Hermione stormed into the Headmistress's office. She gritted her teeth as she contained her anger. Malfoy was never going to know how much those words hurt her.
Professor McGonagall looked up from the paperwork she had been studying earlier on. Her face was a mask of surprise and confusion at the sight of such an irate Head Girl.
"Yes, Ms Granger?" Professor McGonagall queried.
"Professor, why is Draco Malfoy in the Heads' room?" she blurted out angrily. "Wasn't he expelled last year?"
Professor McGonagall pursed her lips as she regarded Hermione. She wearily waved her hand to seat in front of her desk. Reluctantly, Hermione sat down.
"I've agreed to his request to continue with his studies here," Professor McGonagall elucidated, offering Hermione a cup of which she politely declined. "Mr Malfoy has certain rules which he has to adhere to. Rules that are far more stricter than the normal school rules. I felt the need to discipline him, thus making him the Head Boy. Any slight abuse of his authority and he'd be immediately expelled."
"But Professor, he tried to kill Professor Dumbledore last year!" Hermione objected, her brown eyes blazing with eminent fury. "How could he be allowed in this school?"
Professor McGonagall eyed her steadily. She had expected it. The students and the staff could not easily forgive Draco Malfoy for what he had done last year. Nor could they forget the destruction he had brought to Hogwarts.
"Everybody makes mistakes, Ms Granger," Professor McGonagall tried to explain the whole situation again. "And everybody deserves a second chance. Including Mr Malfoy. We can't simply judge him by that one mistake he made!"
Then her tone softened, "Learn to forgive him, Ms Granger. No doubt the whole school must be despising him now. But if you could forgive him, I'm sure that the rest of the school population could accept him again. He's going through very difficult times, Ms Granger. Don't make him more troubled than he already is."
Hermione held back a snort. "What problems could such a rich Pureblood like him have?"
Professor McGonagall smiled thinly at her retort. "I've been sworn to secrecy, Ms Granger. It's for you to find out own your own accord. I believe Mr Malfoy hadn't had his dinner yet. I hope you could bring up something from the kitchen for him to eat. The house elves are still not aware of his presence."
Hermione obliged. She thanked the Headmistress and hurried to the kitchen. Professor McGonagall seemed so grave on the matter. What in the world could be troubling Malfoy?