Love Is Complicated

Chapter 8

Hogwarts needed her? Merlin, McGonagall must be bonkers. How was she, Hermione Granger, supposed to unite an entire school that had just been ripped apart by war?

Sure the idea of Ravenclaws studying with Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors partying with Slytherins sounded bittersweet, but it'd be a tough stunt to pull off. It wouldn't be as easy as sitting students of different houses next each other in classes, or allowing the tables at the Great Hall to merge, no, you'd have to wipe away all blood status', all prejudices, and all hate in order to join people together. She was up for the challenge.

"I'll do it," two pairs of voices chimed. Draco had just ripped open the door and stood beneath the frame. His hair was ever so tussled, his confident eyes met McGongall's astonished ones.

"W-well you both have made a wise decision, if I may say so," she said baffled. "Please, sit down Mr. Malfoy."

Draco sat down next to Hermione, with his hands on his knees, and eyes wide open; ready for anything thrown his way. It was discomforting to see him this confident. It wasn't an arrogant kind of confidence, just a normal ready-for-action kind.

"Now I'm sure you two remember the rules and procedures of being a prefect, seeing as you both were prefects in your fifth year? Well instead going to meetings you will be holding them, take turns writing up patrol hours, scheduling meetings, showing first years to their classes, enforcing curfew and punishments, decorating the castle on holidays, and so on. You may take points from student if necessary and give them detentions if deserved. No taking points away from each other or other prefects. And try to keep Zonkos' and Weasley Wizard Wheezes' products down to a minimum. Share these rules with the prefects, except the ones that only apply to you two, and then patrol the corridors of the Express until we reach Hogwarts. Show the first years to Hagrid and see all other students to the carriages; then you two shall ride the last carriage up to the castle. Do I make myself clear?" McGonagall questioned.

"Yes ma'am."

"Very well, Mrs. Granger you may convey your belongings two compartments over, Mr. Malfoy will join you in a moment."

What was it that McGonagall needed to talk to Malfoy for? To warn him and make sure he doesn't put a toe out of line? It's none of your business, she thought.

Hermione gave a slight nod and grabbed her trunk, beaded bag, and Crookshank's cage, and exited the room without a word.

-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-

Draco's POV

Was this is what the letter meant?
All that was on the measly square of dingy parchment paper were the two little words: Accept it. The anonymous witch or wizard wrote to him to him last night must have known McGonagall was going to offer him the position of Head Boy.
But how? Who would have known other than McGonagall, Kingsley, and a couple of Ministry officials that he was returning to Hogwarts? Or maybe it was was a trap and the group of roaming Death Eaters had sent him this. They could be watching him this very moment. Studying his every move. He should tell McGonagall about his mysterious letter.

Get a grip Malfoy, he thought, running a hand through his platinum blonde hair, your on a freaking train; how the hell could they be watching you?

Speaking of McGongall, what was she thinking, Draco wondered, averting his paranoid thoughts as he roamed the corridors of the Hogwarts Express; making him and Granger Head Boy and Girl? What good would that do? The two of them would just rip each other's throats out and nothing would be done. Then Granger and the rest of the Gryffindors would hate him even more for not being responsible and a model Head Boy like the many before him. Although, he thought, perhaps this would be his moment to allow himself to be his own person. His mind was racing with the pros and cons of taking this position.