Thank you so much for reading so far!! I love having reviews to read, they keep me going since I know that there are people who are actually reading the stuff I post so... Thank you!!
Sorry about the slight delay with the next Chapter. College is really... really... horrible at the moment, I've had many exams in the past week which I've had to revise for so I barely had any time to get sat down and write, but... I finally got the Chapter finished tonight so... here it is. Since the Christmas holidays are coming up I should have more time to write, but sadly, where I work they've decided I need more shifts for the Christmas holidays, but it shouldn't be so bad...
Again, thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoy the next chapter.
MiseryluvsDeath aka Fidele - Thank you so much for sticking with the story. I hope you're enjoying it. Lol, I've always imagined Professor McGonagall prefering Hermione over Draco as the ideal student, hence the favouritism.
reader101 - Hi, thanks for reading the story, I'm glad you're enjoying it so far! I hope you like the update.
wasu - Awh, you're so kind! Thank you for another awesome review, I'm very glad you're enjoying the story so far and that you like my Hermione. Well, I hope you like this next chapter, sorry about it taking a little while to be posted. Thanks for reading!!
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of this story. Well, the recognizable characters of J.K.Rowling are not mine, but the ones that you really don't know, well, I think it's safe to say that, yes, they belong to me. Whoopie... This is here just so I don't get told off for trying to pretend that they're mine. hehe
Now, enough of my nonsense, here's the next chapter.
Chapter Eight
"Uh, this is the Fat Lady," Ron said motioning at the rather large woman within the portrait who smoothed down the ruffles of her pink dress before gazing serenely down at the arriving students. Evania stared for a moment at the moving woman within the portrait before grinning at Ron who flushed a brilliant shade of red before turning his head so only the Fat Lady could see him blushing.
"Password?" The Fat Lady asked and Ron gave a small start as the other students waited patiently for him to speak.
"Oh uh.. consilio et animis." He said and the Fat Lady nodded her head before swinging the portrait door open for the students to clamber through and into the common room.
Evania smiled slightly and nodded her head, "By wisdom and courage." She murmured and Harry cast her a slightly confused look at her words. "Oh, that's what Ron said, consilio et animis is Latin for 'By wisdom and courage'." Harry, still looking baffled, gave a small nod of his head, "Gryffindor values courage and chivalry above all else..." She paused for a moment before shrugging her shoulders, "Guess the password's rather fitting then."
She scanned the large common room for a few seconds, her ice blue eyes landing on the roaring fire and the large, plushy arm chairs that surrounded the fireplace. Everything was in gold and red, creating a warm feeling throughout the common room and Evania felt a smile creep to her lips as she heard the First years 'ooh' and 'aah' in wonder. The common room certainly was something to admire with it's welcoming fire and warmth that seemed to seep from every corner of the room. There was even the faint scent of cinnamon and chocolate in the air, something that most of the children and teenagers within the room had come to associate with comfort and warmth.
"Welcome to Gryffindor common room," Ron said as he watched the ebony haired girl as she examined the room wide eyed.
The older students, after a few minutes of familiarising themselves with the common room, headed to the dormitories and Ginny bounded over to her brother, Harry and Evania before grinning brightly at Eva, "We may as well show you where your dorm is." Ginny said and Evania glanced at the two boys before looking back at the red haired girl and nodding her head. "Great, come with us." Ginny beamed as she led Evania to two other girls, "Eva, this is Lavender and this is Parvati." Ginny said motioning at the two girls who smiled brightly at Evania, clearly pleased to have another girl in their year in the Gryffindor house.
"Hermione warned me about you three," Evania said as she followed the three girls from the common room and a small flight of steps to what led to the dormitories. On the right door at the top of the stairs was labelled 'Gryffindor's Boys' and the left door was labelled, 'Gryffindor's Girls.'.
Opening the door to the girl's dormitory, Ginny bounced into the room as though she owned the place before throwing herself onto the bed nearest the door. "I always have this bed." She said brightly. Evania walked into the circular bedroom, her eyes taking in the bed arrangements and the trunks set at each bed with their names on them. Her own bed, she found, was between Ginny's and Lavenders and had the best access to one of the windows. "That's normally Hermione's bed, but I guess since she's got her own common room and such, she won't be needing it any more."
"Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy, now, as I told you before, being selected as Head boy and girl is a great privilege for you both and it shows that you both have come out as the tops of your year group when it comes down to intelligence, knowledge and your subjects." Both nodded their heads, and though Hermione could hardly believe that Draco knew anything other than a few primitive words, she had to accept that Professor McGonagall knew what she was talking about.
"Now, you both share living quarters," She quickly turned her sharp eyes onto both her students, "And I will not lie when I say that I know how bitter your two houses are." Hermione, out of the corner of her eye caught sight of Draco smirking and nodding his head, "But. Yes Mr. Malfoy, there is a but," McGonagall growled when the platinum haired boy began to open his mouth, "I, as well as Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape and all the other teachers within Hogwarts, are expecting you two to put aside your house differences and accept one another as students of Hogwarts, regardless of blood purity or skill with magic."
Hermione stared at Professor McGonagall before nodding her head obediently, she understood entirely what the teachers were asking, and though she knew it would be very, very difficult, she was willing to give it a shot, but whether it worked was entirely up to how Malfoy decided to react, and from the look on his pale face, he wasn't finding the whole idea so good.
The young man sneered at Professor McGonagall's back before giving a shake of his head and then glowering at Hermione. "What happens if we can't," He paused as though thinking before adding, "Or won't put aside these differences?" He queried and McGonagall glanced over her shoulder at the Platinum haired student with a questioning gaze.
"Well Mr. Malfoy, are you suggesting that this may be an issue that I shall have to deal with?" She asked and Malfoy was quiet for a moment before giving a small shake of his head.
"No Professor, I only want to know what actions would be taken if that unfortunate event was to come about." Hermione rolled her eyes at Malfoy's attitude but kept her mouth shut, she had actually been pondering over the same thing but hadn't wanted to voice her questions in case she should already know the answer.
Professor McGonagall was quiet for a moment before she stopped and turned to face the two students who trailed along behind her. "I'm sure a student like yourself would be able to figure out the actions that would be taken if that problem should ever arise." McGonagall said as she clasped her hands together with a stern look at Draco. "Your power as Head boy," She threw a glance at Hermione with a slight pause, "Or Head girl would immediately stripped from you and you would return to your old Houses."
Malfoy gave a small nod of his Platinum haired head before glancing at Hermione with his steel grey eyes. Behind those swirling, silver depths, Hermione saw a slight warning and frowned. Was Draco Malfoy, the Ferret, actually warning her about getting them both into trouble and losing their places as Head boy and girl?? Surely that wasn't what he was trying to pass onto her through a threatening glare. She merely returned his glare with a blank gaze of her own before looking back at Professor McGonagall who had not witnessed the exchange but was striding on ahead through the corridor.
"As I was saying," McGonagall continued when the Gryffindor and the Slytherin had caught back up with her, "You must both put aside your differences for one another and for one another's houses. As the Head students, the other students will be looking to you to make an example towards House Unity." Rounding the corridor, McGonagall then began to ascend a flight of stairs with Draco and Hermione close on her heels. "We recommend that you bring no one within your shared common room, however, it is up to the two of you as to whether you let your friends inside or not. However, we will not tolerate foolish behaviour and if there are any problems you will find myself or another teacher paying you a visit."
Hermione glanced at Malfoy, she had no doubt that he would bring all of his cronies into the common room, after all, why wouldn't he? The chance to show off to your friends that you had a luxury that they didn't was something that all Slytherins would want to be flashing, most likely Malfoy more than any of the others.
Stopping outside a large painting that pictured a Unicorn and a Centaur. The Unicorn's coat gleamed a brilliant molten silver from the rays of the moon in the picture and it's large, trusting ice blue eyes glinted brightly as it tossed it's silver mane and placed a curious gaze on the two Head students and the Professor. The Centaur however, did not turn trusting eyes onto the people that approached it's painting, his sharp, brown eyes narrowed sharply and he pawed the ground with his front left hoof. "Calandria, Tauran," Professor McGonagall said as she stopped before the painting with a flicker of a smile flashing at her lips before vanishing.
For a moment the Centaur made no movement to acknowledge the Head of Gryffindor, but then he gave a curtly bow of his head, "Professor McGonagall." He said in mystifying voice as he drew himself up, his black tail flicking back and forth. "New Head Students?" He asked and McGonagall nodded her head at the Centaur who placed his dark eyes onto Draco before they flickered to Hermione with an intensity that unnerved her.
The Unicorn bowed low on her front legs to McGonagall before she turned her crystal blue eyes onto the two students, the moonlight reflected from the blue depths like little stars lost in a sea of blue. Though it was merely a painting, Hermione could not help but stare in enchantment at the Unicorn. In the years that she had spent at Hogwarts, she had never once set eyes on the painting of the Centaur and the Unicorn and from the looks of it neither had Malfoy.
"This is the entrance to your shared residence," Professor McGonagall broke through Hermione's thoughts, causing the Head Girl to give a little start in surprise before turning her eyes onto her Head of House. "The Password will be decided between the two of you, but keep it simple so that you will remember it."
Hermione arched a brow at the Professor before looking at Malfoy who smirked coldly at her whilst his steel grey eyes locked with hers, "Any suggestions Granger?" He asked as he glanced at the portrait before back at the Muggle-Born stood before him. Hermione scowled at him, not liking his tone, but racked her brain for anything suitable for a password.
"I'm not sure," She replied with a small shrug of her shoulders. The Platinum haired teenager stared at her for a moment before rolling his eyes.
"How about Gryfferin?" Draco asked with an amused smirk on his lips. Hermione frowned slightly and stared at the Slytherin with a slightly puzzled look on her face.
"Gryfferin..." She repeated thoughtfully with a small nod of her head. It sounded ideal for the password given that she was of Gryffindor and Malfoy was of Slytherin and since they would be having to reside in the same place the two houses would be pretty much joint together making a Gryfferin, or if Malfoy wanted to be picky it could be a Slythindor.
Turning a sceptical gaze to Professor McGonagall, Hermione was rather taken back to see the older woman wearing a slight smile on her face. Scowling slightly, the young Gryffindor shrugged her shoulders at the platinum haired boy who was looking at her with a smug look on his face, there she had been, trying to come up with something intelligent for the name and Draco Malfoy of all the people had to come up with a pretty logical answer. Hermione, sometimes you need to think less complicated things. Her mind told her and she intelligently stored it away in case she ever need to call upon it again.
"So??" Malfoy asked with a bored tone, "Are we just going to stand out here all night or are you trying to think of a different password?" He questioned, gaining a scowl from Hermione before she looked at McGonagall.
"I guess Gryfferin is okay." She finally said and the Professor nodded her head before looking at the painting.
"Gryfferin it is." She said to the painting and the Centaur gave a nod of his head whilst the Unicorn bowed her front half at the two students in acceptance of their chosen password. The painting then swung open and Professor McGonagall motioned to the two students to follow her before she strode through the hole left by the painting's absence and into Hermione and Draco's shared common room.
Hermione glanced at Draco before her eyes moved back onto the entrance to their shared common room. "Mudbloods first," Draco smirked at her coldly and Hermione, though throwing him a death like glare, pushed past him and walked through the gap left by the painting to where Professor McGonagall stood waiting.
The young Gryffindor's eyes landed on the Common Room and she came to a stop at the Head of Gryffindors side. The Common Room was set out rather similar to the Gryffindor Common Room and from what she had heard of the Slytherin House's Common Room then hers and Draco's shared place of residence was very different from what the Slytherin would have been used to seeing.
Every piece of furniture was in dark Cherry Wood and the walls of the Common Room were painted in a deep, rich scarlet. The drapes, which were parted to show the large arched, windows and the inky black sky outside were in gold which matched the colours of the furniture and the scarlet walls perfectly. From across the Common Room, Hermione could hear the crackling and popping of the flames in the fire as they licked at the wood.
It was clear they were in one of the towers of the castle like the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw houses, and everyone knew that the Slytherin House resided in the Dungeons whilst the House of Hufflepuff... well, no one save the teachers and the students of the House knew where the Common room was located, but it was a cellar down a staircase off the main hall.
Turning wide, curious eyes around the Common Room for a few seconds, Hermione felt as though she had left the Gryffindor Common Room only to arrive at a place almost identical save for the few changes that were put in to accommodate the two students living there instead of a whole house. Draco on the other hand didn't look too impressed with the living quarters and scowled slightly as he glanced around.
In all honesty the Slytherin hadn't been expecting a place more like the Slytherin Common Room, he had figured most of the other students, save the Slytherins themselves, would dislike the place, but for him and the Slytherins, it was homely. Forcing back a comment on the smell of Sandalwood that permeated his senses, he turned his head to the Professor who was watching their responses with an unreadable expression on her face.
"Now, you both should know that the sleeping arrangements are similar to what you are used to back in your Houses." McGonagall paused and passed a glance over Draco and then onto Hermione, "Mr. Malfoy, your dormitory is up the stairs and on the left and Miss Granger, the same, but on the right." Professor McGonagall said as she looked between the two students to see whether they had registered the information of what she had just told them. "There are two bathrooms that adjoin one another and make it possible for entry into one another's rooms if there is an emergency. You can access your bathrooms through your bedrooms and there is a door joining them together."
Hermione let out a low sigh as she listened to Professor McGonagall, now that she had finally stopped moving she felt incredibly tired and had to smother a yawn as the Professor moved onto their bedrooms being decorated in their old house colours. "Tomorrow, either myself, Professor Dumbledore or Professor Snape will wish to see you with additional information on activities that you both will need to organize for the Hogwarts year. But, until then, I will leave you both to settle in."
The elderly witch cast Hermione a rather sad gaze before it hardened as she moved her eyes onto Malfoy who gave a tiny shrug of his shoulders and moved his eyes onto the Common Room. "Oh," Professor McGonagall suddenly said as she stood before the large picture that moved aside for her to leave the Common Room, "Your belongings are in your rooms as are your pets. Good night." Then she was gone and the picture moved back into place leaving Hermione stood in the Common Room with Draco Malfoy.
"Well Granger, looks like it's just you and me." Malfoy said and Hermione let out a heavy sigh before throwing him a sharp glance and then heading to the stairs which led up to the bedrooms.
"Good night Malfoy." The Gryffindor said before she quickly headed up the stairs without a backward glance. The lights from the torches flickered on the stairs but cast not a lot of warmth out onto the circular stairway and Hermione shivered slightly before she reached a small landing with two doors at either end. One had HG carved into the stone over the door and Hermione eyed it for a moment, does it stand for Head Girl or Hermione Granger? Her mind pondered to itself, and Hermione glanced at Draco's door to find out the answer.
"Hermione Granger." She breathed as she spotted the DM carved into the stone above Draco's own room. Shrugging her shoulders, she turned back to her own door before opening it and stepping into the room. Without even bothering to check what the room looked like, Hermione quickly whipped out her wand and pointed it at the door making sure to place the strongest locking spell onto the door that she knew before she turned, spotted the door leading into the adjoining bathroom and did the same. Only when she heard a loud meow come from within the room did she finally turn.
Crookshanks, Hermione's ginger, pug faced cat was stood on the bed, looking extremely tiny indeed on it's huge size. The bed rested beneath a large, arched window and from her measuring up of Crookshanks compared to the bed, she guessed it was king-sized. The throw over of the quilt was a rich, ruby red as was the sheet and the bottom covering, the pillows were also ruby red but there were three golden ones to reinforce the Gryffindor House colours.
Smiling, Hermione made her way to the bed and sat down, tapping in her lap for Crookshanks to come and sit down. The cat, needing no more encouragement, leapt into Hermione's lap before curling up with a low meow and shutting his eyes. Stroking between Crookshank's large, ginger ears, Hermione peered out of the arched window and onto the lake below that gleamed a molten silver colour from the bright full moon. Somewhere down in the Forbidden Forest, Hermione knew that Professor Lupin surely lurked in his werewolf form.
The furniture of her bedroom was, like downstairs in the Common Room, decorated in a rich, cherry wood and the drapes on the three other windows were a beautiful golden colour. As much as she had been dreading sharing a Common Room with the one and only Draco Malfoy, Hermione had to admit that she actually loved her dormitory, and even the blonde Ferret wouldn't drive her out, no matter how hard he tried and no matter what he did.
Watching as Hermione quickly fled from the Common Room and up the stairs to her dormitory, Draco smirked and gave a small shake of his head. If the Witch was going to be constantly fleeing to her Dorm to avoid him, he had no problems with that, on the contrary, he would prefer it if she was never around. He had disliked always having people around in the Slytherin Common Room, always trying to see what he was up to or what he was talking about with his 'friends' and now that he just had to share an entire Common Room with just one person who would keep hiding in her room, then he didn't have any problem at all.
Walking to one of the large, arched windows, Draco rested his shoulder against the cold stone and peered out onto the grounds below. In the Slytherin Common Room he had never been able to admire the view of the Hogwarts grounds, from what most Slytherins said, their Common Room was beneath the Lake itself. On most nights, he had often gone to the Astronomy tower and sat for hours watching the night sky or the lake, it was something no one ever knew about him. To everyone, he was Draco Malfoy; the arrogant, pure blooded, Ferret Boy that despised the Golden Trio and sought to make each of their lives a misery. If anyone knew about the side of himself that he kept hidden away, he didn't know how he'd cope. Even his mother did not know about the rather friendly side of him that he kept locked away,
A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he ran a hand over his face. There was one person who he had almost dropped his icy persona with, around her he had not felt so inclined to be the normal Draco Malfoy, he had felt like he could act like the person who was shrouded with so many layers of slyness and iciness. Evania was the one person that he had almost acted unnatural with, Hell, he had taken the Cruciatus Curse from his Aunt Bellatrix in order to protect his cousin, surely that was unnatural for the Draco Malfoy that everyone knew.
Turning away from the window, Draco threw a quick glance at the crackling fire before walking to the large couch that rested before the large, burning fire. In the Slytherin Common Room, the fire never seemed to give any heat out, but here, he could feel the warmth of the flames from half way across the Common Room. Dropping down onto the couch, he stretched his legs out and rested his head on the arm rest whilst his steel grey eyes watched the orange and red flames dance over the wood.
Within minutes his eyes drooped shut and he fell into a rather uneasy sleep.