IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND, READ THIS.
Ok, so in this story Hermione and Draco are both teachers at Hogwarts. Snape is gone, but for reasons unknown. Dumbledore is still alive, so basically HBP never happened. Harry and Ron aren't really mentioned, though. Ummm, and Draco is on the good side and is a completely different person. He's still pompous and mean at times, but he's changed for the most part. He's only mean to Hermione because of their long-time grudge.
Alrightttt, enjoy!
-ivy
Chapter One.
Hermione Granger hurried briskly down the corridor, her pace increasing as she walked. She was late, very late for her meeting and the staff would never let her live it down. Her heels clicked loudly against the tiled floor, and the tight fabric of her skirt restricted her legs from moving any faster.
Finally, she reached the conference room door, and paused outside to gather herself. Smoothing her skirt and straightening her robe, she pulled the door open and strode inside.
Setting her briefcase and portfolios down on the wide, oak conference table in a businesslike manner, she gazed around at her colleagues and cleared her throat, arranging her face in what she hoped was a pleasant smile.
"Sorry—um—sorry for being late," she choked out lamely, at a rather pathetic attempt to redeem herself.
"Quite alright, quite alright Miss Granger; after all it is your first day," Professor Dumbledore replied kindly, waving his hand as if to dismiss the matter. "We were just starting anyway. Tea?" he offered, holding up a brass kettle.
Hermione could hear its murky brown contents sloshing around merrily, and gladly accepted.
Handing her a mug of the steaming liquid, Dumbledore said, "You aren't the only one anyhow. We're still waiting for our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher to arrive; it seems as if he too slept in this morning."
At the last comment, Hermione could have sworn she saw him wink at her, and she did a double-take.
"How did you…" she began, but shook her head to silence herself, knowing that Dumbledore had his ways.
"Who is the new teacher anyway, Professor?" she asked. But her question was ignored, for at that moment, the door swung open and Professor Dumbledore said, "Ah, Mr. Malfoy, so good of you to join us!"
Hermione sat stunned into silence, and watched as an apologetic look flitted across Malfoy's pale face.
"Yes, Professor, terribly sorry. I…I slept in," he murmured in a defeated manner, staring determinedly at his polished black shoes.
"All is forgiven, Draco, Miss Granger was late as well."
Furrowing his eyebrows in confusion, Malfoy gazed uncomprehendingly at Dumbledore, who merely smiled pleasantly in response.
"What're you…" he began, looking around the room unsurely. As his eyes roved over the various heads of the staff, Hermione sat with bated breath, and when he finally located her, he looked as if he was going to faint from shock. His eyes widened and locked with hers as she sat frozen in her seat, the staff watching them, each with similar expressions of mingled amusement and anticipation.
"Granger?" he breathed, thoroughly shocked, staring at her with a face full of surprise and confused annoyance.
She seemed to suddenly come out of her reverie when he said her name, and immediately she felt the burning hatred flood into her stomach once again, the feeling that she had for so long associated with the presence of Malfoy.
"What are you doing here?" she snapped, receiving several chuckles from various staff members.
His face registered annoyance and outrage and something else Hermione couldn't
identify as he hastily retorted; "I work here. How about you? Surely the school isn't hiring you by choice." A mockingly knowing expression came over his face, and he grinned falsely, saying, "Oh, I get it. Professor Dumbledore obviously took pity upon your pathetic existence, and hired you. How sweet."
She felt her cheeks heat up and shot back, "How much did your daddy pay the school to let you in? You have no talent as far as I know."
His pale cheeks flushed an angry pink, and he muttered furiously under his breath.
The staff, who had previously been watching the animated bickering raptly, now whispered with renewed excitement as the insults flew.
"Stop," Dumbledore said forcibly. "I will not have this sort of behavior in my school. You are both teachers here who were hired solely for your extensive knowledge and magical skill. I expect you, as colleagues, to be civilized. Now Draco, if you will kindly take a seat, we will begin."
Although Dumbledore was talking about rather important subjects such as their duties and expectations as teachers, Hermione and Draco weren't paying attention, but were glaring standoffishly at one another.
'I hate him' Hermione though angrily. But she couldn't shake the nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach; she had never wanted somebody this desperately while at the same time wishing to rip their throat out. And that scared her more than anything.