"You're not running off again" Hermione told Draco as they disembarked from the Hogwarts Express "I don't particularly like the fact we have to work together either but it's not sensible for you to keep avoiding me"
"Yes, Professor" said Malfoy mockingly. He threw both of their trunks roughly into the nearest carriage and opened the door for Hermione to enter first.
"Thanks" she muttered. Somehow, she found it easier when Malfoy was being rude to her. When he was courteous and kind, she was never quite sure what to say. It threw her when he was polite.
"Where's Indigo?" said Malfoy, his eyes roving around the platform full of students in their school robes.
"Over there" Hermione pointed to a carriage a few yards away from their own and she and Draco waited until Indigo clambered into it.
"We should have checked the carriage before she got in" said Hermione.
"Do you see anyone suspicious?" said Draco "any Death Eaters lurking behind Hagrid? No, so come on. We can't stick to her all the time or she'll get pissed off or suspicious"
They climbed into the carriage and Draco sat opposite Hermione who was gazing out of the little window behind Draco's head. Draco looked at her. She looked pensive and a little sad and he wondered what had inspired this sudden change in her, so he asked.
"The Thestrals" she said and Draco looked over his shoulder at the reptilian looking, winged horses that pulled the school coaches. He understood.
"I can see them now" she said quietly.
"Me too" Draco replied. "They're quite elegant really, aren't they?" he added.
Hermione didn't reply. Yes, they were elegant but the fact that she could now see them made her feel nothing but misery as it brought back all the heartache that the war had caused. She moved her gaze to the window next to her and focused on the hedgerows and trees that bordered the dirt track.
"We'll make sure she gets into the Great Hall safely" said Draco as the coaches rolled to a halt and students began trudging up to the castle. Hermione followed Draco through the gates and up to the steps that lead into the Entrance Hall, keeping an eye on Indigo who was weaving her way through the many students to get inside.
The moment Hermione stepped into the Entrance Hall she could not prevent the beaming smile that spread across her face. There was the staircase and the doors that lead into the Great Hall. She looked around at the tapestries and statues and paintings, drinking it all in. She was even pleased to see Filch who was skulking around by the Great Hall, watching the students file inside while Mrs Norris meowed quietly at his heels.
"Granger, come on" said Draco and Hermione walked beside him into the Great Hall with its four house tables and the staff table at the end of the hall where already several teachers were sitting. Hermione looked up at the enchanted ceiling with the darkened clouds floating serenely across the evening sky and at the flags suspended above the tables with each of the house emblems stitched onto them and felt as though she had arrived home after being away for decades. Even Draco was gazing around the hall with a small, contented smile on his face.
"We should go to the staff table" said Draco who was watching Indigo take her seat at the Gryffindor table.
"Well, this will be strange!" said Hermione animatedly "being at the staff table"
"I suppose" said Draco disinterestedly. Draco felt nostalgic at being back at Hogwarts but Granger was positively thrilled about it. The school held too many bad memories for Draco to share her jubilation but she didn't seem to mind. She was staring around the hall with a huge smile on her face, oblivious to the fact that he suddenly wished he had not come here at all.
Hermione took a seat next to Professor Slughorn and Draco sat next to Hermione on the end. Granger was right, this was quite bizarre. The students were taking their seats at their house tables, some of them glancing up at the staff table and pointing at him and Hermione, prodding their friends and whispering in their ears. It was strange seeing the Great Hall from this vantage point.
"Hello, Professor" said Hermione amicably to Slughorn.
Slughorn turned to look at her and appeared perplexed for a moment but then he gave a big, boyish grin and said in his booming voice "well, Miss Granger! So you are the new Transfiguration Professor, well I am sure you will make an admirable teacher, what with your brains!"
"Thank you, Professor" said Hermione "that's very kind. Malfoy and I will be running the department together" she added.
"Ah and Mr Malfoy too" said Slughorn. His manner was polite but he was not as animated upon greeting Draco. "How are you?"
"Very well thank you Professor and yourself?" said Draco courteously.
"Fine, my boy, fine. Ah, and here comes our headmistress"
Professor McGonagall was striding towards the staff table, her long cloak swishing about as she moved. She did not look much different from how she had five years ago with her greying hair tied into a knot and her eyes quick and clever behind their spectacles as they swept over the students and the staff table.
Professor McGonagall stood in front of the staff table and waited for the students to quieten before addressing them.
"Welcome, new and old faces, to another year at Hogwarts" she said loudly "firstly, I would like to announce two new staff appointments. Please welcome Professors Granger and Malfoy who will be taking charge of the Transfiguration department"
There was a smattering of applause and Hermione gave a nervous little wave. Draco nodded at the students in greeting and Indigo smiled at Hermione from the Gryffindor table as Hagrid cheered loudly from his place next to Professor Sprout. Hermione looked down the table at him gleefully.
Draco watched Hermione as McGonagall prattled on about school clubs and Filch's list of banned items. She looked exultant, her eyes alive and shining with happiness. She waved and smiled at Professor Sprout and Flitwick while Draco remained in silence and he felt a little, tiny stab of envy at the sight of her, so friendly with the staff, so cheerful and liked by everyone around her.
When McGonagall had finished her speech and the Sorting had been completed and the nervous first years had been sorted into their houses, the start of term feast began and platefuls of delicious food appeared on the tables. Hermione tried to include Draco in her discussions with Slughorn and Flitwick but he wished she wouldn't bother. The teachers acted distant toward him, not unkind or impolite but they did not treat him with the same warmth as they did with Hermione. Draco was used to people acting this way around him but the fact that his old teachers were showing him the very same coldness as his past schoolmates and work colleagues did made him feel quite miserable and throughout dinner he dwelled on the regret and guilt he felt, eating very little as he did not feel hungry at all.
"You seemed unhappy during the feast" Hermione pointed out as they left the Great Hall with the swarms of students. She thought she knew why. Hogwarts, after all, had not been the same happy place as it had been for Draco and the staff seemed disinclined to talk to him much. That would make anyone feel miserable, Hermione thought.
"Did I?" said Draco offhandedly "why do you care anyway?" and he stalked off ahead of her, leaving her to watch after Indigo. Hermione thought she shouldn't have bothered saying anything at all.
She remained a few paces behind Indigo as she followed her classmates to Gryffindor Tower and Hermione waited on the corner of a corridor until she saw the girl climb safely through the portrait hole. Hermione was tempted to go and have a look at the common room but decided it was not necessary and so made her way to the Transfiguration department. The file supplied by Kestrel had told her that the office and her quarters would be a few doors down from the classroom and she found it without any trouble. There was a copper plaque affixed to the door with Professor Malfoy and Professor Granger, Transfiguration Department engraved on it. She tapped the door with her wand and stepped inside.
The office was circular and large, with an elegant fireplace, sparkling chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and huge decorative rug spread on the floorboards. There was a pair of desks, bookshelves packed with books and two filing cabinets. Above the fireplace, was Tilly Talloak's portrait and she gave Hermione a demure little nod and vanished, probably to inform Kestrel they had arrived safely at Hogwarts.
Draco was sitting on a soft leather chair in an alcove in front of a window beside the fireplace, looking both angry and upset.
"I thought you would be here" Hermione told him "don't worry about Indigo by the way, I saw she got to her common room alright while you stalked off in a temper"
Hermione felt quite indignant about Draco's behaviour. She understood it was difficult for him seeing Hogwarts again but he had decided to go off in a huff and leave her to sort out Indigo which was unprofessional, as far as Hermione was concerned. They were supposed to be a team.
"It doesn't take two of us to make sure the brat gets to her common room" said Draco "your room is through there" he pointed to his left "and mine is through there" he gestured to his right "let's make sure we keep our distance from each other, shall we?"
"Fine by me" said Hermione "spoilt little ferret" she muttered under her breath and went to go to her room.
"And I think it would be best if we refrained from insulting each other, Granger" she heard Malfoy say behind her. "Trust me, I'm finding it difficult"
"Insult me if you please, Malfoy" said Hermione with ire "it doesn't bother me. I don't care what you think of me"
"Granger, just fuck off to bed and leave me alone" Draco spat at her.
"No" said Hermione "I can stay here if I want"
"You were about to go to bed a second ago!" Draco said with a raised voice "are you trying to piss me off, Granger?" he stood up, out of exasperation and Hermione took the slightest little step backwards. This bothered him.
"You think I'm going to attack you?" he said in a much quieter voice.
"No...no" Hermione replied "of course not"
Draco took his seat again and rubbed his face with his hands, exhaling sharply "leave me alone now, Granger" he said calmly "I'll talk to you tomorrow"
Hermione went to her room. There was a four poster bed and a painting of the Hogwarts emblem on the wall, a small vanity table and a wardrobe. Hermione sank onto the bed. She was not afraid that Draco would attack her, it was just he had stood up so sharply and suddenly and raised his voice so loudly it had stunned her. She shouldn't have called him a ferret, she reasoned but she was mad at him. How much worse were things going to get between them? She felt as though she had made a bad decision in calling him a name and wanted to apologise. Perhaps he would apologise for swearing at her and they could start again.
Hermione eased open her bedroom door and peered into the office beyond. Draco was no longer on the chair by the window which meant she would have to go and knock on his door. She felt uncertain as to whether this was a good idea but she wanted to apologise and make things better so she walked across the office and gave Draco's door two quiet knocks. She waited for only a few seconds before Draco threw it open. He had taken off his cloak and apparently was in the middle of getting ready for bed as his shirt was half undone.
"What?" he said bluntly.
"I...I" stuttered Hermione trying to ignore the unbuttoned shirt "I came to apologise" she managed.
"Right" said Draco "well, apology accepted"
Hermione remained where she was. Was he not going to say sorry too?
"Was there something else, Granger?"
"You told me to fuck off" Hermione stated.
Draco raised his eyebrows "yes, I did and I might have to tell you again if you don't go away" he leaned against the doorframe. Why was she making this into such a massive drama? They'd had a tiny little squabble, so what?
"I just assumed you would like to apologise too, so we could clear the air properly" said Hermione.
"I am sorry for telling you to fuck off Granger" said Draco in a monotone voice "now can I go to bed?"
"Goodnight, then" said Hermione.
"Goodnight, Granger" said Draco wearily and closed the door on her. It was nice of her to apologise but he didn't think it had been necessary. She hadn't said anything particularly insulting to him. He found himself wondering if he had upset her by being so dismissive and rude in the office and then he wondered why he even cared.
They had classes to teach the following day and their first lesson was a classroom full of noisy Gryffindor and Slytherin seventh years. Hermione expected Draco would favour the Slytherins but she decided to be fair and not treat any students from either house differently.
They walked to the classroom together after breakfast and Draco flopped down on a chair behind the desk.
"I suppose it's fortunate I drew up a lesson plan yesterday evening, isn't it?" said Hermione taking a folder out of her bag. She dropped her voice and said "don't forget that we're supposed to be teachers here Malfoy and that means putting a bit of effort in"
"I'll plan the next lesson" said Draco with a yawn.
The class filed in and took their seats, muttering to each other about the two new teachers in front of them. Draco thought he should probably start making more of an effort or risk having Granger moan at him all day and so he got up and strolled around the desk as Hermione tapped the blackboard with her wand. He looked at the instructions that had appeared there.
"Hi everyone, I'm Professor Granger and this is Professor Malfoy" announced Hermione. The students murmured in greeting.
"Please read the instructions on the board, everyone" said Hermione kindly to the class.
"And then take out your copies of Standard Book of Spells, Grade Seven and turn to page two hundred and forty eight" Draco told the class "and no talking" he added as an afterthought.
If Hermione was going to be the nice, friendly teacher everyone adored he might as well take on the role of the no-nonsense one that the kids actually listened to. He remembered being at school and was fully aware that if you gave most of these kids an inch they would take a mile. He wondered how Granger would cope if any of the students misbehaved.
One of the students had their hands up. It was a Slytherin boy with a haughty sort of face and neat, light brown hair.
"What's your name?" Draco asked the student.
"Ryan Nott" replied the boy. This was Theodore Nott's nephew, Draco thought. He gave the boy no evidence that he recognised his surname.
"Well, Mr Nott is there a problem?" said Draco.
"Aren't you Draco Malfoy?" said Ryan. The class looked up from their books to stare first at Ryan and then at Draco.
"My name is Professor Malfoy to you, Mr Nott" said Draco.
"I remember you from when I was in first year" Ryan went on "you know my uncle. How come you're a teacher now, aren't you supposed to be an Auror or something after fighting in the war?"
Even Hermione looked up from the parchment she was scribbling on to see what was going on.
Draco narrowed his eyes at the boy "back to page two hundred and forty eight please, Mr Nott" said Draco in a voice he hoped suggested he meant business.
"I was just asking" said Ryan "everyone knows who you are anyway, and her" he nodded at Hermione.
"Her name is Professor Granger" said Draco thunderously "five points from Slytherin for your lack of manners, Mr Nott now back to your book"
Ryan turned his eyes back to the book, looking quite furious.
Draco felt riled by the boy. He went to sit at the desk with Granger who was looking quite impressed.
"You handled that well" she told him, returning to her parchment.
"Teenagers think they know everything" Draco replied.
"Like you did when you were at school then?" said Hermione.
"Like you still do" answered Draco.
Hermione smiled to herself. "You're quite witty you know, when you're not pretending to be an arse"
"Pretending?" said Draco who was smiling a little now himself "my tendencies to act like an arse are not pretence, Professor Granger"
Hermione merely continued scribbling away on her parchment with a tiny smirk on her face.
When the class had finished reading, Hermione informed Draco they should begin the second half of the lesson with practical work.
"You will split into pairs and work on transfiguring the turtles Professor Malfoy is handing out, into tortoises. This is a spell that will very probably appear on your N.E.W.T exams so please pay attention and do your best" Hermione explained to the class. "If you have any questions, either I or Professor Malfoy will be happy to assist you"
"I think that was quite a good lesson, don't you?" said Hermione to Draco after the class had packed away their things and left the room. She was very pleased with how the lesson had gone. She had felt quite nervous about having to stand in front of twenty five teenagers but she had found it quite simple and enjoyable after a little while and had felt quite proud when one girl had told her she had never been able to transfigure animals before Hermione had taught her how.
Draco hadn't seemed nervous at all and she thought he handled Ryan Nott's inquisitiveness very well.
"It would have been better if that little rat Nott didn't ask all those questions" replied Draco.
"I don't think we are supposed to refer to students as little rats, Malfoy" said Hermione but she wasn't annoyed "but yes, he was rather interested in us, wasn't he? And he's related to an ex-Death Eater..."
"I don't think it's anything to worry about, Granger" Draco assured her "one of the students was bound to ask questions about why we're here. The boy was right, we are quite well known. I didn't like having to take points from my own house, though"
"Gryffindor always beat Slytherin to the House Cup anyway" said Hermione jocularly "so don't worry about that"
"I thought we were supposed to not favour one house over another?" said Draco as they strolled into the Great Hall for lunch.
"I was just pointing out a fact, Malfoy" said Hermione airily.
They took their places at the staff table. Hermione searched the Gryffindor table for Indigo and saw her with a friend, eating her lunch. Hermione reached across the table for a jug of pumpkin juice and said to Draco
"See, we can get along, can't we?"
Draco looked at her. Her hair had brushed over his arm as she reached for the jug and he caught a whiff of pleasantly scented shampoo. Momentarily disarmed by her closeness, he did not answer immediately but then cleared his throat and muttered
"Of course we can" he took a drink from his goblet. The smell of her shampoo still lingered.
"So you are going to write some lesson plans today, aren't you?" said Hermione bossily. She wasn't going to put all the work in although she knew would probably make a better job of the lesson plans than Draco.
"Yes, yes stop nagging, woman" Draco told her. He put down his knife and fork "I'm going back to the office now to make a start on them, alright?"
"I'll come with you" said Hermione "I'll give you some help"
"I'm not completely useless you know, Granger" said Draco as they walked together out of the Great Hall "I got the same grade as you for my Transfiguration N.E.W.T"
"Yes but still" said Hermione "I'd like to make sure you put the effort in"
"I'm not one of your students, Professor" said Draco haughtily "I can work fine on my own"
"Indigo's not at the Gryffindor table" observed Hermione as they passed it.
"You worry too much, Granger. She's probably gone back to her common room. We can't keep an eye on her every second of the day, you know" said Draco "she'll be fine"
They climbed a set of stairs and turned a corridor then heard voices coming from around the next corner, raised voices.
"Students shouldn't be arguing in the corridors" said Hermione with a frown.
Draco walked off ahead but stopped at the corner to the next corridor and when Hermione reached him, she went to carry on walking but Draco caught her by the arm and pulled her back.
"Look at this" he said quietly.
They both peered carefully around the corner and Hermione spotted Ryan Nott and Indigo. Ryan had his face very close to Indigo's own and he was smirking at her and saying something they could not hear. Indigo looked fearful but was standing her ground. Hermione noticed she had her hand in her pocket, probably enclosed around her wand.
"What does that boy think he's doing?" said Hermione and she made to march up to the pair but Draco pulled her back again.
"You're not very good at this spying thing, are you Granger?" whispered Draco "just watch for a moment"
"You should watch your back and stop spreading rumours about my family, Shacklebolt" sneered Ryan.
"I haven't spread any rumours" insisted Indigo and Hermione saw her grip tighten on the wand in her pocket "everyone talks about your Death Eater family, not just me. I suppose that Auror murder in the Daily Prophet last year had nothing to do with them? I heard that Auror was following your uncle, funny how he ended up dead, isn't it?"
"Watch your mouth!" warned Nott "you're a stupid little girl who knows nothing!"
"In case you haven't noticed, Nott my father is the Minister for Magic and I could make life very difficult for you so I suggest you back off! Your uncle might keep insisting he's this reformed, charitable businessman but I don't believe a bit of it and neither do most of my friends! Half of your family is in Azkaban, what do you expect people to think?"
"My uncle," said Nott in a voice laced with anger "has spent the past five years trying to prove to people he's changed and it's little brats like you that are making life so difficult for him. You obviously don't know a thing because your father knows my uncle and is very impressed with the charitable donations he makes"
Indigo gave a humourless laugh and Hermione had to admire her courage. She would have been quite intimidated if a seventh year spoke to her like this when she was twelve years old.
"I'll think and say whatever I want about you and your uncle, Nott and there's nothing you can do about it" said Indigo bravely.
Nott pushed Indigo against the wall and Hermione prepared herself to intervene but Draco was holding her arm to stop her.
With his face very close to Indigo's, he said menacingly "your daddy won't always be around to protect you, Shacklebolt. You'd be wise to remember that one"
"Your empty threats don't scare me, Nott" retorted Indigo.
Nott gave her one last nasty look, let go of her and marched away. Indigo remained where she was for several seconds and Hermione saw her a tear from her face before taking a few deep breaths to compose herself and walking the opposite way down the corridor, towards where Hermione and Draco were.
Draco turned to Hermione at once and said in a businesslike voice "yes, well Professor Granger I think the third years are progressing quite well"
"I agree, Professor Malfoy" replied Hermione.
Indigo walked past them and Hermione said to her "good afternoon, Miss Shacklebolt"
"Good afternoon, Professor Granger, Professor Malfoy" replied Indigo and hurried away.
"Not a word until we reach the office" Draco told Hermione who had opened her mouth to start talking.
"Well?" said Hermione the moment Draco had closed the office door behind them.
"Either the girl has been saying things about Nott's family and he's genuinely pissed off and was trying to scare her or Ryan Nott and his uncle know something about these kidnapping rumours" surmised Draco. He started to pace the office, thinking. "You heard what Nott said to Indigo...'your daddy won't always be around to protect you'"
"Do you know Theodore well?" asked Hermione, sinking onto the chair by the window and watching Draco stride up and down the office.
"Relatively" replied Draco thoughtfully "the girl was right in what she said, half of the Nott family are currently spending time in Azkaban. Nott managed to get out of it by saying he was acting under the Imperious curse and has since made himself a lot of gold by running a property development business. He's been donating large sums of money to wizarding institutions ever since, St Mungos, The Squib Advice Bureau...even Hogwarts. I heard he gave a grant to the Muggle Studies department two years back"
"It sounds as though he's trying to prove he was never a Death Eater...donating money to Muggle Studies at Hogwarts and a Squib charity... It's as though he wants people to see him as the opposite of a prejudiced pureblood" said Hermione.
"Exactly" agreed Draco "and it's been working. The Ministry are quite happy to take donations from kindly, rich businessmen. All his stories added up when he was arrested after Voldemort's downfall. Even Kingsley Shacklebolt trusts him, apparently"
"This could be nothing, you know" said Hermione reasonably "like you said, Nott could be angry at Indigo for talking about his family"
"What about that dead Auror?" said Draco "I don't remember that, do you?"
Hermione tried to remember if she had read anything about it "yes!" she said suddenly "it was in the Daily Prophet last year...it said an Auror had chased a suspected Death Eater...I can't remember exactly what the article said but I remember something about there being a struggle between the Auror and the Death Eater at a hotel run by a wizard in London, near Oxford Street and the Auror was killed"
"That hotel was probably owned by Nott" said Draco "perhaps the Auror was there to spy on Nott"
"It makes sense" said Hermione "do you think we should tell Kestrel?"
"Kestrel said he wanted reports about the case, didn't he? This could be important" Draco replied. He turned to the portrait of Tilly Talloak and said
"Miss Talloak? We have some information for Agent Kestrel"
Tilly, who had been snoozing with her head resting against the picture frame, opened her eyes blearily and said "Agent Kestrel?"
"Yes, it's quite urgent" said Hermione.
"Very well" said Tilly, taking off her spectacles to wipe them on her robes "proceed"
Draco and Hermione told Tilly everything they had heard being said between Ryan Nott and Indigo and all they suspected about it. Tilly vanished from her frame to go to her painting in the Elite Auror Office and Hermione and Draco waited for her return.
Five minutes later, Tilly reappeared.
"Agent Kestrel would like to speak with you both via Floo. He has asked me to tell you to ensure you are alone" she said.
"Yes, yes we'll talk to Kestrel" said Draco impatiently.
A few moments later, Kestrel's face appeared amongst the logs in the fireplace, just as Sirius's face had in the Gryffindor common room all those years ago.
"Good afternoon" he said "I think it would be wise for you to pursue this lead...You are both correct to be suspicious. Theodore Nott is organising a charity ball in aid of the Squib Advice Bureau this weekend, a charity that aims to assist Squibs and their families through any difficulties they may face. I have managed to procure two invites for you both and I would like for you to both attend. Theodore Nott will be there and you should do some digging"
"We can't leave Indigo here alone" pointed out Hermione.
"No, you cannot" said Kestrel "which is why I have arranged for another Agent to be at Hogwarts this weekend. He will be posing as a Ministry official who is there to speak to the Headmistress about work placements at the Ministry for seventh years"
"Where is this ball?" asked Draco.
"At the Flutterby Hotel, a wizarding hotel on Oxford Street which is one of many of Mr Nott's properties. I will be sending you a file I have gathered on Mr Nott via owl within the next few days"
"Was the Flutterby Hotel the same hotel where the Auror was killed last year?" asked Hermione.
"Yes" replied Kestrel "he was a Senior Auror. We are still unsure as to what exactly happened on that occasion. The Death Eater that Auror was pursuing ran into the Flutterby Hotel and there was a struggle, the Death Eater escaped and the Auror was killed. If you can gather any information on that also, it would be extremely helpful. It seems very likely to me now that Mr Nott was involved. Do you own any evening clothing?"
"No" said both Draco and Hermione together.
"I will arrange for that to be organised. Expect a parcel to arrive with Mr Nott's file. Good evening, Agent Granger, Agent Malfoy and be careful"
Kestrel disappeared.
"Well," said Draco with a smile "it looks as though we're going to a party, Granger"