Halloo Millie

"So how'd your educational session with Professor Malfoy go?" Bianca asked her cousin as they walked toward the school. She shifted her broom from her right hand to her left; quidditch practice had been brutal.

With a mischievous grin, Tiger Lily said, "Oh. It was certainly . . . educational."

At Tiger's snicker, Bianca raised an eyebrow, trying to hide her amusement. "That's wonderful, TL. It's nice to see you interested in something other than quidditch."

"I'm beginning to take school a bit more seriously, Bianca."

"Really? Did someone forget to tell me hell froze over?"

"What are you on about, Bi?" Tiger Lily asked, as the rest of the Ravenclaw quidditch team chuckled.

Bianca looked to the sky and pointed randomly. "Oh, look--a pig!"

She laughed. Waving toward the same direction, she called, "Halloo, Millie!"

"Millie?"

"Yes, Millicent Goyle."

"The second?"

"Of course the second," Tiger Lily said, rolling her eyes with a smile. "What other Millicent Goyle do we know besides her mother?"

The pictures in her bag were giving her so much trouble. She wanted to admire them, but Professor Malfoy wanted them to write an essay. In class! She just couldn't focus with those wonderful pictures so close. Tiger Lily glanced around the classroom and fought the urge to roll her eyes; the other girls (minus Bianca, of course) were gawking at him, as usual.

Gawk all you want, girls, but he's mine, she thought cockily. Maybe just one look--

She looked up at the blond professor--Good, still grading the quizzes--but as she was reaching down toward her bag he looked up, catching her eyes. He shook his head at her and she sent him a playful glare. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that the gawking girls were grinning smugly.

The raven-haired girl sighed and tried to work on her essay again, but her eyes just kept straying from her parchment. She met Professor Malfoy's stormy-gray eyes and he shook his head again. She sent him a pleading look; he looked away, then back, sighed deeply and returned to grading papers.

She grinned, permission granted, and pulled out the pictures. She looked through them, green eyes dancing. She looked up at her professor and grinned, then returned to her pictures.

The boy sitting next to her looked over, puzzled. Why was she staring at blank scraps of parchment? "What are you looking at, Tiger Lily?"

"Huh?"

"What are you looking at?"

"Oh." She gave a sigh of relief. "I, er . . . I can't decide how to start my essay."

"But you've been working on it all hour," he said, forehead crinkling.

"I know, but I didn't like the way it flowed. I decided to start over."

"Oh. Okay," he said, shaking his head and returning his attention to his own essay.

Tiger Lily glanced at Bianca who shook her head in disbelief.

The cousins walked out of the DADA classroom just to walk straight into the gawking girls.

"Well, Tiger Lily, you really got Professor Malfoy angry."

"Yeah, he looked quite pissed, Tiger Lily."

"Did I, now? Well, I must go and patch it up. Can't have a professor mad at me, can I? Thank you for informing me of my mistake. Goodbye," she said sweetly.

"Yeah, bye."

Tiger turned and walked back into the classroom; the gawking girls walked off laughing. ("Can you believe her?")

"Ah, Ki--er . . . Tiger Lily. Long time, no see." She raised an eyebrow at him, and Professor Malfoy said in a whisper, "Kitty, it's school hours. I have to be professional. And stop looking at me like that before do something I shouldn't."

"Like what?" she whispered, trying not to smirk.

"Tiger." He glanced over her shoulder. "Er . . . What did you want?"

"I was informed that apparently I angered you during class today."

"By who?"

"A few of the other girls."

"Oh, no I wasn't upset with you. But I will be if you don't continue with your work."

"Work?"

"After school. You need to be sure to finish all homework you start."

Her bow-shaped lips curved into a smirk. "Yes, I will, but Professor?"

"Yes?"

"I have a question about the essay."

"Come in later, and I can help you then. But I'm awfully busy right now," he said, indicating the pile of parchment on his desk with a wink.

"Right." She winked back at him, forcing him to fight back a smile. "See you."

She turned and walked straight into the gawking girls again. "Oh, hello, ladies. Good news. He's not angry. He just asked me to do my homework." She began to walk off, but stopped and turned back to them. "But I'm sure you already heard that."

"Tiger, it's time for dinner."

"Huh?" she asked, prying her eyes away from her pictures once more.

"Dinner."

"Oh. Oh! Dinner!"

They walked to the Great Hall and ate; Bianca left earlier than everyone else to go study (surprise, surprise). Tiger Lily shrugged and continued eating. When she got back to the dorm she saw her cousin sitting on her bed and laughing to herself. She was looking at Tiger's pictures.

"Bianca, be more careful! The others would think you're mad."

Bi looked up with a raised eyebrow. "Now, Tiger, as Head Girl, I must warn you about continuing this relationship." A grin crept across her face. "But as your fellow Kitty, I must say . . . Congratulations." Tiger Lily laughed. "Just one question, Tiger Lily. How does one get into this position?"

"Which one?" she asked innocently.

"The position of teacher's aide, of course, TL; don't be silly." Bianca winked and Tiger Lily sent her an impish grin.

"Well, it's really very simple, Bianca. You just have to know which . . . buttons to push."

Dear Aunt Mione,

How are you? How are Uncle Ron and Orlando? Bianca is exactly the same--wonderful, of course.

I never thought I'd say this, but I adore school this year. Particularly Defense Against The Dark Arts. Speaking of which, that picture of my professor you asked for is coming with Pig, if you haven't noticed it already. He's beautiful, isn't he?

Quidditch practice is going great. We have our first match against Gryffindor coming up soon. Hehe! We're going to "smash" them . . . if you catch my drift. Well, Aunt Mione, I must be off. I have a very important aiding session with Professor Gorgeous himself. (Wink, wink.)

Love Always,

Tiger

Hermione put her niece's letter back on the counter and picked up the picture she'd been sent. Oh my. Her left hand found the hollow of her throat. Good girl, Tiger. A smile spread across her face.

"What are you so happy about?" her husband asked as he walked into the kitchen. He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, then saw the picture Hermione was holding. His eyes widened and he stepped away from her in shock. "Why in Merlin's name are you staring at a picture of Malfoy!"

"Our niece sent me this picture. Apparently he's the new DADA professor. Funny how Snape's favorite student weaseled his way past him to claim Snape's spot, right under his crooked nose, don't you think?"

Ron winced. "Did you have to say that?"

"Say what?"

"Weasel."

She laughed--he looked and sounded like a thirteen year-old boy again. "Really, Ron. That was eighteen years ago. Why don't you just forget about that stupid nickname?"

"Hermione, that arrogant prat called me that for seven years! And don't forget about Ginny; you know, the 'little weaslette'."

"Ron, Ginny's over it. Why can't you just stop living in the past?"

"Stop living in the past?"

"Mhm."

"Well, how about I live in the future instead?"

The brown-eyed woman raised an eyebrow in question, but her husband didn't reply. Instead, he walked back up to her and rested his hands on her hips. Then he pulled her closer for a kiss.

Hermione took in a small breath. "Ron, do you mean . . .?" He grinned. "Oh, Ron!"

She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him happily.