In the Eyes of the Beholder

The letters announcing the project had come a week ago, but they had been vague and unhelpful in the matters that mattered most to the children. In fact, they were mainly permission slips to be signed and sent back, binding the students to the commitments of the year-long project. All they knew at the moment was that the project would be emulating family type settings. It would include two bedroom apartments for each couple, complete with a small kitchenette, a bathroom, a common room. The permission slip had asked them questions about their ideal partner, their relationship status, their ideal living space, their future job options, and their color preferences, along with other miscellaneous questions. Each page of the permission slip had become more nauseating, but Hermione answered each as truthfully as possible. She and her two best friends spent the rest of the week discussing what the project might entail, but all the speculation had just left them feeling giddy or repulsed.

The last week had flown by relatively quickly. Harry and Ron worked on last minute homework, usually checked and corrected by Hermione. Hermione, true to her word, bought several new books from Flourish and Blotts, and spent her time with Isabella Stirkloff's 101 Spells for Impending Motherhood or Martha Lovensky's Magical Babies: the Unabridged Guide to the Proper Care of Magical Children from Birth to Toddlerhood. She would often recite facts such as "According to Lovensky, toy broomsticks are alright for children if they can walk, granted that they fly no higher than two feet" and "Did you know that if a baby is read to each night, he is likely to speak sooner?" Harry and Ron drew the line when she started to talk about diaper rashes and other such unmentionables.

Now, they were on Platform 9¾, standing with Ginny and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley was impressing upon the fact that she should be one of the first people to know about any development in their lives.

"Now make sure to owl me if you decide on anything, Ronniekins! The same goes for you two, okay? It's a lot to think about, but if you ever need any advice, Arthur or I would be glad to give our insight. But, please do stay out of trouble. And Ron, make sure you look out for your little sister, okay?"

Ginny kissed her mother's cheek and started towards the less filled compartments at the end of the train. Ron and Harry followed her, but stopped when they saw that Hermione wasn't following.
"Heads and Prefects compartment is at the front of the train." She said, her eyes shifting towards the large black engine at the front of the train.

After much debate ("Honestly, you guys don't have to help, wingardium leviosa would work just as well" "Hermione, it's the principle of the matter! It's our last year, we want to help!" "You said it, mate"), Hermione found herself comfortably seated in empty compartment, furnished with pleasant rugs and cushions of Hogwarts colors. She sat with her feet comfortably tucked under her, covered by her new robes which sported the shiny new Head Girl badge. She opened a much-torn copy of Hogwarts, A History, and was soon lost among the pages. She traced the lines absentmindedly, finding comfort in the familiar words. They greeted her like lost friends, first with animosity and indifference by insulting her knowledge of the book, but then soon divulged into her favorite topics of secret passages and the general love for the historic school.

Hermione was so far away in her book, that she hardly noticed the compartment door slide open and a tall figure seated itself on the place farthest away from herself. The figure looked at her for a moment, but apparently finding nothing of interest, shifted its gaze to the rolling hills outside London. Hermione was brought back to the compartment by the sound of two giggling girls. Her eyes instantly landed on the long figure of her future fiancé. She let out a soft gasp, but Draco Malfoy did not meet her eye. Instead, he seemed rather determined to stare out the window and make no acknowledgement of his future bride.

Determined not to give him the opportunity for rude remarks, Hermione went back to her book, but couldn't dispel the uncomfortable feeling that crawled up and down her skin. A few minutes later, she heard the door slide open once more, revealing the pair of Hufflepuff prefects. They looked expectantly at Hermione and then at Draco, but when neither seemed inclined to talk, they took their seat beside the window opposite Hermione, sending each other questioning looks.

Moments later the door slid open and in strode the Slytherin prefects, donning haughty looks. They gave a complacent nod to Draco, but didn't acknowledge Hermione, and resigned themselves to the seats opposite Draco. Then, the Ravenclaw prefects arrived with the Gryffindor prefects at their heels, looking quite breathless.

"Hey Hermione!" said a girl with a long dark pigtails, bearing an uncanny resemblance to Angelina Johnson. The boy nest to her also waved and Hermione smiled at them.

Hermione looked around the compartment as each face looked at her expectantly.

"Congratulations," she said addressing them for the first time, "You have received one of the most prestigious honors at this school. In a few moments after I activate your badges, you will have certain powers over your peers and classmates. You will be allowed to dock points for misbehavior as well as award points for good deeds. However, with this power comes responsibility to maintain order and good conduct. Your badge will also give you access to the prefect's bathroom and the prefect's common room, both of which you can use as you please. However, any abuse of this power will lead to consequences. After all, your badge is a privilege, not a right. We will have meetings once a week, and you will be required to patrol the corridors two nights a week. Please tell me your names as I activate your badges."

"James Abbott, Hufflepuff" said a dark haired, round faced boy.

Hermione marked something on a piece of parchment and pointed her wand at his badge. It glowed for a moment and then returned to its normal state. She did this after every name was said.

"Priya Tandon, Hufflepuff" said the pretty Indian girl beside James Abbott.

"Edward Nott, Slytherin" hissed the boy with a sharp nose and a pinched face.

"Prudence Macnair, Slytherin" said the dirty blonde with watery blue eyes.

"William Castlink, Ravenclaw" said the haughty looking, rather handsome boy.

"Christine Zang," piped in the excited Asian girl, "..oh…and…Ravenclaw!"

"Paige Johnson. Gryffindor but I think you already knew that." Her badge too glowed for a moment.

"And Stanley McAlastor, also Gryffindor" said the tiny boy at her side.

"Good," Hermione said as Stanley's badge returned to its original state, "Now that that is done, you will find your first week's schedules on your bed in your dormitories. For now, you all are dismissed to patrol the train. Make sure you don't abuse your power!" she reminded them, giving the delighted Edward Nott a disapproving look. She turned and looked at Draco, who still did not meet her eye, "Anything you want to add?"

"No," he said, giving her a cold look.

"Inconsiderable git" Hermione whispered under her breath.

The prefects filed out of the compartment, followed by the Head Boy who unceremoniously banged the compartment door shut, leaving a disgruntled and angry Hermione. And then she was sure.

She could never ever marry Draco Malfoy.