Platinum Obsession (Dramione Story COMPLETED)

Chapter Four - New Rules & Sleeping Arrangements

Harry POV:

Neville, Luna, Parvati and I stumbled into the Great Hall and sloppily rearranging our robes we sat down near the back of the hall well away from the High Table where the teachers sat. We didn't need a detention our first week back. I worried for Ginny and Hermione. Hermione was pretty sloshed. What if she passes out in the carriage on the way here? What if she passes out BEFORE the carriage?

"Do you think Ginny and Mione are okay?" I asked the others as students piled into the Great Hall.

"Ginny is a very capable witch Harry, you worry too much." Parvati said "Worse comes to worst, she'd probably levitate Hermione to the Girls Dormitories and sneak food from the kitchens for the both of them. Just chill."

I realized Parvati was probably right. I turned to Neville and Luna to thank them for their lack of input and whipped my head back round to face Parvati.

"No more Fire-Whiskey for them. Ever." I said to her, which caused fits of laughter to erupt from her.

Neville and Luna were having some weird (sort of passionate) hugging and cheek kissing frenzy next to me. Students were pointing and laughing as they passed but they seemed to either not care or not notice.

Just then, Ginny and Hermione entered the Great Hall in giggles but quite sober just as the last stragglers of people walked in.

"Where the bloody hell have you two been?!" I asked, sort of miffed.

They exchanged awkward looks before Ginny spoke up. "None of your business Harry James Potter!" She said as they both took a seat next to Parvati.

She slurred her words, indicating that she was still a bit tipsy.

What the hell has gotten into these girls. First Hermione got all shitty on the train and now Ginny was doing the same. Something wasn't adding up here. I wish Ron was here. I thought miserably. He'd help me figure it out.

We all turned to the front to watch the sorting ceremony. It was short and sweet and I was grateful because it meant dinner was closer. As the sorting ended, McGonagall gave a quick welcome speech, set out the rules yet again (even though we never had followed them. Ever.) and then came the feast.

My Godrick, how I had missed Hogwarts feasts. I turned to my friends and laughed. They were all stuffing their faces full of everything they could get their hands on. I subconsciously missed Ron again as I looked at the platter of chicken drumsticks he had always loved. I was sad my best mate wasn't here but now that he and Hermione weren't together anymore, I guess it was a lucky escape. Especially since according to his last owl, he had found a nice Romanian girl. He claimed she had come to Hogwarts with the Beaubaxtons Academy during the Triwizard Tournament in our Fourth Year but it didn't ring any bells for me and he didn't seem to remember her either. They had been dating ever since they'd met officially in Romania and I didn't know how to tell Hermione or even if I should.

As the food disappeared and was replaced with dessert, I turned to Neville.

"Good to be back huh Neville?" I said trying to start a conversation.

"Absolutely! On our way in, I overheard McGonagall talking to Filch about the new area in the North Tower that had been refurbished after the war. She hasn't mentioned anything in her speech yet so I guess we'll find out more later." He said through a mouthful of treacle tart and ice cream.

I totally missed that yet I was walking right by Neville the whole way in here. Damn Ginny and her Fire-Whiskey. I finished the rest of my dessert in silence.

As the desserts faded away and plates sparkling clean again, it was time for the school song. Before McGonagall put the words up (not that we needed them after all these years) she cleared her throat.

"After the song, please can I see years seven and eight along the front tables once the rest of the school has been dismissed. Thank you." With that, she let her ribbon fly making out the words and the school began to sing.

As the song came to an end, chairs scraped along the floor of the Great Hall. The rest of the school headed to the exit, first years following nervously behind their new house mates and we shuffled forward to the front of the hall. As I moved through the crowds of students, I noticed Draco Malfoy walking up to the front also. I was shocked to see he was walking along the wall rather than shoving through the crowds like he used to. He also kept to himself, keeping a noticable distance from the other Slytherins. I saw Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott were animatedly talking to Daphne Greengrass and Tracy Davis. I watched him as he edged closer and he looked up, saw me staring and averted his eyes staring towards the teachers instead. Where was the rude hand gesture or the snide comment? Or the evil, enraging smirk he always had plastered to his smug face?

"Wait along here please." Professor McGonagall said as she continued talking to the other teachers.

As we all gathered round the edges of the four house tables, Luna at the Gryffindor table like she always was, the headmistress approached us all.

"Good evening and welcome senior students." she said. "I'd imagine that being back at Hogwarts this year would be somewhat strange for a few of you given that you are the first 'eighth years' in Hogwarts History."

"As most of you took part in what is, and will always be known as one of the biggest wars in wizarding history, the teachers at this school feel that it would be foolish of us to assume that you are still young children. It is for this reason that we have decided you will no longer be residing in the house common rooms and sharing bedrooms. During the repairs and rennovations after the war, we chose to turn the North Tower into separate dorm rooms. These dorms house two to three students each, with miniature common rooms, kitchens and a shared bathroom." Her eyes lingered on Neville's hand linked to Luna's and her face twitched. "I must warn you that should you fail to show up for classes, should your grades plummet or your actions cause harm, danger and/or disruption to the rest of my students, you will be out on your arse faster than you can say 'Umbridge'. Yes?"

A snigger and scattered 'Yes.' sounded throughout the seniors.

"All rooms have engorgement charms on them so they are able to fit side by side. Once you have chosen your room and your room mate or mates, the blank tapestry guarding the entrances will depict a symbolism of the combined tenants of the dorm room and that will be how you distinguish your dorm in future. Passwords for dorms will be non-verbal once you have set them however for now the default password is: Corona Borealis. We will go over the rest tomorrow. I'd like all of you to be here in the Great Hall by 10am, no later, to drill down what you will each be studying. May you all have a less disruptive year at Hogwarts and hopefully less chaotic in some cases." Her gaze flickered in Seamus Finnigan's direction and a hint of a smile crossed her lips. With that, we were all dismissed.

I know this chapter is shorter compared to the others but know there's more to come! I didn't enjoy writing this chapter as much but you gotta set the stage properly right? I always found the start of term feast uneventful. So it didn't give me much to work with and didn't want to spoil my next scene with Dramione by lumping it onto the end of this chapter. I decided to show you the first glimpse of Draco through Harry's eyes because it'll work up to more later on in the book so stay tuned xx

Next chapter is already halfway done so expect an update by tomorrow xx 😊 and FYI this next chapter is about to get smutty 😉

Gabbie..xx