A/N - Okay okay. So I said 2-3 day update. Sue me. How about let's try for once a week. I am a lazy college student with no motivation you know. But it's here. The second chapter of this story that I think I might have a direction for. Maybe. Any ways, a few things. This chapter is longer because it encompasses two parts basically and I didn't want to split them up. Also, Hedwig is alive because I love that bitch and I'm in control. Kinda. This story is going wicked slow already but that's just the way it's going to be for a bit I guess. I feel like I'm forgetting to say something but it's early morning and I've literally been up all night. Again, let me know if you have any feedback, questions, criticism, or suggestions. Anything is welcome. Kisses. - laDuchesse
Disclaimer - I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, locations within the books, or any other material originally produced by J. K. Rowling.
Chapter 2 – Morning
'"Hello Granger," he says and then, after another long moment, it's my turn.
"Hello Malfoy."'
It's warm in our common room. Or rather hot it feels like, but perhaps it's just me. Silence again lies thick and pregnant between us and I can't help but feel like I'm suffocating a bit. He appears somewhat disheveled - though I can find nothing wrong with his wardrobe. He's fidgeting slightly and I can see his right hand toying at something in his pocket – a watch I presume when I notice the thin silver chain hanging down. It also looks like he might not be sleeping well; there are small circles under his eyes. That makes two of us.
He opens his mouth to say something to me but I don't want to be in his presence any longer. So before he has the chance to utter more than the first syllable of my name, I'm gone. I quickly take note of my surroundings as I speed from the entryway. A few paces to my left is the thick castle wall and to the right, a spacious common area. In front of me I can see a wooden door labeled "Head Girl" on a shiny golden plaque. On the opposite end of the wall in front of me and to the right is another door which I can only assume is the Head Boy'sroom. There are no other doors between the two and I wonder for a moment what else lies in our shared dwelling but the thought doesn't last. I've reached my door in record time and have it pulled open and slip inside before he can finish my name.
As I shut the barrier between us I catch a glimpse of him staring after me before the door is closed and I turn the lock. I pause for a minute, waiting until I hear his footsteps retreat, and then the sound of another door opening and closing reaches me. I then realize that I'd been holding my breath and exhale while turning to slide down the door. My heart is pounding and my thoughts are jumbled. I knew it would be hard coming back to the school at all after everything that's happened here; after everything I've seen here. But to face Malfoy after such a short summer really threw me off guard. I mean the last time I saw his face was during the battle when he walked over to Voldemort's side. I think I know why he did it – to be safe from harm and to be with his parents. But still. It will be hard for anyone to want to be around him right now.
But there's no time to dwell on the thought, as I'm suddenly very tired. I collect my thoughts as I stand to examine my new room. It's fairly large but also simple with my pictures and other things already unpacked for me and laid around the room. My door opens near the left side of the room and my wooden four-poster bed lies on the right hand wall facing into the room. On the right side of my bed there's a tall matching bookcase and I'm happy to see it's stocked with all of my schoolbooks and a few others I had brought along. On the left side of my bed, a wardrobe lies there containing all of my clothing. At the end of the bed there's my trunk and on the opposite wall from me stands a very nice looking wooden desk and chair under one of two windows that appear on the wall. The walls I note are painted a cheery yellow, though not too bright, and on my floor there lay a large cream-colored rug over the wooden panels. I look for a bathroom and notice another door to my left and I assume that must be it. I would go in and examine the area but I'm rather exhausted after the large meal I had at dinner and the long train ride in.
I decide on going straight to bed as opposed to reading for a bit and walk around to my wardrobe to poke about until I find a set of lilac pajamas. Then, pajamas newly adorned and pulling back the familiar patterned yellow and white cover, I slip into the comfortable bed and with a flick of my wand the light is out. I slide my wand under my pillow, a habit I've come to find hard to break, and as the drizzle outside my window finally begins to clear I quickly succumb to a fitful sleep.
The next morning I walk down to the Great Hall to have breakfast before my first classes. I'm almost as exhausted as I was last night when I went to bed though, because I'd had another night filled with nightmares and sudden bouts of anxiety strong enough for me to hear my own heart beat when I woke. I'm lucky that that's been my only poor news for the day though as that's become the norm for me and I managed to pass out of the dorm without meeting the presence of Malfoy again. His door was closed I noticed on the way out and, as I don't see him sitting anywhere in the hall, I assume he must be still in bed.
But as I'm looking around the Great Hall on my way to sit by Ginny and Neville, one of the few others in my year to come back, I notice that not only is Malfoy absent completely but that the entire Slytherin table has been abandoned. This surprises me a little as I had assumed that Malfoy wasn't the only Slytherin to come back. And then I see them; the few Slytherin students who did decide to come back or were allowed to are sitting among the other students at the other house tables. The majority of them are spattered about at Ravenclaw's table but I note that one or two very young, and very brave, Slytherins are sitting way at the end of Gryffindor's table and there is one small Slytherin girl sitting with another newly sorted Hufflepuff girl at that table.
I must look shocked as I sit down beside Ginny because she promptly spurts out
"Crazy, isn't it? They're so torn about everything that they won't even sit at their own table."
I nod and ask, "How many came back?"
Neville pipes in this time answering "Twenty-six in all. Besides the whopping five we saw get sorted last night only a few in each year are back – and only two are in our year."
"I know Malfoy is one but who's the other in our year?"
"Blaise Zabini."
I look around the hall and murmur a soft "Hmm" about the situation but don't see him either as I scoop some plain yogurt and raspberries into my bowl. I raise my silver spoon to my lips and take a small bite of my breakfast and ponder the Slytherins. I don't necessarily feel bad for them but it is sad to think that someone would be that ashamed about his or her own house. But I can definitely understand not wanting to be associated with the negativity that's been portrayed with the Slytherin house as of late… And of not so late. It has to be hard for the students who really didn't want anything to do with what happened but just got pulled into the stereotype and the problems.
"What classes do you have today Hermione?" Ginny asks mid sausage bite.
I glance down at my watch to take note of the time – plenty of time before my first class – and look back up at Ginny to respond.
"Well, right after breakfast I have Advanced Arithmancy, then A History of Magical Ministries and In Depth Study of Ancient Runes before lunch. After lunch I have double Advanced Alchemy And Potions and then a free period before dinner. It actually seems like a fairly light load compared to some of my other years but I've already taken everything else. I just hope I won't get too bored with the extra spare time."
"If you want, you could always come down to the Quidditch field and help me train after your classes. I know you don't like flying very much but an outside view on my technique couldn't hurt." Ginny offered. "Besides, I'd like to spend more time with you this year. It was hard being pretty much the last girl at school from our group last year and since both Harry and Ron are off at Auror training this year… I could use the company."
I give Ginny a small smile. I know she misses Harry more than she would ever let on and I appreciate wanting to be included so maybe this would be a wise way to spend my time. Maybe I'll see how the first week goes and go from there.
"Sure Ginny; I'd love to. I think I'm just going to see how my first week goes though before I do anything else."
"Yeah, sure of course!" She smiles.
"Hey, what about me then? No gossipy girl time for me?" Neville jokingly asked.
Ginny snorted. "Neville, you don't want any 'gossipy girl time'. But if you're really interested I'm sure I could come up with a few juicy stories to share while I braid your hair?"
Neville paled and made a sort of sickly face. "Yeah, thanks but I think I'd better just stick to the Herbology greenhouses then. In some ways just as 'juicy' but without the braids."
Ginny snorted again and I smiled to myself at the light-heartedness of the atmosphere. It's nice to not have to be in constant worry any more.
Just then the Owls began to fly into the hall and start to disperse the mail to the different students. Some of the new students looked up in awe and I'm sure I heard an excited gasp from the Hufflepuff table. Beside me a large barn owl swooped and dropped today's copy of the Daily Prophet and the new Quibbler onto Neville's plate. Luna wasn't one of the few to come back to Hogwarts with us but it seems like she and Neville must still be involved. The Quibbler isn't really Neville's cup of tea but I think it reminds him of her. Then another owl passes by over my head and drops my copy of the Daily Prophet and an envelope inscribed with my name in Emerald green ink.
I push the newspaper to the side then tear open the envelope in front of me. It's from McGonagall and I think to myself that I should have known who it was from sooner because who else uses Emerald green ink on everything and would be writing to me? The parchment talks about meeting with McGonagall and reads:
"Miss Granger,
I sincerely hope that your summer holiday went well and wish you a warm welcome back to Hogwarts. I truly am so happy to see you return. I would like to request your presence in my office directly following breakfast in order to welcome you back in person and to discuss your duties as Head Girl with your partner, the Head Boy, Mister Malfoy. Other than that, there are also a few upcoming events that I would like to discuss with the both of you and some items pertaining to your new dorms I need to go over quickly. I understand that you may face some difficulties working with Mister Malfoy this year but I assure you that I do not do anything without good reason. I have faith that you will do well in this situation.
Wishing you well,
Headmistress Minerva McGonagall"
I read it once, then once more for good measure. "Swell," I mutter quietly to myself. And here I was thinking I might not have to see Malfoy at all today. I realize that as he's the other Head we can't very well ignore each other forever but I was hoping for at least a day or two back undisturbed.
Another owl drops in this time and a sharp intake from Ginny makes me look up. She's grinning ear to ear at the snowy owl in front of us and I can't help but smile too.
"Hedwig," I say happily.
Ginny reaches down to untie the letter from Hedwig's leg and feeds her a bite of the sausage she had forgotten about. The white owl flaps it's wings in gratitude while I scratch her head then quickly flies off with her treat without waiting for a response letter. The letter Ginny untied is addressed to the both of us and she holds it between her hands just looking at it. After a short moment she looks up at me.
"Would you want to read it in Gryffindor tower with me after dinner?" she begins cautiously. "I'm just not sure that the Great Hall with everyone around would be the best place for me to…"
"Ginny it's absolutely alright," I cut her off. "I'll come back up to the tower with you after dinner and we can read it in your room together."
She gives a small smile and thanks me, tucking the letter into her bag. I look down at my watch and decide that I should be leaving to meet with McGonagall and alert my two friends of this. They wish me well as I stand to leave, breakfast hardly touched, and I grab my bag on my way out of the hall.
After a short walk up the familiar stone steps and halls of the castle I come to the statue leading up to the Headmistresses office. I already feel nostalgic just looking at the well-known statue so I can't even begin to imagine how I'll feel once I get into Dumbledore's old office. I speak the password and step onto the beautiful rotating stone staircase leading me to the top. Once there I knock twice on the impressive wooden door and listen for McGonagall's call to enter before doing so. Upon entering the old office I had spent many visits in, I decide it doesn't appear that different from what I remember. In fact, the only things I can tell that are different are the nick-knacks on the large desk McGonagall is sitting behind and a cheery portrait of Headmaster Dumbledore smiling down at me with a twinkle in his eye from his place above the mantle over the fire.
"Ah Miss Granger," McGonagall begins in her heavy Scottish accent. "Welcome, welcome. It's so nice to see you dear. Have a seat if you would; we were just about to begin."
McGonagall speaks to me from behind her desk and I note that in front of her are two rather large armchairs facing her desk and that in the left one, a platinum mess of hair is showing from the top indicating Malfoy's presence.
"Of course," I say after a moments pause then move to sit next to that silver-eyed serpent in the lush chair beside him, already wishing I were somewhere else. Preferably with a good distracting book, too.