Disclaimer: I'm only going to do one for this story, so listen up. You all know the drill.. All I own is the plot. JK owns the characters, setting, and all that jazz.
A/N: The title is part of the song 'Fever' sung by Michael Buble. It probably won't have anything to do with the story, but I like how it sounds. Enjoy!
What A Lovely Way To Burn – Chapter 1
Hermione's eyes scanned the small train cabin. She savored the sweet scent of candy that awakened her from her short nap. Her head was rested against the shoulder of her best friend Harry, who was avidly discussing Quidditch with their best mate Ron who sat across from them. She straightened herself from her comfortable position as the Golden Trio heard a violent rap at the door of the compartment. It was none other than Pansy Parkinson who stood with an agitated slouch.
"What do you want, Parkinson?" The redheaded boy asked, uninterestedly. He sat up, looking as gangly as ever.
"You better watch yourself, Weasel." She retorted, "I was sent to fetch Granger." Pansy nodded toward Hermione, who looked away from the window where she was watching raindrops race down the paneled glass. Pansy continued, "She's needed in the Head's compartment. McGonagall needs to speak with her."
Hermione stood and left the minute compartment, but not after bidding goodbye to her two best friends. "I'll see you at the feast." She promised them. When she arrived at the Head's compartment, she expected only to see Professor McGonagall waiting. To her surprise, Draco Malfoy sat opposite the head of the Gryffindor house. Hermione sat beside him, forcing herself as far to the wall as possible, as if sitting near Malfoy would give her a fatal disease.
"Professor Dumbeldore requires my assistance in his compartment, so I will make this very quick, " McGonagall began, "I assume that you both are aware that being Head Boy and Head Girl is an important role that should not be taken lightly. You are both to plan the Christmas ball this year and monitor the halls at night. Naturally, you both are to share a common room and you will both be partners for all of your classes throughout the year. Because both of you are taking the same classes, this should not be a problem." McGonagall looked at the seventh years and smiled. "I should be leaving now. I trust that there will be no problems," She said, looking at Hermione and then at Malfoy, who, at the moment, pretended to be very interested in the floor design. "Good. After the feast, Professor Snape will direct you to your new rooms." She stood and left, leaving Hermione and Draco alone in the silent cabin.
"Well I figure this to be an interesting year." Hermione said to Draco, looking up at his face. The deep gray orbs that were his eyes seemed empty and she felt as if they bore deep into her soul. The Hogwarts Express slowed to a stop and whistled, signaling that they were at their destination. "I guess I'll see you after the feast." Hermione said as she exited the compartment, leaving Draco alone with his thoughts.
"Quidditch tryouts next Saturday. Pass it on." Harry whispered to Ron as the sorting began. As the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Harry became even more obsessed with the game. Throughout the train ride to Hogwarts, he and Ron discussed their team and who the good candidates for the new beater and keeper. Ron and Harry agreed wholeheartedly that Ron should switch from the position of keeper to beater. As the message was passed along the large wooden table, Hermione sat between Ron and Ginny, ensnared in her thoughts.
'Why hadn't Malfoy said anything on the train?' She wondered to herself. She decided to put away the thoughts and pay attention to the Sorting Hat's new song. To her dismay, the old hat had already completed his song and professor Dumbledore had begun his speech. This easily bored Hermione, for it was the same every year. Soon, her eyes wandered around the room until they were captured by the same gray spheres that had haunted her earlier.
Draco Malfoy had been staring at her throughout the opening ceremony.
Hermione quickly looked away, pretending to be preoccupied with the enchanted ceiling. After counting twenty-three raindrops falling before disappearing, a delicious feast appeared before them and caused Hermione to forget about the two eyes that studied her from across the room.
After the delicious feast, Hermione stalked up to where Professor Snape sat. "Miss Granger," He began, "Allow me to escort you to your new room. Draco!" Draco Malfoy looked up from his plate of mashed potatoes at the professor and stood, not bothering to bid farewell to his fellow Slytherins. Malfoy slowly made his way up to Professor Snape as he continued, "Follow me."
Hermione and Draco trailed the professor past the dungeons and up to a large portrait of, surprisingly, Hermione and Draco. In the portrait, the two were standing facing away from each other, almost as if they were ignoring the other. Picture Hermione kept sneaking a glance at Picture Draco once in a while. Hermione guessed that the picture illustrated their current feelings toward one another.
"Password?" Picture Draco inquired, seeming not to care. Draco and Hermione looked questioningly upon each other, then at their professor.
"You may choose your own password." Professor Snape said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Draco and Hermione looked at one another, both thinking up a password.
"Socks." Draco said, as Picture Draco nodded and allowed them inside. Draco did not notice the quizzical looks from both his teacher and classmate. They all ventured into the heads' quarters to find a large common room equipped with large comfy sofas and a warm fireplace. The common room was connected to both a hallway and a study. In the study, they found their own small library that anyone would be proud of and a large desk fit for two. The hallway led to three doors; the left led to Draco's room, the right to Hermione's, and a large bathroom. The two bedrooms were identical, except that both were decorated by their own respective house colors. The rooms both had doors that also led to the bathroom that contained a large bath that could easily hold ten people.
"I assume that everything is in order," Snape said, noticing both students yawning profusely, "Headmaster Dumbledore requests that you meet him before breakfast tomorrow. You both will also need to hold a meeting with all of the prefects to discuss how the halls will be monitored. Good night." And with that, Professor Snape disappeared from the heads' quarters.
"Well, we both best be getting to sleep. Big day tomorrow," Said Hermione with another yawn. "Good night." She looked at Malfoy, expecting a reply. When she saw that he had nothing to say, she shrugged it off and they both retreated to their respective bedrooms.
Hermione laid in bed, reflecting on the day. Her last thought was that the only word that she heard Draco mutter all day was the word 'socks.'
A certain red-haired boy and a platinum blonde shared the same thought that night before falling into a deep sleep— 'Good night, Hermione.'
A/N: Please review. I want to know how to improve, how you think this story should go, and most importantly, if you liked it. Thanks for reading.