Chapter 5: The Dormitories
Disclaimer: Do I really need to say it? See the previous 4 chapters!
Setting: their dorms, duh, look at the chapter title!
Thx to Shmeg and Kiara for all the helps!
Warning: Tom Riddles Diary comes into play in this chapter, pretend it was never destroyed! Its my way to create conversation for Draco, as well as get a look inside his head.
"What's wrong with me? I never used to be like this before with him, heck I even slapped him in third year, now all of a sudden I can't even look at him!" Hermione sighed as she made her way up the stone steps to her new dorm. Once she reached her new room she collapsed on the bed in a mess. She needed time to think about what had just happened down in the hall. She couldn't help hearing his voice over and over again in her head, as though his voice had become her thoughts. She nearly felt herself begin to doze when Parvati and Lavender came chattering into the dorm room. Hermione snapped awake and groaned as she lifted herself upright.
"Hey Parvati, I have to show you my new dress robes they are brill-" Lavender stopped, catching a glimpse of a rather annoyed-looking Hermione. "Oh. Hey Hermione, are you okay? You seemed distraught when you left dinner," she stated. She had that annoying look that Hermione detested, a worried-busybody look.
"Yeah, you have been out of it all evening," stated Parvati, in a matter-of-fact tone.
"I'm fine. first day stresses, you know, it's nothing to be worried about." Parvati didn't seem really interested at all and soon changed the subject.
"Hey Lavender look at this brilliant new nail varnish my mother bought for me," she held up a miniature bottle with a tie-dyed liquid swirling around inside of it, it was supposed to make ones nails look perfectly tie-dyed when applied. Hermione wasn't much interested. Actually, she seemed quite relieved to have focus off of her. But not for long. They soon noticed Hermione's exasperated expression and set out on the mission of cheering her up. "Hermione! Let me do your nails, they are in such desperate need! I mean look at them! So plain and not even filed! How do you live like that?" she exclaimed, as though this were a life or death situation. Hermione rolled her eyes and jumped from the bed, and began to sift through her trunk for something to change into.
"No thank you Parvati, I manage," she said drolly. She tried to force a smile, although it came out more like a grimace.
"Oh Parvati do something about her hair too!" exclaimed Lavender, who seemed to get happier by the minute. "She looks even more frazzled than usual, and paler. Hermione I thought you said you got color over the summer!"
"My hair is just fine, thank you very much," stated Hermione, who really didn't care what anyone thought of her outward appearance at the moment. All she cared about was calming down.
"Oh Hermione, be a dear and let me use this new potion I bought" advertised Parvati. "It will get rid of all the frizz in that mop you call hair," she giggled.
"that stuff works wonders... or it can singe off all your hair, and not all necessarily on your head" Lavender giggled obnoxiously as the other two looked at her in disgust. "just kidding, you really just need to use it right" she corrected. Hermione sighed.
"I don't know how you two manage it, perky twenty four seven, and why? it's not like there's anyone here to impress," suddenly, a pair of storm gray eyes came to mind, and she quickly shook herself of the thought.
"well, we do our best, don't we, lav?" Lavender nodded her head solemnly. "Besides, we have all the most popular guys after us. who wouldn't be perky if they had what we have?" stated Parvati.
"Yeah, and there are some fine guys in our year this year, especially all those Slytherin badboys. Have you seen that Draco?" Hermione went rigid at the sound of his name. The other girls didn't notice. "So bad, yet so fine!" exclaimed Lavender.
"I'm getting bored fancying those Beauxbaton guys, maybe I should dump them and go for Draco, I mean he is so delicious, if he would ever date a Gryffindor. I mean, look at those eyes, though his body isn't bad!" Parvati spoke very quickly, as a very tense, rigid Hermione sat back down on her bed and tried to slowly draw the curtains on her four poster. Just her luck proved that it didn't work.
"How about you Hermione, who do you fancy?" squealed Lavender.
"Yeah Hermione! Spill! Who is the lucky plunker?" giggled Parvati. Hermione tried to protest that she didn't attract 'plunkers' but that would mean that she liked someone, and thought it better not to argue at all. She began to be afraid as those eyes drifted into mental view once more.
"I don't much fancy anyone really," she stated. "And how can you like Draco? I mean, he is such a slimy git!" big mistake using first names. Hermione blushed as she heard his voice in her mind. 'You won't make me go, will you HERMIONE?'
"Oh, Draco now, is it?" Lavender smiled. "No matter, anyway, it doesn't matter how he acts, its how he looks! You must have noticed how toned he became over the summer holidays!"
"And bad boys are so hot anyway! To have a handle on a wild thing such as Malfoy is to be Queen!" said Parvati. Hermione laughed at the thought of pale Malfoy in a leather Jacket and biker pants standing in front of a Ducati. Now that was a funny sight.
"Whatever, you girls no best," said Hermione, sarcastically giving in to their obsessions. 'Let them chatter on,' she thought. 'As long as it doesn't have to do with me. Maybe they will shutup.' Of course she had no such luck.
"That's right, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise," said Lavender, doing some sort of girly handshake with Parvati. "Hey, we should set Hermione up with that guy you know Parvati!" Lavender had a very sly look as she switched her gaze to Hermione. "You know, since she doesn't quite fancy anyone just now." Parvati giggled. She knew exactly who Lavender was talking about. Mr. Potter himself.
"They would look so cute together," she replied, knowing exactly who Lavender was talking about. "Oh he is just right, and they would get along so well!" She tried her best not to give it away, she knew full well that they already get along quite nicely, and that Harry fancied Hermione in the most desperate way.
"Who? What are you talking about?" inquired Hermione, quite puzzled. The plan of confusion was working. "And just because I don't fancy anyone doesn't mean I want to be set up! I am perfectly content as is, thank you anyway." she said, with indignation as opposed to gratitude. The other two ignored this protest and just kept on their path of confusion.
"Oh he is just a classmate though, you must guess!" said Parvati. Hermione did not let her protest be cast aside lightly.
"I'm not guessing and I'm not letting you two set me up! I'm happy being single, I have too much work anyway, I have no time for a relationship," she looked down as she talked of her work. Partially because Mr. Malfoy had come into full mental view. Parvati and Pansy argued this to no end, saying that she always had too much work. "You would be busy too if you had piles of work AND had to save Harry Potter from getting himself killed!"
"That's only once a year! It's as reliable as Christmas! The previous months are totally available!" protested Parvati. "hey, not your fault He-who-must-not-be-named is out to get him... you are a good friend for protecting him but it isn't your responsibility." She stated this as though saving Harry was a mere assignment from Professor McGonagall due on Monday.
"Hermione, we are setting you up if you like it or not!" stated Parvati. Lavender nodded in agreement."Might as well just deal with it Hermione. Hey Lavender! Let's go see Professor Trelawney! We haven't seen her yet!" said Parvati, calling after her disappearing friend. Hermione groaned.
"Fine, Just FINE!" she yelled in aggravation. She grabbed a pair of pajamas from her trunk and closed the drapes on her four poster to get changed. She merely wanted to sleep away her frustrated thoughts of the girls, and the storm gray eyes.
Draco Malfoy flopped down on the couch in the Slytherin common room after dinner that evening. He sighed in content. "Another tantalizing day," he said, and rolled his eyes. "she was so scared... it was excellent... strange, she always seems so strong, maybe its just the books and the bushy hair that adds to her girth…" he thought to himself, though he didn't feel the pleasure he usually did in thinking these thoughts. He noticed he was the only one in the common room as he propped himself up on some moss colored throw pillows. Suddenly, Draco's quidditch captain Marcus Flint came storming into the room.
"Malfoy, there you are," said Flint, spotting Draco as he scanned the room. "We need to talk about the upcoming quidditch season," he said sternly. Malfoy groaned, sitting up to face Flint.
"Yeah? What about it?" Flint picked a trinket up off of the table separating them and examined it as he spoke.
"We need to practice twice as much as last year," he said, tightening his grip on the object. "I will not take losing to Gryffindor AGAIN!" his eyes filled with rage and the threw the trinket at the wall. Draco winced from the sudden action. His face tensed as an image of losing to one Harry Potter came to mind. "That's only for the regular team though," Flint resumed speaking. "You and I are going to have private flying sessions as often as possible." Another groan escaped from Draco's throat.
"What for?!" He said in protest. "I do just fine, its that Saint Potter and his damned broom!" Draco really didn't feel like spending his weekends this school year catching snitches left and right and being pelted by bludgers. He felt it would ruin the game for him. Suddenly, a shrill, singsong voice pierced the air calling Draco's name from the passageway into the common room. "Oh No…" said Malfoy, lying down and putting a pillow over his face in exasperation.
"Pansy, if you don't mind, Malfoy and I are trying to have an intelligent conversation," said Marcus Flint, rolling his eyes. Pansy ignored Flint's comment. She glided over to Draco, beaming wildly.
"come here I have something to show you," she grabbed Malfoy's arm roughly and dragged him off to the side, next to the fireplace. Flint called after him, but Malfoy could only make out a simple 'we'll talk later' coming from his direction. Draco ripped his arm from Pansy's grip.
"What do you want from me?" he drawled.
"Look silly!" Pansy squealed, holding out a black book in her gaudy manicured hands. She used her spare hand to reach for Draco's hand, but he ripped his hand out of hers, breaking one of her nails. "Ow, why you… I mean… Ow, Draco, that hurt me," she said, pouting.
"Oops," said Draco sarcastically, brushing a stray blonde hair out of his face. He eventually noticed the book in Pansy's outstretched hand, and pointed to it. "What IS that anyway?"
"it's a diary, you silly boy! I found er… bought it last week, and thought you would like it," she stated, still trying to hold Draco's hand. He snatched the book away quickly and dropped it on the hearth of the fireplace.
"Do I look like the sensitive creative type?!" There was a quizzical and bizarre look on Draco's face, and a horrorstruck look on Pansy's. Draco really didn't want a scene. "Whatever," he said, trying to keep Pansy from bawling. "Thanks I guess Pansy. Hey look…" Draco pointed to a group of chittering girls, who Draco knew to be Pansy's crew, and hissed in Pansy's ear, talking from behind her when she turned to look. "Don't you wonder what they are talking about? Go to them, Parkinson, they are talking about you…" Draco saw Pansy's eyes go big, as she walked briskly from Draco, without a glance back at him. He heard her say 'Hey! You! Yeah, what are you talking about?' Satisfied, Malfoy grabbed the diary Pansy gave him and walked up to his dormitory.
Having changed into his pajamas, Draco couldn't help staring at the black diary on his night table. He grabbed a quill out of his trunk and propped up some pillows on his bed and sat down. He picked up the diary, propped it up on his knee, opened it to the first page, and wrote.
'Gods, Pansy is such a twit.' Draco chuckled. Suddenly, something took him by surprise.
'Pansy? Has she been bothering you?" scrawled itself across the page, directly beneath Draco's handwriting.
"WHOA!" Draco yelled, flinging the diary down to the floor, staring at it in horror. "What in the blazes…." he stared at the diary and then picked it up as carefully as though it had a contagious virus. He examined the writing below his. "Oh Gods," he muttered. 'Riddle? Is that you?' he scrawled in the diary.
'Who's asking?'
'It's Malfoy, the youngling, as you so called me," replied Draco.
'Ah Draco, yes, how have you been my boy?'
'What happened to you? I though the golden one destroyed this thing.'
'Have you forgotten who I am?' scrawled Riddle's handwriting. 'I cannot be defeated by a mere mortal, let alone Potter.'
'I like to hear that, sadly, I'm not completely invincible, according to Flint,' wrote Draco, a disappointed expression on his face.
'Oh you would wouldn't you...Still getting beaten by Potter at quidditch I see...
tsk tsk..Gryffindor beating a Slytherin...I doubt your father is happy about that,' Draco rolled his eyes.
'Great, don't waste energy rubbing it in.'
'Oh I won't, I consider it quite relaxing actually.'
' very funny riddle. You sure Dumbledore doesn't know you're here, or any of the busybodies? how did you get here this time?'
'If he did do you think he'd be allowing me to float around Able to fall into the possession of another dimwitted student, such as last time?' Draco knew he had a point. 'How I got here is my concern, not yours....now, indulge me...how did I fall into your possession, dearest Draco?'
'Pansy Parkinson's Disease,' Draco laughed at his lame joke.
'Well do remember to thank her...Moving on, why were you even bothering to write in this? You obviously didn't know that it was me and you don't seem like the diary type...or is that another well kept secret, Drake?' Draco thought hard.
'I'm bored out of my mind, sod off the criticism would you?'
'I shall choose to ignore that. Why were you writing here? You obviously had a purpose,' Hermione's face came to mind, and Draco became horrified.
'In order to remember some things, I didn't know the ink would disappear, your going to like being my personal timetable riddle,' Draco tried his best to appear strong.
'What things do you need to remember? Your name is written on your underwear...you needn't write it here to remember it...I wouldn't tell you anyway, of coarse,' Draco imagined that if Tom Riddle had been in human form, he would be grinning maliciously from ear to ear. He took a deep breath, and resumed writing.
'It's frizzled golden girl Granger. I made her life hell today and I wanted to remember the delicious tormenting hell I gave her,' a sickening guilt rose in the pit of his stomach, that he instantly tried to stomp out.
'Ah...do tell'
'I stared her down and she got all freaked out and stuff,' he scrawled.
'Is that all you did? Seems strange for her...mind you I'm only going off what I was told by the Weasley girl,'
'Well what did the youngest blemish on the bum of society have to say for herself?' another lame joke on his part.
'Touché. Points for that one, Draco. Do you expect that I truly paid attention? I just recall her mentioning that the mudblood had a backbone,Though from what you're telling me it seems as though she doesn't have one at all,'
'no I actually think she does, I just creeped her out... she doesn't seem to like my eye contact, its like I can see into her soul, and obviously that bugs her,'
'Obviously...Continue doing it… I'd enjoy hearing more about her reactions to you…' Tom's writing scrawled. Yeah, so would I, Draco thought. 'Did you do anything else to her?'
'Not to her, to her friends," Draco wrote. 'I ticked off Potter to no end, which was fun. I think he loves her.'
'Well well well...isn't that sweet...excuse me while I gag. Still, gives you the upper hand - knowing where his heart lies is valuable information - I don't want to hear of you not using it to your advantage.'
"Not the only advantage…" thought Malfoy. 'Don't worry, the thought has crossed my mind' He replied.
'Any plans going into action any time soon?'
'still working them out, but I think I have a plan…' this was true, Draco did have a plan, but he was hoping Riddle wouldn't ask.
'Do tell,' Draco had no such luck. He sighed.
'Okay, here it goes…'
FINALLY! The chapter is over! It only took me 4 days to write! Please read and review! It is just some background info as to their thoughts. Thank you everyone for your excellent reviews! I have a title for the next chapter that only my beta knows! And no, I'm not telling you but I PROMISE it's good! Keep reading! It's worth it! Thank you Beta and Gamma! Keara and Shmeg! Love you guys!