Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns everything, I own my insanity...at times
Well, I finally have Chapter Four ready for you guys after a week! It's been an easy week, though, after exams and all. We got our grades back on Friday, and my friend David had all A's on his sheet (curse him!). He threw it up in the air joyously and then it came flying back down and hit him in the eye. It sliced open his cornea! Ha! Karma, David, karma!But you don't want to hear about that stuff, now do you? Here's Chapter Four...
"So," a drawling feminine voice whispered in my ear at breakfast one morning. A hand snarled around my shoulder, pointed ruby nails digging into my flesh. Dirty golden hair splayed across my robes, heavy with gel and perfume. "How's your day going, Draco?" The voice was sickly sweet.
Pansy Parkinson, of course.
She slid into the seat beside me, smoothing out her robes and skirt. She batted her mascara-caked eyelashes in my direction. Beaming up at me with straight, pearly white teeth, Pansy said, "Hmmmm? How is it?"
I cleared my throat and set down my goblet. "Its morning, Pansy," I informed her. "The day has just begun. I'd like to enjoy it." I bowed my head and mumbled so she wouldn't hear, "So leave."
A long, pointed finger scratched my forehead, drawing back a tendril of white hair. "I simply adore," she gushed passionately, "your fabulous hair, Draco." She held another lock prisoner, rubbing it between her thumb and forefinger.
I jerked my head back, snarling slightly. Though Pansy was another Slytherin, she was still an annoying gnat that never left a person alone until they went insane. I'd seen it happen all too many times. Pansy meets boy. Pansy falls in love with boy. Pansy stalks boy. Boy jumps off Astronomy Tower.
Pansy sighed, let my hair go, and turned back to her own plate briskly. She picked up a fork and had a bit of food close to her mouth before she told me, "Oh. I heard something about the Head Girl today. Very interesting, thought I might tell you."
Shrugging, I mumbled something I couldn't even comprehend. What did I care?
After a few seconds of silence, Pansy turned to me in a huff. "Don't you want to hear what I have to say?" she demanded. She let her cutlery drop to her plate with a clank, as if astonished that her news didn't spark any interest in my mind. To her, anything that was gossip was top priority.
"No," I shook my head. "I really don't." I had no problem with being rude; I knew Pansy wouldn't take any real offense. She had learned to live with my spitefulness over the years and now completely disregarded half the things I said.
"Well," Pansy purred, "I guess I'll tell you anyway."
"Go on," I sighed, "do tell."
Her eyes lit up instantly and she lunged into her riveting tale. "Alright," Pansy began, sucking in a great breath. "So, I heard from Emily - she shares the dorm room with me, you know - that Hermione Granger no longer holds the title of Head Girl!" she practically squealed with delight. "No more bushy-haired snobs running the place! Isn't that wonderful?" Pansy clutched hold of my arm and squeezed tight.
Needless to say, I was abruptly startled. "Really?" I managed coolly after a while. "Granger is gone? Why?" Why would the golden girl leave such an important post? The twit was probably too busy following Weasel King around, begging for him to acknowledge her.
Pansy was practically shining from her recognition. She bounced around in her place sitting next to me, tucking her hair compulsively behind her ears. "I'll tell you!" she exclaimed. Leaning back in her seat, Pansy cracked her knuckles. "It all began," she recited as if she were reading a book, "When the midnight shift two nights ago was left open. The Granger girl was supposed to be patrolling the fourth floor corridors, but never showed up."
"Wasn't that the night that Reed and Ionis ambushed those Hufflepuffs in the trophy room?" I interjected interestedly. I had heard the plan being talked about in hushed breaths several times before - a raid on some first years to keep them from getting too cocky. I set my cutlery down by my plate and leaned in to listen attentively.
Pansy's head bobbed so much I thought it would fall off. "Yes!" she giggled, wrapping her silky hands tighter around my bicep. "No one was there to stop them, and Headmaster Dumbledore called Granger on it last night. Word from Emily says that he reviewed her portfolio and decided it would be better to elect another Head to take her place! Turns out Granger wasn't up to her regular standards - not giving detentions and taking away house points and such. A regular prick, she was. Glad she's gone!"
It was a large amount to comprehend. I knew there was something wrong. This wasn't Hermione Granger. Hermione Granger received the best grades, was always on her top game patrolling the hallways, and never, I mean never, dismissed the opportunity to take down someone's name for detention. It was practically her life mission to rid the whole school of scum. I had been under her wrath before, I should know.
"Who's replacing her?" I asked, genuinely surprised.
Pansy shrugged, "Don't know. Probably some Gryffindor…again."
I clicked my tongue and turned back to my breakfast. So Pansy was good for something after all, I found. Looking across the Great Hall, I found that Granger - or her lackeys - where at their regular place at the Gryffindor table. So, I took things into action by shoving my plate aside, rising, and strutting briskly out of the hallway.
I wanted to see if the rumor was true. If Hermione Granger was a failure.
Oh, how I relished the thought.
I came upon a desolate hallway. Normally, I would've walked right past it, but I heard tremendous sobs resonating from a classroom in the distance. Everywhere I went, I seemed to attract sadness. Turning halfway in mid stride, I saw a door slightly ajar. Behind that, I saw a bundle of flaming red hair.
I had found my suspects.
"I don't understand it," I could hear a person heave. "I deserved that position more than anyone else!" There was a thud and more sobs.
"Hermione," a deep, gentle voice spoke soothingly. "There's no reason to kick anything. You'll get the spot back soon enough."
"No I won't!" I heard Hermione screech quite distinctly. "I'll never get it back! I'm horrible!"
"You're underfed and sleep-deprived, that's all. Dumbledore is just cutting you some slack to catch up on all your work. You know you need the time," I could hear Harry saying firmly.
Well, apparently that didn't go over too well, because the next thing I heard was an eruption. "What I need!" Hermione shrieked, "What I need is Head Girl back! What I need is for that prude Dumbledore to come to his insane senses and realize he'll never be able to replace me! What I need is for you to stop being so damn calm about it!"
Silence reigned for a while, enough to soothe raging tempers and bruised egos. I grinned smugly to myself from my position by the door. A perfect time for an entrance, no?
"Sorry to burst in," I announced loudly, flinging open the door. "But I've just caught wind of the good news." I slammed the door behind me, leaning against the closest wall.
The golden trio gawked openly at me for a while, obviously shocked by the sight of me. What can I say? I have that certain effect on people, what with my witty charm and all.
"Malfoy," Weasley growled, advancing on me. "What do you bloody think you're doing here? This is private." He towered above me, trying to be intimidating. Being in such a good mood, his actions flew right over me.
"Oh," I answered leisurely, "just thought I'd drop in and congratulate Granger over there. Swell job, ex-Head Girl." I clapped my hands slowly, a malicious grin spreading like an ink stain across my face.
Weasley seized me by the collar of my robes, as I expected he would. The brute didn't know self control if it came up and bit him on the ass. I didn't get worked up though, even when my feet left the ground. Potter Boy Wonder would console him when I began to turn blue and I would leave.
"It wasn't my fault!" the shrew wailed.
"Ron, set him down!" Harry shouted over top of her wavering, watery voice.
Ron turned his sluggish head to stare at his partner with disgust and contempt. "You want me to let this bastard get away? Like all the other times? I don't think so." With that, Weasley found it proper of him to slam me against the wall repeatedly, seething. "You don't talk to Hermione like that," he breathed on me. "You don't speak to anyone like that. You are vile, scum of the earth, you black-hearted Death Eater."
"Black-hearted, yes," I choked, not willing to show vulnerability. "But not yet a Death Eater. Get your head on straight, will you?"
My sarcasm earned me another slam against the wall. "Shut up!" Weasel King yelled in my face. I would've suggested a mint or a toothbrush, but I found it not the right time to mention that.
Hermione, who was then sitting on the desk at the head of the classroom, leaped off the desk and ran. She looked like she was going to head butt me, but opted for the door instead. She flung it open, and as she did, I saw her eye. It was dark and swollen. But I only caught a glimpse, and blamed its condition on her crying. She was sprinting down the empty corridor a second later, leaving me, Pothead, and Weasley in the room alone.
Cricket.
Though I don't see the importance of reporting this, they beat me to a pulp afterwards. I was dropped on the ground, insulted, kicked, punched, and had several very uncomfortable curses performed on me. Weasel kept on shouting, while he threw punch after punch, that I stay the hell away from Granger. If I were to touch her, he would rip out a vital intestinal organ and strangle what was left of me with it. Potter warned me he'd come after me again if I were to speak to his precious girlfriend in that manner.
I can't even remember how I found it in myself to drag my being off the floor and back to the Slytherin common rooms. By that time, I had multiple contusions to the head, a black eye, what felt like seven broken bones, and a bum leg.
Thanks to all of you who reviewed, it really made my week...acdecnerd, Lilly, the fallen always falls, trapped-in-a-dream, Karana Belle, luckycharms129, Riddleness, anafics, BenjiMaddenFreek, #1 Critic, and The Lady of the 4leafed Clover. You seriuosly rock my world!
P.S. You'll find out what's happening with Hermione in either Chapter Five or Six, I promise!
Yours awesomely, Katie