Chapter 5: Hogwarts Memories

I was sitting in the Head's Common Room. When I returned to repeat my last year of Hogwarts, I was not expecting the invitation to be Head Boy. In fact, I went to Headmistress McGonnagall's office earlier that year to tell her it was a mistake. She told me that she knew I was not my father. I was one of the best students, and because of my experiences, she knew that I could be an example for the other Slytherin students whose parents were on the wrong side of the war. I didn't believe her, in fact I didn't really believe in myself. I'd probably be a bad influence if anything.

I'd tried making excuses to myself over the mistakes and choices I had made over the last few years, but I still hated myself for everything I had done, and what was expected of me to do. I came back to Hogwarts because I didn't know what to do with my life. I knew nothing other than what my father, and ultimately what Voldemort wanted me to be. This year was my chance to figure that out.

It didn't surprise me that Granger made Head Girl. She really was the better student between us. Besides that, she had the moral compass of an Angel. An Angel, Draco? I thought to myself, you both hate each other.

I looked to the other side of the room where Granger was studying. I knew she couldn't hear my thoughts, but I felt guilty all the same. I've been thinking about Granger a lot since we have been spending a lot of time together as Heads. It made me increasingly feel more guilty each day for how I treated her and her friends. I would never actually apologize though. She couldn't see me as weak.

Potter and Weasley didn't return to complete their seventh year. I heard Granger tell someone that they were approached to become Aurors. Makes sense when you're on the winning side, I thought.

I heard Granger packing up her things into her bag and then she started walking towards me.

"Should we plan this month's activities now?" She asked me as she sat down across from me.

I nodded. Granger has had some great ideas this year to help unify all students at Hogwarts no matter what House they belonged to.

"I know this is silly, but I figured with everything that has happened this past year, it might be nice to set up a dance like we had back in our 4th year. In Muggle schools they have several dances a year."

I think she expected me to decline after her last statement as when I said, "Yeah, I think that would be a good change of pace from recent events." she looked surprised.

She continued to be silent, so I asked, "Are you going to invite Weasley to come back to school to be your date?"

She looked at me blankly, "I….I-" she stuttered, "He broke up with me because I returned to school. He didn't understand why education is important to me I guess."

She paused and shook her head. "I don't know why I even told you that."

I shrugged it off, "Always knew he was a Weasel."

Granger stood up from her seat quickly enough that all my papers flew down to the floor. 'You impudent jerk! I thought you were finally trying to be nice for once." Granger left the Head Common Room and slammed the door shut.

I mentally slapped myself. I had been trying to be a better person. I determined to myself that I would apologize to Granger and resolved to be better, if she ever gave me the chance.

I mixed together the ingredients for the Perfect Medicine for the last time. I'd finally figured it out. Over the last two months we've joined with St. Mungos and since have completed several successful trials with patients stationed there. A reporter from The Daily Prophet is coming to our office to interview Albert and I. I owe most of the credit to him, as he helped me get to this point. I bottled the medicine and put it with the others and headed to my office as there was a bit of paperwork I needed to do before these were transferred to the hospital.

On my desk were several pictures of Hermione. It'd been several months since Ginny had brought all of the photos to the manor. The girls have loved watching the moving pictures, and though they have never seen her, I think they know she is their mother. I also read her weekly letters to them every night, despite the fact they probably don't understand.

I thought about last night, Ivy and Vera just turned 6 months old yesterday. They both had blond hair like me, but they already had distinct waves like their mother. Besides the hair, they looked mostly like Hermione. Each morning when they look at me with their brown eyes, it melts my heart.

I got back to my paperwork and an hour later I heard a knock on my office door. "Come in." I called out. Albert walked through the door.

"Rita from the Daily Prophet is here for the interview about The Perfect Medicine." Albert notified me and I scoffed at her name. They sent her? I thought as I rose from my chair and followed him out.

"Is the reason you created this so-called "perfect medicine to cure all ailments" due to the fact that you lost your wife 6 months ago?" RIta had been hounding me for the last ten minutes. I'd unsuccessfully deterred her attention from me as she'd not yet asked Albert a single question.

I gave Albert a look of disdain and answered Rita's question. "The fact is that Albert and I have been working on this for a while now. It was an assignment years ago. To answer your question, no. It would not have helped Hermione even if this was around to help her."

I was getting annoyed at Rita and her scribbling quill. I don't know why they sent her. Hermione told me stories of our 5th year and the mess that she had caused. Albert looked at me and knew that I'd had enough of Rita's babble. He said to her "Why don't I show you our lab?" as he forcibly led her away. I took a minute to catch my breath and followed them.

"Draco?" My mother said, calling me out of my reverie. I was drinking tea and thinking about Hermione. My birthday was tomorrow, the first one without her for many years.

I looked up at her. She was holding Vera while Ivy sat in a baby walker, playing with her toys.

"I've invited some people over for your birthday tomorrow. Ginny is coming early to help me set up. I hope that's okay."

I knew why my mother asked me. While I didn't particularly enjoy Ron's presence, especially with what happened at Hermione's Funeral, I thought back on the night he had come over to apologize. It was a few weeks after Luna had taken their daughter and left to go stay with the Potter's. I'd figured it was an ultimatum from Luna that Ron come apologize. But all the same, I've tried not holding any hard feelings towards him. After all, they were best friends, it's almost natural to miss her just as much as I did.

"Ba-ba-ba-ba-ma-na" Ivy babbled as I picked her up out of her walker and swung her in the air. The twins loved it when I did this. Giggling ensued from both babies as Ivy flew around the room. I loved hearing the sound of the girls babbling and giggling. It brought some life back into the manor.

Konry rang the dinner bell to indicate that dinner was ready. My mother and I carried the girls into the dining room. They were just old enough to start eating some baby food. As my mother and I ate and fed them, she asked me, "So, how did that interview go today?

"It was rather annoying." I stated. "They sent that woman, Rita. She just kept trying to find a story that just wasn't there."

I took a few bites of my food and continued, "I hope that the article is at least some-what decent though. The more people that know about this medicine, the more people it could help."

My mother nodded, and we continued on discussing how our days went until it was time to put the girls down to bed.