“Hurry up Hermione!” Ginny called to the brunette as she stumbled hurriedly out of the carriage.
“Sorry Gin! I was just wondering who the heads are going to be!” she called back.
“You, OBVIOSLY!” Ginny stated jokingly as Hermione blushed deep red.
“Well, let’s hurry up to the feast so we can find out!” Harry said exasperatedly.
“And eat!” Interjected Ron, making all his friends laugh. Together they ran up the familiar stone steps into the Great Hall, searching for seats together at the Gryffindor table. As they jogged into the Great Hall they saw Draco Malfoy and his group of cronies laughing so hard that tears were running down faces.
‘Wonder who their laughing at now?’ Hermione thought curiously.
“OY! Granger! What are you looking at?!” Pansy Parkinson, a seventh year Slytherin, asked with a malicious sneer on her face. Hermione walked slowly over, saying in a louder voice than needed, “Obviously not you Parkinson, my eyes couldn’t handle the pain from looking at your face.”
The people around Hermione, many of them in the Gryffindor house, laughed along with heart. And to Hermione’s surprise, Malfoy chuckled too. Out of sheer shock, she voiced out-loud the question she had in her head.
“You find that funny Malfoy?! Isn’t she your girlfriend?” Draco’s head turned so suddenly she thought he was going to get whiplash.
“What do you mean Mudblood? That Pansy is my girlfriend?! Please Granger, I have higher standards than that!” Then he leaned closer whispering so only she could hear, “And yes, anything that insults that whore I find funny.”
The shocked brunette looked at Malfoy then whispered, “You have standards? Wow, what are they? Pureblood, female, and willing to shag you?” She could see his face start to contort in anger as he grasped the meaning of what she had said.
“You think your funny, don’t you, Mudblood?” he snarled, again in his low voice.
“Actually, I do,” Hermione stated simply as she stood up straight and walked the rest of the way into the Great Hall, taking a seat at the Gryffindor table, soon followed by her friends.
When the Great Hall had filled and everyone had turned expectantly towards Professor Dumbledore, he finally rose and said his usual words of welcome. “Hello returning students and those of you new to our halls. I want to make some start of the term notices. First off, the Forbidden Forest is off grounds to all students, and an updated list of banned items can be seen in Mr. Filch’s office. But on to more exciting news. We have chosen our Head Boy and Head Girl, Draco Malfoy” a huge roar of applause came from the Slytherin table. “And Hermione Granger.”
Hermione couldn’t believe it. She sat there stunned with her mouth slightly agape while the entire Gryffindor table was on its feet yelling it’s praise and Ginny was screaming “I TOLD YOU! I TOLD YOU!”
When the cheering had finally died down Dumbledore stood up and said “Will the Heads please meet me at the staff table. Thank you very much, now go to bed and sleep, all of you. Tomorrow is the first day of school.”
All the students got up and Hermione parted with Harry, Ron and Ginny.
“Bye!” She said as Malfoy walked over from the opposite side of the room to join her where Dumbledore was standing.
“Ah. My two new Heads. Let me show you to your rooms.” He swept out of the hall and Hermione and Malfoy trailed behind him like puppies. “As you know, you two will share a common room. You may still visit you old common rooms, of course. And the passwords shouldn’t be a problem, seeing as you are setting them. Your duties will include meeting with the Prefects, and arranging all Hogsmeade trips. Any questions?” When he had stopped talking he had also stopped walking, right in front of a painting of a group of girls in a field of flowers. A girl with bright blonde hair pulled back into a periwinkle ribbon asked them in a squeaky voice “Password?” Professor Dumbledore turned around, his hair long white hair shining bright. “Ah, I believe it’s hogwash.”
“Exasperated, sir?” Malfoy asked with an unconcerned look on his pompous face.
“No, no! That’s the password!” Dumbledore said excitedly. Malfoy’s eyebrows rose, blending in with his platinum hair. Behind Dumbledore, that girl chanted in a sing-song voice, “Yes, yes that’s the password! You’re correct! Come on in! It’ll be a blast, so just climb on through! Unless you want to stand out here, just me and you!”
Both Heads had a repulsed look on their faces, but Dumbledore just smiled and stepped into the Heads common room.
Hermione had never seen anything like it. The ceiling was like the one in the Great Hall, and showed the starry night sky outside. There were two couches facing each other, one a dark green lined with silver, one a deep red lined with gold. Between the couches, there was a low mahogany coffee table that was brightly polished and lined up with the merrily crackling, red brick fire place. The walls were the usual stone, tastefully covered with pictures of previous Heads and Headmasters, matched the green and gold carpet lining the floor. Leading from the common room was three doors. After inspection, it was discovered that one led to a small kitchen and the other two led to stairs that the two Heads supposed led to their rooms but didn’t venture any further for the moment.
“Do you find it satisfactory?” Dumbledore asked as his eyes dancing with amusement.
“Of course!” and “It will do.” Cried Hermione and Malfoy.
“And Professor, may I ask a question?”
“You just have, Miss. Granger, but you may ask another one.” The girl blushed a light shade of red.
“I was just wondering if we were going to have the Yule Ball again this year.”
“Of course Miss. Granger, if you and Mr. Malfoy wish. You two are in charge of that as well. Hadn’t I said that? I guess not, otherwise you not have asked. ”
“Thank you Professor!” Hermione squeaked.
“Anytime, anytime. I shall leave you now to explore. Have a good night.” Professor Dumbledore left the common room with his robes billowing out underneath him.
Hermione turned to go up the staircase on the left, which she thought would be hers because it had a red carpet on the stairs, as Malfoy said, “Night, Mudblood. Don’t try to sneak into my room during the middle of the night, I won’t shag you like you want me to.”
Hermione started choking. When she had finally regained use of her voice she said “Only stupid, desperate, blind, and ugly girls would even consider shagging you.” With that she turned and walked up the steps, ignoring Malfoy as he said “Well, no guy in his right mind would shag with you!”
When she had reached the top of the staircase, she set her password (periwinkle) and stepped through the hole in the wall to find a circular room with big windows, a king four-post mahogany bed, and a plush white carpet. She had a vanity with a large round mirror next to her wardrobe and a small door that she supposed led to her bathroom. She changed into her pajamas that the house elves had brought up and flopped down on her bed, thinking How can Malfoy be such a jerk!?!