CHAPTER 10:
Would y'all want me to put the POV name in bold after line breaks? Or has figuring out who is saying/thinking what not been an issue? I'll do it for this chappy and if no one has a preference then I will prob stop because I'm lazy. Happy Day!
Hermione
Hermione stumbled through the underground corridors, trying to keep up with her fellow Slytherins while also trying to not get in the way. An older student, probably a third or fourth year, shoved past her, causing her to crash into the wall.
"Watch where you're going, mudblood."
Hermione pressed herself against the rough stone wall to avoid getting trampled further by her seething housemates. This is going to be a long school year. Scratch that, a long education. Feeling a soft hand on her shoulder, Hermione looked up to see the blond boy from the pet shop. He's not going to do anything right? I know his mother seems to–
"Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."
The boy moved his hand from her shoulder in an awkward gesture of greeting. Hermione stared at him as the last of the other Slytherins passed them. Draco continued.
"Perhaps we got off on the wrong foot before? Us fami- I mean, first years, have to stick together. I can introduce you to some of the others. I sat with Greg and Vincent on the boats over to the feast. And our family is close with the Parkinsons. Their daughter Pansy is in our year."
Draco paused as the small brunette looked overwhelmed at the thought of meeting more people. Since he had agreed to befriend the girl and was operating under the assumption that she was blood, he did what any good cousin would do and began shoving her towards the dungeons, following right on her heels.
Hermione shivered as they made their way further down the stairs. Further from the sun. And trees. Hermione loved the outdoors. Being so far under the earth was disheartening for the ten-year-old. Being able to escape into the woods near her house saved her regularly from her mom's wrath, the woman unwilling to trek after the child past the sidewalk. Hermione's eyes welled up thinking about Jean, especially how she was before her father died. We were happy.
Since she wasn't paying attention, she didn't notice when Draco stopped. I also didn't notice when he crossed in front of me. Wait, pay attention!
Hermione listened as Draco mumbled to a plain wall, missing what he said as she saw a passage open out of the previously-thought-to-be-solid stone. He looked back to her, smirking at the look of wonder on her face.
"The password is 'Bruja.' It means sorceress."
Draco
In the common room, Draco's friends were waiting for him. Though Greg and Vince are really just acquaintances. As he stepped forward, he beckoned behind him for Hermione to enter, going to introduce the witch to her fellow first years. Before he could utter a word, though, Pansy spoke.
"What is the mudblood doing in our house, Draco? And why are you all buddy-buddy with her? When you told us to go ahead I assumed you were going to shove her down the stairs, not play tour guide."
The black-haired witch gestured wildly to the group she walked with before glaring at Hermione and pulling out her wand. The curly-haired girl looked like she was trying to become invisible, holding up her hands up in an attempt to appease the flustered witch. It was at that moment that Draco realized Hermione was unarmed and he needed to step in.
"Pansy, do you really think Salazar Slytherin would allow a mudblood into his home? Think it through. Or what? You believe Dumbledore could overcome the strongest magics in place designed to cull out the impure?"
He smirked, knowing that the more he heaped on the more likely she was to buy it. Pansy always has been an extremist. All or nothing.
"If you think Hermione here is a muggle on the word of that old codger fine, but you are making a powerful accusation. Hermione is a personal friend of my mother, and you know she can be quite… unforgiving."
It pays to know what tabloids say about your family. Narcissa had been wrung through the press enough as a wealthy pureblood, accused of practicing the unforgivables on her servants and, sometimes, muggles who were unlucky enough to stumble across her path. According to one reporter, she had imperioed him, though he was 'of strong enough fortitude to escape her.' Draco shook his head at the thought. If Mother had cast the imperius curse on that rat none would know of it.
Pansy paled at the thought of offending anyone blessed with Madame Malfoy's good graces and began to apologize to Hermione. The brunette waved her off, stating something about 'honest mistakes' and 'being exhausted' before turning to Draco.
"Where are the dormitories? I really would like to get to bed early."
Draco smiled at her before nodding towards Pansy.
"Parkinson can take you, she's your roommate."
As the two girls walked off, he headed towards his own room. During the confrontation with Pansy, Vincent and Greg had gone off to unpack, though Draco noticed they left the bed with the best view for him. Perks of being heir to one of the most respected pureblood lineages. I really do love the enchanted windows down here. He changed into his nightwear, deciding to unpack in the morning.
Hermione
Hermione was nervous following Pansy towards their dormitory. She knew Draco had talked her up, but she also knew she wasn't anything close to a pureblood. Pansy was quiet which both soothed Hermione and put her on edge. What is she thinking about? I hope she doesn't try to hex me in my sleep. Upon entering their room, Hermione noticed there were only two beds. She looked at Pansy hoping for an explanation. There were at least two other girls sorted into Slytherin.
Feeling the searching gaze on her, Pansy turned to Hermione.
"The other three girls are in a second room. Hogwarts only puts up to four students in a room together."
"Oh. Thank you."
Pansy returned to folding her spare uniforms and spelling them into her cupboard. Hermione saw her trunk and a small box above it. My wand! Hermione quickly pulled the wand out and gave it a test flick, a joyful smile spreading across her face as golden sparks came out the other end. I'm definitely not a muggle, that's for sure.
Pansy snorted at the childlike display and strode over to the distracted girl.
"So, Granger. What family is that? I've never heard that name on any pureblooded wizard before."
Hermione had the distinct impression that she was in close quarters with a shark and was quite nervous about accidentally starting a feeding frenzy.
"It's not a wizarding name, per say."
Think, think, think!
"Then why was Draco so positive you weren't a mudblood?"
Pansy had gotten even closer now, pushing into Hermione's personal space and was successfully intimidating her. Even though Pansy was only eleven, her attitude made her tower over Hermione, who curled into herself before an idea came to her.
"My identity can't be shared. It's too dangerous. I can't tell you my birth name because of a secrecy spell."
Hermione fidgeted under Pansy's gaze. That was something I read about, right? A charm or hex or whatever to protect secrets? Stop asking me! Hermione prayed to any deity that would listen that Pansy would drop the subject and was rewarded when the witch turned away, black bob shaking as she tried to forget about how strange her roommate was.
Hermione sighed in relief and quickly unpacked her case. Despite the addition of her wand, it appeared her trunk hadn't been messed with. The Black Family journal was still tucked as she had left it. Next to it was a small doll shaped made from a dish rag that roughly resembled an elf. Hermione squinted at the thing before seeing the note under it written in childish scrawl. For Crookems, love, Stoozy.
