Tainted - {d.m. & h.g.}

three - glares | stares

   song: where is my mind - the pixies                           

HERMIONE

She pushes herself through the rows of students, ignoring the hundreds of eyes latched onto her. She passes directly by him, watches as the gush of air from her strut causes the loose locks of silver hair around his face to swirl. He's just sitting there— sitting there like he isn't her bloody worst nightmare's main character, about to get a starring role in her everyday life.

She's glaring at him, he's got a look of pure confusion written on his face once he realizes she's mentally lighting him on fire, and she's enjoying every second of it.

She cuts her eyes away from him as she lowers herself onto the long bench that acts as seating for the tables in the Great Hall, a frown resting comfortably on her face. Ron and Ginny, both give her looks of disconcertment. Whispers and conversations began picking back up as she takes her seat, creating a private wall of noise for the three to discuss her late arrival.

"Why the long face 'Mione?", Ron asks, fiddling with a loose thread on the sleeve of his robe.

She inhales and exhales slowly, "McGonagall has placed me into the position of Head Girl— without my consent."

"Oh! That's great Hermione!" Ginny squeals, placing a hand on her shoulder, utter excitement laced in her voice.

She fixes Ginny with a sour expression, "Yeah. super exciting," she says sarcastically, "except I have to live with the walking nightmare that is Draco Malfoy in the process."

Ginny's excitement fades into a frown and she and Ron both advert their eyes to where Hermione's linger— on Malfoy. He's sitting amid all the Slytherins, his eyes now focus on Pansy Parkinson who is hanging off him like an accessory, her manicured fingers laced in his hair.

"Live with him?! Live with that? How? — Why?!," Ron is basically out of his seat now as the news fully sinks in, hands waving in the air in exasperation, eyes still glued to the former death eater.

"Bloody hell, Ron— sit down! She's barely gotten a word out of her mouth," Ginny exhales, reaching across Hermione to tug Ron's shirt to yank him back down toward the bench, "I'm sure she'll answer any question you've got in that little brain of yours if you just shut your trap."

There's a pause waiting for Ron to re-situate himself, Ginny glares at him as he does so, "Continue on," Ginny says, refocusing her gaze to Hermione after he stills.

"It's part of Malfoy's probation from the Ministry to erm— to partake in duty as Head Boy," Hermione says, picking at one of her fingernails, not meeting either of their eyes now, "The dorms are full of the new and returning students that have accumulated over the last two years of intermission, so they've— placed us in one of the flats designed for faculty."

Ginny's eyes widen, and Ron just looks like he's eaten a sour lemon drop, face twisted awry.

"So, they are going to ruin your last year because Malfoy is unable to care for himself— bloody ridiculous if you ask me." Ron rolls his eyes, distaste clear on his tongue.

"I mean— I guess he would have gotten the position anyways— you know— if things hadn't gone so south with—"

"Yeah, with that bloody fucking snake tattooed on his forearm?" Ron's shaking his head in a manner that's disapproving, "I don't care how good his marks are, he doesn't deserve that position— and you? You don't deserve to be put through that hell," he says, slamming his fist on the table, vocal cords strumming with anger.