Just a quick authors note! Hi, I'm Ashley and this is my first fan fiction. I originally published this on Wattpad. My username there is Ashleytaylor523 if you like this story as it progresses and would also like to check out my original work. Anyway, I thought I would also publish this story on here because it's something I've worked hard on and hope that people enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. This story does switch perspectives between Draco and Hermione. It may be confusing at first because I can't seem to edit this in a way that shows the crossing over between them as I had it on Wattpad. I'm new to this site, so bear with me. I will also ask if you will refrain from copying and pasting or taking my story as your own in any capacity. This plot is by me, but the world and characters are, of course, JK Rowlings. This particular fan fic is mine and I reserve all rights to it. Thank you to anyone who gives this story a chance! xxoo!
"Well, Draco? Is it? Is it Harry Potter?" His father looked expectantly at Draco.
He gazed upon the figure in front of him, heart pacing, and yes. Yes, it was.
"I can't-I can't be sure." He averted his eyes in order not to meet the gaze of the other teenage boy in front of him. One that he had at one time hated. We really were just kids. He got up and looked down at him, finally meeting his eyes. I'm not the monster you think I am. He hoped his eyes conveyed his thoughts to Potter.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Please. Please stop." Hermione Granger sobbed and screamed in a bloody mess after falling to the ground again. Draco had lost count at how many times, terrified. Aunt Bella had forced Draco to watch, unable to do anything. His knuckles were white as he balled his fists.
"HOW DID YOU GET THE SWORD?!" She bellowed at the girl.
"It's fake. It's fake!" Hermione whimpered.
Then, Draco Malfoy woke up.
He brought his palms up to his forehead as he sat up in his bed at the Manor. Here in this very home was the source of only one nightmare that would recur nightly. He let out a sigh and got out from under the blankets. A hot shower was definitely in order before meeting his mother downstairs for breakfast.
"Good morning, Draco." His mother greeted, long blonde hair straight without a hair out of place, as he entered the dining hall. The table was much too large for the two of them, but he took his place at the other head of the table. She was sipping a mug of what he presumed was tea and reading the Daily Prophet.
"Good morning, Mother." He replied.
Their house elf, Poppy, appeared.
"Does Mistress and Master want their breakfast now?" Poppy inquired.
"Yes, Poppy. Please bring it now that Draco is up." His mother answered curtly. The house elf nodded, curtsied, and apparated to get their breakfast.
"Anything interesting in the Prophet?" Draco asked his mother.
"Actually, yes. It seems the Headmistress at Hogwarts has two job announcements." She replied.
"Oh, new professors?" He asked.
"In a manner of speaking. She's seeking employees. I guess some things don't change. The Defense Against the Dark Arts job has opened up again. At least the last one lasted more than a year." She observed.
"And the other one?" He inquired.
"Arithmancy." She answered.
Poppy returned with pancakes, blueberry syrup, and eggs. As he ate, an idea occurred to Draco that he had never thought about until his mother brought up the teaching positions. He cleared his throat and his mother just raised her eyebrows.
"Mother, you know, I think I want to apply for the Defense Against the Dark Arts position." He told her.
"Why on Earth would you do that? Since your father passed, it's your responsibility to keep up the investments." His mother looked at him like he'd gone mad.
"Ever since the war, we haven't exactly been portrayed in the best light, mother. You know this. Even with your charities and your balls, you know there is still an amount of disdain on the family name. I want to change that. We should have never been involved. Mother, I was a child. A child. Besides, who better to teach a position than someone who has lived it?" He reasoned with her.
"Do you really think that there's any hope for a former Death Eater to teach at Hogwarts?" She asked ruefully.
"Snape did." He almost whispered.
"Dumbledore isn't there-" At that, she paused. She knew it was a touchy subject for her son. It was still a touchy subject for her. He was right. They never should have been involved, most of all her young son. "Okay," she continued, "If you want to apply, then I support you. I'm proud of the man you've become, Draco."
"Well, I think I'll owl McGonagall then. Thank you, Mother." With that, he got up and went to his father's old study, feeling both elated and absolutely nervous.
"I just don't know if I can do this anymore." Hermione told her two best friends as she sat down on the sofa at Harry's house. Grimmauld Place had become less bleak after the war, especially since her, Harry, Ron, Ginny, and their other friends had worked to make it brighter and substantially more inhabitable. Ginny, especially, as she had added a woman's touch to the place since her and Harry had married.
"You're one of the best people we have, Hermione. You've been fighting off dark witches and wizards since we were eleven." Harry tried to reason with her.
"The whole department would fall apart without you, honestly." Ron chimed in.
She gave them both a weak smile.
"I thought this is what I wanted to do because it's all I've ever known. No offense, Harry. I did it because I wanted to. Please don't take that the wrong way." She looked over at Harry and hoped that he didn't take what she said as an attack against him. She continued, "Now that we're older and I see how much you two love what you do, it's just.. it's lost its appeal to me. I don't want to be an auror. I've seen enough darkness and I just want to do something different. I still want to help people, but I just don't want this. Am I making any sense at all?"
"You're Hermione, of course you're making sense." Harry put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it tenderly.
"Well, I saw that Professor McGonagall is looking for someone to teach Arithmancy... It was in the Daily Prophet." She announced.
"You want to teach at Hogwarts?" Ron furrowed his eyebrows. "You'd be working with Neville."
"I think I do. Actually, yes. I do. Arithmancy was one of my favorite subjects. I would love to teach it. I'd be back at Hogwarts and I would be able to do something meaningful. Teaching students and being a positive role model to them, guiding them.. I think it would be perfect for me." She finished, beaming.
"Have you talked to McGonagall?" Harry asked.
"No, but I think I'll owl her. Do you have parchment and a quill I could borrow?" She asked Harry.
"Yeah, I'll grab it for you." With that, he walked out of the room.
When he left, there was a tense silence between her and Ron. She clasped her hands together on her legs, suddenly wishing Harry hadn't left them together. Sometimes, it was still a bit awkward when it was just the two of them alone.
"You're not leaving the Department of Magical Law Enforcement because of me too, are you?" He whispered, finally breaking the silence.
"What? No, of course not! Ron, you're still one of my best friends. Just because our relationship didn't work out doesn't mean I'm running away from you or Harry." She assured him.
"Are you sure?" He asked, meeting her eyes.
"I promise." She didn't drop his gaze.
"I suppose I could have asked Kreature where the parchment and quills were, but I found them." Harry came back in to the living room and set the items on the coffee table. He looked back and forth from Ron and Hermione, noting the odd facial expressions they had displayed. "Are you two alright?" He asked quizzically.
"Yeah, mate. Everything is good." Ron supplied.
"So," Harry looked at Hermione, "What are you going to say to McGonagall?"
She smiled. "I want to come home."
If Draco was being honest, he was surprised when his old Transfiguration professor owled him back the day after he sent the letter expressing interest in the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. Obviously, she either believed people deserved another chance or she was that desperate to fill the position before September. Either way, he told himself that he would do well in the interview she scheduled for him because he was determined to prove himself to the wizarding community. He was not the same spoiled evil brat that he was. War changes people. He wanted to make sure he made that very clear to her. Regardless on whether she believed in second chances or not, he knew that she would probably be hesitant with him. Not that he could even blame her. He just kept that in mind before flooing to Hogwarts to meet with her.
He steadied himself. Merlin, he really was nervous. His mother came in to the sitting room where he was leaning against the fireplace waiting to go to his appointment with the Headmistress.
"Are you quite certain about this, Draco? You look like you could vomit." His mother eyed him warily.
"I'm sure, mother. I'm just a little nervous." He confided.
"You know you don't have to do this." She told him.
"I do. I want to do something of my own, mother. I want to redeem myself. I want to make my own living. I want to change the perception people have of me." His grey eyes met hers.
"As I said, you don't have to do that." His mother walked closer to him and hugged him. "I'm sorry I helped put you in a position where you feel like you have to compensate for something your father and I did." She sighed. He held onto her for a moment then pulled away to look into her eyes.
"This is something I need to do, Mother."
"I understand. I love you very much. Good luck." With that she broke the hold she still had on him and leaned up to kiss his cheek.
He took the floo powder from the mantle on the fireplace and threw some in clearly saying "Headmasters Office, Hogwarts!" He stepped in and then the Manor and his mother were gone.
He stepped out of the fireplace and into the office of Headmistress McGonagall. She was scribbling something down on a piece of parchment at her desk.
"Sit down, Mr. Malfoy." She didn't look up from her scribbling when she gestured at the two armchairs in front of her desk.
Draco gulped and took the chair closest to the fireplace. "Thank you, Headmistress." As she finished whatever she was writing, he glanced around the office. It wasn't nearly as ornate as it had been when it was occupied by Umbridge or Dumbledore. Although, he had to admit, he didn't miss the damn cat decor that Umbridge had all over the office when she had it. McGonagall, he surmised, was a woman of simple taste. There were the obvious portraits of previous headmasters, a leather sofa by one of the windows, and shelves full of different books. He looked for Dumbledore or Snape, but didn't see their portraits.
She folded the parchment, sealed it in an envelope, and sat it on the corner of her desk. Then, she looked over at Draco, eyes scrutinizing him. He found himself thankful the woman didn't have laser vision, something he read about in a muggle comic book.
"Mr. Malfoy, I won't pretend that I was not.. shocked when you wrote me." She worded carefully. "Why, exactly, are you applying to teach, especially this particular subject? You are clearly a wealthy young man and don't need the money."
Draco studied her and decided that if she was going to go ahead and get straight to the point, he needed to as well. "To be quite honest with you, Headmistress, you're right. I don't need the money. My father," he choked. "My father died. I inherited his fortune. What I didn't want to inherit was his, erm, his legacy. The Malfoy name is tainted since the war. Not that it wasn't before then, but more so now. I, myself, did not help matters as you know. I would like to teach to give back and to show that I'm not... I'm not the monster that people think that I am. I think that I'm very much qualified for the position. I scored an O on all of my N.E.W.T.'s, including Defense Against the Dark Arts." He paused and took a deep breath. He was going to tell her exactly what he told his mother. "Also, who better to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts than someone who, well, who was a Death Eater? Albeit, not a good one. But I dare say I have the experience under my belt." He finished.
The Headmistress studied him profusely for a few minutes before she answered. Draco sat rigid, knowing that she was trying to assess whether or not he was at least somewhat trustworthy.
"Mr. Malfoy, are you telling me you no longer hold the same prejudices that you once did? You know you'd be teaching muggle borns and perhaps working alongside them?"
"I'm aware, Headmistress McGonagall. I can honestly say that I am completely defected. As is my mother. We don't hold onto those, erm, values. Not anymore." He proclaimed, making sure to look her in the eye.
"Against my better judgement, I believe you. Would you like a biscuit, Mr. Malfoy?" She asked.
He took a biscuit out of the tin container she had conjured.
"Thank you, Headmistress." He took a bite. It was actually good. "Does this mean you'll consider giving me the job?"
"I would go home and pack up your belongings, Mr. Malfoy. September 1st will be here in two weeks time. You might want to get settled and start preparations for class." She answered with a faint hint of a smile.
"R-Really?" He was astonished it was given to him that easily.
"I'm sure the Prophet will have a field day with this. But yes, really. You're hired. I believe you, Mr. Malfoy. Don't give me a reason to regret this." She said sternly.
"Thank you so much. This means.. this means a lot to me." He shook her hand and went to leave, then paused and turned back around to face her again.
"Headmistress?"
"Yes, Mr. Malfoy?"
"May I ask why you're giving me a chance?" He felt like a child asking the question, but he was curious.
She stared at him for a few seconds before answering him.
"Well, Mr. Malfoy, as I recall there was another ex Death Eater who taught here who was also misunderstood. He turned out to be a hero in the end. You may be familiar with him, correct?" She still had a sternness to her voice. Some things never change.
"Yes, yes I am. Thank you again."
"Most people do deserve a second chance, Mr. Malfoy." She called after him as he flooed back to the Manor. He smiled when he arrived back to the sitting room, not surprised his mother was waiting on the sofa.
"That was quick, how did it go?" She asked cautiously.
"Would you care to help me pack some of my belongings, mother?" He asked.
"Draco! I'm so proud!" She ran over to give him a hug.
"Mr. Robards, I need to speak with you please." Hermione said, closing the office door behind her.
Gawain Robards, the head of the auror office looked up at her from his desk, his shaggy brown hair falling into his eyes.
"Yes, Miss Granger?" He looked at her questioningly.
"I'm afraid that I am unable to give a two weeks notice, but I am leaving in two days to go to Hogwarts.. to teach." She told him nervously, but refused to not meet his eyes.
The man sighed. "You couldn't have given me more notice?"
"I'm afraid not, sir. I only just spoke to Headmistress McGonagall and she advised that I go ahead and pack my belongings so I can move in and prepare for classes." She gave him an apologetic look.
"I wish you luck on your endeavors, Miss Granger. However, I won't say I'm not disappointed that you're leaving. You're a bright young witch. It was a pleasure to have you work here." He told her more politely than she expected given the fact she didn't give him any indication she was leaving.
"Thank you, Mr. Robards." She went to leave when he started to speak again.
"Is that why you called off this morning, by any chance?" He asked her.
"Yes sir, it was to meet with the Headmistress." She answered honestly, tucking her curly hair behind an ear.
"Hm, well if you ever decide that teaching isn't something that you want to do, there will always be a job here for you." He told her.
"That means a lot Mr. Robards, thank you. I'll remember that." She left his office and flooed to her flat to start packing her belongings.
The day before she left, Harry, Ron, and Ginny came over to see her and help her pack the last of the belongings she would be taking back to Hogwarts.
"How does it feel to be going back?" Ginny asked her.
"I feel like tomorrow is my first day all over again, honestly." Hermione replied, biting her bottom lip.
"At least you're not a student again, though." Ginny noted.
Hermione sighed. "That's true, but I can't lie and say I'm not the least bit nervous about being responsible for a future generation."
"Hermione, it's just Arithmancy." Ron told her matter of factly. "Honestly, you'll probably only get Ravenclaw students in your class anyway. They're already responsible. I reckon they read Arithmancy for fun."
Hermione's face soured. "I read Arithmancy for fun."
"Then maybe you'll get Gryffindors too, eh?" Harry cut in before Ron could retort.
"All houses can take Arithmancy." Hermione said, rolling her eyes.
"That's the spirit." Ginny said, laughing.
"At least with Voldemort gone, there shouldn't be any surprises now." Harry said.
"Don't say that. You'll jinx me. I'll probably end up with another Fred and George in my class." Hermione smiled.
"Which would just mean it wouldn't be dull." Ginny piped in.
After her friends left, Hermione went to bed. However, just like the night before her first day as a student at Hogwarts, she found that it was difficult to sleep. The excitement and anticipation was killing her. Figuratively, of course.
