A/N: I suppose you can call this a Draco/Hermione fic, but there is no romance (yet). And about the title-its one that I've had in my head for a long time, but I never had a story to use it for. I don't really know if this one is appropriate, and I'll change the title if I get struck with a wonderful new idea. (I had to change this a bit, a few spelling errors, thanks Darjani!)

[Letter from Hermione to Harry]

Dear Harry,

Guess what? I'm going to a new school this summer! It's to help me learn more advanced magic, Dumbledore says I should go. It's just me and another from Hogwarts, Dumbledore wouldn't say whom, but I'm downright curious. I really hope its someone I know; I'd be terribly frightened if it wasn't. Dumbledore says that all the wizarding schools are going to be there, like Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, and even some more we haven't heard about! Isn't that exciting? I can't wait to tell Ron, I wonder if any of his brothers have gone to this before? The school is called FoxGrove's Manor for Advanced Magic. It sounds really beautiful doesn't it? I can't wait!

Love,

Hermione

Hermione tied the letter to her owl's leg with shaking hands, and opened the door that led onto the balcony, and let him go. She really hoped the neighbors weren't watching, but if they were she could simply explain that it was going out to get supper. The sky was filled with silver stars, and Hermione lingered at the edge of the balcony before she headed back inside to her room.

She was going to go to an advanced magic school! It wasn't a waste of her summer, as she was sure Ron would call it. It would surely help her in her schoolwork, and Dumbledore said it would help her decide what career in the wizarding world she would choose. He said that he himself had been to the school. It must be really wonderful, Hermione thought with a smile on her face. Dumbledore had said that you have to be at least sixteen to attend, and Hermione had just had her sixteenth birthday the week before. What a wonderful start to her sixth year at Hogwarts.

Hermione sighed, turned softly on one foot, and headed back inside to finish packing her bags. She already had enough clothes to last her the entire summer without anything being washed, but she added a few more robes just to be careful. And then she packed her blue dress robe inside, just in case.

"Hermione! We have to leave at five thirty in the morning! Wouldn't you like to go to bed now?" Her mother's voice called up the stairs to Hermione's room. Hermione smiled and stuck her head out the door, "Yes, Mother!"

With a smile on her face, Hermione began getting ready for bed, and for the next day that lie ahead of her.

~*@*~

Across the country in Mafloy Manor, Draco Malfoy sat at the edge of his bed, an empty trunk by his feet. He watched his mother sweep around the room, gathering up robes and socks from the drawers of the large dresser and closet that were inside Draco's room.

"Mother! I can pack for myself, you know," Draco told her, but she paid no attention and kept gathering up clothes and such around the room, and when her hands were full she strode over to where Draco sat, and began packing things in the trunk beside his feet.

"Honey, I know, but, oh, I'm just so happy for you!" Narcissa said, laying a slender hand on Draco's cheek, causing a strand of hair to fall down onto his face. She smiled softly, and brushed it back. Poor Draco. I'm so glad he's going to be getting out of the house this summer. Lucius is going on rage about Voldemort's inner circle, and I don't want Draco to join it. But he does. I'm glad Dumbledore is sending him to this FoxGrove School, Narcissa thought as she smiled at her son.

Before Draco could swipe off his mother's hand, she turned and began gathering more clothes. "Draco, would you like me to wash those nice black boxers of yours?" she asked, with her back turned to him to hide her smile.

"Mother! And if you forget, all of my boxers are black," he said with a slight tinge of color to his pale cheeks, hoping no one around the Manor had heard. He especially didn't want his cousin Angelina to hear; she had been staying with them this summer and was going to Hogwarts with Draco in September. That was all he needed was for Angelina to be spreading rumors about him at Hogwarts.

But his hopes were smashed as a soft voice came from the doorway. "Well that changes my opinion of you Draco. I always thought you wore briefs," Angelina's voice called. Draco stood up quickly, and with a small glare to his mother, he strode over to the door and was about to snap it shut on Angelina's face, but his father appeared in the doorway right behind her.

"Draco, are you ready yet?" his father asked with a twinge of irritance in his voice, as if the three of them were doing something that was far more annoying than standing in Draco's room.

"Ye-" Draco started, but was interrupted by his mother, who was holding a large stack of robes in her hands.

"No, not quite, Lucius," she said, and gave him a smile before she strode over to Draco's stunk and began folding the robes and stacking them in.

"Narcissa, you know we have house elves that can do this job," Lucius said, with the same irritance in his cold voice.

"Oh, I know. I just feel so responsible for our little boy," Narcissa strode over to Draco and gave him a hug, and he rolled his eyes, which made Angelina giggle. He was rather pleased Lucius didn't see him, because he would have gotten a severe lecture about 'Family Honor' and 'Obey your Elders'.

"Right, well we're leaving for Hogwarts at four, and its already twelve-thirty. Not that Draco needs the sleep, but we wouldn't want him to miss his first day would we?" Lucius said with a hint of something that sounded suspiciously like sarcasm.

"Right then, I'm going off to bed, Goodnight Aunt Narcissa and Uncle Lucius," Angelina called, giving Lucius a large smile that left no effect on his cold face. She turned right before she marched off and stuck her head in the door, "'Night Draco."

Lucius watched her retreating figure until she turned to go up a staircase that led to her room. "Is she going with us, Father?" Draco asked, and his father's head swiveled to look at him.

"Yes, she is, and there's no excuses about it. You can put up with her until we reach Hogwarts," Lucius said, his cold eyes fixed on Draco.

"Yes, father."

"Good. Well, I'm off to bed then. Narcissa, you will join me soon?" Lucius asked before he turned the corner to head up to where Draco supposed his and Narcissa's bedroom was. Draco didn't even know where it was, it was hidden, and the Mafloy Manor, like Hogwarts, was very good at moving passageways to keep things hidden.

"Yes, after I'm finished packing for Draco," she said, and gave Lucius a smile which he didn't return. "Good," was all he said before turning the corner.

"I'm so proud for you Draco," Narcissa said, packing more things into the already full suitcase. Draco watched her stuffing the jeans into the suitcase, her slender hands folding the clothes smaller. She always preferred the Muggle way to magic, and only used magic if she had to. "Please humor your father tomorrow, Draco, and try not to fight with Angelina, you know how it upsets him," Narcissa said, latching the trunk shut and sitting beside Draco on his bed.

Draco nodded, and she smiled weakly. "Thanks," she said, and planted a soft kiss on his forehead before exiting the room and turning the corner that Lucius had. "Goodnight, Draco," she called, and her footsteps echoed until they finally went inaudible.

~*@*~

Several hours later, Hermione woke up to Crookshanks jumping onto her stomach; he was chasing a feather that was floating around Hermione's room.

"Hermione?" she heard her father call to wake her up, his soft knocking on her bedroom door that he always made before entering.

"I'm up," she called, and she heard her father's footsteps disappear down the steps that led to the living room.

Hermione carefully moved Crookshanks, and stood up stretching. The sun was barely shining through the curtains, but it was enough to light up Hermione's room. She padded her way over to the dresser, and changed into a red spaghetti strap tanktop and black slacks, a gift outfit from her grandmother for her birthday. She had promised her that she would wear it on her first day to FoxGrove, which had made her grandmother smile. Her grandmother was very supportive of her being a witch, in fact, she bragged to all her neighbors, and was throughly delighted when Hermione had to perform a Memory Charm. It wasn't as if Hermione's parents weren't supportive - of course they were supportive! They just weren't quite as ecstatic as Hermione's grandmother.

Hermione treaded down the stairs and into the living room, then through the hallway that led to the kitchen. Her nose told her before she entered the kitchen that her mother had prepared quite a big feast. For breakfast that is.

Hermione pushed open the swing-door and a grin entered upon her face as she saw the interior of the kitchen. Her eyes fell first on the table, where in the center sat stacks of toast; a bowlful of golden scrambled eggs; a plateful of crisp, perfectly brown bacon; a pitcher full of orange juice; another plate filled with muffins; bagels stacked on top of each other on yet another plate; and a jug of milk. But it wasn't the food in the center that made her eyes sparkle. It was who sat around it. Of course, her mother and father sat cheerfully awaiting her arrival, but there were two extra faces and bodies. Hermione blinked twice as she saw them, Harry Potter was sitting beside her father, Harry's green eyes sparkled and he grinned, his white teeth showing in what was a true smile. Harry wasn't the only guest. Ron Weasley sat across the table from Harry, seated next to Hermione's mother, and was grinning as big as Harry, or maybe bigger.

"What's all this?" Hermione asked when she managed to get her tounge working properly.

"We thought you might want some company on your long drive," Hermione's father replied, his brown eyes sparkling. "What's wrong, is something wrong? It was your mother's idea," he said when Hermione's smile faded and her lip quivered slightly.

"Oh, nothing is wrong. I'm just…so happy!" Hermione ran over and gave her father a hug, and then ran over and hugged her mother.

"I feel left out, don't you Ron?" Harry asked, his eyes darting to Ron, who crossed his arms poutingly. "Yeah, I think we're not wanted," Ron's deepened voice said, a small ounce of hurt in them.

Hermione grinned and ran over to Ron, and hugged him in an awkward, 'You're-in-the-chair-and-I-have-to-bend-over-this-way-to-get-my-arms-around-you' hug. He quickly pushed back his chair and gave Hermione a true hug, squeezing her tightly so she had to exhale quickly.

"Oh, stop," he said, pretending to blush.

"No, seriously, stop," Harry's voice came from across the table, and Hermione grinned and ran over to him, and he hugged her even tighter than Ron, if that was at all possible. He leaned back a bit and her feet left the ground, Harry chuckling at Hermione's giggling screams. He put her back down, and she pulled up a chair at the end of the rectangular table.

"Mrs. Granger, are you sure you didn't use magic to prepare this?" Ron asked after they had started, Ron had his plate loaded to the brim along with Harry.

"Well, we won't tell if you won't," Mrs. Granger leaned in to whisper to Ron, whose smile faded but then brightened back up again as he saw the teasing in her eyes.

"This is wonderful! You wouldn't mind if we moved in would you?" Harry asked, his green eyes sparkling joyously.

"We could sell out Hermione's room," Hermione's father put in, sending chuckles around the table and a 'Dad!' from Hermione.

"Just joking, of course," he added with a grin.

After breakfast Harry and Ron helped carry Hermione's suitcases and owl out to the car with Hermione's father. Mrs. Granger and Hermione were upstairs going through all the drawers and closet, checking for missing items or 'Just-In-Cases'.

When nearly twenty minutes had passed, the men had put on a badge of courage and had dragged the women out of Hermione's room. They had halfway reached the bottom of the stairs when Hermione screeched out, "Crookshank's food!" And then entire party had to troop downstairs, retrieve the food, and find the cat that had been prowling around previously.

"Hermione, are you sure you want to take him?" Ron asked, clutching his bleeding arm and trying to tell a 'Hold still! We have to put antibiotics on it!' Mrs. Granger that his arm was fine.

"Ron, I can't leave him!"

"I bet you could," Harry mumbled, watching the situation with Hermione's father. The two chuckled for a bit, then decided Ron had been tortured enough and dragged Mrs. Granger out to the car. Ron and Hermione followed.

But another dilemma awaited out at the car.

"Dad…you did remember that we had to fit three people and a cat in the backseat didn't you?"

"Well…of course I remembered…" Mr. Granger mumbled sheepishly as the five stared at the spot in the backseat that might have allowed two five year olds, but three sixteen year olds seemed almost impossible.

But not quite. After forbidding magic, Mr. Granger had squeezed Ron and Harry in, and had adjused Hermione on Harry's lap with her legs spread across Ron's, and had agreed to allow Crookshanks up front.

"How long is this trip supposed to be?" Ron asked when the car had started and all the doors were precautiously locked to prevent items from falling out.

"Three hours," Mr. Granger replied, and held back a grin as three groans arose from the backseat.

~*@*~

"Stop going through my bags!" Draco growled at Angelina, snatching back his duffle and scooting moodily over to the left.

"Would you two stop acting like you're five?!" Lucius growled in a tone worse than Draco's, his patience all together lost after the first five minutes of the five-hour drive.

"Why couldn't we have left her home?" Draco asked, sending a glare toward Angelina.

"We weren't going to leave her at home, Draco. Now both of you shut up, or I'm turning this car right around and you are not going to go to this school, okay?" Lucius turned around and glared at both of them, and the look on his face was enough to shut them up.

"LUCIUS! WATCH THE ROAD!" Narcissa squealed, and her hand reached out to grab the wheel as they took a dangerous swerve toward the oncoming traffic. Lucius slapped her hand back, and mumbled something that sounded like: "I know what I'm doing."

Draco felt something land on his right hand as he stared out the window, and turned to find a small piece of paper on it.

Look what you've done now. Now your father hates me, and I'm going to have to go home!

Draco rolled his eyes and grabbed the pen that lay beside Angelina.

Draco scrawled carelessly and threw the note back.

He felt it again land on his hand, and he picked it up. It said little again, but was far more amusing than the previous one. I'm bored. I snatched some records from your room. Think Lucius would let us listen to them?

Draco grabbed the pen again: Do you think Lucius would let us dye his hair blue?

Got any dye?

A/N: Well...there you go... the start of my first long fanfic...I have another short one (its far more funny than this or at least I think so...("A Major/Minor Day") It seems like I can only write funny fanfics when I'm writing a serious one to go along with it... So, review, and tell me if you like it or hate it!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I did, it wouldn't be on this computer because if I had any money (which I don't) I would hire an illustrator and I would get it published in a beautiful little book. Sounds much better than this sitting here on your bum staring at a computer screen doesn't it? Yeah...too bad I own nothing...

A/N: This story has been recently updated, so tell me if anything doesn't make sense or is confusing to you (or misspelled or something like that). Thanks to all my reviewers! ; )