Chapters 21-30

Many Meetings

Hermione had fled from the commotion at the castle that was caused by the arrival of the students who would participate in the Hogwarts Summer Academy 1999. But apparently the edge of the lake had not been quite far enough.

‘Malfoy.’

‘Granger.’ He looked her up and down, taking in the emerald-green trim of her robes, the apprentice badge, the green ribbon that tied back her hair and the pale green of her blouse. ‘You’re even braver than I thought you were. Those colours suit you.’

A year ago she’d have retorted with a scathing reply. But a year ago he wouldn’t have tried so hard to sound polite, as if he actually meant what he said. Maybe he even did. Worse, she knew he was right. Slytherin green suited her much better than Gryffindor red.

‘Thank you. And you know me…everything for knowledge.’

He shook his head. ‘Then why aren’t you in Ravenclaw?’

She couldn’t help a wry grin. ‘You’ve got me there.’

‘He—he’s really not so bad. At least to us Slytherins,’ Malfoy offered. ‘He was always fair to us.’

‘More than fair, I’d say.’ She bit on her tongue. That wasn’t precisely disrespectful, was it? She’d learnt the conditions of her indenture by heart.

Now it was Malfoy’s turn to smile. But although his lips curled, his eyes didn’t reflect the expression.

‘Perhaps,’ he admitted. ‘Well, I need to go and get my things sorted. See you around, I suppose?’

She nodded, staring after him, more than a little confused. He had certainly changed since she’d seen him the last time.

oooOooo

‘Merlin, Hermione! Whatever are you wearing?’ Ginny exclaimed, grabbing Hermione’s arm and turning her around. Neville, Luna, Lavender and Seamus were following Ginny, their expressions betraying varying degrees of fascination or repulsion.

Hermione rolled her eyes. ‘Unless you’re colour-blind it should be fairly obvious that I’m dressed in Slytherin colours.’

‘Blimey, Hermione,’ Seamus Finnigan sputtered. ‘How can you stand that?’

‘Well, as I’m Professor Snape’s apprentice, it would hardly be appropriate for me to be dressed like a Gryffindor, wouldn’t it?’ Hermione replied with a certain irritation.

Lavender Brown, who’d come closer to listen to what Hermione would say, smirked, but when she spoke she sounded almost envious. ‘Those colours look really good on you, Hermione.’

Ginny narrowed her eyes at Hermione. Obviously she ended up agreeing with Lavender, for she promptly moved on to the next uncomfortable subject. ‘And did you just have a nice chat with Malfoy?’

Hermione sighed, suddenly very grateful that neither Harry nor Ron would be returning to Hogwarts for their NEWTs. ‘He’s not all that bad, Ginny. He did help us in the battle.’ She hesitated. ‘And I think he’s been going through a hard time. You do know the conditions of the Malfoys’ probation?’

The youngest Weasley frowned and shook her head. The others moved closer, obviously also unaware of those details, though they’d been covered by both the Prophet and the Quibbler at the time of the trial.

‘Well, his majority has been postponed until he turns 21—to make sure that there is time for him to…prove his willingness to mend his ways. And guardianship of Draco has been taken away from his parents. His legal guardian is Andromeda Black now, his closest surviving family member.’

Ginny stared at Hermione, blinked and sputtered. ‘How…why…how come I missed this? Why didn’t my parents…does that mean he actually lives with Teddy?’

Hermione raised her eyebrows at her friend, wondering if she’d made a mistake in telling her. But those facts had been all over the press. They were not exactly a secret—least of all Snape’s secret.

‘Look—don’t you think it’s time to leave the past behind us and move on?’ Hermione’s head was starting to hurt. ‘I know that we Gryffindors can bear a grudge for all eternity, but…’

‘He did help us in the end,’ Neville stated.

Ginny glared at Neville, but there was something in the young man’s calm gaze that made her relent. ‘If he behaves himself, I guess I can do the same.—Hey, if you know about what happened to Draco, do you know the conditions for his parents’ probation as well?’

‘Indeed I do,’ Hermione replied and couldn’t help grinning.‘The Malfoys have to work at St. Mungo’s for three years, their money was seized and given to charities, all their house-elves were liberated, and they’ve been spelled so they can’t do any magic at all for three years.’

‘Now that’s sweet,’ Neville said dreamily. ‘Just imagine Narcissa scouring chamber pots the Muggle way…’

‘So what it’s like to be Snape’s apprentice?’ Luna asked, blithely ignoring all talk of old enemies and clothes.

‘It’s Professor Snape, Luna. I can’t really say yet,’ Hermione replied. ‘The ceremony only took place on Monday.’

Just two days ago. Her mind whirled when she thought of the ritual. She knew it had been only a required part of the ceremony, but for some reason she couldn’t forget the way his lips had felt on her mouth. So…gentle…

Quickly she continued, so the others wouldn’t notice the heat rising in her cheeks. ‘I’ll be teaching remedial Potions and Charms to the Second Years and I’ll have study groups to supervise with Third Years and Fourth Years. Apart from that I have to study on my own, I’ve been recruited to brew basic potions for Madam Pomfrey and I’ve got to come up with a practical project for Professor Snape to supervise.’

‘That sounds fair beastly,’ Neville said with admiration in his voice.

Hermione shrugged, but couldn’t help feeling a bit pleased. ‘Oh, you know me, Neville. The greatest possible challenge and all…’

Lavender snorted. ‘You really are a masochist, Hermione. But as the saying goes—it takes all sorts to make a world. So have you guys any ideas yet about which subjects you want to take for your NEWTs?’