Title – Black Blood
Author – Akasha (crazygirl8639467aol.com)
Pairing(s) – Harry/OC, Ron/Hermione, Draco/Pansy, implied Draco/Snape
Disclaimer – Alas I own nothing, least of all the rights to the characters of this story.
Rating – R
Summary –In response to SilverFireFox's 'new girl 'challenge on AA.net.
Secrets and lies abound when a new arrival at Hogwarts catches the attention of one Golden Boy, it's only natural that the Potter Fan Club won't be happy with said new girl.
Categories – romance/humour
Feedback – Sure, why not.
The head girl of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry sat stiffly on a chair in the Headmasters office.
Tucking a strand of frizzy hair behind her ear, she glared across the room at the blonde haired head boy who looked positively bored.
"Granger, please stop looking at me, I fear I might catch something"
"Oh do shut up Malfoy" she growled, turned her attention to the abandoned desk of the headmaster. They had both been called up straight after supper and after a few growled insults had concluded that neither knew anything about the situation. Hermione had regretted leaving her friends on only the second night following the end of the summer, but had hurried up regardless. Only to be led into an empty office by the deputy-headmistress. Hermione was about to say something when a cheerful voice spoke from behind them,
"Ah Mister Malfoy, Miss Granger," the Headmaster strode into the room and sat as his desk, lifting up a bowl of sweets and offering them to the students, Draco shook his head distastefully scowling at the Slytherin, Hermione politely refused. "I apologise for my absence, I didn't expect you to make it so soon," Albus Dumbledore explained, a smile playing at his withered lips. "Now" he rested the sweets back down to the desk, "the reason you're here", as soon as he said this the doors to his office opened and in walked Severus Snape, closely followed by a blonde haired girl.
Hermione decided that the girl could be no more than her own age.
Her hair was light blonde, merely a few shades darker than Malfoy's platinum blonde locks. From her sitting position, Hermione judged that she was perhaps her height. Her eyes were brown, seemingly darker because of her light hair. Framed by elegantly sculpted eyebrows. Her skin was barely tanned, not quite as pale as her own was, but coloured with a natural tone rather than the result of time in the sun.
"Please have a seat" Dumbledore waved his hand at the exaggerated space between his head students and a seat appeared. The girl stepped shyly forward and sat tentatively on the seat. Hermione kept her eyes on the girl but Malfoy was eyeing his head of house with suspicion.
The potions master moved to the other side of Dumbledore's desk and stood menacingly, raising an eyebrow at his favoured student.
"Headmaster?" Hermione started but Dumbledore raised his hand to stop her, his eyes twinkled at the girl,
"I'd like to introduce, Mercedes Lonardí" Malfoy nodded politely towards the newly identified girl, but was seemingly more interested in playing with his fingernails. Hermione rolled her eyes in disapproval. She smiled at Mercedes who smiled gently back. "Miss Lonardí has just transferred from Beauxbatons" Hermione nodded, ashamed of herself for not drawing that conclusion from the girls pale blue robes.
"As I'm sure you're aware" Snape leered, Hermione cringed "transferred students are saved the embarrassment-"
"Now Severus, I would hardly describe being sorted as an embarrassment," Dumbledore grinned, Hermione smiled gently at the beloved headmaster. The Potions Master 'hmphed' but said nothing else, "Miss Lonardí will be sorted here tonight," Mercedes' head snapped up to look at the old man,
"Sorted?" she repeated, Hermione noted a faint French accent behind her words,
"Yes my dear, it is a process that will decide which house you will spend your year with us in."
"Oh, I see" she went back to looking at the floor, Hermione's sympathy went out to the girl, it must be terrible to have to leave a school that you had grown to know and love and then to be placed in a completely strange environment. Hermione had no idea how she would cope if she'd ever have to leave Harry and Ron.
At that point in time Severus Snape handed to sorting hat to the Headmaster, who stood and walked around his desk. Mercedes watched them, confused and Hermione offered her what she hoped to be an encouraging smile.
As Dumbledore placed the large, black, pointed hat on the head of the new student Hermione cast a look towards Malfoy, he was rolling his eyes and leaning back dangerously on his chair, so only two legs were on the floor. Hermione wondered if it would set a terribly bad example to the new student if she where to give Malfoy a little push and watch him land on his arse.
When she brought her eyes back up to look at Mercedes, she already had the hat on her hair and was looking rather pale.
"Is something supposed to 'appen?" Hermione noticed the girls accent crack slightly, noting that nerves must bring it out more. She stored it away in her memory for future reference.
"Be patient Miss Lonardí" Dumbledore twinkled again. Hermione was not at all surprised when the hat called out 'Gryfindor' and one look to the Headmaster told her that neither was he. Malfoy rolled his eyes at Snape who merely looked upon the situation deadpanned. Mercedes was looking between them all anxiously.
"Then I believe Gryfindor will be your new family for the year" Dumbledore smiled, taking the hat off her head and placing it on the desk. "Miss Granger, I place her in your capable hands," he smiled, looking down towards the head girl who nodded, "Remain with her Miss Lonardí and I assure you, you'll be fine" with that Dumbledore waved his hand in the air and the doors to his office opened. Malfoy stood followed his head of house out without even being excused. Dumbledore smiled at the two girls,
"Now Miss Granger, I hate to cut this meeting short but I have pressing business that I must attend to. I trust you will show Miss Lonardí to her dorms" when Hermione nodded gently, he smiled. "I'll bid you good evening then."
Standing Hermione walked to the door, glancing over her shoulder when she was halfway there to make sure her charge was following her.
She was.
They walked down the twisting staircase in silence. Hermione was not quite sure how to start a conversation with a girl she didn't know. She decided to stick to safe topics until she found out the newly instated Gryfindor's views on things.
"So, why did you leave Beauxbatons?" she asked tenderly, stepping out passed the gargoyle and slowing down to walk side-by-side with the student.
"Family reasons" Mercedes explained, her accent back under control. Hermione pondered that when she was calm the accent could almost be missed. After a moment passed without Hermione's comment she continued "my mother" (the 'er' rolled off her tongue laden with the French accent, Hermione almost smiled, 'okay' she thought to herself 'it couldn't be missed.) "was killed this summer, my father did not wish to stay in France. 'E did not grow up there."
"I'm sorry" Hermione added, feeling bad for breaching the subject,
"It's okay" she smiled, Hermione noticed she had a very beautiful smile. Not a smile that would make boys knee's buckle like Fleur Declour's but a smile that would brighten your mood. Hermione guessed that it was caused more from relief that she was actually talking to somebody. "So, you been here a long time,"
"Yes, it's my seventh year" Hermione smiled, rounding a corner that lead them to the main hall, Mercedes looked around,
"And you are a," Mercedes paused trying to remember "Griffin-" she paused again, warmed Hermione chuckled,
"A Gryfindor? Yes."
"I see,"
"So have you already decided what classes you're taking?" the head girl asked, pulling the French girl onto the first set of moving stairs before it swirled around. Mercedes looked slightly befuddled by the moving stairs,
"Oui, I mean yes" she grinned sheepishly, "Headmistress Maxime said that the subjects are more or less same in both schools. I will have to find a replacement subject for French 'istoy but Professor Dumbledore said 'e would give me a week", nodding Hermione continued her journey up to the Gryfindor common room.
"That sounds fair – if there's anything you don't understand in classes or haven't covered, I'd be happy to help" Hermione, offered warmly. Standing outside the portrait the fat woman looked cheerfully at them.
"Now, this is the entrance to the common room, the dorms lead from there. The password for now is 'Pechos', luckily" Hermione sighed at the immaturity of her housemates "it changes regularly. When it's going to change the fat lady here, she'll tell you."
Nodding Mercedes smiled at the portrait, "Good evening" she said politely, the fat lady grinned and repeated the same in greeting to the new witch. Swinging open Hermione and Mercedes stepped in.
Mercedes looked around in awe, there was a burning fire and plenty of overstuffed chairs. In one of them sat Ron Weasley.
"'Mione, it's about time you came back. You missed a great- " he stopped when he saw Mercedes, "Oh, hullo" he beamed, Hermione introduced him,
"This is Ron Weasley, my boyfriend"
"Bonjour" Mercedes cringed before the word was even fully out "sorry, this whole English thing may take me a while to get used to." Ron looked between the two girls,
"This is Mercedes" Hermione explained, "she just transferred from Beauxbatons. She's in Gryfindor,"
"Yeah I guess that-" Ron scoffed at his girlfriend, "but-"
"I'll come up and see you and Harry in a minute, I have to show her to her dorms" and without another word Hermione guided Mercedes up the stairs and into the mysterious area that was the girls dorms.
Ron ran up to his own room two steps at a time, he ran into the room sending the door flying open, his cheeks flushed he looked between Seamus, Dean, Neville and Harry,
"Herm back?" Seamus asked, from his cross-legged position on Ron's bed,
"He looks a bit flushed, so obviously" Dean sniggered,
"There's a new girl" Ron broke in, the four boys ears perked up,
"Really? I didn't know Hogwarts got new students.." Harry added,
"What's she look like?" Neville asked, tilting his head slightly to the side,
"Well, she's a seventh year from what I could tell. She's French, from Beauxbatons" Ron paused to take in a breath, he stepped forward and grinned at the lads, "and she's got the huge t-"
"Ronald Weasley!" came the shrill voice from the door, all five boys looked and saw a rather annoyed head girl, hands on hips, glaring at her boyfriend.
-Notes-
Okay, feedback would be nice. I refuse to beg whistles innocently. This is my first foray into Het so I'm rather intimidated by the whole thing. It feels strange wandering to far from my usual slash-orientated readers. You will never know how hard it was for me not to have Draco pounce on Snape......
Anyways, I hope you liked it.
Please begs review!
This is only the prologue, support would be nice.
I know challenges are supposed to be one-off replies, but I thought I'd take the challenge and weave it into a plot-line.
Lot's of wonderful het goodness to come....
Akasha xxxx