Hermione liked Justin Finch-Fletchly. She did. Or at least she tried to. When she and Dumbledore held interviews for the Head Boy, prefects and other notable students were questioned. Justin ended up being the most favorable candidate, and became the new Head Boy. He immediately flung himself into the job. Hermione couldn't blink twice before Justin had a clipboard in his hands, and fastened the Head Boy badge on his robe. Before she knew it, he was already tardy-slipping students, and constructing a bloody suggestion box! He really was a sweet guy, but he could be extremely overbearing. And this was coming from Hermione, the queen of overbearing, for Merlin's sake!
She went to the Head Boy and Girl office just before the scheduled meeting during lunch. She inwardly groaned as she saw Justin placing the suggestion box on the wall outside of the office.
"Is that really necessary?" Hermione asked.
Justin stood up and grinned a toothy smile. "Absolutely! It will give the students of Hogwarts a voice! This way, we'll really know what's going on, because the notes can be anonymous. Trust me, this is genius!"
Hermione was about to warn Justin about how this was a perfect setup for a practical joke. But she bit her cheek before she could say anything because it would, in fact, be hilarious to see Justin get pranked. She could see it now: Justin would get a note about a problem in the courtyard. Of course when he would walk out, he would be met with a dungbomb.
Justin then walked with a bounce into the office, followed by Hermione. As she was sitting down, Hermione started, "The school Halloween party is weeks away, but we should plan it now."
"Right. I think we should ban costumes," Justin frankly suggested.
Hermione was taken aback. "Why would we do that?"
"It's too risky. Students in costumes, being unrecognizable, is a perfect time for people to pull pranks and endanger other students. There would be no punishment, since no one would know the culprit!"
"Costumes must be allowed! It's bloody Halloween!"
Justin paused and then got out his clipboard. "That language will not be tolerated, Miss. Granger, " Justin said while writing on the clipboard. He then handed her a warning slip.
"Why am I-" Hermione began, snatching the slip.
"Two more, and you will be put in detention," Justin replied, looking at her with all of the condescension in the world.
Hermione stared at Justin incredulously. This boy was beyond ridiculous. They couldn't discuss one thing without it turning into a meaningless argument. She remembered how her and Malfoy never got into any fights when they had meetings. In fact, they got along quite well. Although she was trying to forget about him, she would be lying if she said she didn't miss him being Head Boy.
Hermione exhaled and suggested, "Okay. Let's compromise then. We will have costumes but no masks. Alright?"
Justin scratched his chin as he thought about it. After awhile, he slowly nodded.
Hermione sighed with relief as they moved onto the next topic. "Right," she began, "how are we doing on decorations?"
"About those jack-o-lanterns floating around the Great Hall? Yeah, they are a complete fire hazard."
Hermione tuned Justin out as he ranted about fire safety. Her eyes wandered around the room. They landed in the arm chair where Malfoy sat when she healed his face. She remembered caressing his face as he watched her intently. She remembered how he let her.
Her eyes shifted to the conference table. She recalled how he got dangerously close to her. She could practically see her own reflection in his gray irises. Her heart skipped a beat as she pictured his eyes flickering down to her lips. Would he have kissed her? And would she have let him?
She glanced down at her hand in shock as she saw that the pads of her fingers were subconsciously touching her own lips. She put her hand down, and shook out her head. She needed to forget about Malfoy. This odd infatuation had gone on for too long. She needed to face the facts: Malfoy was a Death Eater and he was gone. Although it hurt like hot steel, she tried anyway.
Hermione looked back to Justin, trying to concentrate on his lecture about jack-o-lanterns, while trying to stop imagining Malfoy's lips on hers.
Draco was lying down on his bed, counting the cracks in the ceiling, and being more broody than usual. It had been only a week, and he was going stir-crazy. There was absolutely nothing to do in this place. He'd go out, but unfortunately he looked like a mutilated monster. How did Dumbledore expect him to break this bloody curse if he couldn't even go outside to find someone?
The more he thought about it, the more he hated the old man. He was practically caging Draco like an animal, only to be let out to save the precious Head Girl. He knew he'd have to be put back into this cell to rot. It would take a miracle to find love. It was impossible.
Draco angrily punched the pillow next to him. There was absolutely no hope. Suddenly, a lilted voice called up to him from downstairs.
"I'm going to get groceries! Do you need anything?" Isabella shouted from the ground floor.
And then there's this bitch, Draco thought. Isabella wasn't horrible, but she was such an oddball. Draco could hardly trust her because she acted so normal around him. Dumbledore said he would let the housekeeper know about Draco's situation, but still, you'd think the girl would be cautious at least.
"How about you bring back a pretty girl to fall in love with me, and get me out of this shitehole? Oh, and some milk," Draco sarcastically shouted back.
"Ha," was all Isabella said as she walked out the back door.
Draco got up from his bed and went downstairs. He couldn't bear to stay another second in that room, lest he'd go barking mad. Once he reached the ground floor, the doorbell rang.
Draco stopped short. How would someone be at the door? Muggles can't see this place, so who could it possibly be? Draco had a small hope that it was a beautiful girl to break his blasted curse. He went up to the peep hole and peeked through.
The man that was standing outside of the door had dark glasses on and was holding a cane. He looked to be in his mid-twenties and had dirty blond, messy hair with some scruff on his chin. He wore a button down shirt with a dark blue bowtie, and on top he wore a jacket. After a minute of looking the man up and down through the peep hole, Draco spoke. "Who are you?"
"Mary Poppins," the man said facetiously. He then chuckled at his own apparent joke. Draco remained silent.
The man noticed that he didn't get the joke by the awkward silence . He then cleared his throat and said, "I'm your tutor. Dumbledore hired me. I'm supposed to move in today."
Draco completely forgot Dumbledore was sending a bloody tutor. He locked Draco up, and now he was trying to educate him like it was home school? The mention of Dumbledore's name made Draco wince. "Tell the old man he can carpe diem in Hell," Draco said curtly.
The tutor replied, "Happy to! Meantime, how about you cage the rage and invite me in for a nice hot bowl of my-life-sucks?"
Draco smirked. Who was this guy?"Saw right through that one, huh?" Draco asked skeptically.
"Yeah, it's a little gift I have," The tutor then leaned slightly forward into the peephole, "Especially since I can't actually see."
Draco lifted an eyebrow. He looked at the tutor's glasses and cane and he realized that the tutor was blind. Draco turned away from the peephole and sighed, putting his forehead on the door. Draco couldn't help but feel slightly insulted that Dumbledore hired a blind tutor. He recognized a dig at him when he saw one. But it did seem practical, at least.
Draco scoffed with disdain as he unlocked the door opened it. The tutor immediately stuck out his hand and introduced himself, "Hi, I'm William."
"Come in." Draco said sternly, ignoring William's introduction. The tutor awkwardly put his hand down, and then grabbed his trunk beside him. William moved into the entryway while maneuvering his cane in front of him, dragging it back and forth to get his bearings.
Draco continued, "When Isabella gets back, she'll welcome you to Hell. She'll fix you up with your own bedroom." Draco closed the door with a slight slam while continuing, "I assume Dumbledore already explained what happened to me and what I did to deserve this, so I'm not going to divulge in the lovely tale," Draco grumbled.
William snickered as Draco kept talking, "And please, please hang with us! Gouge the old man for everything he's worth. He deserves it."
The tutor took a breath to say something, but he heard Draco start to walk away. Suddenly, Draco sharply turned around, unfinished with his broody rant, "You know what? Obviously Dumbledore forgot to spin the borderline hostile act of hiring a bloody blind guy to tutor the creep-show he stuck in here."
William laughed to himself, and then Draco finished as he said, "Oh, and as for History of Magic? I think I'll take a pass."
Draco stomped away, leaving the blind man in the middle of the hallway. William was silent as he listened to Draco trudge upstairs and slam his door like a child.
The tutor sighed and muttered, "Nice to meet you."
Another week went by at Grimmauld Place and Draco was about to punch through a wall. Luckily, William ignored Draco when it came to tutoring, and didn't push him to start. He caught on quick that Draco was not one to be messed with.
Draco was practically suffocating in this place, and he was desperate to get out. He decided that he would go find Millicent and force her to take back the curse. Draco learned his lesson. He knew what it was like to be unattractive, and he knew what is was like to be ridiculed. Two weeks was enough. She would have to give in! Luckily, that day was Hogsmeade day, and everyone would be there. Even Millicent.
Draco dressed in dark clothes, and climbed out of his window. Once he hit the grass, Draco deeply inhaled the fresh oxygen. It was a great relief to him and his lungs to finally be outside of the God-forsaken house, and away from the stuffy air. The air was crisp and cold, and he could feel the early signs of Autumn setting in. He almost forgot that he was in broad daylight and in a Muggle neighborhood, nonetheless. He put on his hood, and jogged to an alleyway. Once the coast was clear, he took out his wand and apparated away.
Draco blinked, and he found himself standing in an alleyway beside The Three Broomsticks. The streets of Hogsmeade were bustling with witches and wizards. He wondered how on Earth was he going to find Millicent and manage to stay incognito. His stomach dropped as he remembered that Millicent was still in the hospital. How was he supposed to get to her without another Madam Pomfrey fiasco? He racked his brain for a solution until he heard a nasally voice call out his name.
"Malfoy?"
Draco snapped his head around and saw Millicent standing outside of the entryway to the pub. She gasped as he faced her, and tried to escape. He deftly grabbed her arm, and pulled her into the alleyway. She tried to fight back and scream, but he put a hand over mouth and was he was unphased by her protesting. Once he got her to the back of the alleyway, he released her.
She whipped around to face him and shouted, "What in the bloody hell are you doing here?!"
"I need you to end the curse!" Draco answered.
"Yeah right," Millicent began, trying to break away. Draco was too quick, and he violently pushed against her shoulders and pinned her against the wall.
"Two weeks is enough, bitch! I've learned my lesson!" Draco yelled in her face.
"You've learned nothing!" Millicent bit back.
The two Slytherins glared at each other. Draco exhaled with annoyance as he released his grip.
He then said with a lowered voice, "Listen, I'm begging you. Please end it."
Millicent raised a single eyebrow in response, unmoved by his groveling.
Draco threw his hands up in the air. "Fine! Fine, Millicent! You got me! I now know what it's like to be ugly! I got a taste of my own medicine. It sucks. I'm sorry. You happy?"
Millicent chuckled quietly and rolled her eyes. "You still haven't changed. You still only care about yourself and how you look on the outside. You need to find someone to love you for the inside."
"Well, what am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to find someone if I look like this?" Draco gestured to himself. "I see myself, and I see a hideous beast incapable of love, even for the inside!"
"Find someone who can see better than you can," Millicent quietly responded. This girl was serious. Draco must find someone to somehow love him, or he'd be doomed to this curse forever. Millicent was not going to budge.
He rubbed his temples and sighed. "Making people love me was a lot easier when I was Head Boy and I looked good."
Millicent laughed. "Draco, are you that blind? Your Slytherin disciples didn't love you. They feared you."
Draco looked up at her and narrowed his eyes. "Of course they loved me! They idolized me!"
Millicent only sighed. "Come with me."
The girl walked past him and went into The Three Broomsticks. Draco suspiciously followed her, and ducked his head into the dimly lit pub, careful to conceal his face. He sat beside Millicent in a chair at the dark corner of the room. Once he was settled, Millicent cocked her head to a group of Slytherin students sitting at a table across from them. All of them were laughing and talking excitedly.
Millicent spoke softly, "You have been the main subject of everyone's gossip."
"Well I'm sure they're concerned for their Head Boy," Draco grunted.
"Not exactly."
Draco opened his mouth to say something, but Millicent reached into her pocket. She pulled out her wand and chanted an eavesdropping charm. The two could then hear the table of Slytherins perfectly. Draco closed his mouth and listened intently.
"Oi! Now that Malfoy is gone, we can finally eat our dinner in peace."
"Yeah, it's nice to know that I can enjoy my meal without having to exalt him at the same time."
"Merlin! His ego had to be fed every five seconds!"
"If he were here, I'd bet he'd have us sacrificing our first born by now."
The table of Slytherins laughed. Draco stood up to leave, but Millicent grabbed his wrist as the Slytherins spoke again.
"And honestly, what was he going to do if we didn't follow him?"
"He'd do what he has always done: destroy people socially, emotionally, and mentally."
"I hated how we let him control us like that. But I hate the man even more."
Draco winced at the comment. "We're done here," he growled, but Millicent hushed him. Draco rolled his eyes and reluctantly listened again.
"You have to admit, though, that he was attractive."
"And he knew it too. I mean he bloody wanted us to honor him because of his good looks."
"Honestly, I'd sooner honor a deformed troll. I don't care if Malfoy is the most beautiful creature to walk this planet; he is a bloody prat."
"And his obsession with blood status made it worse! He'd kiss a basilisk before he'd respect a muggle born."
"He's no better than a Death Eater. So I guess he is where he belongs now."
"I just hope they catch the blighter and give him the Dementor's Kiss."
"Best embrace the suck, Malfoy!"
The Slytherins erupted with laughter, and Draco was speechless. He was seething with anger, and started to stomp over to the table. He would give these bloody wankers a piece of his mind! Millicent quickly grabbed his arm and warned, "If you do that, you will only prove their point."
Draco looked at Millicent. He'd never say it, but Millicent was right. And maybe that group of Slytherins were right as well. It didn't matter that he was good looking. It didn't matter that he was rich. And it didn't even matter if he was pureblood. He was a monster to them, and they hated him. Draco now realized that he was in fact as aggressively unattractive outside as he was inside.
Millicent and Draco slowly exited the pub, and entered the alleyway. "Learn from your mistakes, and learn to love," Millicent said to him. Draco remained silent.
Millicent stepped away and said, "See you in a year. " She turned around and walked away from the alley, leaving Draco alone.
Draco apparated back to Grimmauld Place, still stunned about what he had heard that day. He walked through the front door, and started to run up the stairs to his room. On the way, he heard the faint sound of deep thuds against the wall of the drawing room. Puzzled, he walked in to see William throwing darts at a dartboard, and he was hitting the center consistently. Draco couldn't do that even with his eyesight!
Draco scrunched up his face is confusion. "You're kidding, right? How do you do that?" Draco guffawed.
William threw another dart and answered sarcastically, "I was at this party, and some Death Eater chick gave me the Bulls-Eye curse."
Draco snickered, "Bite me."
William chuckled as he threw his last dart. "Oh hey! Now that you're back-" the tutor grabbed a book from the table beside him and tossed it in the direction of Draco, "want to learn something?" William walked over to the dartboard.
Draco caught the book and eyed it. "No," Draco curtly said, putting the book back on the table.
"Be careful," William started, feeling for the darts, "Lose your smarts, and trolls will be making jokes about you." The tutor walked back and assumed his position in front of the dartboard.
"Like I'd care. My own housemates would respect a troll over me, so it can't get much worse," Draco retorted.
"Find that out at Hogsmeade?" William asked, throwing a dart.
Draco gaped at him. "How-"
"I can't see, but I'm not blind," The tutor answered.
The two stopped talking, and the silence was only filled when a dart hit the board. After awhile, Draco spoke up, "I've been taught all my life that how much people like you is directly proportional to what you look like."
Draco paused as William threw another dart. Draco closed his eyes and grunted, "but they hated me."
William stopped throwing darts and looked in Draco's direction. He gave a sympathetic look and said, "High school unquestionably sucks arse."
Draco quickly shook his head and asked, "You went to regular school?"
"Yes. I went to Hogwarts, in fact." William threw another dart. "But in my sixth year Potions class, there was an accident and I lost my sight. There was nothing Madam Pomfrey or any healer at St. Mungo's could do. Irreparable damage was done, and I couldn't afford a magical eye like what Moody had. I was hopeless." The tutor threw his last dart with a small huff. He continued, "But living Hell has its upsides."
"Like better hearing?" Draco asked.
"Yeah. I quit school and threw myself into Muggle studies. Turns out, blind Muggles get on exceptionally well so I started living among them. I started tutoring not only Witches and Wizards, but Muggles too. I taught English, History, Mathematics, etc. I then learned that my other senses were enhanced, and I could live comfortably." William paused and then added, "Oh, and another upside is that chicks dig blind guys."
Draco scoffed and replied, "Yeah, too bad they don't dig ugly guys."
William turned to Draco's direction. "How do you know?"
Draco paused for a bit, and then sighed. He started to walk away. But for some unknown reason, Draco stopped short when he recalled the last thing Granger, of all people, said to him: What can I say? I'm substance over style.