Chapter 2: Signs @ The bumbling seconds - 1
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Dumbledore stood up just before dinner ended and McGonagall clicked her crystal goblet, admitting a bell like sound. Everyone took the cue to turn their attention to the standing headmaster of the school. Dumbledore waited for the noise to simmer down a little before speaking, "Hogwarts students, once again I welcome you all back to your school and I wish that you all will do very well for your studies here and in what life has to offer to you. After this dinner, all of you may go back to your common rooms. 1st years, the prefects will escort you all to your common room and after that, I want all the prefects from 5th year and up to meet me. Head students too," he smiled for a while before continuing. "That reminds me. I've never properly introduced your Heads to you yet. Well, let's do it now. Head Boy for this year is Draco Malfoy from Slytherin 7th year." Dumbledore paused, waiting for the applause to calm down especially from Slytherin and the girls in Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. "Head Girl for this year is Hermione Granger of Gryffindor 7th year." More applause. "Well, that sums it all up, you may go back to your dorms now."
Everyone stood up from their seats and walked outside from the hall, prefects leading them.
"First year Gryffindors, please come here!" Harry cried out, waving his arms around for acknowledgment. Around 15 1st years came about and surrounded themselves around Harry. Harry looked at them and said, "Okay, I'm going to show you all the Gryffindor common room and your dormitories. Please keep in step with me if you do not want to be lost. Now I'll show you the easiest entrance to the common room. Follow me now!" Harry turned away from the first years and walked to the common room. As he walks, he kept saying to the first years to watch their steps especially over the trick steps and to follow him closely before the staircases moves. When they reached the Fat Lady portrait, he told them the password (Giocoso remains here) and told them to remember it. "The password also changes every week to ensure safety, so that nobody from the other houses can come into the common room unless we invite them to," Harry also said. He led them into the common room. "To the left are the girls dormitories, and the same to the boys on your right. Your trunks have already been taken into your dorms. Now I've got to go meet Professor Dumbledore, be good and have fun in the common room. If you have any trouble, you can simply ask anybody senior." With that, Harry walked off towards the Great Hall, in search of Dumbledore.
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Lynette, Padma and Justin also led their juniors to their own common rooms, giving the passwords (Slytherin: Cautions of Darkness Ravenclaw: Strive to overcome Hufflepuff: Stay within your line) and told all members of each house to remember the passwords, but the passwords may change every week. After sending the students to their own quarters, all the prefects went back to the Great Hall to meet their darling Headmaster.
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After waiting for all the prefects to arrive, Dumbledore said, "Prefects and Heads, I want to welcome you all back to Hogwarts. There will be numerous events going about here in Hogwarts. I just wish for all the best in this year and hope nothing heavy will happen. Okay, each of you will receive a folder on all the things you're suppose to do as a prefect. Your new timetable is also inside, including the time of your duties. Now, 5th year prefects, you will have a special common room all to yourselves. Professor McGonagall will show them to you. 6th year and 7th year prefects, your rooms are basically the same, but there may be some differences which I hope you all will like. The Heads will have a common room, bathroom and bedroom all to themselves too. There is also a small library inside it too. I will personally escort the two of you there. Now off you go to your rooms to rest. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."
Everyone went off in pursuit of his or her own dreamy bed lying peacefully in the bedroom
Dumbledore faced both Draco and Hermione, studying them for a while before stating, "Come follow me." Both of them then followed the Headmaster to where they're going to live in for their last year at Hogwarts.
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Hermione's POV:
I'm walking along the corridors of Hogwarts with Dumbledore and Malfoy. I can't believe that boy is Head-boy. I mean, he's so arrogant, full of himself, egoistic and just a damn prick that no one will ever like, much less love. How does he survive is my one question for him. Man! I think he only survives on insults and being daddy's little boy.
But as I think back of the little incident outside the entrance hall, I started to feel a little guilty about calling him daddy's little boy. I mean, how can I call him daddy's little boy if he himself told me that he is not and never will be? It's not just that, but the way he says it and the raging emotions in his voice makes me think that probably he really isn't a daddy's little boy anymore.
Oh well, anyway, we're still walking towards out rooms which seem a little way too far off in Hogwarts. Hmm.I wonder what the Heads rooms look like. It must be much more majestic than the prefects rooms which I slept in for the past two years. It must be quite big in order to fit a mini-library inside. Omigosh! A library! It must contain quite a lot of information for me to use for homework. Maybe the library has some other books not found in the Hogwarts main library itself. Probably it also contains some other books that may be found in the restricted section. Come to think of it, maybe having the whole of the restricted section books is quite nice too. Can't get my hopes too high up, or I may end up crestfallen if it doesn't happen.
Oh look, Malfoy's grumpy. But he looks so cute when he's grumpy. Lips pouted out in a childlike manner with arms stubbornly crossed together. HEY! Did I say that he's cute? Uh uh. He's not cute Hermione; He's not cute at all. He's still the world's most pompous prick you've ever seen in your whole entire life. Yar.that's it.
He's looking my way, what does he want?
"Granger, why do you have to have this excited look on your face? Can't you just get rid of it?" He asked me. Though I think it's an insult, which really is.
"Is that an insult or what? Well, to answer your dim-witted question, I'm excited because I'm thinking of the small library we have in our room. I wonder whether there will be a few books in the restricted section found there, which I think will not come true. And no, I won't get rid of it that easily, and you can't too. So stop insulting me and we'll get on with life as normal as we can," I replied back at him, waggling my eyebrows and smirking.
Malfoy glares at me for a while before saying, "I bet I can wipe that excited look on your face, with just a few words." He smiles smugly.
"No you don't," I answered still smiling my head off, because I know he can't wipe my smile off my face, as I'm too excited to get angry.
"Yes I can," he said smugly.
"No you don't!"
"Yes I can!"
"No you don't!"
"Yes I can!"
"You don't!"
"I can!"
"You don't!"
"I can!"
"You don't!" My face turning redder every ticking second. Why does he want to ruin my mood every day? I'm so sick of it.
"I can!"
"You don't!" I must keep my best smile on whether it's forced or not. I'm not allowing him to win.
"I can!"
"You don't!"
"Ahem!" Came a voice on our far right side.
Malfoy and I both looked up to where the voice came from and saw Dumbledore there smiling away, with a twinkle in his eyes. That was when I realized Malfoy and I were bickering right in front of the Headmaster and we have reached our destination.
"You may want to come over here to see where your room lies?" Dumbledore said, the twinkle in his eyes never leaving.
I blushed a deep red of embarrassment before answering, "Yes sir, truly sorry for bickering before you with this Slytherin on my left."
"That's okay, it was kind of amusing just watching you two argue. Interesting too. But never mind, come along here and I'll tell you the password."
I sent a death glare to Malfoy before strutting up the short steps to the portrait door.
I saw two stone statues resembling a dragon and a horse. What was astonishing was that the dragon statue can breathed out fire and the horse can turn invisible at times. I raised my eyebrows in curiousity, but what astonished me most was the portrait itself. There was this green hill at a meadow. There were also small children playing happily below the blue sky with white fluffy cottony clouds. A couple was just holding hands together watching the clouds float by. The other couple was kissing so intensely that the children giggled at the sight of them. The sight was very beautiful and seemed so real, so life-like.
Dumbledore cleared his throat at the portrait, making all four of them inside the portrait jump up from whatever they were doing. The one who were kissing so intensely didn't even feel embarrassed at the sight of three people standing before them. The boy who was with the girl watching the clouds came forward with a big grins and looks at Dumbledore, Malfoy and myself curiously.
Actually, when the boy came forward, I got such a big shock that the boy looks so much like Harry. Unruly brown hair, bright green eyes and a tall but lanky body. But I suppose a lot of people in this world have this type of features. Oh well.
Dumbledore said, "Excuse me, these students are going to be staying in your room for the year. This is Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy." When he told the Harry look-a-like our names, he gestured to each of us, showing the boy. The boy in the portrait nodded excitedly and said, "Oh! So there they are! I was wondering when you all would get here. I'll call the others." The boy ran in deeper into the portrait then motioned to us speaking some things that I cannot quite catch as he was too far away. When the other three people in the portrait saw who we were, they all got excited looks on their faces and came running from where they are to greet us.
And when I saw their faces, I got another shock. There was a platinum blonde haired guy holding a chestnut brown haired girl's hand. The brown- haired girl looks so much like me that I wonder whether Dumbledore actually really painted me when I was not looking. But the blonde guy looks so much like Malfoy and the two of them are I think a couple by the way they were kissing under the tree, plus I know Malfoy and I cannot be a couple in this entire lifetime. No way. The girl who was watching the clouds float by with the 'Harry' clone had flaming red hair and looks so much like Ginny. Harry and Ginny probably will get together someday I guess, but I know that Malfoy and me won't work. Uh-uh.no way it will work.
Anyway Dumbledore then left after saying "good-bye" to Malfoy and I. I stared at the portrait a little more before turning my head to look at Malfoy. Well, his face registered shock also. Probably worse then mine. Then when he also turned around to glance at me, he found me staring at him and quickly hides his face emotion. He then glares at me for a split second before turning to face the portrait where all four of them look interestingly at us.
"So, Granger, Dumbledore didn't even give us our password. Do you know what it is? I bet you don't, because you're a mudblood," Malfoy drawls lazily. I was furious, but I don't want him to know it, so I calmly replied, "Well, I also know that you don't know too. So what's the point of scolding you?"
I turned to the portrait before Malfoy could speak and said, "Hello, maybe you know our password. Can you tell us?"
The flaming redhead spoke, "Yes we do. But first, we need you to give your names to ensure that it is you and not others impersonating you."
"Draco Malfoy," Malfoy said, waiting impatiently. But the people in the portrait just smiled and said again, "We need your full name."
"What?" Malfoy cried out, flapping his arms in anger. "Give my full name to you? In front of this mudblood here?"
The brown haired girl look aghast when Malfoy said the 'mudblood' word and said, "Stop calling your roommate a mudblood. You don't know what could kick your ass here."
I was shock that the girl scolded vulgarities in front of us. Well, I think I'll give Malfoy an exception. He totally deserves it.
Malfoy look angry with steam coming out from his ears. "Anything. Draco Lysander Malfoy. And Granger, don't you dare tell anyone about my name. If you do, watch your back."
I shoot daggers at Malfoy, "Fine. You also shouldn't go around telling my name to other people. Hermione Isabel Granger."
The 'Malfoy' clone looks at us one more time before saying, "Okay. Confirmed. Now we'll give you your password and only you should know the password. Even when other people come to us and tells us the correct password, we would not let them in because before you give the password to us, we need you to verify your full name to us and we four have already memorized your features. So we'll recognize you anywhere. People can only enter when you invite them personally and that you're with them too or you tell us their names and we'll let them in. Now the password is "It is only there." Now say your full name one more time and the password before going in."
"Hermione Isabel Granger. It is only there," I said feeling a little bored.
"Draco Lysander Malfoy. It is only there," Malfoy said, exasperatedly.
The portrait door opened and the both of us walked inside. I cried out a 'thanks' before the portrait door slammed shut and I look into the Heads common room. The sight was just breathtaking. There were a few purple couches near the fireplace and beautiful long tapestries hung all over the room. I walked in further and saw a wooden door labeled "Library". So this was where the library was. Well, I'll do my exploring a little later. First, I want to look at my bedroom. I walk up the stairs and found two rooms. To the far left, it was labeled "H.I.G", to the far right, it was labeled "D.L.M" I presume that the one labeled "H.I.G" is my room as that was my initials. "D.L.M" would be Malfoy's one I think. So where was the bathroom?
I walked inside my bedroom and saw a king-size four-poster bed lying in the middle of the room. There were scarlet pillows laid nicely on it and the bed sheet and blanket were also scarlet but with golden linings. To my right there was a red wooden table and on my left, a small walk-in closet. There was also a small dressing table with a full size body length mirror. Directly in front of my bed there was a door. I suppose that was the bathroom. I opened it slowly and saw with astonishment a very super humongous bathroom. What was inside the bathroom also made me catch my breath. An Olympic size swimming pool in the middle of the bathroom and almost as big as a king-size bed round bathtub at the right side laid there just waiting for me (and maybe Malfoy) to get inside and have the best fun ever. I stepped over to the bathtub and traced the golden and silver faucets with my finger gently. I looked at it in awesome wonder, and then suddenly a slip of parchment appeared before my eyes. I took it up and started reading it.
"Head-Girl,
Your folder containing the information of the duties as a Head-Girl, your timetable and the schedule of events held in Hogwarts are sent already. It should appear before you in a few minutes after you've read this letter. May you have a pleasant night.
Yours sincerely, Professor Minerva McGonagall"
Ah, it has arrived. The letter I've been waiting for ages. Sure enough, a small plastic folder appeared from thin air before me. I slowly took it and wrapped it under my arms, walking back towards my bedroom. As I sat on the bed, I opened up the folder and took out all the contents in it.
Duties for Head-Girl:
Patrol the halls, corridors and grounds for an hour after curfew for students who disobey the rules of the school. Catch any student committing an offence. Work together with other prefects and the Head-Boy to organize events and such. Hold up moral integrity and be on best terms with the Head-boy. More rules made during the next prefects meeting.
Schedule of events:
Halloween ball in late October. Christmas events to be held in December. Valentine Day. Easter day. Graduation ball.
So, that was it? I checked the folder once more to see if I missed anything. Nope, I did not. Okay. I looked at my timetable once more when I suddenly realized, my classes is to be with Slytherins more than half of the week. Omigosh! How can that be? Well, maybe they wanted Malfoy and I to work together, but they can't just chuck more than half of the lessons to me! I can never survive.and what is this Muggle Joy? Another subject? Is it that compulsory? Well, since it has the 5 hours, it may be. Oh Hermione, forget about the Slytherin thing, you're spending all of Muggle Joy with them. Damn it!
I'm so depressed yet so excited. How can one feel this way? Oh never mind.better do more exploring around here.well, I've never really finish checking out the bathroom, and probably I should do that. No, I also need to bathe. I took out my bathrobe and towel from my trunk, (maybe I should put everything inside the closet after I bathe) walked towards the door again and opened it. I walk towards the bathtub that sat there waiting for my entry, what was surprising was that the tub was already filled with water. Wondering why, I swung my towel over the metal rod, which was there to hold clothing, and then pulled my bathrobe ribbon. As I take the robe off my body, I step into the bathtub quietly, turning on the faucets. When the faucets came on, pouring sweet scented water into the bathtub, overflowing it. I sat there relaxing inside the water when suddenly "Whoosh!" a body stood up from the water. The boy started wiping off the water away from his face and then ran his hand through his slick blonde hair. I just sat there stunned, unable to do anything as I saw the taut, lean and toned chest of the boy.
Well, I admit that I had this longing to go touch and feel that chest on my own, but it was soon snapped shut by the reality of it. Which is none to zero.
Well, I had to get out of here as fast as possible without him noticing me. So I had to tiptoe back. But at the same time, he turned around and looked at my direction. I was so scared of him looking at me that I muttered, "If only I was invisible, so that I can go without he noticing me."
Fortunately and surprisingly, I felt myself turn invisible. There's this soft flowing from top to bottom that feels extremely nice and when I look at Malfoy again, I found him staring straight pass me, like I wasn't even there. Probably I wasn't even there as I'm invisible. Cool! I can become invisible. But there's this bugging little feeling in me that says that humans or even wizards shouldn't become invisible at will without a wand. So with my curiousity nagging me, I walked out the bathroom making sure that Malfoy doesn't see my towel and robe go appearing then missing again.
I then changed into short blue pants measuring 7 inches above knee and a simple designed t-shirt. I opened my trunk and started unpacking. Putting my clothes into neat stacks in the walk-in closet, with dresses and gowns placed nicely on the rack. Undergarments placed neatly in the drawers and other clothing into other drawers. My cosmetics were placed on the dressing table and I took my precious stuffed rabbit putting it on the bed. Combing out my short silky brown hair, I stepped towards the bed and lied on it.
Reading my Potions textbook for the tenth time, I felt a little restless, so I stood up and walked downstairs to see what I can do. That was when my stomach started to grumble slightly before I saw Malfoy and his two friends chatting away. When he looked at me, I quickly dropped whatever I had in mind and ran back up to my room. Closing the door abruptly, I was a bit surprised at my reaction. I also do not know why I ran. Can't remember anything there. Oh forget it Hermione. Just keep studying for your NEWTS and be done with it. So I took up the Potions book and started reading it all over again.
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Draco's POV:
You know, I'm still not sure of the faint figure in the bathroom. Want to know the details?
*/*Flashback*/*
I was bathing peacefully in the humongous bathtub and I wanted to do some going underwater thingy, so I did. I went underwater a few times before I went in all the way, holding my breath as long as I can. When I heard someone step into the bathtub, I knew that it was Granger and wanted to shoo her away. But somehow something stop me from doing that and I felt that I wanted to looked at her as a whole being, so I stood up. When I stood up, I only saw a faint shimmer of light cascading over Granger before she disappeared. Feeling a little awkward at the light, I tried to look again for Granger when I saw clothes being grabbed up before it disappeared too. Then I heard the door clicked. Funny, and I thought Weaselette and I were the only ones with special powers.
But I also don't really know whether the figure was really Granger or not. It may be a house elf or something too. So how to find out whether Granger was the one who came into the bathroom? What?
Oh yeah! I can read minds right? I can use it to read Granger's mind! Yep, it can be done. But I got to practice first. How? Hmm.I wonder whether.
*/*End of Flashback*/*
So that's it? Yeah I suppose so. Anyway, when I changed back into my silk robes, a letter suddenly appeared before me. I took it up and read it.
"Head Boy,
Your folder containing the information of the duties as a Head-Boy, your timetable and the schedule of events held in Hogwarts are sent already. It should appear before you in a few minutes after you've read this letter. May you have a pleasant night.
Yours sincerely, Professor Minerva McGonagall"
So the folder Dumbledore was talking about is finally coming! I hope I won't get a lot of lessons with the Gryffinwhores. Soon, the folder appeared and I opened it, taking the contents inside and read it.
Duties for Head-Boy:
Patrol the halls, corridors and grounds for an hour after curfew for students who disobey the rules of the school. Catch any student committing an offence. Work together with the other prefects and Head-Girl to organize events and such. Hold up moral integrity and be on best terms with the Head-Girl. More rules made during the next prefects meeting.
Schedule of events:
Halloween ball in late October. Christmas events to be held in December. Valentine Day. Easter day. Graduation ball.
Oh man! Just great, just great. I'm having more than half of my lessons with the Gryffindors. What is Dumbledore thinking? There must be a screw loose in his head or something. Doesn't he know that Gryffindor and Slytherin just don't have the spirit to even stay together in one room? How on earth are we going to learn with those Gryffindors there insulting us till the end of time. Ugh!
Just then, someone knocked on my door. Obviously I already knew who was that because no one would actually come in here without my permission or maybe Granger's too as much as I hate it.
"What Granger? Don't you have anything else better to do than knock on an innocent boy's bedroom door?" I drawled.
"Well," the voice at the other end of the door said, "I do have something else better to do, but it seems that a prefect from Slytherin our year called Lynette and Zambini are wanting to see you. The portrait won't let her come in unless you give the permission. Even though I know that I can also give the permission, I do not want to probe into your business. So come out and invite her or you can let her sit there till dawn breaks. Goodbye!"
Shit!
I opened my door and walked out, just in time to see Granger's lovely butt entering her room. Strolling over to the portrait door, I opened it and stood out. There stood Lynette and Blaise looking quite sulky and mildly shocked too. Wondering why on earth they were shocked (I think I know what made them sulk though.probably it is the unwillingness the portrait won't let them come in), I told the portrait that they can be trusted and so they can come in. As all three of us walk inside the room, both Blaise and Lynette weren't really surprised at the posh looking common room as they have seen more posh halls before and the two of them aren't really impressed easily with things. Sitting down on the purple couch, Blaise and Lynette on one while I took another, Granger came down.
Well, I'd say that Granger doesn't have such a bad body has the short blue pants showed off her slim and toned legs and the shirt she wore was quite small and tight. But overall, it wasn't as bad as what Pansy usually wears.
But after seeing us downstairs, she jolted back up into her room.
"So Draco, do you know what your portrait is?" Lynette asked with caution.
"Nope. Anything wrong with it?" I said back.
"Well, there's this thing about it I find highly amusing," she said with a sheepish smile on her face. "That it looks amazingly like Potter, Granger, Weaselette and well, you."
"That I noticed," I drawled.
"Don't you find it funny?" Blaise asked. "I mean, how on earth do you and Granger go around kissing everywhere you go? In the portrait."
"I do not know. I do not care!" I said uncaringly, though I know it does.
"Fine fine, don't have to go all jumpy over it." Lynette said showing off her dazzling smile.
I then smiled slyly. Blaise looked at me and then pretended to look frightened.
"Draco, don't make us do your plans. Not right now?" Blaise said mock frightened.
"What plans?" Lynette said.
"Look at his face, Lynn. The face of a plan!" Blaise replied.
"Ooh! What plan?" Lynette said excitingly. Ever the daredevil she is.
"Can the 2 of you help me do something?" I asked, the smile never losing its function.
"Sure, just name it!" Blaise said, the fright out of his face.
"I just realized that I can read minds. So I was wondering whether you would help me by letting me read your minds?" I said, hoping for them to agree.
To my luck, the 2 of them nodded.
"But how come you can read minds?" Lynette asked coolly.
"I don't know. I just found it out this morning."
"I see. Sure why not! What do you want us to do?" Blaise said.
"Think of something in your mind and let me read it. See whether it is correct or not," I pondered.
"Okay. I'm thinking of something now. Read!" Lynette said enthusiastically.
I concentrated my mind on Lynette's mind and sure enough, a voice came into my head. "Draco, you better tell us why you're doing this. I know that this is not simple. Something's bothering you, so you want to practice on us to find out something about something or someone. Tell me. You can trust Blaise too."
"I will Lynn. Soon. When I'm ready," I automatically answered back in my head.
Lynette's face was shocked. Well, it was an understatement. I do not know whether she was shocked about my mind-reading abilities or she was shocked that I won't tell them the reason behind me asking them to be practiced on. Either way, she's still shock.
Shrugging, I turned to Blaise and asked, "Ready?"
He nodded. "Yep."
"Then I'll read now." I focused my mind on Blaise's brain and then Blaise's voice came into my head.
"Do you think Pamela would go out with me for this Hogmeades weekend?"
I smiled warmly and answered back into his mind, "If you pull the right tactics, I'm sure."
After receiving my message, he smiled brightly and clapped me on my back. "Thanks dude! Oh, and good work."
"Yeah good work, but I find it a little slow. Can I practice more so that I can go faster at reading thoughts?" I said, hoping that they'll accept.
"Why not? But you have to tell us okay?" Lynette said.
I forced a slight smile on my face and said, "Soon Lynn. I will, just not now."
Lynette looked disappointed, but after a few seconds later, she smiled again. Forced or not, I do not know as Lynette has always masked her emotions well. Blaise noticed the reaction between Lynette, and me so he offered to go first.
"Okay." I said.
"Now listen closely. I'm going to try to hide my thoughts!" Blaise said feeling superior.
"Stop talking and think!" I said, already annoyed.
I urged myself to enter Blaise's mind faster and now only after around 5 seconds, the voice soon came into my mind. But it was softer than any other times, so I listened to it more closely and I was successful.
"Draco, should I say 'I love you' to Pamela during our date"
"No! Take your time. Do not scare her off! That was a very bad tactic. She'll run away before you could even say a 'Hi!' to her," I answered in the same way I did with them before this.
Blaise smiled a cocky smile before stepping back, allowing Lynette to come forward.
"Don't say anything and read," Lynette said with a hint of triumph and angriness.
So I read. "Draco, tell me. You know I can't stand you being so secretive every time. I hate it alright.please tell me."
Should I tell? I do not know. What would their reaction be when they find that I'm doing this just to read Granger's mind? They'll laugh and tease me about it. The thought of them teasing me about a mudblood leaving me embarrassed is way too much for me to handle. I hate it when people press me for things I do not want to disclose. I hate people ordering me around like they are the leader and whatnot. I know Lynette is innocent, but her inquisitive nature is making me very unbalanced. Lynette oh Lynette, stop asking. Just stop asking. Why can't you go just leave me alone? Yeah, just leave me alone.
I covered my face with my right hand and tried to wipe the sweat accumulating on my forehead and then looked up. I saw Blaise looking at me in utter shock and I asked him what happened. But I think that something made him speechless, unable to speak or move.
"What happened Blaise? Why are you staring at me in shock? What did I do?" I asked again and again, trying to get some movement from Blaise when he looked from myself to the door and back again. Then I realized Lynette was gone from our midst.
"What happened to Lynette?" I asked.
Only then Blaise gave a reaction. Though the reaction was a little large.
He suddenly came over and pulled me into a tight bear hug, muttering over and over again, "You can control minds, you can control minds!"
"What? I can control minds? You nuts?" I said disbelievingly.
Blaise released me form his suffocating hug before answering, "Yes you can. You know, I do not know what you did, but suddenly Lynette walked out from the common room. But I saw her eyes glazed over when you were reading her mind and then her eyes went back to normal before walking out. This is a pure sign that you can control minds!"
I raised an eyebrow in amazement before saying, "You're saying that I can control minds and I just controlled Lynn's mind?"
"Yes.yes!"
But did I think that I wanted her to move off? Oh yes I did. I wanted her to leave me alone, so obviously the thought went inside her head. Omigosh, I can read and control and answer minds. This is great. I can use all of this to look out for Granger. I can read her mind to see whether was she the one in the bathroom, and if it doesn't work, I can use plan B and control her mind to tell me whether it was she! Absolutely remarkable!
"Nice move Draco Malfoy," I said to myself. I then turned to Blaise and said, "Blaise, I hope this would be kept secret among the three of us. You can tell Lynette that I somehow managed to control her mind and also tell her to keep it a secret. If anyone else knows besides you two, I'd personally see to it that your heads are crushed. I need the rest of the night to process this new information. So goodnight."
"Goodnight Draco!" Blaise said happily before moving off to go back to the Slytherin boys' dorm. As Blaise walked just outside the portrait, I could hear him telling Lynette not to tell anyone else about my new abilities and the controlling of her mind.
I sat down on the couch nearest to the fire and started thinking. After a short while, Granger came down still in her clothes I've last seen her in.
"So are they gone?" Granger asked cautiously.
"Why do you bother?" I drawled back.
"Oh nothing!" she said back in a singsong voice.
"Up to see Potter this late in the night?" I said with both my eyebrows up.
"That's none of your business and no, I'm not seeing him. I just want to go to the kitchens."
"Oh really, and how would you know where to go? No one knows where the kitchen is except for those house-elves," I said.
"That's what you think. I do know where the kitchen is."
"You do?" I exclaimed out-loud.
Granger put both her hands on her hips and tilted it one side. An action that made my mouth goes dry. "You think I don't? Well, so sorry to disappoint you, but I do."
"Okay, do you mind me following you?" I asked, still trying to get my mouth moist again.
"You promise you won't do anything to me? No pranks, no insults?" She inquired.
"Yes," I replied. Plus maybe during this trip, with me close to her, I can get to know whether was it really she who was inside the bathroom.
"Come along, just don't tell anyone else about the route to it."
I stood up from the couch and started following Granger to where the kitchens were.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
Walking on the corridors of Hogwarts, I tried to use my powers on Hermione. First I tried to read her mind.
But to no avail. No matter how hard I try, I simply can't read her mind. Like there's something there to stop my mind from entering her mind. Whenever I try to read her mind, there's something like a force pushing me back, and when I disconnect my mind, the huge throbbing headache comes up. So throughout the whole journey to the kitchens, I had a big headache and I really needed a good hot milk latte to cool down my head.
Reaching a certain portrait, I saw a basket of fruits. Feeling irritated about how things progressed, I said annoyingly, "Why have we stop? I don't see any kitchen here and stop looking at the fruits! I need a milk latte soon!"
Granger gave me a glare before turning her head back to the portrait and reached out her hand, tickling the pear, which giggled before the whole portrait opened. She turned back to me smiling widely in triumph and stepped into where the door led to.
I followed also and saw the largest kitchen ever. Bigger than the kitchen at the Malfoy Manor. Rows and more rows of shelves, stoves and larders stood upon the hard stone ground. House elves scampering here and there with either washing equipment or cooking ingredients and utensils.
Suddenly, a house elf popped out from thin air and said, "Miss Hermione! Do you need anything? What can Dobby get for you? Tell Dobby and Dobby will send it immediately." But when Dobby looked at the person beside Hermione, he trembled and pointed his scrawny finger at me and said, "Master Draco! What is master Draco doing here? Dobby been very bad by leaving you, sorry Dobby say." He then faced the nearest wall and started banging his head repeatedly on it.
Granger shrieked before going over to where Dobby and tried pulling him away from the wall. When she couldn't she called me for help. Well, I pretended that I didn't care, but still all the same helped get Dobby off the wall. After a few pull here and there, we finally pried Dobby off the wall. But when Dobby looked almost ready to go back to the wall again, Granger looked at me earnestly and I sighed softly before saying to Dobby, "Dobby, you have no reason to punish yourself. You did not leave me alone with Lucius. You are still here serving Hogwarts and I'm grateful for it. For I now know that you are here living and healthy. Okay? Do you understand?"
"Dobby does master Draco! Dobby understands!" Dobby said jumping about in glee before facing the two of us again. "So what can Dobby get you all?"
"A hot cup of coffee with a plate of hot brownies?" Granger said nicely.
"A hot milk latte done in the usual style as I like Dobby. Do you still remember how it is done?" I said nicely. Hey, don't get me wrong. I'm not necessarily bad to all creatures. I'm exceptionally nice to house elves. Mother's teaching.
"Yes, Dobby remembers. Put lots and lots of sugar, then add a squeeze of lime and blend it until it froth!" he said excitingly, glad that he actually remembered how my favourite drink is being made into what I like. I smiled at him, "Now go!"
"Immediately sire!" was the response from Dobby.
I looked at Granger and saw her looking at me in a very funny way. Wondering what is wrong with her, I said, "What are you looking at? I know I'm handsome and wealthy, but you don't have to give me that longing look." Granger rolled her eyes for a second and I smirked.
"Oh nothing," she then turned away from me with a small smile. She then added thoughtfully, "I didn't know that you are nice to Dobby. I thought you were the one who made Dobby so afraid of your family until he wanted freedom. Not much house elves wants freedom, so it's an astonishing thing that a house elf wants freedom."
"Well Granger, I'm not that bad to Dobby and other house elves in my house. And don't give me the sarcastic look. Mother teaches me to be a gentleman, and mother loves house elves a lot that she doesn't even want them to lift a finger on themselves," I said. But I added silently, and because of that, she gets beaten every now and then from father.
"Okay.but what do you mean that Dobby didn't leave you alone with Lu.ahem! Your Father?" Granger asked curiously.
"It's a long story, but I can give you the details. Dobby was my personal house elf. But Lucius still owns him and he has always been 'something'. so when Dobby left, Lucius gave me quite the scolding about certain things and so on."
"Oh." responded Granger, before Dobby came back with our snacks.
The both of us thanked Dobby before moving back to our common room in silence.
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Hermione's POV [A/N: A very short one.]:
I am so surprised that Malfoy was nice to Dobby. I have always thought that he can't even say a proper hi to a house elf.
I also wonder what the 'something' meant when he told me about Dobby, Lucius and himself. Maybe it is 'violent' or 'ruthless'? I know it wouldn't be something good. How, I do not know.
But there's still something troubling me. Just now, when I was walking on the corridors turning to the kitchen corridor, I suddenly felt something in my head. Like there's a minor pushing sensation in there, repelling whatever it is attacking. I do not know what it is, and I hope I would soon know. But for now, I'm so sleepy and I wish to sleep. Goodnight.
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Harry's POV:
Man I feel so sleepy. Being a prefect has cut me off from my sleep always on the first day of school. I need to do this and do that, and then always a first year would come up and ask you for help. You have no choice but to help them or you'll get punished by other prefects during the next prefects meeting. I wonder who was the idiot who made this rule up. I wish that I could kill that person. Argh!
Anyway, I'm already inside the 7th year prefects' common room. It's going to be very different without Hermione here. I'm so glad Malfoy went away. I can't think of living with him one more year. He drives me nuts year by year. I feel sorry for Hermione. She got to stick with him for one whole school year before she is free to do what she wants. Haha.
I hope no one would come to me for help until tomorrow morning. I also hope that I can wake up by seven o'clock tomorrow, or I'm going to be late for Potions! I can't believe it! Almost every year starts with having Potions as the first subject every early morning. Having Potions ruins even our joyous mood. McGonagall must be keen in having Gryffindor Slytherin relationships as all Potion classes are with Slytherin.
I climbed up the dividing stairs to my bedroom and then undressed, putting on my nightshirt. I sat on the edge of my comfy bed, relishing the memories of what happened in the Great Hall today.
How did Ginny do that? I'm so sure that it was her who controlled the temperature, airflow and water. When I told her to reverse the process to get it back to normal, she did it and it happened. Snap! Just like that. I wonder whether she has any connections to me having an increased sensitivity on my 5 senses. Maybe I should tell this to Dumbledore. Or not? He should know at least a little bit of this. At least I hope he does.
Maybe Hermione would know something about this. We could check out the library or something like that. I better confront Ginny and Hermione about this. Should I tell Ron about this? I think so yes. I should, but I'm also scared that he may feel kind of left out. I could use him for my help or something to not make him feel bad. But what? Oh yes, I could ask him to pour over books. Another helping hand is better than none. Good, I hope I solved bit of the trouble in my head, now I better get some rest or I'm done for tomorrow.
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A/N: Hey hey!!!! I'm finally done..actually I broke this chapter into 2 parts for it is very long.anyway.pls review.it isn't hard to just click on the button below and write a few words??? Please? *Gets down on both knees and kowtow.pleading.*
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Dumbledore stood up just before dinner ended and McGonagall clicked her crystal goblet, admitting a bell like sound. Everyone took the cue to turn their attention to the standing headmaster of the school. Dumbledore waited for the noise to simmer down a little before speaking, "Hogwarts students, once again I welcome you all back to your school and I wish that you all will do very well for your studies here and in what life has to offer to you. After this dinner, all of you may go back to your common rooms. 1st years, the prefects will escort you all to your common room and after that, I want all the prefects from 5th year and up to meet me. Head students too," he smiled for a while before continuing. "That reminds me. I've never properly introduced your Heads to you yet. Well, let's do it now. Head Boy for this year is Draco Malfoy from Slytherin 7th year." Dumbledore paused, waiting for the applause to calm down especially from Slytherin and the girls in Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. "Head Girl for this year is Hermione Granger of Gryffindor 7th year." More applause. "Well, that sums it all up, you may go back to your dorms now."
Everyone stood up from their seats and walked outside from the hall, prefects leading them.
"First year Gryffindors, please come here!" Harry cried out, waving his arms around for acknowledgment. Around 15 1st years came about and surrounded themselves around Harry. Harry looked at them and said, "Okay, I'm going to show you all the Gryffindor common room and your dormitories. Please keep in step with me if you do not want to be lost. Now I'll show you the easiest entrance to the common room. Follow me now!" Harry turned away from the first years and walked to the common room. As he walks, he kept saying to the first years to watch their steps especially over the trick steps and to follow him closely before the staircases moves. When they reached the Fat Lady portrait, he told them the password (Giocoso remains here) and told them to remember it. "The password also changes every week to ensure safety, so that nobody from the other houses can come into the common room unless we invite them to," Harry also said. He led them into the common room. "To the left are the girls dormitories, and the same to the boys on your right. Your trunks have already been taken into your dorms. Now I've got to go meet Professor Dumbledore, be good and have fun in the common room. If you have any trouble, you can simply ask anybody senior." With that, Harry walked off towards the Great Hall, in search of Dumbledore.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
Lynette, Padma and Justin also led their juniors to their own common rooms, giving the passwords (Slytherin: Cautions of Darkness Ravenclaw: Strive to overcome Hufflepuff: Stay within your line) and told all members of each house to remember the passwords, but the passwords may change every week. After sending the students to their own quarters, all the prefects went back to the Great Hall to meet their darling Headmaster.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
After waiting for all the prefects to arrive, Dumbledore said, "Prefects and Heads, I want to welcome you all back to Hogwarts. There will be numerous events going about here in Hogwarts. I just wish for all the best in this year and hope nothing heavy will happen. Okay, each of you will receive a folder on all the things you're suppose to do as a prefect. Your new timetable is also inside, including the time of your duties. Now, 5th year prefects, you will have a special common room all to yourselves. Professor McGonagall will show them to you. 6th year and 7th year prefects, your rooms are basically the same, but there may be some differences which I hope you all will like. The Heads will have a common room, bathroom and bedroom all to themselves too. There is also a small library inside it too. I will personally escort the two of you there. Now off you go to your rooms to rest. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."
Everyone went off in pursuit of his or her own dreamy bed lying peacefully in the bedroom
Dumbledore faced both Draco and Hermione, studying them for a while before stating, "Come follow me." Both of them then followed the Headmaster to where they're going to live in for their last year at Hogwarts.
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Hermione's POV:
I'm walking along the corridors of Hogwarts with Dumbledore and Malfoy. I can't believe that boy is Head-boy. I mean, he's so arrogant, full of himself, egoistic and just a damn prick that no one will ever like, much less love. How does he survive is my one question for him. Man! I think he only survives on insults and being daddy's little boy.
But as I think back of the little incident outside the entrance hall, I started to feel a little guilty about calling him daddy's little boy. I mean, how can I call him daddy's little boy if he himself told me that he is not and never will be? It's not just that, but the way he says it and the raging emotions in his voice makes me think that probably he really isn't a daddy's little boy anymore.
Oh well, anyway, we're still walking towards out rooms which seem a little way too far off in Hogwarts. Hmm.I wonder what the Heads rooms look like. It must be much more majestic than the prefects rooms which I slept in for the past two years. It must be quite big in order to fit a mini-library inside. Omigosh! A library! It must contain quite a lot of information for me to use for homework. Maybe the library has some other books not found in the Hogwarts main library itself. Probably it also contains some other books that may be found in the restricted section. Come to think of it, maybe having the whole of the restricted section books is quite nice too. Can't get my hopes too high up, or I may end up crestfallen if it doesn't happen.
Oh look, Malfoy's grumpy. But he looks so cute when he's grumpy. Lips pouted out in a childlike manner with arms stubbornly crossed together. HEY! Did I say that he's cute? Uh uh. He's not cute Hermione; He's not cute at all. He's still the world's most pompous prick you've ever seen in your whole entire life. Yar.that's it.
He's looking my way, what does he want?
"Granger, why do you have to have this excited look on your face? Can't you just get rid of it?" He asked me. Though I think it's an insult, which really is.
"Is that an insult or what? Well, to answer your dim-witted question, I'm excited because I'm thinking of the small library we have in our room. I wonder whether there will be a few books in the restricted section found there, which I think will not come true. And no, I won't get rid of it that easily, and you can't too. So stop insulting me and we'll get on with life as normal as we can," I replied back at him, waggling my eyebrows and smirking.
Malfoy glares at me for a while before saying, "I bet I can wipe that excited look on your face, with just a few words." He smiles smugly.
"No you don't," I answered still smiling my head off, because I know he can't wipe my smile off my face, as I'm too excited to get angry.
"Yes I can," he said smugly.
"No you don't!"
"Yes I can!"
"No you don't!"
"Yes I can!"
"You don't!"
"I can!"
"You don't!"
"I can!"
"You don't!" My face turning redder every ticking second. Why does he want to ruin my mood every day? I'm so sick of it.
"I can!"
"You don't!" I must keep my best smile on whether it's forced or not. I'm not allowing him to win.
"I can!"
"You don't!"
"Ahem!" Came a voice on our far right side.
Malfoy and I both looked up to where the voice came from and saw Dumbledore there smiling away, with a twinkle in his eyes. That was when I realized Malfoy and I were bickering right in front of the Headmaster and we have reached our destination.
"You may want to come over here to see where your room lies?" Dumbledore said, the twinkle in his eyes never leaving.
I blushed a deep red of embarrassment before answering, "Yes sir, truly sorry for bickering before you with this Slytherin on my left."
"That's okay, it was kind of amusing just watching you two argue. Interesting too. But never mind, come along here and I'll tell you the password."
I sent a death glare to Malfoy before strutting up the short steps to the portrait door.
I saw two stone statues resembling a dragon and a horse. What was astonishing was that the dragon statue can breathed out fire and the horse can turn invisible at times. I raised my eyebrows in curiousity, but what astonished me most was the portrait itself. There was this green hill at a meadow. There were also small children playing happily below the blue sky with white fluffy cottony clouds. A couple was just holding hands together watching the clouds float by. The other couple was kissing so intensely that the children giggled at the sight of them. The sight was very beautiful and seemed so real, so life-like.
Dumbledore cleared his throat at the portrait, making all four of them inside the portrait jump up from whatever they were doing. The one who were kissing so intensely didn't even feel embarrassed at the sight of three people standing before them. The boy who was with the girl watching the clouds came forward with a big grins and looks at Dumbledore, Malfoy and myself curiously.
Actually, when the boy came forward, I got such a big shock that the boy looks so much like Harry. Unruly brown hair, bright green eyes and a tall but lanky body. But I suppose a lot of people in this world have this type of features. Oh well.
Dumbledore said, "Excuse me, these students are going to be staying in your room for the year. This is Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy." When he told the Harry look-a-like our names, he gestured to each of us, showing the boy. The boy in the portrait nodded excitedly and said, "Oh! So there they are! I was wondering when you all would get here. I'll call the others." The boy ran in deeper into the portrait then motioned to us speaking some things that I cannot quite catch as he was too far away. When the other three people in the portrait saw who we were, they all got excited looks on their faces and came running from where they are to greet us.
And when I saw their faces, I got another shock. There was a platinum blonde haired guy holding a chestnut brown haired girl's hand. The brown- haired girl looks so much like me that I wonder whether Dumbledore actually really painted me when I was not looking. But the blonde guy looks so much like Malfoy and the two of them are I think a couple by the way they were kissing under the tree, plus I know Malfoy and I cannot be a couple in this entire lifetime. No way. The girl who was watching the clouds float by with the 'Harry' clone had flaming red hair and looks so much like Ginny. Harry and Ginny probably will get together someday I guess, but I know that Malfoy and me won't work. Uh-uh.no way it will work.
Anyway Dumbledore then left after saying "good-bye" to Malfoy and I. I stared at the portrait a little more before turning my head to look at Malfoy. Well, his face registered shock also. Probably worse then mine. Then when he also turned around to glance at me, he found me staring at him and quickly hides his face emotion. He then glares at me for a split second before turning to face the portrait where all four of them look interestingly at us.
"So, Granger, Dumbledore didn't even give us our password. Do you know what it is? I bet you don't, because you're a mudblood," Malfoy drawls lazily. I was furious, but I don't want him to know it, so I calmly replied, "Well, I also know that you don't know too. So what's the point of scolding you?"
I turned to the portrait before Malfoy could speak and said, "Hello, maybe you know our password. Can you tell us?"
The flaming redhead spoke, "Yes we do. But first, we need you to give your names to ensure that it is you and not others impersonating you."
"Draco Malfoy," Malfoy said, waiting impatiently. But the people in the portrait just smiled and said again, "We need your full name."
"What?" Malfoy cried out, flapping his arms in anger. "Give my full name to you? In front of this mudblood here?"
The brown haired girl look aghast when Malfoy said the 'mudblood' word and said, "Stop calling your roommate a mudblood. You don't know what could kick your ass here."
I was shock that the girl scolded vulgarities in front of us. Well, I think I'll give Malfoy an exception. He totally deserves it.
Malfoy look angry with steam coming out from his ears. "Anything. Draco Lysander Malfoy. And Granger, don't you dare tell anyone about my name. If you do, watch your back."
I shoot daggers at Malfoy, "Fine. You also shouldn't go around telling my name to other people. Hermione Isabel Granger."
The 'Malfoy' clone looks at us one more time before saying, "Okay. Confirmed. Now we'll give you your password and only you should know the password. Even when other people come to us and tells us the correct password, we would not let them in because before you give the password to us, we need you to verify your full name to us and we four have already memorized your features. So we'll recognize you anywhere. People can only enter when you invite them personally and that you're with them too or you tell us their names and we'll let them in. Now the password is "It is only there." Now say your full name one more time and the password before going in."
"Hermione Isabel Granger. It is only there," I said feeling a little bored.
"Draco Lysander Malfoy. It is only there," Malfoy said, exasperatedly.
The portrait door opened and the both of us walked inside. I cried out a 'thanks' before the portrait door slammed shut and I look into the Heads common room. The sight was just breathtaking. There were a few purple couches near the fireplace and beautiful long tapestries hung all over the room. I walked in further and saw a wooden door labeled "Library". So this was where the library was. Well, I'll do my exploring a little later. First, I want to look at my bedroom. I walk up the stairs and found two rooms. To the far left, it was labeled "H.I.G", to the far right, it was labeled "D.L.M" I presume that the one labeled "H.I.G" is my room as that was my initials. "D.L.M" would be Malfoy's one I think. So where was the bathroom?
I walked inside my bedroom and saw a king-size four-poster bed lying in the middle of the room. There were scarlet pillows laid nicely on it and the bed sheet and blanket were also scarlet but with golden linings. To my right there was a red wooden table and on my left, a small walk-in closet. There was also a small dressing table with a full size body length mirror. Directly in front of my bed there was a door. I suppose that was the bathroom. I opened it slowly and saw with astonishment a very super humongous bathroom. What was inside the bathroom also made me catch my breath. An Olympic size swimming pool in the middle of the bathroom and almost as big as a king-size bed round bathtub at the right side laid there just waiting for me (and maybe Malfoy) to get inside and have the best fun ever. I stepped over to the bathtub and traced the golden and silver faucets with my finger gently. I looked at it in awesome wonder, and then suddenly a slip of parchment appeared before my eyes. I took it up and started reading it.
"Head-Girl,
Your folder containing the information of the duties as a Head-Girl, your timetable and the schedule of events held in Hogwarts are sent already. It should appear before you in a few minutes after you've read this letter. May you have a pleasant night.
Yours sincerely, Professor Minerva McGonagall"
Ah, it has arrived. The letter I've been waiting for ages. Sure enough, a small plastic folder appeared from thin air before me. I slowly took it and wrapped it under my arms, walking back towards my bedroom. As I sat on the bed, I opened up the folder and took out all the contents in it.
Duties for Head-Girl:
Patrol the halls, corridors and grounds for an hour after curfew for students who disobey the rules of the school. Catch any student committing an offence. Work together with other prefects and the Head-Boy to organize events and such. Hold up moral integrity and be on best terms with the Head-boy. More rules made during the next prefects meeting.
Schedule of events:
Halloween ball in late October. Christmas events to be held in December. Valentine Day. Easter day. Graduation ball.
So, that was it? I checked the folder once more to see if I missed anything. Nope, I did not. Okay. I looked at my timetable once more when I suddenly realized, my classes is to be with Slytherins more than half of the week. Omigosh! How can that be? Well, maybe they wanted Malfoy and I to work together, but they can't just chuck more than half of the lessons to me! I can never survive.and what is this Muggle Joy? Another subject? Is it that compulsory? Well, since it has the 5 hours, it may be. Oh Hermione, forget about the Slytherin thing, you're spending all of Muggle Joy with them. Damn it!
I'm so depressed yet so excited. How can one feel this way? Oh never mind.better do more exploring around here.well, I've never really finish checking out the bathroom, and probably I should do that. No, I also need to bathe. I took out my bathrobe and towel from my trunk, (maybe I should put everything inside the closet after I bathe) walked towards the door again and opened it. I walk towards the bathtub that sat there waiting for my entry, what was surprising was that the tub was already filled with water. Wondering why, I swung my towel over the metal rod, which was there to hold clothing, and then pulled my bathrobe ribbon. As I take the robe off my body, I step into the bathtub quietly, turning on the faucets. When the faucets came on, pouring sweet scented water into the bathtub, overflowing it. I sat there relaxing inside the water when suddenly "Whoosh!" a body stood up from the water. The boy started wiping off the water away from his face and then ran his hand through his slick blonde hair. I just sat there stunned, unable to do anything as I saw the taut, lean and toned chest of the boy.
Well, I admit that I had this longing to go touch and feel that chest on my own, but it was soon snapped shut by the reality of it. Which is none to zero.
Well, I had to get out of here as fast as possible without him noticing me. So I had to tiptoe back. But at the same time, he turned around and looked at my direction. I was so scared of him looking at me that I muttered, "If only I was invisible, so that I can go without he noticing me."
Fortunately and surprisingly, I felt myself turn invisible. There's this soft flowing from top to bottom that feels extremely nice and when I look at Malfoy again, I found him staring straight pass me, like I wasn't even there. Probably I wasn't even there as I'm invisible. Cool! I can become invisible. But there's this bugging little feeling in me that says that humans or even wizards shouldn't become invisible at will without a wand. So with my curiousity nagging me, I walked out the bathroom making sure that Malfoy doesn't see my towel and robe go appearing then missing again.
I then changed into short blue pants measuring 7 inches above knee and a simple designed t-shirt. I opened my trunk and started unpacking. Putting my clothes into neat stacks in the walk-in closet, with dresses and gowns placed nicely on the rack. Undergarments placed neatly in the drawers and other clothing into other drawers. My cosmetics were placed on the dressing table and I took my precious stuffed rabbit putting it on the bed. Combing out my short silky brown hair, I stepped towards the bed and lied on it.
Reading my Potions textbook for the tenth time, I felt a little restless, so I stood up and walked downstairs to see what I can do. That was when my stomach started to grumble slightly before I saw Malfoy and his two friends chatting away. When he looked at me, I quickly dropped whatever I had in mind and ran back up to my room. Closing the door abruptly, I was a bit surprised at my reaction. I also do not know why I ran. Can't remember anything there. Oh forget it Hermione. Just keep studying for your NEWTS and be done with it. So I took up the Potions book and started reading it all over again.
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Draco's POV:
You know, I'm still not sure of the faint figure in the bathroom. Want to know the details?
*/*Flashback*/*
I was bathing peacefully in the humongous bathtub and I wanted to do some going underwater thingy, so I did. I went underwater a few times before I went in all the way, holding my breath as long as I can. When I heard someone step into the bathtub, I knew that it was Granger and wanted to shoo her away. But somehow something stop me from doing that and I felt that I wanted to looked at her as a whole being, so I stood up. When I stood up, I only saw a faint shimmer of light cascading over Granger before she disappeared. Feeling a little awkward at the light, I tried to look again for Granger when I saw clothes being grabbed up before it disappeared too. Then I heard the door clicked. Funny, and I thought Weaselette and I were the only ones with special powers.
But I also don't really know whether the figure was really Granger or not. It may be a house elf or something too. So how to find out whether Granger was the one who came into the bathroom? What?
Oh yeah! I can read minds right? I can use it to read Granger's mind! Yep, it can be done. But I got to practice first. How? Hmm.I wonder whether.
*/*End of Flashback*/*
So that's it? Yeah I suppose so. Anyway, when I changed back into my silk robes, a letter suddenly appeared before me. I took it up and read it.
"Head Boy,
Your folder containing the information of the duties as a Head-Boy, your timetable and the schedule of events held in Hogwarts are sent already. It should appear before you in a few minutes after you've read this letter. May you have a pleasant night.
Yours sincerely, Professor Minerva McGonagall"
So the folder Dumbledore was talking about is finally coming! I hope I won't get a lot of lessons with the Gryffinwhores. Soon, the folder appeared and I opened it, taking the contents inside and read it.
Duties for Head-Boy:
Patrol the halls, corridors and grounds for an hour after curfew for students who disobey the rules of the school. Catch any student committing an offence. Work together with the other prefects and Head-Girl to organize events and such. Hold up moral integrity and be on best terms with the Head-Girl. More rules made during the next prefects meeting.
Schedule of events:
Halloween ball in late October. Christmas events to be held in December. Valentine Day. Easter day. Graduation ball.
Oh man! Just great, just great. I'm having more than half of my lessons with the Gryffindors. What is Dumbledore thinking? There must be a screw loose in his head or something. Doesn't he know that Gryffindor and Slytherin just don't have the spirit to even stay together in one room? How on earth are we going to learn with those Gryffindors there insulting us till the end of time. Ugh!
Just then, someone knocked on my door. Obviously I already knew who was that because no one would actually come in here without my permission or maybe Granger's too as much as I hate it.
"What Granger? Don't you have anything else better to do than knock on an innocent boy's bedroom door?" I drawled.
"Well," the voice at the other end of the door said, "I do have something else better to do, but it seems that a prefect from Slytherin our year called Lynette and Zambini are wanting to see you. The portrait won't let her come in unless you give the permission. Even though I know that I can also give the permission, I do not want to probe into your business. So come out and invite her or you can let her sit there till dawn breaks. Goodbye!"
Shit!
I opened my door and walked out, just in time to see Granger's lovely butt entering her room. Strolling over to the portrait door, I opened it and stood out. There stood Lynette and Blaise looking quite sulky and mildly shocked too. Wondering why on earth they were shocked (I think I know what made them sulk though.probably it is the unwillingness the portrait won't let them come in), I told the portrait that they can be trusted and so they can come in. As all three of us walk inside the room, both Blaise and Lynette weren't really surprised at the posh looking common room as they have seen more posh halls before and the two of them aren't really impressed easily with things. Sitting down on the purple couch, Blaise and Lynette on one while I took another, Granger came down.
Well, I'd say that Granger doesn't have such a bad body has the short blue pants showed off her slim and toned legs and the shirt she wore was quite small and tight. But overall, it wasn't as bad as what Pansy usually wears.
But after seeing us downstairs, she jolted back up into her room.
"So Draco, do you know what your portrait is?" Lynette asked with caution.
"Nope. Anything wrong with it?" I said back.
"Well, there's this thing about it I find highly amusing," she said with a sheepish smile on her face. "That it looks amazingly like Potter, Granger, Weaselette and well, you."
"That I noticed," I drawled.
"Don't you find it funny?" Blaise asked. "I mean, how on earth do you and Granger go around kissing everywhere you go? In the portrait."
"I do not know. I do not care!" I said uncaringly, though I know it does.
"Fine fine, don't have to go all jumpy over it." Lynette said showing off her dazzling smile.
I then smiled slyly. Blaise looked at me and then pretended to look frightened.
"Draco, don't make us do your plans. Not right now?" Blaise said mock frightened.
"What plans?" Lynette said.
"Look at his face, Lynn. The face of a plan!" Blaise replied.
"Ooh! What plan?" Lynette said excitingly. Ever the daredevil she is.
"Can the 2 of you help me do something?" I asked, the smile never losing its function.
"Sure, just name it!" Blaise said, the fright out of his face.
"I just realized that I can read minds. So I was wondering whether you would help me by letting me read your minds?" I said, hoping for them to agree.
To my luck, the 2 of them nodded.
"But how come you can read minds?" Lynette asked coolly.
"I don't know. I just found it out this morning."
"I see. Sure why not! What do you want us to do?" Blaise said.
"Think of something in your mind and let me read it. See whether it is correct or not," I pondered.
"Okay. I'm thinking of something now. Read!" Lynette said enthusiastically.
I concentrated my mind on Lynette's mind and sure enough, a voice came into my head. "Draco, you better tell us why you're doing this. I know that this is not simple. Something's bothering you, so you want to practice on us to find out something about something or someone. Tell me. You can trust Blaise too."
"I will Lynn. Soon. When I'm ready," I automatically answered back in my head.
Lynette's face was shocked. Well, it was an understatement. I do not know whether she was shocked about my mind-reading abilities or she was shocked that I won't tell them the reason behind me asking them to be practiced on. Either way, she's still shock.
Shrugging, I turned to Blaise and asked, "Ready?"
He nodded. "Yep."
"Then I'll read now." I focused my mind on Blaise's brain and then Blaise's voice came into my head.
"Do you think Pamela would go out with me for this Hogmeades weekend?"
I smiled warmly and answered back into his mind, "If you pull the right tactics, I'm sure."
After receiving my message, he smiled brightly and clapped me on my back. "Thanks dude! Oh, and good work."
"Yeah good work, but I find it a little slow. Can I practice more so that I can go faster at reading thoughts?" I said, hoping that they'll accept.
"Why not? But you have to tell us okay?" Lynette said.
I forced a slight smile on my face and said, "Soon Lynn. I will, just not now."
Lynette looked disappointed, but after a few seconds later, she smiled again. Forced or not, I do not know as Lynette has always masked her emotions well. Blaise noticed the reaction between Lynette, and me so he offered to go first.
"Okay." I said.
"Now listen closely. I'm going to try to hide my thoughts!" Blaise said feeling superior.
"Stop talking and think!" I said, already annoyed.
I urged myself to enter Blaise's mind faster and now only after around 5 seconds, the voice soon came into my mind. But it was softer than any other times, so I listened to it more closely and I was successful.
"Draco, should I say 'I love you' to Pamela during our date"
"No! Take your time. Do not scare her off! That was a very bad tactic. She'll run away before you could even say a 'Hi!' to her," I answered in the same way I did with them before this.
Blaise smiled a cocky smile before stepping back, allowing Lynette to come forward.
"Don't say anything and read," Lynette said with a hint of triumph and angriness.
So I read. "Draco, tell me. You know I can't stand you being so secretive every time. I hate it alright.please tell me."
Should I tell? I do not know. What would their reaction be when they find that I'm doing this just to read Granger's mind? They'll laugh and tease me about it. The thought of them teasing me about a mudblood leaving me embarrassed is way too much for me to handle. I hate it when people press me for things I do not want to disclose. I hate people ordering me around like they are the leader and whatnot. I know Lynette is innocent, but her inquisitive nature is making me very unbalanced. Lynette oh Lynette, stop asking. Just stop asking. Why can't you go just leave me alone? Yeah, just leave me alone.
I covered my face with my right hand and tried to wipe the sweat accumulating on my forehead and then looked up. I saw Blaise looking at me in utter shock and I asked him what happened. But I think that something made him speechless, unable to speak or move.
"What happened Blaise? Why are you staring at me in shock? What did I do?" I asked again and again, trying to get some movement from Blaise when he looked from myself to the door and back again. Then I realized Lynette was gone from our midst.
"What happened to Lynette?" I asked.
Only then Blaise gave a reaction. Though the reaction was a little large.
He suddenly came over and pulled me into a tight bear hug, muttering over and over again, "You can control minds, you can control minds!"
"What? I can control minds? You nuts?" I said disbelievingly.
Blaise released me form his suffocating hug before answering, "Yes you can. You know, I do not know what you did, but suddenly Lynette walked out from the common room. But I saw her eyes glazed over when you were reading her mind and then her eyes went back to normal before walking out. This is a pure sign that you can control minds!"
I raised an eyebrow in amazement before saying, "You're saying that I can control minds and I just controlled Lynn's mind?"
"Yes.yes!"
But did I think that I wanted her to move off? Oh yes I did. I wanted her to leave me alone, so obviously the thought went inside her head. Omigosh, I can read and control and answer minds. This is great. I can use all of this to look out for Granger. I can read her mind to see whether was she the one in the bathroom, and if it doesn't work, I can use plan B and control her mind to tell me whether it was she! Absolutely remarkable!
"Nice move Draco Malfoy," I said to myself. I then turned to Blaise and said, "Blaise, I hope this would be kept secret among the three of us. You can tell Lynette that I somehow managed to control her mind and also tell her to keep it a secret. If anyone else knows besides you two, I'd personally see to it that your heads are crushed. I need the rest of the night to process this new information. So goodnight."
"Goodnight Draco!" Blaise said happily before moving off to go back to the Slytherin boys' dorm. As Blaise walked just outside the portrait, I could hear him telling Lynette not to tell anyone else about my new abilities and the controlling of her mind.
I sat down on the couch nearest to the fire and started thinking. After a short while, Granger came down still in her clothes I've last seen her in.
"So are they gone?" Granger asked cautiously.
"Why do you bother?" I drawled back.
"Oh nothing!" she said back in a singsong voice.
"Up to see Potter this late in the night?" I said with both my eyebrows up.
"That's none of your business and no, I'm not seeing him. I just want to go to the kitchens."
"Oh really, and how would you know where to go? No one knows where the kitchen is except for those house-elves," I said.
"That's what you think. I do know where the kitchen is."
"You do?" I exclaimed out-loud.
Granger put both her hands on her hips and tilted it one side. An action that made my mouth goes dry. "You think I don't? Well, so sorry to disappoint you, but I do."
"Okay, do you mind me following you?" I asked, still trying to get my mouth moist again.
"You promise you won't do anything to me? No pranks, no insults?" She inquired.
"Yes," I replied. Plus maybe during this trip, with me close to her, I can get to know whether was it really she who was inside the bathroom.
"Come along, just don't tell anyone else about the route to it."
I stood up from the couch and started following Granger to where the kitchens were.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
Walking on the corridors of Hogwarts, I tried to use my powers on Hermione. First I tried to read her mind.
But to no avail. No matter how hard I try, I simply can't read her mind. Like there's something there to stop my mind from entering her mind. Whenever I try to read her mind, there's something like a force pushing me back, and when I disconnect my mind, the huge throbbing headache comes up. So throughout the whole journey to the kitchens, I had a big headache and I really needed a good hot milk latte to cool down my head.
Reaching a certain portrait, I saw a basket of fruits. Feeling irritated about how things progressed, I said annoyingly, "Why have we stop? I don't see any kitchen here and stop looking at the fruits! I need a milk latte soon!"
Granger gave me a glare before turning her head back to the portrait and reached out her hand, tickling the pear, which giggled before the whole portrait opened. She turned back to me smiling widely in triumph and stepped into where the door led to.
I followed also and saw the largest kitchen ever. Bigger than the kitchen at the Malfoy Manor. Rows and more rows of shelves, stoves and larders stood upon the hard stone ground. House elves scampering here and there with either washing equipment or cooking ingredients and utensils.
Suddenly, a house elf popped out from thin air and said, "Miss Hermione! Do you need anything? What can Dobby get for you? Tell Dobby and Dobby will send it immediately." But when Dobby looked at the person beside Hermione, he trembled and pointed his scrawny finger at me and said, "Master Draco! What is master Draco doing here? Dobby been very bad by leaving you, sorry Dobby say." He then faced the nearest wall and started banging his head repeatedly on it.
Granger shrieked before going over to where Dobby and tried pulling him away from the wall. When she couldn't she called me for help. Well, I pretended that I didn't care, but still all the same helped get Dobby off the wall. After a few pull here and there, we finally pried Dobby off the wall. But when Dobby looked almost ready to go back to the wall again, Granger looked at me earnestly and I sighed softly before saying to Dobby, "Dobby, you have no reason to punish yourself. You did not leave me alone with Lucius. You are still here serving Hogwarts and I'm grateful for it. For I now know that you are here living and healthy. Okay? Do you understand?"
"Dobby does master Draco! Dobby understands!" Dobby said jumping about in glee before facing the two of us again. "So what can Dobby get you all?"
"A hot cup of coffee with a plate of hot brownies?" Granger said nicely.
"A hot milk latte done in the usual style as I like Dobby. Do you still remember how it is done?" I said nicely. Hey, don't get me wrong. I'm not necessarily bad to all creatures. I'm exceptionally nice to house elves. Mother's teaching.
"Yes, Dobby remembers. Put lots and lots of sugar, then add a squeeze of lime and blend it until it froth!" he said excitingly, glad that he actually remembered how my favourite drink is being made into what I like. I smiled at him, "Now go!"
"Immediately sire!" was the response from Dobby.
I looked at Granger and saw her looking at me in a very funny way. Wondering what is wrong with her, I said, "What are you looking at? I know I'm handsome and wealthy, but you don't have to give me that longing look." Granger rolled her eyes for a second and I smirked.
"Oh nothing," she then turned away from me with a small smile. She then added thoughtfully, "I didn't know that you are nice to Dobby. I thought you were the one who made Dobby so afraid of your family until he wanted freedom. Not much house elves wants freedom, so it's an astonishing thing that a house elf wants freedom."
"Well Granger, I'm not that bad to Dobby and other house elves in my house. And don't give me the sarcastic look. Mother teaches me to be a gentleman, and mother loves house elves a lot that she doesn't even want them to lift a finger on themselves," I said. But I added silently, and because of that, she gets beaten every now and then from father.
"Okay.but what do you mean that Dobby didn't leave you alone with Lu.ahem! Your Father?" Granger asked curiously.
"It's a long story, but I can give you the details. Dobby was my personal house elf. But Lucius still owns him and he has always been 'something'. so when Dobby left, Lucius gave me quite the scolding about certain things and so on."
"Oh." responded Granger, before Dobby came back with our snacks.
The both of us thanked Dobby before moving back to our common room in silence.
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Hermione's POV [A/N: A very short one.]:
I am so surprised that Malfoy was nice to Dobby. I have always thought that he can't even say a proper hi to a house elf.
I also wonder what the 'something' meant when he told me about Dobby, Lucius and himself. Maybe it is 'violent' or 'ruthless'? I know it wouldn't be something good. How, I do not know.
But there's still something troubling me. Just now, when I was walking on the corridors turning to the kitchen corridor, I suddenly felt something in my head. Like there's a minor pushing sensation in there, repelling whatever it is attacking. I do not know what it is, and I hope I would soon know. But for now, I'm so sleepy and I wish to sleep. Goodnight.
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Harry's POV:
Man I feel so sleepy. Being a prefect has cut me off from my sleep always on the first day of school. I need to do this and do that, and then always a first year would come up and ask you for help. You have no choice but to help them or you'll get punished by other prefects during the next prefects meeting. I wonder who was the idiot who made this rule up. I wish that I could kill that person. Argh!
Anyway, I'm already inside the 7th year prefects' common room. It's going to be very different without Hermione here. I'm so glad Malfoy went away. I can't think of living with him one more year. He drives me nuts year by year. I feel sorry for Hermione. She got to stick with him for one whole school year before she is free to do what she wants. Haha.
I hope no one would come to me for help until tomorrow morning. I also hope that I can wake up by seven o'clock tomorrow, or I'm going to be late for Potions! I can't believe it! Almost every year starts with having Potions as the first subject every early morning. Having Potions ruins even our joyous mood. McGonagall must be keen in having Gryffindor Slytherin relationships as all Potion classes are with Slytherin.
I climbed up the dividing stairs to my bedroom and then undressed, putting on my nightshirt. I sat on the edge of my comfy bed, relishing the memories of what happened in the Great Hall today.
How did Ginny do that? I'm so sure that it was her who controlled the temperature, airflow and water. When I told her to reverse the process to get it back to normal, she did it and it happened. Snap! Just like that. I wonder whether she has any connections to me having an increased sensitivity on my 5 senses. Maybe I should tell this to Dumbledore. Or not? He should know at least a little bit of this. At least I hope he does.
Maybe Hermione would know something about this. We could check out the library or something like that. I better confront Ginny and Hermione about this. Should I tell Ron about this? I think so yes. I should, but I'm also scared that he may feel kind of left out. I could use him for my help or something to not make him feel bad. But what? Oh yes, I could ask him to pour over books. Another helping hand is better than none. Good, I hope I solved bit of the trouble in my head, now I better get some rest or I'm done for tomorrow.
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A/N: Hey hey!!!! I'm finally done..actually I broke this chapter into 2 parts for it is very long.anyway.pls review.it isn't hard to just click on the button below and write a few words??? Please? *Gets down on both knees and kowtow.pleading.*