Hermione whipped around at the sound of his voice. Him. Her mouth dropped open at the sight of his tall, blond figure. She couldn't for the life of her understand what he was doing there, in the very same castle that he had plotted to destroy nearly two years ago. He had shown his true colors then; he had taken sides. Why, then, was he waltzing through the castle like he owned the place? Draco Malfoy smirked and shoved his hands into his robe. "Cat got your tongue, Granger?" Hermione felt a flare of anger. She snapped her mouth shut and scowled.
"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Hermione spat.
"Now, now, Granger, be civil. You wouldn't want to step on my toes," he said with a sly grin.
"Why on earth would I care about offending you, Malfoy?" As Malfoy opened his mouth to reply, Hermione interrupted him. "You know what? I don't care about anything a Death Eater like you has to say. Haven't you done us enough harm?" A flicker of something indiscernible crossed Malfoy's stone features at that. "Just leave me alone." Wild hair flouncing as she stalked off, she was now frightfully late for her meeting, but she couldn't find it in her just then to care.
"Miss Granger, how are you doing? Please, come in," Minerva McGonagall ushered Hermione into her office.
"I'm so sorry I'm late, Professor," Hermione apologized. "I ran into a few...obstacles on my way here." Hermione's face flushed, an outward sign of her inward indignation at Malfoy's intrusion into her life. "If you can believe it, I met Draco Malfoy on the stairs, and he had the audacity to be arrogant with me! I mean, after everything he did, all the people he...hurt," Hermione's voice trembled a little then, "you'd think he might have some small semblance of shame. He even told me not to offend him, as if that would have some big impact on my life. Like I would care if I did! After everything, he still..." She noticed a look on McGonagall's face that she couldn't quite read, but had some resemblance to...shame? Hermione stopped herself. "I'm sorry, Professor. I got carried away, and I was already late. Please, what was it you wanted to meet about?"
McGonagall shifted uncomfortably in her seat then, and Hermione frowned. Her old professor hardly ever showed discomfort like this. She was usually strictly business.
"Professor? Is everything all right?" Hermione asked hesitantly.
"Well, Miss Granger, part of what I wanted to discuss with you is young Mr. Draco. However, we will put that aside for the moment." Hermione looked disgruntled at this, but respectfully remained quiet.
"Firstly, I wanted to discuss a business offer with you, one which I think you will find rather agreeable. As you know, my title as Deputy Headmistress requires that I fill the recently vacated position as Headmistress at Hogwarts. However, that leaves me with an empty position teaching Transfiguration.
"I asked to meet with you, because I would like to see you fill that empty position, Miss Granger."
Hermione's mouth fell open. She couldn't believe it. Teaching at Hogwarts, at just 18? She would be barely older than the seventh years! It was what she had dreamed about, teaching here, but she hadn't expected to have the opportunity so soon. And that was second to whether she was even good enough. Most teachers had years of experience and were masters in their fields before being offered a position at Hogwarts. Sure, she was top of her class at Hogwarts. And a small voice told her that she had had plenty of practical experience while moving around during the war, but she pushed that thought aside. So what if she was young, that small, strong voice said inside her. It's what she had always wanted, and didn't she deserve it, after everything? She had always figured out everything life had thrown at her, and wasn't this something worth the challenge? Hermione was interrupted from her churning thoughts by McGonagall's voice.
"Miss Granger, before you decide anything, there is something else you must know." McGonagall hesitated before continuing. "I feel compelled to tell you that...that Mr. Malfoy will also be teaching here this year."