Hermione returned to Grimmauld Place. Harry and Ginny were still at work so it was just her and Kreacher in the house. The house elf prepared her some lunch and Hermione took both the sandwiches and her case folder to her room to study it.
She learned that the Elite Auror Department would write to her previous employers in the Auror department posing as her and inform them that she was resigning to take up a teaching post at Hogwarts. There was also a very long document of guidelines, telling her everything from warning her to be careful what she ate and drank (if she was unsure she should use the Poison Testing kit which apparently would be delivered to her room by owl within the next few days with more useful items to help her on the mission) to recommendations of useful spells and suggestions as to what she should do if she was captured by criminals or lost her wand.
There was also a lot of information on the staff at Hogwarts, even Filch had a biography. Kestrel had told them to trust nobody. Did he suspect that somebody at Hogwarts was involved? She was expected to distrust the teachers...teachers who she knew, including Neville who was a Herbology Professor. She would find that difficult as she would refuse to believe that any of the Hogwarts teachers were involved with Death Eaters. Kestrel evidently had a paranoia borne from too many years chasing down criminals because the notion that people such as McGonagall or Neville could be suspects in the case was ridiculous.
Then there was Malfoy. Hermione knew why Kestrel had chosen him. Despite the fact he was an arsehole most of the time, he was actually quite intelligent and a very adept wizard with immense skill and was able to think quickly and calmly in even the direst situations. He would make a very good agent, Hermione imagined. Whether they would get along however, was another matter entirely.
If Hermione refused to engage in disagreements with Malfoy, if she refused to rise to his mockery, she would be able to handle it. She was able to comport herself with dignity, maturity and professionalism and her main concern now as an official spy for the Elite Auror Department, was the mission that lay in front of her, not the possibility that she and Malfoy may end up fighting. She decided she would give Malfoy few opportunities to rile her. She would be polite, friendly and amicable and see how things progressed.
She was half way through reading the details of the case when she heard the front door slam. She quickly put the file in her desk drawer and went downstairs. Harry had finished work early and was being served tea by Kreacher in the kitchen.
"Hi Harry" said Hermione cheerfully "why are you home so early?"
"I finished the reports" Harry replied "so I decided to give myself the evening off. Why are you home so early?"
"I don't work at the Ministry anymore" said Hermione easily.
She would have to get used to becoming a good liar, she supposed. She very much wanted to tell Harry the truth but Kestrel had told her quite firmly not to and she wouldn't risk compromising the mission or her new job. Knowing Harry, he would probably try to talk her out of it if she did tell him the truth. She did not want to be given reasons why she should not embark on this new career because there were very many of those but there were also many reasons why she should. Harry had seen his friends in peril too many times and for too long for him to be enthusiastic about one of them rushing off on a secret mission to take down a gang of Death Eaters and he wouldn't approve of her choice but she needed this, she needed to escape the tedium, the listlessness that she felt day to day, stuck inside the Auror office.
"You haven't been sacked?" said Harry, looking very worried.
"Of course I haven't been sacked" said Hermione "I've kept this quiet for a while now because I didn't want to tell anyone until I was sure I'd succeeded, but I applied for a teaching job at Hogwarts a few weeks ago and I've been given the post" that was a good lie, she thought.
"Wow, Hermione that's brilliant, congratulations!" said Harry earnestly.
Hermione looked at Harry's beaming face and suddenly felt quite terrible for lying to him. She at once desperately wanted to explain everything, she felt guilty for keeping him in the dark.
"Yeah, I've been thinking about a change of career for quite a while now" Hermione continued "I think I'll make a good teacher"
"You'll make a brilliant teacher" Harry insisted "what subject are you teaching?"
"Transfiguration" she replied, deciding at that moment to leave out the part that Draco Malfoy would be her colleague "McGonagall has been looking for new staff recently so I thought I would apply"
"I guess you'll be leaving on the first?" said Harry.
Hermione nodded "yes"
"Well that's only three days away. We should spend some time together before you leave and you'll be coming here for Christmas won't you?"
"Of course" said Hermione "you're going to miss me then?" she asked with a smile.
"I'm a bit envious in a way" admitted Harry "I'd like to see Hogwarts again. Are you looking forward to it?"
"Very much so" replied Hermione truthfully.
They spent the rest of the afternoon discussing Hermione's new job and reminiscing about Hogwarts until Ginny returned home from work at the Improper Use of Magic Office and they all had dinner together. Ginny was thrilled for Hermione and insisted they had to have a little party to celebrate her new career.
"You will be a great teacher, Hermione" said Ginny, spooning roast potatoes onto Harry's plate "really amazing. When shall we have your party?"
"I really don't want a big fuss, Ginny" said Hermione.
"Oh nonsense" said Ginny "it won't be a big party, don't worry, just a few of our friends"
Hermione remained awake until late at night studying her case file. She wanted to be sure she read and understood it all properly. When she was sure she had read each part thoroughly, she put it in her desk drawer and went to bed.
Draco opened the door of his flat and went into the quiet, cold living room. He lit the fire with his wand, deposited the case file on his coffee table and asked the house elf to make him a sandwich. He normally did not drink during the day but he felt as though he needed it and so sloshed some Fierwhisky into a glass and dropped onto the sofa.
What had he got himself into? He had no intention of backing out now but he wondered whether he had made a mistake in accepting the job. By the sounds of things, it would be an easy mission, he reflected. All he had to do was pretend to be a teacher, not get found out and ensure the Minister for Magic's daughter was kept safe. Was he pleased about this fact or not? Would he rather have the mission be simple than it be difficult, exhilarating and dangerous? Admittedly he had somewhat hoped he would be going off to some exotic, glamorous location full of pretty women and fine wine on a mission packed with excitement. Was that not what spies did? Apparently not.
Granger would be a pain in the arse to work with, Draco thought. She would try to dictate everything, tell him what to do and generally be the know-it-all she was. At least if he turned out to be a crap teacher she would pick up the slack for him. She would be a good teacher. In fact, it was the perfect career for Granger, working back amongst all the books and homework she so loved.
If he was to be completely honest with himself, Draco was feeling quite anticipative about working closely with her. What would they talk about? Books probably, if she had her way. When he had seen her in the waiting room of the Elite Auror Department, she looked healthy and nicely groomed. He had seen her before with torn clothes and a bloody face, with fear and panic in her eyes and that Granger was a far cry from the young woman he was reacquainted with earlier. To any passerby, she would look like any other, average career driven woman but Draco knew different. He knew she was a fighter, he knew she was brave and somehow it did not seem fitting for her to be stuck in an office all day, pouring over piles of paperwork behind a desk like some office drone. Maybe she thought the same, maybe that's why she took the job.
Whenever Draco had thought of her during these past five years, it was the memory of her lying face down in the parlour of his childhood home that came to him first. He recalled one time, during the Battle of Hogwarts when she had disappeared amongst the combatants. He had felt a relief he had never felt before when he discovered she was still unhurt, still alive. He remembered her bringing him a cup of tea the day that followed the battle, when he had accompanied her and Potter and the rest to Grimmauld Place. He could not face going home that day, not back to the mansion, that place where she had been tortured by Bellatrix, where all that trouble had happened. It was the most kindness he had been shown in a very long time, that simple offer of a cup of tea and he felt a huge amount of gratitude to her that he was not brave enough to show her.
He opened the case file and began reading through it, skimming through it idly at first but then he decided he should probably read the stupid thing properly and so he flicked to the front, took a sip of whisky and started to read.
Ginny had arranged Hermione's party for the following day and the kitchen of Grimmauld place sported a large banner reading "congratulations Hermione" on it and was reminiscent of the time Molly had put up a similar banner there all those years ago, congratulating her and Ron on becoming prefects.
Ron would be attending the party and Hermione felt quite jittery about it. Their relationship had crumbled last year but Hermione knew Ron had not given up on her yet. They saw each other quite regularly but every time Hermione was worried Ron would bring up the subject of their past relationship and try to convince her to give it another go. He had made plenty of hints about it before.
She loved Ron dearly and she still cared for him as much as she had ever done and once upon a time she had been in love with him, very deeply in love with him but they had grown apart, or rather Hermione had fallen out of love with Ron when they moved in together. At first it was blissful, wonderful and Ron was everything she had ever wanted in a boyfriend. Then, last year, he had proposed. Hermione had automatically said yes, partly out of shock. She had not been expecting it at all. Then the uncertainty started to set in. It was normal, Ginny had insisted, to be nervous about getting married, it was normal to have doubts. But Hermione was beginning to wonder if she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Ron, if she wanted to marry so young. She could not see herself as a little wife, making dinners and bringing up children in some picturesque cottage somewhere in the countryside as Ron would undoubtedly expect her to and think that was what she wanted. She did not want that life yet.
So she had called off the engagement. Ron had been angry at first and taken it as proof that Hermione no longer loved him and that there was little point them being together at all if that was the case. Then he had grown quite depressed and then he had either decided to hide it or learnt to cope with it because they had become friends again once more. Hermione had spent countless nights crying because of the breakdown of their relationship, endless hours wondering if she had done the right thing in not marrying Ron. She had thrown herself into her career as a distraction and it had worked to a certain extent but still she thought about Ron sometimes and all that could have been if she had agreed to marry him, what her life would have been like now.
"What are you wearing?" Ginny asked Hermione, bringing her out of her thoughts about Ron "I've got a few bits you might like if you want to have a hunt through my wardrobe?"
"I'm not dressing up" Hermione replied firmly "a jumper and jeans will be fine"
"Suit yourself" Ginny replied with shrug "everyone will be here soon so you should get a move on"
Ginny had been keen for Hermione and Ron to get married and had been quite disappointed when Hermione called it all off. Ever since, she had been trying in subtle little ways to get them talking again. Ginny would make sure they sat together when Ron came for dinner, or try to leave them alone, ushering Harry out of the living room and leaving just the pair of them together when Ron visited after work. She probably wanted Hermione to look nice for Ron's benefit.
Hermione got herself ready and then followed the sound of laughter and chatter into the kitchen and found it already full of people. George was there with his girlfriend, Neville was standing near the sink looking cheerful with Hannah Abbot, and Luna was floating around beside the pantry. Hermione saw her bat away some non-existent insect from around her head. Apparently the kitchen was suffering from a Wrackspurt infestation.
"Hello Hermione" said Luna "well done on getting a job at Hogwarts, you must be very excited"
"Hi Luna, yes I'm looking forward to it" replied Hermione. "It's really nice to see you again"
"You as well" replied Luna dreamily "did you see my article in the Daily Prophet?"
Luna worked for the wizarding newspaper now and Hermione often noticed her articles. Some of them were fine but other times they were mainly about various and mostly non-existent magical creatures.
"I always read your articles" Hermione assured her and Luna looked pleased.
"Hermione" said George, striding over to her "a Hogwarts teacher, eh? Why would you want to go back to school?" he remarked with a grin.
"It was an obvious career choice" replied Hermione "how are you both?"
Hermione spent a few minutes talking with George and his girlfriend about the chain of joke shops they ran and then spoke to Neville and Hannah before deciding she could ignore Ron no longer and went to speak with him.
"Hey" said Hermione, taking the seat at the kitchen table next to Ron. She gave him a hug and breathed in the comforting smell of his washing powder "it's really nice of you to come"
"Wouldn't miss it" Ron replied, smiling at her fondly as Ginny put down a plate of rolls on the table and gave Ron a butterbeer "cheers, Ginny. So you're going to be a teacher then?"
"Yes" said Hermione "do you think I'll be good at it?"
"Obviously" said Ron, rolling his eyes "Neville's over the moon about it. It'll be hard not seeing you for months at a time though"
"Why don't you and Ron go and talk in the living room?" suggested Ginny "you'll have more peace and quiet in there"
"No thank you, Ginny" said Hermione politely "I'm fine in the kitchen"
Ron looked a little disappointed by her refusal "listen, Hermione I would like to have a chat with you about something so will you come out into the hallway at least?"
"Alright" replied Hermione with a sigh, knowing what this was going to be about and already thinking of ways to reply without hurting Ron's feelings. Ginny was smiling to herself as Luna helped her arrange canapés on a plate.
Ron shut the kitchen door behind them and turned to Hermione "I was wondering if you've been thinking about us –"
"There is no us, Ron" replied Hermione.
"Not right now, no but what about in the future? I can wait, Hermione. Will you not even think about it?" Ron put a hand on her shoulder.
"I have thought about it" replied Hermione gently, taking Ron's hand and holding it in her own "I've thought about it a lot and I'm just too young for marriage"
"We don't have to get married" Ron continued "we could start afresh, give things another go?"
He looked so hopeful, so desperate that Hermione suddenly felt quite tearful "I can't have a boyfriend right now; I have a new career to concentrate on"
Ron looked crestfallen.
"Look, I love you so much, Ron" said Hermione "I really do –"
"Then what is the problem?" interrupted Ron "Ginny thinks –"
"This has nothing to do with Ginny" said Hermione "this is my choice and one which I will not change. Don't make this difficult for me, Ron"
"It's you who makes things difficult" Ron replied. He let go of her hand and went back into the kitchen. Hermione felt even closer to tears now and did not want to return to the kitchen at all. At that moment, Ginny reappeared. Wonderful, Hermione thought.
"Hermione, what happened?" she asked.
"I don't feel well" said Hermione, brushing a tear from her cheek "I'm going to lie down. Please tell everyone I've gone to bed that I'm sorry for leaving the party and thank them for coming and Ginny, please don't follow me, okay?"
"Hermione, hold on!" said Ginny but Hermione ignored her and hurried to her bedroom where she fell onto the bed feeling emotional and fed up.
On the first of September, Draco awoke earlier than he usually did, perhaps due to the fact his routine would be differing from the normal today. He showered, got dressed, ate breakfast and finished packing his old Hogwarts school trunk.
On the floor in the living room was a large box full of equipment the Elite Auror Office had delivered to his home yesterday evening. There was a potion kit, a kit for detecting poisons, several fake ID cards including a Muggle passport, a rather smart looking watch that apparently warned the wearer if they were late, several vials of readymade Polyjuice Potion and Veritaserum, a fake wand which was a replica of his own, a wad of Muggle money, small leather bag and a sheet of parchment with a list of the items on it and recommendations for how and when these items should be used.
He was supposed to put all of this stuff into the small bag provided which according to the letter had been applied with a Protean Charm to allow all the items to fit. He stuffed all the equipment into the bag and threw it in his trunk where it landed with a clanging thump.
Draco then Apparated to King's Cross and marched towards the barrier that separated the Muggle platform from platform nine and three quarters. There she was, Hermione Granger, standing a few feet away amongst the steam issuing from the Hogwarts Express and looking completely at ease. She looked over at him and gave him a small, half hearted wave. Had she been waiting for him? There was nothing in the letter about them having to share a compartment so Draco chose to ignore her and stepped onto the train.
Hermione had expected Malfoy to disregard her wave. She had been waiting for him on the platform to see if he wanted to share a compartment with her. If they were going to have to learn to get along they might as well start straightaway she reasoned but he obviously did not want to talk to her so she boarded the train with her trunk to find a compartment on her own.
The train was heaving with students who scampered along the train, laughing and joking and chatting. Hermione remembered how buoyant she had felt in the past when September rolled round again and it was time to go back to Hogwarts and she shared these students' excitement and happiness. She found an empty compartment and settled herself into a seat. What should she do now? She wondered where Kingsley's daughter was. The case file had contained a photo and explained that she was in Gryffindor and her name was Indigo. A pleasant name, Hermione thought. She decided she would find out in which compartment Indigo was so she could keep an eye on her for the journey.
Draco hauled his trunk into an empty compartment, took a seat and then wondered what he should do next. He supposed he had better go and find this Indigo girl and check she wasn't about to be murdered or kidnapped although he would much rather have remained where he was. Perhaps he should find Granger too, as they were meant to be working together on this. He stood up and went out into the aisle, squeezing past chattering children who gave him curious looks as he passed. He saw a pretty little black girl striding alone down the aisle, peering into compartments as she went and Draco followed her at a distance and then felt someone tap his shoulder.
"Malfoy, I wondered where you were" said Hermione "Indigo went past here"
"Good morning to you too, Granger" said Malfoy in a bored sort of voice "and I know, I was in the middle of following her until you interrupted"
"Well be careful she doesn't notice you following her" said Hermione warningly.
"Potter and the Weasel may be a bit dim Granger so I know you're used to it but I am not so there is no need for the instructions" Draco told her "look, there's no point both of us following her, you go back to your compartment and I'll find out which one she's in"
"Fine" said Hermione "but come and tell me when you find out"
Draco carried on down the aisle and saw Indigo find an empty compartment. He peered very carefully inside and looked at her. She looked like a lonely, sad child, Draco thought. Why wasn't she with her friends, laughing and joking and acting all happy about going back to school? He retreated away from the compartment and then decided he and Hermione were going about this the completely wrong way and set out to find her and tell her so.
Hermione waited in her compartment for Draco to come and speak to her. So far he had been rude to her, insulted her friend's intelligence and attempted to order her about. It wasn't even half past nine yet. She sighed and took out a book, wondering how much more of Draco's attitude she would be able to endure today. She had just started to read when Draco pulled open her compartment door and stepped inside with his trunk.
"Well?" said Hermione.
"It's a stupid idea for us to be in a compartment so far away from the girl" he said without even saying hello first "I say we go into her compartment and tell her everything else is full, that way we can keep an eye on her for the entire journey"
Hermione had to admit this was a good idea. "Alright, let's go" she agreed, picking up her luggage and leading the way.
Draco had at least expected her to argue with his idea but she didn't and so he walked with her to Indigo's compartment without saying anything more. He was going to spend the entire journey shut away in a train compartment with a girl who he could not stand and a surly twelve year old. This should be fun, he thought.
Hermione opened the door of the compartment where Indigo was and put her trunk down on the floor beside her seat. Draco chose a seat one chair away from her.
"I don't smell, you know" she whispered as Indigo glanced up at them both.
A large number of witty retorts to this popped into Draco's mind then but he resisted voicing them because it would not be a very good idea for two teachers to argue in front of student.
"I'm sorry but everywhere else is full" Draco explained to Indigo who looked quite indignant that two adults had suddenly decided to appear in her compartment.
Indigo shrugged and returned her gaze to the window. "You're too old to be students here" she stated, her eyes still on the quickly moving scenery behind the glass "so you must be teachers"
"Yes" said Hermione kindly "we are the new Transfiguration Professors. What's your name?"
"Indigo" replied Indigo "Indigo Shacklebolt. Are you two married?"
Draco gave a loud snort of laughter.
"No" said Hermione calmly "we are not married. Is this your first year at Hogwarts, Indigo?"
"I'm a second year" Indigo replied, looking as though she wanted Hermione to stop talking and leave her alone. Draco sympathised with this point of view.
"And which house are you in?" Hermione went on.
Draco wondered why she was asking the girl questions she already knew.
"Gryffindor" said Indigo with pride.
"I was in Gryffindor too" Hermione told her.
"What house was he in?" Indigo asked, nodding at Draco.
"What house were you in, Professor Malfoy?" asked Hermione with a little smile and her head bent slightly to one side.
"I was in Slytherin, Professor Granger" replied Draco tautly. Professors Malfoy and Granger, what a laugh.
Indigo grimaced "I don't like Slytherin's much. But they never beat us at Quidditch" she added with a grin.
"No, they didn't when I was at school either" said Hermione who looked very pleased.
"Do you like Slytherins?" Indigo asked Hermione.
"As a teacher I am supposed to say I regard all houses at Hogwarts equally. However, I'll let you in on a little secret;" she leaned a little closer to Indigo "I never had much time for Slytherin's when I was at school either"
Indigo seemed to find this most amusing and Draco found himself feeling quite annoyed and wanted to say something to stick up for his house.
"But Slytherin house has its merits too" said Hermione before Draco could say anything "it has produced some very brave and unselfish people, despite what your housemates might tell you" she gave Draco a little glance then and now he had no idea what to say at all. Bloody Granger with her stupid tact and wit.
"Slytherins are very cunning and intelligent" said Hermione "just as Gryffindors are brave and honest"
"You sound like the Sorting Hat" said Indigo and the pair of them laughed.
Oh ha ha, that was so funny thought Draco. Typical Gryffindors, sitting there being all jocular around one another while the Slytherin stood back and thought about what morons they really were.
When the food trolley arrived, Indigo went out into the aisle to buy her lunch and Draco took this opportunity to talk to Hermione.
"Why are you asking her all these questions?" said Draco "we have a whole file on her, in case you've forgotten"
"I'm trying to gain her trust you prat" Hermione whispered disparagingly "I want to encourage her confidence so she will come to me if she notices anything suspicious going on around her and you should be doing the same!"
Draco scowled at her and arranged himself more comfortably on the seat. She was always right! Stupid know-it-all.
Indigo returned with some Cauldron Cakes and she offered Hermione one but not Draco which was fine by him because he wasn't hungry.
"Are you not going to offer Professor Malfoy a cake, Indigo?" asked Hermione politely.
Indigo turned her gaze to Draco and said in a voice devoid of enthusiasm "would you like a Cauldron Cake, Professor Malfoy?"
No, he didn't want a pissing Cauldron Cake but Hermione was looking at him warningly and so he took one.
"What's your favourite subject?" Draco asked Indigo thinking he should probably try and get her on his side.
"Transfiguration" Indigo replied "what was yours?"
He should probably say Transfiguration as well considering that was the subject he would be teaching but he chose not to lie and said "potions"
"Why are you teaching Transfiguration then?" Indigo asked.
"Why do you ask so many questions?" Draco replied.
"Because I'm young and curious and want to learn" said Indigo with amusement.
Hermione appeared to find this funny as she was smiling to herself as she looked out of the train window.
"Be careful of your cheek or I'll be sure to set you the most tricky homework assignments" Draco said without anger.
"Go for it, I'm good at Transfiguration!"
"Well I will remember that" said Draco "you can prove your skills to me in my lessons"
Hermione gave Draco an approving look.
A few hours later, when the castle could be seen in the distance, the train came alive with the footfalls of the many students and their excited voices could be heard outside in the aisle, mingled with the calls of order from the prefects. As the train drew up to the platform at Hogsmeade Station, Hermione heard Hagrid shouting for the first years and she felt a leap of joy and her awkward discussion with Ron, the mission she was on and Draco's rude remarks evaporated from her mind. They were back at Hogwarts.