Disclaimer: I own anything nobody recognizes, the rest belongs to J.K. Rowling!
Uhhh….my first story, so review with constructive criticism! Go on and tell me you hate it, but only if you tell me why…..
Raine
Chapter 1: Back
Hermione Granger looked out the window. It was a dreary, rainy day and she was going back to Hogwarts with her best friends Ron and Harry.
Over the summer, when she had received her school letter, she found that she was head girl. Idly, she wondered who would be head boy, probably some Ravenclaw. She was a bit surprised when Harry told he hadn't made it.
SLAM! Hermione was brought back to reality. Someone had thrown open their compartment door. She caught a glimpse of a tall, handsome silver-haired boy in the window before she whipped her head around to lock eyes with none other than Draco Malfoy.
She blinked, something was different, was that…..emotion showing in his eyes? He raised a delicate eyebrow, and the moment was shattered. She rolled her eyes and stared uninterestedly at him
"Well, the Golden Trio has returned. How ……. pleasant." He sneered He turned gracefully on his heel and strode off.
While Harry and Ron had a Malfoy bashing party, Hermione convinced herself that she was seeing things. Clearly, Malfoy was no different than last year. Cold, calculating, and impassive.
later
The feast was the same as always, except for Dumbledore's parting words.
"This year, the lives of many will change, for the threat of Voldemort…" Many of the students trembled. "…is stronger. The time may come to put aside your differences and stand up for what is right, even if it isn't easy. Reassurance and support are the most important things you may give or receive in these dark times. You may find it in the most unlikely places. Goodnight."
Many of the students left the hall quietly discussing the speech with their friends. Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at each other with furrowed brows. But they had no chance to talk.
"Ms. Granger? Would you follow me, please?" Professor McGonagall motioned Hermione towards the door.
"Of course, Professor." Hermione waved in parting to Harry and Ron, and then ran to catch up with her teacher.
When they passed the doors of the Great Hall, Malfoy joined them with a bored look gracing his aristocratic features.
"I will be showing you to your new chambers. As head boy and girl, you will share separate dormitories from the rest of the school. Ah, here we are." Professor McGonagall stopped in front of a large painting of a unicorn. Except this unicorn was completely different from any other unicorn Hermione had ever seen. Instead of the purest white, it was…….nothing. One could call it black, but it was simply too confined a word to describe it. Its horn was a velvety purple. However, its eyes, she shuddered, were blood red.
"The password is 'Cian'," said the professor. I reaction to hearing the password the unicorn tossed its mane and pawed at the ground. Its horn glowed briefly and a golden handle appeared. With a start, Hermione woke up from her mesmerized state. It was just her and Malfoy. He was looking at her with a mildly confused expression, before he opened the "door" and strolled inside, with Hermione on his tail.
Hermione's eyes grew wide as she took her surroundings. The walls were typical gray stone with a huge black marble fireplace. The furnishings were a complimentary majestic purple. A large black marble staircase lead up to a small hall, at which there were three doors. The one on the left read HRG inscribed in gold while the one to the right read DRKM in silver. The door to the middle was unassuming on the outside, so Hermione guessed it to be the bathroom.
A small sniff brought her to reality,
"I suppose it's decent," he said as he gracefully ascended to staircase like the arrogant snob he was. Hermione just rolled her eyes and followed suit.
Once inside her new chambers, she gasped in delight. The room had an ocean sort of theme to it. Everything was in soft aquamarines and sea foam greens. A tapestry to the left of her canopy bed depicted the setting sun over tropical waters. The wood of her dresser, bed, and desk was a deep mahogany. A large walk-in closet could be found to the side. Another door was labeled Griffindor, which she assumed to lead to the Griffindor common rooms, a door that only admitted her, to be sure.
She finished her unpacking and soon fell asleep on her comfortable new bed. Her dreams were sweet that night for the first time in days. As for all the other times, her memories found ways to resurface…..
"Hermione? Hermione Raine! There you are," Anne Granger sighed, relieved. "Where have you been?"
"Sorry Mum, I was studying in my room and I guess I got absorbed into my reading," Hermione grinned up at her mother sheepishly.
"That's fine; I just wanted to tell you that your father and I are going out to dinner tonight to celebrate the success of our business, alright? So, you will need to make yourself dinner, okay? Good girl. Don't wait up for us, we might be out late," Anne smiled at her daughter. Hermione nodded and kissed her mother's cheek.
"Of course, have a lovely time!"
After her parents left, Hermione continued her studying while slurping a delicious bowl of soup. She read a couple chapters of one of her new books, and then went to bed.
She woke up at 3:13 A.M. to the sound of the telephone ringing. Who would be calling at this time of night? She stomped down stairs, irritated and sleepy.
"Hello?"
"Is this Hermione Raine Granger? Daughter of Anne and Wesley Granger?"
"….yes…"
"I'm so sorry; I must inform you that there was a horrible accident involving your parents. It seems a drunken man was driving a concrete truck and, well, he hit your parents. The truck completely crushed the car. We tried to save your parents, but they died when the pressure was lifted too quickly. I'm terribly sorry for your loss. An officer should be there in a moment to bring you to the station so we can sort out this whole affair."
Hermione made a small noise of consent and quickly hung up. She sat down, she couldn't believe it. It just wasn't possible. She couldn't seem to even cry. It was too much.
She had spent the remainder of the summer at her great aunt's mansion, her only living relative. Aunt Eleanor was a strict old woman full of spite, and Hermione's personality clashed horribly with her. Aunt Eleanor took all signs of emotion as disrespect towards herself, so Hermione had learned how to school her face in to a neutral expression whenever she was upset. Now, it was simply instinct.
Hermione sighed deeply as she slowly came around. She felt cleansed and refreshed. Nothing would get her down today, not even Malfoy.
She stared at herself in the mirror and sighed. Her face had not changed much, except for becoming slightly less round. Her hair was not as bushy as it was last year, due to the length, but it was still bushy. It now reached down to the middle of her back. She quickly twisted it up on the back of her head and pinned it so it would not get in her way.
She wore her griffindor uniform as usual, but this time, she donned her new cloak. It was a rich black velvet that reached all the way down to the floor. The clasp was made of pure silver leaves that connected in the center on the silver rose. The clasp had been her mother's, given to her when she was born. It was one of her most treasured keepsakes.
She had just recently bought the cloak after her parents died, leaving all their money to her. Which turned out to be a small fortune, due to the success of their dentistry business. Hermione had used a small portion of it for her Hogwarts supplies and some better clothes. At least Malfoy couldn't tease her about her clothes. Her new wardrobe would also help her establish a name for herself, as this year she would be graduating, and would need a job.
She hadn't yet told Harry and Ron of the accident. She didn't want their pitying gazes. She didn't think she could handle it. So, no one knew.
She finished getting ready and walked out of her room with her head held high with resolve……. only to come face to face with Malfoy.
"Good morning, Malfoy!" She sang as she stepped around him to hurry down the stairs and get to breakfast. She glanced back at Malfoy, who looked slightly surprised, before she strode out the portrait entrance. Oh, this was going to be a good day.
On her way to the Great Hall, she ran into Ron and Harry.
"Good morning boys!" She chirped. They glared at her through half closed eyes.
"I don't see how it could be good this early," grumbled Ron. Harry didn't even dignify the greeting with a reply, but got straight to the point.
"What did the professor want?" He asked.
"Oh, that. She just showed us our new dormitories. They were magnificent! The common room was lovely and……"
"Us?" Ron inquired.
"Malfoy and I. Did you forget we are both heads this year? Anyways, there is a door in my room that leads to the Griffindor common room so I can visit you guys real easy,"
"Cool, let's go eat," Harry replied, giving Ron a warning glare. A glare that obviously told Ron not to bother Hermione about Malfoy. They passed the doors and sat down at their usually spot at the Griffindor table.
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I know the ending is a bit abrupt, couldn't write anymore. Anyways, suggestions on how to continue will always be welcome!