Author's Note: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER. All original characters are my own creation.

This is my very first long form fiction. I have written many screenplays in the past but never anything like a novel. Please take that into consideration in your reviews.

This story takes place in 2012 it is AU, EWE. Relationships in the beginning are as follows, Harry/Ginny Married two kids (James 11, Lily 7), Draco Malfoy divorced one kid (Julien 'Jules' Malfoy 11), Hermione is single, Tracey Davis never married/single one kid (Arianna 11). Harry and Tracey were together during 7th year of Hogwarts after the reconstruction until the summer of 2000.

Please review and THANK YOU FOR READING!

HOGWARTS SCOTLAND AUGUST 2012

Parent & Student Orientation Meet and Greet Mixer

Hosted by the Board of Governors and the Department of Muggle Studies

On the grounds of Hogwarts for the first time in over a decade Tracey Davis is struck with the same awe and wonder she had the first night she saw this magical castle. It was a bright and clear day, a little warm, or maybe she was just nervous. Her daughter Arianna held her hand in a loose grip. They were more like friends now than mother and daughter as they practically skipped onto the grounds and around the black lake they saw the quad where the whole event was to take place.

The last time Tracey was here it was still being repaired. She had come back after the final battle, one of five Slytherins to do so. She was determined to graduate and get a few good letters of recommendation. Never one to let any of her hard work go to waste. Tracey wasn't the best student at Hogwarts or anywhere else, but she was a hard worker. It seems that hard work pays off better than sheer brilliance in the long run because she had built a great career out of it. Working with Veteran Witches & Wizards of the battles in America and abroad she had assembled a team of healers and counselors and hit-Wizards too, who worked together in a sort of Magical Human Services capacity. She also had developed a new psychiatric technique mixing exposure therapy and magic to treat PTSD and other conditions. Her papers were published in the magical community worldwide and that had all lead to this. Now back in Britain she was going to try and implement those systems into the Ministry. It would be a challenge no doubt.

Arianna was facing her own sort of challenge. She really hated Scotland. Too drab and dreary. She wanted to stay in New York. It was so alive, so fresh, so American. Arianna really didn't consider herself British or even magically inclined. Born and raised in America and basically a muggle as well, she just knew that Hogwarts would be hell. Arianna was tall for her age she would be 12 this coming March and already she was 5'6", almost taller than her Mom. She was skinny, with medium length black hair and green eyes with gold specks in them, and very tan from being at the beach the past two weeks.

You see, Tracey had to bribe Arianna to even go to Hogwarts. "Two weeks anywhere you want. Any holiday you can dream up for two whole weeks, if you'll go to school and not complain the whole time." That was the bargain that was struck. Arianna had accepted immediately because in her mind, the beach was worth any price. She could swim and surf and lounge for the rest of her life. Whenever they left the beach she would be depressed for days, sometimes weeks afterwards. The sea had a siren song for her.

Tracey squeezed her daughter's hand, "It will be alright. You know Jules will be here?" Arianna gave a halfhearted smile. Julien Malfoy was alright she supposed, a little immature but he was sort of like a cousin to her. At least she would know someone. "Yeah it'll be good to see Jules." Arianna tried to perk up, but she wasn't a very good actress. Not like her Mom. Tracey had that psychiatrist's arsenal of contemplative yet non-judgmental looks and glances and stares. She also had the I'm here for you and the I'm really listening looks that drove Arianna mad.

Tracey had hoped that her daughter would be filled with wonder and delight at the sight of the ancient castle, but really, she just looked sullen. She had to tell herself that Arianna would fall in love with it someday, and hopefully she'd learn to love the magical part of herself.

Tracey spots a group of kids gathered around what looks like a miniature Harry Potter. It must be his son. Her heat skips a beat, Harry must be here then. She knew it was a possibility. Tracey nudges Arianna to go join the group and she reluctantly drops her mother's hand.

Just then Tracey sees a face she was happy to spot. Mr. Malfoy, Dear Draco, the heartbreaker, the scamp. He smiled wickedly at Tracey and embraced her. "Too long, much, much too long, since I've seen you. Where is that lovely daughter of yours? You must come up to the house and see Mother, she'll never forgive me if I don't bring you round."

Tracey forces a smile, and fights to roll her eyes, "Draco, of course, Arianna and I would be simply thrilled to join you. Just give me a ring anytime."

"A Ring?" Draco scrunched up his sharp featured face. "What kind of ring exactly?"

Tracey laughs and grabs his upper arm, "The muggle sort Dear Drake. I meant you can call me? On the phone? Don't give me that face I know you work with Muggles now as well. Don't you have a law degree for goodness sakes?"

Draco shrugs, "Yes but that doesn't mean I understand all their weird sayings. Tracey, you haven't one of those mobile devices they're so fond of, have you? They stare at them incessantly in meetings. Their screens give me a migraine." Draco pinches his nose and shakes his platinum head. Tracey gives him a "there, there" pat-pat on the shoulder. They both continue talking for several minutes about their respective businesses. Tracey hands Draco her card and he stares, shocked, "Eek gads, Trace how many letters does one need after their name? What's this string of acronyms? Are you a certified dog trainer as well?" Tracey throws him a playful scowl, "Keep in touch Mr. Malfoy." Draco waves goodbye saying, "Yes, Doctor Missuses Tracey Esquire. I will indeed."

Hermione and Harry are laughing and laughing at fond Hogwarts memories. Hermione hasn't smiled this much in a long time. Why didn't she spend more time with her family and friends? She struggled now to remember what was more important, her career or her social life. Well, she didn't struggle much, clearly her career would win out.

Harry is so happy that Hermione came. He misses her greatly. She's so great with the kids and he could really use a friend right now. He's itching to unload all his problems on Hermione, so she can help him sort out his completely bunged up life. Ginny is taunting him in his peripheral vision he sees her rubbing her hands up and down Blaise Zabini's arms like she's trying to rid him of a chill. The two embrace and Harry grimaces. Hermione looks over her shoulder at whatever made her best friend's face contort so painfully, Ginny was flirting with Blaise. What had gotten into her. Hermione scrunches her face up at Harry, a mixture of embarrassment and sadness. Harry merely casts his gaze down and takes a long drink of whatever concoction they're passing around. He doesn't want to spend any more time thinking about Ginny.

He snaps back to Hermione; just as young Mister Malfoy approaches them. Julien was average height for an 11-year-old, with brown hair and dark eyes only his sharp pointed features and smirk gave him away as the Malfoy heir. Julien gives a stiff nod to Hermione and turns to Harry his hand outstretched, "Mr. Potter we have not been formally introduced I'm Julien Malfoy. It's an honor to meet you sir." Harry shakes the boy's hand back and through the side of his mouth replies, "Pleasure to make your acquaintance." The boy spins to Hermione and offers a deep bow, "Miss Granger lovely to see you." Hermione furrows her brow at the boy, "Hello Julien, where is your father anyway?" Julien snaps back and moves to take his leave, "I'm sure he's around." Then he's gone in a gust of wind. Harry and Hermione simply shake their heads at the strange scene.

Hermione puts on a pensive face, "Harry, let me see your hand. No, the one Jules shook." Harry looks confused but offers his hand, Hermione pulls out her wand to revelio a sticky sticking handshake charm that had been left by the devious Draco Junior.

Hermione removes the Weasley manufactured gag and Harry guffaws, "Well it is kind of funny." Hermione doesn't look amused. Harry searches the crowd and spots a shock of white hair he yells at the man, "Hey Malfoy!" Draco Malfoy spots the waving arms of Harry Potter and rolls his eyes as he walks up to the man, and Miss Granger digs her heels into the ground to prevent herself from running far away. Although Hermione and Draco were on speaking terms they weren't what anyone would call "friends."

Draco goes to shake Harry's hand but Harry grabs Draco's hand and turns it round and round to inspect it, "Just checking for any more of these gags. Your son laid it on me a moment ago." Draco slaps Harry's shoulder, "a prank Potter, no one was hurt." Harry shakes his head, "No. But you better confiscate whatever he has now. It wouldn't do for him to be kicked out because he's pranked half the board of governors." Draco cast a sideways glance in thought toward his son, "No that wouldn't do. Please excuse me." Draco turns to Hermione before he leaves, "Hermione, are you in town long? I should like to go over some new business with you. I'll owl you." Before Hermione could even open her mouth to reply, he was gone. Hermione thoughtfully looked down at her shoes and Harry couldn't help but fiddle with his glasses.

He didn't want to press his friend for answers, but he could swear she was sad Draco had taken off so quickly.

Tracey knows she shouldn't stare. She really, really should not stare. Why can't she stop staring? What on earth is wrong with her? She decides to just let herself stare at him for 2 minutes. She looks at her watch and sets the time. Even from behind and 50 paces away she'd know him. His back is strong and slightly slumped, maybe from stress or age? He's an auror and it's a physically demanding job. Oh, look he's turned slightly. Now she can see his profile, a glint of gold off his glasses, his mouth is upturned slightly. Is that Draco's boy Jules bowing in front of him? What on Earth? His hair is still a mess and so thick, does he have any gray yet?

Now Draco's saying something to him. Hermione looks like she's trying to hide behind Harry. Before she knows it, Tracey is walking over to Harry, Draco and Hermione. She's had enough staring. It's time to say something. Draco is there so she has a good buffer.

Shit. Draco is walking away. Tracey is already half way there. Should she stop? Turn around? She kind of flutters in place for a moment while Harry and Hermione exchange a word. Should she not interrupt them?

Tracey gathers her courage, back straight, smile on point. She's a performer, this is no different than a room full of students with gaping maws staring at their blank futures in the great beyond right past her head. Harry is turned away from her so Hermione spots Tracey first, with a soft smile Hermione says, "Tracey, don't you look lovely. America must be good for you."

Harry doesn't turn to look her way. Tracey puts a hand out for Hermione, "Miss Hermione Granger. It's so good to see you again. You haven't changed a bit." Tracey smiles wide but realizes that might not be taken as a compliment by the girl who was teased relentlessly almost her whole school career. Tracey tries to recover, "That is to say you haven't aged a day." Shit. She is putting her foot right in her mouth. Hermione tries to break the awkward, "Well, yes, thank you. You have a child attending Hogwarts?" Tracey tenses up and Harry finally turns to look at her.

Boy, does he ever look at her. He takes her in head to toe. Tracey is taller than him in her heels, her hair is chestnut brown her eyes the same stormy blue, no glasses though he notices. He tries to speak but coughs instead, mussing his hair to try and recover. Harry believes Tracey has changed a lot actually, and it's all for the better. She looks amazing. His mouth is suddenly very dry, but he manages to say, "Tracey, why it's been ages. You said you had a child here at Hogwarts? Which one is yours?"

Tracey sputters, "Oh well. Yes. I'm not sure where she's off too actually. I should probably go find her."

Harry tries to think of something quick to keep Tracey planted there. "She? So, you have a daughter? That's wonderful. Do you have any other kids? A husband? What are you doing back? Are you moving back or just .?" Hermione grabs Harry's arm her face turned away from Tracey and she mouths the word "STOP" at him. He pulls his hands back through his hair, disheveling himself with a lopsided grin, "Sorry," he mutters. At that point Hermione extracts herself, "Well I better go find Ginny. Bye Tracey. Harry."

Tracey turns her face away from Harry and tries very hard to stare at anything but him. He had questions. Too many questions. She thought maybe he could read her mind if she looked directly at him. He always had a way of looking right into her, seeing her thoughts and knowing her desires. Tracey puts on her show face, "We have moved back to London. Or rather, I have moved back, Arianna has never lived here before." She fiddles with her watch.

Harry would love to be the kind of bloke who could break tension with a witty remark or a perfectly timed pun. He never had that skill. He wanted to touch her so bad, his hands actually started to itch. So, he scratched them and said, "Arianna? That's a beautiful name. I love that name." He stopped himself. It had been the name he had wanted for his own daughter. Ginny wanted her to be called Minnie, so they went with Minerva. No one called the girl Minnie though everyone called her by her middle name Lily. The seven-year-old girl was the spitting image of Ginny though.

Tracey of course knew why he loved the name. It was Dumbledore's sister's name. It's possible he doesn't remember their conversations about names they liked, or places they wanted to live, or how much they ached to see the world together. Those late-night plans and daydreams were the only thing to get her through the nights sometimes. Maybe he doesn't remember. She must break the silence, "So you and Ginny still going strong? That's so wonderful Harry."

Harry looked wounded by her words. Had she said something wrong? Harry forces a smile and says, "So why did you come back?" In the air hanging there, left unsaid, "why did you leave in the first place?"

Tracey brushes her hair back and looks at him, dead in the eyes for the first time. In her opinion, he's gorgeous. Her heart flutters as she meets his gaze, "I'm working on a special project at the ministry, actually, I could use your help. You see I'm looking to bring my therapy techniques and training systems to the counselors working with veterans and current aurors. I might even want to branch out into some type of school counseling system, but very far in the future. What do you think?"

Harry's breath catches for a second, Tracey cuts him off before he can speak, "I've thrown you off. I apologize. I'll go through the proper channels at work. I didn't mean to dump all that on you in one go. I'm very sorry. Truly sorry."

Harry was now very confused, he tried to pick up the threads she was dangling. That sorry certainly wasn't as empty as she had meant it to be. Was she sorry for leaving? He was sorry he didn't go after her. Should he say so? Harry grabs her hand, "Tracey, stop apologizing. I would love to work with you on this it sounds like a very important program. I'm looking forward to seeing you. I mean, seeing you more, and well our kids are in school together too. Who knows? Maybe they'll be friends! It is really so good to see you." He rubs his thumb on her wrist and then drops his hand to adjust his glasses.

Tracey pulls out a business card and a muggle pen from her handbag. Harry notices the handbag is not extendable, just a regular muggle bag. Tracey really had gone to the Muggle side as it were. She writes some numbers on the card and hands it to Harry, "Please, call me sometime. I've got my cell phone number on the back too. Bye Harry." Tracey pulls Harry close and brushes her lips against his cheek in a swift kiss. Harry stops breathing for a moment and then she's gone.

Hermione saunters around to where Ginny and Blaise were laughing and carrying on like old... chums? Lovers? Hard to say. They had chemistry for sure but was it more than friendly? Her friend Ginny seemed a bit too rosy cheeked for mere friendly flirting. She wasn't one to sit the judges chair, no, not Miss Granger. She had been there done that where Ginny, Harry, Ron, Percy, Draco, hell, where everyone was concerned to be fair. She was choosing to not judge people, especially those closest to her. Which Ginny most certainly was. Ginny was there for her in some very dark times. The many break ups, the break outs, the break throughs. Hermione wanted to be there for Ginny the way she had always been there for her. Hermione felt the proverbial storm brewing.

"Hermione!" Ginny grabbed her friend and pulled her into a hug. Blaise smiled at them both, looking Hermione up and down in a sizing up sort of way. As in, did he have to be nice to the muggle-born? If he wanted to get in Ginny's good graces he'd better. Blaise extends a hand, "Hermione, lovely to see you." Hermione takes his hand firmly, "Blaise, what are you two on about over here?"

Ginny pulls Hermione close and teases, "Were just chatting and what have you been doing? Have you seen that Draco is here? And Tracey Davis as well?" Hermione stepped out of her friends hold, "Yes I saw them both. Everyone is grown up and passing the baton to the next generation it seems. Where is your child Blaise?"

Ginny cuts him off, "Blaise is here for the same reason you are. Moral support of his godson Julien." Hermione pursed her lips in a "hmm" sort of way. Ginny spun her around giving Blaise a quick air kiss goodbye, "Blaise we'll see you around good sir. Ta." Hermione and Ginny started walking toward an old bench and sat down next to each other. Ginny sighed, "My goodness. He's even better going than he is coming."

Hermione couldn't help but let a sharp laugh escape her tightly closed mouth, "Ginny! Should you be saying such things? Being happily married and all?"

Ginny winced and tried to laugh it off. "I married the wrong person, Hermione."

Hermione didn't even try to hide her shocked face. She knew they were having problems but, this sounded dire. How could she help her navigate this when she didn't know anything about marriage or even relationships really? "Ginny," Hermione started and faltered. Ginny picked up her meaning, even if she didn't say anything. "It's nothing. Don't get your face all crinkly like that, the wrinkles are going to start sticking soon." Ginny rubbed her thumb between Hermione's brows where the furrow was just starting to form. Hermione let her head fall into her friend's shoulder.

They sat like that, silent for a while until Ginny's son James came up to them harrumphing the whole way, "Mum, I'm done. Seriously, this is so boring. Please. I have to leave." James was shorter than some of the other children being one of the youngest in his class. He was messy of hair like his Dad, brown eyes like his mother and had a deep tan from being out all summer long. He was not one to sit at formal functions or mingle at orientation events. James was a kid that needed activity at all times. He was in a word, exhausting. Ginny held up a limp arm waving it about like it was made of jelly at her son, "Help Mummy up. Mummy is all jelly now. Help Mummy." James laughed and rolled his eyes at his playful Mum, "Mum, stop it. Your worse than Lily. Can't I just go floo Gran and stay at her place with Lils?" Ginny sat up straight, her cheek resting against her hand, "I guess that's alright with me, go check see with your Dad I suppose." James was off before Ginny even finished her sentence, running exceptionally fast away from his life giver.

Ginny and Hermione continued to chat, and hold hands, and laugh, and hug. Hermione thought it was so good to be with her again. This was the most successful relationship she had ever had when she thought about it. She supposed that was true for many women with lifelong friends. They would never stop loving

each other and nothing could come between them, well, at least nothing ever had.

Author's note: Is this too short for a chapter or too long? Let me know in the reviews! THANK YOU SO MUCH!