HP Fic: And all over again

[fathomlessspite]

Title: And All Over Again
Author: fathomlessspite
Characters: Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy and the rest of them
Warnings: slash, DH SPOILERS
Rating: (Part 1) PG
Summary: (highlight to read) It's Lily Potter's first year at Hogwarts, it'll be the first year in thirteen since Ginny and Harry had the house to himself. But as Ginny has decided to take a course at a wizarding college in Egypt so Harry accepts a teaching position at Hogwarts. With old friends and enemies surrounding him, questions about his slowly disintegrating marriage are hard to ignore.
A/N: Okay, so it wouldn't leave me alone. Please let me know what you think. Part 3 should be up soon.
CATCH UP: --PROLOGUE--

PART ONE

Harry looked from his daughter to his youngest son’s face and then back again. Both were frowning deeply and Harry fought the urge to take a step back, knowing he’d likely trip over his trunk if he did.

"Why can’t you go with us?" Lily asked, for what felt like the hundredth time that day.

"Because the professors are always there when we get there," James said, entering the living room and shoving Albus aside so he could sprawl himself on the sofa. "They need to settle in, probably have a few drinks before you snotty nosed lot arrive."

"James," Harry admonished.

"But it’s my first year, you saw James and Al off," Lily pouted.

"You’ll see him everyday Lily, what are you complaining about?" James said.

"James be quiet," Harry said sternly before turning back to Lily. "He’s right though, you’ll see me everyday."

"It won’t be the same though," Albus murmured.

"No, but you can come and talk to me whenever you want. I’ll send you the password to my rooms as soon as I get it," he told them.

"Okay," Lily nodded.

"Good girl," Harry smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "Right then, I’d better be off," Harry said.

"Mum!" James hollered, Harry winced as he shrunk his luggage so it could fit in his pocket as he travelled.

"I was only in the kitchen James," Ginny said as she came in, swatting her son over the head as she passed.

Harry hugged both Lily and Al, who dragged their brother over to do the same.

"Good luck," Ginny said with a half smile, barely hesitating before leaning in and kissing him on the cheek.

"You too," Harry responded as he took a handful of floo powder from the pot on the mantle. "Bye then," he said.

"See you tomorrow," Albus said with a smile.

"Good luck Lil," Harry said before throwing the powder into the fire place and taking a step in. "Headmistress McGonagal’s office, Hogwarts," he announced, and his family disappeared in front of him in a swirl of green flame.

* * *

 

Harry was glad that when he fell through the floo into McGonagal’s office that she was not there to witness it. He had never been able to stop feeling like a misbehaving schoolboy when in her presence, and he was sure that making a fool of himself on his arrival at her school to take up a teaching position wouldn’t have helped rid himself of that feeling in the slightest.

He had of course not counted on the portraits of the former head-teachers of the school. He glanced up when he heard a snigger which had sounded suspiciously like Phineas Nigelus, however said portrait was seemingly fast asleep.

Dumbledore’s portrait winked at him and grinned.

"Mr.Potter," a voice spoke from the doorway and Harry span round. "You’re early," McGonagal commented.

"Good evening Headmistress," Harry said. "Sorry if my early arrival has inconvenienced you," he added.

"Not at all, I merely thought you would spend a little longer saying farewell to your family," she said, walking past him and taking a seat behind her desk.

Harry shrugged and sat down in the chair opposite when she indicated for him to do so. "I’ll see the kids tomorrow," he responded. If she noted that he hadn’t mentioned his wife it didn’t show.

"That you will," she nodded. "Well, down to business. I assume you received the lessons plans for last year?" she asked.

"Yes, I’ve made a few changes here and there, mixed some things around a bit, nothing too drastic though," he answered, pulling out a several scrolls of parchment bound together with string from his robes. "Here’s your copy," he said, passing them over.

"Thank you, I’ll look over them this evening," she said. "There will be a staff meeting directly after breakfast tomorrow which for convenience takes place in the Great Hall itself," she explained. "You’re rooms are located in the eastern tower along with several other of our professors. The current password is dandelions, which you can change at your discretion. The password for you floo is the same, if you wish to change that however, you’ll have to come to me," she said.

"No need to change that," he responded.

"Good, good. I believe Professor Longbottom said he would show you to your rooms, he should be here-"

She was interrupted by a knock on the door, and at her call of ‘enter’ Neville Longbottom walked through the door and smiled at Harry.

"Here we are then," she said as she stood. "Well, I look forward to working with you Harry," she said, offering him a smile. "See you both in the morning," she nodded.

"Come on Harry," Neville smiled and led Harry down the stone staircase, which had not carried its passengers to the bottom itself for twenty one years, and into the corridor below. "So, looking forward to teaching?" Neville asked with a grin.

"I guess so yeah," Harry responded.

"Harry do try to control your enthusiasm," he answered in amusement.

"I am, really. It’s just a bit of a change from what I’m used to," he answered with a shrug.

"Harry what you’re used to is being an occasional liaison for the ministry, but most of the time a house-husband, taking care of your children," Neville said. "I think you’re overestimating how much of a change this is going to be."

"I never had to teach them anything though. Or set them homework," he added. "Oh my God, I’m going to be completely out of my depth here aren’t I?" Harry asked with dull realisation.

Neville laughed and patted him on the arm.

"Definitely."

PART TWO
 
The next morning Harry rose early, having been able to sleep little the night before. He felt like he was eleven years old again and coming to Hogwarts for the first time. He wondered briefly if Ginny was trying to rouse Lily and the boys yet, or if she was allowing them another hour or two of sleep.

A closer inspection of his rooms in the daylight revealed them to be just as comfortable as he’d believed on first look. The bedroom was decorated in greens and creams, whilst the main area of the rooms which included the living room, a small kitchen, dining room and study-like-area, was just a welcoming. The bathroom was tiled in green with a warm fluffy carpet on the floor, which from his shower this morning Harry was sure was charmed to stay dry and warm.

Harry wandered over to the kitchen area and found various items of cutlery, but little food. Evidently most professors usually chose to dine in the Great Hall with the rest of the school. Glancing at the clock Harry decided it was now late enough to walk down to the Great Hall himself.

As he walked down the corridor that led to the staircase down from the eastern tower voices echoed down the passage towards him.

"So there’s going to be four of them here now," a voice said with disdain. "Fantasic."

"Oh hush, Malfoy. Some of us were none too pleased when we learned we’d be dealing with the arrival of both you and your son last year, but we dealt with it," Neville’s voice responding, teasing evident in his tone.

"Stow it Longbottom, if McGonagal hadn’t come to me on her hands and knees you’d be rid of me this year as well. So if you’ve got a bone to pick, go to her," Draco Malfoy answered.

"Oh so that’s why you’re back is it?" Harry asked as he walked round the corner and towards where they were standing at the top of the stairs. "The Headmistress couldn’t find anyone else."

Malfoy glared at him. "Overdressed again, Potter?" he asked sardonically, running an eye over Harry. Harry looked down at his jeans and button-up-shirt and back at Malfoy again.

"Shut it Malfoy, I’ll wear robes when the students arrive," Harry snapped.

"Why bother? You are the Muggle Studies professor after all," Malfoy responded.

"Yes, well. It would have been Defense Against the Dark Arts, but McGonagal turned me down for that position for similar reasons as she did you I’d expect," Harry responded with an ironic twist to his lips.

Malfoy’s face displayed shock for a brief second before it was replace with cool indifference and he swept down the stairs before them.

Neville glanced from Harry to Malfoy’s retreating back and back again.

"Well that went well," Harry said with a self-depreciating smile. "Come on Neville, breakfast awaits," he said and led the way down the staircase and towards the Great Hall.

* * *

 

When the entered the hall, there was just one table in the room, the teachers were seated all round it. Neville took a seat next to Professor Flitwick, and Harry took the one on his other side. This seated them opposite Oliver Wood, who had become the Hogwarts Quidditch Coach after sustaining a serious injury several years after the war which left him unable to play for a professional team.

He was currently probing Malfoy with questions Harry hoped would not soon be aimed at him also.

"But surely she’ll miss you?" Wood wheedled.

"Of course she will, as would anyone," Malfoy replied with a quirk of his lips that was almost a smile. "I for one don’t know how any of you lasted the summer," he added.

"Oh it was a trial indeed," Flitwick commented. Harry snorted his amusement. Malfoy looked up at him and narrowed his eyes.

"Why don’t you ask Potter why he’s abandoned his wife to teach when they finally have their little nest all to themselves?" he said pointedly.

Harry looked down at his plate as several pairs of eyes came to rest upon him. His knuckles whitened at his tight grip on his fork as he pictured taking out Malfoy’s eyes with it.

"Ginny’s gone away to college," Neville said. "It’s not the second year in a row that they’ve lived apart," he added.

"Hmm, my wife didn’t abscond to Egypt though," Malfoy said as he took a sip of his coffee, eyes glinting malevolently over the rim of the cup at Harry.

Harry chewed resolutely on his mouthful of bacon and didn’t respond.

* * *

 

Once Professor McGonagal had finished the staff meeting after lunch, several of the professors retired to the staff room.

"Not joining us Draco?" Oliver asked. Draco sneered in Harry’s direction and stalked off back towards the east tower.

The room was much the same as the last time Harry had seen it all those years ago in a Defence lesson with Remus Lupin as his teacher. Harry looked over the notice board, and eyed the roster for Hogsmeade supervision. His name wasn’t down until the first week of December, it sat side by side with that of Draco Malfoy.

"Who sorts out the roster?" Harry asked as he threw himself into a comfortable chair next to Oliver.

"McGonagal," he answered. "But she’ll usually work it round to suite us, why are you down for an inconvenient day?"

"No just with an inconvenient person," Harry answered. "So do you really not know why Draco and his wife seem so comfortable with spending thirty nine weeks of the year apart?" Harry asked, feeling safer enquiring now that Neville had defended his separation from his wife.

"Same as all purebloods isn’t it? Arranged marriage," Wood shrugged. "They usually make more of an effort at making the marriage more ligit though. Maybe they really detest each other," he suggested.

"I didn’t think it was an arranged marriage," Harry said frowning, remembering Hermione commenting at the time that it was lucky for Draco that his girlfriend was a pureblood, meaning he was allowed to marry her if he chose to.

"Not strictly, but his mother introduced them," Oliver told him. "And I think she was pushing for him to settle down as well."

"How do you know all this?" Harry asked.

"Ply him with a bit of good quality liquor and Draco Malfoy could talk for England," Oliver laughed. Harry offered him a smile and stored that piece of information carefully away.

* * *
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Part 3

Comments

[chrisvel.livejournal.com]

I like this beginning a lot. Having them both teach at Hogwarts and with their children there should become very interesting.
I'd like to read more soon.
One small thing: at the end Harry asks Oliver about Draco and his wife being separated 9 weeks a year... it should be 9 months, right? Hope you don't mind me pointing this out.

[fathomlessspite]

Thank you for the feed back!
I'm sure I wrote 39 weeks? I'll check, but I remember my school year used to be 36 weeks, but they dont seem to have the 3 half term weeks we did, so i made it 39... but 9 months works too :)

That was the thing about the epilogue, while it was irritating in some ways, I loved the children! James is wonderfully obnoxious and Al was great too, I couldn't just pretend they didn't exist!

Thanks for the feedback!