Morning Conversations

Hermione squinted out the window at the strange owl flying towards her house and smiled. She thought it looked like one of Hogwarts' owls. She couldn't believe it, her son had only been gone for a week and he was already writing his mother! How wonderful, she had missed him but she knew he wasn't going to be writing too often. He was going to be popular right away- he already knew most of his fellow first years before even stepping onto Platform nine and three-quarters for the first time. He took after his father, being liked so quickly. Hermione only hoped he would retain some of the study skills she tried to instill in him before he left for Hogwarts. She rose to meet the owl on the porch, leaving her husband gazing at her quizzically. He had noticed she had brightened considerably before getting up from the table. However, one glance at her as she came back through the front door and he knew it wasn't the good news Hermione had seemingly expected.

Her voice made no room for error. She was upset, and that anger currently seemed to be directed at him. Not good. "Harry James Potter, your son has managed to get detention in his first week... FIRST WEEK!" Repetition of words; nope this wasn't good news at all. And with that she just glared at him, clearly expecting a response.

"My son! He's your son too." Harry looked up innocently at a suddenly-very-close-to-him Hermione. He knew that wasn't going to be the response she was looking for, but he really couldn't understand Hermione's outrage, or maybe it was that he knew he'd be able to charm her out of her mood quickly enough.

"If he was my son he wouldn't have a detention from Professor Malfoy in the first week of school! He'd be studying in the library."

Harry's head cocked to the side. "Lucius is teaching at Hogwarts? Whatever for? And in what subject?"

Hermione rolled her eyes to the ceiling, exasperated, before replying. "Do you ever read anything other than the sports in The Daily Prophet anymore?"

Harry stared at her, waiting for her to continue, until suddenly realizing that she was actually waiting for him to answer. "Um...yes." He looked up at her clearly hoping that was the right answer. And actually it was true, although he clearly had not read whatever she expected him to know right now.

"Draco took over teaching Potions this year. He had studied under a Master in France for the past few years. Headmistress McGonagall heard he had completed his apprenticeship, even publishing several articles with new advances in healing potions of all things. Anyway, she called him back for an interview and he's the new instructor."

Harry started a bit, "Healing potions, really?" He paused slightly, connecting the information Hermione had just rattled off to him. "So, Draco gave my son detention?"

"Yes, but get that look off your face right this instant. I'm not going to have my husband rushing off to confront the Potions Master just because he gave your son detention. And he's Malfoy. You'd just end up in a duel and... just don't. Please."

"But... Draco is teaching my son?" Harry seemed a bit stuck on that point.

Hermione refused the urge to roll her eyes once more. "Yes and just think of the fun we would have had if you had accepted the DADA position this year! Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy together again at Hogwarts. Thank you for deciding you wanted to stay at home, helping me research this year." Hermione suddenly grinned wolfishly, realizing she was going to need to distract him in order to keep him from rushing off to go duel Draco. "Speaking of research, why don't you finish your porridge so we can get to it!" With a wiggle of her eyebrows she proceeded upstairs.

Harry suddenly forgot all about Malfoy and their son's detention. Harry realized this morning's research assignment would have little to do with books! Harry quickly finished up his porridge and rushed upstairs after her.