Pseudo Cinderella and the Slytherin Prince

Chapter 14: Messing With My Head

Hermione's POV

"Herms, wake up. Dumbledore's here." Huh? What? Oh. I've been sleeping. That's right. I yawn and stretch my arms out. Then I notice Harry looking a me.

"Hey." He's smiling at me. "What?" I say, half playfully, half suspicious.

"Nothing. I just had half a mind to let you continue sleeping." Oh, Harry, you're too sweet.

"Oh." I blush a little. I don't know if I'll ever get used to this much attention from the opposite sex. Even if it is Harry. "You said something about Dumbledore?"

"Yeah, uh, he's downstairs." Oh. Then I guess it's time to find my parents. Oh my gosh! Dumbledore won't let it slip about the pureblood stuff, will he?

"Okay then. Care to accompany me downstairs, Mr. potter?" I giggle at how silly that actually sounds. But Harry offers his arm anyway.

"It would be my pleasure, Miss Granger." I blush again and then take his arm and we head downstairs.

"Afternoon, 'Mione! Harry." Fred meets us at the bottom of the stairs, apparently on his way up. He smiles at me and just nods at Harry. Fred, give it up already. I smile back, but just barely. I take my arm back and we walk in silence to the kitchen. That is, until Harry breaks it.

"Um, Hermione, about what you said when you were crying," Oh no. Had he actually heard me? Oh no, this isn't good at all.

"That was just me babbling, Harry. Hysterics and all that…"

"Hermione." He looks directly into my eyes. I know he can see right through me. Thankfully, he hasn't actually gone into my mind yet. I wonder why that is? Not that I mind, it's definitely better that he not. I raise my gaze from the floor so it's pretty much level with Harry's. "What's been going on? I mean, all I really picked up from your 'rambling' between sobs was something about your parents missing, something about the Burrow, and a very big something about Fred kissing you." He said the last part quietly, so only he and I could hear it. Thank goodness. "Now, would you care to tell me what exactly happened? He takes my hands from my sides and holds them in his own.

"Well… there's not much else to tell, really. He told me I was beautiful and I asked what he was playing at, and then he leaned forward, and…" Hary nods his head slightly. I wonder if he caught all that. I was whispering and talking pretty fast. I can't risk anyone else hearing that little piece of information.

"Okay. When did this happen?"

"Today. This morning. Just before we came." I let out a sigh. I've gotten quite good at that lately. "He waited until Molly and Ron left, then he made Ginny and George go together. So we were…alone…" Harry winces at the word 'alone.'

"…Well, Herms, was it… I mean, was the kiss…was it, good? I mean –"

"Harry!" I look at him with an expression of surprise. "Why would you want to know that?"

"NOTHING! I just, I was just…wondering…" Oh really? Or is this a guy thing?

"Wondering what?" Really, enlighten me I'd like to know.

"Just… was it… oh, HERMIONE!" WHAT! He lowers his voice to a whisper again; "Was there, like, tongue, involved?"

"WHAT! Harry James Potter!" I can't help but burst into to a giggle fit.

"What? What's so funny, Hermione! There is nothing funny about this situation!" Oh yes, yes there is!

"What situation!" I say between giggles. I try to calm myself down and be serious, since Harry seems to getting a bit angry. So I put on my best serious face and look him in the eye. But I can't hold it and burst out laughing again.

"Ah, miss Granger!" The giggling stops immediately. The Headmaster just walked in. I clear my throat.

"Good afternoon, Headmaster." Oh crap. He probably thinks I'm insane. Oh no, there goes my head girl position! Oh, I'd forgotten completely about that! What was that he said that night he came to tell me about my parents? Something about this year's head having somethi –

"Right. Well I hope you'll join us in the dining room. You're invited too, Mr. Potter." He winks, but I'm not sure to whom. He turns on his heel and walks through the kitchen. Harry starts to follow, but I grab his arm to stop him.

"Harry wait." He turns around. "About the kiss… it was just a light one. No tongue. Alright?" He pauses, taking in the information. He nods and smiles in relief. Then he puts his arm around my shoulder and this is how we walk through the kitchen and into the dining room. Although,we separate when we come to the dining room. Thankfully no one saw that – except for Tonks, that is. But all she does is smile and wink and pretends to zip her mouth shut. Good ol' Tonks.

"Good, miss Granger. Have a seat, won't you? And we'll begin discussing the matter of your parents." Dumbledore gives me a knowing look. But it's a warm knowing look. Like he's saying I can trust him. I take a moment to look around the room; Professor Snape, Mrs. Weasley, Tonks, Moody, Lupin, and of course Dumbledore, are the occupants. Harry and I take our seats and wait for him to continue. "Now, miss Granger, you came home last night – after being, where?" Oh NICE one, Dumbedore!

"A – a party, professor." Great. Now Harry's going to want to know about that too.

"A party. And when you came home from this party, you found your house empty? No sign of your parents?"

"No, sir."

"And you checked for a note, any signs of a, 'break-in'?"

"Yes sir. And I found neither."

"Ah. I trust you checked thoroughly for where or why your parents might have gone without telling you?" Oh WHY is he playing this up so much? And why do I feel as if I'm in court? I didn't do anything wrong! Well, I mean, there was the part where I ALMOST SCREWED A SLYTHERIN but besides that…

"Uh, yes Professor Dumbledore, I did. I don't know why they left without telling me," this part comes out as completely true, and I look at Dumbledore directly so he knows it. He turns to Snape.

"Severus, have there been any muggle captures or killings by order of Voldemort since yesterday?" Everyone but Harry and Dumbledore winces slightly at the name. And I can see a smile trying to hide itself on Snape's face. Does he know about my blood, too?

"Well, of course sir," WHAT? Wait, he wouldn't kill my parents. They're not actually Muggles. "…but none in that area." Harry, who was at the edge of his seat before Professor Snape finished his sentence, just relaxed noticeably. He really cares a bit too much, in my opinion.

"Well, that's good then. So!" Dumbledore claps his hands once, loudly, and stands up. "I will send a few owls out to various sources," he pauses to look at me here. And I get the feeling 'various sources' means my parents. Great. So I actually have to see them again? "And as for everyone here, let miss Granger know you all support her, and will no matter what." Meaning 'no matter what' my blood is. Smooth, Dumbledore. Very smooth. "Dismissed!" Everyone gets up and I get hugs from Molly, Tonks, Lupin, a pat on the back from Moody, an icy yet relatively soft stare from Snape, and a discrete kiss on the cheek from Harry.

Then Dumbledore beckons me into a small, empty room. I notice a dull roaring noise in the room. Seems like mrs. Weasley's absence has caused reason for another cleaning.

"Now, miss Granger. You and I need to talk about what really happened." He puts a couple charms on the room, similar to those I put on mine, but more complicated. "Let me get straight to the point; your parents have moved into your new house much earlier than expected," of course! Thank you, mum and dad. FOR MAKING MY LIFE SUCK! "naturally, they expected to pick you up from the Zabinis' party and surprise you. But you weren't there when they came. Why is that?" Oh God, I'm SO not telling MY HEADMASTER why I left that party earlier than expected!

"Um, too much excitement?" He obviously knows I'm lying.

"Right then, I will be talking with young mister Malfoy soon enough." WHAT THE HELL?

"Headmaster! You can't possibly know –"

"Anything you don't want me to, no, I don't. All I know is that young Draco was quite frequently in your presence last night. And that's all I intend on knowing about your attendance to that party." Oh thank goodness! I really don't want to think about this anymore…even though it seems sort of inevitable. NO! BAD THOUGHTS!

"Oh. Am I going to have to go with my parents, then?" Because I'd really rather wait until I'm desperate to go home to see the new mansion. Especially if we have house elves.

"No, actually. They informed me that, if you feel more comfortable staying here, with your friends, for the last three days before school starts, you are most definitely allowed to, and your things will be sent here magically." YES! Crookshanks too? "Oh, 'your things' excludes your cat, what was his name again?" Oh no! Crookshanks!

"Crookshanks! Oh my gosh where is he is he okay?" Because if they forgot crookshanks I'm changing my last name and living as a Muggle full-time. HOW COULD THEY!

"He is fine, miss Granger, in fact, he looks most delighted to see you!" Huh?

All of a sudden, something furry brushes up against my leg, making me jump. I look down, and the furry thing is

"CROOKSHANKS! Oh, mummy missed you!" I pick him up and put him in my lap. So that's what the dull roaring noise was.

"I requested he be here for you. I hope you don't mind," Same old Dumbledore; always the kind-hearted soul.

"No! I don't mind at all! Thank you so much Headmaster!" I must have a smile on my face a kilometer wide.

"You're most welcome. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some more school preparations that need finishing before you all come bursting through the doors once again. Oh! That reminds me; miss granger, do you have any preferences for your room?" My room? At Hogwarts?

"My room, Professor?" What is he talking about?

"Yes, your room in the dormitory you'll be sharing with the Head Boy. Any preferences as to color, or content? Or would you like standard Gryffindor décor?" there's the Head issue again. Who is the Head Boy anyway? Oh, right, color…

"Um…Gryffindor colors are fine with me. Oh, Headmaster, you don't think you could make an exception to the 'no technology' charm, do you?" Because I'd really like to bring some music with me to blast in my room.

"No, I'm sorry. It would be unfair to take it off just for the Head Girl." Oh man!

"Alright. I understand." I flash him a sincere smile and he walks out of the room. "Hello Shanksy! Did you miss me?" As I say this, he rubs his head against my cheek lovingly. "Heh, I guess you did!"

Now, about this Head issue…what was it Dumbledore had said that night he came to my house?

'And congratulations, Ms. Granger. This year we will have Heads with at least one thing in common.'

That's it! Now, what did he mean by that? Think Hermione…he and my parents had just finished telling me that I'm really a pureblood… and then he said that…so obviously I'm Head Girl, I figured that out right away. But what did he mean by 'heads with at least one thing in common'? Well, the Head Boy must be pureblood. I'm sure that's what he meant by it. But who could it be? Who's a prefect that's also a pureblood? No, it couldn't be, he'd have said something…Ron? Who else could it be? Oh God. No. please…PLEASE don't tell me Dumbledore wasted the Head boy position on

A/N: No, that cut off was not a screw up. But I think you all know what (who)Hermione's sudden revalation was about.I wanted to add some suspense though, so yeah... please don't be too mad at me! But yeah, so... I am SO excited by all the great reviews I'm getting! I know it's not a whole lot and some other authers would complain that the number's too small, but thanks to the 'hits' feature, i know that a bunch of people are reading, so tanks to both readers and reviewers! I really hope you liked this chapter, though the extra length could be taken as both a good and a bad thing.I felt like making it longer so you could get more of hermione's thoughts and feelings on different subjects. She's a very emotional person in this fic, huh? At least more so than others.

Well, note for those of you CRAVING Draco/Hermione action, I promise you the next couple days in the story will go relatively fast so we can get to that part. And for those of you wondering what Draco's been thinking... I hope to have the next chapter up by tonight. If not, there will be an author's note in its place.

That's all for now! I'm listening to Dookie right now. Paired with fic writing, it's really good anger management therapy. XD

I;I