Chapter 3
Soon enough Hermione had her prefect duty’s. She was to meet Malfoy at the staircase leading to the seventh floor. Their route would be to check the Astronomy tower along with the seventh floor.
“Milady, where art thou going at this hour of the night?” Sir Cadogan asks.
“Professor McGonagall has told you that I am a prefect now, remember?” Although he was not tasked with guarding the common room, Sir Cadogan fiercely protects it. He stops other houses from nearing the premises and this one from leaving when he decides it’s inappropriate. But he was quite funny and never bothered her.
“Ah yes milady, I wish you well on your ventures to serve justice,” He gave her a deep bow.
Hermione had a sweet smile on her face as she went on her way.
— —
It was just nearly 8pm when she arrived to her destination. Malfoy was leaning against the wall facing Hermione. His head was pointed down, inspecting his nails out of boredom. As she walked closer to him, he seemed to not to notice her. At once, he froze and looked up at Hermione, so fast she barely registered it until his piercing grey eyes bore into hers.
“Right on time Granger.”
Hermione reaches the top of the stairs, barely standing next Malfoy before he starts off down the hallway impatiently. She has to walk a bit faster to catch up to him.
They both knew their duty and therefore didn’t have much to discuss. Unfortunately silence is something Hermione simply could not stand. She tried. Really, really tried. Looking at the suit of armor near her with much more interest the it really deserved. There was also the paintings. But at this hour of the night, they were mostly asleep or glaring and the students walking around this late. But it was deeply unbearable for her.
“So.. the new Professor, huh.” Hermione asked, breaking the stillness at last.
“What about her?” Malfoy replies, boredom in his voice.
“Well, shes a tad insufferable. Don’t you think?”
“Well,” he draws out the word long, mimicking her “we’ve only just been introduced to the woman. I’ve not been known to make up my mind that fast about a person.”
This nearly made Hermione cackle. “Oh sure! And in first year when you saw Ron red hair and hand me down robes, as I recall you mentioned. You didn't immediately judge him?” She said, while putting on a voice for the words she made fun of.
Malfoy fights the urge to roll his eyes. “Of course you would bring that up. Besides, I don’t have to explain myself to the likes of you.
Hermione scoffed “And you prove my point further. You have had no reason to hate me. I’ve done nothing to deserve your hate, yet you assume the worst of me. Just because of my blood status.”
He looked quite taken aback at her words. Almost offended.
At this point the two had stopped walking, much too focused on the rising argument at hand.
“I said nothing.” His voice rising, “Nothing, of your blood. You brought it up. Its bold of you to say that after I’m sure you did the same to me.”
”What did you mean then? Because if that was some sort of compliment, it sure sounded backhanded to me, and by the way, I only assumed the worst of you, after, you called a mudblood. Which, by the way, was the first time I’d been called that.” The way she said the words picked away at Malfoy more than he expected
Hermione started to storm off, done with their conversation but stopped briefly when she heard Malfoys voice.
”Hey I’m not done!” He shouted after her.
“No, but I am.” She shouted back.
“We have to finish this shift whether you like it or not, though, so I’d suggest you shut up for the rest of it.”
She rolled her eyes, but silently agreed and slowed down for him to catch up.
The rest of the night they walked in silence. Choosing to enjoy the stillness in the nighttime air rather the each others company.
It was late when Hermione returned to her common room. Only a few people were left to greet her. Ron being one of them.
”Hey Mione, how did your thing go?” He asked. Only half paying attention. As he was playing a match of wizards chess with fellow Gryffindor she recognized but couldn’t quite name.
“As well as you could expect.”
Ron gave a sound of acknowledgement.
“Good night.”
”Yea.” he was much too focused elsewhere.
She went directly too bed. Too tired to do much else. But before she fell asleep something dawned on her. That was probably the longest and mostly likely only, one on one conversation they had ever had.