A/N: Hi again everyone! Before my wonderful reviewers from the past two chapters decide to write another review flaming me for my extremely late update, let me explain! Firstly, I started off tyring to finish this chapter in a rush, wanting to update A.S.A.P., but couldn't seem to find enough inspiration at the time. I suppose you could say I had a bit of a writer's block. Anyway, by the time I finally managed to start typing up all the new ideas that eventually popped into my head, many unfortunate things decided to happen. (Just my bad luck!) Our computer in the study, the one I normally type my stories up on, decided to go nuts on me. The monitor went crazy, then something inside the computer decided to start burning and the computer went into Safe mode and kept on restarting whenever somebody turned it on. Then, when the computer wasn't fixed but was working well enough for me to use Microsoft Word, the light fell off the ceiling and crashed onto the study floor, so I couldn't go into the study until that was all fixed up. Like I said, pure bad luck. I then tried to use the other computer, but it's so addled with Spy ware from the net that it doesn't work properly half the time and then after we installed a program to get rid of the Spy ware it deleted one of the programs needed for the modem to work, so I couldn't even go online and post my story! So I'm terribly sorry about the huge delay, and please, please, please, forgive me! (We have new computers now so that's why I've finally managed to update.)
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, or any of the characters created by J.K. Rowling; I only own this perhaps somewhat ridiculous plot. Oh, and by the way, I now have ten dollars instead of sixty cents, but please, don't sue me! I need the money for the holidays! Anyway...on with the story!
Hogwarts At The Zoo
Chapter Three: Biased, Greasy-haired Snakes and Heartfelt Statues.
Hermione sat down slowly, then once more buried her head in her arms. "Why me? Why Malfoy, of all people!?" She groaned and sank further into her seat.
"Come on, Hermione, you can handle him, it's always been us two who have let Malfoy's antics get to us. You're always the cool, level-headed one." Harry soothed gently, patting her back.
"Hey, just think, it gives you equal power to him, now you can hex him all you like! Who knows, you might actually hex him into better looks." Ron grinned. "And as for the rest of those mangy Slytherins..."
"Ron! I can't abuse my Head position!"
"He will!" the boys chorused, shooting deadly glares at the smug blonde.
Professor McGonagall suddenly stood as the golden plates were magically swept clean. "Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy, please come with me."
Hermione groaned again miserably. "Give me a nice funeral, guys." She said glumly as she stood up and followed Malfoy out of the Great Hall. Ron and Harry looked worried, but managed to smile and wave her off.
Hermione growled in frustration as Malfoy pushed her aside and swept into Professor McGonagall's office, leaning over to murmur in her ear, "Mudbloods are always last, remember, Granger?" Hermione had never before wanted to hit someone so badly. She contented herself with glaring daggers into his back and imagining his slow, painful death.
He turned around and smirked suggestively at her. "Checking me out, now, Granger? Just remember I'm too good for you. Although," he continued lazily, running his eyes up and down her form, "I suppose I could lower myself enough just to give you the time of day and maybe play with you for a bit." He laughed softly at her outraged expression.
"No, actually I was imagining ways to kill you – slowly." She hissed through gritted teeth, boiling with rage.
He leant over and with one long fingertip brushed her mouth. "Sure, Mudblood." She shivered at his touch, sensing tingles once more going down her spine. He smirked at her knowingly.
The door swung open, and Professor McGonagall swept inside, Snape behind her. She stared at the two students briefly, wondering why they hadn't started a full-blown war by now, then shook her head and sat down primly in the chair behind her desk. She looked gravely at the two young adults seated before her, one sitting on the edge of her chair, eager to hear her duties and the other one slouching back in his chair disdainfully.
"Now," she began, "I expect that you two should be aware of both the responsibilities and the privileges that come with the Head title." Malfoy smirked, and Professor McGonagall pointedly ignored him. "You are naturally required to meet with the Prefects from each House every week to discuss matters, give them their new patrolling roster which will have been made by you two and when the occasion arises, appoint tasks to each person for any upcoming school events, such as the Christmas Ball."
Snape rose and took over. "You are both, of course, allowed to deduct points from any House where you see fit, but, Miss Granger, I expect you to be aware that no biased point deducting will be taken into account." Hermione gaped at him wordlessly, fuming with anger. 'As if I would be biased towards any student! It's Malfoy who uses his position to terrorize younger kids and take away Gryffindor's points. Oh, wait, I forgot: Snape favours Malfoy, he's probably happy that Malfoy now has the ultimate chance to make Gryffindor lose the house cup. Dumbledore must be crazy to make Malfoy Head Boy.'
Snape continued on, almost cheerily, after giving Hermione a slight smirk, daring her to challenge his earlier remark. Hermione didn't take the bait. 'Oh, just wait till I get my hands on that slimy, evil – Snape's droning voice cut her off abruptly. "Dumbledore has also asked us to inform both of you that you will both receive detention if you are found to be fighting, duelling, and so on. In serious cases, we may have to consider taking away some of the privileges that come with the head positions, or even removing you from the title of Head Boy and Girl, replacing you with two other prefects. The Headmaster required us to give these warnings since it is well known that you two are not...the best of friends. As Head Boy and Head Girl, you are required to set an example for the other students and to help mend inter-house relations. Is that clear?" Malfoy and Hermione both nodded.
"Well," Professor McGonagall's voice was brisk and cool. Her face lit up as she looked at her star pupil, then her smile became tight-lipped and pursed as she glanced at Malfoy. "Congratulations once more to both of you. Now, I believe you two are anxious to see your new Head dormitory. Come with me."
Silently, the two students rose and filed after her out the door. Professor McGonagall led them up four flights of stairs, pausing only briefly to scowl at Malfoy and lift Hermione magically out of the trick step on the stairs leading to the third floor. Hermione had accidentally brushed the sleeve of her robe against Malfoy's arm while climbing up the stairs. Malfoy, naturally, had been disgusted and had retaliated by shoving Hermione aside, coincidentally into the trick step. Hermione was not a happy girl after that. Being shoved aside countless times in one night by Malfoy and then finally pushed deliberately on the stairs so that her leg had been painfully trapped in the step was not high on her list of things to do with her life. The brunette was highly irritated and already ready to strangle Dumbledore for making Malfoy Head Boy.
Professor McGonagall stopped next to a statue of a lion resting on a heart, and alongside it, a snake coiled around a cracked heart. The lion blinked slowly as the snake hissed at Hermione. "Password?" the golden beast rumbled.
"Tao yen zhí ai." Professor McGonagall said, and then turned to Hermione and Malfoy. "I trust you can remember your password?" The two students nodded impatiently. The statues moved to either side, dragging their respective hearts with them, revealing an ornately carved passageway lit with torches. Professor McGonagall led them through the passageway, and opened a door leading into a Common Room decorated in gold and green, with touches of red and silver on the bookshelves lining one side. Malfoy's mouth curved slowly into his famous smirk as he noticed the highly Slytherin-like majority of the decorations in the Head common room. Hermione merely beamed at the huge and richly furnished room, pausing only to look at Malfoy, puzzled as to why he was smirking. Malfoy watched, almost amused, as expressions flitted across the brunette's face. He saw quite clearly her mouth opening in shock when the light bulb finally went off and she realised exactly why he was smirking. She glared daggers into the comfy, deep green couches and turned a pleading look to her Transfiguration teacher. Professor McGonagall shook her head and gave Hermione a pitying look. "I'm sorry, Hermione, but the Headmaster seemed to think the colour coding had been done quite fairly and appropriately. At least there is plenty of gold."
Hermione could have sworn Malfoy's smirk just got bigger. "Actually, Professor, I think it's quite suitable. After all, as I'm in Slytherin, there should be plenty of green shown." Here he gave Hermione a superior look as she fumed silently, telling her that he clearly thought his colours should be shown more because he was higher up on the social scale. "And besides, I always did rather fancy gold, as it is the winning medal colour...pity Dumbledore didn't see the resemblance and put gold as part of Slytherin...then again, perhaps some Houses need some encouragement to actually think they were the winning House." He ended smoothly. Hermione glared at him, as did Professor McGonagall.
As he didn't actually specify all of his comments, the professor could only do so much. "Mister Malfoy, I suggest you do not imply anything else in a degrading way about the other school Houses, unless you are keen for a detention so early in the year. May I remind both of you that you need to be seen co-operating with one another to boost Inter-House relationships and try to heal the particularly large rift between Gryffindor and Slytherin. You need to be on your best behaviour and to set the proper example for your school peers. Now, unless you would like me to repeat my lecture, I will leave you both to settle in. Good night." Professor McGonagall briskly stepped over to the door, and slammed it slightly too hard behind her as she left.
Malfoy sniggered. "Doesn't take much to irritate your precious House Head, does it, Mudblood?"
'Don't hit him, don't hit him...bad guys always get their own medicine thrown right back at them sooner or later...Is he smirking at me?!...Ignore him, Hermione, he's not worth your time...He's worth your punch...Oh, shut up, ignore the stupid Ferret... Oh, what the heck.' Hermione whirled round and promptly sent her small fist flying into the face of Hogwart's resident Ferret Boy. Malfoy's head jerked back from the impact, his eyes widened in shock. Hermione, immensely pleased with her work and already seeing the wonderful black eye coming up, laughed at him wholeheartedly.
'On second thoughts...maybe I really shouldn't have punched him...Damn, but it felt so good...Uh oh, someone's not happy...Hmm...now seems like a good time to make my exit...' Glancing at the now livid boy in front of her, Hermione turned tail and bolted towards the nearest door. Unfortunately, she bolted straight into the room designated as the Head Boy's bedroom. Hermione stopped as deep, vivid green hit her eyes, coming from all directions. She slowly pivoted around, swearing as she realised this room was intended for the Slytherin Head Boy: Draco Malfoy. She had literally walked into the dragon's lair. Well, running for her life into the room, anyway.
'Great, just great...Smart move, Hermione...now what!?' The door slammed violently behind her, and she whirled round only to crash into someone's chest. Someone's very warm, very comfortable chest. 'Hmm...A girl could get used to this...so warm...he must work out...' Hermione's thoughts trailed off as she realised exactly who she was leaning against. She leapt back with a yelp, mentally slapping herself for thinking such absurd things.
She looked desperately for an escape route. After briefly considering jumping out the window in the hazy idea that it would be a more pleasant death than one at the hands of an angry Malfoy, she decided to face him determinedly and be brave in the name of Gryffindor. 'Yeah...and die in the name of Gryffindor pride and courage at the hands of an evil psychopath otherwise known as Malfoy.' Hermione snorted, and Malfoy gave the cornered Head Girl a strange look.
"Well, well, looks like the Mudblood has run out of places to run to and hide. Ready to apologise yet? If you do, I won't be quite so harsh in my punishment." He smirked at her balefully, eyes narrowed to slits of silver. 'If looks could kill, I'd be dead three times already.' Hermione thought uneasily, backing away from the taller and much more powerful boy in front of her. He just laughed cruelly and stepped towards her, eyes glittering in triumph as he savagely grabbed her arm and wrenched her towards him.
A/N: That's all for now, kiddies! - Oh, and by the way, it was my friend Kim's idea to leave this chapter on a cliffhanger, just to be evil....so go blame evil Kimmy! Lol. Ahem, yes, well, anyway, like always, please review and then next time I might not leave it on a cliffhanger! And to those people who read my stories and are too lazy to send in a review or whatever the reason is, well, I'm sure you would appreciate it if people reviewed your stories so please spend two minutes of your time sending me a review! I really like feedback from my readers, just to see what you like and what you don't like or have a problem with, so that it can be fixed. Besides...reviews make an author feel loved and it's a great support! Haha... I'll give you a Schmacko if you review!! Wait...those are dog treats...erm...Mars bars, anyone? "