Chapter 18 – Back to Hogwarts
The scarlet engine stood tall, billows of smoke pouring from it and the familiar whistle blew twice. Hermione stumbled towards it, swaying back and fourth due to the very heavy bag thrown over her right shoulder. She scanned the crowd for a while, her big brown eyes finally resting on two boys, one with messy black hair and piercing green eyes masked not even by the taped glasses that rested over his nose, the other much taller with fiery red hair and hundreds of freckles spilling over his face and arms. She broke out in an immediate smile and she ran over to them throwing her arms around each of their necks in a friendly embrace.
"Wow… someone is excited to see us." Ron remarked at Hermione eagerness. "It's as if we hadn't just seen you a couple of days ago."
"I guess I'm just excited that we are going back to Hogwarts!" She exclaimed. The whistle gave several more blows. "I guess we should get on now. I know we have a bit of time… but I want to get a good compartment for the three of us. They fill up quickly, you know."
"Alright." Harry agreed. "Need any help?" He asked eyeing her oversized luggage.
"Sure, that would be great." She sighed, handing him the heaviest one which he dropped to the ground the second it was plopped into his arms.
"Jesus Hermione! What the hell do you have in here!"
"You know… clothes… supplies…" She paused. "Books…"
"Should have known!" Ron laughed. "Okay, let's go." He said, stepping onto the threshold of the train and entering, his worn bags dragging up the three steps. The two followed, and soon they were sliding back one of the doors to an empty compartment. Ron and Harry took a seat on one side of the booth and Hermione the other, facing them.
"So." She began, smiling at them broadly. "Am I the only one that's excited to be back at school?"
"Yeah… pretty much." Ron joked. "No, really I'm thrilled."
"Yeah me too." Harry agreed. "Now that I'm the captain of the Quidditch team I'm really going to work them hard."
Ron groaned, considering that he was on the team also.
"It's absolutely wonderful that you got captain Harry!"
"Thanks." He said modestly. "But it's no where near getting head girl!"
Hermione blushed. "I was so surprised that you weren't head boy! I was almost positive you would be."
"Yeah," Ron agreed. "Never would have seen that coming! You're like Dumbledore's favorite student."
"Ron!" Hermione scolded. "I'm sure the headmaster wouldn't choose favorites–"
But before she could finished the door popped open and two girls entered.
"Hello Lavender! Parvati!" Hermione exclaimed, getting up and hugging them.
"Hello!" Parvati said readily.
"Room for us?" Asked Lavender, sitting down beside Hermione anyway. "We just got on and all the compartments are full!"
"Uh… Sure…" Harry said. He had been a bit sour towards Lavender ever since they had broken up the year before.
Parvati squeezed in beside Hermione and Lavender. "So!" She sighed. "How were your summers?"
"Good!" Ron responded happily. "Harry came over and we had a ruddy good time!"
"Mine was good as well." Hermione agreed. "I went to summer school."
Lavender's jaw fell. "YOU went to summer school? Why? You are like… the smartest girl in the school."
"Um… I just wanted to be completely ready for this year. Anyway, so I went, and I made some new friends and they were great. You all would have really liked them."
"I already do." Said Harry smirking.
"Well yeah… You ARE going out with one of them." Hermione laughed. "It would be bad if you didn't like her…" She trailed off at the look of jealousy on Lavender's face.
"Go on." Lavender said quickly, clearly wanting to avoid this subject.
"Yeah, my summer was pretty much good. Other than the fact that Malfoy was there…" The train started with a jolt and began speeding in the direction of Hogwarts.
"MALFOY?" Parvati and Lavender cried in unison.
"Uh… Yeah."
"Oh my god. Have you seen him lately? He is so fucking hot!"
"Ew! Malfoy? Hot?" Hermione made a fake gagging noise, to emphasize her point. She was lying of course. But she would not let in on any of her and Malfoy's little rendezvous.
"It's no fair!" Parvati said with a pout. "He fucks practically every girl EXCEPT for me! Why, god, why?" She said, clasping her hands together dramatically.
"Well that will be soon to change if WE have any say in it!" Lavender said, and the two of them erupted into a fit of giggles until all of a sudden, the door burst open yet again and the person in question walked into the small room.
"Malfoy." Harry whispered evilly. "Come back for another round?"
"No." Draco said nonchalantly. "Actually I was just looking for a compartment."
"Well, as you can see, this one is filled."
Draco looked around the room. "Ah… Granger." He spoke.
"Yes?"
"Just the person I was hoping to see. I wanted to inform you of you luck."
The was a long pause in which everyone said nothing, Malfoy was evidently waiting for her to ask what it was, but when she didn't he decided to say it anyway.
"You have the immense luck of sharing the Head Quarters with me for the year. I'm sure we will have some fun." He winked at her slyly then left just as quickly as he had arrived.
Everyone was silent, as if in a trance until all of a sudden a voice boomed over the loudspeaker announcing that they were 45 minutes away from arrival. This seemed to bring everyone back into reality.
"Oh my god!" Parvati squealed.
"HE IS EVEN HOTTER THAN WHEN WE SAW HIM GETTING ON THE TRAIN!" Lavender said, excitedly.
"Hermione, he was TOTALLY hitting on you!"
"Of course he wasn't!" She exclaimed quickly. "We hate each other, remember? He was just trying to piss me off."
Lavender ignored her comment. "Oh my god!" She cried, repeating her friend. They had become more and more alike over the years. "Just think! You two get the same room! Your bedroom will be right across form his! Think of the possibilities!"
"Ew… I don't want to!" Hermione said with a look of disgust.
"Yeah Lavender…" Ron agreed. "That's really wrong."
"I can't BELIEVE I have to share a room with him!" Hermione fumed.
"Rotten luck." Ron stated bluntly. "Of all the people in Hogwarts… You rooming with Malfoy, I never thought id see the day."
"Yeah, well not by choice!" She reminded them. "I would give just about anything to never have to see him again!"
Harry, who was seemingly shocked at the news, finally spoke. "How did a sneaky little shit like Malfoy get Head boy! If he gives you any trouble tell me and ill gladly knock him to the other side of the world!"
"Let's just not talk about it." She replied quickly trying to get her mind off the news. "Lavender, Parvati… we should go change into our robes. We should be arriving soon. Harry and Ron, I expect you to change in here while we are gone."
"Yes Mother." Harry droned.
"That's not funny! I'm only trying to help you…"
Ron was amidst a fit of laughter.
Hermione sighed in annoyance. "Fine. Whatever. Do what you want. But don't come crying to me when you are in trouble for being in your clothes when we arrive." She said, leaving with Lavender and Parvati and heading towards the bathrooms.
Half an hour later the train pulled into Hogwarts. This year was no different than the past, other than the fact that Hermione was Head girl so as Ron and Harry Piled into the familiar horseless carriages, Hermione lingered behind waiting for further instructions. She had to admit that it had been a great shock when she had received her head student letter and Harry hadn't. She had always thought it would be her and Harry in their final year as the head students. But no, at the moment, it was only her shivering in the cold fall air as she waited for someone to inform her of what to do next. Suddenly she heard a carriage approaching and quickly gathered her luggage. Sure enough, moments later a carriage pulled up in front of her and the door opened as a very together looking professor McGonagall stepped out. Straightening her blouse and pushing her spectacles back up, she strode over to Hermione, picking up one of her bags.
"Come along Ms. Granger, we are late as it is and I still have to escort you and Mr. Malfoy to your room."
Hermione groaned in remembrance of her new roommate, but followed hesitantly into the carriage and sat beside her enemy.
"I want to thank you Professor," Draco said quite loudly. "For making sure to room me with the most horrid creature in this entire god forsaken school."
"You're not much better yourself." She said eyeing his with disgust.
"Is it true that mudbloods are slobs?" He asked, trying to get a rise out of her.
"I don't know. I guess you will find out."
"Stop it you two! I am quite aware that you haven't gotten along in the past but since you are going to have to live in such a close proximity for the whole year it would be wise to at least pretend to like each other! Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes Professor." Hermione responded seriously.
"Yes Professor!" Draco said in a high pitched mimic.
"You are SO Immature." She spat malevolently.
"Bite me."
McGonagall rolled her eyes and turned back around. This was going to be a very long ride.
XXX
The sorting ceremony and dinner went smoothly and finally after what seemed like hours of catching up and chowing down, the students filed out and up to their rooms.
"I'm so full I don't know if ill make it all the way to our room!" Ron stated with a burp.
"Yeah I know! The food was amazing. Better than ever." Harry agreed. "Well Hermione… this is us." He said pointing to the portrait of the fat lady. "Good luck."
She nodded, hugging each of them then heading off towards her own dormitory.
It seemed with every step she hated Malfoy more and more, and the closer she got, the more she thought about how awful it would be to room with him. It was clear that he took pride in her discomfort. She treaded with heavy feet up to the portrait and muttered the password. It swung aside and she stepped in.
Draco was sitting on the couch reading when Hermione walked in. He smirked. "Hey roomie!" He said sarcastically.
She shot him a death glare and walked strait into her room slamming the door, then plopping down onto her bed. 'And just think.' She told herself ironically, 'I get to spend a whole YEAR with him!' She grimaced at the thought.
A/N: Okay! They are back at Hogwarts! Actually, parts of this were taken from the ORGINAL story I began to write before I thought up the whole Summer School idea…. But it's good that I ended up writing it because I think it's far more interesting then the first chapter I wrote beforehand. Three reviews before I'll update… but I don't even think I need to say that anymore because you all have been great and review on your own now! AND I LOVE YOU FOR IT!