"What is it?" asked Draco
"Trelawney"
"Oh she must have taken over McGonagall's lob as hat bearer."
"Fun" Hermione smirked sarcastically.
Once they reached the shore of the lake the heads, Hagrid and the trembling first years made their way over to Trelawney.
"welcome first years I am Professor Trelawney" she said with a tone of voice that clearly stated 'get on my nerves and I will predict your early death in the very near future.
Hermione and Draco slipped up the front steps into the hall.
Hermione made her way over to Ginny, Ron and Harry at the Gryffindor table. Who all looked up to greet her.
"Hey" they chorused
"Malfoy didn't give you much trouble I hope?" asked Harry
"Nah he was all right Harry, don't worry"
Harry eyed her curiously before sliding over in his seat so Hermione could sit between him and Ron.
"That's good to hear." He replied after he was seated.
Hermione looked up to the ceiling at the enchanted night sky.
"Looks like its going to rain." Ginny said.
"Yeah we could use a bit of rain the Quidditch pitch is looking a little dead." Added Ron
"We haven't even been back at school for five minuets Ron and you already not what condition the Quidditch pitch is in. How is that possible?" Hermione asked with a raised eyebrow.
Before Ron could retort angrily the Great hall's doors swung open revealing a bunch of first years that looked even more scared than when Draco and Hermione left them.
Up at the heads table McGonagall was rolling her eyes at the startled first years obviously the work of Trelawney.
"Welcome first years and continuing students to a new year at Hogwarts. It is a great pleasure to see the return of some of our older students.- she eyed Harry, Ginny Ron and Hermione. In light of last years mishap with Voldemort's followers we have upgraded the security wards on the school making it virtually impossible to gain entrance to outsiders. Note that the forbidden forest is forbidden for a reason no student may enter because they will most likely not come back. Without further ado I present the sorting ceremony.
The hall erupted with polite applause as the timid first years lied up in alphabetical order.
A 3 legged stool with what look like a hat that was deemed to be centuries old placed upon it was put at the front of the hall. After several seconds of hushed silence the hat broke in to what was unmistakeably a very Slytherin ish smirk – god knows why because he is Godrics hat but anyway- looking out into the audience the hat changed its smirk to a grim expression.
A taken back at the hats change in expressions the hall broke into silent whispers. But where cut off again as the hat began to sing.
True to your word…
I am what I am…
I sort you in to your houses that where destined…
The Foursworn made me…
You will break me…
Look at one another
You are dying of broken hearts…
Souls…
You keep them apart when they are meant to be…
Salazar and Godric where the best of friends…
Through a twisted prophecy they are enemies…
Through you…
I may be a hat but that's not all I may be.
I see things that aren't meant to be.
True to your word…
Helga and Rowena where the best of friends…
Through the eyes of prejudice they drifted…
Talk of massacres in the hundreds
Bloodshed in the thousands.
Hogwarts may you stay strong
Calling upon the Foursworn I prey…
They will fight for us…
Deliver us from evil…
They will bear the heirs…
Purest of the purest
Love of the heart…
They will fight for us…
So Hogwarts will live on for many years to come…
True to your word…
Let the sorting begin…
The hall sat in silence as the hat finished its traditional song. McGonagall looked about to faint a similar effect taking place on the head students.
There was a solo clap by an extremist named Neville Longbottom, every eye turned on him as he began to clap faster and turning red with embarrassment. Faster and faster he clapped when he was joined by Hagrid at the staff table and Luna at the Ravenclaw table. Before long the entire hall was emersed in nervous clapping.
The clapping died down as the extremely pale McGonagall stood and announced the sorting to begin.
'Abott, Trent'
"Hufflepuff"
'Alexander, Tristan'
"Gryffindor"
'Betll, Kurt'
"Slytherin"
'Cooper, Brooke'
"Hufflepuff
'Davies, Brett'
"Ravenclaw"
'Donovan Cayden'
"Ravenclaw"
'Hando, Jess'
"Gryffindor"
'Jenkins, Nicola'
"Ravenclaw"
'Parkinson, Liam'
"Slytherin"
And so on…
As the first years sat in their new houses McGonagall rose to her feet and proclaimed.
"Let the feast begin!"
To the first years utter amazement the bare wooden tables in front of them materialized into a buffet that would feed Ethiopia for a year.
As if on que "Miogy at ew wo fing da fong waz bout?" Ron asked with a mouth full of chicken.
"Excuse me Ronald I didn't quite catch that?" said Hermione
"He asked what you thought the sorting hats song was about" Harry answered quickly before Ron could open his mouth again.
"Oh! I am not sure Ron. Maybe we just wait and watch things play out during the year and not get involved ourselves we might have a peaceful year and watch it unravel from the sidelines." Hermione answered seriously and half contemplated about what it meant herself. Hypocrite.
"Well that's kind hard don't you think? You are after all friends with 'the boy who couldn't help but save the day every sodding year" are you not?" Said a familiar drool from behind the Golden Trio.
The three friends turned around to see Draco Malfoy and the Headmistress.
"That's enough Mr Malfoy I expect better from the schools head boy?" Scolded McGonagall.
Draco simply rolled his eyes at her scolding and Harry and Ron's death Glares.
"Come on Granger lets get this over with."
It was Hermione's turn to roll her eyes.
Once they where clear of the great hall McGonagall turned and looked at the two of them sternly.
"Mr Malfoy, Miss Granger, as you are aware I believe you will be sharing a living quarters in the east tower. You will share a bathroom and common room and you will obviously have your own bedrooms. It is strictly forbidden for any other student in the castle to be aloud in your tower. The tapestry on the right hand side of the fire place leads to the kitchens. You have 4 tapestries of the Foursworn in the commons and behind each I a tunnel to their respected houses." Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"I guess your ceremony with went well with Eupendi." She said pointedly to the silver marks on their arms.
"Don't worry you can only see them if your looking for it."
Hermione eyed Draco as he nodded his understandment. Hermione was just about to open her mouth to say something when McGonagall cut her off.
"Not here Miss Granger tis unwise the portraits talk. I will organize to see into your progress shortly. Now I have to head back to the feast where you may accompany me but I advise you get some rest the black lake can be very daunting. Good Night!" and with that she left leaving Draco and Hermione in an elapsed silence.
"Shall we go find our commons Hermione?"
"Sure Draco! I'm beat" she said stifling a yawn.
They walked on complete silence until the 7th floor when Draco stopped.
Hermione noticed he stopped and back tracked to where he was standing.
"What's wrong Draco?" Hermione asked sleepily
Draco looked into her deep chestnut eyes contemplating whether to…
Looking away "Nothing"
They presumed walking until they reached the east tower dwelling in their own thoughts.
"Well here we are our own little shag pad." Draco said.
Hermione slapped Draco upside the head and turned to the portrait. Of- Hermione nearly chocked. "Dumbledore?" she asked incredulously.
"Hello Miss Granger, Mr Malfoy"
Draco looked stunned.
"Hello Professor it's great to see you" Hermione said excitedly forgetting that she was ever tired.
"As you Miss Granger"
Draco still remained silent… and stunned.
"How are you Mr Malfoy?" asked the dead man.
"Fi-ine thankyou sir." Draco managed with a weak attempt at a smile.
"That's good to hear. Well I guess I should let you inside to gets some sleep then."
"Thankyou sir" said Hermione utterly thrilled to see him again.
"But first you have to make a password."
"Argetlam" Draco said immediately before Hermione had any time to think.
"Very fitting"
"You know what it means sir?"
"It is the ancient language is it not?"
"Yes sir"
"Well good night"
Good night sir" they said before entering the common room.
One look and Hermione nearly stopped breathing.
Draco was impressed but of course it was not as nice as the manor.
"It's Gorgeous" she whispered
Draco starred at her and let it slip just under a whisper. "I know you are."
Luckily Hermione hadn't hear or he would be very embarrassed indeed.
The ceiling was as high as a chapel somewhat like a loft. With the entire bottom story covered in bookshelves.
"My own personal library" Hermione said.
Draco just simply looked at her expression amused.
"Come on Granger before we lose you to the library forever lets check upstairs." He said giving her a seductive smile which she ignored. Weaving in and out of the mahogany book shelves he dragged Hermione up the marble stair case to the second floor.
Reaching the top of the stairs they looked around to find a six foot high marble fireplace with a fire already crackling merrily. To their right was a large wooden oak door with 'Draco Malfoy' carved deeply into the wood. A little to the right of that was a door identical to his but with 'Hermione Granger' inscribed. Across the room was 4 paintings of Salazar/Godric/Rowena/Helga who all greeted them politely with smiles except Salazar who glared at Hermione and smirked at Draco.
Hermione and Draco where not at all surprised to have portraits of the Foursworn in their common room. After all they where very well known and it isn't uncommon to pass them in the hallways in varies paintings visiting. But they did know no to expect them to stay long they where very busy portraits after all.
On the right side of the fireplace was a painting of two hooded figures with glowing green eyes about equal hight, behind them unexpectedly was a field of daisy's which lightened the atmosphere immensely.
They took one last look at the fire place and walked in to their respected rooms.
Hermione pushed her door open to find…
Nothing!... and empty black room.
Hermione heard a confused cry from Draco's room.
She ran back out to the lounge room to find a slightly confused Draco Malfoy.
"Is this some kind of joke?" he spat
"My room (if you could call it that) is nothing completely black anything less."
Hermione walked over to a plush love seat at the window left to the fire place.
"No Malfoy my room is the same." she assured him.
As if on que a Tawny brown owl flew through the open window and dropped a letter on Hermione's lap before leaving at once.
Draco walked over to Hermione and took a seat next to her.
"It's from McGonagall" stated Hermione.
"Well what does it say?"
"It's about our rooms or lack of. She says there is a reason there is nothing there." Hermione stood up and walked to her door.
"We have yo pace in front of it 3 times thinking of what we want them to look like, just like the room of Requirements."
He nodded and walked to her door also.
"Well okay try it"
Hermione thought for a moment and began to pace.
1…2…3…
She stopped in front of her door and opened it.
"It's still black" Draco commented.
"That's because the lights are turned off. Dah! Draco! ." she clapped her hands once and a fire on the right hand side of her room illuminated her abode.
"Gasps! It's perfect just like I imagined." In the centre of her room was a King sized four poster Bed draped in beich curtains, with red silk sheets and pillows. Next to her bed was a large window overlooking the black lake. To the left of her door was a large dresser and next to that a very old ancient looking mirror. At the foot of her bed was her trunk and Crookshanks was curled up on the hearth rug in front of the fire.
"Well I best leave you." Said Draco backing out of her room to create his own.
"When you finished Draco meet me in the common room we have to construct the bathroom."
"Sure" and he was gone.
After about ten minutes of unpacking her luggage. Hermione grabbed her toiletries and headed to the common room.
"About time Hermione." he heard Draco drool from the entrance to the bathroom or lack of.
Hermione just rolled her eyes. "Seeing as we will be sharing the bathroom I believe we both should have a say on what we want it to look like."
"Yes Hermione as long as we have a toilet, 2 sinks, an extremely huge enchanted mirror, a ridiculously large bath tub with scented taps, preferably with Frangipanis (Hermione blushed at this than noted whilst on his rant Draco was subconsciously pacing in front of the door) for you and Trinity musk for me. A shower with glass doors, a marble floor, and candles on the walls to top it off."
"Well I don't think that's going to be a problem Draco." Hermione said half amused and half annoyed at his own arrogance.
"Whys that Hermione?"
"Because you where pacing while on that little ran of yours just now."
Draco blushed a slight pink but quickly covered it up with a smirk.
"Let's take a look shall we?"
"Lets" she said pushing past him and into the bathroom.
"This room is by far my favourite."
"Even the library?"
"Of course not. Don't be daft Draco!"
"Sorry" he said sarcastically.
With all the things in mind of what Draco said it was exactly beautiful. On the walls in between the spread out candles where five stained glass windows of a Badger, Eagle, Snake, Lion and Squid each basking in their own Beauty.
"Ok I didn't imagine that." Draco said slightly put off at the windows.
"No I did. You can't have all the fun Draco." She said teasingly turning around and placing her toiletries on her sink.
"Good night Draco." She said casually before going off to bed.