Loveless (dramione)

2- Settling In

Hermione had gotten off the train with Ginny, humming faintly to herself. They reached the castle after a long carriage ride and sat down together on the Gryffindor table, Ron and Harry joined after.

"Welcome, welcome!" McGonagall said happily, after she finished sorting the new students. She was trying to have a positive mood for the new year. "Now, you all know the Forbidden Forest is forbidden, and you must not go in. Curfew is at 12, and one more thing, before we get started and eat our dinner." She said pausing and looking to everyone, a small smile on her face. She was kind of excited, to say the least.

"We have organised a competition for the Hogwarts students, of all years." She paused. People started to murmur. "Now don't get ahead of yourselves. This competition can be done in teams, and is just something for the students to get settled in after last year. Don't worry, nothing dangerous, Merlin no!" She took a deep breath. Hermione looked around her, some had happy faces and whispered to their friends, some were unsure.

"The groups will be two years together. For example, first years and second years will be competing together and so on. As I said it can be done in teams, no more than 8, and this competition is cheat proof." She said putting her hands together.

"It will be held this weekend, on Saturday and Sunday, it may go on for more, it depends on your task. You are required to pack basic necessities, food will be provided at anytime with just a simple spell that we will provide on the day." She said simply, looking at every table. She rose her hands in the air.

"You cannot discuss teams now, only on the day, and no one is to be alone, you must be in a team! Good luck, and have a lovely dinner!" The food appeared and Hermione moved her head slowly to the food, and looked at Ginny who was beside her. Ron and Harry had dug into their food like it was nothing and ate without a care. Ginny started to slowly eat.

A competition? How did Hermione feel about this?

She started thinking of the Pros and Cons.

It was friendly though, nothing like the TriWizard Tournament, with dragons and drowning. It was something to get her settled in and would be a team effort. Hermione would be with her friends, no harm done. Necessities? Maybe it was like a survival competition? But it was very good of them to have a spell that would summon food whenever you wanted. But survival competition? Really? After what they had just been through? At least Hermione wouldn't lose a survival competition.

At least, she thought it was a survival competition.

She scoffed as she picked up her knife and fork, digging into her food.

The four started talking of what would consist in the competition, avoiding the topic of teammates.

Ginny seemed to have thought about the idea like Hermione and was really excited.

***

Draco's fist clenched on the table, his teeth grinding against each other in anger, while his friends ate.

"Have a drumstick, darling." Theo said in a posh voice, shoving it in his face but Draco didn't laugh like he usually would, and whacked the chicken out of his hand onto a 3rd year's lap.

"What's wrong this time?" Blaise said tiredly.

"They're making us do some sort of 'survive in the woods' type of thing, after what we had to go through, and they know Draco Malfoy, does not live in the woods!" He said in an angry whisper, banging his fist on the table.

"But it will be fun, beats school work." Theo tried to convince him.

"No, schoolwork beats this a hundred times." Draco said shoving his chicken in his mouth and eating angrily.