Chapter numero the second

"Please tell me you're joking."

"I'm not, Ron."

"But sharing a dorm with HIM!"

"Oh, come on. Do show some maturity."

"But I mean, HIM!"

"Oh, I don't think he'll bother me. My mudblood would stain him, or so he'd say."

Hermione walked swiftly to the Head dorms, Ron jogging to keep up, his face red from the jogging and talking.

"Oh, for crying out loud, Ron, use your legs! Goodness knows they're long enough. I should be the one jogging to keep up, not you!"

Scowling, Ron slowed, using dramatically slow and long steps. Hermione rolled her eyes in exasperation, and approached the door to the Head Girl room. She muttered the password (gryfferin) and yanked the door open. Gold and red hangings struck her eyes, and the gold carpet was so soft on her feet as she kicked off her shoes. A bright red couch stood in front of a crackling fire, looking warm and so very tempting. A row of books lined the wall, and Hermione's breath caught in her throat. Books. Her secret sanctuary, her home. It felt so right, here. So peaceful. She walked over to a mahogany door that would lead her to her room. As it opened, she gasped. The bed had dark red satin sheets, and gold lining. The carpet was gold here, too. A mahogany table was in the corner, and a chair sat under it. Perfect, she thought, feeling a warm, tingly feeling she felt whenever she really, really liked something.

"Bloody hell, Hermione, I wish I was Head Boy! Blimey…" Wincing, Hermione turned.

"Ron, I need some alone time. Go back to Harry; no doubt he's searching for you. You have Quidditch practice, remember?"

Uttering a word his mother would have smacked him for, Ron leapt out of the dorm and flew down the hallway. Finally alone, the teen threw herself onto the bed, feeling its texture, loving its softness. Then she ran into the other room, grabbed a book, and started reading, captivated by the printed words.

"The only downside is Malfoy. But I've handled him before, and I can defend myself if necessary. Besides, what could happen?"

She never stopped to think about it.

-barad