Headmistress Hermione Weasley stood at her desk, awaiting the arrival of her newest teacher. She was fuming from head to toe, and looked as if she were about to burst into flames at any moment. Her arms were crossed sternly in front of her chest, and her foot was tapping resolutely on the floor. She heard a knock at the door, and took a deep breath before saying, in the darkest tone she could muster, "Come in."

A young man entered the room, flipping his long white-blonde hair out of his blue eyes. The cheeky brat had the nerve to give her a smirk before prowling slowly up to the chair before Hermione's desk. He looked at the chair, and then raised an eyebrow at her. Huffing, she gruffly told him to "Have a seat." The young man smoothly folded his tall frame into the hard wooden chair. He glanced around the room slyly, in a way that made Hermione very uncomfortable. His eyes fell on the picture of her deceased husband, Ron, and she decided it was time to do some lecturing.

"Professor Malfoy! What a ridiculous display of indecency in the Great Hall, in front of not only all of our students, but the teacher and Head Auror Potter as well! How dare you! What on earth were you thinking?" Hermione finished her little rant, cheeks red and eyes angry.

"I've told you to call me Scorpius, Headmistress Weasley. And I have no idea as to what you could possibly be referring." Scorpios eyed her levelly, and for a second she was distracted by how pale the blue of his eyes were… but only for a second!

"Why, of all the… you know exactly to what I am referring! I am referring to the kiss, Professor Malfoy. The kiss! You do not kiss the Headmistress in front of more than a thousand people!"

"I see… so I can kiss her when it is just the two of us, say, in her private study?" Scorpius' eyes darkly regarded her and he stood up, and glided over to Hermione's side of the desk.

"No, no, just you stay away from me, no, no NO KISSING!" Hermione stumbled backwards, half falling over a velvet footstool, trying to put as much distance between herself and Scorpius as possible. She suddenly realized that she was backing away from him and stood her ground, whipping out her wand at the same moment that Scorpius drew forward, close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating off him. She pointed her wand at his neck.

"What are you playing at, boy? You are just a child! If your behavior persists, I'm afraid I'm going to have to remove you from your position, ingenious mind or not! Actually, I'm inclined to think you possess a rather stupid mind, because it is rather stupid to cross me, boy."

Scorpius reached up and twirled a finger around one of her long brown curls. Hermione flinched, but held her ground, wand positioned right at the pulse point of his pale neck. "Someone's got their knickers in a twist, love. You do realize you just called me boy twice? I believe you need to be taught a lesson. When was the last time the grand Headmistress received a lecture? Because I would be more than happy to instruct-"

Hermione cut him off with a slap to the cheek, not unlike the one she had given his father all those many years ago. Scorpius scrambled backward, eyes burning with fury and a dark flicker of something stronger.

"Young man, I will overlook your behavior today." Hermione sniffed and carefully lowered her wand. "It was decidedly out of line, but it is your first day as a professor, and I am certain that the stress of the position has addled your otherwise intelligent brain. Go see Professor Zabini and request a Calming Draught. I am sure he will be more than happy to comply. You could use a good rest before classes begin in the morning. You are dismissed." Hermione refused to look at him as Scorpius slinked out of the room, instead straightening a useless stack of parchment. As soon as she heard the final door at the bottom of the staircase close, she heaved a long, frustrated sigh.