Ace of Spades ♠ Dramione

7. The key of secrets

After pulling her out of the bathroom Ginny had charmed an old record player.

Ginny sang the lyrics boisterously until Hermione couldn't help but smile.

The other girls in the room joined in, one of them bringing in a small platter of food of both sweet and savory items smuggled from the kitchen.

Hermione nibbled on a sugar quill mumbling the lyrics to the song with a faint smile on her face.

It was then she realised how it would be from then on, some days she'd be unbearable to talk to, some days she'd be happy as ever, some days she'd want nothing to do with anyone, some days she'd hide within herself in fear–

But at that moment it didn't matter, she'd get through all of those days in strive for a normal happy day that would one day last forever.

♠

Monday the 2nd (October)

The corridors were growing colder as Hermione strolled down the hall, her hands stuffed into her robe fighting against the cold.

She had to meet Neville at the head pupils' office so they could start rounds.

She rounded a corner then arrived at the office swung the door open and–froze.

Parkinson was sitting on the head girl's desk one leg delicately placed over the other as she inspected her nails with a scowl.

Hermione frowned, she was meant to be doing rounds with Neville–she hadn't even realised Parkinson was a prefect.

"Granger," she greeted not lifting her head from her fingers.

"Where's Neville?" Hermione asked stepping into the room and flipping through the schedule.

"You tell me," Parkinson huffed from the desk.

Hermione flipped to October on the schedule–next to Neville's name was writing in blotchy red ink that read–

Sick.

Hermione sighed running her hands through her hair–it was just rounds she could deal with it she wasn't going to let Parkinson bring her down from the surprisingly good few days she'd been having.

"We don't have all day, if we leave now we get to leave early," Parkinson commented pushing herself off the desk and standing high with her shoulders back.

"Let's go," she replied keeping her voice as even as possible.

"I'll take the root down the Lib–"

"I always take the library root," Parkison interrupted folding her small arms across her chest, "and I will continue to take that root."

Hermione stared at the Slytherin through narrowed eyes then shook her head resigned, "Fine."

She had rounds again on Saturday and she didn't even need rounds to keep an eye on Malfoy, she'd just have to keep an eye out and hang around the library a little later which anyone would hardly find suspicious of in the first place.

Parkinson was already halfway out the door when Hermione froze again.

"Where's the key for the library?"

The prefects got a shared key for each of the facilities around Hogwarts–and the Library key happened to not be hanging inside its case.

"I thought you had it," Parkinson said after a beat.

"No I don't," Hermione narrowed her eyes at the girl again, maybe it was her tendency to sometimes think the worst of certain people but Parkinson looked far from innocent.