Head Duties

Six

Hermione and I met up with the woman who showed me to our dormitory the first day. Hermione kindly reminded me that woman's name was Madeline Sommelier, because Hermione of course had the curtesy to catch her name. We met before dinner in Professor Sommeliers office to discuss our first official duties.
I had a hard time focusing, tuning in and out to Professor Sommeliers words as my thoughts moved from the portraits on her walls to the transom window to the brown curls sitting to the right and slightly in front of me.
"It's hard because it feels like we're tossing tradition, but Professor Mcgonagal agrees, this is what needs to happen." Hermione slowly nodded.
"I understand, but what's your solution? I mean how do you expect kids to not just segregate anyway?"
"Well, that's why I'm talking to the two of you." I leaned forward, now fully listening as I could tell Hermione was not pleased with the woman sitting opposite of us.
"Excuse me?" Her tone was not rude, not challenging but it came with authority. It was not a professor speaking to a student, but a professor conversing with an equal.
Professor Sommelier was slightly taken aback nonetheless. "Well I-"
Hermione stopped her. "I don't mean to be rude Professor but were your intentions really to invite us to your office to solve this rather large problem in just a few hours? You want us to desegregate the dining hall simply so that you can mark it off your checklist that the school is back together?" Her voice had risen. Without much thought I placed a hand on the small of her back. She closed her eyes and I saw her reset herself. I spoke up in her place.
"With all due respect Professor Sommelier, it was you who said that we needed our houses. This does come across as contradictory and I am also curious as to what your true intentions are through this act." I stood up. "Professor Sommelier as Head Boy and Head Girl our duties are to guide and protect the students of Hogwarts, always acting with the students' best interests in mind. I do not believe what you are proposing agrees with this," Hermione stood nodding her head.
"I agree with Draco."
"Hermione and I will talk, but the Great Hall stays as is," I looked at Hermione in approval for what I was about to say. "In our duty to guide the students, we will be there to greet them and then give a welcoming speech." Hermione nodded and when no complaint came from the professor I gave a curt nod and lead us out of the office.

The walk back was filled with the conversation of our footfalls ricocheting off the empty halls. I watched the portraits move and tried to imagine what it had been like to grow up with stagnant photographs to remember the memories by. I glanced at Hermione. I wondered what it would be like to grow up not knowing, and then all of a sudden being thrown in. She shot me a questioning look, obviously catching me silently observing her and the walls. She spoke when I pushed my eyes away from her.
"You spoke eloquently in there. Do you any ideas for the address you proposed?" I kept my eyes away from her and clasped my hands behind my back not trusting myself completely.
"Not one." I thought I heard her huff, but my glance back down at her made me think I might have imagined it.
We continued in silence, listening carefully to ours shoes hit the floor.
Mine were soft, a dull rhythmic thud. Hers were a purposeful and confident click.
I liked our melody.
"What are you smiling for?" I shrugged, but couldn't totally hide the slight grin. I saw her shake her head, and a glance a the brown curls told me she thought I was ridiculous, but I knew she didn't mean it. I leaned in and nudged her with my shoulder.
"Do you have any ideas?" She nodded as we rounded the corner and came upon our dormitory. I watched as she gracefully revealed her wand, and touching it to the wall, opened the passageway.
"I've got a few."