Chapter 3: Gyriffindor

Hermione stood there positively gaping at the platinum topped man. It was a few moments before he noticed her gaping at him. He glared at her.

"Why don't you take a picture Granger?" He snapped. She snapped her jaw shut, realizing she must of looked like an idiot, and walked up to the table.

"Shut up Malfoy!" She practically growled in reply. He glared at her but she found she could not return his gaze. What had Minerva done?! How could this be possible? Draco Malfoy, DRACO MALFOY a former death eater, was the new Head of House?! She shook her head quiet suddenly and sat down. As soon as she stopped being shocked and started to feel angry, the anger was quickly buried by the ever lingering sadness as she couldn't seem to train her thoughts on anything but her missing family. She sighed and looked at her hands.

"Hi Hermione!" Neville greeted, somewhat forced as he noticed her expression.

"Hey Nev." She replied. He smiled weakly at her then it dropped away all together.

"I am so sorry to hear about Ron and your kids." He consoled softly. Draco looked over at them, overhearing, and his expression became unreadable, with a bit of distress showing through that went beyond the general pang of sadness for anybody when you hear of their death.

"They were so young…Eleven and eight…I'm so sorry Hermione." Neville murmured sadly. Hermione choked back tears and looked away from him.

"It's fine." She mumbled, but it wasn't and her voice was shaky. She felt a comforting touch on her back and expected it to be Neville but when she looked up, eyes watery, she was surprised to see Draco briefly resting his hand on her back instead. He held her gaze for a moment before pulling away and looking out over the hall as the students arrived and began pouring into the room.

The gesture was very confusing to Hermione. Perhaps he was just feeling guilty for snapping at her before, then learning this. That was until Neville leaned towards her.

"He lost Astoria this summer to the Pox. Astoria was pregnant with his second child." He whispered. Hermione looked sharply at Neville who looked for once oddly subdued.

"Why did this happen to us all?" She breathed. Neville looked at her and shook his head sadly. It was a question nobody could answer.

As the first years finally lined up in front of her, and all the others students were seated Hermione noticed that the parents were filing past the hall doors on their way to their tower. Hermione caught Ginny waving wildly at her and half-heartedly waved back. She heard a scoff beside her and turned to observe Draco.

"Kids don't want their bloody parents in school! It's wrong!" He snorted. "Parents trailing after their kids and breathing down their necks! Just a distraction." He rambled on a bit more.

"Isn't that what your doing by becoming a teacher here?" Hermione retorted. Draco glared at her.

"And isn't that why you did it too?!" He demanded. Hermione felt her eyes fill with tears instantly and saw his eyes widen a bit at his bad choice of words.

"Well it obviously doesn't mater now, does it?!" Hermione snapped harshly. Draco was silent and turned away. Even though he despised her he knew losing a child was hard, let alone all of them. And their spouse. At least he still had Scorpius. He sighed but did not look at her again.

Hermione glared at him a moment more before biting her lip, wiping her eyes and collecting herself. She noticed with a slight touch of amusement that Neville glared furiously at Draco. That look on Neville's face was so out of place that it actually cheered her up a bit, and she smiled and her niece's and nephews as they waved frantically at her. She waved back and then looked up as Minerva walked to the stage and lifted the sorting hat.

"Time to choose the houses!" She called. The hall broke into cheers.

The kids went off quickly, some in each house. Hermione noticed with a pang though that there were very few students this year. Her chest hurt as she thought of all the other parents weeping over the tiny coffins of their children, taken too soon.

Anyways, as it was Albus was placed into Griffindor, as was Fred. Kids filed through continually. And then there was only a single child left. Scorpius Malfoy. He was as identical to Draco as Albus was to Harry. Hermione thought it a little eerie, there being another Potter and Malfoy. But she hoped the boy would be kind and the two might even get along. Though she doubted it. With a sigh she watched as the boy climbed the three stairs to the chair. He sat in it and the hat covered his pale head.

"Well, well, well. Isn't this odd. A Malfoy? Really? So odd, peculiar, absurd, but…" It paused for effect.

"Gyriffindor!" The hat yelled.

Both Hermione and Draco gasped at once. Then Draco's enraged voice rose above the startled exclamations throughout the hall.

"What?! There must be some mistake!"

Ooooh! Another cliffie! Hope you guys are enjoying so far! Yes, so much Malfoy Vs. Granger drama to come! MWAA HAA HAA! Please review if you want!