Home to another one (Dramione)

Chapter 3

Slouching in her seat. She refocused her attention on headmistress McGonagall.

"And for today's final announcement - I ask of you to keep an open mind" she looked around the room, her eyes scanning the students as if searching their minds to see if they had opened
"This is year hogwards will be rooming in coed dorms-"
"Hell yeah!" a Hufflepuff guy she didn't recognise called from across the room
"You're a real one miss!" A second voice exclaimed

"Settle down, students. I fear you have misunderstood.
this year the dorms will be mixed not by gender, but by houses"
A confused murmur washed over the silent hall
"This decision is the first of many from our new initiative to rebuild connections that are not house related and to squash old revelries and unfortunate stigmas that have divided our students and graduates for years-"

Chaos filled the grand hall, screaming, curses, and even crying filled the large room.

What was macgonacal doing? For as long as hogwards existed the houses were divided and regarded each other as enemies.
More often then not professors and different members of the school faculty would encourage those rivalries as they believed they built character and helped the students achieve greater success.
The houses gave them a sense of belonging, of unity and responsibility and now they were what? Just a school club?

"Silence students silence!" The headmistress's voice rang loud and silenced the distraught students "I will finish explaining the changes we are implementing in silence and any questions that will remain can be written and placed on my desk until Monday's gathering where I will answer any concerns you might still have. Am I understood?"

A loud silence followed

"Good, as I was saying, I am sure this will come as a great shock to many of you and some of you might want to resist the changes but I truly believe there are great friendships and lifetime connections awaiting you behind the confining of your respective house.
Before you get too hysterical I am sure you'll be pleased to find that common rooms will still be divided by houses, the collective house points system is still in place and some functions will remain divided by houses, while some will become integrated, additional initiatives will be added to your itinerary.
If any of you have ideas for joined activities  those ideas will be welcome with open arms and will receive their own funding.
These are the current changes but keep in mind there might be additional changes as the school year progresses"
'"I do hope you try to look at this change in a positive light and truly make an effort to make the most of it. Your new rooms and dorms are already assigned and the lists are hanging on the wooden board in the corridor. Have a great year and open your mind to new opportunities and ideas, thank you".

As macgonnagol stepped down all hell broke loose, and if it seemed that in the beginning of her speech the hall erupted into madness, now they where in a whole new realm of chaos.

Hermione however detached completely. Her mind elsewhere, oblivious to the madness that surrounded her as some students stayed seated around their tables - yelling and complaining to their friends - some students who already left to check the list for their new rooms the coming year where breaking havoc in the hallway either from relief and excitement or utter disappointment and heartbreak.

But Hermione was glued to her seat, her mind running and her heart pounding.
School was hard enough for her as it were, she couldn't be stuck with people who weren't a part of her house, her family, her safe space. She might not even be in the same building as her friends.

Her and Ginny were so excited to be rooming together again, Ginny was her person. They had plans to redecorate their room, she had brought fairy lights and pictures and now... now...

"Hermione" she felt a hand on her shoulder and could somewhat breath again, tears welled in her eyes but she hated crying in front of people
"Mione" Ginny said softly
Ginny, Ginny was there

"I don't want to be without you all year" Hermione said suddenly and ginny's entire face softened, there were tears in Ginny's eyes which cascaded down her face.
When Ginny cried it was okay because she was strong and kind, when Hermione cried it was weak and embarrassing.

Hermione blinked the moisture in her eyes away

Ginny collapsed onto her in a bone crushing hug "I don't want to room without you either" she cried
"I'm scared" Hermione admitted
Ginny looked up at her, she wasn't used to Hermione admitting things like that so easily  and she was proud, she also knew that for Hermione this situation was more then just not rooming with her house, it was different for her, scarier.
Ginny didn't know the extent of the bullying Hermione went through because she hid it well enough, but she knew enough to be worried for her, to understand her fear and to share it for her.

"I know Mione but I'm here, I'm here for you even if were not in the same room and even if were not in the same building"
Hermione nodded, a soft smile on her lips
"Now lets go check maybe its not as bad as we think"

——

Pansy, lavender, cho, Hermione

Hermione deflated as she listed her new roommates from the list on the wall.

No Ginny.

The girls turned to each other , wearing a similar dissapointed expression on their faces
"It'll be alright Mione" Ginny said , placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
as much as Ginny was upset about her room it was obvious to both of them that Hermione was in a bigger problem.
She hated it, Absolutely despised the fact that she was the weaker one in such an obvious way.
that Ginny saw through her and thought to comfort her so seamlessly.

Perhaps that was the reason that as good of friends as they were she kept harry and Ron closer.
It was just... easier, Hermione loved her friends dearly but god bless them were they dull sometimes
And sometimes that was what she needed, for people to not see through her so easily, she despised the feeling of being helpless but even more when it was in front of others.

Ginny was the only person in her life who could see her feelings truly, who could see beyond her tight smiles, academic greatness and bossy attitude. She saw Hermione for who she was and sometimes it made her so uncomfortable it was suffocating, it made her feel like a failure. Hermione granger was a master of concealing her feelings and Ginny made her feel like a beginner.

"I know" Hermione said, shrugging Ginny's hand off her shoulder aggressively "I'll be fine I was just bummed, stop making it into such a huge thing"
Ginny's soft smile straightened into a fine line "okay than, if that's how you feel"
Her eyes showed how hurt she was but Hermione kept her gaze directed at her feet
She watched as she saw Ginny's red (and obviously not dress code oproprriote) shoes walk away.

She straightened, don't be weak she told her self, feeling tears gather in her eyes.
she was fine, she didn't need anyone and she didn't want to have people who viewed her as some wounded animal around her all the time.
She was strong and capable and smart.
She sniffed.
Her finger traced the list to follow where she'll be dorming.

Slytherin female dorms The words read in bold letters.

her heart sank.