"Settle down! Settle down!" The voice of Professor McGonagall silenced the crowds of loud students, who rushed to their seats. "By now I'm sure you're all wondering which two students are to be this years Head Boy and Girl. However, because of an unexpected interruption - their identities remained unknown of one more day."
A few chuckles erupted from around the Hall as Professor McGonagall continued to speak. She raised her hand, causing everyone to turn their attention back to the older woman.
"Putting that aside." She says before clearing her throat. "It was Professor Dumbledore's final wish to make these two students Head Prefects. He wanted to be the one to announce their names in this assembly. However, due to unfortunate events, he couldn't be here with us today to do so."
"Bloody Death Eaters." Ron grumbled from beside Seamus, causing Hermione to turn to face him.
"If you haven't anything nice to say, Ronald." She hissed, just loud enough so he could hear. "Then don't say anything at all."
The red haired boy opened his mouth to argue, but Hermione already had her back to him, not wanting to listen. He'd said more than enough during the past couple of days and, quite frankly, she'd had enough.
"Woman's got a point, man." Seamus chuckled from beside Hermione, who was now grinning.
"Whatever."
The three of them directed their attention back to the front of the room where McGonagall was still speaking of their late Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore.
"I have followed Dumbledore's wishes to the best of my ability and have monitored their change in behaviour very closely. And I'm sure you'll all be pleased to know that I am satisfied that these two will work together in their roles of Head Prefects."
"What's the bet Hermione ends up as Head Girl?" Blaise mutters into Draco's ear, causing the blonde boy to grin.
"Blaise, there's no betting about it." Draco chuckled quietly to his dark skinned friend, not bothering to turn his head. "The odds of Hermione being Head Girl is, like, a billion to one."
"Will you two shut up?" Astoria hissed as she snapped her head round to face the two boys sitting opposite her. "I want to be able to hear McGonagall when she calls 'Mione's name."
The two of them muttered an apology simultaneously as they all refocused on Professor McGonagall.
"Your Head Girl for this year... Hermione Jean Granger!"
Cheers errupted throughout the hall, along with applauses from every house except Slytherin. The brunette smiled and glanced over at the Slytherin table. She caught sight of Draco, Blaise and Astoria, who grinned and gave her a discrete applause, so that the rest of their house didn't see. Hermione couldn't help but chuckle at the smirk Draco had plastered over his face.
The applause died down allowing McGonagall to continue speaking. "Congratulations to you, Miss. Granger, you have earned this role."
"Damn right she has." Ron grumbled from behind Hermione, who tried her best to ignore him.
"Now, your Head Boy for this year is..."
Before the elder witch had chance to finish, the doors to the Hall burst open as Filtch came stumbling in as fast as he could, closely followed by Mrs. Norris.
"Students out of bed!" The caretaker yelled, his voice raspy. "Students in the corridors!"
By this point, every single student was in stitches of laughter as their caretaker and his cat rushed to the front of the room, declaring that it was the middle of the night.
Mcgonagall, however, failed to see the lighter side of the matter and stood at the very front of the Hall, lips pursed in annoyance. "Mr. Filtch."
The ragged looking man froze as the sound of McGonagall's voice startled him. "Yes, Professor?"
"What is the urgent matter you speak of?"
"The students are out of bed, Professor. In fact, they're everywhere!"
"Mr. Filtch." McGonagall sighed in frustration at the Squib standing before her. "Did it ever occur to you that the whole school is sitting in this very room, under my instructions?"
The caretaker glanced around the room, before turning to look at the Headmistress again. "No, Professor. Sorry, Professor."
And without another word, he stumbled from the Hall as quickly as he'd entered, Mrs. Norris at his heels.
"Now, where was I? Ah yes!" McGonagall chuckled slightly as she resumes her speech. "As I was saying, your Head Boy for this year... Draco Malfoy!"
The Slytherin table errupted in cheers, while the entire hall remained silent, unsure of how to react.
Draco sat there unable to move. He felt Blaise place a hand on his shoulder, but the moment he began talking, it seemed impossible to understand. All Draco could focus on, was the fact that Dumbledore, the man he'd attempted to assassinate, had considered him for the role of Head Boy.
"You're not serious!" The voice of Ronald Weasley silenced the entire Hall. "There is no way I'm letting you go any near that bloody ferret!"
"Honestly, Ron." Seamus sighed from beside the red haired boy. "Can't you take a hint?"
"I forbid it! You hear me, 'Mione? I. Forbid. It!"
"Weasley! Don't you dare sink my..." Blaise calls out, only to be stopped by Draco, who was listening intently to the row.
"Ron when will you learn to leave it alone?" Ginny groaned from across the table.
"Mr. Weasley, that's quite enough." McGonagall warned, but it didn't seem as though anyone heard her.
"Leave it, Gin." Hermione spoke up after listening to Ron's sudden change in behaviour. "I'll handle Ronald."
The brunette glanced at her Ginny and nodded reassuringly, before standing up and taking a deep breath who took a deep breath. Everyone in the Hall sat there with clueless expressions on their faces. Harry, however, knew exactly what was about to happen and sat there with a small grin on his face.
Ron stood there in silence, his face alsomst as red as his hair, trying to swallow his fear. Every muscle in his body was tense with fear, he had hoped Hermione would simply agree with him, but apparently not.
He glanced up at the brunette's face and instantly became consumed by fear and regret. Without realising, Ron slowly started backing away from the curly haired witch.
"Ronald." Hermione said flatly, taking another deep breath before raising and eyebrow. "You forbid it?"
The red haired boy gulped. "T- that's what I said, 'Mione."
Hermione chuckled slightly, causing Ron to loosen up a bit. "Let me ask you this, Ronald. When you cheated on me with Lavender, did it not occur to you that you no longer get a say in what I do?"
Draco's mouth fell open. That's why she had chosen him over Weasley! He cheated on her? With Lavender Brown. Well, that's quite the down grade!
Ron glanced hopefully behind Hermione towards Harry, who was still smiling, and felt his heart falter. He then moved his gaze to the Slytherin table, where Draco, Blaise, Theodore and Astoria are standing with shocked expressions on their faces.
The red haired boy turned his expression back to Hermione, who stood impatiently waiting for an answer. "N- no. No it never crossed my mind."
A small sarcastic grin appeared on the brunette's face "Well, Ronald, it would've been a smart idea to have considered it, because the fact is, Ron - you did cheat on me. Therefore, you have no say in anything I do."
In the time it took Ron to come up with a response, the four Slytherin students had joined Harry at the Gryfindor table. It took no time at all for the red head to speak up.
"B- but I - I love you, 'Mione!" The words left Ron's mouth before he had chance to think about it, causing Hermione's posture to striken.
He turned to look over at Harry, who was attempting to hold back a rather annoyed Draco Malfoy, with help from Blaise and Theodore. The sight alone caused Ron to chuckle.
"Do you think this is funny, Ronald!" Hermione exclaimed, her annoyance evident.
He shook his head violently. "No! I wasn't laughing at that - I was..."
The Gryfindor Princess simply raised her hand and silenced him. "Save it! I'm sure Molly will be hearing all about this, won't she Gin?"
"Damn right she will!" Ginny replied, with a small grin.
"Hermione - please." Ron begged, grabbing onto his ex's shoulders.
"You little..." Draco growled, only to be silenced by the change of tension between two thirds of the Golden-trio.
"Ronald. Get. Off. Me." Hermione hissed.
"Hermione please I..." Ron pleaded, only to be pushed away, after all there was nothing he could say, nor do to change her mind.
Hermione's fist made contact with Ron's cheek, causing him to stagger backwards onto the stone floor. His hand instinctively went to his cheek as she glanced up at Hermione, who was holding her wand to his face.
"Leave me alone!" Hermione said, her voice shaky with anger, causing Ronald to nod violently as she replaced her wand in her robes.
The red haired boy rose to his feet, and began walking away. Hermione sighed in relief, as she watched Harry and Blaise release Draco, who made his way up the aisle towards her. It was Ron, however, caught her eye.
He was closer to her than he had been a minute ago. She looked at Harry and Ginny, they both seemed to have noticed too. She turned to Draco and noiced that Blaise and Theodore were close behind him, but the Slytherin Prince had already worked out what was about to happen and broke into a sprint.
From then on, everything that happened so fast. Ron swung his fist a Hermione, knocking her onto the floor. She lay there for a moment before she attempted to get up, but her arms were too weak, causing her to collapse back onto the floor. She could feel blood running down her face as she tried to focus on everything around her.
McGonagall could be heard trying to convice Ron to stop. Hermione could hear Blaise yelling at Draco telling him to stop, along with Ginny screaming at Harry. The brunette felt Draco's arms take hold of her, as he helped her up off the floor, trying to work out how to stop the bleeding.
Everything fell silent as all eyes turned to the Gryfindor Princess, who kept slipping in and out of consciousness.
"You foul git, Ron!" Harry yelled, as Theodore struggled to hold him back.
A shriek escaped Astoria's mouth as she came running to Hermione, trying to help Draco fix her. Ron caught sight of the brunette and reality came crashing down on him.
"I- I didn't mean to." Ron gasped.
He heard the doors to the Great Hall burst open again, but instead of Filtch's croaky voice, another familiar voice filled the room.
"Ronald Billius Weasley!"
"You didn't!" Ron hissed.
"Oh, but I did!" Came Ginny's reply.