobility line grew thinner. And nowadays it is extremely rare to find a person with these powers.
The English have three gifted powers…'
"Oy! Mione!" Harry said tapping his friend's shoulder. "Potions? The bell rang, we're gonna be late!" Hermione quickly put all her things away. Harry and she arrived in time, and sat in their seats a second before the bell rang and Snape closed the door.
"I shall choose your partners today," Snape said as everyone took their things from the desk they sat in and lined up on the walls.
"Neville, Pansy. Potter, Ms. Helena. Mr. Malfoy, Granger," Snape said. Hermione shook her head in annoyance. "Anything wrong, Ms. Granger?" Hermione shook her head again only this time, making it mean 'no'.
Hermione sat in the closest table as Draco slowly sat next to her. He opened his mouth to say something, but she glared at him. "I'm not going to say something rude; I just want to know why you neglected prefect duties earlier." Draco said as Hermione remembered and slammed her head on her book. "Hey!" Draco said as he pulled her book away and put her face between his hands. "What are you doing!" He demanded, somewhat shaking her face.
"What are YOU doing?" She asked raising an eyebrow. He quickly let go of her face. Draco felt something when he touched her, something he didn't feel when he held Helena. Hermione's skin was smooth and warm; he realized he'd give anything to touch her face again.
*Helena and Harry*
"Look, I don't think you know how to deal with a concrete potion or if you can even make one. So, leave it to me Potty," Helena said checking the consistency of the potion.
"Valmont, I'm capable to make a simple concrete poem. Watch out! You're stirring it twice as fast as you should! It's a four count stir, not a two!" Harry said as Helena handed him the ladle, rolling her eyes. She sat down and began to file her nails. Harry sighed and but his tongue so he wouldn't explode in her face.
*DADA*
They class wasn't as fun as before, Beth was extremely preoccupied and usually told them to have a little free time, which ended up a class period gone to waste. Today was the same. Bethany sat at her jumbled desk, looking very tired and 'Hagrid-like' in dirtiness. She was shuffling through papers, eyes bugging.
"Beth! Care to teach anything today?" A Slytherin girl asked from below. "More, like BATH!" Pansy said, as her group of girls snickered. They suddenly stopped when Helena and Hermione turned and glowered at them.
"No, I can't today, I'm busy with some… paperwork," Beth said ignoring Pansy's comments, as she wiped a curl away from her face. "Nice hair-do Mione!" Hermione smiled and looked down.
"So," Helena said coming towards Hermione leaving Draco inside a circle of Slytherin boys.
"So?"
"Do you like your new look?"
"Oh yeah, it's awesome, thanks…"
"You don't seem thrilled."
"I am, honestly! But I have a few problems to go through…"
"Spill…."
"Ok. I like this guy, and I don't know why, but I do. But I don't think he's single, actually I know he's not."
"Ahh… Mione, stop martyring yourself! Who cares! If you want him, take him… I know, that's tasteless, but what if he likes you more than his girlfriend?"
"This is going to sound tacky… I felt he liked me more."
"Well, then there is no reason not to take him! All is fair in love and war. To be truthful with you, if I wanted YOUR boyfriend I'd take him…" Hermione smiled as Helena and she took there usual place my the fire and began to read separate books. "Opps! I forgot your book in the Great Hall!" Hermione said.
"Ahh, leave it! That'll return to me. There's a misplaced spell on it, if it gets lost it'll just find it's way back to my trunks." The two girls spent the rest of the time reading.
"Draco?" Helena said as Draco came towards them at the end of class.
Draco smiled but didn't say anything to her. "Hermione, we have prefect duties tonight. We're patrolling the library corridors 9:15 to 10:30, can you remember?" Hermione nodded a 'yes' as the bell rang.
"Another class period put to waste! Umbridge was better than this!!!" A Slytherin boy screamed as his group of loud, rude Slytherin followed. Bethany bewitched a large book (larger than the 5th Harry Potter book… Hehehe…) to fall on his head.
*8:45*
Hermione couldn't believe what she was doing. She had feelings for the person she knew she couldn't- Malfoy. She couldn't believe she was taking Helena's advice. 'If I wanted YOUR boyfriend I'd take him…' Helena said it herself. Hermione put her wavy hair into a ponytail. She selected a pair of dark jeans and a pink tank top and put on her clothes. It was now 9:05; she grabbed her robe and headed for the library corridor.
*9:15*
Hermione arrived at the corridor to find a gel-less Draco crouched in a corner writing something on a piece of parchment. She threw her robe down next to him. He jumped a little. "Damn, Granger, you scared me," he said running his right hand through his hair trying to put it back. "Didn't think you were going to come, so I brought some work to do," he said lifting his potions homework. Hermione looked at him curiously. "What?" he asked looking up at Hermione.
"Why are you being nice? Did you run out of 'Mud blood' jokes?"
"Come on, Granger, we're in our 6th year. We have to at least try to be civil," he said getting up and walking over to a corner of the corridor to find two fifth year Ravenclaws snogging. "15 points off for being out late, 5 for being overly amorous in public, and 10 for having no skill in kissing." The couple got up and ran away, embarrassed. Draco shook his head and began to laugh as he went back to his potions work. "Damn, forgot to ask Helaine the three spells you put grated dragon scale in," Draco said aggravated, looking down at his already lengthy Potions essay.
"You use it in a skin toughening potion, a protecting potion, and a burn proof potion," Hermione said settling down on the floor next to him. He looked over at her. "Thank you," he said writing them down.
The watching went fine after that, Hermione helped Draco finish his assignment and checked it for grammar mistakes. She and he couldn't believe that they were getting along. February went by fine. Watching the corridors wasn't as bad as Hermione expected it to be, now that she was beginning to develop a friendship with Draco.
*2/28*
"Helaine!" Hermione called out to her friend.
"Yah?" Helena said looking a bit sad.
"What happened?"
"Nothing, I just feel distant form Draco. We barely talk anymore; he's always busy. I'm not sure if we even feel any love for each other anymore."
"Oh, Helaine, I'm sorry!"
"It's ok! It's not your fault. I just don't want… never mind. See you tomorrow Mione!"
*Dinner Time*
"Hermione, slow down! You're going to choke on your chicken!" Ron said watching Hermione eat in a hurry.
"I can't slow down! I forgot I need to do something, besides, I want to finish some homework before patrolling, so I won't stay up late," she said as she finished a glass of punch. "I have to go, see you guys later. And PLEASE do some homework!" She left the Great Hall.
She sat at her desk and began to correct Draco's History paper for tomorrow's class. He finished it at lunch and handed it to her, asking her to correct it. She barely needed to correct it, since Draco was pretty good with his grammar and spelling. She read it over, and took a bath. After she finished she dried her hair and put on a denim skirt and a red short-sleeved shirt, grabbed Draco's paper and her robe and went to the Hufflepuff corridor, since they were patrolling those tonight.
Draco was leaning against the wall, his eyes shut. Hermione tiptoed and knocked on his gelled head. He opened his eyes. "What was that for?"
"I was curious, I wanted to how much gel you have on." She saw that h was wearing his Quidditch uniform. "Practice?"
"Yeah, I worked my team pretty hard. Seeing as the championships are in two days. Slytherin, Gryffindor. That's why my hair has extra gel, need to be able to see the snitch. I don't know how Potty does it, his hair all over his face and all," Draco said patting the top if his stiff hair.
"Oh yeah, here is your History paper. There wasn't any mistakes, so you don't need to rewrite it," she said handing him the paper, as he stuffed it in his Quidditch duffle bag. He took of the dark green velvet cloak and folded it nicely into his bag. He sat down on the floor and began to take off the arm and leg padding. Hermione turned her attention to a noise at the end of the corridor. She walked over to the end of the corridor to find the same Ravenclaw couple. "15 points off Ravenclaw. Go on, get to your common room!" The couple once again ran away.
Hermione walked back to the area Draco was at. He was standing up his right hand behind his back, smiling at her. "What?" He pulled out a pink rose and handed it to her. "Thank you," he said as she took the flower and smelled it.
"It was nothing, Hermione," he said sitting back down opening a book.
"Have my ears deceived me? Or did you call me Hermione?"
"That's your name, right?"
"Yes, but YOU never call me by my first name."
"Ahh, well get used to it, I'm tired of Granger, or mud blood. You can call me Draco."
"Ok then, Draco, thank you for the rose."
"Your welcome, Hermione."