Chapter 11: Everywhere
That week, Harry and Hermione had to go to Diagon Alley and Ron and Ginny, with nothing else to do, went with them. They went to get money from the bank and to get finishing touches on the house. It's both their so Hermione gets to decorate too.
"How about these curtains Harry? They'll go great in the bathroom on the first floor." Hermione held up nearly transparent light pink curtains with small light splotches of blue on them
"I dunno Hermione. They look kind of…weird." Harry touched the material and eyed it as it flowed out of his hands like water; he showed a bit to Ron
"But what about the tiles? They're pink and blue and this would go great with that. And the shower curtains are white so it won't matter." Hermione argued
"What about these you two?" Ginny held up white curtains with pink and blue flowers embroidered on them
"They're lovely." Hermione said touching the curtains and looking at Harry with hope in her eyes
"Alright, alright. I don't ever want to go shopping for house stuff with you again." Harry muttered
"Those aren't that bad though." Ron said and Ginny nodded
"See, even Ron likes them." She said and Harry just shook his head
"I don't mind. I'm not even good at this type of thing anyway." He said and they paid for the curtains before Hermione and Ginny saw something that caught their eyes even more
"Oh no…" Harry muttered when he saw what they were watching
"Bloody hell…" Ron muttered frightfully
"I love that dress!" Ginny and Hermione said at the same time, pointing through the window at a periwinkle dress that clung on top and billowed out slowly towards the bottom
"Harry, I've gotta try it." They said together
"Ginny, you look better in white. Its better for Hermione to try it, its her color." Ron said while Harry tried to walk away quietly
"So? C'mon guys! Hermione? 'Mione where are-no fair!" Ginny grabbed Ron and Harry and dragged them into the store as Hermione was coming out of the dressing room in the dress they had seen
"You were right Ron. Hermione does look better in periwinkle." Ginny consented as Hermione twirled slowly in front of the mirror
Suddenly a black flash ran in front of her and hid in the stall where her clothes are. The four looked under the stall opening and found a pair of newly bought looking sneakers under a pair of black baggy jeans. Pale arms covered the knees as the figure sat there crouched and a girl of sixteen ran into their area. 'Draco!' she called and when Hermione stood, she was face to face with Pansy Parkinson, who was in the same dress as Hermione. The two girls stared at each other before grabbing their wands out of from in between their breasts and circling one another.
"Take that off Parkinson." Hermione hissed
"No way Mudblood. This one's mine." Pansy growled
"You've gotta be kidding me." Ginny stated and grabbed her own wand
"Stay out of this Weasel." Pansy said and Hermione agreed
"This is between me and her. Take it off now!" Hermione and Pansy lunged at each other
"Engorgio!" one howled
"Densaugeo!" the other yelled and the two girls fell to the ground on their knees panting. They looked at each other and Pansy's nose began to grow larger and larger.
"Alright Hermione!" Ron cheered but Hermione's face took on a scary look
"What about my spell?" Pansy whined even though her voice sounded like it was filled with sinuses; Hermione stood and pointed her wand at Pansy, who stayed on the floor
"Take it off and I'll remove the spell." Pansy whimpered before heading into the stall next to Hermione and tossing the dress over the door
"Tell me when to stop. Reducio." Hermione entered the stall
"Stop. Can someone get my clothes? They're in the third stall from the left on the other side."
"I'll go." Ginny said and after two seconds the door opened slightly and the petite red-head was let in
"I can't believe you grew my nose Granger."
"Can't believe you tried to grow my teeth, again. It should be old." Hermione said and the three girls looked at each other
"If Ron didn't get it…" Hermione started
"And Draco's not around to take it…" Pansy stated
"Harry!" Ginny yelled and the three girls slammed open the stall door to see Harry's front teeth already up to his knees
"Oh Harry!" Ginny ran up to him as Ron just stared at him as he waved his hands and stomped his feet
"You've got to admit this is hilarious!" Pansy said and even Hermione was having a hard time not laughing
"It's so much funnier on someone else. Oh Harry." Hermione let an occasional outburst of laughter come out as she reduced his teeth to their normal size
"I'm never dueling either of you two ever." Harry said as he fingered his teeth and the girls laughed
"I can't believe I'm saying this but, that was brilliant dueling Granger." Pansy nodded to Hermione who beamed
"Same here Parkinson." Hermione held out her hand and Pansy shook it, the two finally having some level of respect for each other
"That was hilarious!" a voice said from behind and out of Hermione's stall walked Draco with her clothes in hand
"Draco!" Hermione and Pansy yelled and both went up to slap him upside the head; Hermione letting Pansy go first
"What'd I do?"
"You, ran away when your mother told you to stay and shop with me." Pansy said
"And, you ran into my stall and locked me out without any hope of me getting my clothes back." Hermione hissed and Draco looked taken aback at her anger
"Are you everywhere I am Hermione?" he asked her
"You're the one that's everywhere I am Draco. And you're taking your little girlfriend shopping. How cute." Hermione said in a childish voice
"I'm not his girlfriend." Pansy said and the Gryffindors looked at her incredulously
"It's true. It's just that we've been stuck together since we were three. Well, I was three and she was two." Draco explained
"Oh. So you're more like siblings." Harry thought aloud and the Slytherins nodded
"That dress looks incredible on you. Good to see you in some real clothes Hermione." Draco smirked
"What do you mean real clothes? And what's with the first name basis?" Pansy looked at Hermione and Draco
"I told you Pansy. She was my roommate and on my team at the auditions. You know that. And she knows." Draco muttered the last part and Pansy nodded
"Oh. Well, sorry about the duel…Hermione." Pansy held out her hand
"It was fun…Pansy." Hermione shook it
"Are you going to buy that dress ma'am?" an old man shuffled over to them and Hermione looked at Pansy
"Do you mind?" she asked and Pansy waved her hand
"You won it fair and square. Besides, I have to look my best for the Christmas ball at home after the Prefect thing at Hogwarts. I'll get something else." Pansy said before showing the badge from under her sweater; Hermione had hers on her shirt, which Draco held
"Thanks. Yes I'm buying this." Hermione turned to the old man and went to pay for the dress
They were off for Platform 9 ¾. Harry and Hermione were outside Grimmuald Place talking to a neighbor while they waited for the Weasleys to drive up. The neighbor was actually Natalie, the elf from Bulgaria.
"Hermione Granger, I have not seen you in ages." She had called to them as they had stepped out of the door with their trunks dragging behind them
"Natalie!" Hermione jumped over a hedge and hugged the old woman, who had been looking at her garden
"Hermione, its been too long. How did you do on the auditions?"
"Great really. Oh and this is Harry Potter. Harry get over here, no one will steal our trunks." Hermione called over to him and he took his time going all the way out of the gate and into Natalie's yard
"Some auror you'll be at this rate Harry." Natalie scowled and Harry looked shocked
"How'd you know?"
"I'm an elf Harry. We have our ways. And the pug nose isn't so bad after all is she?"
"….Oh shit. She's physic or something!" Harry pointed at her and the girls giggled
"Oh please. Harry, she just knows somehow. Not physic though."
"At least I'd be better than that Trelawney woman who kept on predicting your early death every year Harry." Natalie said and Harry conceded
"You're right about that."
"I know. Your friends are around the bend so you should get back to Grimmuald Place." Natalie said before returning to her violets
"Natalie?" Harry asked when Hermione had already left the yard "Can you look after the house? Like, go in and water Hermione's plants every week or something and check everything?"
"I knew you would ask that. Of course. You can owl your Aunt Petunia to come as well. I could use the female company."
"Of course." Harry nodded and jumped over the hedge to get to his trunk just as the car came
"Get in!" George yelled and Hermione rolled her eyes
"Like we're going to stay out here!" she yelled crossly as she stuffed her trunk in the…well car trunk
"Well if that's what you want…" Fred yelled and the car started moving; Harry ran after it the few yards it went
"George!" Hermione screeched and the car stopped abruptly and Harry collided into it
"So much for Seeker reflexes…" Hermione tutted as she threw Harry into the back seat with Ginny and Ron
"2 plus 2 is 2 2's auntie." Harry said before leaning his unconscious self on Ginny's shoulder
"Oh Merlin…" Ginny muttered; Hermione put a Listerine strip in Harry's open mouth to help Ginny out
Once at King's Cross (that's it right?), the four students got out their trunks and walked slowly to the Platform. Yes, Harry woke up after everyone hit him on the head. George and Fred, along with Mrs. Weasley and Hermione's mum, followed them through the barrier. It was the first time Oxalis was over there.
"How grand." She muttered as she went through with Hermione
"And this is only the train. You wouldn't believe the castle." Hermione told her and Ginny nodded when she came in
"I don't think I would. Send pictures will you?"
"Of course. Tell dad I'll write if I can." Hermione said in a strained voice
"I just might relay the message back to him." Oxalis said before Harry came in with Ron
"We should get a compartment soon." Ron said pointing to all the Hogwarts students cramming into the train
"You're right. C'mon. Bye mum. Bye guys." Ginny hugged her mother and brothers, who had come in after Ron
"Bye mum." Hermione hugged Oxalis
After everyone had said good bye to each other, I'm not going to write them all, they slipped through the crowds and went in search of an empty compartment. They found one and hurriedly stuffed their trunks in when they saw a few Ravenclaw seven years heading for the same one. They sat and caught their breathe as the noise in the corridor didn't get any quieter. Ginny, annoyed already, slammed the door closed and the Gryffindors stared out of the window to watch the people who hadn't found a compartment.
"There's Lavender and Parvati."
"Seamus and Dean."
"Oh poor Neville is confused. Wait, Cho is helping him."
"There's Pansy and Draco. Look Zabini too. Oh they're going next door. To our right." Hermione noticed and her friends stared
"You're friends with the enemies!" Ron yelled and the whistle blew, signaling the train's start the four looked out the window and waved to Oxalis and the others
After a few minutes of relaxing in the compartment, a loudspeaker was turned on somewhere
"CAN ALL THE PREFECTS REPORT TO THE HEAD COMPARTMENT FOR THEIR PRE-YEAR BRIEFING, THANK YOU." A feminine voice called over
"Guess I got to go." Ron said sliding open the door
"Same here."
Hermione got up and followed Ron as other Prefects began to fill the halls as well. The Head Boy was a handsome Slytherin named Rigel. He was tall and commanding with his broad shoulders, chin length black hair and piercing black eyes. The Head Girl was a pretty pureblood Gryffindor of the name of Mimosa. She had waist length blond hair and crystal light blue eyes and also a hidden commanding air in her petite yet full figure. Rigel had his arms crossed and stood at least a half a head taller than Mimosa and yet the prefects could tell that she ran the show.
"Hello prefects. My name in Mimosa of Gryffindor and this is Rigel of Slytherin." She said in her sweet clear voice before she turned to Rigel, who nodded and uncrossed his arms and stuffed his hands in his pockets
"Right. We just want to tell you that since the Death Eater attempted robbery at the Ministry, there's been a few changes in our arrangements. It seems that Professor Dumbledore has deemed it safer for the entire school if their elite team of incredibly intelligent students all roomed together."
"What!" the prefects yelled/ asked together
"What Rigel is trying to say is that, we're all going to live in the Head dorm this year. This way, if there is an emergency at the school, we are all in one place and only one teacher needs to be spared in case of as attack. Girls are in one dorm and boys in the other. Rigel and I are still in our own rooms seeing as we're still the Heads. Does anyone have a problem with this arrangement." She had said it instead of asked it so no one answered her
"Very well. You are still going to show your house around to their common rooms but after that you'll meet up with Rigel and I at the Great Hall. Understood?"
"Yes…" the crowd murmured
"Everyone is dismissed. Except Hermione, Ron and Draco. Everyone else, have a good ride." The crowd went in a instant, except Pansy tried to stay longer but with a glance from Rigel, she left
"Sit down guys. I won't bite. Don't know about Rigel though." Mimosa smiled but Rigel grunted
"Just tell them Mimosa." Rigel stated bluntly and Draco glared slightly; I mean, that was rude!
"Right Rigel. I understand that you three are in the Bulgaria training program this year."
"Um, actually, we only tried out Mimosa. We won't get our results until next week or so." Hermione clarified and the boys nodded
"Oh, well. As long as its not on the weekdays than you are allowed to continue the program. Friday nights, Saturday and Sunday are the times that you will be allowed to Bulgaria. Understood?"
"Yes." The three nodded and rose
"Good. Now, me and Rigel have some arguing to continue. See you in the Great Hall." Mimosa said as she locked the compartment door behind them and they heard a immediate squeal from inside
"I don't want to know what's happening in there." Hermione and Draco said at the same time and Ron nodded, all of them heading back to their compartments
"Is it just me or is Draco everywhere now? I mean, he was in my room, at the store, he's a prefect, and now we're going to live with him." Hermione said when they entered their own compartment
"I guess he's thinking the same thing about you Hermione." Ginny winked and Hermione looked to the ceiling with a blush creeping on her cheeks; truth be told, you could here Draco slightly through the walls and he was voicing the same question
"Everyone! Wizards Chess!" Harry yelled
"Firs years! This way now. Watch your step!" a loud voice boomed as the students piled off the train in the evening
"Hagrid!" the four Gryffindors yelled, you know what? I'm going to call them the Fantastic Four or something because I can't keep on saying the Golden Trio and Ginny or the four Gryffindors
"'arry, 'ermione! Ron, Ginny! Good to see ya." Hagrid bellowed
"We'll see you inside!" Harry yelled and Hagrid nodded
"Let's get a carriage quick!" Ginny yelled over the noise and they rushed to a free one where Neville was in
"Hey Neville." Hermione beamed at the boy, who smiled back shyly
"Hey everyone. Had a good ride?" he asked as the carriage began to pull forward
"Yes. How about you? We saw Cho helping you earlier." Ginny said and he blushed
"I'm well. Cho was nice, I stayed with her in her compartment."
"Alone?" Ginny and Hermione asked and Neville's blush increased ten fold
"I knew it!" Hermione and Ginny squealed and the boys covered their ears
"I knew I shouldn't have told anyone." Neville muttered
"Honestly, Cho is alright. Just don't get her to cry about you know who and she's fine." Harry said and Neville nodded; he knew which you know who they were talking about
"Yeah. She's actually really interested in Herbology like I am." Neville said
Harry asked about deadly aroma mushrooms of Russia. The talk lasted the whole way to the castle and up above them shown a big full moon of unfazed beauty as they walked up to their home away from home. Harry led the way to the Great Hall as Hermione and Ron, along with other prefects, pointed the way of correct entry for those who forgot. After all had been seated in the Great Hall, Dumbledore rose.
He was a great man, Dumbledore. He had shown Harry and even Hermione what a father or grandfather figure was like. To those with Voldemort, there before them was one of the few people they were scared of. But, in front of these hundreds of students this was a man that was respected, loved and admired. But, now, he was showing signs of his age. The twinkle was still in his eye as it will be but it was joined by a pale face that looked almost sickly to those that knew him as well as our four Gryffindors. They looked at each other and shared a worried glance as he motioned for the doors to open, revealing the first years on their way to be sorted. Professor McGonagall opened her little scroll and read the long list of names. There came 10 Gryffindors, 10 Slytherins, 8 Hufflepuffs and 4 Ravenclaws. Dumbledore rose again once McGonagall sat down.
"Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. For those returning, we're glad to have you back. For those that have been newly sorted, you will be a pleasure to get to know and teach for the next seven years. A few reminders, all Prefects are going to room at the Head dormitory along with our Head Girl Mimosa of Gryffindor and Head Boy Rigel of Slytherin. As always, the Forbidden Forest is of limits. And even more updated list of forbidden things is located in Mr. Filch's office. There will be more after we fill our stomachs though."
The food appeared out of nowhere and the first year stared in awe until they found their older counterparts piling food unto their plates. The food was as delicious as always and everyone had more then their fair share. As the dinner disappeared and the deserts vanished, a sleepy air haunted to Great Hall. It even looked as though Professor Sinistra would fall asleep but then again, Snape was obviously boring her. Dumbledore noticed this sleepiness after a first year Hufflepuff accidentally fell out of his seat, of course he was sleeping.
"Well, a further announcement. Seeing as the prefects are going to be all in one common dorm, all seven years are required to have a extra defense against the dark arts class after dinner for three nights a week. And, seeing as he came during the feast, I will have the pleasure to reintroduce you all to Remus Lupin, your new defense against the dark arts teacher." Remus stood up and looked as livelier than Harry or the others had ever seen him. His cheeks were full of color and his eyes were bright and his hair wasn't limp but full. He smiled shyly and with a curt nod, he stood and sat back down. "Now, with that settled, Prefects, lead your housemates to their dorms."
Hermione and Ron and took charge and lead everyone to the Fat Lady. She greeted them with her usual 'I can sing high' performance and let them in after Hermione told her the password 'Flora Inflamarie'. After settling the first years down, Ron and Hermione went down to the Great Hall. There were eight prefects in all, two from each house, one boy and one girl. And Draco and Pansy came in after six of them and began a small argument over nothing.
"Why can't you-"
"No."
"But Draco-"
"No Pansy. It's stupid."
"Draco-"
"End of discussion Pansy."
"Why?"
"Because that's embarrassing." Draco said exaggerating this and his eyes widened when he saw Hermione staring at him
"What's embarrassing Draco?" she asked and Draco looked away a tint of pink on his cheeks while Pansy looked at him evilly before addressing Hermione
"I was asking him to tell me how it felt like when you spent themorning taking care of him in Bulgaria. But since he won't tell me, how about you? It sounds funny." Pansy said and Draco glared at her head but she took no notice
"Actually, it was like taking care of a little baby. Since he couldn't use his arms, I had to give him a bath and wash his hair."
"You didn't need to wash my hair." Draco muttered
"Yeah, like you didn't enjoy it." Pansy and Hermione scolded him and he squirmed under their yell
"What's going on here?" Mimosa asked as she came down, followed by Rigel
"Never mind Mimosa. Just c'mon." Rigel about faced and walked them to the second floor in front of a portrait of a wolf on a lone green hill with the full moon high above him.
"Password?" the wolf asked with a slight growl
"Glacius Inflamarie." Mimosa told the wolf and he nodded
"How wonderful. Ice fire." Hermione muttered
"Or even Flaming ice." Draco told her
"Or frozen fire." She thought
"Maybe even Burning ice." He said
"Would you shut up! It's beautiful in Latin. Don't mess it up." Pansy hissed as the portrait swung open
The common room was beautiful, just like the password. Seeing as all the houses were in it, they decided on the colors that would match. Red and silver, with black and blue and even green with yellow, gold and bronze. There were five tables in the common room: two were gold, two were black and one was bronze. The common room part held two couches, a loveseat and three armchairs, a total of 11 seats surrounding a blazing fireplace. At the left and right sides of the room stood a door strong oak, one with a gold lioness and the other with a green serpent, a King Cobra actually. At the far end of the room across the entrance was a staircase that led to the second floor where two more door were, one a each end of the floor. One had a moon and the other a sun. Mimosa had run to her room in a happy rush to see her things while Rigel shook his head at her.
"How did you Gryffindors manage to live with her?" he asked
"We spent most of our time in the hospital wing and in detention." Ron answered
"This way…" Rigel walked upstairs and first led the girl to their room
It was a large room with four poster beds and a door to the left and right. Each bed was color coded and had been placed to where each girl was most comfortable; Hermione next to the glass door at the right; Pansy the second from the left, Amy a Hufflepuff was next to Hermione and Teresa the Ravenclaw was next door at the left. Hermione was right next to the door to the balcony. It had marble tiling and a silver sterling handrail all across the way to was the girls though off as the boys room. Rigel left them to explore their room and their thoughts were right.
Ron was where Pansy was, Draco right next to the balcony door, David the Ravenclaw next to Draco and Jonah the Hufflepuff next the bathroom. The boys and girls bathroom were connected by a door and were separated by a wall. Both bathrooms had the same things however. They had four mirror and sinks and medicine cabinets along with a huge pool size bath and a large shower that could fit all four people in it if they wanted to or were in that kind of a hurry. The girls returned to their room and began unloading the trunks that had appeared at the heads of their beds.
"This place is gorgeous." Amy said dreamily as she plopped down on her bed
"You're right. It is." Hermione added letting Crookshanks out of his cage
"It's a lot better than my old dorm, that's for sure." Teresa sighed as she hugged a feathery soft blue pillow
"What do you think Pansy?" Hermione asked the girl that had walked to the balcony
"I think that this is a great time to spy on the guys." She said and Teresa smirked
"I like the way you think."
"Oh guys do you really think we should?" Amy asked timidly
"Of course. Better us to them than them to us. C'mon Hermione. You've already got a first chance if they walk unto the balcony." Pansy argued and Hermione sighed
"Fine. But if we already get in trouble, I was controlled and was not in my right mind." She warned them and they crept unto the balcony in the still of the moonlight. How immature boys are that they were throwing pillows around already. They were in their pajamas and tossing everything from their beds into each others faces
"We should go…" Pansy said and they tiptoed back
"Wait," Amy said "Wasn't one of them missing?"
"Draco." Pansy and Hermione said and Teresa looked under her bed; a suite which the others followed. There was Draco, under Pansy's bed with a water gun in his hand
"Scatter!" Pansy yelled and all the girls ducked and rolled while Draco stood up, water gun in hand
"All I wanna do is have some fun…come out and play girls…" Draco whispered as they had disappeared from sight and now he was looking next to Hermione's bed and found nothing
" Furnunculs!" Hermione yelled after she took of the invisibility charm she had on
"AHH!" Draco covered his face with one hand and pointed the water gun at Hermione
"Densaugeo!" Pansy yelled
"Engorgio!" Teresa screamed pointing at his stomach
"Reducio!" Amy pointed at the water gun, which shrunk to the size of a pee shooter
"ENOUGH!" the girl turned around as Draco fell to the floor twitching to see Mimosa glaring her blue eyes at them
"I cannot believe the damage one night of this arrangement has caused!" the four girls stood in a line at the foot of their beds heads hung low and arms behind their back
"Do you all want to get reprimanded? Or even get your badges revokes? Because me and Rigel and surely bring it up with Professor Dumbledore and he will surely agree with us! And will someone please tell me who did the 'Densaugeo' charm already? His teeth are at his ankles!" Mimosa pointed to Draco and Pansy raised her hand
"I am really very shocked that my girls would act like this. What provoked you to attack him? And who put the fungus face charm?"
"I did." Hermione said and raised her faced to see Mimosa laughing
"These are some of the finest defense spells I've ever witness sixth years do. Twenty points to all your houses for excellent spell work and reflexes. Now, I'll get Rigel in here to get him out. Good job girls." Mimosa winked and they got out of attention
"Thank you Mimosa." They said; they soon took off all the spells they had cast on him, but the fat charm was funny, he looked pregnant; and Rigel came in soon afterwards
"Shame Draco. First Hermione beats you at Bulgaria and then these women kick your ass in a four on one water gun fight. For shame…" Rigel joked as he swung Draco over her broad shoulders and walked out the room
"That was bloody hilarious!" the girls squealed and jumped into their beds
"Oh did you see Draco's face when I took off the charm?" Hermione laughed
"Yeah and what about Mimosa?" Amy asked
"She did a full McGonagall on us." Pansy said
"Hey!"
"It's true Hermione."
"Yeah, McGonagall can be disciplining you one minute and then praise you the next!" Teresa argued
"Ok yeah that's her." Hermione concluded and they laughed more until Amy yawned
"The baby's right. Let's get some sleep." Pansy said and Amy pouted but said nothing, she was the youngest
"Alright."
The other two nodded and the four went into the bathroom to wash their faces and change. They settled into bed at 10:30. Hermione looked at the moon out of the balcony glass doors. She noticed something plastic on the floor and picked up the still shrinking water gun. Stopping the spell, she placed it in her nightstand and sighed. Somehow, that day had made it seem that Draco would never leave her life from the day he fully entered it at Bulgaria.