"Another mug sweetheart?" The bartender asked. She nodded and set down her second mug. She looked around the Hogs Head. The dim yellow lights from the dusty light bulbs reflected the very few people in the bar.

Hermione sighed and thought about why she had come here. It started with the awkward proposal that Ron had given her. Not that the set up for the proposal was awkward, he set up a nice romantic dinner for two with roses, candles, and soft music. It was just that she was only 20. Her whole life was ahead of her and being tied down with marriage and a family wasn't on the top of her list at the moment. She politely declined Ron's offer and he was hurt but quickly shrugged it off, or so Hermione thought. The next couple of weeks he seemed distant from her and everyone. Then a month after she declined his proposal Hermione got a visit from a crying and frantic Pansy Parkinson telling Hermione she was pregnant with Ron's child. That had marked the end of Ron and Hermione's relationship. She kicked Ron out of the house and that was the end of that. She had only been without him for a week but it seemed like 100 years. Harry was still there for her of course but there were things that Ron could offer that Harry would and could never give her.

The mug of butterbeer slid down the counter and right into Hermione's waiting hand. She put the mug to her lips and took a sip. As she set down her mug the door of the Hog's Head creaked open. The smell of very expensive cologne filled the air. She hadn't smelled that cologne in three years and she had hoped she would never smell it again. Her head turned slowly and saw him. His white blonde hair slightly slicked back, a fancy cloak, and black polished shoes to put the look together.

Hermione turned back around and tried to hide her face under her mass of auburn curls. The tap of shoes got closer. "Granger is that you? I would have never expected you to be like… but then again you are a Mudblood." Hermione scowled down at the counter.

Draco smirked and slid onto the bar stool next to her. "Where is your little lover boy Weasley?"

Hermione spit out the butterbeer she just took a sip of. She wiped her mouth and turned to face Draco. She was a mess with her curly hair all over the place and eyeliner all down her face from crying, lipstick all washed off because of the beverages, and her eyes red and puffy. She glared at him, "Now listen here Malfoy you have no right to just waltz in here after I haven't seen you in three years and after you made my life a living hell and expect me to answer all your idiotic questions."

Draco chuckled a bit and took the butterbeer from the bartender. "You see Granger I can do what I want. You have no control over me and as it seems you have no control over yourself either. You also can't expect me not to ask questions when for the whole time at Hogwarts you had Weasley wrapped around your finger, I have even more of a right because I just found little miss perfect here guzzling down butterbeers like they were soda pops."

Hermione took what was left in her mug and splashed it in his face. "Goodbye Malfoy." She pushed her stool back and strode out of the Hog's Head. She walked out into the sunshine. It was fall and she knew that this would be the time when the kids would be getting ready to hop on the Hogwarts express and start a new semester. Oh how she missed Hogwarts. Everything seemed so simple there, well except for the having a best friend who was wanted dead by the most powerful wizard of all time. But that really was one of the best places in the whole world.

She walked to her small house that was next door to Harry's. She walked in to find a note lying on the ground just inside the door. Hermione opened the letter and walked to her kitchen; she sat down and looked at the letter.

Miss Hermione J. Granger,

Hello, we are in the need of a potions teacher here at Hogwarts. Since I know how very smart you are I thought you would be a perfect match. Please get back to us so we can save a home for you and get all your materials ready. We hope you will join us!

Sincerely,

Headmistress McGonagall

"Oh yes!" Hermione shrieked. "I'm going back to Hogwarts!" She quickly wrote down her reply to McGonagall. She made dinner and then went to bed, her smile never leaving her face.

Draco couldn't believe what that Mudblood had done to him. Just throwing her drink in his face then leaving, who did that? Granger that's who, he left right after she did. He decided he needed to get rid of some stress. A girl is what he needed. But he didn't feel like making the effort for a girl to start fancying him. Pansy; he decided. She was always a fall back, you just knocked on her door and she would let him in.

Draco apparated to Pansy Parkinson's house, he knocked on the door and heard some shuffling around. The person who opened the door wasn't who he thought it would be. It was a red-haired Weasley… but it was Grangers Weasley. His hair was all ruffled and he only had a pair of boxers on. "Oh bloody hell." Weasley stated.

Draco balled his hand into a fist. "Shouldn't I be the one saying that?" He said through his clenched teeth. Pansy soon appeared in the doorway. "Oh Draco I didn't know you were stopping over."

"What the hell is Weasley doing here?" He turned and glared at him. "Just wait until Granger hears about this."

Ron started chuckling. "What's so bloody funny?" Draco asked.

Pansy blushed bright red, "I'm pregnant Draco. Ron's the father and Hermione found out. He's living here now." Draco looked at them and Ron had a smug look on his face, Draco pulled back his arm and punched Ron right in the nose.

"That's for Granger." And with those words he left.

At home Draco sat in his bed and thought about how Granger was today. Weasley had left her. Well he partially couldn't blame him, she is a know it all, but to be cheated on was wrong, and to find out that Pansy got pregnant. He couldn't' figure out how anyone could go through that.

There was a knock on the door outside Draco's bedroom door. "Come in." A House Elf opened the door and walked in. "Master this letter is for you." Draco nodded and the House Elf left the letter on Draco's nightstand and walked out closing the door behind him.

He looked at the address; it was from Hogwarts. He sighed and opened it and found a letter inside.

Mr. Draco X. Malfoy,

We have some openings at Hogwarts and we would be pleased if you filled one. We have three classes open that we thought you would teach very well. We hope you consider teaching with us. Please get back to us as soon as possible so we can get you a room and your supplies together. Circle your choice if you want to teach with us then send us back the letter.

Thank You,

Headmistress McGonagall

Defense Against the Dark Arts

Flying

Muggle Studies

Draco thought about which class he should pick. He did want to teach at Hogwarts but what subject? He looked over the choices again and laughed at the thought of one of them. He quickly circled one and rolled it up, and then he watched his owl take it away.

Draco then turned off the lights and fell asleep dreaming about the school that had been more of a home than his real home.