If I Can't Have You
Chapter five In Which McGonagall Gets What She Wants
McGonagall sat at her new desk; she felt so out of place not worthy to be Headmistress—sitting at his desk, trying to fill his shoes. She knew they were very hard shoes to fill but she would fill them, she vowed. She wasn't Dumbledore but she knew how to get people to do what she wanted, by giving them what they wanted and then getting them to get what she wanted in return. She was as sneaky as a vixen, and sometimes she felt guilty about it. Sometimes… but sometimes was quite rare, and in this particular case she felt no regret in wholly handing over the overwhelm job she would have had to done to two very capable hands who would do it quite perfectly. Yes, she wasn't sorry to hand it over and as for feeling guilty—she didn't feel at all so in the slightness. She almost felt giddy getting the load off her back. She knew she'd get what she wanted—she always did.
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"Enter," called McGonagall's voice. She went to open the door but Malfoy who had appeared behind her just then opened it for her in a gentlemanly fashion.
"Ladies first," he said with fake but for their purpose genuine courtesy his face impassive.
"Thank you," she returned filing past.
"So how is things been going for you two?" McGonagall asked.
"We started out on a rough start but we're on the right foot now," Malfoy said wrapping his arm around her shoulder to prove his point.
Hermione nodded and smiled, playing along. McGonagall smiled encouragingly and after a motion from McGonagall Hermione seated her self in the arm chair.
"From what I've seen you too were both clearly responsible and the best candidates for this year's heads," she began, "although I have heard a few interesting things such as a "Draco Malfoy is an utter git" essay," she continued her eyes sparkling and amused while Hermione blushed, "an outburst in the hall about not being shallow after being provoked by a Lavender Brown," Hermione's face turned redder while Malfoy tried not to laugh, "and a certain backfiring revenge plan."
Hermione looked at McGonagall in confusion, and as the headmistress tried not crack up, and then turned to Malfoy who was looking anywhere but either of them his left hand on the back of head.
"What happened?" Hermione asked unable to contain her curiosity.
"Mister Malfoy, I think since you schemed it and had it followed through I think you should have the honor of telling how it failed," McGonagall said kindly, so ironic to her words.
"To sum it up I paid the new Ravenclaw Heather to get your boyfriend weasel-bee to go out with her," Malfoy drawled angrily, and bored.
"Ronald is not my boyfriend," Hermione interjected.
"Pity, if you're all riled up about that—this plan would have worked splendidly. Well if Heather wasn't such a slut to date two other guys from different houses as well as Ron as her assignment and find out when some one accidentally forgot that he let all four houses get permission for their respective team to use the Quidditch pitch at the same exact time and day. So when she was caught with Weasel bee hanging on her arm by the other two of her boyfriends that just added to the mess of the Quidditch pitch reservation creating world war three. Any questions?" he finished with a sneer.
"Yes, you went through all that trouble to just to get me back for the two incidents that was not my fault. Why?" she all but snapped in a calmly eerie voice.
"I told you, Granger, I do not get treated that way and let them get away with it, especially from you." He sneered.
"Were back to the whole blood status again are we? When are you going just accept that my blood is no different from yours, we are equals if my knowledge doesn't surpass yours, and the only other difference between the obvious money and flaws is our backgrounds." She replied not taking any of his crap, rising to her feet.
"Right because you're the savior of the world along with Potter and Weasley and I am the death eater—the bad guy," he snapped rising to his feet staring her straight in the eye.
"And when have you shown or proved yourself different Malfoy?" she returned.
He did not answer for a moment looking down for a second and then back at her, "that doesn't matter."
"Ah," she said catching his weakness, "but it does, right or wrong is the only thing that matters not blood-linage. You are on my level."
"I would never condescend to the level of a Mudblood," Malfoy sneered.
"And I would never condescend to the level of a Malfoy," She spat, losing it for the first time.
"I should have called you a mudblood earlier, make this game so much more entertaining," Malfoy sneered.
"What game, Malfoy, is that all it is to you a sick pathetic game to you?" she said fighting hot angry tears that for some reason began to form in her eyes.
"ENOUGH!" McGonagall interrupted before their wands could be drawn.
It took all of two seconds for the pair to realize they had dropped their façade, and turn to look guiltily at the headmistress.
"Sorry Professor," they mumbled.
McGonagall motioned for them to sit, "You have shown me you are at least capable to hold a civil conversation, and need you to put those capabilities to use. Put childish differences between you two aside and focus on right now. For your next assignment will be hell if you do not, because you're going to spend more than two civil conversations on this project."
"What exactly is this project?" Hermione inquired.
"As you may or may not know the last of the Death Eaters that have escaped or haven't been captured are still ravaging Europe, the schools of Baxabatones and Drumstrang have turned to Hogwarts to ask for a place of refuge and peace for a few months as it is rumored the Death Eaters are roaming around that area as well as another school you are probably not familiar with Stella Academy," McGonagall began.
"Stella Academy, like the one in Italy?" Malfoy inquired in disbelief leaning forward towards her desk in interest.
"Precisely the one, Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall replied.
Malfoy leaned back in his seat, "Lovely," he said in an impassive voice in which she could neither tell if it was joy or dread.
"You know about Stella Academy?" She inquired, interested.
"Know," he almost scoffed but caught himself, "know Stella Academy, darling, I almost went to Stella Academy, back when we lived in Italy of course, back when Malfoy Manor's headquarters was in Rome. You know the saying 'All roads lead to Rome' it was dad's favorite, but we only have the best and Hogwarts is the best," Malfoy finished.
"You lived in Rome," Hermione stated unable to keep the awe out of her voice.
"I am a Malfoy, Malfoys can do that," he reminded her.
She turned the other way embarrassed, "right," she mumbled.
"Much better, but as I was saying I need you two to plan the whole trip, the first week especially, we'll be holding a ball on the very first Sunday night there, a week from their arrival to celebrate just that. The heads of these schools are only staying for two weeks, before they leave the students here. These two weeks must be perfect, exceptional, beyond amazing… the rest of the months will not be as stiff and formal when they leave but still all students must be on their utmost perfect behavior. I need someone to organize meal choices for the first two weeks before we go back to the normal meals. I need someone to organize, plan, and carry out the Ball. I need someone to take over teaching the traditional dances for the older years; they're giving me a headache. And I need all the floral arrangements to be taken care of as well as sleeping arrangements." McGonagall explained.
"And who is this someone? He seems like what the muggles would call superman," Malfoy said wrinkling his nose at the muggle reference.
"It would actually be two some-bodies, and that would be you two," McGonagall finished.
"You got to be bloody kidding me," Hermione stated in disbelief.
"Are you out of your mind?!?" Malfoy all but screamed at the Headmistress, because of course Malfoys don't scream one of the long unwritten list of Malfoy Don'ts.
"Actually, I am perfectly serious, but if you feel this work is below you, perhaps I should have you hand over your badges and pick two more suited candidates," McGonagall said stiffly, putting the finally piece into place of her genesis "evil" plan.
"NO!" they chorused unintentionally. They stop to look at each other for a moment distastefully before turning back to McGonagall.
"We'll do it," Malfoy replied in a dignified manner redeeming them from their pitiful pathetic state a moment ago.
McGonagall leaned forward, "good."
A/N: Ha-ha-ha slightly evil McGonagall, what do you think? Well she's not evil but she is giving Hermione and Draco A-LOT of work to do! So what do you think about the direction this is heading??? Sorry if this is a 'filler' chapter, this is the end of the introduction chapters… on with the story! Yay! PLEASE REVIEW!
Reviews = Happy Author = Super Quick Update!
Oh, and one last thing… of all my fans/readers I cannot even begin to thank you… I am not even kidding I have like 42 un-replied to Story/Author favorite/Alerts. That is just the UN-replied to ones, I get like one or two sometimes four a DAY! You seriously make my day… the only thing that would make it better is more reviews *hint-hint. I am sorry, I am working on the shorter Author notes and more story but somehow they end up long because you give me so much to talk about. REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
~Bella
Preview:
"Six then," He said leaning on the rail of the staircase leaning forward towards my face.
"Fine," She returned, unsure why she felt a faint tinge of red creeping unwantedly to her cheeks.
"The three broomsticks, my corner, my table," he ordered, turning and continuing upstairs.
Hermione nodded, she knew the spot.
He reached the top and went to open his door but he turned to face her instead, "Oh and Granger," Draco called.
She grasped the end of the railing looking up at him, "Yes, Malfoy."
"Don't be late," he said with his charismatic air.
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He slid in the table his hair still wet and still looking like he could shoot a hair gel commercial for "Perfect" hair.
"You're Late," she said icily.