A/n: huge thank you to my reviewers, you guys rock!! On with the story.
Chapter 2:
"Welcome, welcome to another school year" Albus Dumbledore announced cheerfully
Too cheerful for some.
"As much as I like this place, I wish we didn't have so many lessons" Ron moaned.
"I don't see how you two cannot be the least bit interested in learning new things" Hermione almost scolded.
"Its not that we don't like learning new things, it's the masses of homework that accompanies the new things" Harry stated
"But that's part of the learning" Hermione countered
"You'd think that after five years she'd realise we are never going to be the studying type" Ron added
Harry smiled whilst Hermione gave a small huff in her seat. Mean while over at the Slytherin table a certain blond haired boy was continuing his bad mood.
"Why does everyone have to be so damned cheerful" Draco snapped at Blaise
"I see someone still hasn't got on the right side of their broomstick" Blaise commented back.
Draco just huffed in his chair. As he scanned the room he noticed a certain wavy haired Gryffindor also huffing in her seat.
"At least I'm not the only one having a strop" he thought "even if the other person is a mudblood".
After the feast had finished Dumbledore made an announcement for the head boy and girl and the senior prefects to stay behind for a quick talk.
The four senior prefects, who included Padma Patil from Ravenclaw and Ernie Macmillan from Hufflepuff along with Hermione and Draco, stayed behind with the head boy, Jordan Rees from Gryffindor and head girl Jenna Wyatt from Ravenclaw. Dumbledore congratulated the two seventh years on becoming head boy and girl then dropped the first bombshell of the year – a dorm and common room just for the four prefects near the heads dorm. They all just smiled and nodded.
"Now for the next order of business" Dumbledore continued with a sparkle in his eye, "we will be holding a Halloween ball for the fourth years and up. I will leave the decoration and such to you all"
This was met with a bit more enthusiasm. Then came possibly the worst bombshell.
"Oh, one final thing" Dumbledore added "you will attend the ball with a fellow prefect, thank you"
Hermione and Draco had similar looks of terror on their faces as they had both noticed the closeness between Padma and Ernie and him asking her to the ball.
"Oh no" Hermione thought "if their going together and naturally Jordan and Jenna will go together as the heads, then that leaves... him. This cannot be happening"
Hermione dared to glance at the prince of Slytherin who judging by the look on his face had reached the same conclusion as herself.
"Why me?" he groaned silently "why do I have to go with the bloody mudblood!"
They were both ripped out of their troublesome thoughts by Jordan announcing the location of the prefect dorm.
"Guys" Jenna added "your password is twilight whisper. Oh and Draco, Hermione please try to get along or at least try not to hex or kill each other"
She said this as she saw the daggers glared between the two rivals. Jenna shook her head
"See you Monday morning for timetables".
The four prefects made their way to their new dorms which turned out to be a fair size, each having their own ensuite and balcony. The order of the rooms in the opinion of Draco and Hermione had been done purely to spite them. Draco's room was upstairs left, next was Hermione's. Padma's room was next, but the girls' rooms were separated by a landing that had a small sofa in the centre. Ernie's room was next to Padmas.
A little while later, after unpacking Padma and Ernie were sitting in front of a fire talking whilst Hermione went straight to the small prefect library attached to their common room.
"Typical mudblood, the library, this must be the height of your day" Draco drawled from the entrance.
"Well you're here as well aren't you" Hermione retorted
"I'm just looking around, not studying on the first day back. How pathetic can you get" He replied
"Look Malfoy, why don't we just stay out of each others way. It will make the year a lot easier if I don't have to be around you all the time" Hermione stated
"Fine!" Draco sneered "I don't want to be contaminated by you in any way possible" he finished viciously.
With a look of disgust Draco stalked away leaving Hermione to her reading.
Padma and Ernie, who were still in conversation, heard the little exchange between their fellow prefects and looked at each other
"This is going to be a long year" Ernie sighed.