By Rowena
Reviews:
random gal: thanks so much. Glad to see you liked it. Here's the second helping you asked for.
XXXpinkkitty5467: I'm going, I'm going! See?!
horrible writer: Thank you very much for the long review, it was much appreciated. And using the characters more than the plot is exactly what I'm trying to do here. I really do like the characters that she has created, but I found they needed sprucing up and I find that both Draco and Hermione are such strong characters on their own, why not combine them? I hope you like the twist I put in their appearances. Believe me that won't be the only change. ;)
Chapter 2: The Seams Rip Farther
When McGonagal left, Hermione returned to her book. For a few moments she would feel Draco's stare, then, as though afraid she would look up, she could feel his eyes drift in another direction.
"Malfoy, why don't you take a picture? It might last longer. Tomorrow I'll be back to your little mudblood. Remember her?" She said, shaking her head as she looked back down to the pages in front of her.
Draco stuttered for a minute, taken aback at her new attitude. She was standing up for herself. Good on her- wait, little mudblood! He thought, his mind totally in a mess. "I wasn't staring, you have dirt on your forehead."
"Yes, because I've been playing in a muddy field since I last looked in the mirror. Get a hold of yourself Ferret." With this she left the compartment to get back to her friends.
"Ugh. That was pathetic Malfoy, pathetic. She's Granger, Mudblood. She can't EVER be anything else. Right? Right. " He assured himself silently. " But when did I ever consider her being anything else?" Sighing, he decided a walk through the train was the only thing that would help re-organize his brain, the one the most organized person in Hogwarts had just violently cluttered.
"Merlin. What was that?" she asked her self mentally, brushing roughly through people to get to the compartment that felt familiar and safe. She felt as if she was running from something, not literally obviously, but somewhere in her mind she was running from truth and thought. She almost ran into the glass door of the compartment she was travelling so fast.
"Hermione, slow down, what's the matter?" Ginny asked, grabbing her by the wrist and pulling her inside. Hermione was breathing at a fast rate.
"Oh, nothing, just a bit of Head Girl jitters" she said putting on a fake smile and giggling absurdly. It was enough for Ron and Harry, but Ginny gave her that: I know your hiding something and we are going to talk later glance. Hermione nodded solemnly. She pulled her uniform and robe out of her bag. "We should get dressed guys, the train should be arriving in the next 40 minutes."
"Firs' years, can I get all my firs' years over by 'ol 'Agrid over 'ere?" Hermione smiled as she recognized Hagrids rough voice. It saddened her though that this would be her last year here. She stepped out of the train, breathing in the fresh air. It had been far too long a ride for Hermione.
Draco jumped off the steps of the train. He found his way to the back, and picked up his bags. He loaded them onto a horse-less carriage and hopped up onto the seat. The carriage was ready to go when Snape stopped it. "Waiting for the other Head aren't we?" he asked, pushing the reluctant looking Hermione forward.
"Uh yea, of course." He said, sliding over to the far side of the carriage to make room for her.
It was a very awkward and silent ride over to the castle. Perhaps the longest either of them had taken.
When they finally reached the front doors, Hermione jumped out of the carriage quickly picking up her bags and rushing off before Draco even stood up. "Well, at least I didn't make a fool of myself." He thought, smirking. He too headed off quickly towards the Great Hall.
The house-sorting ceremony went extremely well, as did the rest of the normal activities. Before Dumbledore announced that it was time to done, he had to announce the Heads. Calling them up to the front, everyone looked in awe at both of their new looks. "Here we have our two heads, one from Slytherin, Mr. Malfoy please take a bow," Draco did as the headmaster asked. "And this lovely lady", he said," Miss Granger from Gryffindor." Hermione took a bow and got a considerably louder applause then Draco. She glanced over at him, he was taking a deep breath. Her eyes lingered on the new body he had grown into…not bad Granger, she told herself, not bad. "Could you please shake hands my dears?" Dumbledore whispered, smiling. Hermione reached out her hand shakily, and he did the same. When their hands finally touched, their whole bodies were almost vibrating their arms were shaking so terribly.
Mcgonagal came to collect the two after the feast. They were each sitting at their house tables looking considerably bored. "Sorry I took so long" she said smiling, "A little problem with- ah nevermind, I have to get you two to your quarter."
Draco spoke up, "Um professor, did you say quarter, as in singular?"
"Of course, every year the heads share a common room, not sleeping quarters of course, but yes, a common room." She replied.
"This could be interesting" Hermione muttered under her breath.
When they got settled in, Hermione changed into some overly huge grey sweatpants and black boy-beater, and decided to lay in her new common room for some pleasure reading. She was only half way through a chapter when she noticed Draco sitting on the coffee table in front of her. He looked like as though he had been sitting there for a while, obviously waiting for her to stop reading.
"Listen," he said nervously, he was fidgeting with his coffee mug." About earlier, it was just weird. You've changed a lot and I'm kinda freaked out frankly."
Hermione smiled "I'll take that as a compliment Malfoy." She sat up. "You sound like you've changed too."
"I hope so."
"Huh?" Hermione was confused.
"Well, I realized what a jerk I was before. I'm still the same me- I just don't go out of my way to be a jerk anymore. So-, can we be civil, I mean, it'll be weird I know, but I guess to make it easier, especially with us sharing common rooms and stuff."
"Yeah, I guess that'd be cool." She said, happy for once in the presence of Draco. "First name basis?"
"Sure" he said "I'm heading up to bed now, so I'll see you tomorrow I guess."
"Night, M-Draco" She said, this first name thing would take some getting used to.