A/N: Soooo sorry for the extremely belated update. But I told you reviews motivate me to write!! LOL also this little thing called school and SATs hindered me… Sorry!!
?- Erm, yes. Blaise is a guy, however I didn't figure that out until I had already posted him as a girl, and figured that a sex change halfway through the story probably would do more harm than good.
Rae- Thanks for the review! Blaise and Neville are in love! Blaise would never do anything to Neville! Muahaha… lol sorry I just love the pairing so much…
AclownNeverDies- WOW. Thanks for reviewing all of my stories! I feel so special! LOL. Here's a very belated update!
Zoltaire- Hermione/Sirius is one of my other favorite pairings as well! Yes, Crookshanks does have impeccable taste. Hmmm, I think I might have to include him more later on…
PinkTribeChick- Thanks so much for the wonderful review- as usual. I know this is extremely late… but here it is!
Paprika90- nope! But thank you so much for the review- it was getting it like 2 months after I last updated that made me remember that I had to write more. Cookies for you!
Chapter 7- When Angels Deserve to Die
Hermione shoved through a group of wandering students in her mad attempt to escape Malfoy's compartment. What had she just done? Trying not to think about the previous event, Hermione made a dash for her compartment, skidding to a halt at the sliding door. Breathing heavily, she could hear laughter from within. Scowling at the betrayal of her friends, Hermione barged into the compartment in quite a fowl mood. A moment's pause passed as Harry, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Luna, Blaise, Lavender, and Parvati scrutinized the girl before them. Hermione glared back at them, trying to fight the blush that was currently creeping on her face. Oh gods, she thought miserably.
"She did it!" Ginny exclaimed in amazement. Hermione sniffed at the young girl's disbelief.
"And how do you know, Weaselette?" Blaise rebuffed, a smirk spreading across her face. "Hermione looks quite like someone who was brutally shut down."
"No see, she's smiling! Do you think she would be this happy if she had failed?" Parvati chirped in excitement. Ron nearly fell out of his seat.
"I am not smiling!" Hermione snarled, crossing her arms over her chest while stomping her foot it quite an immature manner.
"Are you suggesting that Hermione enjoyed that, Patil?" Ron snapped, his fury ill-concealed.
"Oh-my-Gah." Finally Lavender spoke up, her face vacant of anything Hermione considered an ounce of intelligence, "Hermione like, totally digs Malfoy!" Hermione rolled her eyes, tuning out the rest of her friend's conversation. She worried about what would happen if Lavender or Parvati lost just one more brain cell.
"So what actually happened, Hermione?" Harry intruded on Hermione's wonderful visions of Lavender getting lost and accidentally walking off a cliff.
"Hmm?" Hermione blinked, noticing the entire compartment was still shouting about whether she loved the infamous Draco Malfoy or not. "Oh, well, that. Nothing that I'm sure you couldn't figure out on your own." Hermione gazed at Harry warily, distractedly running a hand through her unruly hair. Harry could be quite unpredictable these days, even with the threat of Voldemort lifted. Hermione blamed it on Ron's influence. Harry merely sighed however.
"Let's just hope you're not going to be paired up with anyone from Slytherin, especially once this gets around. I think-"
Hermione desperately wanted to get a head start on the holiday work. Arithmancy and Advanced Ancient Runes were going to be killer. She only had three months! That was only about a summer vacation, and she had been given at least twice the amount of work she had to do back then. And not just in those classes! It was rather fortunate that she was so good in Transfiguration, or she wouldn't have been able to inconspicuously lug around all nine of her textbooks, her potions set, her extra reading assignments, the herbs she had to test the magical properties of for Herbology…
"-I just want what's best for you," Harry concluded, a worried expression on his face. Hermione smiled and nodded. Hmm, she thought in faint surprise, I wonder what that was about.
Hermione didn't look up from her book on Ancient Runes again until the train halted in London. At that point in time she grudgingly replaced her textbook to feel the full weight of Ginerva Weasley thrown on her. Hermione offered a weak smile as Ginny continued hugging her to the point of suffocation while pinning her hands to her side. Hermione gasped for breath until Ginny finally took a hint and loosened her death-like grip on the poor girl. Tears welled in her eyes.
"Now you have to write to me the second you get there and tell me who your partner is! Oh, wait, a postman probably wont be able to find Hogwarts… well maybe send it to my mum's house and she could sent it the normal way… although, I'm not quite sure the postman knows where the Burrow is either. Wait, you can write to Harry… except he's going too. Damn, this is difficult…" Hermione smiled reassuringly, only half-listening. Therefore she wasn't too perturbed when Harry took Ginny to the corner of the compartment and started snogging her ruthlessly. In fact, she didn't even notice Ron nearly breaking down and crying when Luna said goodbye quite dispassionately, or when the rest of the seventh years sat down and the train slowly rolled out of London…
Her thoughts were focused instead on the impending trip. She had a fairly good idea of who she was going to be paired with, but was hoping that maybe if she didn't think about it, it would go away. After what had just happened, she couldn't think of a worse punishment bestowed upon her than being forced to spend three months in isolation with the source of her embarrassment. It wont happen, it won't happen, it won't happen…she repeated in her head, while under the pretense of reading her book… upside down.
The compartment door slid open revealing the sever face of the Transfigurations professor. "Potter, Weasley, Granger, Longbottom, Zabini, Patil, and Brown," McGonagall said clearly into her briefcase. Seven envelopes immediately flew out, zooming to their proper owners. McGonagall departed from the compartment swiftly after a quick reprimand to Neville, whose toad had jumped straight out of his hands onto her shoulder. Hermione reached for her envelope with trembling fingers. Suddenly she was struck with a brilliant idea. She just wouldn't read it. If she didn't read it, then she couldn't be with Malfoy, now could she? Firmly shoving her envelope to the bottom of her bag, Hermione refused to look at it. Instead she inspected her fingernails with disinterest as her six companions shouted spontaneously as they opened their letters.
"That hag!" Harry screeched, jumping from his seat, "That horrible, disgusting, annoying, piece of-"
"Nooooo!" Ron wailed, placing his head in his hands. "Anyone but her! She'll crush me!"
"I'm with Hannah Abbott," Neville frowned at the traitorous piece of paper. Blaise looked murderous.
"Better than Dean Thomas, believe me." She rolled her eyes. Hermione was just about to ask what was so bad about Dean when Parvati, who had been rather unusually quiet up until that point, let out a blood-curdling scream.
"I'M SUPPOSED TO BE STAYING WITH NUNS!" she wailed, her eyes wide with a rabid look to them. Hermione edged closer to the door. Parvati looked like she was about to start foaming at the mouth. Hermione wondered if it could be contagious.
"Who the hell is Terry Boot?" Lavender frowned at her paper, ignoring Parvati hyperventilating in the corner.
"Who cares!" Harry screeched, "I'm the one who has to spend three months with Parkinson!"
"Better than Millicent Bulstrode!" Ron yelled, tugging at his blond hair in a panic. "All she has to do is sit on me, and I'm gone for!"
"Apparently me and Hannah are going to be staying in Wales," Neville chirped, as if anyone cared.
"Well I hope you have a good time with Hannah, then," Blaise snarled. Neville sprung into caring, sensitive boyfriend mode. Hermione offered her condolences to Harry and Ron, informed Lavender who Terry was, and laughed her ass off at Parvati. Especially after she had a look at her paper and found out she was staying with Susan Bones as well. And then she laughed again at Parvati's expense. And laughed, and laughed, and laughed…
"Who are you with, Hermione?" Neville interrupted Hermione before she could break out into another peal of maniac laughter. Hermione glared at him. Neville cowered.
"Actually, I have no idea, and don't plan on finding out!" Hermione informed him. Will not look, will not look, will not look…
"Aw, c'mon Hermione," Ron instinctively reached into Hermione's bag, withdrawing her untouched envelope with a gleam in his eyes. "We've all read you ours, so either you open this right now, or I will." Hermione closed her eyes and counted to ten. Then she counted to one hundred. Her left hand started twitching.
"FINE!" she yelled, swiping the letter from Ron slackened grip. She then stowed it back in her bag and held it tight.
"Come on, Hermione!" Harry sighed, exasperatedly. "Whether or not you read it isn't going to make a difference, it just means your partner will be better prepared than you." Hermione considered this while glaring at Harry. Now that was just cheap, working to Hermione's weakness. Of course she couldn't be ill prepared… damn him.
"Fine," she consented, slowly reaching to the bottom of her bag. It took some shifting a few books that were mainly there to take up as much time as she could, but under the eyes of everyone in the compartment, she was finally forced to bring out the letter. She opened it with excruciating slowness.
"Oh, get on with it already!" Ron urged, kicking Hermione's foot gently. Hermione jumped, gave Ron a look that clearly said 'touch me again and die', and finally withdrew the letter. Unfortunately, she was unable to unfold it slowly, and the first two words in bold letters jumped at her before she could stop them, creating a lump in her throat. HERMIONE GRANGER AND DRACO MALFOY. She couldn't even bother to look past the heading to see her location or instructions for the next three months.
Why me?! her mind screamed. Harry eased the paper out of Hermione's deadened hands, wondering what was making her act neurotic.
"Draco Malfoy," he read slowly to the compartment, before turning to give Hermione a hug.
"Oh please," Blaise rolled her eyes, "It's not as if we all didn't know the Head's would be placed together." Ron shushed Blaise frantically while preparing to take on the challenging task of calming Hermione Granger down. Hermione had now progressed from the shocked phase, and the anger was quickly setting in.
"I WILL NOT WORK WITH THAT DIRTY, DISGUSTING, EVIL, MAN-WHORE EXCUSE OF A PERSON WHO'S NOT REALLY A PERSON BECAUSE HE'S REALLY A STUPID, BOUNCING FERRET WHOSE ONLY ASPIRATION IN LIFE IS TO RUIN MINE AND-"
"Run," Ron whispered, ushering everyone safely out of the compartment. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, until they heard similar screams down the hall. Malfoy came striding out, kicking random objects. Everyone quickly decided to find a safer compartment.
Ok, I can handle this. I just need to be mature about this, breath deep, do yoga, positive thinking! Ok, breath in, breath out. Now I'm just going to look down, just a quick glance, and calmly and rationally look at the rest of the letter. Hermione held the letter clenched in her hands for another five whole minutes before slowly relaxing her hands and unfolding the letter. Taking a deep breath, she looked down.
HERMIONE GRANGER AND DRACO MALFOY
You will be spending the next three months at 167 South street in Surrey, England with a Mrs. Kurner. Keep in mind that this is non-negotiable. Please remember to also keep in mind the following restrictions shall be enforced with the same punishments you would receive on your summer break. 1. No use of the terms, "witch", "wizard", "Ministry of Magic", "muggle", "Hogwarts", "Quidditch", "Canary creams"...
Hermione slumped in her seat, not bothering to finish the letter. She screamed.
Draco sat numbly in his compartment, kicking the opposite bench every so often just to teach it a lesson. He could not for the life of him understand why he had not just gone to Durnmstrang in the first place. Ok, so maybe it was far from home, freezing cold, run by a pussy ex- Death Eater, and slightly evil, but still! At least he wouldn't be in situations like this! Draco sighed and hung his head. His life was now officially over.
"Draco!" Pansy wailed, opening the compartment door and letting herself in without asking. Draco twitched.
Think of the Dalai Lama! Draco said to himself. "I don't give a rat's ass, Pansy," he said to Pansy.
"But Draco!" Pansy cried, stomping a foot, "I'm with Potter!" Sighing, Draco got up and calmly led a hysterical Pansy out to the hall. Then he closed the door and muttered every locking charm he knew.
Hermione felt a tug of anticipation as her friends slowly departed, one by one. Neville was the first to get off right in the middle of London. Ron had had to hold Blaise back from cursing Hannah when she steered Neville off the train. Hermione did not feel any sympathy for Slytherin. Next had been Harry with Pansy in Cambridge. Harry had been shaking when he departed. Hermione was able to feel a bit sorry for him. A bit. Then Ron with Millicent departed in Liverpool, Blaise and Dean in Exeter, Parvati in New Castle with the nuns. Hermione kept laughing hysterically whenever she thought of it. Finally it was just Hermione and Lavender left in the compartment, trying not to look at each other. A million thoughts rushed through Hermione's mind at once. She felt like she was forgetting something… something she should remember…
"Surrey, England!" McGonagall's voice awoke Hermione from her stupor. Numbly, she heaved her luggage from the overhead space and made her way for the door.
"Good luck, Hermione," Lavender offered lamely. Hermione nodded, exiting the compartment only to walk straight into Draco.
"Watch where you're going, Mudblood!" Draco sneered, pushing Hermione away from himself and stalking out the door. The train blew a final warning whistle. Glaring at the back of Draco's head, Hermione pulled her luggage finally off the train, watching it wistfully as it disappeared in a fog of scarlet smoke. They were on their own.
Grumbling profanities under her breath, Hermione reluctantly followed Draco down a secluded street. After looking at a street map, Hermione had determined that their new 'home' was in walking distance. How completely wrong she was. They had been walking for nearly two hours, neither daring to even look at each other. Draco wasn't taking it very well.
"What number is it anyway?" Hermione asked Draco, exasperatedly as they finally rounded the corner onto South Street.
"Shut up," Draco snapped back. Rolling her eyes Hermione jogged slightly to catch up with Draco as he was striding rather quickly in front of her. "This is it." He stopped short, looking from the crumpled letter clenched in his hand to the house before them. A flicker of recognition hit Hermione accompanied by the sick, forgetful feeling making her stare up at the house with confusion.
"Come on already," Draco whined, grabbing Hermione's arm and steering her up the stone pathway to the house. All of a sudden it hit her. Hermione shrieked, pulling Draco behind a large tree in the yard.
"I know you want to shag Granger, but now really isn't the time," Draco smirked at the look of outrage on Hermione's face.
"Malfoy… she's… oh my god… crap!" Malfoy looked down at Hermione bemused as the girl turned white, pink, red, purple and many other colors he couldn't place until he heard a shrill cry from behind them.
"Hermione baby!!!" Hermione squeezed her eyes shut. Her life was now officially over.
A/N: Muahahaa…. A cliffy. And yes, I know Tom Felton lives in Surrey. Well I don't live in England, and I was running out of places. Leave me alone! Haha… anyway, please please review! The more reviews I get, the quicker you get the next chapter! Not kidding at all… I'm having total writer's block for the next chapter. So REVIEW!