Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, the characters, places, or settings involved in the book. I only own the ideas for this story and do not wish to see them anywhere else.
A/N: Hey, I've been thinking of this idea for a story for a while and today I've finally decided to use it. R&R please.
"Reminders to all first years to stay away from the For…" Dumbledore's words droned on and on, losing the concentration of most in the hall, the usual warnings and rules being told to the first years, all of whom seemed to be listening intently- much unlike the older students who, after hearing them so many times over the years, were tiring of this speech every year.
One particular student was Hermione Granger. Usually, she would be listening intently to this speech- a mark of respect that she had always held for her teachers and peers when they needed her attention, however, this year, for once in her whole life she simply could not be bothered. Why? This was a mystery, a prospect completely lost on her for she knew she should be listening, but this year it seemed the whole world had taken its toll on the young female and for once she could not be bothered to listen to the headmasters speech. However, she found slight comfort knowing she was not the only one who was not listening to every word.
The Patil sisters, both in 7th year along with Hermione, were signing to each other across the hall from their allocated house tables. Hermione was lost on what they were signing and mouthing- it was almost like some secret twin language. Hermione's eyes fell upon other students- a third year Hufflepuff was clumsily trying to tie his lace under the table, hitting his head upon it several times when he jerked upwards, Ron Weasley was simply staring at his plate waiting for the food, and Draco Malfoy, Mr Slytherin himself was just staring, hard faced, across the room- to whom Hermione did not know.
"Ahem, may I now have the full and utter attention of my students, as I would like to introduce something new to our school this year and my explanation will require your full attention. And I stress, your full attention." Dumbledore interrupted Hermione's reverie and she blushed slightly as his eyes fell on her, as she knew he knew she had not been listening, as she should have been.
"This year, Hogwarts staff and I have decided to let you enjoy your year to the maximum. And, with this decision, we have introduced a muggle invention into the school," Dumbledore paused, waiting as the Slytherins hissed slightly and their slight uproar was witnessed by the whole school, a slight break of chatter bursting throughout the tables. Hermione, however, silently waited for Dumbledore to tell them what exactly it would be. Noticing Dumbledore's displeasure to the chattering, the hall soon quietened, waiting with baited breath for him to complete his speech.
"The invention, I believe, in the muggle world is known as a telephone. It allows, by picking up a receiver with numbers on it and then dialing a certain number, as a number is set for each person, to speak to another person without actually having to use flu, or actually see the person. We at Hogwarts have decided that it is a better idea to allow you to use these, as it should cut down the amout of people found out late at night. Now, with these words you may eat! Hickeldy pickeldy pock!"
The hall seemed to erupt like a volcano with chatter about the new telephones in the school. Muggle born children and half-bloods were trying to explain to the pureblood ones about the contraptions, some with groups of up to ten listening intently to what they were saying. Hermione and Harry tried their best to teach Ron about it, but most students were already clued up with the idea due to muggle studies.
Over the summer, it seemed Harry and Ron had changed. They were both rather tall now, with Ron towering to a lanky 6"4 and Harry following behind at 6"3. Harry's hair was as wild as usual, however, the look seemed to do more good for his image than not, as he had neatened up his wardrobe to give himself a sophisticated approach to this look. Ron, was, well, Ron. With large muscles on his arms and with a built upper torso, he had indeed changed in looks. Harry and Ron were indeed sought after by the female population of Hogawarts, but Hermione found that she had never wanted them than more than friends. And it seemed they were happy to stay that way. Ron was still clumsy as ever, and Harry still the same boy he was many years ago.
Hermione on the other hand, had not changed much at all in her looks. The only major difference was her hair; it was not as bushy as before, yet it was not straight. Instead it fell in soft waves ending in spiralled curls at the bottom of her back. She still loved books, and nothing would ever change that.
Engaging in a mindless chatter with the rest of the table, Hermione began to zone out of the rest of the conversation. This year, she had been appointed Head Girl, the shiny badge pinned neatly on her robe in full view for all to see. It had been announced earlier in the feast that Draco Malfoy was the head boy, much to her disappointment. It seemed she would be sharing a tower with him, which neither her or her friends were pleased about. As if reading her mind, Ron spoke up.
"You know Hermione, if that darned ferret even tried to curse you I'll have him. It's our last year, and you're not spending it in the hospital wing!" He growled ferociously, looking at her with blue-green eyes that flashed slightly.
She smiled at him, a pretty grin that illuminated her features. "Oh Ron, I'll be fine, if he does anything to me, which he won't, because that would be breaking school rules which he should not do as head boy, I'll simply hex him as self defence but mine will be ten times worse than his." She finished, placing some potatoes on her plate as Ron stared at her open mouthed.
"After six years here, you're still worried about breaking school rules?"
She looked at him and 'hmphed' slightly in annoyance. "Yes, Ronald, because I, unlike some people I could mention, wish to do well in my schooling career. Ah, Ginny, how was your summer?" She spoke, acknowledging the other girl and ignoring Ron for the moment.
The two females engaged into chatter about their summer, Hermione telling Ginny of her summer spent in Italy whilst Ginny told of the adventures that had taken place at the burrow- and when she went to visit Luna over the summer. It seemed Hermione and Ginny had become good friends, as to Hermione Ginny was the female best friend she never had chance to have.
It soon came time for the feast to end, the prefects guiding the younger years out of the hall and to their houses whilst Hermione was ordered to the front for Dumbledore to show her and Draco to their tower. As heads, they were privileged to have their own space as they had more duties to do than any other person in the school.
"Good evening. May I first congratulate you both on achieving such an honourable position in the school, as I assure you many other people would have liked this position. I also have noted that you have both had your, how to say… Differences… Over the years, I do hope this will not interfere with your positions which may be revoked at any time under any circumstance." He finished on a grey note, but quickly dismissed it with a cheery smile and wave of a hand to take them to their tower.
They walked in silence, not a word spoken between the few, the only contact made was stolen glances between Draco and Hermione, each noticing how the other had changed over the summer. Draco himself had developed into quite the young man, shaggy silver blonde hair falling angelically over his face. However, Hermione knew that the young man walking beside her was by far no angel.
"Here we are!" Dumbledore announced, his eyes twinkling cheerfully once more. "The password is Wingardium Leviosa. I will leave you both now to accommodate yourselves with the new living arrangements, I assure you they should be up to your standard."
In a few seconds he was gone, leaving them both standing in front of a large tapestry of a witch and a wizard, the witch wearing beautiful red robes and the wizard wearing jade robes as if to be the opposite of her.
"Password?" The woman enquired, her long platinum hair falling in sheets down her back as she looked upwards at them.
"Wingardium Leviosa" Hermione said, looking over to Draco, but it was obvious that he was not going to say it. However, when the tapestry swept to the side to reveal the doorway, he was not hesitant to be the first through. Huffing slightly, Hermione made her way in the room and gasped slightly.
It was truly the most beautiful room she had ever seen. Cream couches sat around a black fireplace, upon a deep red carpet. The room was full of deep green tapestries that seemed to make the room themed with Gryffindor and Slytherin, a huge bookcase lined a wall of the room as there were two desks situated along another wall near a staircase, which followed into a platform- three doors at the top of it.
Hermione climbed the stairs, noticing one room was already open and, from what she could see, contained Draco's things. It seemed deep green from what she could see, however, he must have noticed her looking for she was sure she heard a mutter of 'piss off mudblood' and the door slammed shut in her face. Turning her nose up, she walked over to a room with the word 'bathroom' in gold lettering upon the door and pushed it open.
Inside was a large bath- much bigger than that of the prefects bathroom and much nicer. It had many golden taps along the side- and Hermione could not wait until that night to try them out. Smiling to herself as she looked upon the cupboards, one labelled 'his' and the other labelled 'hers', she walked out of the room to find another one, the only room that had not been explored yet.
Hermione pushed the door to her room open with gentle fingertips. A broad grin flew across her features as she examined the large window, which took up most of one side of the wall, a wardrobe in which she could see all her clothes had been placed in neatly. 'No doubt by house elves,' she thought with a frown. She forgot her displeasure as she walked over and sat on the bed, then noticed something that had been quite alien to Hogwarts before. A telephone. Reaching over and picking it up off the receiver, she examined it. It was not different from the ones that she used at home, however, she could feel the magical surge in it.
Looking around, she wondered how she would be able to contact Harry and Ron. It was then she noticed something. Next to the port for the phone, she saw a small book, bound in red. Opening it, she saw a list; every students name in the school was in this book. And beside them, in a parallel column, was a number for each and every one. Smiling to herself, she dialled 516 and waited for the tone.
"Hello?" A voice appeared at the other end of the line and she smiled at the familiarity.
"Hey Harry, it's Hermione, I'm just checking this out!" She smiled to herself, ready to engage into a long conversation about some rubbish, not knowing what trouble these telephones would bring in the near future…
End of first chapter
A/N: There we go. It's nothing much yet, but I'm off school sick at the moment so I can't really do much more until I'm better. Shall I say, hopefully the next chapter will be up in a week or so? R&R, And I'll update faster :P
Me xxxxxxx