Chapter 2- Jerk
Hermione left her trunk with the others and made her way to the Great Hall. Ginny and Luna sat with each other and for a moment Hermione was confused. Luna was a Ravenclaw. She noticed that all the houses were now mixing with each other, she spotted Dean Thomas sitting at the Slytherin table with Theodore Nott, talking like they were best friends. Maybe they were, she thought. She sat down across from Luna and Ginny, waiting for them to notice her. Her eyes sought out Minerva sitting at the head of the table. She was Headmistress now, since Ablus's death. Severus Snape sat next to her, now the deputy Headmaster. That didnt surprise Hermione. Not like it surprised Ron and Harry. Harry still didnt like the man and Hermione couldnt blame him all that much. Professor Snape had been petty enough to pick on an innocent child because he'd been bullied as a teenager. It seemed beyond childish for a man of his honor and pride. Hermione assumed that it made it easier when everyone hated him, to risk his life so continuously by spying for the order.
"Hermione! When did you get here?" Ginny finally squealed, jumping in her seat a little. Hermione smiled weakly at her before shrugging. Really she couldn't say, five minutes ago and if you would stop talking so much you would have noticed.
Luna smiled at Hermione, "It's nice to see you." Her voice didnt have it's usual dream-like quality. Hermione found she missed it.
"It's good to see you too, Luna."
"Hey, what about me?" Ginny exclaimed with a laugh, but Hermione didnt see anything funny about drawing the attention back to herself. Ginny was still carefree, a normal teenager. Luna had been kidnapped and held prisoner for two months and Hermione had been tortured and almost killed more than once during the war. Ginny had been safe at home with her parents. She'd had her home attacked but none of her family had been near it. Everyone moved to Grimauld Place after Bill's wedding.
Then about three weeks later Harry defeated Voldemort and Ginny went home. Not a scratch on her, nothing to remember that would cause nightmares.
Nothing like Hermione's experience. She was sad that she now looked at Ginny and saw a stranger. They were so different now.
"Mione?" Ginny called waving her hand in front of Hermione's face. She blinked and tried to smiled at her, but failed.
"May I have your attention please. The following students are our new first years and I hope you will all welcome them with open arms. Abbott, Adrain!"
McGonagall called the first name up to the chair. It was really Snape's job to sort the first years, but Hermione thought he would have refused. The hat settled on Adrain's head and after a few moments of deliberation it shouted, "Slytherin!"
A gasped echoed around the room and the little girl looked shocked herself. Most of the Abbott family was either a Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, so it was rather surprising. Hermione looked around the tables for Hannah Abbott, and spotted her at the end. She was sitting with Pavarti, and waved to her little sister.
At least someone was on Adrain's side.
"Creevy, Willaim!"
How many Creevy brothers were there, Hermione wondered as another Creevy was sorted into Gryffindor. This little boy lacked all the hyper-ness and enthusiasm his older brothers had. Then she remembered he didnt have any older brothers now. Both Dennis and Colin had died here at Hogwarts during the final battle. Hermione herself remembered levitating Colin to the room they kept the dead in. A shudder ran down her spine. It didnt help to remember.
The sorting went quickly as there were only about twenty five first years. Ginny and Luna helped themselves to the feast, seeming to forget she was there. Hermione didnt really mind.
On the way up to the head's common room , Hermione bumped into Ernie, who had lipstick smeared on his face. Hermione rolled her eyes inwardly. How indecent could you get?
"Password?" He asked motioning to the portrait guarding their rooms. It was Sir Cadogan, who Hermione recognized right away. She grinned surprising Ernie.
"Why if it isnt the one and only Miss Hermione Granger!" Sir Cadogan said joyfully, smirking at her. Hermione's grin widened.
"Why yes it is. I'm having a bit of a problem choosing a password, Sir Cadogan."
"Well, see here I have a rather bad habit of choosing the passwords myself. It's rather boring being a portrait you know."
"Get on with it and pick a password I have Chess tonight!" Ernie interrupted ignorantly. Hermione clenched her teeth with anger.
"Very well then. The password is, Grapes." He said in a voice fit for an announcer. Hermione smiled.
"Grapes." The portrait swung open and Ernie grumbled something about stupid knights and passwords.
"Ernie, you have patrol tonight from eight to nine, since it's only the first night."
Ernie blinked at her, "Could you take it for me? I'll switch a night with you this week. I have a meeting with The Chess Club, a sudden one. I didnt know until the feast."
"Well-
"Thanks so much. You're a life saver." He vanished his trunk into his room and was out the door faster than Hermione could stop him. Her decision was already made. She would talk to McGonagall tomorrow about Ernie. She wouldnt put up with this.
After she unpacked her things and put them in their respective places, she made her way out of the portrait to patrol for Ernie. Hermione couldnt remember him ever being so rude. She'd ask Ron or Harry if they remembered him.
For the first part of the patrol she didnt find anyone, or hear anything out of the ordinary. About thirty minutes into the patrol she heard whispers coming from the seventh floor. She took the step up casting a silencing charm on herself, so they wouldnt hear her coming.
A splash of red hair was the first thing she saw. Hermione cursed her luck and cursed Ginny, who was whispering with Luna in the hall.
"Excuse me." She said, wishing Ernie had taken the bloody patrol like he was supposed to.
"Hermione! Merlin you scared me." Ginny exclaimed with a smile. Hermione winced.
"You arent allowed out after curfew, which was forty five minutes ago." She responded plainly. Ginny's grin fell off her face instantly.
"Well yea, I know, but Luna and I were just catching up. We havent talked much-
"Five points from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. I'm sorry but I have to follow the rules."
Ginny turned red with outrage, "Hermione...You cant take points from me! or Luna!"
She looked at Luna, who was looking sad, but not angry. "I understand Hermione. I knew it wasnt a good idea to stay out so late after curfew."
"Thanks Luna, I really am sorry. If you guys had been on your way to your common room and were a few minutes late, it wouldnt have mattered-
"Bullshit. You're just a bitch. I cant believe this. Making me the first person to get points lost. Come on, Luna."
Ginny glared at Hermione as she and Luna left to hopefully go back to their common rooms. Hermione felt awful. There went any girlfriends. Luna got on better with Ginny than anyone.
She made her way back to her own room, feeling fleeting anger when it was clear Ernie wasnt back yet. He obviously didnt have Chess tonight and was lying to get out of patrol.
She would deal with him in the morning.
A/N: Here is a new chapter, I hope you like it.