Everyone in the room looked up as the first years, led by Professor Sprout, entered the Great Hall. Professor McGonagall couldn't help but notice one girl, rather on the small side. It wasn't her size that made the professor take notice, however; it was her eyes. They were a silvery gray color, one she had only seen on a certain few students years before. Professor Sprout was busy getting everything ready so McGonagall decided to take the opportunity to ask Professor Snape about this child. She turned to the man sitting beside her but before she could utter a word, Professor Snape spoke.

“Bloody hell," he said, "I'm way too old to try to keep another Malfoy out of trouble. Especially one that's half Weasley.” That answered her unspoken question; it was Draco's child, and it had to be Ginny's too, seeing as she was the only Weasley female besides her mother. That would also explain the girl's hair, which was a strawberry-blonde color.

“Oh dear, Uncle Snape, did you forget that the wonderful Kaida would be joining us this year?” asked the DADA professor, Blaise Zabini.

“As a matter of fact Zabini, I did. Her father failed to remind me of that fact when I met with him the other day.”

“He was actually hoping you would forget so you would have the reaction you did. So you just made his day.” Laughed Blaise.

“Professor Zabini, I wasn't aware that Draco had a child,” Professor McGonagall remarked. She was trying to remember anything she had read or even heard about Draco and Ginny getting married or even just having a child but she couldn't recall a single word. Of course, that would have been around of the time of the war and everything in that time period was all jumbled up.
Just then the Sorting Hat started singing its annual song.

“Oh yes," continued Blaise, ignoring the hat, "He and Ginny have four. Two boys and two girls. There's Kaida, which just so happens to mean little dragon, although I don't know who came up with that name," Blaise laughed and rolled his eyes dramatically. "She's eleven, obviously. She has a mix of Draco and Ginny's personalities: she can be sweet and she can be cruel." Blaise took a deep breath before continuing. "But as for the rest of the kids: there are identical twin boys who are nine. Jarrett and Jace are spitting images of their father; if Draco cloned himself he couldn't get closer than those two. You can't tell the little buggers apart either, they even fool Ginny and Draco sometimes. They're holy terrors, just like the last pair of Weasley twins. Then there's little Kadence. She's the baby of the family, and a mini Ginny except for the color of her eyes. They say brown eyes are dominant, but all four kids have the same silvery gray eyes as their father. Anyway, Kadence is five, and adorable. You just can't help but give her whatever she wants because she melts your heart as soon as you meet her."

“Wow, four kids? I'd have guessed they would've stopped after the boys,” replied Professor Burns, the new charms professor, who had been eavesdropping in on the conversation.

“Oh no, Draco doesn't just care about having an heir like Lucius did," Blaise denied. "I'm sure he wanted at least one boy but it wouldn't have bothered him if they were all girls. He loves all those kids the same, whole-heartedly. I actually wouldn't be surprised if they didn't have a few more, they're wonderful parents and it's not like they can't afford them; and with the ones they have getting up in age and going to Hogwarts I'm sure empty nest syndrome will kick in."

“Were Draco and Ginny together in school?” asked a curious McGonagall. She was still wondering how that one had slipped right under her nose.

“Yes," Snape replied shortly.

Just then the Sorting Hat finally finished its song. “That was a long song, usually they're shorter. The hat must have gotten really bored in your office, Professor," Blaise laughed. Professor McGonagall ignored him.

“Really, when? How did I miss that?" she asked, her thoughts still on Draco and Ginny. Surely she would have known. She had always felt that she and Ginny were pretty close. Maybe Ginny wouldn't have told her directly but she thought that surely she would have noticed some stolen glances or something at least. But all she could remember was the snide remarks and the bickering. It must all have been a front, to throw people off. I wish I knew the story, she couldn't help but think, I'm sure it's a hopelessly romantic one.

However, her curiosity remained unsatisfied for the moment. No one had time to answer her because the sorting ceremony was starting.

One by one the first years were called - some getting sorted into Gryffindor, some Hufflepuff, some Ravenclaw, and some into Slytherin. It seemed the whole staff table took a deep breath when Kaida Malfoy was called. Some because they really wanted to know which house she would be sorted into, some because of the name Malfoy being said, and some because as soon as you saw her it became clear who her parents were. And some people thought that simply couldn't be possible; a Malfoy with a Weasley was like oil and water deciding to mix.

The girl that stood up was very pretty. She had long strawberry-blonde hair that reached all the way to her bum. Her eyes were somehow cold yet warm at the same time. She had her mothers face but just a little bit harder; no emotion showed on it as she walked over to the stool where she was supposed to sit. She sat down calmly and placed the hat on her head. The students started talking amongst themselves. You could hear some of the older students whispering, “Her father was a Death-Eater. He should be in Azkaban but he cut a deal with the devil,” and “I bet she's a mudblood-lover just like her mother.” It soon turned into a dull roar as the chatter spread. McGonagall had to raise her hand for silence. The chatter died away immediately. They instead waited for the hats' decision quietly.

“You're a tough one to decide Ms. Malfoy,” the Sorting Hat said inside the girl's head. “The daughter of the Slytherin prince and the Gryffindor princess. The product of two families that have been feuding for longer than almost anyone can remember. You have traits suitable for both Gryffindor and Slytherin but could also easily go into Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw. Which one do you most want to be in my dear?”

Kaida thought for a moment before answering, “I would like to carry on the Malfoy tradition of being in Slytherin. I know my cousins are in Gryffindor, but I would like to make my grandfather proud of me for being a true Malfoy. My Uncle Snape would probably not speak to me otherwise too, and you wouldn't want to make him mad. It's not pretty. And it would also make my father happy 'cause he and mum have a little bet going on which one of us is going to be in which house."

“Nice choice my dear," the hat said, "you will exceed and do great things under the leadership and guidance of Severus.” Then it stopped speaking to Kaida and shouted its decision out to the entire school: "SLYTHERIN!"

Most of the Slytherin table erupted with applause and shouting, but some of the older ones had looks of disgust on their faces; most likely the students who knew about Kaida's mother being from a family of "blood-traitors" and disapproved. Kaida stood and took the hat off her head then took her seat at the Slytherin table. She locked eyes with Blaise from her seat and gave him a smirk.

“Wow, she really is a mix of both,” McGonagall exclaimed.

“Told you," Blaise smirked, "but trust me, once you get her in your class and hear her questions and her answers to your questions, even when you see the way she sits or whatever little bit of emotion she shows, you will be amazed that she can be so much like two people at the same time. It's like you're looking at them instead of their daughter. Just you wait.”

Professor Snape then turned to Blaise and said, “Oh dear, I was kinda hoping Sinistra would get her so she would have to deal with the chaos that the next seven years are going to be. McGonagall thought Harry Potter arriving was chaos enough, but I have a feeling we haven't seen anything yet.”

“I'm glad she got into Slytherin," replied Blaise. "I wouldn't want to put up with Draco or Lucius if she didn't. They would be on the hunt for blood, and besides, we would still have to deal with her because her reign of terror is not going to be limited to the house she's in - it's going to be castle-wide just like her father's. And lastly she would run to us all the time anyway because we're her favorite Uncles.”
“You do have a point there, Blaise,” Snape acknowledged.

Hmm... McGonagall, who was still ignoring the question in favor of thinking about Draco and Ginny, thought to herself, I wonder if Ginny was the reason that Draco didn't pull off the mission he was given. That would also explain how the Order knew about it. How could I have missed something so huge and still be a member of the Order as well as a dear friend of Dumbledore without him mentioning something like that?

Soon the Sorting Hat had finished up with the last of the first years. McGonagall stood up, and after pointing her wand at her throat to boost her voice, she said, “Welcome to another great year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I'm sure you are all excited to start a new year of studies and making friends, but first let me say a few words. Even though the war has been over for years now I will still advise you to be cautious; there have been rumors of forces that are gathering to attack again. Though they are just rumors, it is better to be safe than sorry, so if you see or hear anything out of the ordinary that causes you alarm I hope that you will inform either a professor or myself immediately. Now that that's over, let's all have a good year. Remember to be respectful towards one another; you never know who your allies truly are. Last but not least, the Forbidden Forest is named that for a reason. It is off limits. First years, I welcome you to a new chapter of your life. I hope you make the best of it and you will do great things here. Now, let the feast begin!"

With these words, the food appeared on all the plates, and the school began to eat. Conversation also resumed at the staff table as McGonagall returned to her place at the table, with her curious question: "Blaise, do you know how Draco and Ginny got together?"

"As a matter of fact, I do," Blaise answered. "Professor McGonagall, would you like to hear the story?"
McGonagall wasn't the only one to answer. Her question had caught the attention of other teachers at the table, and now they all answered as one: "YES!"

"Okay, okay," Blaise said, surprised. "I'll try to do the story justice, but I'm not sure I can. I'm not much of a hopeless romantic and this is a hopelessly romantic story."