Chapter 3

Once Narcissa had made a huge deal about showing Ginny all of the pictures in the parlor they finally made their way to the informal dinning room for lunch. The table had been set for four people and both Lucius and Draco waited for the women to take their seats. They were very old fashioned about how you should treat women and both knew that you should never take your seat before a woman takes hers.

"So Ginevera tell me a little about yourself?" asked Narcissa with a great sparkle in her eyes. She was really into getting her son married some time in the next few months.

"Right now I am about to start teaching Transfiguration at Hogwarts and that really occupies most of my time now a days. I also like to go read a lot and I dance whenever I have the chance," said Ginny with a fake smile plastered on her face. Narcissa followed this question with many more as dinner progressed and they seemed to be the only to be talking. Draco had not said anything to her since they entered the parlor but she didn't care. She figured the less they talked the less she could get attracted to him.

"Draco, why don't you show Ginevera around the manor. The garden is amazing this time of the year and you haven't spoken a word all evening," pushed Narcissa and Draco just shook his head yes and invited Ginny to the garden that his mother spent so much of her with.

Draco and Ginny waked around slowly around the Malfoy Garden still avoiding talking to one another. They were total opposites, inside and out, and seeing them standing together was an amazing contrast.

"Did you play her a lot when you were growing up?" questioned Ginny starting to lighten the mood by starting some kind of conversation.

"Not really," started Draco in a voice that was ice cold," my father built me a room in the manor that kind of resembles a tree house. I spent most of my free time there.

"Sounds cool," states Ginny as they walked into an enclosed part of the garden. Though there was not an real entrance but there were gorgeous white lilies and luscious red roses.

"My father got a gardener to come out a few summers ago and build this area for mom," said Draco waiting until Ginny took her seat before he seated himself across from her.

"I'd really enjoy a place like this," started Ginny sitting back and relaxing just a little," when I was my mom took me to Pruitt Manor once and Catherine's outdoor parlor was amazing. She had lots of daisies around."

Draco glanced at Ginny without her noticing. She was laid back with her eyes closed and her hair was blowing lightly in the wind.

"You call your grandmother Catherine?" asked Draco in a voice that showed little interest but his eyes were wide with wonder.

"Well, yeah, we all do," said Ginny opening her eyes and glancing at her watch. Hermione had have her the muggle item for her birthday last year.

"Do you have somewhere to be?" asked Draco sitting up.

"Kind of, I was suppose to be helping Minevera find a new potions teacher. She has a few people in mind but she wants the other staff members to talk about it before she makes her final decision."

"What happened to Snape?"

"He's teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts," answered Ginny closing her eyes again and fully giving her body relaxation that she hadn't felt in months.

"That'll be good for him,'said Draco thinking about how much he loved potions in school. Professor Snape would teach him different potions outside of class and had tried to get Draco to do a summer internship to teach him more about potions. Even though Draco would have loved to do something in the career of potions he couldn't. The day after he graduated he took over a major division of Malfoy Corporations. He father said that he needed to be prepared for when he could no longer work.

Draco and Ginny stayed in the garden for a little while longer before Ginny decided that she should head back to Hogwarts.

"Well, maybe I should get going," said Ginny as she stretched her muscles and yawned lightly.

"Alright," said Draco before standing up," do you want to meet in Hogsmeads sometime this week?"

"Sure, how about Wednesday, school starts next Sunday so my schedule is going to be hectic."

Once Ginny had left Draco just sat in the garden for awhile. He never really had a break from work or anything so he was just sitting back to relax. His life had been really hectic since he graduated and it seems like he never gets a moment alone. With working at the business and doing other things to keep the Malfoy vault in line his life was just haywire.

"Draco, a letter came for you from Hogwarts," called Narcissa walking into the gardens. She was smiling graciously at her son but he didn't smile back. When Narcissa walked up to Draco she ran his hand over him cheek and kissed him forehead. Growing up all Draco ever wanted was the attention of Narcissa and Lucius but now he acted as though he loathed them.

"She seems extremely nice, Draco," exclaimed Narcissa before walking out of the gardens and back towards the manor.

Dear Mr. Malfoy,

I would like to extend a invitation to you to come and teach at Hogwarts. We currently had a Potions position open and Slytherin is also looking for a new head of house. As I looked through the names of qualified candidates your name repeatedly came to my head. By hiring you I would have a potions teacher and a Slytherin head of house. In school you were remarkable in all of your classes but she should passion for potions.

If this is something that would be of interest to you please write me back a soon as possible with a response. I really need to fill this position some time this week ."

sincerely,

Headmistress McGonagall

Draco sat out in the garden until the sun set contemplating what he was going to do about everything that was going on. He would really enjoy working at Hogwarts but he was afraid of what Lucius would say. He knew that Malfoy Corporations was one of his biggest responsibilities and he would not neglect but this was something he need to do for him.

Once Draco left the garden he walked back into the manor and went to find his father. Lucius was sitting at his desk inside his office reviewing some documents.

"Father," started Draco walking into the office and standing in front of the desk," can I have a word with you?"

"What is it, Draco?"

"I have been invited to teach potions at Hogwarts this year and I want to go."

"And of Malfoy Corporations?"

"I will not forget about my responsibilities Sr. I just think that this is something that I want to do and this will make me happy,"

"Does the family business not make you happy?"
"I wouldn't say that but I can't even breath and mother is pressuring me to find a wife. I just need a break and going away to Hogwarts might help me get that break I need."

"What of your mother trying to help you find a wife? You'll being even busier at Hogwarts than you are here." said Lucius.

"Father I really want to do this,"said Draco and Lucius just looked at him. Everything that was running through his head told Lucius to tell Draco no because he knew that all it would take but this was something that Draco needed to do. Draco never asked Lucius for much and he had took over the fallen division without any hassle. This was something he deserved.

"Alright, you go and teach at Hogwarts but remember that you still have a responsibility to your division of the corporation."

Draco walked out of Lucius's office feeling very proud of himself. He was going to do something that truly made him happy and he was going to be around Professor Snape again. During his years at Hogwarts Snape was like the father that he never had but he could never be Lucius. Whether he liked it or not Lucius had taught him responsibility that no one had never shown him and he would be forever great full.

All of the portraits spoke to Ginny and she made her way to the Great Hall Wednesday morning. She was to have breakfast with all of the teachers for the first time this morning and she was actually excited. She was finally going to meet the young man that McGonagall had chosen for potions teacher.

"Good morning everybody," hummed Ginny walking in looking every upbeat and vibrant. She was extremely happy this morning and she looked even more cheery in her vibrant colors.

Most of the teaches spoke but some of the teachers were still getting use to being on personal terms with a young woman that they had taught less than three years ago. A few of them thought that Mrs. McGonagall had gotten desperate to have chosen a young girl that most of the sixth and seventh years still knew from school.

Draco was let into Hogwarts by Professor Snape about ten minutes before breakfast was to start. He was more than delighted to be here but his face showed a cold young man that looked like a young Professor Snape with white blond hair and pale skin. He was wearing expensive robes and walked with a snake cane like his father did when he was going to important meetings.

"Is the cane necessary, Draco?" questioned Snape waking on step with Draco to the Great Hall.

"Father, recommended it," said Draco stopping in front of the door to the hall.

"Only you can make yourself look superior Draco. Do you think that people respect Lucius because he walks around with a cane?"

"No sir," said Draco simply about to open the door but Snape stopped him.

"Draco people respect you father because he walks and talks with a superiority that says I am somebody. People will learn Draco that you are not your father and you should not try to be.

"I understand Professor."

Finally Professor Snape and Draco walked into the Great Hall and Headmistress McGonagall was the first to notice them. She was delighted to have him here almost as much as she was to have Ginny and Neville. Draco had really changed since he was in school at Hogwarts but for some reason he still wanted to be like his father. He walked and talked so much like Lucius but Minevera knew that he was not his father.

"Thank you for coming, Draco," said Minevera when Draco walked up to her and kissed her hand. She knew that men of his statue preferred not to give hugs but she pulled him into her any way. "You really are something else Draco but I am more than glad that you are joining our staff."

The entire time that Draco was talking to McGonagall Draco could feel someone looking at him and he knew that it was Ginevera. He had saw her taking to Trelawney's when he walked in but she didn't seem to notice him.

"Good morning, Ginevera," said Draco when he walked up to the table and took a seat next to Professor Snape

"Good morning," she replied turning back to Trelawney but every now and then she would glance at him out of the corner of her eye. She didn't really like Draco Malfoy but she kind of liked the mystery that came with him.