Okay - new story. I've had to tweak a few 'facts' from the books to suit my purpose:

Harry and Ginny are as in the books - married with three children.

Obviously, Ron isn't married to Hermione ( this is a Dramione story). He has married Lavender and they have two children - I've kept the names of his children as in the books.

Neville is a Professor and was married it didn't work out so he now brings up their child on his own - she is also starting Hogwarts.

Needless to say, Draco is no longer married to Astoria Greengrass, although she is the mother of his two children (yes, I know he didn't have two in the books - and I hate it when any character conveniently has extra children but I need him to have two children to suit the story). Draco's story will be explained as we go on so that's all I'll say for now.

Hermione is single with no children.

Thought I'd clear all that up before we start and I do apologize for the manipulations but a Dramione story requires a few tweaks to make it work.

With children involved I am conscious that the story can become super cheesy. I dislike stories where Hermione looks after Draco's children and the children love her and call her Auntie Mione so then Draco loves her too, blah, blah, blah.

Don't worry - I promise it won't be like that. The children aren't a big part of the story - they are just a means of getting Draco and Hermione together so there will be no super sweet, overly convenient moments.

Enough of me drabbling on...happy reading...

Hermione ran down the list of new pupils, checking if they had had each student's Entrance Permission forms back. There weren't many missing and she nodded. She took a quill and began writing a list of the few missing forms and contact details.

Her finger came to rest on Jeremiah Lutterbury who's form had been sent back unsigned. She added him to the list and then noticed the name directly underneath.

Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy

Hermione shook her head at his terrible name, it was worse than Draco - if that was possible. She lingered on it for a moment longer and then double checked that the forms had been completed. She already knew full well that they would have been. Draco Malfoy would have completed his child's forms the day he received them. They were probably some of the first ones they received back.

She gave a little sigh then straightened her shoulders. She would probably have very little to do with his son, because like his older sister, it was almost certain he would be sorted into Slytherin house. Elladora Malfoy would be going into Year 2 when the new term started. At least Draco had managed to give his daughter a pretty name, especially as she shortened it to Ella almost all the time. She shook her head. Somehow she couldn't imagine Draco letting his child be called anything but her full name, so maybe she was still Elladora at home.

Ella was also blonde, although not as startling white, more golden. She was petite with those incredible Malfoy eyes but there was no denying she was pretty. In fact, Hermione would go as far as saying she was beautiful. She would be stunning when she got older. She was a sports fanatic, Hermione had hardly ever seen her not holding a broom and most of the time she was posing with it, leaning casually against the handle, hair throw back over her shoulder. She certainly didn't lack in confidence!

Hermione hadn't had very much to do with her, last year she hadn't taught the 1st Years transfiguration but she knew that Ella was a favourite of Fabien, despite her academic grades being average at best. Ella was already on the Quidditch Team and her interest seemed to lie with very little else.

So the arrival of another Malfoy wasn't really big news. Thankfully, Hermione could cheerfully leave Fabien to deal with Malfoy and his offspring.

That lead her thoughts to Fabien – Professor Lang, Potions Master and Head of Slytherin House. Hermione often wondered if he had Slytherin tattooed across his head because he was the epitome of everything Slytherin. He had come from Durmstrang Institute to teach temporarily at Hogwarts three years ago, but he had been so popular both with staff and pupils that Professor McGonagall had practically begged him to stay.

He hadn't let anyone forget about it since and Hermione was at odds with almost everyone else, in that she found him irritating beyond belief. The rest of the school were captivated by him and his name was branded around as if he was doing them all a favour by just being here. She couldn't deny he was a good Professor – his students thoroughly enjoyed his lessons as well as improving their grades. Hermione didn't feel that he always spent enough time with the less able pupils (again, typically Slytherin), concentrating instead on the ones who would get him more glory, but she couldn't argue with the overall results he produced.

It didn't help that he was a handsome man, tall and slim with hair that was almost black because he seemed to think that this gave him the right to strut around the halls like a peacock, soaking up the adoring glances from the female students (and some of the staff!) whilst making little sarcastic comments as he went. His resemblance to another handsome Slytherin (she grudgingly admitted that Malfoy had been good looking), who had walked these halls was unmistakable and it didn't improve Fabien's chances of Hermione getting on with him any time soon.

He seemed to find the fact that Hermione was less than impressed with him a challenge and he regularly went out of his way to speak to her and he had even asked her out at one point. Huh! Never in a hundred, million eons would she go out with him!

She glanced back at the list, realizing she was daydreaming. She picked out some familiar names that she would like to join her in Gryffindor House. Albus Potter - Harry and Ginny's middle child and her Godson. His brother, James was already in her house and he was a handful - confident and outgoing and always up to mischief. Albus was much more like Harry, nervous and sometimes unsure of himself so Hermione was determined to take him under her wing. Also starting was Rose Weasley, Ron and Lavender's eldest child. Rose was a clever girl, quiet and studios and Hermione sincerely hoped she would be placed in Gryffindor. With a long line of Weasleys behind her, there was little doubt. Then there was Alice Longbottom, Neville's daughter. She was a lovely girl, with Neville's gentle, caring personality - she would be a welcome addition to Gryffindor as well.

As Head of House she felt very protective of all her students and she didn't try and hide it. It was an honour to be Head of House at such a young age but times had changed since she had been a pupil here and the age of the professors had dropped considerably. Some of the older professors had retired or left, a lot of them deciding to do so after the final battle at Hogwarts. It was as if they'd served their time, achieved their aim and now they felt happy to leave it in the safe hands of a new generation. And it was in safe hands, Professor McGonagall was still Headmistress and she guided them in her usual blunt, abrupt but very astute manner.

Neville Longbottom was Herbology teacher and Head of Hufflepuff and he and Hermione were still firm friends. In fact, there had been times when Hermione wasn't sure she would have survived the trials and tribulations of Hogwarts without Neville and she was very grateful to him. Neville had been married to the Astrology Professor who had taken over from Professor Trelawney. It hadn't worked out and now Neville was raising Alice on his own.

Ravenclaw Head of House was another young Professor who had taken over from Professor Flitwick to teach Charms. Professor Corbin was intelligent, quick witted and cheerful. Hermione liked her a lot.

Hermione took the pile of forms and began a quick look through of them, checking for signatures and mistakes. Harry's form was a mass of scribbles and crossings out and it made Hermione smile. She didn't care what his form was like because she was really looking forward to Albus starting. Neville's form was meticulously completed and Hermione had a moment of doubt when she wondered what house Alice would be sorted into, now that Neville was Head of Hufflepuff. Again, she hoped it would be Gryffindor.

The next form she stopped at was completed in a deep blue ink, the beautiful, scripted handwriting flowing over the page. The signature was a work of art itself - D. Malfoy, and Hermione noted the missing middle letter. She took this as a good sign that Draco did not want to be associated with his Father and had therefore ceased to sign his middle name initial. She didn't need to check his forms, there wouldn't be any mistakes she was sure but curiosity got the better of her and she began to read them anyway.

Scorpius Malfoy - the picture attached showed a white blonde child with a narrow face and startling grey eyes. He was a total double for Draco at the same age and Hermione pulled a face. She was going to find it hard to like this child. He didn't smile in his picture, he was just staring at the camera and it made Hermione feel like she had at school - irritated.

She checked the family details on the form.

Father : Draco Malfoy (obviously).

Mother : Astoria Greengrass (d).

Hermione bit her lip knowing the small 'd' meant their Mother was deceased. If what Hermione had heard was true, there was some mystery about how Astoria had died. Some papers had announced the cause of her death as Dragonpox but Hermione didn't truly believe this because it would be unusual for someone so young to die from that disease.

If Hermione recalled correctly, it had happened about three or four years ago. The children would have been only 7 or 8 years old, so that was a terrible shame. She wondered how Draco had coped with two young children and what sort of a Father he made. Ella wasn't exactly a shining example of Slytherin cleverness - she had the brains but she didn't want to apply them and Hermione wondered how Draco felt about that.

Tomorrow she would welcome a new batch of students to the school and a whole new year, with all its ups and downs would begin.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

The Great Hall was full, each house table lined top to bottom with students, the Professors, including Hermione, at their table facing the hall. The doors opened at the bottom of the hall and Hagrid lead the 1st Years in, the rest of the students watching eagerly.

"I love this part," Neville said in Hermione's ear and she nodded her head.

"I can see Alice - she looks terrified."

"I'm sure she is!" Neville gave a chuckle. "Poor thing."

"Do you think she'll be in your house?" Hermione asked him.

"No - she's a Gryffindor through and through," Neville said. "She'll be with you."

"Good." Hermione received a wide smile from Neville regarding this answer.

The very small, very scared looking 1st Years were all gathered at the front of the hall and Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on a stand where it began its annual rhyme. Hermione wondered what the tweak would be this year, every year she'd heard it (and it becoming too many to count), the rhyme was always similar but never identical. It fascinated Hermione who listened intently.

When the rhyme was over Professor McGonagall called the first pupil forward and placed the hat on the small child's head.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the Sorting Hat yelled and the Hufflepuff table burst into applause.

"One to me!" Neville said quietly and Hermione laughed.

The first child to be sorted that Hermione knew was Rose Weasley. She looked very serious as she sat down and the hat was placed on her head.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Hermione clapped, extremely pleased. Next was Albus, who looked so pale that Hermione wondered if he might actually vomit.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Hermione clapped again - she was really glad she got Albus.

"It's Alice next!" Neville said and he leant around Hermione to see better. Alice had one hand over her mouth watching everyone nervously. Hermione reached over and squeezed Neville's arm, reassuringly.

"She'll either be with you or me, don't worry."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Hermione looked at Neville. "Is that okay? Am I allowed to be happy?" she asked and Neville laughed.

"Of course it's okay!"

Hermione now watched curiously as a small, blonde boy approached the hat. This was unmistakably Scorpius Malfoy. He didn't meet anyone's eye and sat on the seat.

Afterwards, Hermione thought she might remember this moment for the rest of her life. Not only because of the word that left the Sorting Hat a few seconds later but also the fact that the hat hadn't actually sat on Scorpius' head before the word rang out.

Just as had happened all those years ago with Draco, the Sorting Hat spat the word out before it had even touched a hair on Scorpius' head. The difference was that this time it wasn't the word Slytherin that resounded around the Great Hall.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The usual applause from the Gryffindor table rang out but Hermione knew that the Professors sitting alongside her must have all had the same astonished expression on their faces as she did. Gryffindor! Gryffindor! Why and how had Draco Malfoy's son been sorted into Gryffindor?

"That must be a mistake!" Hermione heard Fabien exclaim from further along the table.

"The Sorting Hat doesn't make mistakes, Mr Lang," Professor McGonagall answered him in her usual acerbic tone.

"But his sister is already in my house - he's a Malfoy! All Malfoy's are sorted into Slytherin!" Fabien insisted and for once, Hermione was completely in tune with him. The expression on Professor McGonagall's face said differently, however.

"You know very well it doesn't work like that, Professor Lang," she said. Those words indicated the end of the discussion.

"Bloody hell!" Neville muttered and Hermione turned to him.

"How did that happen?"

"Merlin knows but looks like you've going to be dealing with baby Malfoy - lucky you!" Neville answered.

Scorpius was still standing by the seat, obviously undecided what he should do. It was clear he had been expecting to be sorted into Slytherin and who could blame him? He looked around as if someone was going to suddenly say it was a mistake and he should join the Slytherin table after all. Professor McGonagall had stood up because there was now a murmur going around the hall.

"Go along, dear," she said to Scorpius, waving her hand in the direction of the Gryffindor table. "Gryffindor - please welcome you're newest student."

The Gryffindor table clapped loudly, obviously most of the students were only vaguely aware of what had happened. Scorpius still didn't move and Hermione caught James Potter's eye, indicating that he should go and fetch him. James jumped up immediately and went over to Scorpius, taking him back to the table and talking to him.

"Poor thing!" Neville said.

Hermione's eyes had gone back to Professor McGonagall who was still standing and she followed her gaze. On the Slytherin table, at the far end of the hall, one lone figure was standing. Elladora Malfoy was upright, her hands on her hips, glancing between Scorpius and Professor McGonagall.

"If you would take your seat again, Miss Malfoy, then we can proceed," Professor McGonagall said clearly, across the hall.

Hermione watched as Elladora faced her formidable Headmistress across the room. She was obviously thinking of disobeying her and staying standing. For a moment there was a face off across the room and then Elladora seemed to realize that the entire hall was staring at her and she sat back down. Not before she had said a sentence that sent Hermione flying back in time.

"My Father will hear about this!"

Hermione watched the young girl as she sat unhappily at her table. Well, she was right about that - if one thing was certain, Draco Malfoy would definitely hear about this!

There you go - hope you liked it. He's in the next chapter and he's not happy! x