Chapter 2- New Arrivals and Old Faces

Disclaimer: Am I J.K Rowling? No, not last time I checked so we can guess that I don't own Harry Potter or any of the other characters.

Harry kid and Shadieladie thank you so much for reviewing
Nattieb you're right it would have been hard. So everyone I've changed it they have been out of Hogwarts thirteen years now.
And
Tuxedo cat thank you for reviewing and offering to be my beta

Monday evening rolled on after a weekend of packing and Hermione said a tearful goodbye to Tom, Harry and Ginny before apperating to outside the Hogwarts gates. Dumbledore was waiting for her there already and opened them for her to come inside the grounds. They walked along the grounds up to the castle with Hermione's cases floating steadily behind them.

"Well Miss Granger I'm very pleased you decided to take the job as most of the students will most likely be. I'm sure you'll be wanting to get to bed and unpack now so I'll leave introducing you to the staff until tomorrow if that's ok with you?"

"Yeh, sure, that's fine."

"Very well, so if you'll follow me I'll show you to your room."

They walked for a few minutes until they came to a door. Dumbledore stopped and opened it, stepping back to allow Hermione to go inside. It was a rather large room with a bathroom adjoining. The four-poster bed was covered in dark blue silk sheets, a dark wood desk sat under the window and a wardrobe in the same wood stood against the side wall with a full length mirror beside it. The fire was lit giving the room the faint smell of pine needles. Hermione crossed the room and look out of the window seeing that her view was of the Quidditch pitch.

"Wow this is the most amazing room I've been in for quite a while." She grinned across to Dumbledore.

"Well it's all yours now Miss Granger. Sleep well and I'll see you at breakfast." He said as the exited the room closing the door behind him. Hermione stayed at the window for a moment longer before opening the door to the bathroom. The floors and walls were covered in white tiles and the shower was in the furthest corner next to the sink. There was a bath much like the one in the prefects' bathroom and another full-length mirror. She was glad to see that there were no portraits in this room as that had always slightly creped her out having someone watch and talk to her while she was in the bathroom.

The next morning Hermione woke up and pulled on an old pair of plain black robes before doing her hair and going down to breakfast. She thought it very strange to see the hall without any children, as they wouldn't be coming until that evening. She walked over to the staff table and sat down watching as food appeared in front of her. She smiled as Dumbledore came in and sat beside her.

"Good morning Miss Granger. I trust you slept well?"

"Good morning Professor, yes thank you, like a log. I was thinking, erm, my lessons? I haven't got anything planed?"

"Oh don't worry about that Professor McGonagall left a lesson plan for every class you'll teach this year, they're in your desk in the classroom but do feel free to tweak them to your style when you read through them."

"Great. In fact I suppose I should go and do that now, stop me worrying about it later and all that."

"Very well Miss Granger, would you like me to send a house elf with your lunch later on?"

"Oh no! It's ok I'll be here for lunch I want to see the other professors and everything." Hermione said shaking her head as she left. She still felt the same when it came to house elves.

She hummed to herself as she walked along the hallway to her classroom. Yes her classroom. It still felt very strange to her. She was in her own world so she didn't see the figure hurrying towards her rooting through his bag. They collided sending papers everywhere.

"Oh god I'm so sorry!" Hermione wailed as she got up off the floor and started to pick up the papers. She looked at one to see it was a lesson plan for Herbology. She looked up at the Professor to gain quite a shock

"Neville? Y-you're a Professor?"

"Hermione? You are too?"

"Yeh I start this year. How long have you been teaching?"

"Erm this is my fifth year."

"Wow it's great to see you!"

"You too, so haveyou looked around since you've been back?"

"No I haven't had the chance yet."

"Well then I must show you." He said bending down to pick up the last of the papers.

"Great thanks Neville." Hermione said and they walked down the hallway together.

An hour later they returned to where they had first bumped in to each other and said goodbye. Hermione finally got to her classroom and took out the lesson plans. After an hour of skimming through them and making small changes to parts she disliked she got extremely bored and went for a walk. She pulled on her cloak and stepped outside. It was sunny but the heat was ruined due to how windy it was.

"Fist years are going to have trouble crossing the lake aren't they?" Came a voice behind her making her jump and whirl around. She looked at the figure stood in front of her. Tall, blonde with the trademark smirk that for once actually held warmth. It was none other than Draco Malfoy.

"Malfoy? What are you doing here?"

"Enjoying the views."

"No at Hogwarts." Hermione said with a sigh.

"Oh didn't Longbottom tell you, I'm the potions teacher."

"What?" She gasped.

"Potions. You know the thing with the cauldrons, classroom located down in the dungeons. Ring a bell?"

"Yes, yes, shut up you know I didn't mean that I mean I'm shocked that you teach it."

"Why, who was better at potions than me. In fact Snape personally requested that I would be his replacement." He grinned glowing with pride.

"I see you haven't changed much then Malfoy." Hermione smirked.

"But you have, look at you Granger all grown up." Draco said giving her the once over, she could feel herself blushing.

"Well of course I've grown up stupid it had been thirteen years hasn't it?" she snapped walking back towards the castle. Much to her annoyance Draco followed.

"What Malfoy?"

"Well the thing is Granger I think we need to put all those petty squabbles from school behind us seeing as how we will be working together for who knows how long. Clean slate?" his eyes bore into her with a pleading expression, she finally gave in.

"Fine, but one mention of any bloodline to me and I will blast your ass off the top of the astronomy tower." She threatened.

"I'll consider myself well warned then." He chuckled. "Walk you to lunch?"

She considered this for a minute. "Sure."

Hermione walked round the castle that evening watching as the house elves made last minute arrangements of flowers and such. The students would be arriving any minute they had just been told the train had pulled in. Hermione pulled on a black cloak with a crimson lining and walked down to the great hall. She sat between Neville and Draco saying hello to the other Professors as she walked past.

The hall filled with students and the sorting began.

Ellwood, Stacey became Hufflepuff followed by Plant Robert going into Ravenclaw. Hermione started to drift off until it came to one name.

"Malfoy, Leon." She snapped back into reality to watch the hat being placed on his head. After a few minutes the hat finally made it's decision "Gryffindor!"

"You have a son?" Hermione hissed across the table to Draco

"Oh yes, but no I'm not married, his mother died a short while after giving birth to him."

"So how do you feel about him going into Gryffindor?"

"Not so bad, his mother was in that house so it will live on her memory."

"Potter, James" was called and Hermione paid attention as her godson was sorted into Gryffindor.