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Draco wasn’t sure what to think when Headmistress McGonagall asked him to come back to teach. It had been several years since he had even set foot in the castle. While the outside had been repaired, it still could be a difficult place to be, particularly for those who had been asked to give way too much when they were way too young. He hadn’t really thought about going back, but it seemed like a chance to make peace with his past, and to give back to a place that had held so many memories.
He had heard that Hermione Granger would be there, teaching Muggle Studies. When he first heard that, he had chuckled to himself. Of course she was — what else would she teach? Not that he saw it as a problem. On the contrary, he was well past all the blood prejudice that his father had worked so hard to instill. After the war… after everything, it just hadn’t made sense. But still, the idea of being where she was, working where she was — there would be no way to avoid her, and Draco would be lying to himself if he didn’t admit that it made him a little concerned, given their previous relationship.
Relationship. Ha! Even that was a stretch. He had been a right git to Hermione when they were in school. Call it a healthy dose of blood prejudice, with a side of begrudging admiration for her talent, and a healthy respect for that right hook she had given him third year. Even then he knew he had deserved that.
So, he would be back in the same place that she was again. And this time, he would try to make amends.
He doesn’t have to wait long. As he is unpacking his office in the dungeons, she comes by to welcome him, appearing at his door.
“The Headmistress said you would be joining us,” she explains. Her tone holds no malice, more interest than anything else.
He turns to regard his unexpected, but not unwelcome, visitor. For just a moment, he is taken aback. She looks just as he remembered her — same riotous curls, same warm smile. She hasn’t changed at all since he last saw her. He gives her a cautious smile in return, determined to start things off better this time — a second chance to make things right.
“Granger. Fancy seeing you here.”
“As if I would be anywhere else,” she says with a bit of a huff, more for show than because of any affront. “And please, call me Hermione, we’ve known each other way too long for anything else.”
“Alright then… Hermione,” he says, following her lead.
“To be honest, I’ve been excited about you joining the staff,” she continues.
He raises an eyebrow, “And why is that?”
“It’s always good to have someone to talk to, Draco,” she answers cautiously. “And besides, you can help carry my books.” She laughs.
Draco chuckles in response, “Some things never change, do they?”
Her smile falters for just a moment. “No, I guess not.”
He can almost always find her in her classroom. Often at the end of the day, he brings in a cup of tea and sits and chats. She is a good resource for him in his first few months; she knows the students, knows the castle. At this point, she has been around and seen it all. He isn’t trying to take advantage of her knowledge, he reminds himself, she seems interested to share it with him.
“The third years, Babcock and Haynes — those are two you should pay attention to. They usually have their texts charmed to look like they are doing their work, but just as often, they are reading comic books. Comic books! Can you believe it?”
Having once been a third year boy, he knows that their minds are most likely on other things, although he isn’t quite sure what a comic book is.
She doesn’t pause for him to complete the thought, continuing on without taking a breath. “Oh… and of course you know about the latest Weasley Wizard Wheezes, right?”
As she catalogues the items he may need to pay attention to, and their effects, his mind drifts for a bit. Fortunately, all professors now have a standard issue pack of antidotes to the most common WWW products — another WWW product in itself. It helps to keep down unnecessary absences and trips to the Infirmary, particularly at the beginning of term. (The headmistress had pressed Ron and George to create the kit for Hogwarts staff after one too many distractions caused by Puking Pastilles and Nosebleed Nougat. The funny thing was, that even though the students knew the professors were on to them, they still bought the confections and tried to use them.)
She clears her throat and his attention shifts back to her.
“I lost you, didn’t I?” She says to him.
“Hmm? Oh, my apologies, my thoughts drifted,” he replies honestly.
She chuckles, “Well, I do have a tendency to drone on and on at times.”
“Hardly. You’re not Professor Binns.”
He notices she stiffens with the mention of their old History of Magic teacher, and he feels horrible. “I’m sorry,” he mutters.
She pauses for the space of two breaths and then her lips soften into a small smile, “No offense taken, Draco.”
He notices her eyes are still sad, though.
On Halloween, she is nowhere to be found, not even at the Feast. He is surprised. Of all days, he figures she would be in the dining hall on this day. When he sees her next, he asks her about it.
At first, she pretends not to hear and makes herself busy looking at something outside the window. He doesn’t sense that she is avoiding the question, so he asks again.
She answers while still turned away from him, one arm wrapped around her waist. “Some things are still too hard, I guess.”
Of course, they don’t always get along. To be honest, many in the castle were surprised that they got on as well as they did. Hermione could be a bit bossy at times and Draco a bit stubborn. Their rows are usually quite heated and frequently rather public.
As Yule comes closer, Hermione wants to add a particular charm that she has read about to the enchanted ceiling in the Great Hall. She explains it would put colored fairy lights amongst the floating candles. Draco volunteers to do the wandwork, although he quickly has second thoughts.
“Just do it like I showed you,” she huffs.
“I am doing it like you showed me. It’s not working,” he retorts.
She crosses her arms. “That’s because your flourish is all wrong.”
“Or perhaps you bollocksed the charm, Granger. My flourish is fine.”
Between her perfectionism and his pride, he worries this may not end well. They both pause and collect themselves.
“Just try it again, please. Like I showed you.”
He closes his eyes and says the necessary incantation, adding extra flourish, just to make her shut up.
All of a sudden, everyone who is decorating the Great Hall stops and looks up, amazed at the sight — the added fairy lights twinkling with an alternating flash of red, white and green.
Hermione claps her hands together, thrilled at the result and smirks at him, “I told you it was the flourish.”
Draco rolls his eyes. At least she could acknowledge that it was an amazing bit of wandwork.
On a quiet Saturday afternoon, while most of the older students are at Hogsmeade, he sees Potter and Weasley strolling through the castle, the two talking in low tones. He guesses they have come to spend time with the other third of the once Golden Trio. He nods his head as Potter acknowledges him in passing with a polite, “Malfoy.” Predictably, Weasley says nothing.
Draco knows that although Hermione looks forward to their visits, they also leave her feeling a bit melancholy. A lifetime of things unsaid between the three of them, whether they want to admit it or not. They have moved on, become aurors, had families, while she has remained at the castle after all this time. Things are different, and while they may not say it, they all know it.
He figures she might not want company tonight, and wonders if he would even be able to find her.
One night he has trouble sleeping, so he decides to head for her classroom to see if he can find her. Quite predictably, she has her head in a book, resting on the charmed pedestal she prefers to use to read.
Draco clears his throat and breaks her concentration. She looks up at him with a smile, not minding his interruption, as the nights are quiet. “It’s rather late, isn’t it?”
“Does it matter?” He asks her.
“Not so much, but I know how cranky you are when you don’t get your rest,” Hermione replies.
He chuckles at how well she already knows him. “I couldn’t sleep,” Draco admits. “And I got tired of tossing and turning.”
“And you thought you would come here?” She asks with a raised eyebrow.
“To be honest, as much as I enjoy spending time with you, I still feel like we have unfinished business,” he says, raking a hand through his hair. “I need to apologize to you,” he adds cautiously.
“You don’t—” Hermione reassures him.
“I do,” he breaks in. “I was a right little shit to you when we were growing up. To many people, truthfully, but especially to you, Hermione. It wasn’t right. So, I just… I want to apologize.”
“Draco, your apology isn’t necessary. Maybe it is for you, but not for me. We were all children. Children who grew up in a way that they shouldn’t have to. I’ve made peace with all of that. I’ve had to. You should also. You are a good man, Draco. And while yes, you may have been a foul little cockroach at times, you haven’t been that person in a long time.” She smiles at him and his heart eases.
“I am glad we have had this time to get to know each other, Hermione.” He pauses. “Would you understand if I said I wish things were different?” He looks at her riotous curls, wishing not for the first time that he had been brave enough to touch them, rather than make fun of them, when they were in school.
She ponders his question. “I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to wanting things to turn out differently than they did,” she answers. “But, it is what it is, Draco. This life, it isn’t so bad. At least I am useful here. At least I can still contribute.”
“You might feel differently someday,” he challenges.
“I expect I will,” she replies. “But for now, this works. And besides, I am enjoying getting to know this older, wiser version of Draco Malfoy.”
He gives a wistful smile, “I wish I had known him years ago. It would have saved us all a lot of headaches.”
“No matter. He’s here now,” she responds.
After the End of Year dance, Draco offers to walk Hermione back to her classroom, following their evening of chaperoning. While it isn’t necessary, he appreciates the conversation, and it’s the gentlemanly thing to do. As they turn a corner, they both hear rustling behind one of the tapestries along the wall.
He starts toward it to disturb whichever star-crossed lovers are taking refuge behind the wall hanging, but Hermione stops him. “Ahh… tonight, let’s leave them. It’s end of term. And besides, when we were young, we didn’t always follow the rules.”
“Speak for yourself, Granger. I was always a rule follower.”
“Ha!” She snorts.
“What?” He asks, looking wounded.
“Says the boy who ended up in detention with us in the Forbidden Forest. What was that… our first year?” Hermione chuckles.
“Well…” He smirks. “To be honest, I don’t know how the school functioned with all the after hours activity that went on during our time here. Mercifully, it seems to have mellowed.”
“Or so you think.” She retorts.
“What does that mean?” Draco asks.
“Oh, I see plenty, I just don’t always say anything.”
Once the students head home, just the professors are left. Draco is finishing packing what he needs for the summer when Hermione comes to find him. He feels like he has been putting off this moment, not wanting to admit that he will miss her over the summer months.
Of course, Gryffindor that she is, she calls him on it, peeking her head around his door. “Avoiding me?”
He decides on honesty. “Maybe a bit. I feel bad about leaving.”
“Draco, it happens every year. I’m used to it.”
“What will you do?” He asks tentatively.
“I’ll catch up on reading, I suppose. But who knows… maybe I won’t be here when you get back in the autumn.” Hermione gives him a small smile.
He attempts to hide his reaction. Her words have caught him off guard and he’s torn. Draco has enjoyed the time they have spent together, but he also knows that she needs to move on.
She continues her thoughts out loud, “Honestly, I’m feeling more ready than I have. And the boys don’t need me. At this point, they only come out of obligation, I think.”
“I’ll miss you,” he blurts out, the moment getting the best of him.
“And that’s the surprise, isn’t it?” Hermione grins and waves a hand between them. ‘Who would have thought Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger could become friends?”
Draco considers her comment and finds that he completely agrees. They both remain silent.
He never has asked anything about it, thinking it might upset her or be rude. It has gone unsaid between them. But, he gathers his courage to ask her just one thing. One thing that perhaps only he would get to know.
“What do you miss most?” He asks quietly.
Hermione sighs and closes her eyes, and Draco worries that he has overstepped, but he hopes that she will give him this piece of her, something that he can carry with him. Perhaps it will give her a bit of comfort to do so, to share something so small and ordinary that will stay behind after she is gone.
“It may sound silly to you, Draco. I miss the sun on my face. I miss the yellow behind my eyelids. I miss the warmth. Even when things were hard, I always felt whole in the sunshine.”
He doesn’t speak, considering the weight of her words. It doesn’t seem silly at all, he thinks.
“I hope there’s sunshine over there,” Hermione says in a whisper.
At the end of August, Draco returns to the castle, but she isn’t in her classroom. Instead, he finds that Dennis McCreevy, who finished a few years under him, has taken the post. Draco steps into the room and shakes Dennis's hand, offering to show him ropes, promising to tell him about the students he’ll need to keep an eye out for, as well as all the Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes he may come across. If the younger wizard is surprised at Draco’s gesture, he doesn’t show it.
It’s at the Welcome Feast when the headmistress is announcing the staff changes that his suspicions are confirmed. After she welcomes Professor McCreevy, she adds an aside, “Students, I should let you know that Hogwarts now has one less ghost. Our dear Miss Granger has finally gone on. We wish her well.”
Even though it is night outside, Draco closes his eyes and imagines her feeling the sun on her face once again and smiles.
fin