Anima

Chapter 6

Harry cleared his through,” McGonagall sent me. She wants to see both of you at Hogwarts whenever you can.”

Hermione raised an eyebrow,” I didn’t know you went back.”

He glanced away from her. She was still angry with him about it and he knew that. He understood it. Especially since he’d chosen Ron and left her out of it,” I...uh, I’m repeating seventh year.”

She nodded once,” Good. Maybe you and Draco can tutor one another-“

” What?!”

Draco was giving her an absolutely apocalyptic look of outrage and she sighed to herself before glancing at him,” You didn’t really think I was just going to have an ignorant cabana boy around to decorate my house while I went to school, did you?”

Harry gasped and choked at the same time,” Merlin, Mione...rough...”

Raising an eyebrow at him,” You’re one to talk, since you won’t pass without me.” Harry shot her a hurt look, then looked down again. She turned her attention back to Draco who still seemed to be pondering what she had called him. He determined it was derogatory and glared at her. She clapped her hands, making both boys jump. Enough of this,” This is how it’s hopefully going to work. Minerva has agreed to talk with all three of us. If everything goes smoothly...give me strength...you’ll finish up your seventh year, learning your sixth over again, and I’ll be staying at Hogwarts so I’ll be keeping you company.”

Crossing his arms,” You mean you’ll be hounding me in my studies.”

Raising an eyebrow and smirking,” Among other things.” She gave him a sultry look down his profile and he turned bright red. As did Harry, having caught that look.

Whining in her ear,” Do you have to do that in front of me?”

Smirking evilly at him,” You’ll be lucky if that’s all I do in front of you. Consider it payback.” He huffed at her and started for the backyard.

Draco scuffed his feet, feeling a pout coming on. And he hated pouting even if his mum had said he was cute when he did it,” Why do I have to go back if I’m 18 now?”

Sighing softly before walking up to him, tilting her head back just a little since he was a might taller than her. She slipped her arms around his hips and nestled her hands in his back pockets. He jumped just a little, eyes widening in surprise before slitting at her. This, he liked,” For several reasons and I’ll list them for you. One, so you can graduate from Hogwarts and perhaps your dream of being a potions master will come true.” His breath caught at that,” Two, because I don’t want you sitting around here all day with nothing to do and no one to talk to. Three, because you had the potential to be head boy and I know you’re smart enough to complete both years so you will not waste such a gift. Four, because you will be my secret spy and tell me all the evil things that Ginny will do to Harry since she’s in her last year and all three of you will be taking classes together...” Harry groaned loudly and started thumping his head against the back wall. Whispering so only he could hear,” And five, because it’s easier for me to floo to an apartment in Hogwarts that you will be staying in than commuting back here, which will mean hours of enjoying each other’s company as I take your virginity and rock...your...world.” She planted a soft kiss onto his lips with her last three words, feeling his face heat up with embarrassment that she knew the secret he hadn’t dared to utter. He’d prefer everyone thinking he was the biggest slut in Hogwarts over everyone knowing he was a...virgin. Would she tell,” No one else knows...and soon it won’t matter...that’s a promise.”

They both grinned to one another, Draco letting out a mournful noise when she pulled her hands out of his pockets and turned to face a pouting, raven haired boy,” Can we go now?”

Hermione casually slipped her right arm through Draco’s left and he smirked, feeling happy,” Yes, Harry... now, did you use the potty, young man? We’re not stopping this time.”

Draco guffawed, covering his mouth but he couldn’t help himself. He actually understood that slam and it was damn funny. The Gryffindor was acting like little more than a child. Harry glared,” Just wait till she starts after you, Malfoy.”

Hermione narrowed her eyes,” That will not happen and I suggest if you have a problem with the way I treat you that you address the issue to me, not him.” Sniffing, not even slightly playful,” Or would you prefer to be addressed as Potter and we’ll keep things to business?”

Harry blanched and backtracked. He knew having Hermione teasing him at every moment was a bit of payback that he well deserved. And he’d take it. Hell, he’d take Draco bloody Malfoy snickering about it in the background. Just so long as she would still let him into her life,” No. I don’t have to go, mum...can we go now?”

***

Draco looked around the Head office, glancing at the familiar portraits...and that’s all that was familiar. The book cases had been cleaned and shuffled around with different books. The large desk had been changed in shape so that it was less angular, more curved and welcoming. There was a set of chairs set up in the middle, like a miniature parlor area for comfort and intimacy. Fawkes was no longer on her perch, instead a glorious winter tree took up the space. They were trees that only blossomed on Christmas eve, shining down leaves of the purest gold and one of the most remarkable sites, according to reputation. The rest of the year they were just a simple green tree that never grew.

His eyes widened, seeing Dumbledore’s portrait next to the door and looking down on him with twinkling eyes. He swallowed, feeling something deep inside...guilt? Regret? He wasn’t sure. Looking at Hermione and whispering, waiting for Minerva as they all sat in the circle of chairs,” I know you said McGonagall was Headmistress but I assumed he’d just...retired?” Shaking his head with a frown,” I never really thought he’d...die.”

Harry frowned slightly at that, glancing at Hermione who sternly said with her eyes that Draco would never know. And if he did it would come from her. He inclined his head and folded his hands into his lap, taking another look around himself,” My apologies, I’ve had the most difficult time scrambling for professors this year.” The Headmistress swept into the room, sitting down next to Harry and smiling gently to them all. It was a small one, but for Minerva it was a clear difference from the stodgy McGonagall they all knew,” Now. Why don’t you tell me what it is you need from me and I’ll see what can be done.” Without a doubt this was her favorite year of students. Two of her favorite Gryffindors and a Slytherin she had constantly worried about and for. They’d all seen where he was headed. And as mere professors they’d been powerless to stop it. Snape had been the only-

She quickly turned her mind away from thoughts of the old potions master and focused on her star pupil,” I wrote to you, Headmistress-“

” Minerva, please, Hermione. You are no longer a student here-“ Sharpening her glance at the other two boys,” And this does not extend to you two...not yet.” Draco studied his fingers and silently bit his inner lip to keep from laughing. He’d secretly loved this fiesty woman to pieces growing up. She reminded him a bit of his grandmother though mother Black was twice the bitch. No, it was her fire and shear determination that things would go her way or no way.

Smiling at the Headmistress,” Minerva. I know that Harry is returning for his seventh year and I was hoping that Draco could as well. You are aware that he doesn’t remember anything past his fifth year so, he’ll need to have access to sixth year spells as well and...I’ve heard there are apartments within the castle, so as not to disturb the other students considering the age difference-”

Minerva raised her hand,” Hermione...we have many students who did not complete their seventh year and are returning. Actually, most of your year will be coming back...with some exceptions. But his lack of memory for sixth year can be taken care quite easily I should think.” Her eyes shifted,” Mr. Malfoy...” Draco looked up,” Are you willing to return, treated as a seventh year student in spite of your age?”

Glancing at Hermione before nodding slowly,” Yes, Professor.”

“ Can you handle the responsibility of an apartment across from the Gryffindor
common room without your Slytherin sense of pranking getting you into...much trouble?”
Hermione gaped and a slow, evil smirk flittered across Draco’s face, though it disappeared a moment later, his impression that of a perfect angel,” I can handle the responsibility, Professor.” Harry sputtered at that prospect, especially since he hadn’t negotiated his own apartment and volunteered to live in the seventh year dorm. This sucked.

“ I’m sure that you can.” A quirk of her lips before addressing one and all,” There are several new professors this year. I’m sure Professor Lupin, who is returning to his Defense Against the Dark Arts position would be more than happy to set up any of your tutoring needs.”

Draco not quite pouted,” Why can’t Severus just tutor me?”

A shudder visibly went through all three of them and Draco frowned, catching it. Harry was studying his clenched fists. McGonagall actually got up and paced to her desk, fiddling with a parchment and knocking over a bottle of ink in the process and Hermione...she looked pale and drawn, visibly holding herself in. Draco narrowed his eyes. Something had happened and he was fed up with being kept in the dark,” Dear boy, they wish to tell you... but they know not how...”

Minerva whipped around,” Albus-“

Albus shook his head from his portrait,” He has a right to know. It matters not that he cannot remember. All of you do, and that is what is important. Knowledge is power, my dear. And one cannot learn from mistakes, if there is no remembrance of them.”

Hermione forced herself to breathe, forced herself to turn and look at Draco not as the boy that she remembered, but as the boy she was learning to love,” It was during our sixth year. You remember your father being sent to Azkerban...” Harry got up and started pacing, back and forth while Minerva slowly sat down at her desk,” It was during the summer. Voldemort put you to a task. You were to kill Dumbledore, or he would kill your family as punishment for your father’s failure.” Draco pulled in a deep breath and held it,” You used the Room of Requirement and rebuilt the Vanishing Cabinet...you may not know what it is but...it allowed Death eaters to move from one point into Hogwarts.” The color drained from his face,” They were loose in the school, students and teachers fighting them...Dumbledore went to the tower and found you-“

Draco clapped his hands over his ears, shaking his head...his whole body shaking. It wasn’t true...it couldn’t be true. He wouldn’t kill. It wasn’t in him to kill. He was a lot of talk but that’s all it was. Every blessed mudblood he’d ever said was what he was supposed to do. It wasn’t because he meant it. It’s how he was brought up to act, nothing more.

Hermione knelt in front of him, seeing where his thoughts had turned and grasping his wrists, pulling them gently from his ears. Whispering gently, reassuringly,” You didn’t do it. You couldn’t...but Snape did. And now Albus is gone...”

Swallowing heavily, tears in his eyes,” It’s...it’s my fault...” Both a question and a statement. A world of confusion and anger and sorrow in his voice. How could she...how could any of them even look at him.

Harry forced out a breath,” No, Malfoy, it’s not. Not really.” Both turned to glance at him,” When Voldemort wanted someone dead...it happened. And you...you were protecting your family the only way you could.” Running a hand through his hair,” Hell, our positions reversed...I might have done the same...look. The real evil is wiped out. Death eaters are hiding under the rocks now and Snape...well, he’s gone so it’s not really what matters anymore. The fact that we got here is more important than how we did it.” Glancing over his shoulder,” Sorry, Albus.”

The old Headmaster chuckled,” No need, dear boy. That was actually my point.”