Chapter 1: Reintroductions

It was almost surreal – the last time the Draco Malfoy had set foot in Hogwarts, it was 1998 and he was quietly completing his NEWTs (well, perhaps not so quietly) and the time prior to that, he was switching sides in a war that had rocked the entire United Kingdom's wizarding community. To think…to think that these people actually let him back in after he was cleared of his charges before the Wizengamot...to think that these people actually let him back in initially as a student and now once more as not only the Potions professor but also the head of Slytherin…it was just plain shocking. Well, perhaps it wasn't quite as shocking as what the public might believe (when of course it eventually got word to the press that an ex-death eater was going to be joining Hogwarts) but there was rather a lot of information that the press never received on the young blonde and thanks to some rather clever arrangements, they never would. Perhaps though, that was counter intuitive as the work that Malfoy had done over the past 7 years could only be described as essential and brave.

"That concludes the formalities." McGonagall's voice brought Draco out of his momentary lapse in concentration though he was certain that nobody (except perhaps Neville) picked up on it. "Now, please join me in congratulating Professor Longbottom on his new position as Head of Hufflepuff which he shall be undertaking in addition to his herbology duties." At that point, Neville stood up and gave the students a friendly wave as they cheered him on. "Please also join me in welcoming Professor Malfoy who is to take on Professor Slughorn's positions of Potions Master and Head of Slytherin."

Not surprisingly, there wasn't quite the same level of excitement when Draco stood up but then again, why would there have been? As far as nearly everyone in the entire school was aware, he was merely some ex-death eater who likely used his family's money (and what little influence they had left at the end of the war) to gain entry into a prestigious Alchemy program in Egypt 9 years ago. After a quick nod, the young man sat back down and with the conclusion of the headmistress's speech, the great hall descended once more into chatter.

"I take it you were sharing duties with Sprout after you left us?" The blonde asked nonchalantly between bites of precisely cut morsels of food.

"Not quite – I was teaching herbology as planned actually. Pomona had decided that was too much to take care of in addition to the head position." Came the reply a short while later

"Then she retired."

"Yeah. Started training me up last year."

"Well, congratulations."

"Thanks Malfoy." A light-hearted laugh followed shortly thereafter. "I'll be sure to write to the boys and tell them you've turned into an old softie."

"Oh come now Longbottom, surely you know by now that I have a reputation to protect. Communicate of any such thing and I'm sure I can revert to my schoolboy self." Draco's face might have remained as schooled into neutrality as ever but his tone suggested those words were ones of jest.

"Of course, of course, how could I forget?" A roll of the eyes accompanied the response followed by a whisper. "I take it you've finished then?"

"How could you indeed? Oh and yes, we did." Draco whispered in return.

"I can't believe it – after all these years…they're all gone…finally…"

"I can. We worked bloody hard with each and every case. I mean it you know – bloody hard because Merlin knows that Saint Potter always needs to go on every outing and Weasley is still rash."

"Well, I'm glad the job's done."

"The feeling is mutual. Now all I need to concern myself with is this job and the stupid, irresponsible children associated with it."

"You know, that sounded terribly similar to something Severus might have said."

This elicited a chuckle. "Perhaps not so bluntly."

"Perhaps not."

"Neville, could I speak to you for a moment after you've given your students the speech?"

"Yeah, of course Hermione, outside the great hall at say 9?"

"Sounds great, that'll give me plenty of time to outline which rules I expect the students to abide by."

"So what was it that you wanted to talk about?"

Hermione glanced around her surroundings for a moment before answering. "Malfoy. Did you know he'd be coming?"

"I…uh….I…I may recall something about it…"

"But Malfoy?"

"From what Minerva said, he was highly recommended by Harry and Ron."

That answer stunned Hermione. "By Harry and Ron? But I haven't heard them even mutter Malfoy's name in…years."

"Yes well that might be because you weren't a part of the team Granger." Draco drawled, coming down a set of stairs. "You know, I hear it can be rather rude to hold discussions about other people in the shadows."

Hermione soon recovered from her unprofessional squeak of shock. "I was merely curious Malfoy – after all, to some of us, it seemed like you all but disappeared."

"Well, that was part of the plan Granger but really, I'm touched that you care." By this point, there was an all too familiar smirk plastered on his face.

"Oh yes, I clearly care." Hermione retorted, crossing her arms in the process.

"Well, if you didn't then you wouldn't have been interrogating poor Neville over here."

"I wasn't interrogating Neville!"

"Ah but you do care."

"No. I don't. I don't care Malfoy."

"Of course you don't Granger." With that, he turned to go back the way he came from. "But Granger, if you don't care then you won't write to Potter or Weasley. They won't be able to tell you anyway. Goodnight."

Technically, that last part was a stretch of the truth but whoever said stretching the truth wasn't something one couldn't do when entertaining oneself? Well, at least when it wouldn't result in death. The truth was that Harry and Ron wouldn't have been able to tell her or anybody outside of the team…if Draco himself was still with the team. Now that he had left, they were technically free to tell who they wished although his best bet would be that they'd tell their wives/girlfriends first to avoid any trouble.