Hello all! This is my first attempt at fanfic, but I've been reading for years, and I decided it was just time. This will inevitably be horribly fluffy, because, well, life is too angsty. Many, many thank yous to my lovely beta, tectonictigress, for working through my excessive use of exclamation points and overzealous love of commas. I'm still looking for someone to Brit Pick, so if anyone is interested, please let me know! I don't know how this author's note thing works... I hope you like it! Reviews are appreciated!

Disclaimer: there's no money in this- just doing it because I love Dramione. Only the plot is mine... and really, these tropes are so overused, that that's hardly mine either. All love and respect to the queen, JKR, who is the actual owner of everything.

Ch. 1- On Coming Home

"She's back! Oi! She's here!"

Hermione stepped into the familiar surroundings of the crooked home she had come to love so much, breathing in the warm, familiar smell her heart associated with the Burrow. She dropped her bag and ran into the open arms of her best friend, laughing and patting down his unruly hair. Molly looked on from her spot at the kitchen counter with a fond smile on her face. "Welcome home, dear," she chuckled.

Hermione untucked herself from Harry's hug, and looked around, smiling to herself. Everything was exactly as she remembered it. She heard the dull rumble of footsteps thundering down the stairs, and quickly found herself in the embrace of Ginny who had beaten Ron down the stairs.

"Thank goodness," Ginny clucked, releasing Hermione and pushing her long, red hair out of her face. "I was getting sick of being the only girl in the house!" She grabbed Hermione's hand and began to drag her upstairs to the bedroom they always shared when Hermione came to the Burrow.

"Hey, wait!" called Ron, a disgruntled look on his face, "I didn't get to say 'hello' to Hermione! She was my friend first!"

Ginny continued to pull Hermione up the stairs and called over her shoulder, "Ooh Ronald, Hermione doesn't want to say 'hello' to you. Don't make things awkward!"

"Ginny!" Hermione squealed, as Ron huffed, falling into a chair, and Harry awkwardly shuffled from one foot to the other.

"Well it's true!" Ginny explained under her breath as she pulled Hermione into her room. "Now c'mon!" she coaxed, settling on top of her bed and patting the spot next to her, "We have a lot to talk about. I want to hear all about your trip, and I have to fill you in on what you've missed while you've been away!"

Not long after the Battle of Hogwarts, Hermione had decided she needed to get away. Word had gotten to her that, despite her best efforts to keep them safe and hidden, the Death Eaters had still found and killed her parents, leaving her utterly alone. Though the Weasleys were a pseudo family, and she still had wonderful friends, her family was gone. Harry stayed with her for days after she found out, sitting with her when she cried and attempting to force her to eat. The Weasleys had all drawn into themselves, comforting each other about the loss of Fred. Hermione and Ron quickly discovered that they didn't know how to be there for each other. Part of Hermione still saw Ron as the boy who would leave her when things got difficult, whereas Ron knew that Hermione would always make him feel inadequate. Ultimately, their relationship never really got off the ground. Feeling as though there was nothing for her to stick around Britain for, Hermione decided she would set out by herself for a while. Harry had offered to come with her, but she knew it was something she had to do alone.

"I have to do this, Harry," she explained one night in early May while the two of them sat under a tree in the Weasley's backyard, watching Crookshanks chase a gnome across the overgrown garden in the dim, red light of sunset.

He nodded. "When are you leaving?" he asked.

Hermione shuddered as the wind rustled through the tree and goosebumps covered her arms. She noted that the marks all over her skin from the battle and from Bellatrix vault were slowly healing, less shiny than they had been a week ago. "Tomorrow morning," she answered, quiet, but resolute.

Harry nodded again, and began playing with a blade of grass he had pulled out of the ground. They sat in silence for a while longer, and then Ginny came out to join them. Hermione briefly explained her plans to Ginny as well.

"This isn't because of Ron, is it?" she asked and then continued, "Because, you know that we love you, Hermione… whether you're with Ron or not, you'll always be family. We'll always want you here."

Hermione looked into Ginny's eyes, darkness now surrounding the three of them. She smiled a sad smile, and shook her head, taking Ginny's hand. "Gin, you know that's not it. I don't run away from my problems. I love Ronald, even if we didn't work out in that way." Ginny nodded, brushing her hair out of her eyes. Hermione continued, "I just… I need to spend some time on my own. Without my parents... I feel alone, Gin. I need to move on, in my own way. I just want to put everything familiar out of my mind for a bit." Ginny sighed, and hugged Hermione, before leaning back into Harry.

Hermione had travelled for the whole summer. She had wept at the Library of Alexandria and swam in the Sua Ocean Trench. She bathed in The Ganges River and climbed to Machu Picchu. She spoke with muggles who swore they had found the most magical places in the world, and wizards who confirmed that, in truth, they had. At some point in her travels her skin had tanned and her grief had lessened. While she knew that the war and the loss of her parents weren't things she was likely to get over anytime soon, she had come to terms, and had begun to heal. One hot morning, at the end of August, while sitting in a restaurant in the magical community near Osaka, Japan, an owl arrived from Professor McGonagall, inviting Hermione to complete her last year at Hogwarts and to be Head Girl. She knew it was time to return home. She had packed that day, and planned her trip back to the Burrow.

Hermione told Ginny all about her travels. Ginny listened with rapt attention to Hermione's stories of her many adventures, rolling her eyes whenever Hermione went into too much detail about the history of a certain area, and asked excited questions about all the wizarding communities that Hermione had visited. The girls talked for what felt like hours by the time Hermione had finally finished recalling her adventures.

"So," Hermione asked, lying down on her stomach, "what have I missed around here?"

"Well," Ginny started, "a lot has changed. George is doing much better. He actually goes into the shop a couple days a week now. Before he was just letting Lee run it for him. He still won't put the mirrors back up around his flat, though." Hermione nodded. She knew that George had, understandably, taken his twin's death the hardest. Being around a morose George had been one of the hardest parts of staying at the Burrow in the days after the Battle of Hogwarts. With a sigh, Ginny continued. "Also, Harry and I broke up. No, don't give me that look," she discouraged with a shake of her head when Hermione had begun to interrupt with a pitying look on her face. "We're just… different people. Different than before you guys left to go horcrux hunting, I mean. We love each other, don't get me wrong… but it's just not meant to be. Harry's a bit… well, he's a bit oblivious, isn't he?" she giggled, and then Hermione joined in, and soon, they were both laying on Ginny's bed laughing.

"Yes," Hermione agreed, nodding her head and wiping the tears from her eyes, "he can be a bit oblivious. Maybe this is for the best, then… I mean, don't get me wrong I love him a whole lot—we've been through things together that no one could possibly imagine. But still…"

Ginny smiled and sat up. "We get along okay, don't worry. I mean, I ended things, but I think he was waiting for me to do it. I think we both knew. I need to be with someone more…" she trailed off, thinking.

"Self-assured?" Hermione supplied.

"Yes!" Ginny agreed. "You'd think that someone who defeated the worst dark wizard of all time would have been more self-assured, but Harry is still so naïve in so many ways… and anyway, I don't think I'm agreeable enough for him. I was never going to be a sweetheart or a damsel in distress... Harry likes taking care of people."

"And you can take care of yourself," Hermione replied, with a smile.

"I can, thank you very much. So that's that. And now, I'm kind of seeing someone new…"

"Based on your tone, I'm a little nervous to ask you who he is".

"I'll tell you… but you have to listen to the full story, okay? No judging me."

"Ginny…"

"I'm serious, Hermione! No judging until you've heard everything."

"Fine. Who is it?"

"Blaise Zabini."

"Ginny Weasley!" Hermione squealed, hopping off the bed and staring at her friend.

"You said no judging until you heard the whole story, Hermione!"

"I can't believe you let me ramble on and on about Potala Palace and The Valley of Ghosts, and meanwhile you were holding in that huge… information bomb!"

"Oh come off it, Hermione, it's not that big of a deal," the redhead said, rolling her eyes.

"Ginny! Blaise Zabini!"

"Yeah, so? I like him!"

"His best friend is Malfoy!"

"Who cares who his friends are?"

"How are you being so casual about this? Do the boys know?"

Ginny nodded, and pulled Hermione back down to sit on the bed with her. "I'll tell you the whole story, if you promise to keep your mouth shut."

"Fine."

"I mean it, Hermione. No talking until I'm done. I know you. I'll answer all your questions, but not until I'm finished."

"Okay, fine. No questions. I'll be quiet," Hermione replied with an eye roll, crossing her arms.

Ginny nodded. "After Harry and I broke up, I decided I wanted to get out of the house. I mean, like I said, we're fine, but still… no one likes to be cooped up in a house with her ex-boyfriend and brothers all day, so I decided to get a job. I only had to bug Mum for a week before she agreed. Mr. Wright hired me to work at Quality Quidditch Supplies. One day, Zabini came in looking for new keeper's gloves. At first I was really rude to him. I mean, he's a Slytherin and Malfoy's best friend, so I didn't think anything good about him, other than noticing how fit he is. Oh, you know how attractive he is, Hermione, don't deny that," she said with a laugh at Hermione's scandalized face. She got up to pace around her room. "Next thing I know, he's coming to see me every day and asking me out to dinner with him. Eventually I cracked, and I realized he wasn't so bad. We talked and got on quite well. We kept on seeing each other every day… we'd go get ice cream or go for walks around the alley. He's actually very nice. Funny, too." Ginny smiled to herself, and then continued pacing.

"Anyway, eventually he asked me out, and I agreed, only if he'd come to the house and meet the family. And he did, Hermione! He just agreed, like it was nothing!" Ginny exclaimed, and Hermione had to admit that she was impressed at that. "My family likes him. He brings Mum flowers and plays quidditch with the boys and me. It wasn't easy at first, of course, but things are okay now… he was persistent." Hermione nodded, and started to open her mouth to respond, when Ginny cut her off with a shake of her head, her hands out in front of her. "Not yet, Hermione. I'm almost done, but we haven't… we haven't gotten to the interesting part of the story yet." Ginny nervously looked away from her friend and Hermione knew something was coming that she wasn't going to like.

"After he was so willing to meet my family… well, I felt like I had to return the favor, you know? I mean, he gets along with Harry! I know that most guys wouldn't be so patient, no matter how good I am at snogging," she said with a wink, and Hermione rolled her eyes. Ginny continued, "So when he asked if I would, er… meet his friends… well, I couldn't just say no. He isn't very close to his mother, and he's an only child, so the friends he grew up with are more like family than anything." He and Malfoy are like Ron and Harry, you know…"

Hermione's eyes grew wide, suddenly understanding where this was going. "Ginny…" she started, but was quickly cut off.

"Honestly, Hermione, he isn't bad. The way he treated us growing up was all about his shit father. He hates Lucius more than Dad does, I'll tell you that. The first time we met, he was so polite, I swear. You know me. I was skeptical. I wasn't going to let him off so easily… but Hermione, he's really changed. When I first met him he was like… he was like a shell of that jerk we used to know. He's been nothing but nice since I started seeing Blaise." At Hermione's skeptical look she added, "He's actually been to the house a few times."

"What?" Hermione bellowed.

Ginny nodded. "I know. It surprised me at first, too, when Blaise said he wanted to come over and apologize. But he did. He had a full helping of crow, let me tell you. Mum was the first to crack, of course. 'Poor dear, all alone in that horrible house full of dark magic, with his parents in Azkaban!'" Ginny said, in a perfect imitation of her mother. Hermione laughed, picturing it. Ginny continued, "The boys took longer to come around, but they have. Ron is still touchy about it sometimes… but for the most part, they're fine with him. He comes over with Blaise a lot. They all play quidditch together."

Hermione sat there, dumbfounded, trying to process all the information she had just received. Ginny was dating a Slytherin. Malfoy had been to the Burrow. Harry and Ron had made nice with Malfoy. They played quidditch together. What alternative universe had she entered? She looked up at Ginny, whose blue eyes were pleading with her. Hermione sighed.

"I'll give him a chance, Gin. Both of them. This is just… a lot to take in."

"You were gone for months, Hermione. You missed a lot."

"So when do I get to re-meet Blaise?"

"He and Malfoy are coming over for dinner tonight."

Hermione's heart sunk. She wanted to be a supportive friend, but she really thought she would have more time to get used to this.

"Hermione? It won't just be them. Lots of people come over for dinner on Sunday. Teddy will be here, though without Andromeda this week. Hagrid comes sometimes, and Bill and Fleur…"

"I'm fine, Gin. I think I'm just gonna go take a shower. How much longer until everyone gets here?"

Ginny looked at her watch. "It's only 3:00 now. They won't get here until 5:00, or so. Why don't you go shower, and then come back here and I'll help you fix your hair and makeup!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands.

Hermione rolled her eyes and looked at her friend. "Ginny, I don't know if I really want you to play Barbie with me…"

"What's Barbie?" Ginny asked, confusion briefly taking over for her excitement.

"Nothing, never mind. I just don't know if I'm up to that…" Hermione cautioned.

"Oh, please, Hermione?" she said, folding her hands and putting on her best puppy dog expression. "It's been so long since I've had another girl around!"

Hermione sighed and hesitantly assented before grabbing some things from her bag and heading to the bathroom. She was still trying to wrap her mind around everything that Ginny had just told her, and her head seemed to be spinning. She hoped to sort through her thoughts in peace before facing the rest of the family. Turning the shower on and stepping in, she allowed the steam to slowly unclog her mind as she gradually came to terms with everything she had missed. She had accepted her parents death… she could do anything. This would be nothing. She would give Zabini a chance. She would watch him interact with Ginny and everyone else in her world and keep an open mind. After all, Zabini hadn't ever done anything outright nasty to her before. If anyone knew what it was like to face persecution, it was her—she would remain open minded. She'd give Malfoy his space. They could be civil. She'd never play quidditch with him, or anything like that, but if Ginny seemed to think he wasn't all bad then she'd try to be polite. I can do this, she thought to herself while rinsing the shampoo out of her long, bushy hair.

Sometime later, she shut off the water and wrapped herself in a towel. She used her hand to wipe off the fogged up mirror and then quickly toweled off before stepping into her undergarments and a pair of simple jean shorts. She pulled on a bright colored spaghetti strap tank top and wrapped her hair up in a towel,then opened the door. Steam poured out around her as she walked back to Ginny's room, a small smile on her face. She'd make the best of these changes. After all, she thought, no one should ever complain about having more friends. I'm sure Zabini is very nice.

Ginny was lying across her bed when Hermione came in, playing with the boombox that Hermione had taught her to use. Hermione knew she still wasn't completely sure about it, but she seemed to enjoy some of the CDs Hermione had given her, especially Aaron Carter and the Spice Girls. Ginny looked up when Hermione entered, and patted the bed eagerly indicating that Hermione should sit down. She carefully pulled a comb through Hermione's wet, tangled curls, before applying a hair potion and spelling her friend's hair dry, chattering on about something Luna had done when she came to visit the previous week. She pulled a pair of hoop earrings from Hermione's bag and instructed her to put them in. Hermione chuckled to herself at her friend's enthusiasm, as Ginny excitedly nattered on some more. Some things never change, she thought.

Ginny took a long look at Hermione's face. "What?" Hermione asked.

"You have freckles. I've never noticed before," she replied with a shrug, before applying a glamour to Hermione's eyelashes, making them longer and darker.

"Yeah, I have them all the time, but they're much darker when I've been in the sun," she explained. After Ginny applied a gloss glamour to Hermione's lips, she declared herself done.

"You're really quite pretty, Hermione. Honestly, you don't require much maintenance, outside of that hair of yours."

Hermione looked at herself in the mirror, and admired Ginny's handiwork—her curls, while still wild, were less bushy and more springy. She tugged on one, and watched it stretch out before popping back into place. She looked over as Ginny pulled her long, red hair into a ponytail on top of her head. Ginny had always been stunning, there was no denying it. She pulled on a black crop top and matching black track pants. "When everyone gets here, we'll inevitably play quidditch, so I figured I'd better change now," she explained.

"And your brothers aren't gonna say anything about your exposed stomach when Blaise gets here?" Hermione asked, lounging back on the bed. Hermione knew the Weasley boys better than most people—there was no way their little sister could show that much skin around a boy without them having something to say.

Ginny shrugged. "They'll keep their mouths shut if they know what's good for them. They're all a little afraid of me, I think. I'm better at hexes than they are," she replied, with a smug little smile on her face. Then, they heard a knock at the door, and Ron's voice called up the stairs, "Oi, Ginny! Lover boy is here and he brought his pet ferret!" Ginny looked at Hermione and her face lit up. "They're here!" she squealed, getting to her feet and pulling Hermione up after her, dragging her from the room.

Well, Hermione thought, here goes nothing.