I'm back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have missed writing this fanfic but I had to do my term paper and I have exams next week so I thought why not get it done now? Well I hope you guys like this chapter. To tell you the truth, not much happens. If I am going too slow PLEASE tell me. don't wanna bore y'all
Disclaimer: here we go again I do not own harry potter I do own the ugly paul frank flip flops i'm wearing right now (my friend was kind enough to remind me that "they have seen better days") oh well
Almost immediately following the Malfoy incident, Hermione was called to the Head compartment to have a meeting with Professors McGonagall and Snape. Hermione felt a bit nervous, not just because she was having a meeting with two respected teachers, but because she would have to see Malfoy. She had also never seen any teachers on the Hogwarts express before, save Professor Lupin and he had only been on the train because he was new.
Fortunately Hermione got to the compartment before Malfoy, so she didn't have to feel uncomfortable right away. After about 10 minutes of small talk with Prof. McGonagall and dark flares from Prof. Snape, Draco came in. he still looked slightly disheveled, but at least he was wearing clothes.
"Ah, how nice of you to join us, Mr. Malfoy" Prof. McGonagall said with a hint of annoyance in her voice.
"Sorry, Professor" Draco growled while sitting down, trying to get as far away from Hermione as he possibly could.
"So, first off, I would like to congratulate you both on being chosen as Head boy and girl for this school year. It is a highly honored position, which you both are very fortunate to have. A lot of thought went into this pairing. We know that your history has been a bit…shaky, but we hope as you are both of age now, that your differences can be forgotten." Prof. McGonagall said. It sounded more like an order than a mere hope.
All Draco and Hermione could do was nod. But they both knew that the line between Slytherin and Gryffindor could and never would be crossed.
"Well, that being settled, I guess I shall fill you in on your duties. You two must patrol each house floor every other weekday night…together." Prof. McGonagall added, knowing that Draco and Hermione would do everything in their power to stay away from one another.
"Secondly," Prof. McGonagall continued, "You must help organize the Yule Ball and the Quidditch Parties."
"What?!" Hermione and Draco shouted together.
"Oh, didn't I tell you?" Prof. McGonagall asked.
Once again, Hermione and Draco found themselves unable to speak and shaking their heads.
"This year the Headmaster has decided that the Yule Ball should not just be a Triwizard Tournament. It will be held during Christmas Holidays and all years are welcome. The ball was magnificent three years ago, but we have decided not to hold the tournament again due to Cedric's death. Also, this year we have decided that following each Quidditch match, there will be a party in honor of the winning team. The hall will also be decorated in the winning house's colors. Since some houses have never won the house cup, we thought it would be nice to give them a chance to see their colors in the Great Hall. We also are having the parties since we've had problems in the past with…partying after hours. And, the other professors and I have decided that we should all celebrate the match together!" Prof. McGonagall said with excitement.
Hermione tried to imagine it. In her imagination, Gryffindor was obviously the victor and Slytherin was the loser. She could already hear Harry and Draco fighting.
"But, professor, "Hermione said somewhat meekly, "What about house rivalries? Fights are certain to break out?"
'Good God, Granger' thought Draco, 'Even the simplest parties must be explained in great detail' He couldn't help but notice how different Hermione was when she was around a teacher from when she was around him. Around Prof. McGonagall, she was timid and respectful, but around him, she was a know-it-all Mudblood who wasn't worth his time.
"Stupid Mudblood"
"What was that, Mr. Malfoy?" Prof. McGonagall asked.
"What? Oh nothing." Draco stammered; he hadn't meant to say it aloud.
Unfortunately for him, Hermione wasn't fooled. She knew exactly what he had said and who he was referring to. She gave him a death glare and decided to finish listening to Prof. McGonagall.
"Ah, yes Hermione" Prof. McGonagall said to her star student. "We have put into account the house…differences and the necessary precautions are being taken into effect."
Seeing that Hermione wasn't satisfied, Prof. McGonagall continued.
"We have put up special wards in the Great Hall, so if ever a fight becomes too heated, the heads of the houses involved will be alerted at once to prevent any severe or permanent damage."
"Thank you, Prof. McGonagall. Are there any other duties that…Malfoy and I are supposed to attend to?" Hermione asked her head of house sweetly.
"Not really, just the obvious things. Give detentions and deduct points as needed, and the like, I trust you both to be responsible enough to make these decisions wisely." Prof. McGonagall explained. "Anything you'd like to add, Severus?"
"No Minerva, I believed you've covered it," said Snape grouchily. "But if this meeting is quite finished, I would like a word with Mr. Malfoy" Snape said in the same exact tone as before.
"Very well, Severus. Hermione you are excused. I will go patrol the corridors." Prof. McGonagall said politely.
Hermione quietly stepped out, exchanging goodbyes with Prof. McGonagall and respectfully nodding to Professor Snape. She refused to say goodbye to him, for he was rarely even that civil with her, and she was still very stubborn.
As Hermione wandered back to her compartment she couldn't help but think about what Malfoy and Snape were talking about. True, Snape was the head of Slytherin house, but it seemed that whatever he had to say was rather important. Hermione also couldn't figure out why Prof. McGonagall would patrol the corridor. That job was usually reserved for prefects and the Head Boy and Girl.
Then it dawned on her.
The Ball, the parties, the professors on the train, everything. It all made sense. Dumbledore was trying to keep all the students at Hogwarts during Christmas Holidays, he didn't want too many students in one place, with no supervision, and he didn't wan the train to be attacked.
The threat of Voldemort attacking was rising. She remembered how the Dementors raided the train in her third year in search of Sirius Black, and with their true leader coming into power; they would be very hard to control. She figured that's why both Prof. McGonagall and Prof. Snape were on the train. They could make it look like they were only there to explain duties to their Head Students, but they were two of the most powerful wizards at Hogwarts who could both produce powerful patronuses.
As soon as Hermione lost herself completely in her theories, she was pulled into a compartment suddenly. She thought it might be Harry looking for some alone time. She was filled with girlish excitement. Once she turned around to kiss him, her excitement was replaced with…
Fear.