Chapter Six

                                    

                                          
~ Hermione Granger ~
                          
We arrive at Hogwarts half an hour later. Since Malfoy and I are Head Boy and Head Girl, we have to make sure all of the students get off of the train before it leaves. We also have to direct the First Years to where Hagrid is but he's a half-giant so he's pretty hard to miss, even in the dark. Meaning we're probably gonna get stuck walking up to the castle instead of taking one of the carriages. Unless they have a special carriage for Head Boy and Head Girl, which would be nice but I doubt it.
                          
Once we finish our somewhat quick but very thorough search of the Hogwarts Express, we silently make our way to the carriages should be. But, like I had thought earlier, the last one left as soon as we were in sight of it. Walking it is just great. I groan quite loudly, gaining the attention of Malfoy. We might be late for the feast and I do not want to be late, especially since I'm Head Girl this year. 
                          
"A little stroll isn't going to kill you Granger" Malfoy drawls with his signature smirk on his already arrogant looking face.
                          
I throw a glare at him but keep walking. It's a complete mystery as to how someone could look that arrogant at one point in time. Guess it's just a normal thing for Malfoy since he's looked like that since First Year.
                          
"I'm not worried about the excercise, Malfoy, I don't want to be late" I reply with a scowl.
                          
Malfoy simply chuckles and doesn't try to further the lame excuse of a conversation. At least he didn't call me a Mudblood, which means we're getting somewhere in our forced public friendship.
                          
I can see twinkling lights inside of the castle, making it look as if it just came out of a Muggle picture book or something. I can never get past how beautiful the castle and the grounds are. I wish I had another year here but I don't. So I'll just have to make the most of my final year here.
                          
We walk the majority of the way up to the castle in a comfortable and somewhat peaceful silence. Malfoy makes a few off hand comments but I ignore them. Most of them anyways.
                          
"How are things with Weasel? It's a suprise that they have enough money to keep the thing they call a home" Malfoy says, sticking his nose up in disgust.
                          
I spin to face him, stopping walking entirely. He can insult me and it won't bother me but as soon as he starts insult and shit talking my friends it's not going to slide.
                          
"Shut up Malfoy" I growl at him.
                          
"Hit a nerve have I? I just hope you realize what you're getting yourself into by dating Weasel. Soon you'll have half a dozen of you're own redheads running around" Malfoy says, disgust extremely present in his voice.
                          
"Ron and I are NOT dating and stop being such an asshole!" I exclaim, giving him my worst death glare..
                          
"Oohhh, those are fighting words Granger" Malfoy says with a smirk, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
                          
"Good. Want me to remind you of Third Year?" I ask with a smirk, arching a brow at him.
                          
Third Year is the year when I punched him in the face. Malfoy's eyes widen slightly before quickly going back to normal, the smirk now gone from his face.
                          
"I was joking Granger, calm down" Malfoy says with a small chuckle.
                          
I spin around with a huff and continue walking, no longer wanting to deal with him. How in the hell am I supposed to share a dorm with this douche for the whole year without seriously harming him? I want to know what McGonagall was thinking when she decided to make us share a dorm.
                          
~~~~~
                          
I arrive in the Great Hall nearly half an hour later. The First Years haven't arrived yet but Harry, Ginny, and Ron are already sitting at Gryffindor table. They all look worried when I sit down.
                          
"Why do you all look so worried?" I ask.
                          
"Because we thought that Malfoy had killed you or something!" Ginny whisper shrieks.
                          
"Gin, I would have him hexed to the ground before he got his wand out" I reply, sounding a little too cocky for my own liking.
                          
It's true though, Malfoy wasn't on the run from Voldemort and his Death Eaters for months so his reflexes are probably slower then mine. 
                          
"Okay" Ginny says with a nod.
                          
"Did you guys have to walk here from the station?" Ron asks, actually sounding concerned.
                          
"Yeah" I reply.
                          
"I feel bad for you, half an hour alone with that git" Ron says, sounding somewhat sympathetic.
                          
"Thanks" I reply, forcing a small smile.
                          
I look up at the teachers table and see that all of the professors are there, other then McGonagall of course. She's probably continuing the tradition of fetching the First Years instead of making someone else do it. There's even one new professor. It's a younger looking woman who has short cropped brown hair, round grey eyes, and olive skin. She's sitting right next to Snape and they seem to be making small talk. Slughorn isn't up there so I assume Snape regained his position as Potions Master.
                          
As if he knew I was looking at him, Snape removed his gaze from the new professor to the Gryffindor Table. He looks almost immediatly at me and his eyes seem to soften somewhat. I give him a small smile before turning back to my friends, not wanting them to ask questions.
                          
I'll have to confront Snape, my biological father, soon. Sounds like another fun time.