Breaking Boundaries
By: Somewhere Sky
Disclaimer: Of course, as always - the rights to the Harry Potter realm of fiction belongs solely
to J.K Rowling and her brilliant mind. Although I may admit, I shall always be slightly jealous.
Chapter 8:
Brand New Expectations
Arriving to the statue outside the headmistress' office felt slightly out of place to Hermione, it seemed like ages since she had been called to visit that particular room in all of Hogwarts. With everything that had occurred in the past, Hermione had expected the same warm feeling upon arrival - but Hermione feared, as she always did, that with change came no warm feelings. With Dumbledore gone and McGonagall in his stead - Hermione could only hope that she was wrong.
Upon that thought, the staircase leading towards the office opened up, just barely allowing Hermione's tall frame to squeeze through. Hermione noticed Justin Finch-Fletchley immediately as she took the final steps into the room, he sat with a glum expression on his face, Hermione quickly tightened her jaw in fear - feeling quite nerved by his demeanor. Had McGonagall already spoken to him? Had it been terrible news? Her thoughts poured as hundreds at a time all into a single bowl in her mind, she could barely stand to keep up with them all, and so Hermione sat - her body straight and her hands curled politely in her lap awaiting McGonagall's arrival.
"Hermione, my dear! How good to see you!" A familiar voice echoed across the room.
"Dumbledore!" Hermione gasped as she recognized the old man's voice, she turned to see a large portrait looking down upon her, his moon-shaped spectacles resting on his face, and his smile bigger than ever.
"I hope your summer was well?" He asked her, in the soft kind tone of his voice.
"Well not exactly, it wasn't perfect - but it was better than those of previous years. I just hope this good streak continues. I'm not so sure I could handle a Voldemort prodigy" Hermione told him, and as Hermione mentioned the name she could see Justin flinching through the corner of her eye, and in return to his gesture - she rolled her own.
"Of course it will Ms. Granger, and prodigy? Merlin no, I think the wizarding community will be just fine so long as we have the brightest witch of her age upon us." He told her with a wink.
Hermione smiled, only slightly moved by his comforting words. Voldemort may no longer exist, and his reputation and followers were gone as well - but Hermione knew there would be many other obstacles to dampen her ideals of a perfect life after Hogwarts, and those plans did not involve another struggle to survive.
"Ah! Miss Granger, Mr. Finch-Fletchley - I see you've both arrived promptly." McGonagall said, raising her voice to shout across the room as she entered her office and began stepping towards her desk. Hermione waved and returned Dumbledore's wink before giving her full attention to the elderly woman standing in front of her.
"Yes Ma'am" they told her in unison.
"I'd like to remind you, that as head boy and girl, you will not take your duties lightly. You were chosen because we are inspired by your depth, and ability to persevere, Hogwarts needs those qualities to install order within these walls." McGonagall told them with a stern attitude.
"Ms. McGonagall - I don't mean to be rude, but uh, isn't the job of the head boy and girl not to install order and just to help keep peace?" Hermione questioned.
"That is exactly what installing the order is, Ms. Granger. Now if you don't mind I have quite a few things to discuss with the two of you before I allow you to attend your classes." McGonagall said with a glance in Hermione's direction, her wrinkles curling into a frown.
"Of course" Hermione responded in barely a whisper.
"Now, you both realize that we need to be a family now more than ever, or at least i'm assuming that you know just how critical it is that we make you students come together. That we makes the houses become an undivided bond."
Hermione and Justin looked at each other, and than looked back toward their headmistress with slight confusion.
"I'm installing a new regiment for the students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
"Ms -" Hermione Interrupted.
"Which means Ms. Granger, that the students at this school will be following your lead, and by that I mean that I expect you to be setting an incredible, yes incredible , example for everyone else, especially the first years who haven't a chance to understand what it means to belong to a house, you will make them belong to a family."
"Yes Ms. McGonagall." the two students replied at once. Hermione and Justin began to stand when McGonagall stopped them once more.
"I'm not finished with you two just yet, as head boy and head girl I'm assigning each of you another classmate, as a pair you will demonstrate to your fellow students the importance of having friendships or even just acquaintances outside your own house. Do you understand?"
"But Who-" Justin forced.
"Hermione, I'd like to see you being the Gryffindor you are, which is far from a regular Gryffindor reach out a hand to Mr. Malfoy" at the sound of his name Hermione immediately jumped to respond but she was interrupted by McGonagall,
"Before you start, he does not deserve how he's been treated since the war. I do not condone his actions in the past and I understand that your quarrels have followed you for seven years but I'd like to see you mend those wounds. I'm sure you'll find a heart somewhere beneath the snake Ms. Granger." she told the young witch, who with arms crossed began fuming and ignored the speech Justin received which had placed him with Cho Chung.
"You may both leave now." McGonagall said without the slightest glance towards either of the students. Hermione understood where McGonagall was coming from, she understood better than anyone how badly the world needed to find a mutual peace, but forcing students to socialize when they have a history of verbal abuse probably wasn't the headmistress's greatest idea - Hermione wouldn't be surprised if someone lost a limb, more so if Malfoy lost a limb.
Hermione arrived at her Double Potions class with Slughorn, only to pay little attention to the lesson. Slughorn had presented them with an old potion, a hard one to brew - but it had incredible after effects. It was called 'Noel Felicy' a potion to calm the heart mind and soul, or as he put it "Some call it the infuri potion, because the person may be calm - but they look so dead while doing it - oh my!" and that was when he knocked several textbooks off his desk. Hermione wasn't interested in the potion, she thought its use seemed slightly pointless - actually, it seemed completely pointless.
Despite the fact that she gathered her ingredients, followed the instructions and brewed the potion beautifully. Hermione couldn't help but stare across the room at a Blonde without a care in the world, a man who literally lived with no heart in his chest. Hermione couldn't stomach it any longer. She would have to explain to McGonagall that despite being head Girl, it would be torture to have to spend time with the one individual who made Hogwarts: A History... A Hell.
It was Ginny who smoothed over Hermione's day, seeing her walk into the room brought an unforgettable smile to Hermione's face. Ginny's hair was pulled up into a loose bun, and her complexion was flawless, Hermione realized just how lucky she was to have such a beautiful woman by her side. However, Hermione wasn't aware of the fact that someone didn't enjoy seeing the two girls together, and Hermione was just about to find out who as soon as Ginny took a seat next to her.
"Ginevra Molly Weasley! I can't – I just can't believe how, how dare you?" Ginny Weasley's brother yelled across the common room, obliviant to the audience former amongst the room.
"Ron, calm down, what are you mumbling about now?" Ginny asked him with a smirk on her face.
"Hermione is, she is a girl Ginny, a woman!" Shouted Ron with disgust.
"Thanks for noticing –" Ginny attempted
"No Ginny, you are my little sister, you are supposed to, I don't know marry a man – fall in love with a decent guy and raise a family – this just.. it isn't right Ginny." He continued to yell.
"Ron, you are crossing a line. I'd advise you stop before I hex you into oblivion you selfish little prat. You have no right to judge my lifestyle or whom I love!" Ginny shouted back at her older brother whose face was an entirely new shade of red.
"And Hermione, first you break my heart, and now you're seducing my younger sister? What is wrong with you?" he directed towards the other woman.
"Ron, it was a mutual break-up and I'm not seducing your sister, I care for her very much, she means a lot to me. You have no right prancing around pointing fingers, who cares if I'm a woman you bloated Hippogriff, we want to be in a relationship and you don't honestly have a say in this matter." Hermione quarrelled.
The older witch grabbed Ginny's hand and pulled her from the common room, where the two girls retreated to the library comforting one another as they fumed over Ron's unnecessary outburst. Hermione couldn't believe how Ron had reacted to the girls demonstrating their love, they had both thought that neither of the boys would care much so long as it was more than just a "fling" Something more than two girls just enjoying the spotlight. Ginny was torn, and Hermione wasn't so sure how to put her back together, her older brother disapproved of the one thing that made Ginny's day worth while and Hermione had to find a way to make things right.
And on top of it all, she would be spending quality time with a particular Slytherin, who boiled Hermione's blood with just a single thought.
The chapter is done! I know it's taken forever, and I do have a good excuse I promise – there's been an incredible amount of drama in my life, and to be completely honest I lost track and forgot. But Ii'm here, I wrote chapter eight, can't wait for you all to read it. Read & Review as always!