Masked Denial
Disclaimer: I am not British, middle aged, or blonde. Therefore, I do not own any of the characters you recognize.
Full Summary: It's seventh year at Hogwarts and a stressful time for Hermione Granger. Between Head Girl duties and managing her schoolwork and friends, things tend to get a little chaotic. To make it worse, the Head Boy happens to be none other than the detestable Draco Malfoy! Only, this year isn't like the others. With Voldemort attacks being as frequent as they are, Professor Dumbledore needs a way to keep the students safe at Hogwarts. So, he stumbles across the idea of a formal ball every few months to keep the students interested. But, what happens when Hermione starts falling for a mystery boy from the ball? With the planning for the balls and all the work needed to be done on a new Hogwarts magazine that has just started, the Heads seem to be spending a lot of time together. What will this lead to?
Author's Note: OK, I'm really sorry that The Trouble With Love got deleted... apparently you're not supposed to post song lyrics and I didn't know that... but it's OK. This is the second story that I mentioned that I was starting, and I thought that I'm post it while I continue to work on TTWL. I'm am currently re-writing TTWL and I'm on chapter three. Once I re-write enough to post for a long time, I'll re-post The Trouble with Love. Sound OK? OK, well, in the meantime, I hope you enjoy this story. I really love it, even though I'm not very far along on it, which means that I won't be posting every week. Hopefully I'll post every few weeks, because summer is a stressful time for me, so... Well, I'm done talking, so I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 1- Home, Sweet, Home
The song for this chapter is "Last Train Home" by Lostprophets
Platform nine and three quarters was overly crowded with Hogwarts students on September first. The Hogwarts Express stood gleaming, waiting for the children to board it so that it could take them to Hogwarts, school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
For seventeen-year-old Hermione Granger, this was anything but new. She stood at the platform, watching the scarlet train, contemplating the fact that this was her last year at Hogwarts. Truth be told, she knew she would miss it.
As she watched the children around her-- first year students looking petrified, twelve-year-olds acting like they knew everything-- she knew things were never going to be the same after graduation. She had a feeling that this year at Hogwarts, something spectacular was going to happen. However, she had no idea that this something would mess with her emotions, priorities, and friendships.
Hermione took a deep breath, savoring the scent that told her she was near Hogwarts; the scent that said she was home. She picked up her trunk and Crookshank's cage, only to have them knocked out of her hands and onto the ground.
"Hermione! We missed you! How have you been?"
Hermione recognized Harry's voice and his familiar scent as her head was pushed against his chest when he pulled her into a tight hug.
"I'm good, Harry. How are you?" Came the muffled reply. Harry let go of her and took a step back.
"I'm doing alright. Wow, look at you! You look great!"
This was the truth. Hermione had grown a bit over the summer, but felt so small with Harry towering a good three inches above her. She had definitely filled out and it was hard to believe that the girl standing before Harry was the bookworm prefect he had known for all of his Hogwarts education. While her hair was still the brown mess it had always been, it seemed to shine in the light and frame around her delicate face.
"And you!" She replied. "Look how tall you are!"
Harry had filled out as well. He wasn't the short weakling he used to be, but had grown a great deal taller and muscular. His hair was longer, covering the scar which had made him famous. Hermione smiled as she remembered how much Harry had complained about it in the past. She figured he was tired of being known as his press name "The Boy Who Lived."
Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione noticed a flash of red and turned her head in just enough time to see Ron running towards her. He collided into her and wrapped her into a brief hug.
Ron hadn't changed much over the summer, but he was different. He was no longer the scrawny little boy he used to be. He had grown quite a bit and was just slightly shorter than Harry. He too had filled out and had grown his hair out so that it was in his eyes most of the time. Ron's hair was the vibrant colour it had always been, and Hermione was glad, because it reminded her that some things never change.
Hermione noticed that her two best friends had grown a great deal more handsome. She knew that there would be two more heartbreakers at Hogwarts.
"Honestly, Ron!" Hermione heard. When Ron pulled away from Hermione to greet Harry, Hermione saw Ginny walking towards her, shaking her head at her brother.
"Hello, Hermione," she called.
"Hello, Ginny." Hermione gave Ginny a gentle hug before turning back to Harry and Ron.
"Alright, Harry, Hermione?" Ron asked. Hermione and Harry nodded.
The train whistle blew, announcing the time was eleven o'clock and that it would be leaving. Harry, Hermione, and the two Weasleys picked up their trunks and proceeded to the Hogwarts Express. They quickly found an empty compartment, stored their trunks in the luggage rack, and sat, making themselves comfortable for the long ride ahead of them.
"Gosh, Hermione! Why didn't you tell us you made Head Girl?" Ginny exclaimed, being the first person the notice the shiny badge attatched to Hermione's robes.
"I didn't think it was that important," Hermione replied quietly.
"Not important? Congratulations!" Ron said.
"Way to go!" Harry responded.
"We have to go to the prefect compartment anyway. Come on, Ron, Ginny."
As Hermione, Ginny, and Ron were stepping out of the compartment to head to the prefect compartment, Seamus, Dean, and Neville walked into the room, sitting down to accompany Harry. Hermione shut the door behind her.
"I wonder who the Head Boy is," Dean commented.
"I wonder who the Head Boy is," Ginny said as the three of them reached their destination. Hermione opened the door to the compartment and let Ron and Ginny go inside before herself. Then she stepped inside herself and looked at everyone's prefect badge, searching for the Head Boy badge.
Who's the Head Boy? Hermione thought. She sat down after nonchalantly looking through everyone's badge. He's late! How can he be late? That's just so rude and--
"Malfoy!" She exclaimed, seeing him walk through the closed door and shut it behind himself.
"Well, well, well. Granger made Head Girl," he replied, smirking. He sat at the farthest seat from her and Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. "Big surprise there. Who knew?"
"Shut up, Malfoy. I'm just wondering how you managed to make Head Boy. Who'd you father have to pay off so that you'd get it?" This only made the smirk on his face grow and Hermione rolled her eyes.
With Malfoy as Head Boy, she thought. This is going to be a long, miserable year!
"Well, that was certainly interesting," Ginny commented as she, Hermione, and Ron started to walk back to their compartment.
"I can't believe Malfoy, of all people, is Head Boy!" Hermione exclaimed.
"You should resign as Head Girl," Ron told her.
"Ron!" Ginny and Hermione scolded at the same time.
"This is a brilliant opprotunity!" Hermione explained. "And I won't let Draco Malfoy ruin it for me. I'm better than that and I won't let him get to me."
"That's right, Hermione. Don't stoop to his level," Ginny said, opening the door for Ron and Hermione.
"Harry, what're you doing all by yourself?" Ron asked, sitting next to him.
"Oh, Seamus, Dean, and Neville left a few minutes ago," he responded, picking up Quidditch Through the Ages.
"Well, you'll never guess who made Head Boy," Ginny replied casually. She picked up a Teenwitch Monthly magazine.
"Who?"
"Malfoy," Ron told him disgustedly.
"Sorry, Hermione," Harry said, wincing.
"It's OK. It's not like I'll have to spend much time with him. As long as I stay out of his way and he stays out of mine, what can go wrong? Anyway, I'm starving. We didn't get to eat at all."
They spent the remainder of the train ride eating and talking about each of their summers. Somehow, Hermione couldn't get rid of the thought that she would be spending more time with Malfoy than she had ever wanted.
"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"
It was nice to hear Hagrid's familiar voice telling Hermione that she was finally home.
"I'll see you guys later," Ginny told Ron, Harry, and Hermione. Ginny waved to some of her friends and went over to them, continuing to the Hogwarts castle with them.
"Alright there, Harry, Ron, 'ermione?" Came Hagrid's booming voice from above them.
"Hey, Hagrid," Harry shouted up to him.
"How are you, Hagrid?" Ron asked. Hermione just smiled, not believing she had the voice to shout above the students around her.
"Congratulations on Head Girl, 'ermione!" Hagrid said.
"Thanks! We better go! See you, Hagrid!" Hermione replied as she, Harry, and Ron piled into a carriage that held Ginny and her giggling friends.
Hermione gazed out the window at the castle she had come to fall in love with. She couldn't wait to see what this year would bring for Hogwarts, for herself, and, most importantly, for her Head Girl position.
"Welcome to another spectacular year at Hogwarts!" Dumbledore beamed at all the students over his half-moon spectacles. "I hope that this year will bring great things, unexpected friendships, and a change of heart. First off, I would like to remind everyone that the Dark Forest is strictly forbidden, and anyone who decides to go near it will be severely punished. Secondly, I would like to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Braccola. He has studied the Dark Arts in Egypt for ten years and is fully capable and ready to teach what he has learned!"
Polite applause was heard throughout the Great Hall as the headmaster gestured to the new teacher. Professor Braccola was a very young man with dark hair and complexion. He stood shyly, accepting the applause.
"Thank you," Professor Dumbledore continued. "Thirdly, I would like to introduce our Head Girl, Hermione Granger." Hermione stood and applause erupted, the loudest coming from the Gryffindor table. "And the Head Boy, Draco Malfoy." A much louder applause was heard as the much more popular Head stood, smirking. "Now, I don't want to delay your dinner any longer, so I only have one more thing to say. Prefects, once you have shown your houses to their common rooms and have told them the password, please join the Head Boy and Girl and myself back in the Great Hall for a brief meeting. Thank you, and let the feast begin!"
The food appeared magically onto each table, with a few small gasps coming the First Year students.
Hermione smiled at Harry, glad that things were finally back to normal.
After dinner, Hermione took a seat at the end of the Hufflepuff table, next to Dumbledore, who was sitting at the head of the table. Draco took the seat across from Hermione, on the other side of Dumbledore.
One by one, the other prefects entered the Great Hall, wearing puzzled looks, wondering why Professor Dumbledore had called this meeting. Ron sat next to Hermione, glaring at Malfoy; Ginny sat next to her brother, looking at the Headmaster with interest.
"Now that everyone is present," Dumbledore began, as the last prefect sat down. "Let's get started. I'm sure you're all wondering the reason I have called you here, and I assure you, it is an excellent reason."
Hermione exchanged puzzled looks with Ron and Ginny and then turned back to Professor Dumbledore, listening with abaited interest.
"I'm happy to say that, because of recent complaints from parents stating how they don't know what their children are up to at school, we're going to be coming out with a Hogwarts magazine!" Gasps and squeals of delight were heard among the prefects. Draco pretended like he didn't care as he watched Hermione with interest. Hermione had a spark of excitement in her eyes and was biting her bottom lip, obviously trying to contain her enthusiasm.
"I'm going to need all of you to work on putting together this magazine. You'll need to come up with a name for it, design it, put in articles, and put it out once a week. I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge of this, so if you have any questions, you may go to either of them for answers. I will fill them in Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy about this project. They will be the editors and they are in charge, so, remember, what they say goes!" Dumbledore looked around the room to the eager faces before continuing again. "And, Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger, remember to think about what is best for the magazine. You two will be spending a lot of time on perfecting this and be spending numerous amounts of time with each other, so I can't wait to see what the ending result will be."
Hermione looked across the table to her enemy and narrowed her eyes with contempt. Her look only grew colder when Malfoy smirked in return.
"There's one more thing," Dumbledore continued. "Because of the rise in attacks of Voldemort," shudders came from around the table at the mention of the Dark Lord's name. "I am trying to keep students here over the breaks. So, I decided that it would be fun to have five wonderful balls. Now, they will not only be over the breaks, but throughout the year. And to liven it up, students will wear masks, hiding their identity. There will be a spell put onto the masks that will allow them to be taken off, only after midnight on the night of each ball. I need the Heads to be in charge of these as well, and the prefects will need to help with the planning and decorating. That is all, and thank you. Prefects, I ask you to not tell anyone about this, for I will announce it when everything is planned. Prefects may go. Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger," Dumbledore began. "We have some planning to do!"
Hermione came from the Great Hall an hour later. Exhausted. She headed up to the Gryffindor Tower and stepped into the common room.
"Hey, Hermione," Ron said. He and Harry were in the common room playing chess.
"I'm so tired. I never knew being Head Girl was so tiring!"
"Um, Hermione?" Harry started to say. "Don't the Heads have their own rooms?" Hermione sighed, covering her face with her hands. She turned around and walked back to the door.
"Night," she said to Ron and Harry.
"Goodnight," the two boys responded.
Hermione walked down the corridor to where she knew the Heads' rooms were.
Great. Not only do I have to be a Head with Malfoy, work on the magazine with Malfoy, and attend classes with Malfoy, but I have to live with him as well! This is just brilliant, Hermione thought. She finally reached the portrait and examined it with interest.
It was a portrait of what looked like a fairy. She was tiny and had short pink hair and glittering wings. She was wearing a purple dress.
"Hello! You must be the Head Girl!" The fairy exclaimed. "My name's Daisy." She giggled. "I'd say you're one lucky girl! That Draco Malfoy is really something!" Daisy blushed and Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Plaid Hippogriff!" Hermione sighed, not wanting to hear exactly what Daisy thought about her fellow Head.
"Right, dear! In you go!" The portrait swung open and Hermione sighed, stepping inside.
"Get lost, Granger?" Came a familiar drawl from somewhere near the fireplace. Hermione hoped she was just imagining things as she turned towards the direction of the voice.
"Malfoy. We're going to have to be spending a lot of time together planning the balls and working out everything for the magazine. Wouldn't it be easiest to stay on civil terms?"
"And what makes you think that I want to be civil to a Mudblood like you?"
"You know what, Malfoy? If you don't stop--"
Knock, knock!
Draco and Hermione's heads turned to the direction of the door. Dumbledore appeared through it and stepped inside, eyes twinkling.
"I hope you find everything to your satisfaction," he said. Hermione nodded. "Excellent. As for planning the balls, I thought we'd have one every two months, so the first one should be somewhere near October. Also, if it's not too much work, it would be greatly appreciated if you could get the first edition of the magazine out the first week of October so that they can be owled to parents and such. Thank you and I suggest you two get to bed! Classes start tomorrow!" After a final smile, the headmaster left.
"I'm going to bed," Hermione stated.
"And I care why?" Draco replied, smirking.
Hermione rolled her eyes and walked to her bedroom, wondering why she had ever wanted to be Head Girl.
Hermione awoke the next morning and before she opened her eyes she hoped that the previous night had been a dream. It would still be summer and any moment now her father would come into her room and tell her to wake up.
Hermione opened her eyes and groaned when she saw the maroon and gold of her Hogwarts room. She sat up and scratched Crookshanks behind his ears, waking him. Crookshanks shot Hermione a glare for disturbing his slumber and he left to find a place where he could sleep in peace. Hermione rolled her eyes and set off for the shower, hoping Draco wouldn't be in the common room.
Glancing at the clock after returning from her shower told Hermione the reason she had not seen Draco in the common room. It was barely five o'clock. He wouldn't be awake yet.
The Head Girl brushed her hair and stared at her reflection in the mirror.
"You might want a touch of make-up to hide those dreadful bags under your eyes," the mirror told her. Hermione glared in reply.
Make-up. She had never touched the stuff. She didn't want to become one of those girls who relied on it constantly and felt that they couldn't go a day without it. She rather liked the person she had become to be and refused to change because a stupid mirror told her she should.
After putting a silencing charm on her mirror, the Head girl smiled and pulled her wet locks into a ponytail. She set off for the Heads' common room and on the table there she found the information for the magazine. She began to work on it.
"I thought the Heads were supposed to work on that together," came a cold voice. Hermione looked up to see Draco standing there, wearing nothing but his boxers and a towel slung over his shoulder. Hermione looked back down at what she had been working on so not to gape at his choice of pajamas. She could almost hear him smirking.
"I figured you wouldn't want to work with me, just as I don't want to work with you. Plus, you were sleeping, and Merlin forbid you don't get your twelve hours of sleep each night," Hermione snapped back. She looked up to see Malfoy smirking.
"If anything, I think I have the worst end of the deal, working with you," he replied as he walked to the bathroom. Hermione sighed, continuing to work, wondering why the library wouldn't open before breakfast.
When Hermione finally walked into the Great Hall for breakfast, she breathed a sigh of relief. She took her usual seat between Ron and Harry and across from Ginny and a few of Ginny's friends. Starting to fill her plate, Hermione didn't even look up when she heard the fluttering of feathers. She only put her hand in the air to retrieve her edition of the Daily Prophet that she had been receiving since fourth year.
"Good morning," Hermione said to the people surrounding her. Similar choruses of 'good morning' reached her ears.
"Have a fun night, Hermione," Ginny teased.
"Of course," she responded. "I had such a fun night that I woke up early, locked myself in my room and worked all morning. Unfortunately, the library doesn't open before breakfast, no matter how much you beg."
"Only you would try that," Ron told her.
"So, how horrible is sharing a room with Malfoy?" Harry asked. Hermione groaned.
"I'm hoping that as long as I stay out of his way he'll stay out of mine. It's worse that he have to work on the—oh, sorry! I'm not supposed to say anything!"
"Hermione!" Harry scolded.
"I'm sorry! Dumbledore is going to announce it when all the plans have been made. All I can say is that there is a 'project' going on at Hogwarts this year and Malfoy and I are in charge of it. We have to plan everything about it. More time I have to spend with Malfoy." Hermione sighed.
"I don't see how he made Head Boy anyway…" Hermione heard Ron say. She looked across the Great Hall and a bright shade of silver-blonde caught her eyes. Only Malfoy.
Hermione's eyes lingered on him. Draco looked up and his eyes caught hers. She looked away after a moment, his silver orbs still burning in her mind.
"…Just because he's a stupid Slytherin he thinks—"
"I'm going to the library," Hermione said, cutting off Ron.
"Hermione—" Harry started to say.
"I told you that I can't get much work done with Malfoy around so I should get some work done while I can and that time is now. I'll see you guys later," Hermione told them.
The Head Girl stood and started to walk out of the Great Hall. She looked over her shoulder once, but the only eyes that seemed to meet hers were a pair of cold silver ones sending what Hermione could only guess was hatred.
Author's Note: OK! So, there was originally a lot more of Chapter 1, but things got messed up and I thought things were happening WAY too quickly between D and H, so I'm going to shorten every chapter a little bit and have more chapters. Maybe it sounds messed up, but it makes sense to me!
Anyway, I really hope you liked chapter 1, because I love this story so much! It's turning out to be so cute!
Please, PLEASE look up the lyrics for the songs for each chapter. They really are great songs and for most of the chapters the songs really go with and are meant to be with the chapter, so please look them up! Thanks!
I do have to say that the whole magazine idea wasn't originally mine! The credit goes to attica, who has a newspaper in her fic. I hope that she doesn't get mad at me! It will be totally different, I promise! Anyway, her fic is absolutely AMAZING, so please check it out! It's Basketcase and it's one of the best fics I've ever read! Though, because her fic is so good, I'm scared that people will ditch my fic! Please stay with me!
The whole ball thing was my idea… I like balls! If any of you have seen the movie "A Cinderella Story" I kinda stole the mask idea from that, but it is going to be NOTHING like the movie! I'm not ripping my ideas off anything or anyone!
Well, thanks for reading and I'm SO sorry that TTWL got deleted! Don't be mad at me! I keep forgetting to do more re-writes, so you all will have to remind me! Also, I keep forgetting to write more of this fic, so I'll probably need reminders for that too!
Again, thanks for suffering through this long A/N, and please don't forget to review! Don't forget about me!
xDreamerx