One More Year

Chapter Six

The group met Filch outside the Great Hall and followed him silently up the stairs. In addition to the returning students Hermione had already noticed, they were joined by Justin Finch-Fletcher and Susan Bones from Hufflepuff, Terry Boot, Michael Corner, Anthony Goldstein and Mandy Brocklehurst from Ravenclaw and Daphne Greengrass, Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode, Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott from Slytherin. She internally groaned at having to share a common room with the Syltherins for the entire year. She had a moment of sheer panic as it occurred to her she may have to share a bedroom with Pansy and Millicent. She took a few deep breaths and calmed herself down. There was no use jumping to conclusions until she knew and at least she would have the girls from the other houses to act as a buffer. If there was one thing she could count on, it was that all the other eight years would hate the Slytherins as much as she did.

They made their way higher and higher in the castle up countless stairways. It was almost comical to watch Filch clumsily avoid the trick step and then have the rest of them hop it in turns. Hermione wondered if anyone had simply tried a reparo spell on it before. If that worked, how long it would take people to stop hopping it and realize it was fixed she wondered.

They continued their ascent until they finally reached the upper most floor. The entire group seemed to be panting by the time they completed their climb. Ernie muttered to Justin "could we be any further from the kitchens?"

Filch left them in front of a portrait of a regal looking duchess. Hannah muttered the password and the portrait swung open revealing an archway that they entered. They walked into a large circular room that had a cabin feel to it. Cedar wooden beams supported the room. The ceiling arched upwards and Hermione realized in surprise that they must be in one of the towers. In the center of the room were three couches and a few comfy looking chairs in a smaller circle. A large fireplace emitted warmth from one side of the room. The main room had eight doorways along the outer circle. Hermione noticed that the two doors immediately to her left had a large lion pacing back and forth between the two doors. The next two doors had an eagle flying back and forth between them. Followed by a badger on the following two doors and a snake slithering between the two doors furthest to her right. Hermione let out a sigh of relief at being able to room alone. She would miss not rooming with Ginny but growing up as an only child she was used to being alone and rooming alone was infinitely better than rooming with Pansy.

The door had barely swung shut before Ernie pulled out his wand and advanced on Draco "Listen Malfoy, I don't care if McGonagall thinks you and your Death Eater friends have changed but we know better. So just stay out of our way while we have to live together." Seamus and Neville stood protectively behind him as if ready for a fight.

Draco didn't look concerned and stood there with a bored expression on his face with his empty hands at his side. "First of all, I don't want to be anywhere near you either, so as long as you stay out of my way we won't have a problem," drawled Malfoy, "second of all, what do you plan on doing with Finnigan and Longbottom as your back up? Between the three of you I doubt you could barely give me a bleeding nose and that's after seven years of school," Draco smirked.

"Yeah, we'll try our best to avoid becoming your friends this year," Blaise commented sarcastically. "I'm sure it'll be hard for you to witness how awesome we are all year and to refrain from trying to join us."

"Well that didn't last long," muttered Hermione resulting in everyone turning to look at her. "I'm going to bed. If you want to kill each other, please try to do it quietly." Hermione turned and made her way to the furthest door on the left. She reached out to open the door but was stopped by the lion who let out an echoing roar, which actually blew Hermione's hair back and started growling menacingly at her. Hermione took an uncertain couple of steps back.