Hermione felt as though the next week flew by. Suddenly, she was a day away from leaving her loft and making Hogwarts her home once more. She had hardly any time to look at the box McGonagall had given her, seeing as she spent most of her days with her friends. She sat down at her kitchen table, opening the box slowly. Most of it was filled with packets of information about the school year, but there were two parchments that she would have needed a bit earlier than a day before her departure. One was a list of supplies she would need, almost like the ones she got as a kid, but less formal. The other, was a list of the school staff, which included but was not limited to, other heads of houses. She read it thoroughly.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Staff List
Headmistress: Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmaster: Filius Flitwick
'Good for him" 'Hermione thought.
Head of Gryffindor House: Hermione Granger
Head of Ravenclaw House: Filius Flitwick
'That makes sense, McGonagall was head of house and deputy headmistress when we were in school.' Hermione reminded herself.
Head of Hufflepuff House: Hannah Abbott
'She's back as well? Wonder what she is teaching.." Hermione's thoughts trailed off, but what she read next shocked her right back to the present.
Head of Slytherin House: Draco Malfoy
Her mouth remained open in shock for a few seconds, she couldn't believe that McGonagall would let someone like him back. Especially to teach young students. After allowing herself to jump to various conclusions, she forced herself to continue reading.
Teachers are listed below:
Transfiguration: Minerva McGonagall
Defence Against the Dark Arts: Draco Malfoy
Hermione scoffed loudly.
Muggle Studies: Hermione Granger
Herbology: Neville Longbottom
Astronomy: Aurora Sinistra
Ancient Runes: Bathsheda Babbling
History of Magic: Hannah Abbott
Charms: Filius Flitwick
Divination: Sybill Trelawney
Hermione shuddered. She never much liked Professor Trelawney, and she never got over the chaos she caused with her loose 'predictions'.
Potions: Horace Slughorn
Flying: Angelina Johnson
Hermione let out a sigh of relief. She had completely forgotten about George's wife worked at Hogwarts. It would be nice to see her. The list continued:
Care of Magical Creatures: Rubeus Hagrid
Another sigh of relief, and a smile tore across her face before she continued on reading.
Arithmancy: Septima Vector
Addition Staff Includes:
Caretaker: Argus Filch
Librarian: Irma Pince
Matron: Poppy Pomfrey
Grounds Keeper: Rubeus Hagrid
Hermione finished reading. So many emotions were swirling through her mind. Some of the new additions were expected, and almost perfect fits, but Malfoy? She couldn't see how McGonagall would hire him given the history. She knew he was technically cleared of all wrongdoing. She knew that Harry had spoken on his behalf at his trial, sharing that he was only a kid, brainwashed by his parents, given no room for his own decisions. She knew that Malfoy had switched sides in the final battle, and that, according to Harry, he had helped them out while they were held captive at the Manor. She knew all of these facts, but she could not just erase all the bad he did because of them. She wondered how McGonagall could, but maybe she should be taking a page out of her book.
Hermione spent the next couple of hours in Diagon Alley, shopping for her necessary supplies. She was surprised not to run into a single person she knew, but she was sort of okay with that. Multiple people on the street engaged with her, thanking her for her service. She even got a free butterbeer. She was used to this treatment, but it somehow always felt…wrong. If any of these people had realized that she did what she did for survival, not necessarily the greater good. She felt unworthy of such fuss and praise, though she never had the heart to correct any of them.
When she was done, she apparated back to her loft, finding her three closest friends already there waiting for her.
"You know…" She started, smiling at her friends slyly. "It's a bit creepy that you all were just in my loft, waiting for me to arrive home."
"Oh come off it!" Ginny replied sharply. "It's a bit of a shame that you left your loft, with the front door completely unlocked, Miss 'smartest witch of her age' Granger." Ginny ended sarcastically, air quoting the common phrase. Hermione's eyes widened in shock.
"Did I?!" Hermione ran to her front door, only to find it…perfectly locked. She shot a glare at Ginny.
"We came through floo." Ginny stated matter of factly, holding her grin annoyingly in place.
"Very…Fred and George of you" Hermione said. She watched as the threesome winced at Fred's name, but how they all brightened as they realized the comparison she was making.
"That's the best compliment someone could ever give me…" Ginny answered slowly, and then cleared her throat, regaining composure.
"Anyway 'Mione, we wanted to wish you luck and send you off!" Harry said cheerfully. Hermione smiled fondly at her friends.
"Thank you! I was just at Diagon Alley picking up some last minute supplies." Hermione faltered, wanting to ask Harry about Malfoy, but knowing not to do it in front of Ron. "As you can see, I am all ready to go!"
"How will we be able to contact you?" Harry asked, pausing to make sure Hermione was listening as she was shuffling her boxes around. "Can we floo call you?"
"I believe I can attach certain people to the floo network, but only for calls, they don't want people randomly coming into the building." Harry and Ginny nodded, Ron Hermione noticed, didn't seem interested at all. "I'll add you guys." She said pointedly at Harry and Ginny. Again, Ron didn't notice. Harry elbowed Ron in the ribs.
"Yea 'Mione, good luck and all. I've got to get going." Ron said awkwardly, glancing a few too many times at Ginny's stomach, which wasn't even showing. He kissed Hermione on the cheek, looked at Harry and Ginny awkwardly and apparated away.
"He's really getting on my last nerve." Harry said through gritted teeth. "Before you defend…" Harry added quickly, anticipating Hermione's next move. "...I get where he is coming from." Hermione shot him a look. "I DO!" He insisted. "I just think it's a bit unfair that I can't share my happiness with my best friend." Harry's tone was solemn, and Ginny looked fit to kill.
"You're right." Hermione said simply, shocking Harry. "He is being unfair, and you should tell him that."
"I have!' Answered Ginny defiantly.
"Not you, Harry." Hermoine said sternly, sounding more and more like a Hogwarts teacher. "Gin, you are his sister, he is always going to ignore you. Harry is his best friend, who he went through hell with. Harry needs to say it." Hermione almost huffed, as if annoyed by the whole thing.
"It's not worth the war path that will follow." Harry replied shortly.
"Then don't complain about it." Hermione answered matter of factly. Harry nodded, and Hermione saw her opportunity. "Harry, on another note…did you know that Malfoy is a teacher at Hogwarts?" It was obvious to her that both parties knew. "And you feel fine about that?"
"Well…" Harry started, and Hermione noticed Ginny shying away, as if this was Harry's conversation to have. "...I am the reason he got the job." Harry paused, waiting for a reaction, but when he didn't get one, continued. "After his trial, Malfoy spent about a year cleaning up his father's messes. He was jobless, and struggling to find one. I was having tea with Minerva…" Harry trailed off, took a sip of water, and continued. "...and she told me she was having immense trouble filling certain positions, as many were still scared to work in the rebuilding castle. I told her Malfoy was struggling, and he was quite the potions master while we were in school. She told me that the position was filled by Slughorn but she needed a DADA teacher. I told her he'd know better than anyone, seeing as he was engulfed in the darkest magic ever used. I gave him my full support, and he was hired a month later." Harry finished, his eyes guarded.
"So you really think…" Hermione started, pausing to find her footing. "...that he's changed?" She questioned.
"I think…that he never really decided who he was, until it was almost too late." Harry's words hung heavy in the air.
"Well I trust you Harry, so I'll have to do my best to put old wounds behind me." Hermione responded, very mature and even keeled.
Hermione kissed Harry and Ginny goodbye, placing a small kiss on Ginny's flat stomach. About 10 minutes after their departure, she placed locking charms, alarm charms, and silencing charms on her loft. She picked up her bags and muttered a "let's go" to Crookshanks. She picked up Crookshanks, stepping into the fireplace and floo-ed to her destination.
As she stepped out into her very own office, Harry's words hung heavy on her mind. She had never thought about it the way Harry obviously had. She always assumed the arrogant ferret-like boy knew exactly who he was. It surely seems possible though, that part of the reason he was so angry, is because he didn't. They were after all, just kids. She used to get so angry when Mrs Weasley said those words, but looking back, she knew them to be true. They were kids, thrown into the adult world by sheer dumb luck.
After unpacking, she headed to the library, gathering some materials for her class next week. When she entered, she got the sudden feeling of home. Madam Pince was still there, and upon seeing her, closed her book and smiled fondly.
"Hello again Miss Granger, come back to teach?" Hermione nodded. "It suits you dear." She said sweetly.
"Thank you…Irma" Hermione struggled with the first name once again, but Madam Pince did not waiver at her mistake. Hermione went straight into the aisle for Muggle Studies materials.
"Granger" Came a cold, hard voice a couple paces away. Hermione turned and saw Draco Malfoy leaning against the end of the aisle, looking straight at her. She noticed how he had grown. His upper body was much more toned and defined, and his face seemingly less….evil. His platinum blonde hair, hanging similarly to their fourth year. Hermione wasn't sure why she remembered that. She noticed how he was not in robes, but jeans and a dark green t-shirt. It wasn't exactly Slytherin green, but close enough. His grey eyes were just the same, except they didn't seem quite as piercing. His mouth was in his most infamous smirk, though again, less malicious.
"Malfoy." Hermione responded curtly.
"I heard through…well…Longbottom that you were starting here this year." He said, almost sounding….playful.
"Neville was correct." Hermione retorted.
"Well um…." Draco seemed awkward all of the sudden. "...I guess I'll be seeing you around." He spun on his heels, and started to walk towards the exit. Hermione cleared her throat suddenly, which caused him to turn around.
"It was…" She faltered nervously. "...not horrible seeing you again Malfoy." She took a moment to play with the book pages, waiting for his answer.
"What a review!" Draco replied, almost sneering but not quite. "I should write that on my resume. Hermione Granger, the golden girl herself, said it's not horrible to see me. Real praise from a celebrity." He laughed aggressively. Hermione was going to retort, but before she could, Draco Malfoy was out the door.
'I guess old habits die hard.' Hermione said to herself, taking the book up to Madam Pince to check out.
