Disclaimer: It's so disheartening to say this but I didn't even come up with the idea for the nifflers, although I would kill to actually own one.

Summary: Has Dumbledore gone completely insane? Hermione has not been made Head Girl. Instead she is a leader of the infamous Core Committee. What this entails, not even she is quite sure. Living in a close proximity to Malfoy however is the least of her problems when not only the pupils but also the staff are on the rampage. DHr

Committee, Elite

Oh So Many Plans

"WHAT!"

Ron stormed towards a huddle of excited second years, throwing them into disarray as he picked his way (none too carefully) through the hoards of students. Harry followed closely behind, stooping to pick up a dazed first year, then hurrying to catch up with Ron. Hermione stood waiting for them, her face expressionless.

"THEY DIDN'T MAKE YOU HEAD GIRL!"

She looked around nervously. Ron was already attracting far too much attention and she'd planned to be relatively invisible this term. The Trio had been in the papers far more times than she cared for in the last year. People still stopped her in the street to simply touch her hand. She loved Harry and Ron dearly, but to be the best friend of two war heroes put a girl in the spotlight.

A few people were giving her odd side-glances, nudging their friends or just outright staring. Hermione could hear their murmurs whisper around the station,

"Isn't that…?"

"Yeh I'd recognize her anywhere…"

"She was in the war right? Helped kill You Know Who."

"Looks a bit young to me…"

Hermione tutted irritably to herself.

"I heard she killed him with her bare hands."

"No idiot, she turned his own wand on him."

"Whose wand?"

"Oh shut up…it was her best friend."

"Yeh the Boy Who…"

"…Just Won't Die… and here we all are demanding to know why the hell not?"

Draco Malfoy stood proudly, his cronies flanking him, like several overgrown cabbages. Hermione unconsciously stepped back a few paces. Her hand itched beside her pocket and she would have loved to watch him screaming like a girl, but too many other thoughts were plaguing her mind. Malfoy's incessant voice cut through her thoughts, "Mudblood, Weasel, Pothead, so good to see you all again."

Asshole.

"So I hear congratulations are in order Potter. Head Boy, and at your age. Have you not outgrown the simplicity of school life? Not got any more muggles to save or do you strictly only plague the wizarding world?"

Ron stood beside Harry, impatiently tapping his foot. "Oh hello Weasel, didn't recognize you there. You blend in so nicely with the Hogwarts Express." Ron turned puce; his cheeks puffed up, blowing out air. Apparently he could not think of any retort good enough for the occasion.

Draco sneered. "Ahh that's better, I can see you now."

Ron emitted a small growl; a vein throbbed in the side of his temple, his teeth working furiously. Harry grabbed the scruff of Ron's neck and dragged him away. Draco turned to the remaining member of the trio. "Sorry, did I interrupt relationship difficulties. If I can't depend on our two golden boys, who can I turn to?"

There was a long silence in which Hermione tried to register what he was talking about. It occurred to her that his bodyguards had wandered away and she was standing, blankly staring at his shoulders. He coughed impatiently. "I'm up here Granger."

She started. "Sorry, why did you say you were here?"

"I didn't."

She thought vaguely for a moment. "Didn't what?"

"I didn't say why I was here."

"Right."

There was another long pause. The two looked round, examining their surroundings. Where were Harry and Ron, this was just getting awkward now? The train blew its whistle and the chorus of excited voices intensified as the crowd moved to board the train. Draco looked up suddenly with vague recognition. "Oh yeah, I remember. We're supposed to meet someone in the front train compartment now."

"What both of us?"

"Yes."

"Together?"

"Yes Granger."

"Who wants to see us?"

Draco was becoming more than a little bit impatient. "Well if I could remember that I would have told you." Merlin, she was so infuriating.

Hermione frowned. Merlin he was so infuriating.

Looking around, she noticed Harry and Ron had disappeared among the crowds, and with her only means of escape gone, she huffed her frustration (Malfoy needed to know that this was clearly against her own free will) and followed him onto the train. A few faces looked around with curious interest to see the two students boarding the train together.

Her frown deepened.

Neville Longbottom and Susan Bones were already waiting when Hermione stumbled angrily into the compartment.

"Now he's gonna tell the whole school you pathetic excuse for a rodent."

"Oh lighten up. It'll boost your rep. Do you want to be known as the bookworm for the rest of your life."

"Ahh honey, I didn't know you cared. STAY OUT OF MY LIFE YOU ARROGANT, SELF-CENTRED PRAT!" Fuming, Hermione threw herself opposite Neville, who, slightly terrified by the loud, red-faced woman, shrunk into his seat as much as the fabric would allow him.

The four students sat in silence. Susan and Neville occupied themselves with the view as London quickly disappeared to be replaced by mud flats and fields. Hermione stared moodily at the floor and Draco sat eating a pumpkin pasty, the Daily Prophet balanced on his lap.

The compartment door slid open and in walked Professor McGonagall. Examining the students, she was pleasantly surprised to see a scene of such quiet and peace. In this instance it is perhaps better to settle for ignorance. Rather than notice the removed and awkward atmosphere, she smiled at the silence.

She looked around expectantly. No one spoken. Even Miss Granger had failed to acknowledge her presence. She re-adjusted her hat. Neville looked up nervously. "Hh hello p pprofessor," he stammered.

Over the summer, his grandmother had tried to terrify him into growing a backbone. She had grown tired of his timidity and apologies. She reasoned that if her grandson was going to spend his life apologizing, it might as well be for a good reason rather than reflex. Evidently this tactic had failed. Neville had merely spent the summer tiptoeing round the house, sprinting in the opposite direction when he did see her and squealing when she got the better of him, appearing suddenly behind him.

Clearly this greeting was enough for Professor McGonagall, who launched into the explanation that they had all been waiting for.

"As you may know, Daphne Greengrass and Harry Potter have been selected as Head Girl and Boy." (Hermione tried to concentrate on the window. Draco could almost feel the heat radiating off her). "However, there are a few changes this year. The four of you have been carefully selected to form the body of Hogwarts Core Committee. What this entails is the organization of er, well umm…" She cleared her throat carefully. "Dumbledore will discuss your duties with you later. I have come to present you with these badges and congratulate you for being chosen. I must stress that this responsibility must be taken very seriously. A lot of people will be looking up to you."

She paused. No one had anything to say and so she quickly handed these badges out and then continued.

"During the following year, you will be required to work together closely. Dumbledore felt that the relations between you and the quality of your work as a team would be significantly improved if we gave you shared accommodation…"

Still no one spoke.

"Which would mean that you would all share a common room… ummm, living together," she added tentatively. It was quite incredible how fast the atmosphere changed. She backed out of the room slowly, holding onto her hat as she stepped through the door and into the corridor.

Draco Malfoy finished his pasty and turned his full attention his paper. Living with Granger. Merlin, what is wrong with this place. Somebody has a death wish. If she touches my stuff I'll curse her into the next century. Shite, I'll have to see her face every morning. Holy crap, separate showers, please let there be separate showers.

Hermione was clenching her badge between her fists and would not look at anyone else. I hate my life, I hate my life. Stupid, smug, arrogant bastard. Look at him. Must be a ten foot beanpole stuck up is backside. I hate my life. Why me? What the Hell did I do wrong? I work hard, nice, steady relationships with nice steady boys. I don't smoke, drink, sleep around. What in Hell did I do to deserve this? Holy crap, she was gonna have to live with Draco friggin Malfoy.

Susan stared thoughtfully at her hands, then her nails. What is the Core Committee? It's really quiet in here. Hmm, she needed the toilet.

Neville continued to stare out of the window as the train pulled into the station. He did not speak a word until later that evening.

An emergency staff meeting had been called in the school. There were issues to discuss and Dumbledore would put them off no longer.

"ATTENTION ALL STAFF!"

McGonagall frowned. "Albus… Albus!"

Dumbledore was pacing the floor, his face screwed up in concentration. It was unacceptable, he told himself, simply unacceptable. McGonagall's shouts were lost on him.

"ALBUS!"

He looked up startled. "SORRY, WHAT?"

"Albus, we're all in the same bloody room as you, there is really no need to shout."

There was along silence in which every member of the Hogwarts staff held their breath. You could quite literally cut the air with a knife. A staff meeting had not been called since the battle of the Giants and the Centaurs, sixteen years previously.

Dumbledore cleared his throat, his tongue tracing the thin outline of his ageing lips. "It has come to my attention that not only do the pupils have no means to express their emotions within a secure environment, the staff in my establishment…"

There was a cough in the corner of the room. "You mean us." Dumbledore looked angrily round to see who had interrupted his speech. No one looked particularly suspect and so he continued, though somewhat more cautiously.

"It has come to my attention that not only do the pupils have no means to express their emotions within a secure environment, the staff in my establishment…" (he looked round accusingly) "… do not have know how to kokey."

There was along silence. Dumbledore had expected a little more of a reaction than this. The reception of this revelation was somewhat disappointing.

"Soooooo…..

I have decided, with the help of Professor Snape…" (who grimaced, his jaw working furiously) "… to set up a society in which staff and pupils can unite. There are certain skills in life that one cannot simply overlook. As Principle of this establishment, it is my duty to correct this. I will set up a Core Committee in which I have already elected four responsible members of this school to act as commanding officers as such. I will decide what exactly this committee will entail this evening and inform you all tomorrow. For now, you are all dismissed."

Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick and Madam Hooch rose uncertainly and headed quickly for the door, bursting into a raucous chatter outside the door.

"Kokey, that's right isn't it."

"No, no that's not what he meant. It's quite a simple spell really. The emphasis lies on the second syllable and the recipient drills four metres into the ground."

"Sort of like a human drill then?"

"Yes yes, quite excellent." Professor Flitwick was jumping up and down vigorously. "Ten points to Hufflepuff!"

The chatter paused. "Can we do that?"

"Do what?"

"Give ourselves points."

"Well your head of house, in theory you have the authority to if you wanted I suppose." Professor Sprout's face gleamed with a triumphant radiance. Hufflepuff would be the underdogs no longer.

She detached herself silently from the small group and marched down the corridor, a stream of exclamations issuing forth: "fifty points to Hufflepuff! You have an excellent pair of new shoes. Oh, and another fifty points for your hair. The fragrance is quite delicious." Professor Sprout continued ranting to herself until she reached the greenhouses, in which she proceeded to award the Hufflepuff first years with ten points each with various justifications. Meanwhile, the Ravenclaws stood huddled together, glowering.

Professor Snape sat moodily in the staff-room. If the chair could only engulf him, he could disappear from this ridiculous school for a very long vacation. No use asking for leave, Dumbledore would only hum at him in a soothing, hypnotic manner. Snape had fallen for it so many times before.

Professor McGonagall, on the other hand, stood up primly, readjusted her hat and disappeared angrily behind a tapestry. She was late for her first lesson of the term. Dumbledore turned with a satisfied twinkle and proceeded to rearrange the assortment of sneakoscopes, papers and various novels that blanketed his desk. He had lots of planning to do. Oh yes, lots of planning.

Hermione stood outside the portrait. She could hear footsteps approaching but she would be damned if Malfoy chose the password before her. She thought quickly and declared "Golden Era" at the portrait; the footsteps were growing steadily louder. With more time she could have come up with something better, but this would do for now.

She waited expectantly, but the small figure shook her head. "The password has already been selected. Please try again." Hermione bit her lip. Bugger.

Neville rounded the corner, a pile of books in hand. He panted with the weight of his burden. Hermione clicked her tongue impatiently. What the hell was the bloody password then?

On cue, the portrait swung open to reveal a head of blond hair (A/N well, who were you expecting?). "The password's Paradiso by the way."

"What! Why?"

"I danno. It was just in my head at the time."

"Well, what ever floats your boat little boy." Hermione pushed past him and stumbled into the room, Neville tumbling in unceremoniously after her. Apparently the books had been more than he could manage and the pile scattered across the floor. Malfoy tutted to himself, and stepping over the two figures sprawled on the floor, made his way to the kitchen. He was dying for a cup of coffee.

A/N He he he. So, anywhoooo. Please review.

Author: Yes please review and yes Draco Malfoy likes coffee. It's not something he likes to admit to.

Draco: I told you that in confidence. Do you always have to do that?

Author: It was one time, I tell you.

Draco: hmmph

Author: Oh give it a rest.