A/N: So, what started off as a one-shot turned into a mini fic... oops. AU where the war never happened and Draco wasn't a racist little shit. He was more along the lines of a pain in the ass. I hope you guys like it!
Tallyho!
Chapter 1:
"Professor Granger," Alex Pierce, a sixth year Ravenclaw, said.
Hermione turned and faced her student. "Yes, Alex?"
"Er, I don't mean to sound ungrateful, ma'am, but for those of us, not going into Ministry jobs, how exactly will knowing how to predict the future with numbers help us in our future? I don't mean any disrespect, I just don't see how I'll use any of this in my future unless I go into a field directly affiliated with it which, last I checked, professional Quidditch isn't particularly big on sitting down and counting numbers."
Hermione opened her mouth to speak but realized that she didn't have an answer for her student. Sure, there were many uses for Arithmancy but when it came down to it: those uses were limited to certain jobs, most of them being Ministry jobs. And, like Alex pointed out, not everyone will go into Ministry or Curse Breaker jobs which is where most of Arithmancy is used.
For the first time in years, Hermione was stumped.
She didn't get a chance to respond, however, as the bell rang signalling the end of class. "No homework tonight. Class dismissed," she said, still in a daze.
Her students packed up, confused at the lack of the homework assignment but filed out quietly. Eventually, the classroom had emptied leaving Hermione alone with her thoughts. She looked out the window, lost in her thoughts, grateful that was her last class of the day. She wasn't sure she'd be able to stay focused after a revelation like that.
"But, Neville, he has a point! Arithmancy, while broad in the subject is limited when it actually comes to using it," Hermione said. She was currently sitting in the Three Broomsticks with Neville, expressing her frustrations over her predicament she found herself in after Alex's question in class today. "I mean, what if I'm just teaching them useless information that they'll never use?!"
"Well of course you are," Draco Malfoy said, placing three pints onto the table and pushing two to his fellow professors. Neville shot an annoyed look in his direction but Draco didn't flinch. Hermione groaned and buried her face into her hands. "Calm down, Granger, you know it's not true."
"But what if it is?" She asked, looking at both of them. "Neville, you teaching Herbology helps prepare the students for jobs as Healers or Herbologists or even Potioneers while Draco is the best DADA professor the school's seen in years! You have mini-Aurors running around everywhere and I'm almost positive that Sebastian Weiner is going to be Minister of Magic someday. But what am I doing? I'm preparing them for a desk job!" She took a swig of her drink. "You know what kills me the most? I didn't have an answer for Alex. I just stood there, like an idiot trying to find an answer for him but I don't have one! What kind of professor does that make me?!"
"Okay, you have got to calm down!" Neville said. "Would you listen to yourself? You graduated at the top of our class, you're one of the best Arithmancers in the bloody country, and your past students have graduated with some of the highest grades in Arithmancy Hogwarts has ever seen! You're brilliant, Hermione. Don't let one question completely throw you off."
"But they're not being prepared for anything in regards to their careers like they are in your classes."
"Then find a way to prepare them," Draco said.
"How?" She asked. "Where would I begin?"
"Change the curriculum," Draco said. "You're in charge of the class, Granger, use that to your advantage. You can decide what you want to teach them in regards to Arithmancy."
"But the Board of Governors-"
"The Board is merely there to advise and monitor. They know nothing about running a classroom, let alone the curriculum. Everything that you've taught so far has been the standard for the past Merlin knows how many years! I know I wouldn't complain if things were to be changed up a little." The gears started turning in her head so Draco drove the point home. "For Merlin's sake, Granger, you're a muggleborn! Use the math methods you learned in your muggle schooling and find a way to make them apply to Arithmancy. By combining both methods, you can experiment and find different ways to teach your students how they can continue to use the things that they learn in your class in their everyday lives long after they've graduated."
"How do you know about muggle math?" Hermione asked.
Draco shrugged. "I read a lot."
"Malfoy, that… was actually some really good advice," Neville mused.
"I've been known to have my moments," Draco smirked, taking a sip of his drink.
Hermione bit her lip as she thought about what Draco said. There were many muggle math methods that muggles used in their everyday lives. Perhaps Draco was right… maybe this was exactly what she was looking for.
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