"Hermione, it's time!"
Hermione gave a groan of tire. She hadn't been able to sleep a wink last night, due to her cartwheeling stomach and flustered brain.
"Get up!" Lavendar leaned over and pulled the sheets off. "You're going to make us late! Oooh, I'm so excited!" Lavendar suddenly made a disgusted face.
"Urgh, too bad I'm with GOYLE, though," she grimaced. "Still, oh well, I'll try to hoodwink better boys than ugly monkey-face." Lavendar giggled, apparently planning her 'techniques' before hand.
"You make me sick," Hermione said humourously, hurling a throw pillow at her.
But, Hermione had told no one how she felt (underneath the mountain of dread), a little bit of...excitement at the thought of living with Draco Malfoy.
"Let's go!" exclaimed Parvati excitedly, dragging her trunk out behind her. "Hurry up! We're already late!"
"We're coming, we're coming!" Hermione said, grinning. Both of her roommates had been unbearably enthusiastic. Come to think of it, she was too full of anticipation. Hermione wondered where the teachers would send her. She just hoped it would be a good school.
When the three girls finally arrived, panting from the effort of pulling their luggage around the castle, nearly everyone else had already congregated.
Just then, Hermione noticed a pair of teenage boys lingering uncomfortably around the door to the Great Hall, peering expectantly into people's faces as they passed. The Slytherins jeered and pointed. (Hermione noticed as one of the boys restrained another from attacking Pansy Parkinson as she taunted them. That action seemed oddly familiar...) The Gryffindors waved and greeted them. The rest just gave them bewildered looks.
As Hermione drew nearer, she realised that the boys had flaming red and jet black hair. That could only mean one thing...
"Harry! Ron!" Hermione called as the two scanned the hallways. "What are you doing here?" she asked as she caught up with them.
"What, aren't you glad to see us?" Ron laughed. "We came to see you off!"
"You could at least have met me in the common room, my trunk was heavy!" Hermione scowled huffily, mock angry. In truth she was relieved to see them.
"Hermione, come on! Mcgonagall's already started talking!" shouted Lavendar, hurrying hastily towards the crowd gathered around the professor.
"Listen, guys, I have to go now," Hermione told Harry and Ron, who looked on forlornly.
"Bye!" she added, giving each of them a friendly parting kiss on their cheeks. Then she rushed on to join Lavendar. Turning back for a second, she gave a small wave and disappeared into the Great Hall.
"...Now, I know that Professor Dumbledore did not give you much information about this trip, so I will tell you everything else you need to know," Professor Mcgonagall was saying as Hermione strained to listen.
"You and your partner will be given lodgings, and $3000 in Muggle money," Mcgonagall raised her voice as the crowd starting 'oohing' and chattering excitedly. "This will be to pay for your food, school supplies, and anything else you might need. I understand that some of you currently have not a single shred of Muggle clothing on you. Also, you may use this money to go on, ahem, certain...outings. The money is to last the whole year, so spend it wisely.
"Both of you will be expected to attend the Muggle school regularly. So be warned, if you skip class, we will know. Also, as you should know, absolutely no magic during this period of time. The Ministry has taken this into concern and you will only be pardoned once before you have to attend a hearing. We will be most displeased if any of our students disgraces Hogwarts in any way.
"As for transport, most of you haven't the foggiest idea in how Muggles travel, (There was a murmur of agreement at these words)" said Professor Mcgonagall. "So, for those of you which do not drive, you will find a bus card lying on top of the chest of drawers next to your bed. And as for those of you who incidently have passed your driver's test, and pocess a certified driver's license, you are in for a treat. Mister Cornelius Fudge, our Minister for Magic, has very generously prepared fifty or so brand new, Muggle cars," Mcgonagall paused once again as the people who actually knew what a car was gave a delighted cheer.
"I believe that is all," the Professor continued, smiling faintly at the students. Hermione admitted that she was slightly taken aback at the Professor sudden friendliness. She had not seen her smile even once in all her years as a student, but Hermione suddenly felt more warmly towards the teacher then she had ever had. Hermione cut off her train of thoughts as Mcgonagall began speaking again.
"Have a good trip! Now...your Portkeys!"
With a sweep of her wand, Professor Mcgonagall conjured up a dozen or so odds and ends, which lay scattered around the Great Hall like multi-coloured fairies.
"Find your partner and decide on a Portkey. When you have chosen it, simply gather around and grip your respective item. Just a finger will do. But be sure not to let go, it may result in an accident."
Hustling around and peering through shoving bodies, the students did as instructed, some looking rather nervous while others just seemed quite bored. Hermione felt as if butterflies were holding a reckless party in her stomach. She stood on tip-toe, trying to stop Malfoy in the thron of students. After a few moments of searching, she concluded that he might not have come at all. Despite her jittery stomach, she could sense a needle of disappointment poking through.
"No need to look anymore, Granger. I'm here. You might want to try looking behind you for once," a familiar voice drawled lazily, a hint of sarcasm applied.
Hermione whirled around, and saw Malfoy leaning coolly on a smooth stone pillar, sneering heartily at her.
"Keep your mouth shut for a minute, why don't you?" Hermione snapped, more out of embarrassment than of anger. She imagined how stupid she must have looked, searching around for him like an idiot when he had been right behind her the whole time.
Malfoy looked surprised at her sudden outburst, as though he had not expected her to explode so easily. Hastily, he replaced his look of stun with his trademark smirk and said,
"You might want to cool it yourself, Granger. Always acting like a perfect angel, and yet you're so sensitive. Hasn't Potter taught you anything? Or have you taken a leaf out of Weasley's book?"
Hermione pretended she hadn't heard him and stalked to the nearest Portkey; a page ripped out from a Muggle newspaper.
"Hurry UP," Hermione said through gritted teeth. Now she knew how Harry felt when Malfoy decided to go for an afternoon 'refreshment'.
Malfoy took his time strolling towards her. When he finally reached Hermione, and reached out for the Portkey, he added as an afterthought,
"Oh, and don't touch my hand. I don't want a Mudblood sliming it up."
Hermione again ignored him, but it was much harder. If not for her reputation, she would have jinxed Malfoy right there on the spot. They both put a finger on the yellowing paper, and waited. Seconds later, Hermione felt the unmistakable jerk beneath her navel and they were off, spinning swiftly away from Hogwarts.
Hermione gave a groan of tire. She hadn't been able to sleep a wink last night, due to her cartwheeling stomach and flustered brain.
"Get up!" Lavendar leaned over and pulled the sheets off. "You're going to make us late! Oooh, I'm so excited!" Lavendar suddenly made a disgusted face.
"Urgh, too bad I'm with GOYLE, though," she grimaced. "Still, oh well, I'll try to hoodwink better boys than ugly monkey-face." Lavendar giggled, apparently planning her 'techniques' before hand.
"You make me sick," Hermione said humourously, hurling a throw pillow at her.
But, Hermione had told no one how she felt (underneath the mountain of dread), a little bit of...excitement at the thought of living with Draco Malfoy.
"Let's go!" exclaimed Parvati excitedly, dragging her trunk out behind her. "Hurry up! We're already late!"
"We're coming, we're coming!" Hermione said, grinning. Both of her roommates had been unbearably enthusiastic. Come to think of it, she was too full of anticipation. Hermione wondered where the teachers would send her. She just hoped it would be a good school.
When the three girls finally arrived, panting from the effort of pulling their luggage around the castle, nearly everyone else had already congregated.
Just then, Hermione noticed a pair of teenage boys lingering uncomfortably around the door to the Great Hall, peering expectantly into people's faces as they passed. The Slytherins jeered and pointed. (Hermione noticed as one of the boys restrained another from attacking Pansy Parkinson as she taunted them. That action seemed oddly familiar...) The Gryffindors waved and greeted them. The rest just gave them bewildered looks.
As Hermione drew nearer, she realised that the boys had flaming red and jet black hair. That could only mean one thing...
"Harry! Ron!" Hermione called as the two scanned the hallways. "What are you doing here?" she asked as she caught up with them.
"What, aren't you glad to see us?" Ron laughed. "We came to see you off!"
"You could at least have met me in the common room, my trunk was heavy!" Hermione scowled huffily, mock angry. In truth she was relieved to see them.
"Hermione, come on! Mcgonagall's already started talking!" shouted Lavendar, hurrying hastily towards the crowd gathered around the professor.
"Listen, guys, I have to go now," Hermione told Harry and Ron, who looked on forlornly.
"Bye!" she added, giving each of them a friendly parting kiss on their cheeks. Then she rushed on to join Lavendar. Turning back for a second, she gave a small wave and disappeared into the Great Hall.
"...Now, I know that Professor Dumbledore did not give you much information about this trip, so I will tell you everything else you need to know," Professor Mcgonagall was saying as Hermione strained to listen.
"You and your partner will be given lodgings, and $3000 in Muggle money," Mcgonagall raised her voice as the crowd starting 'oohing' and chattering excitedly. "This will be to pay for your food, school supplies, and anything else you might need. I understand that some of you currently have not a single shred of Muggle clothing on you. Also, you may use this money to go on, ahem, certain...outings. The money is to last the whole year, so spend it wisely.
"Both of you will be expected to attend the Muggle school regularly. So be warned, if you skip class, we will know. Also, as you should know, absolutely no magic during this period of time. The Ministry has taken this into concern and you will only be pardoned once before you have to attend a hearing. We will be most displeased if any of our students disgraces Hogwarts in any way.
"As for transport, most of you haven't the foggiest idea in how Muggles travel, (There was a murmur of agreement at these words)" said Professor Mcgonagall. "So, for those of you which do not drive, you will find a bus card lying on top of the chest of drawers next to your bed. And as for those of you who incidently have passed your driver's test, and pocess a certified driver's license, you are in for a treat. Mister Cornelius Fudge, our Minister for Magic, has very generously prepared fifty or so brand new, Muggle cars," Mcgonagall paused once again as the people who actually knew what a car was gave a delighted cheer.
"I believe that is all," the Professor continued, smiling faintly at the students. Hermione admitted that she was slightly taken aback at the Professor sudden friendliness. She had not seen her smile even once in all her years as a student, but Hermione suddenly felt more warmly towards the teacher then she had ever had. Hermione cut off her train of thoughts as Mcgonagall began speaking again.
"Have a good trip! Now...your Portkeys!"
With a sweep of her wand, Professor Mcgonagall conjured up a dozen or so odds and ends, which lay scattered around the Great Hall like multi-coloured fairies.
"Find your partner and decide on a Portkey. When you have chosen it, simply gather around and grip your respective item. Just a finger will do. But be sure not to let go, it may result in an accident."
Hustling around and peering through shoving bodies, the students did as instructed, some looking rather nervous while others just seemed quite bored. Hermione felt as if butterflies were holding a reckless party in her stomach. She stood on tip-toe, trying to stop Malfoy in the thron of students. After a few moments of searching, she concluded that he might not have come at all. Despite her jittery stomach, she could sense a needle of disappointment poking through.
"No need to look anymore, Granger. I'm here. You might want to try looking behind you for once," a familiar voice drawled lazily, a hint of sarcasm applied.
Hermione whirled around, and saw Malfoy leaning coolly on a smooth stone pillar, sneering heartily at her.
"Keep your mouth shut for a minute, why don't you?" Hermione snapped, more out of embarrassment than of anger. She imagined how stupid she must have looked, searching around for him like an idiot when he had been right behind her the whole time.
Malfoy looked surprised at her sudden outburst, as though he had not expected her to explode so easily. Hastily, he replaced his look of stun with his trademark smirk and said,
"You might want to cool it yourself, Granger. Always acting like a perfect angel, and yet you're so sensitive. Hasn't Potter taught you anything? Or have you taken a leaf out of Weasley's book?"
Hermione pretended she hadn't heard him and stalked to the nearest Portkey; a page ripped out from a Muggle newspaper.
"Hurry UP," Hermione said through gritted teeth. Now she knew how Harry felt when Malfoy decided to go for an afternoon 'refreshment'.
Malfoy took his time strolling towards her. When he finally reached Hermione, and reached out for the Portkey, he added as an afterthought,
"Oh, and don't touch my hand. I don't want a Mudblood sliming it up."
Hermione again ignored him, but it was much harder. If not for her reputation, she would have jinxed Malfoy right there on the spot. They both put a finger on the yellowing paper, and waited. Seconds later, Hermione felt the unmistakable jerk beneath her navel and they were off, spinning swiftly away from Hogwarts.