Disclaimer: All of the characters mentioned in this fanfic are the creation of the brilliant mind of J.K. Rowling. I've no claim to Draco, Herminoe, Ron, Harry, Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, or any other person, place, or things associated with the Harry Potter saga.

The Thin Line Between Love and Hate Blurs

Chapter 3: Homecoming

Soft light played on her angelic features coaxing her to awake and greet the new day but the only response she gave was a small groan and to turn her face deeper into her pillow. Hermione might have a cheerful disposition under normal circumstances, but in the morning she was anything but. It was made worse by the fact that she could fully remember the revelation her best mate had thrust upon her during the wee hours of the morning; Draco Malfoy would be her co-worker. It was enough to make her want to resign her position right then and there. She could remember all the taunts, the insults, the physical harm that she endured at his or his cronies' hands and wanted to hurt them for putting her through so much. Yet, at the same time she knew that she would never have become the witch she is today if not for them; she could almost thank Malfoy for what he did to her, almost. Finally, when the light seeping through her window was too much to stave off she whipped the blanket off her and trudged to the washroom to take a shower.

Fifteen minutes later, a dripping Hermione was standing in her bedroom with a towel wrapped around her slim body and her phone receiver held at arms length from her body; she could still hear each and every word emanating from its earpiece.

"…AND I HEARD THAT THAT SLIMY GIT IS GOING TO BE WORKING WITH YOU! HERMIONE, ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?!"

"Yes, Ronald Weasley, I am. However, as to keep myself from going absolutely and completely deaf I have refrained from keeping the phone too close to my ears." Hermione rolled her eyes slightly and placed the receiver on the nightstand before toweling herself off; she could still hear Ron loud and clear.

"I SWEAR, IF THAT BLOODY ARSEHOLE SAYS ONE THING TO YOU, ONE THING, I'LL HAVE HIS SMARMY BLONDE HEAD ON A PLATTER. HE'S HAD IT COMING TO HIM, HE HAS! WHAT I WOULD GIVE TO BE AT HOGWARTS RIGHT NOW..."

"If you were at Hogwarts, you wouldn't be playing for the Chudley Cannons but stuck in Azkaban for slicing and dicing the deluded blonde ferret into itty bitty pieces. Please, Ron, I've taken care of myself thus far, I can do it for another year, even if Malfoy is now a variable." She had dried her body off and had wrapped her brown hair into the towel, turban style, before moisturizing, all the while grinning and rolling her eyes at Ron's antics.

"ALL RIGHT, BUT REMEMBER, IF HE SAYS OR DOES ANYTHING TELL ME. OR BETTER YET, TELL HARRY, I'LL HELP HIM COME UP WITH A PLAUSIBLE STORY ABOUT WHY MALFOY'S TOP HALF ENDED UP IN TIMBUKTU AND HIS BOTTOM HALF IN SIBERIA!"

"Ronald, dear, you'd better get going." She glanced at the time and realized that it was nearing ten in the morning already, "and I'd better finish packing for Hogwarts. Owl me!"

"OY, 'MIONE. WHEN'RE WE GONNA GO ON THAT DATE?"

"I don't know Ron, how about during the first Hogsmeade trip? I think its October eleventh."

"RIGHT, OCTOBER ELEVENTH. SEE YOU THEN. REMEMBER, THAT SLIMY GIT..."

"Says one thing to me and I'll let you or Harry know. I got it Ron, now GO! Have fun!" She laughed gently as they finally hung up the phones. "I swear he's more like his father than he thinks."

Hermione bent at the waist and toweled her hair off until it was at least semi dry before putting some styling cream into it so that it hung in soft ringlets over her back. She turned towards her wardrobe and after a few minutes contemplation, picked out a comfortable pair of black slacks and a white button up shirt to wear for the day. She donned the outfit and looked at her reflection in the full length mirror, smiling at how much she had already grown up in the few years since Hogwarts. It wasn't like she was gorgeous or anything, but she had definitely matured, both emotionally and physically, since graduation and it suited her. She turned to scan her bedroom and saw all the piles of clothes lying about and with a soft sigh flicked her wand. All of her clothes carefully packed themselves neatly into the suitcase she had open on her bed; with another flick of her wand, the few pairs of shoes she owned followed suit. With a satisfied nod of the head she walked into her flat's living room and opened the trunk sitting on the floor; a wave of the wand and all the books she had brought home flew into its mouth. At least she didn't need to bring all her books home, the amount required to teach seven years worth of students was enough to fill her flat tenfold; the majority of the books remained at school in both her classroom and her personal room within the castle.

At a quarter to eleven Hermione was completely packed and ready to head for Hogwarts. She looked at her trunk, suitcase, and small duffel bag that held her shoes with dismay. Every year she brought far too many items to school, but every year she couldn't bear to leave anything behind. A small smile crept across her lips as a silent spell escaped them, transforming each of the bulky items into pocket sized miniatures of their original. Hermione tucked them away into her purse before taking one last look around her flat. Sadness flooded her features and she wiped away a tear, desperately telling herself that this is what she wanted. One last look around and with a pop, she disapparated to Hogsmeade.

As per usual, there was a carriage pulled by Thestrals, which she could now see, waiting for her when she arrived. She heaved herself into the spacious carriage and grimaced at the sudden rocking motion as they pulled away from the platform. Up on the hill lay her home for the next nine months, Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It would take about twenty minutes for the carriage to reach the main entrance, so Hermione settled herself in and gazed at the awe inspiring scenery that flashed by her. Seven years she had been a student here, and had become a teacher three years earlier at the tender age of twenty. Many of the wizarding community spurned Headmistress McGonagall for appointing such a young witch to be the new Transfiguration teacher, however Hermione proved her worth that first year and afterwards the only complaints were from the higher-ups of the community who still felt that her parentage made her less than qualified for the position.

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"I'm sure you remember where most everything is, Mr. Malfoy, but bear with me just the same." Professor McGonagall was showing the new professor around his former school. Draco strode next to the Headmistress, step for step, not intimidated in the least by her position of authority. She proceeded to show him the floors of the school, one by one as if he were a first year again. Despite the five years since he last attended Hogwarts, the layout was ingrained in his brain and he automatically jumped over the sinking step when they approached it without even thinking.

"Now the last two potions teachers both took up residences in the dungeons near the potions classroom. You have the option to continue to do so, or choose another section of the castle to stay in. Which would you prefer?"

Draco took a minute to consider before answering her. His eyes narrowed in concentration as he considered all the little niches within the expanse of the castle. On one hand he felt he should continue the tradition of the potions professor to be stationed within the dank and dreary dungeon, especially considering both of the previous potions teachers were former Slytherins, like himself. However, and a small smirk crept across his lips as he realized he'd come to this conclusion, he was here to break the chains of tradition that had held him for so long in their cold, unyielding grasp.

"Would you mind overly much if I explored my options, Headmistress McGonagall?"

Slightly taken aback, McGonagall had to fight to keep her stride steady. Was this truly the same arrogant, pure-blood sadist that attended this school not five years previous? A nervous smile appeared as she answered him, "Of course you may Mr. Malfoy. Though I feel I must inform you that should you choose to continue with your decision you shall be in close proximity with several of your old classmates, who are now of course, your esteemed colleagues. Those professors who see fit to live within the walls where they instruct all live in either the Hall of Perseverance, or the Hall of Joviality. I assure you that all housing accommodations are equal and that the students have no way of access to these halls."

Draco Malfoy tilted his head slightly at the mention of the professor's living quarters. He knew that several of his previous professors chose to live within the walls of Hogwarts, but he also knew that the vast majority of them had lived within their own flats or cottages just outside of Hogsmeade. The fact that he had never even heard of the Halls of Perseverance or Joviality was a slight sting to his ego, he thought he had uncovered the many secrets of the castle, but apparently there was more magic than he could have ever imagined ingrained within the very foundation of the castle. The Hall of Joviality left a sour taste in his mouth; Mr. Malfoy was not one to completely turn his back on who he was in the past, and who he was now. The Hall of Perseverance lent itself a certain ring in his ears. He was used to discipline beyond practicality and perseverance simply became a way of life for him, especially while his father had 'ruled' his young life. It was almost as if destiny had decided to plop a little nudge just behind his brain, but it was the incessant nudging that finally had him rolling his eyes and saying, "Thank you, Headmistress McGonagall. The Hall of Perseverance sounds lovely. Shall we proceed?"

Minerva let out a small breath of air she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Either way had a benefit, but she felt slightly more at ease that he would be within the confines of the castle. Sure, he had passed every rigorous test and screening the Aurors had placed on him, but that didn't wipe his slate clean. She was still hesitant about his taking up the position. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how it was looked upon, he was the best man for the job.

"Follow me."

Up the steps to the fourth floor, across the massive stone bridge and under the archway, and up to the fifth floor of the adjoining building that expanded Hogwarts by almost 60%, she paused about halfway down a corridor. She spun on her heel and faced the wall to her left before simply walking through. "So it's a bit like the Platform at King's Cross; if you don't know it's there, you'd never try and look for it," thought Draco, "Works for me." With a shrug he followed Minerva through the wall, raising an eyebrow at the simple elegance within the hidden corridor. It was mapped out like a five star hotel would be if it were located within a thousand year old castle. There were several doors on either side of the corridor, plaques hung above each door knocker with the name of the professor who resided there gracefully engraved. As they treaded down the corridor, Draco read off the few names to himself, "Neville Longbottom, no surprise there. Filius Flitwick, huh, didn't know he still taught here. Emmeline Vance, must be the new DADA professor."

"And this will be your residence," Minerva's words broke through Draco's silent inspection. "Is there anything else I can do to help you become reacquainted with your former school with Mr. Malfoy?"

"No, thank you Headmistress. I think I can manage from here."

"Very well then. I suppose I'll see you just before the beginning of the Welcoming Feast Monday night." She turned with a billow of her robes and walked out of the Hall of Perseverance, almost grateful to be out of his presence. It wasn't that she still held him responsible for all the destruction and death that had occurred years before, but there was just something haunting about him that still gave her the creeps. Minerva McGonagall had to suppress a light shudder as she realized that Professors Longbottom, Malfoy, and Granger were all going to be residing in the same hall. She could only hope that they had matured enough over the years to set differences aside and let the past stay where it ought.

Once the Headmistress had walked through the hidden entrance back into the main castle, Draco turned toward his room. He knew the procedure; his wand was pulled from the pocket of his robes and the tip placed lightly on the brass plaque above the door knocker. "Draco Malfoy, Potions Professor. Absolution." The brass plaque glowed a brilliant blue, almost white and in the fading light the words "Draco Malfoy" were magically inscribed upon the metal. He grasped the ancient metal doorknob and twisted, surprisingly impressed by the smooth action. Taking a step into the room, he shut the door behind him and leaned upon the smooth wood and surveyed his new home for the next nine months, or perhaps longer if he so chose.

Directly in front of him was a quaint but cozy living room set up with a couch, loveseat, and two extremely comfortable looking overstuffed chairs. The coffee table was set not three feet from the hearth on the wall to his right where the fire burned cheerfully. Possibly the most impressive part of the living room were the floor to ceiling windows directly across from him. They were framed by curtains of a heavy material the color of water at twilight. The light did not blind him despite it being nearly noon, rather it filtered into the room and seemed to pleasantly dance upon the furniture. He noted the winding staircase that seemed to lead almost straight up at the center of the wall to his left. Dropping his cloak on the nearest overstuffed chair he made his way to the staircase and climbed up. When he reached the top, he was even more reluctantly impressed with his residence. The staircase led to a loft type of bedroom that was easily the size of his bedroom at the Manor. A four-poster canopy style king-sized bed that he was familiar with dominated the center of the bedroom flanked by two nightstands. Two more overstuffed chairs were placed nearer to the edge of the balcony overlooking the living room with a small table between them; a large armoire had a place along the right wall. There was a door to each side of the loft, to the left he found the washroom, the floor paved with dark marble, and to the right he found a cramped office with several bookshelves, a desk, and a chair. Draco was used to living sumptuously but this suited his new position and he felt a small twinge of attachment to the simple but elegant surroundings. A turn on his heel and he noted that his trunks lay open but unattended on the bed, just as he'd requested. A light sigh escaped his lips as he turned to the task of unpacking and settling in.

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As the carriage approached the castle, Hermione experienced a surge of joy; she was home. It had barely stopped before she bounded out and stood on the stairs that led to the Grand Entrance with an enormous smile plastered on her face. A minute later she walked up the steps and into the castle itself. She walked the halls on the way to the Hall of Perseverance with a quiet trot but stopped short on the bridge connecting the castles when she nearly ran headlong into Headmistress McGonagall.

"Hello, Headmistress."

"Oh, hello Hermione; I'm glad to see you're here again," a smile lighted her face, making her seem a few years younger than she usually exuded, "I've just shown Mr. Malfoy to his residence."

The smile on Hermione's face fell for a split second before she replaced it and laid a hand on Minerva's shoulder in a reassuring way. "Don't worry; I'm sure things will settle quickly."

"I hope so. Well, best leave you to unpack. I'll see you at the Welcoming Feast." She grasped Hermione's hand on her shoulder and gave it a light squeeze and tap before releasing it and walking back through to the main castle. Hermione's chocolate brown eyes followed her departing figure for a few seconds before squaring her shoulders and walking the remaining distance to the Hall of Perseverance. She didn't even pause to consider where Mr. Malfoy's new residence would be located; she was too ready to be back in her own cozy room. "Harmony," the word was softly spoken and followed by a delicate click as the lock on the door released. A pleasant congregation of earth tones greeted her eyes and the delicate scent of freesias assailed her nose. She nearly ran up the staircase to her bedroom in her haste to fling herself upon the soft down-filled mattress. A soft sigh of pleasure escaped her lips and her eyes closed, feeling herself nearly sinking into the soft warmth. Five blissful minutes later she sat up and pulled her miniature luggage out of her purse that she had carelessly tossed upon the floor; a soft tap of the wand and they resumed their original size and shape. She began unpacking, the anxiety of being colleagues with Draco Malfoy pushed far back in her mind.

Author's note: It's been a loooong while. I apologize. My life has been quite hectic in the last few years and a dear friend of mine reminded me that I should reacquaint myself with my work in order to grasp a better hold on my spiraling world. I appreciate those of you who have waited patiently for the next installment of this story, and if you're new--all the better!

Please Rate/Reveiw, it may inspire me ;-)